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"The-Jet" Has a New
Name: Cirrus Vision SJ50
Cirrus Vision SJ50 is the official name of Cirrus Design's
single-engine personal jet. Cirrus Vision has unsurpassed
interior space, single-engine fuel efficiency, flexible seating for
seven, state-of-the-art avionics and flight systems, and safety
hallmarks including the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System
( CAPS™). Sporting a V-tail design, Cirrus Vision is
technologically advanced yet engineered to be simple to fly, allowing
owner-pilots more lifestyle pursuits.
Go online for complete details. 
» See the Cirrus Vision SJ50 for yourself at booths
15-22 (Combo P) at EAA AirVenture
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| Top News: Frightening Experience for Skydiver,
Pilot | | back to
top |  | |
PILOT
LEAVES CONTROLS TO RESCUE TANGLED SKYDIVER
A British soldier
and jump instructor participating in a parachute competition in Germany
got hung up on the landing gear of his jump aircraft, reportedly a
Britten-Norman Islander, and was rescued by the only person left on the
aircraft -- its pilot. The aircraft was 3,000 feet above the Joint
Service Parachute Centre at Bad Lippspringe when five soldiers
successfully departed the aircraft. The sixth, the instructor, suffered
a partially deployed chute that caught his rigging on the aircraft's
gear. The aircraft's civilian pilot became aware of the situation and
left his seat to cutting snagged lines until he parachutist fell free of
his aircraft and deployed his reserve. The pilot's excursion left him
out of the cockpit for approximately 30 seconds, according to initial
reports. Claiming he was only doing his job, the pilot has so far asked
to remain anonymous. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence told the
Daily Mail, "The pilot showed significant bravery and skill. We are
unaware of a rescue like this happening before." Initial reports did not
indicate the type of aircraft involved in the incident.
More...
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Do You Fly Experimental,
Homebuilt, or Ultralight Aircraft?
Finding life insurance to cover you while flying can be difficult.
Pilot Insurance Center ( PIC) can provide full coverage
life insurance at the best rates available. No Aviation Exclusions
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knows what you are flying and will not let you overpay for life
insurance just because you are a pilot. Apply for a policy in less than
five minutes! Call 1 (800) 380-8376 or
visit online. 
» Find the Pilot Insurance Center (PIC) plan that's
right for you at booth 2066 at EAA AirVenture
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EMBRAER
CHALLENGES GEARED TURBOFAN EFFICIENCY CLAIMS
It's the
economy, stupid. Bombardier's pre-Farnborough assertion that its Pratt &
Whitney geared-turbofan-powered
CSeries 100-149 seat regional jets (due in 2013) could be 20 percent
more efficient than rival aircraft has rival aircraft manufacturer
Embraer saying "not so fast." Embraer (the third largest aircraft
manufacturer in the world) has spun the argument to operating costs and
says its 110-seat E195 would only fall behind a CSeries C-110 by 3 or 4
percent in 2013 -- after the E195 undergoes improvements. Speaking of
the CSeries, Embraer CEO Frederico Curado said in an interview with the
Montreal Gazette, "We're not making any assertion that the airplane will
not deliver what it promises, nothing like that. We are assuming that it
will." He then went on to add, "But we are disputing the figures they
are promising, this 15 to 20 percent thing is really unreal." Curado
believes that the Pratt's efficiencies exist, but are compromised by
their attachment to an airframe in the real world. Bombardier says it
has taken those considerations into account and stands behind its math.
More...
BRS
ANNOUNCES POSSIBLE VLJ PARACHUTE
Ballistic Recovery Systems
(BRS), maker of whole-aircraft parachute systems, Friday announced that
its new 5000-series canopy complies with American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) standards. BRS has submitted to the FAA its plan
for 5000 series Part 23 certification testing. This BRS system can
support heavier piston airframes and higher-weight-category very light
jets. It's not yet certified and the system's precise operating
limitations have yet to be announced, but the system marks another step
forward for the company (and, arguably, the rest of us) and makes
inroads into the arena of "heavier aircraft." First applications of
5000-series recovery systems may include Diamond's D-Jet and the Lancair
Evolution, according to BRS' financial statements for early 2008. The
company has since 1981 delivered more than 29,000 parachute systems to
aircraft owners worldwide, 3,500 of which reside on FAA-certificated
aircraft including Cirrus Design's SR20 and SR22 aircraft. The company
says its systems "have been credited with saving the lives of 213 pilots
and passengers." More...
EPIC
ELITE CRUISES PAST 385 KNOTS
Epic Aircraft, maker of
turbine-powered kit and to-be-certified aircraft, says that its
six-plus-two-seat twin Williams FJ-33-4 powered Elite jet has in test
flights consistently logged cruise speeds "in excess of 385 KTAS." The
company says that makes the Elite "the undisputed fastest very light jet
in the world." For those who are interested in both apples and oranges,
the claim doesn't yet make the Elite a certified option and Honda is
expected to chime in with its 420-knot (and certified) eight-seat
HondaJet sometime near 2010. Epic's Web site says that "current
estimates point to certification of the 6-8 seat Elite in the next two
and a half years." The aircraft falls in line with Epic's standing
commitment to "take off with all the seats occupied, full fuel and
luggage." Let the 1330 pounds of available payload after fuel be your
ruler for that equation. Epic delivered well on its early promises of
bringing aircraft from design to market and was rewarded for the work.
