EAA: NEW FAA "GUIDANCE" FOR HOMEBUILTS EXPECTED THIS MONTH
Homebuilders and kit manufacturers have been in a kind of limbo since March, when the FAA issued a report on its review of the "51-percent" rule and said it wouldn't change the rule but would issue new "guidance" on how to interpret it. EAA now says those new FAA guidelines should be published within the next two weeks, prior to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Earl Lawrence, vice president of industry and regulatory affairs for EAA, says EAA aims to protect the current rights to build fast-build aircraft kits already listed on the FAA "51-percent approved list" (which the FAA said in April would be "grandfathered"), and will work to protect the amateur's privilege to build an aircraft of any complexity, power or size. EAA also hopes to obtain additional privileges for members to obtain assistance and to hire out more of their project. More...

WEATHER RESEARCH PROMISES BETTER T-STORM WARNINGS
Doppler radar is great for tracking thunderstorms, but wouldn't it be even better to have accurate forecasts that predict when and where the storms will occur? That's what a team of researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville have been working on, and Tuesday they said three years of testing show their system has been accurate in its storm forecasts between 65 and 75 percent of the time. The Satellite Convection AnalySis & Tracking System (SATCASTS) has successfully identified hazards generated by thunderstorms, including lightning, hail, high wind, and turbulence. Using data from satellite sensors, the researchers track changes in cloud temperature and water vapor, with updates every 15 minutes. If the top of a cloud cools by 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit or more in that time, that means the cloud has grown about 1,000 feet, and there is a growing probability of rain beginning within 30 minutes to an hour. The researchers can provide warnings just 15 minutes to an hour in advance that a local thunderstorm is expected. Based on their success in Huntsville, scientists are working with the FAA to test the system at the New York City air traffic control center. The National Weather Service will use the system at forecast offices in Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida. More...

THIELERT SEEKS INVESTORS, STARTS INSOLVENCY PROCESS
A German court officially commenced insolvency proceedings against Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH last week, the company said in a news release. The proceedings will not affect the company's business operations, but signaled the launch of efforts to find a new investor for the company. "An investor who is capable of securing the existence of the company on a long-term basis at its business locations and continues to develop the company's leading position on the market for diesel piston engines should get the nod," said Bruno Kubler, the court-appointed insolvency administrator. "Of course, the purchase price also plays a role." Kubler already has written to more than 50 prospective buyers, asking them to respond by July 16 if they are interested. Kubler said negotiations then could be completed as soon as September. More...

BOEING TO DEVELOP HYBRID BLIMP-ROTORCRAFT
The Boeing Co. and SkyHook International announced on Tuesday they will team up to develop the JHL-40 (Jess Heavy Lifter), a new neutrally buoyant rotorcraft designed to lift up to 40 tons and efficiently transport equipment and materials in remote and harsh environments. SkyHook, a Canadian company, holds a patent for the ship, and contracted with Boeing to develop and build it. It is expected to be used for energy, mining and logging operations, and will have a range of about 200 miles. The helium-filled envelope can support the empty weight of the vehicle plus fuel, and the lift generated by four rotors will carry the payload. "There is a definite need for this technology," said Pete Jess, SkyHook president and chief operating officer. "Companies have suggested this new technology will enable them to modify their current operational strategy and begin working much sooner on projects that were thought to be 15 to 20 years away." The JHL-40 is environmentally acceptable because it mitigates the impact of building new roadways in remote areas, Boeing said. More...

RADAR, AUDIO CAPTURE F-16 ENCOUNTER WITH BIZ AIRCRAFT
When two GA pilots, one flying a Pilatus PC-12 and the other in a Beechcraft Premier jet, encountered an F-16 in a Military Operations Area used by Luke Air Force Base in Arizona last March, they had to take abrupt, evasive maneuvers to avoid the military jet. The incident, after it was first reported in AVwebFlash, set off a lively debate among pilots on AVweb's blog about the wisdom of flying in MOAs, and prompted an in-depth report in our sister publication, Aviation Safety. This week, AOPA obtained a video clip from the FAA showing the radar screen during the encounter, and also the voice tape from Air Traffic Control. (We've put them together in a handy package for you to watch and listen. You can find the video here.) The F-16 pilot has been reprimanded, and Luke officials told AOPA they will alter their training program to encourage their pilots to avoid similar encounters in the future. More...

