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Plane Sights Aircraft Markers
Are Available Now at Aircraft Spruce
Plane Sights highly reflective markers make vulnerable areas
clearly visible under all conditions, and the projecting "proximity
fuses" warn that something is too close before damage occurs.
Plane Sights markers are easily custom-fitted to virtually any
aircraft, take only minutes to attach and remove, and weigh only three
pounds folded into their briefcase-size pouch. Plane Sights
markers are available in sets of two to five pieces. Call Aircraft
Spruce at 1 (877) 4-SPRUCE, or
visit online. 
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DOT
INSPECTOR REPORT FINDS GA “MATERIALLY CONTRIBUTES” TO NAS
CONGESTION
On March 3 the Office of Inspector General for the
Department of Transportation quietly released an audit on
the use of the National Airspace System (NAS)—and the general
aviation community is quietly taking notice. The audit, initiated by
then Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John L. Mica, R-Fla., found
that “air carriers and non-air carriers, including general aviation
and business jet operators, all make sufficient use of the NAS so as to
materially contribute to FAA’s costs and congestion in
general.” Non-air-carrier traffic accounted for up to 30 percent of
the peak-level instrument approach operations at the New York TRACON in
2005, according to one example in the report, though GA used fewer
center resources overall. More... |
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a
Lightspeed Aviation Is Sponsoring a Study on
Hearing Protection
Your input will be used to understand hearing loss and design
state-of-the-art headsets to meet the specific requirements of pilots.
Participate and be entered into a drawing to win one of four cash prizes
(two for $100 and two for $500) or the grand prize of a brand-new Zulu
ANR headset.
Click here to begin. 
Please know that this is not a sales promotion and you will never
receive a sales call based on your participation. All responses will be
kept confidential.
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LAWYER
WANTS CARAVAN ICING CERTIFICATION REVOKED
The families of
nine young skydivers who died last October when a Cessna 208B Grand
Caravan crashed
in Washington state have sued Cessna, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported on Monday. "They
[Cessna] had the numbers of each plane that had a miscalibrated warning
system on it and did not contact the owners of those planes," lawyer
Dean Brett told the P-I. "Our goal is to have the 208B decertified from
flying in icing conditions." The pilot also died when the airplane hit a
mountain. Cessna declined comment to AVweb. Spokesman Doug Oliver said
the company does not comment on pending litigation. More... REPORT:
AIRPORTS THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
Airport runways in
coastal areas are in danger of being submerged by rising sea levels and
storm surges brought on by global warming, says a new report from the National Research Council,
released on Tuesday. At least 23 major airports, and many more GA
fields, have elevations of just 22 feet or less, which puts them at
risk, according to the report. Those airports are located along the U.S. East and
West Coasts, the Gulf Coast, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. More... |
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Precise Flight's
High-Intensity Discharge Landing & Taxi Light Systems
...
... Are the brightest illumination available. The stellar combination of
increased light output, reduced power consumption, superior lamp life,
and brilliant light quality are a few of the major benefits of HID
lighting. The PreciseLite HID landing light, approved for Cessna
and Piper models, is now approved for Beechcraft Bonanzas with
cowl-mounted lights replacing the existing cowl lamp and available in 12
and 24 volts.
Click here for additional
information. 
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FAA
ISSUES EMERGENCY ADS FOR THIELERT, PRECISION AIRMOTIVE
The
FAA yesterday issued two emergency airworthiness directives affecting
general aviation aircraft. The first, (AD 2008-06-52), applies to Thielert Aircraft Engines
GmbH (TAE) model TAE 125-02-99 engines with a serial number from
02-02-1500 through 02-02-2279. These engines are installed on some
Cessna 172 and (Reims-built) F172 series (STC No. SA01303WI) airplanes
and Diamond DA42 airplanes. The FAA says it received reports of
in-flight engine shutdown incidents that were found to be the result of
a cracked high-pressure fuel line between the high-pressure pump and
fuel rail. These cracks were caused by excessive vibration of the fuel
line and, if not corrected, could result in an in-flight engine shutdown
or engine fire.The second AD (2008-06-51) addresses a problem with
certain Precision Airmotive LLC RSA-5 and RSA-10 series fuel injection
servos. More... FLIGHT
SERVICE SOFTWARE CRASHES; PILOT BRIEFINGS DELAYED
Lockheed
Martin computer programmers are trying to figure out why a planned
software upgrade to FS21 caused the system to crash late Tuesday night.
