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With the future of 100LL avgas looking ever more iffy, Teledyne Continental's new president, Rhett Ross, says the company is planning to aggressively develop a diesel or heavy fuel engine for
certification in late 2009 or early 2010. "We are kicking off a major aerospace engine project this year with some realistically aggressive targets," Ross told AVweb's Paul Bertorelli in a detailed podcast interview last week. Ross says TCM would like to ground demonstrate a prototype later in 2008 or early 2009, probably in the
300-horsepower range, thus making a nice fit with the company's IO-550 series that dominates the high-performance gasoline engine market. TCM is no stranger to diesel engines, having developed a
four-cylinder prototype under NASA's GAP program. That engine flew just once, but was then shelved awaiting market developments. Ross said he believes that general aviation will be forced out of the
100LL option and that a Jet A piston engine will be one response to that. The company's PowerLink FADEC will be another. Although TCM's initial foray will be a high-horsepower, heavy fuel engine, Ross
says the company will eventually introduce smaller engines as well.
On Friday, the FAA published the final report (PDF) from the Amateur-Built
Aircraft Aviation Rulemaking Committee that outlines plans to keep the "home" in homebuilt. There will be a public comment period, which EAA predicts will be announced in April or May, and the FAA
intends to have a final rule by October. The report follows months of work by the FAA and industry representatives in an attempt to curb flagrant violations of the experimental/amateur-built rules,
which state that individuals must complete a “major portion” of the aircraft to be eligible for registration in that category. The report acknowledges that some companies provide de facto
manufacturing facilities for kitbuilt aircraft in which the builder does little actual work. “In the most extreme cases, other persons fabricate and assemble the major portion of an
amateur-built aircraft for the applicant,” according to the report.
To curb these abuses, the FAA has proposed changes to the guiding documents rather than a rewrite of the FARs that govern the category. Specifically, changes are expected to Advisory Circulars
20-27 and 20-139 that more accurately tally and identify outside commercial assistance on the forms used by the builder and the final inspector of the aircraft. The intention is, according to Earl
Lawrence, vice president of industry and government affairs at the EAA, to clarify which parts of the airplane are completed by the builder, what is done by the factory as part of the original kit,
and what has been done by commercial assistance. Now, for example, a kit manufacturer can construct all but one wing rib while the builder “fabricates” the remaining rib, and both entities
get credit for all the work. There is also no requirement to state which parts of the aircraft have been fabricated or assembled by third-party commercial assistance. The revised ACs are expected
to address these issues with specific guidance.
“The vast majority [of the report] is what we expected. We still don’t
know what the FAA intends,” said Michael Via, of Glasair Aircraft. “We’re waiting to see what the policies and orders state. Nothing here affects our existing customers.”
Jeremy Monnett, of Sonex Aircraft, said his company has always taken the 51 percent rule to heart and enforcement is the key to ensuring all kit manufacturers and builders adhere to the rules.
“The resources required to carry out this enforcement have not been made available by the FAA over the last few years,” Monnett said in a news release. “Without these resources,
enforcement loosens and the rules are pushed beyond their spirit and intent, compromising the rules' continued existence.” The FAA has proposed forming a group of Aviation Safety Inspectors to
validate a manufacturer’s claims that its kit allows the builder to complete the “major portion” of the aircraft. In addition to publishing the report, the FAA announced Friday that it
was temporarily suspending inspection of aircraft kits for inclusion on the “51% list.” This does not impact local inspections of completed airplanes. The move halts inspection of designs at
the manufacturer level until the final rulemaking is published.
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D-
Diamond Aircraft confirmed on the weekend that its five-passenger D-Jet will be built at its London, Ont., facilities after the Canadian government announced it was giving the company a “$19.6
million strategic, repayable investment.” The money is being provided under a new aerospace business incentive program. “This investment will play a vital role in enabling our company to
complete the final development, flight testing and certification of the D-Jet, and to complete our transition to production,” said Peter Maurer, president of Diamond Aircraft Industries.
“There is already tremendous demand for this new aircraft.” The Ontario government earlier chipped in $11 million. Diamond did the research and development for the D-Jet in London and says
it cost the company $95.2 million. The first type-conforming D-Jet has been flying since last November and certification testing is under way. About 500 people will likely be employed building the
D-Jet in a factory that’s expected to cost at least $100 million.
