NEW TSA RULES IN THE WORKS WILL AFFECT GA
The Transportation Security Administration is taking a close look at general aviation and new rules are expected to be issued soon, but for now at least, the agency's attention is focused on aircraft that weigh 12,500 pounds and more. A story in USA Today on Monday said the TSA is planning "a massive expansion" of security measures. The business aviation community, of course, is keeping a close eye on the regulators. "The new security proposals must be workable and should strike the right balance between the need for security and for mobility," Dan Hubbard, spokesman for the National Business Aviation Association, told USA Today. AOPA said it supports reasonable security measures but will oppose any regulations that unduly restrict GA with no significant security benefit. "While the details of the rule proposal are uncertain, one of our major concerns is that this is the first time a new segment of the aviation population will be regulated," said Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. "The real effects of this proposal will become clearer after it's released." More...

ECLIPSE UPDATE - TEMPS LET GO; NTSB ON RECENT ACCIDENT; STATUS OF REFUNDS
Eclipse Aviation has let go about 190 of its temporary workers, the company said in a statement on Friday. "This is not a layoff because it does not affect any direct employees," the statement read. "It is not uncommon for manufacturing companies to hire temporary workers when adapting to fluctuations in production," Eclipse continued. "The reduction in workforce is based on efforts to reduce expenses and be better positioned financially. Eclipse will not be releasing any further information at this time, and will not be conducting interviews surrounding this event." Rumors continue to fly that a major shakeup is in the works at Eclipse, and AVweb is following the developments closely. However, Mike McConnell, Eclipse's VP of sales and marketing has told AVweb the rumors are just that. "Your story today, Shakeup at Eclipse, is an account of rumors that bear no resemblance to the facts," he said in an unsolicited response to our request for information in Wednesday's BizAv email. "We will not react to rumors. As we have said, we are focusing on operational excellence and profitability going forward." Eclipse's Communications Director Alana McCarraher also said specific rumors that we have heard but details of which we have not published yet are not true. More...

FAA MANDATES SPECIAL TRAINING FOR PILOTS IN D.C. AREA
The FAA issued a final rule this week that requires "special awareness" training for anypilot who flies under VFR within a 60-nautical-mile radius of the Washington, D.C., VOR/DME. The training consists of an hour-long online course that focuses primarily on the procedures for flying in and around the DC Metropolitan Area Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and the DC Metropolitan Area Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ). Since the ADIZ was created, in 2003, there have been over 3,000 incursions, the FAA says. The agency hopes the new rule will reduce the number of unauthorized flights into the ADIZ and FRZ by educating the pilot community. The free course will be available at FAASafety.gov, and pilots can print out a certificate of completion when they are done. That certificate would have to be presented upon request to authorized representatives of the FAA, NTSB, TSA, or any federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer. The final rule is effective on Feb. 9, 2009. More...

ANGEL FLIGHT DOWN IN MASS.; THIRD THIS SUMMER
A Bonanza pilot was taking a patient and his wife to Boston for cancer treatment on Tuesday morning when the airplane lost altitude and crashed into a parking lot in Easton, Mass., killing all three. The flight had been arranged by Angel Flight Northeast, which released a statement expressing sadness and sympathy. It was the third charity flight since June to end in tragedy, and prior to this summer, Angel Flight organizations, which fly about 20,000 missions per year, had never lost a passenger in their 25-year history. On June 3, a Socata TBM-700 flying for Angel Flight Central hit the ground during initial climb from Iowa City Municipal Airport; the pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, and the patient, a two-year-old girl, was killed. On July 17, a Beech Bonanza flying for Angel Flight Southeast collided with an instrument landing system antenna while climbing out from Vandenberg Airport, Tampa, Fla., and the pilot and both passengers died. "The entire Angel Flight world is saddened and surprised and shocked that this is happening all at once," Christel Gollnick, CEO of Angel Flight Central, based in Kansas City, Mo., told The Associated Press. She said that safety protocols for the groups' planes and roughly 7,000 volunteers have not changed and there are no obvious links in the three crashes this year. More...

PIPER AVOIDS OVERALL PISTON DOWNTURN
Although piston aircraft deliveries for the first half of this year are down 16 percent overall, as the General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported last week, not all companies have seen declining numbers. Piper Aircraft increased its piston sales by 18 percent, driven largely by sales of its Piper Matrix, an unpressurized version of the Malibu Mirage. By July 1, Piper had delivered 48 copies of the Matrix, accounting for more than half of Piper's deliveries. "We have orders for 101 Matrix models this year," said Piper CEO James Bass. "The Piper Matrix fills a niche in the market that hasn't been truly addressed until now. To date, our entire first year of production is sold out and market demand continues to be very strong." More...