AVweb received a tip from a former briefer in Michigan that the
system went down at about 0100Z. A spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin told
AVweb that when they realized the FS21 upgrade was
“unstable,” they reverted to the backup system known as AISR
(Aeronautical Information System Replacement). “It provides the
same type of information as FS21 but it’s in disparate sources so
it takes a little longer for the briefing,” the spokeswoman said.
“In the morning, queue times were several minutes, but by around 11
a.m. they were in the single digits.” More... |
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Download No-Cost Runway Flash
Cards Now!
Landing a plane is tough. Flying into unfamiliar runways makes it even
tougher — and more dangerous. Ensure you and your crew's safety by
downloading these no-cost flash cards today. Each of the 23 flash
cards displays an airport sign or pavement marking as well as the
required pilot action. Use them as quick reference before your departure
or during your flight.
Download the Runway Safety Flash
Cards now. 
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ELLEN
EVAK PANEOK, ALASKAN AVIATION PIONEER, DIES AT 48
Ellen Evak
Paneok, of Anchorage, who died March 2 at age 48, was the first Native Alaskan
woman bush pilot, and accumulated more than 15,000 hours of flight time,
much of it along Alaska's remote northern coast. She delivered mail and
supplies to Eskimo villages in all kinds of weather. "The most
challenging part," she said in the 1997 book "Women and Flight," "is the
off-airport work, like landing on the sandbars, landing on top of a
mountain with big tires, maybe on a 20-degree grade, landing uphill and
taking off downhill - to me, that's the epitome of bush flying." Paneok
also worked for the FAA as an operations inspector and was statewide
aviation safety coordinator for the Alaska Aviation Safety Foundation.
She was one of the few pilots authorized to fly the vintage aircraft
owned by the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum. She was also a writer,
published in Alaska Magazine and AOPA Pilot. More... |
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Aircraft Loans to Fit Your
Needs
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and a long-term commitment to support the business and shared passion of
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AirFleet has a loan program to fit your needs. Call an
AirFleet Capital financing specialist at (800) 390-4324,
or
request a quote online. 
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FAA
FORECASTS DELAYED BUT STEADY GA GROWTH
The FAA today released
its 2008 aerospace forecast, which is less optimistic of
the near-term growth potential for general aviation than the previous
forecast. The report is the focus of the 33rd annual FAA Aviation
Forecast Conference scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
Industry panelists cited rising fuel prices, airspace and airport
congestion, and a slowing economy as the primary risk factors affecting
growth in both GA and the airlines. Nan Shellabarger, FAA director of
aviation policy and plans, said that total GA flight hours are expected
to remain relatively flat over the next year, with annual growth
increasing from 2.1 percent to 3 percent beginning in 2009.
More... FIRST
FLIGHT FOR CESSNA SKYCATCHER PROTOTYPE
Cessna's new Model 162
SkyCatcher prototype flew for the first time on Saturday morning, the company announced on Monday. Test pilot Dale
Bleakney flew the airplane out of Cessna Aircraft Field Airport in
Wichita and evaluated its controllability and stability. He then landed
at Mid-Continent Airport, also in Wichita, where development testing
will continue. "The first flight of the SkyCatcher is a significant step
ahead toward our goal of bringing an affordable training aircraft to
market," said Cessna CEO Jack Pelton. The company is also building the
first production model, which is scheduled to fly later this spring, and
an ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) test article, which
is currently undergoing load testing. All engineering work and testing
of the 162 will be completed in Wichita, the company said, although the
airplanes will be built in Shenyang, China. More... |
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If Aircraft Insurance Brokers Say They Cover
the Whole Market ...
Why can't they get a quote from Avemco? Because Avemco is
the only direct provider of aviation insurance that lets you talk
directly to the aviation underwriter for fast, accurate answers. So if a
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half the story. Call (888) 241-7891 or
visit online for the rest of the
story. 
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FINAL
FLIGHT FOR STEALTH FIGHTERS
The U.S. Air Force is retiring
its fleet of F-117 Nighthawks, which were the world's first
attack aircraft to employ stealth technology. The single-seater aircraft
made its first flight in 1981 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada. The
Nighthawk program remained classified until 1988, when a photo of the
jet was first unveiled to the public. The Air Force said the decision to
ground the fighters was based on economics. "With aging aircraft fleets
and infrastructure, senior Air Force leadership has made hard choices to
pay for modernization of our overall aircraft inventory," said Air Force
spokeswoman Diana Filliman. "One of these decisions was to accelerate
the retirement of the F-117, and use the savings generated to accelerate
the recapitalization and modernization efforts underway across the
fleet." Fifty-nine of the F-117s were built, the last one in 1990, and
seven of them crashed. During more than 1,000 sorties flown by
Nighthawks during Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s, not one was
shot down, the USAF said. More... ON
THE FLY ...