Composite Engineering Inc. of Sacramento, Calif., has announced the successful flight of its newest supersonic unmanned aerial
target system, the BQM-167X. The aircraft achieved sustained supersonic flight Jan. 31, 2008, at the U.S. Navy Pt. Mugu Test Range. The aircraft is powered by a Microturbo turbojet and equipped with
an avionics suite from Microsystems. CEi expects to complete its demonstration contract by the end of the Q1 2008. Sometime after that, the BQM-167X may be ready to be blown out of the sky, regularly
-- shot at and shot down as part of weapons and weapons systems projects. The BQM-167A aerial target system is currently used by the U.S. Air Force for all subscale target missions at Tyndall Air
Force Base in Florida.
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The House of Representatives has arranged for the FAA to remain funded through June 30, including provisions for $2.76 billion in
"contract authority" to restart the suspended Airport Improvement Program (AIP). Timing is seen as key to AIP construction projects that can be negatively impacted by weather if those projects are
not started early in the year. The Senate must now approve the extension prior to the current funding's expiration -- currently set for Feb. 29. Major industry players are expected to step forward to
press governmental powers to see beyond the conflicts and confusion surrounding funding mechanisms (read: the user-fee argument) and secure FAA reauthorization. Many of those major players could
become contract winners should this year's reauthorization provide for development of the NextGen satellite-based air traffic control system currently sought by the FAA.
"Nighttime aircraft noise can affect your blood pressure instantly and increase the risk of hypertension," according to Dr.
Lars Jarup of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Imperial College, London. ...And so can sleeping next to someone who snores, according to a study co-authored by Jarup and published
in the February issue of the European Heart Journal. Researchers remotely measured the blood pressure of 140 volunteers and analyzed the noise level in each person's bedroom. The sample included
people living near London's Heathrow, and airports in Athens, Milan and Stockholm. Noticeable increases in blood pressure were correlated with increases in noise levels reaching more than 35 decibels
-- which can be similar to the amount of noise generated by snoring or nearby automobile traffic. The level of noise, according to researchers, was the key factor. The type of noise was not. Similar
increases in blood pressure have been reported in other environmental noise studies. The study found that systolic blood pressure increased by 0.66 mmHg per 5 decibels of noise and increases were
apparent even when individuals remained asleep.
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The Leesburg Executive
Airport in Leesburg, Va., (JYO) was closed for nearly two days last week after a Raytheon 390 Premier 1 business jet slid off the end of an ice-slicked runway on Tuesday night. No injuries were
reported. While it normally takes just a few hours at the most to tow a disabled aircraft onto a flatbed truck and haul it out of the way, this rescue turned into a major production, hence the two-day
headache for local pilots. The jet was wrapped in a special sling sent from the factory and lifted out of the ditch using construction cranes. A Hawker-Beechcraft spokesman told AVweb that the
extraordinary extraction method was necessary to preserve the jet’s underbelly, since its landing gear was damaged as it slid into the ditch. Around the time of the incident, nearby Dulles
International Airport reported winds out of the north at six knots with three miles’ visibility in freezing rain and mist, with broken clouds at 500 feet. The aircraft, N16DK, was arriving from
the Beech Factory Airport in Wichita. The FAA's preliminary report lists the damage to the aircraft as substantial.
CLICK FOR LARGE IMAGES
EACH IMAGE WILL OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW
Aspen Avionics recently completed its TSO performance tests and final systems integration testing and is ready for final FAA
certification test flights for its EFD1000. The digital electronics glass panel LCD cockpit display consolidates primary flight data and is designed vertically (the display is a vertical rectangle)
with pairs of instruments -- one on top (an EFIS, for example), and one on the bottom (maybe an HSI). System software versions allow the units to function as primary flight displays (PFD) or
multi-function displays (MFD). They are designed to work with whatever is currently in your panel and built to fit into a top instrument hole, replacing both it and the instrument below it
simultaneously. Test flights are expected to take place almost immediately. A Cirrus SR22, Cessna 412C and multiple Pipers have been or will soon be used for test installations. At last check, the
Cirrus was scheduled to begin testing at Aspen's Albuquerque headquarters on Valentine's Day. Pricing for units is currently just under $6000 not including professional installation.
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There were apparently no serious injuries but it looks like it might be awhile before an Aserca Airlines DC-9 is back in service after a bizarre accident at Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia,
Venezuela, last week. According to the aviation Web site volarenvenezuela.com,the aircraft
apparently left a hangar with both engines running and crossed a runway and a taxiway before coming to rest with at least part of its gear collapsed in the infield. Details are sketchy but the report
says whoever was at the controls was unable to turn or brake the aircraft.
Two US Airways aircraft clipped wings at Reagan National Airport Sunday. There were no injuries and a total of 63 passengers were booked on later flights ...
Three people were killed when a helicopter and a Cessna (type not specified) collided above Paraparaumu Airport in New Zealand Saturday. A 30-year-old instructor and 19-year-old student were
on the helicopter and a 17-year-old man was flying the plane ...