More...
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Fly With Bose® Aviation
Headset X™
Enjoy an unmatched combination of full-spectrum noise reduction, clearer
audio, and comfortable fit. Voted the #1 headset for the seventh
consecutive year in Professional Pilot's 2007 Headset Preference
Survey. Also rated "Best ANR Headset: The Aviation Consumer
Product of the Year" by Aviation Consumer.
Purchase by August 16, 2008 and receive a complimentary pair of Bose
in-ear headphones ($99.95 value).
Learn more and order. 
Quotes reprinted with permission: Professional
Pilot, 2007 Headset Preference Survey, 12/07; Aviation
Consumer, 8/07.
» Try out the Headset X™ and other Bose Corporation
products at booths 171-176 at EAA AirVenture
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TEB
AIRPORT GUIDE/SAFETY PACKAGE, GOOD STUFF FROM THE FAA
The FAA
is providing detailed pilot training for easier access and improved
safety to Teterboro through a presentation that basically serves as
pre-packaged local pilot experience available online, free of charge. We
might hope to eventually see these for every airport, but Teterboro
Airport is a 13-mile drive from the Empire State Building and that
proximity makes it one of the busiest (and most expensive) general
aviation airports in the country. The Teterboro Airport Flight Crew Briefing offers
interactive graphics and a voiced briefing that presents pilots with an
overview of the airport layout, its normal operations and relevant
regulations, along with airport-specific safety and security procedures.
Included are runway incursion hot spots and an interface that allows
clickable access to the nuances of each one. Pilots are also given
access to a review of frequently used air traffic control procedures,
including common departures, and are briefed on the most common errors
flight crews make while accessing the airport. More...
TSA
GOES EASY(ER) ON FLIGHT CREWS ... SORT OF
If easy is relative
and "expedited access" run by the TSA are the guidelines, then the
agency's crewPASS test program, launched Friday and expected to last two
months, may ultimately provide easier access to secure areas for
properly credentialed commercial flight deck crew members. The system
employs a crew member database that provides transportation security
officers with a picture and other information with which they may
cross-check airline-issued identification and other ID provided by
flight deck crew. Through what some may see as a better application of
backwards thinking, crew members will enter secure areas via the exit
lane of each area's corresponding checkpoints. And in conjunction with
the new measures, "Flight deck crew members who utilize this program
will be subject to random screening, observation by behavior detection
officers and other layers of security." More...
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JA Air Center, Your Garmin
Source
GPSMap 495 and 496 have AOPA Directory and terrain. 496 includes
automotive directions and XM weather and music. Have an old GPS? Do
not let it lose its value! Call (800) 323-5966 for the
current value.
JA Air Center [Dupage Airport (KDPA), West Chicago, IL] provides
the finest avionics installations, turbine/piston maintenance,
avionics/instrument service, mail order, and aircraft sales. Call
(800) 323-5966, or
click for more information. 
» Sell your used portable GPS to JA Air Center at booths
2088-2089 at EAA AirVenture
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NATIONAL
AVIATION HALL OF FAME WEEKEND ENSHRINEES
The National
Aviation Hall of Fame Saturday conducted its 47th annual enshrinement in
Dayton, Ohio, and along with an airline man, a WWII triple-ace and
military commander, active air show pilot and general aviation
ambassador Sean D. Tucker was on the list. Dr. Peter Diamandis
and his X Prize Foundation were also honored, being awarded the "Spirit
of Flight Award." As for enshrinees, Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson
flew the P-51B "Old Crow" while assigned to the 357th Fighter Group. The
357th was credited with shooting down a record 609 1/2 enemy aircraft in
only 15 months and produced 42 aces. Fellow military man, the late
William A. Moffett, the "father of naval aviation," was also enshrined
as was Herbert D. Kelleher, founder and retired chairman of Southwest
Airlines. More...
WIN
A VINTAGE 172, OR SUPPORT 1940 AIR TERMINAL MUSEUM
If you
want to win a vintage 1957 Cessna 172, your chances are one in 2,500 (as
of Saturday). The 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport, Houston,
Texas, Saturday announced the new contest along with the winner of its
prior and first annual "Win Your Own Plane" raffle. Joe Montano of
Pearland, Texas, won a 1947 Cessna 140 over the weekend. The 172 is up
next. The museum's press release notes that, "The winner [of the 172]
will be announced at the Museum's July 2009 Wings & Wheels open-house,
or a sooner Wings & Wheels if all tickets have been sold." Both
promotions are part of a fundraising program created by the museum. "At
the museum, we meet people every day who have always dreamed of flying.