George B. Litchford Sr., who helped develop TCAS,
died on Feb. 28 at age 89 ...
A proposed AD would require Cirrus
SR20 owners to check the heat exchanger ...
Two F-16s intercepted a
Cessna 177 that violated restricted airspace in D.C. ...
Southwest
grounded 41 jets as FAA investigates failure to inspect them
...
Continental Airlines could face manslaughter charge in Concorde
crash. More... |
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Make Plans Now to Attend a 2008 Savvy Aviator
Seminar
Mike will be conducting Savvy Aviator Seminars in Chicago, Las
Vegas, Norfolk, and Santa Maria. Sign up for one of these classes and
learn how to save thousands of dollars on maintenance costs, year after
year. Do it before your next annual inspection!
For complete details and to reserve your
space, click here. 
AVweb founder Mike Busch has been selected by the FAA and
supporting aviation organizations as the National Maintenance
Technician of the Year. Busch will be presented his award at a
ceremony during EAA AirVenture.
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Diamond DA40 A Fleet Favorite
Airline Transport Professionals: Beijing PanAm, Empire Aviation,
European-American Aviation, Galvin Flying Services, Middle Tennessee
State University, Sabena Airline Training Academy, Utah Valley State
College, Utah State University, and many more have all selected the
G1000-equipped Diamond DA40. For value, efficiency, and safety,
the Diamond Aircraft DA40 is the fleet favorite.
Go online for information on all
Diamond Aircraft. 
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FBO
OF THE WEEK: TROPICAL AVIATION CORP. (TJIG, ISLA GRANDE, SAN JUAN,
PUERTO RICO)
 AVweb's
"FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Tropical
Aviation Corp. at Isla Grande's Fernando Rivas Dominicci Airport
(TJIG) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. AVweb reader Robin
Fraser made a compelling case, insisting that Tropical "was the best
FBO we used in an entire month of cross-country flying" from
Saskatchewan to BVI. "They easily deserve to be recognized as the 'FBO
of the Week,'" writes Robin, and based on his account of the trip, we
tend to agree: The service at Tropicana Aviation was
nothing less than excellent. From fueling at customs the moment we
arrived and excellent pricing to the assistance in parking, everything
was top-notch. The front desk staff arranged transportation and
accomodations on a moment's notice and were exceptional with their
service. The General Manager was there to meet us and offer his
assistance and also introduced us to the owner of the business.
Facilites were excellent and the staff took care of flightplans and the
very low airport fees (less than 7.00 for the
night!). Keep those nominations
coming. For complete contest rules, click here. AVweb is
actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one,
submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!
More... |
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NAA Spring Awards & Collier Winner
Announcement in AVweb's Audio News
AVweb's Managing Editor, Meredith Saini, was on-hand for this
year's National Aeronautic Association ( NAA) Spring Awards
Luncheon. Meredith spoke with NAA chairman Walter J. Boyne about
the 2007 Collier Trophy winner he announced.
Listen online. 
Join NAA and be an aviation record setter and part of the Collier
Trophy. Aviation enthusiasts can join for $39 a year and receive
Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine, aviation records, fee
discounts, and much more.
Join now online, or call NAA
at (800) 644-9777. 
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The AVweb Bookstore, The Most Complete
Aviation Bookstore Anywhere
Over 400 titles representing 52 publishers are in stock and ready for
immediate delivery — as books, videos, or CDs. 100+ titles
available instantly as fully searchable e-Book downloads. Whether you
are a pilot, an A&P technician, or a kit airplane builder, if it's
worth reading, it's available from the AVweb Bookstore.
Click here to visit online. 
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PICTURE
OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
 Chris Hullen of the Woodlands,
Texas submitted this photo taken by his wife Heather Hullen "of what is claimed to be a
DC-3 or C-46 Commando. It sits just off the eastern shore of Norman's
Cay, Bahamas," Chris tells us. "Legend has it that the overloaded
aircraft lost an engine on takeoff and could not make it back to the
field. Now it is a snorkeler's paradise." More... |
| The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! | | back to
top |  | |
MEET
THE AVWEBFLASH TEAM
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. Aviate.
Navigate. Communicate. More... |
|
takes us inside the Falcon 7X. (Click through to watch.)