A Chicago judge has declared Steve Fossett legally dead. Fossett went missing in Sept. on a flight in northern Nevada and an extensive search failed to turn up any sign of him or the
Citabria he was flying.
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Our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, is preparing a report on interior shops. If you recently had an interior redone, the editors would like to hear from you, whether the experience was
good or bad.
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something that 130,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news
tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. You're a part of our team ... often, the best part.
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With Diamond and Cessna onboard, the German-based Thielert Group dominates the aerodiesel market. But Teledyne-Continental would like to
change this and has announced its intention to aggressively develop its own heavy fuel or Jet A engine for certification, possibly as early as 2009. In this detailed podcast, TCM's Rhett Ross
tells Aviation Consumer editor Paul Bertorelli that the company will ground-demonstrate a diesel later this year or early next.
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You guys have been doing a lot of flying lately! We received more "FBO of the Week" nominations over the last seven days than we have in months. Despite some outstanding recommendations, we're
awarding our "FBO of the Week" ribbon to the FBO at Santa Ynez Airport at KIZA in Santa Ynez, California.
Not only do they have a great webcam on their site (where you can check real-time fuel prices and ground conditions at a
glance), but they inspired this heartfelt endorsement from AVweb reader Eric Cobb:
This is the way airports used to be, and I believe [Santa Ynez] is the best small airport in the U.S. Made me feel like a kid again.
AVweb is actively seeking
out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!
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A couple of weeks ago, we ran a pretty impressive video of some Alaskan pilots doing short-runway take-offs. This
week, we offer up something that can only be described as the opposite — a Russian Ilyushin IL76 freighter making the most of a runway that seems nail-bitingly short in this clip from YouTuber
jerrabomb.
"NSFW" Note: This video does contain some objectionable language — you'll see why as you wait for the Ilyushin to take to the air — so keep that in mind when playing
it at the office or in the company of others.
Don't see a video screen?
Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page.
If that doesn't work, click here to download the video directly.
Don't forget to send us links to any interesting videos you find out there. If you're impressed by it,
there's a good chance other AVweb readers will be too. And if we use a video you recommend on AVweb, we'll send out an official AVweb baseball cap as a "thank you."
Recounting one of the most impressive feats in recent aviation history, AVweb video editor Glenn Pew recalls the circumstances of the DHL A300 shot by a surface-to-air missile over Baghdad. The crew successfully landed the aircraft without the ability to manipulate any
control surfaces. (Note: The aircraft shown in simulation is a Boeing 777, not an Airbus A300.)
Don't see a video screen?
Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page.
If that doesn't work, click here to download the video directly.
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I was on the ILS into Oakland, California one busy dav and was cleared to land behind two other aircraft that were in the pattern. The pilot of the aircraft ahead of me was clearly
flustered:
Piper:
"Tower, is Piper One Two Three cleared to land?"
Tower:
"Piper One Two Three, yes, you're cleared to land. Runway 27 Right, number two behind a Cessna just passing over the numbers."
Piper:
"Okay, Piper One Two Three cleared to land behind the Cessna."
[pause]
Piper:
"I don't see him."
[pause]
Piper:
"Tower, is Piper One Two Three number one to land on 27 Right?"
Tower:
"Piper One Two Three, you are soooo number one."
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb's NO-COST weekly business aviation newsletter, AVwebBiz? Reporting on breaking news,
Business AVflash focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry. Business AVflash is a must read. Sign up today at http://www.avweb.com/profile/.
AVwebFlash is a weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service.
The AVwebFlash team is:
Publisher Timothy Cole
Editorial Director, Aviation Publications Paul Bertorelli
Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles
Managing Editor Meredith Saini
Contributing Editors Mary Grady Glenn Pew
Features Editor Kevin Lane-Cummings
Click here to send a letter to the
editor. (Please let us know if your letter is not intended for publication.)
Comments or questions about the news should be sent here.
Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's sales team.
If you're having trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd prefer a lighter, simpler format for your PDA or handheld device), there's also a text-only
version of AVwebFlash. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here.
With the future of 100LL avgas looking ever more iffy, Teledyne Continental's new president, Rhett Ross, says the company is planning to aggressively develop a diesel or heavy fuel engine for
certification in late 2009 or early 2010. "We are kicking off a major aerospace engine project this year with some realistically aggressive targets," Ross told AVweb's Paul Bertorelli in 
On Friday, the FAA published the final report (
D-
Diamond Aircraft confirmed on the weekend that its five-passenger D-Jet will be built at its London, Ont., facilities after the Canadian government announced it was giving the company a “$19.6
million strategic, repayable investment.” The money is being provided under a new aerospace business incentive program. “This investment will play a vital role in enabling our company to
complete the final development, flight testing and certification of the D-Jet, and to complete our transition to production,” said Peter Maurer, president of Diamond Aircraft Industries.
