AOPA FLY-IN ATTRACTS 500 AIRCRAFT
Despite a bit of morning fog and the forecast of a sweltering early-summer day, AOPA hosted a robust turnout for their annual fly-in and open house in Frederick, Md., on Saturday. By mid-afternoon, temperatures were in the 90s, with a heat index hovering near 100 degrees. But with a cool breeze, plenty of shady tents, and an air-conditioned headquarters to escape to, the heat drew few complaints -- in fact, most were happy that at least it wasn't raining, the all-too-usual open-house weather. By day's end, over 500 aircraft had visited Frederick, including the 40 on display, and AOPA spokesman Chris Dancy estimated the day's crowd at about 5,000.

Related Content:

• Phil Boyer's exclusive podcast
• Photo gallery from the event

VIRGIN GALACTIC WHITEKNIGHTTWO TARGETS JULY
Scaled Composites' 100-percent carbon composite WhiteKnightTwo, the aircraft designed to eventually haul SpaceShipTwo and its first sampling of some 254 people who have already deposited cash to be hurtled toward space, is expected to make its debut late next month (July) in Mojave, Calif.. The rollout will mark a milestone step toward seeing suborbital space tourism take flight. Backed by billionaire British entrepreneur Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic's goal is to sell out its first year of available flights before the first one leaves the ground. With a first flight date yet to be determined, Virgin Galactic nonetheless hopes to reserve more than 500 tickets before that unannounced date. So far 254 people have won spots on the short list by paying between $20,000 and $200,000 up front, filling the ventures coffers with about $36 million. WhiteKnightTwo will begin extensive testing after rollout, including trips to the limits of its operational ceiling. More...

ZEPPELINS OVER LONDON, AGAIN
Hopefully the people of London do not spend much time dwelling on history as a German airship operator is set to next month start flying a Zeppelin over the city's most famous landmarks. It may be consolation that the flights will originate in east London at Damyns Hall airfield, and not across the Channel. After two years of planning the program will offer five sightseeing flights per day through six weeks of summer beginning July 10. (Though the TimesOnline.co.uk reported the Civil Aviation Authority had not yet received an application for approval, the Zeppelin's operators claim it's received permission and certification.) Each flight will be conducted at 2,000 feet above the Thames and the longest flights should last about an hour and cast shadows over Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. Shorter tours will run about 30 minutes. The one Zeppelin, model NT07, is 75 meters long, and buoyed by helium. It only offers window seats and can accommodate up to 12 passengers per flight, carried aloft in the aircraft's 35-foot long cabin. More...

VANDALS DESTROY RARE AIRCRAFT IN UK
It had already suffered damage from a forced landing last Saturday, but was sitting harmlessly in a field (with its pilots in a local hospital) when vandals smashed the canopy and cockpit instruments and set fire to both wings. The Pilatus P2 was one of only two in the UK, and following the attack it appears unlikely it will ever fly again. "It just shows that there are a lot of morons in the world who have no respect for anything," Patrick Bryan, radio operator at Spanhoe Airfield (the aircraft's intended destination), told a local newspaper. The aircraft's pilot is believed to have owned the aircraft for just ten days prior to suffering the in-flight engine failure that led to the off-airport crash landing. The aircraft's landing gear collapsed as it came down in a wheat field and its propeller impacted the ground, but the Pilatus had come to rest on its belly and largely in tact. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is seeking a report from the pilot who along with one passenger suffered only minor injuries. More...

AFTER THE MIDAIR AT CORONA
A Mayoral Task Force on Aviation Safety, composed mostly of local pilots, noted last week that changes to non-towered Corona Airport (Calif.), which in January suffered a fatal midair, would likely do more "to improve public relations" than to alter current procedures, according to a local news report at PE.com. The crash, which killed two pilots, two passengers and a person on the ground who was struck by falling debris, is cited by the article as the city's third fatal midair in a decade. One task force member (also a city council member) vented his frustration at the apparent inaction following the accident, describing the airport traffic pattern as a "free-for-all" that pits landing aircraft against aircraft flying in from the coast through the Santa Ana Canyon. But the task force has decided not to suggest changes in routes or procedures but instead promote a series of outreach efforts in the form of fliers, signs, publications, radio communications and a city-hosted aviation safety seminar to further educate pilots about Corona's operating environment. More...

AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION CHANGES PROPOSED
In an effort to increase and maintain the accuracy of aircraft registration in the U.S., the FAA issued a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) titled "Re-Registration and Renewal of Aircraft Registration." This NPRM would replace the current non-expiring aircraft registration with a registration that is only good for three years. If the registration expires the N-number would also be canceled. To stay legal, owners would have to renew their aircraft registration before it expires. Also, owners of currently registered aircraft would have to re-register their aircraft to the new expiring registration. More...