This contest will give one lucky winner the chance to realize that
dream," said museum president Drew Coats. Funds acquired through the
promotion support day-to-day operations and museum expansion. We don't
have a horse in this race, but will note that there are more than
110,000 people reading this right now and we'll remind you that no more
than 2,500 tickets will be sold at $50 each. Translation: If you're
interested, you might want to hurry up ... but there's one catch.
More...
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Cessna
Caravan
Introducing the perfect union of brains and brawn. With more than 10
million fleet hours under its heavy-lifting wings, the Cessna
Caravan now has brains to match. The standard Garmin G1000®
glass cockpit combined with the WAAS-certified GFC700 automated flight
control system integrates all primary flight, engine and sensor data to
provide intuitive, at-a-glance situational awareness and precise flight
guidance and control.
For complete information, go
online. 
» Visit Cessna Aircraft (makers of the Caravan) at
booths 143-156 at EAA AirVenture
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ON
THE FLY ...
Kalitta Boeing 747 Bogota crash rumored result of
dual engine failure ...
Xerion engine monitor approved for all light
Cessnas and Pipers ...
CASA moves to facilitate influx of
experienced aircraft engineers ...
A passenger tried to open the
door of a 767 flying at 35,000 feet ...
B-52 crashes off Guam,
crew's fate unknown. More...
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What Are the Advantages of
Working with an Aviation Insurance Broker?
An aviation broker gives you a choice of coverage and pricing options
offered by numerous insurance companies. Today's policies offer more
enhancements and features, including coverage for handheld avionics,
automatic increase in insured value, trip interruption, and more. The
AOPA Insurance Agency can help you select the features that best
meet your unique insurance needs. Call for a complimentary quote at
(800) 622-2672, or
go online. 
» Ask about the advantages of AOPA Insurance Agency in
person at booths 164-166 at EAA AirVenture
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| The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! | | back to
top | | |
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Jeppesen
NavSuite
Better information that's more easily accessible means faster, safer and
better flying. There's no better time than now to consider a tablet
PC/electronic flight bag (EFB). Jeppesen NavSuite combines
Jeppesen JeppView Electronic Charts with their popular
FliteStar flight planning, providing a fully-integrated,
easy-to-use, affordable solution for charting and flight planning. This
powerful integration provides bundle pricing discounts, an efficient
update process and ease of use.
Visit Jeppesen.com/NavSuite for
more information. 
» Explore your destinations with Jeppesen at booths
1019-1021 (Combo B) at EAA AirVenture
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Envision® Integrated Flight Deck Available for
Retrofit Installation in Select Cessna 300-Series
Aircraft!
Avidyne has added the popular Cessna 320/335/340 piston-engine
twins to the growing list of Envision® Integrated Flight
Deck–approved aircraft. The big-glass Envision system is
the industry's easiest-to-use integrated flight deck, providing
state-of-the-art situational awareness and safety, with a
highly-reliable all-solid-state ADAHRS, a full-featured moving map,
electronic approach charts, color lightning, traffic avoidance, and
satellite datalink weather.
Click here for more information. 
» See Avidyne's state-of-the-art technologies in action at
booths 2098-2101 (Combo E) at EAA AirVenture
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VIDEO
OF THE WEEK: SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE A BAD DAY
A Sterling
Boeing 737 ended up in an unnatural position (for a 737) at the airport
in Malaga, Spain on Saturaday after a strange encounter with the airport
bridge. For some reason, the bridge went up and caught the aircraft
under its open door. Early reports didn't have a damage estimate. Thanks
to AVweb reader Robert Reid, who turned us on to the video
and also referred us to this incredible photo from Robert Campbell. (Click
through to watch.) More...
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FBO
OF THE WEEK: TAC AIR (KGMU, GREENVILLE, SC)
 AVweb's
"FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to TAC
Air at GMU in Greenville, South Carolina. AVweb
reader John Hey hadn't stopped at GMU for six months, but he
tells us "they still remembered me": Great, cheerful,
and competent service — even though I had just saved $30 using
their self-service pump. Call ahead, and they get you a great discount
on the nice Phoenix Motel one block away with the best free full
Southern breakfast ever! 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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SHORT
FINAL
While on tower freq for VGT (North Las Vegas), I
overheard the following: Cessna 1234N:
"Tower, this
is Cessna 1234N, 10 miles northwest with yankee, inbound full
stop." Tower:
"Cessna 1234N, tower. Continue inbound.
Report 4-mile final for runway 12 right." Cessna
1234N:
"Tower, Cessna 1234N reporting 4-mile
final." Tower:
"Cessna 1234N cleared for landing.
Runway 12 right. Say type, Cessna." Cessna
1234N:
"Tower, 1234N is a Cessna 152
Heavy!" Tower:
"Cessna 1234N, roger!" (And before
the mike keyed off, there was substantial chuckling in the
background.) J. Brandon
via e-mail
More...
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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
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. Aviate.
Navigate. Communicate. More...
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AVweb European correspondent Liz Moscrop
was at the big show for most of last week and filed reports on some of
the major announcements. 