“There is already tremendous demand for this new aircraft.” The Ontario government earlier chipped in $11 million. Diamond did the research and development for the D-Jet in London and says
it cost the company $95.2 million. The first type-conforming D-Jet has been flying since last November and certification testing is under way. About 500 people will likely be employed building the
D-Jet in a factory that’s expected to cost at least $100 million.
Composite Engineering Inc. of Sacramento, Calif., has announced the successful flight of its newest supersonic unmanned aerial
target system, the BQM-167X. The aircraft achieved sustained supersonic flight Jan. 31, 2008, at the U.S. Navy Pt. Mugu Test Range. The aircraft is powered by a Microturbo turbojet and equipped with
an avionics suite from Microsystems. CEi expects to complete its demonstration contract by the end of the Q1 2008. Sometime after that, the BQM-167X may be ready to be blown out of the sky, regularly
-- shot at and shot down as part of weapons and weapons systems projects. The BQM-167A aerial target system is currently used by the U.S. Air Force for all subscale target missions at Tyndall Air
Force Base in Florida.
The House of Representatives has arranged for the FAA to remain funded through June 30, including provisions for $2.76 billion in
"contract authority" to restart the suspended Airport Improvement Program (AIP). Timing is seen as key to AIP construction projects that can be negatively impacted by weather if those projects are
not started early in the year. The Senate must now approve the extension prior to the current funding's expiration -- currently set for Feb. 29. Major industry players are expected to step forward to
press governmental powers to see beyond the conflicts and confusion surrounding funding mechanisms (read: the user-fee argument) and secure FAA reauthorization. Many of those major players could
become contract winners should this year's reauthorization provide for development of the NextGen satellite-based air traffic control system currently sought by the FAA.
"Nighttime aircraft noise can affect your blood pressure instantly and increase the risk of hypertension," according to Dr.
Lars Jarup of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Imperial College, London. ...And so can sleeping next to someone who snores, according to a study co-authored by Jarup and published
in the February issue of the European Heart Journal. Researchers remotely measured the blood pressure of 140 volunteers and analyzed the noise level in each person's bedroom. The sample included
people living near London's Heathrow, and airports in Athens, Milan and Stockholm. Noticeable increases in blood pressure were correlated with increases in noise levels reaching more than 35 decibels
-- which can be similar to the amount of noise generated by snoring or nearby automobile traffic. The level of noise, according to researchers, was the key factor. The type of noise was not. Similar
increases in blood pressure have been reported in other environmental noise studies. The study found that systolic blood pressure increased by 0.66 mmHg per 5 decibels of noise and increases were
apparent even when individuals remained asleep.
Aspen Avionics recently completed its TSO performance tests and final systems integration testing and is ready for final FAA
certification test flights for its EFD1000. The digital electronics glass panel LCD cockpit display consolidates primary flight data and is designed vertically (the display is a vertical rectangle)
with pairs of instruments -- one on top (an EFIS, for example), and one on the bottom (maybe an HSI). System software versions allow the units to function as primary flight displays (PFD) or
multi-function displays (MFD). They are designed to work with whatever is currently in your panel and built to fit into a top instrument hole, replacing both it and the instrument below it
simultaneously. Test flights are expected to take place almost immediately. A Cirrus SR22, Cessna 412C and multiple Pipers have been or will soon be used for test installations. At last check, the
Cirrus was scheduled to begin testing at Aspen's Albuquerque headquarters on Valentine's Day. Pricing for units is currently just under $6000 not including professional installation.
There were apparently no serious injuries but it looks like it might be awhile before an Aserca Airlines DC-9 is back in service after a bizarre accident at Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia,
Venezuela, last week. According to the aviation Web site 
Our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, is preparing a report on interior shops. If you recently had an interior redone, the editors would like to hear from you, whether the experience was
good or bad.
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something that 130,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news
tips via email to 
recalls the circumstances of the DHL A300 shot by a surface-to-air missile over Baghdad. The crew successfully landed the aircraft without the ability to manipulate any
control surfaces. (Note: The aircraft shown in simulation is a Boeing 777, not an Airbus A300.)
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb's NO-COST weekly business aviation newsletter, AVwebBiz? Reporting on breaking news,
Business AVflash focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry. Business AVflash is a must read. Sign up today at 