WAS JFK INCIDENT A NEAR-MIDAIR OR NOT?
The NTSB said on Tuesday it is investigating a near midair collision at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Saturday in which two airliners flew in close proximity to one another -- but the FAA says no such incident took place. The NTSB, citing "initial reports," said that at 8:36 p.m. local time on July 5, a Cayman Airways 737-300 and a Linea Aerea Nacional de Chile 767-300 "almost collided." The 737 was on approach to Runway 22L, then executed a missed approach and conflicted with the 767 departing Runway 13R. "Tower controllers intervened to attempt to resolve the conflict, assigning both aircraft diverging headings," the NTSB said. "The closest proximity of the two aircraft has not yet been determined." The National Air Traffic Controllers Association issued a news release on Monday saying that "the radar targets of both jets merged on top of each other and [controllers] estimated their closest proximity at 100 feet. ... Controllers at both JFK Tower and New York TRACON all used the word 'ugly' to describe the incident." FAA spokesman Jim Peters told The Associated Press, in a story published Tuesday, that radar data show that the aircraft came no closer than 300 feet vertically and a half-mile horizontally, and there was no potential for conflict. On Tuesday, NAFTA spokesman Doug Church told AVweb, "We stand by our story: Planes were separated by 100 feet in altitude and there was NO discernible lateral separation on radar." More...

SOCATA 850S AOG?
Some owners of SOCATA's new TBM 850 single-engine turboprop may be facing extended grounding following the company's service alert on cracked compressor drive shafts. Alert SB70-161 was released June 20 after a report of a driveshaft shear failure on a TBM 850. The June alert limited drive shafts to 80 flight hours before replacement while the company works to complete the design and certification of an improved drive assembly. After further review, however, an amendment was released this week that limits the hours allowed on the drive shaft. Stress cracks have been found in the shafts that exceed what was originally anticipated in the first service bulletin. Some aircraft are required to have immediate shaft replacement while others will have their shaft total time reduced to 35 or 40 hours, depending on the aircraft serial number. The latest production aircraft and the replacement shafts sent by the company will retain the original 80 hours total time because of the additional magnaflux inspections during their manufacture. More...

EADS HOPES TO SELL SOCATA
EADS has announced that it has opened exclusive negotiations with DAHER, a diversified company that dabbles in nuclear energy, the automotive sector, defense and industry along with aerospace, to sell its Socata division. Although Socata is best known in GA circles for its high performance TBM-series turboprop singles, the company also makes parts for Airbuses and that seems to be where the crux of the deal is. More...

FLYING ADVENTURE FILM TO DEBUT AT EAA AIRVENTURE
Small airplanes are great transportation machines for getting from airport to airport, but they also provide a means to get to places and have off-airport adventures that couldn't be achieved any other way. A new film to debut at Oshkosh tracks the adventures of a pilot and two rock-climbers who seek out three of Southern Africa's most isolated rock faces, traveling via trike and a fixed-wing Cheetah microlight. The 19-day trip was a challenging one, with dangers presented by not only the difficult climbs, but also the mountainside flying, bad weather, uncertain landing areas, and eccentric bureaucrats. The film, titled "No Need for Parking -- An African Rock Adventure," featurespilot Mike Blyth and climbers Marianne Schwankhart and James Pitman. More...

NEW BOOK SEEKS SOLUTIONS TO "TERMINAL CHAOS"
Former FAA official George Donohue and co-author Russell Shaver have written a book, "Terminal Chaos: Why U.S. Air Travel Is Broken and How to Fix It," addressing problems with the national airspace system and air traffic control -- and their proposed solutions are attracting attention. Paul Fiduccia, president of the Small Aircraft Manufacturers Association, said the authors "have the knowledge and capability to work through this problem to success, if we as a community want to fix the system." Robert Poole, of the Reason Foundation, says in the foreword that the book offers the "best prescription I've seen" for fixing what's wrong with air travel. The authors compare the U.S. system to Europe's, and their proposals for improvement include holding government decision-makers responsible, expanding the capacity of airports and airplanes, modernizing the air traffic control system, and taking steps to reduce congestion. Some Amazon reviewers were not impressed, one noting that the authors failed to notice the issue of limited runway capacity as a factor in congestion, another feeling the research was "incredibly shoddy and out of date." More...

ON THE FLY ...
Pilots for two of Lufthansa's regional carriers staged a one-day strike...
USAF reopened the bidding for its $35 billion Air Force tanker contract...
Five aviation workers charged with manslaughter for 2000 Concorde crash...
AOPA supports NTSB plan to gather accident data on unmanned aircraft. More...