UPDATE: B-2 CRASH CAUSED BY WATERLOGGED SENSORS

click for video

The crash on takeoff of a 509th Air Wing, Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber, Feb. 23, operating at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, was caused by water in the aircraft's sensors, The crash on takeoff of a 509th Air Wing, Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber, February 23 operating at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, was caused by water in the aircraft's sensors, according to an Air Combat report issued Thursday. Specifically, moisture in three port transducer units "distorted data introduced by a B-2 Spirit's air data system" that led to flawed information entering the bomber's flight control computers. The aircraft was reacting to inaccurate airspeed and a "perceived" negative angle of attack. This resulted in an "uncommanded 30 degree nose-high pitch-up on takeoff," according to the Air Force. More...

AVMAIL: JUNE 9, 2008
Reader mail this week about fuel costs, user fees, model rockets and more. More...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 200,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. What have you heard? More...

Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers

PROBABLE CAUSE #60: PROFICIENT CURRENCY
You might be current under the FARs, but are you proficient? More...

AOPA SPRING FLY-IN 2008 PHOTO GALLERY
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) held their annual spring fly-in in Frederick, Maryland over the weekend, and we were lucky enough to have a few spare moments to walk around the grounds and snap a few photographs. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: RECALLING THE BIG ONE (NOT WW II, THE GREAT LEANING WAR)
As the editor of Aviation Consumer, Paul Bertorelli gets to handle a lot of top-notch kit — some of it so good that he has a hard time imagining why the rest of the world hasn't embraced it. Case in point: With avgas more than $5 a gallon for most, why aren't more people running lean of peak? "If you could run your car the same way you run your airplane lean, you could increase fuel economy by about 20 percent. Who wouldn't do that?" wonders Paul on our AVweb Insider blog. More...

PHIL BOYER: 40% OF AOPA MEMBERS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASING THEIR FLYING DUE TO FUEL PRICES
AVweb's Mary Grady was on location covering AOPA's annual fly-in and open house in Frederick, Md., on Saturday. Mary brought her recorder along and caught up with AOPA President Phil Boyer, who commented on a range of topics, including the latest on user fees and AOPA research on skyrocketing fuel prices and their bearing on members' flying activities and new pilot starts. More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: B-2 SPIRIT STEALTH BOMBER CRASH TECHNICAL REPORT
The crash on takeoff of a 509th Air Wing, Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber, February 23 operating at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, was caused by water in the aircraft's sensors, according to an Air Combat report issued Thursday. Specifically, moisture in three port transducer units "distorted data introduced by a B-2 Spirit's air data system" which led to flawed information entering the bomber's flight control computers. The aircraft was reacting to inaccurate airspeed and a "perceived" negative angle of attack. This resulted in an "uncommanded 30 degree nose-high pitch-up on takeoff," according to the Air Force. (Click through to watch our video crash report.) More...

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: TWIN OTTER LANDING ON A FROZEN LAKE
We see so many videos of pilots making mistakes and living with the consequences that it's always a pleasure to share a video of pilots dealing well with harsh conditions and guiding an airplane to a graceful (if challenging) landing. With that in mind, our latest "Video of the Week" stars a Twin Otter (along with her skis and, of course, her pilot) landing on a snow-covered frozen lake. (Click through to watch.) More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: VEE NEAL AVIATION (ARNOLD PALMER REGIONAL, LATROBE, PA)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Vee Neal Aviation at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (KLBE) in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

AVweb reader Josh Allen put their FBO on our radar, writing that he "always look[s] forward to being to fly to Vee Neal":

Their attitude toward planes should be followed by all FBOs. Together, being friendly and fast and having the cheapest services around, they are an all-around wonderful FBO. I find myself with tons of time to kill because they are so quick with their service! Can't wait to come back!

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!

SHORT FINAL

Heard on SoCal Approach:

Approach:
"Cessna 1234A, you have traffic at 12 o'clock, six miles at your altitude."

[no response]

Approach:
"Cessna 1234A, you have traffic at 12 o'clock, four miles at your altitude."

[no response]

Approach:
"Cessna 1234A, you have traffic at 12 o'clock, two miles at your altitude."

Cessna1234A:
"I'm looking for the traffic ... !"

Approach:
"Sir, I cannot see you nod your head; you must respond to my tranmissions.

Jim Mallen
via e-mail

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER
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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
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Glenn Pew

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