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

A PILOT'S HISTORY: CHAP. 10 -- AIRCRAFT CONVERSION, PART 1
Surplus airplanes were cheap after the war, and everyone had ideas for how to turn them into aviation "gold." Carl Moesly just had to fly them to their new owners. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: A CODESHARE AGREEMENT TO WATCH
AVweb Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles is keeping a close watch on the agreement between Canada's WestJet and Southwest Airlines in the U.S. In his latest post to the AVweb Insider blog, he explains why the legacy carriers should be worried, especially if this is a harbinger of things to come. More...

BRAINTEASERS QUIZ #135: SUMMERTIME ...
... and the flyin' is easy, provided you remember a few things about warmed-up air molecules, hot holding patterns and steamed air traffic controllers working vacation overtime.

Take the quiz.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: YOUR AIRVENTURE 2008 TRAVEL PLANS
EAA AirVenture is just a couple of weeks away, and AVweb wants to know how you're going to get there. Plus: Results of last week's Question, asking what level of performance might tempt AVweb readers to buy an electric airplane. More...

SURVEY: HOW IS FLIGHT SERVICE DOING NOW THAT THEY SUPPOSEDLY HAVE THE BUGS WORKED OUT?
Our sister magazine, IFR, is asking pilots nationwide how their experience with Lockheed Martin Flight Service has affected the way they do their preflight prep. We'd love to hear your thoughts on how LockMart is doing these days. The survey takes just a few minutes. Click here to take part.

(The results will appear in a future issue of IFR magazine. For subscription information, click here.) 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...

FBO OF THE WEEK: FLIGHTLINE FIRST (KNEW, NEW ORLEANS, LA)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to FlightLine First at Lakefront Airport (KNEW) in New Orleans, Louisiana.

AVweb reader Ian Cairns called the airport to our attention this week, calling the staff at FlightLine "good folks trying to make a go of it and up against two national chains." Ian went on to explain that the main office is still located in a trailer while they finish post-Katrina renovations, "but it has everything — widescreen TV, computer access for briefings, comfortable sofas ... [and the] courtesy car is a new Mercedes." Ian does warn us against higher fuel prices throughout the area, but he says FlightLine is very competitive in that context and should have self-serve options in the very near future.

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!

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: F-16 INTERCEPTS JET & TURBOPROP LEGALLY FLYING THROUGH MOA
Last March, AVweb told you about a close encounter between two private aircraft, a Pilatus PC-12 and a Beech Premier and an F-16 in an Arizona Military Operating Area (MOA). AOPA has obtained the radar video and audio from the incident, and AVweb Video Editor Glenn Pew has put them together in an enlightening package. (Click through to watch.) More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: CIRRUS THE-JET -- FIRST FLIGHT
July 3, 2008, Cirrus Design marked the first flight of its jet offering. The aircraft, currently dubbed "The-Jet" successfully flew for 45 minutes. (Click through to watch.) More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: INSIDE DIAMOND'S D-JET PERSONAL JET AIRCRAFT
With new personal jets popping up all the time, AVweb takes a look at what may very well be the next certified single-engine very light or personal jet to enter the market. Diamond's D-Jet is expected next year to earn its type certificate, and that's when the company hopes to make first deliveries. Diamond recently announced plans to upgrade the aircraft with Garmin's G1000 Synthetic Vision package and the Williams FJ33-19 powerplant — offering 20 percent more thrust and a 4,000-hour TBO. AVweb's Glenn Pew offers this look inside. More...

PICTURE OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
Reader-submitted photos continue to provide our favorite break during the long summer days at AVweb world headquarters. This week's contest was a tight race, with fifteen photos vying for the top spot. Weekly baseball cap winner Robert Shafer of Grosse Ile, Michigan was one of many AVweb readers who attended fireworks displays over the U.S. Independence Day weekend. Rather than showcasing the man-made spectacle, Robert serves up a glorious natural lightshow, with the sun framing an HH-65C Dolphin "conducting a hoisting drill demonstration" over the Detroit River. More...

FARNBOROUGH 2008
The grand old lady of aviation expositions starts next week, and AVweb will be on the ground covering the highlights of the huge show. Keep an eye on your inbox for the latest from Farnborough. More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER
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/. More...

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

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.

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