THIELERT OWNERS GROUP ON INSOLVENCY COMMITTEE
The Thielert Owners Group, a hastily convened organization of owners and operators of the diesel engines produced by the bankrupt German company has earned a seat at the table in deciding the fate of the company. THENOG, as it calls itself, has been named to the seven-member creditor committee by the German court overseeing the insolvency. "This was our goal for THENOG when we started the group in May," said THENOG board member Dr. Todd House, in a news release," House said. "Through our advocacy on the creditors committee and our legal standing with the German Insolvency Court, we can accelerate the process of bringing relief to owners of aircraft that use Thielert engines." More...

NASA ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF GA TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE
NASA awarded $97,000 in prizes last week at the 2008 General Aviation Technology Challenge, which was held in Santa Rosa, Calif. The largest prize awarded was $50,000 for best safety features, which went to Vance Turner's team from El Dorado Hills, Calif., flying a modified Pipistrel Virus. The Pipistrel team also won prizes for the shortest takeoff distance and best angle of climb, and shared the lowest cabin noise prize with a team led by John Dunham of Carson City, Nev. Dunham's team flew a customized Lambada aircraft and won $20,000 for the community noise prize. Pilot Bob Basham, flying a Flight Design-CT, won a prize of $3,750 for best glide ratio at 100 mph. A $50,000 Green Aviation Prize purse was offered, but no team was able to exceed the minimum requirement of 30 miles per gallon, although all the competitors came close. The prize money not won this year will roll over to next year's competition, which will offer over $600,000 in prize money. More...

TWO WEEKS TO TAXI FOR BUILD-A-PLANE KIDS
Three youngsters from the West Coast are taking part in a first-of-its-kind aircraft construction project this week and next week in Arlington, Wash. The high schoolers are building a brand-new Glasair Sportsman under the wing of Build A Plane, the nonprofit group that helps to match up school kids and aircraft construction projects -- generally finding a good home for old and unwanted airplanes whose owners donate them to the cause. This is the first time the group has built a new airplane from scratch. "I was hoping I'd get to solo this summer, but I didn't earn enough money yet," said Brian White, 16, who is from Washington state. "But this is about the coolest thing I could have gotten to do!" Liz Kaiser, 17, from Bellevue, Wash., wanted to build an aircraft for her senior project, so when she heard about this opportunity, it was a perfect fit. Cody Freeman, 17, flew from California to work on the Glasair, his first-ever aircraft-building project. The new Sportsman should taxi out of the hangar in just two weeks, and start flying a few days later. More...

WAGSTAFF COURT DATE SET
Airshow pilot Patty Wagstaff (or her representative) will appear in court in Oshkosh on Sept. 2 to face two charges relating to the incident on a runway at Wittman Regional Airport July 31. According to court records, Wagstaff is charged with first offense drunken driving and failure to submit to a sobriety test. If the second charge is proven, then it amounts to an automatic conviction on the first. Wagstaff has denied she was impaired by alcohol on that night but does admit to taking a wrong turn and ending up on the runway. More...

ON THE FLY ...
ATA has sued FAA over airport slots auction...
Thielert Engine Owners Group is now on a committee overseeing the insolvency...
FAA has posted details of the TFRs for the Democratic and Republican conventions...
Qantas has grounded six of its Boeing 737 airliners pending a safety review. More...

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

ACROSS THE POND #20: REPORT FROM EUROPE
Half of Europe seems to be in Wisconsin for EAA AirVenture this month, so it's left to those of us over here wishing we were there to scout around for what's new this side of the pond. More...

AVWEB'S AIRVENTURE 2008 VIDEO ROUND-UP
This year at EAA AirVenture we brought you fourteen video reports over the course of seven days. We realize the news was flying fast and furious during the show, so just in case you missed any of our reports, you can catch them all here. (Click through to watch.) More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THE TSA'S REPORTED GA SECURITY 'EXPANSION'?
The TSA plans a "massive expansion" of security measures, many of which will affect GA flights into major airports. This week, we want to know how you would characterize the plan. Plus: What did AVweb readers think was the biggest story to come out of AirVenture 2008? 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: POPLAR GROVE AIRMOTIVE (C77, POPLAR GROVE, IL)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Poplar Grove Airmotive, located (where else?) at Poplar Grove Airport (C77), an hour north of Chicago.

In a week filled with great recommendations, it was this testimonial from AVweb reader Steve Langdon that brought Poplar Grove to the top:

Poplar Grove is the Mecca for fun aviation. The field hosts numerous biplanes, homebuilts, etc. The owners, Steve and Tina Thomas, will bend over backwards to make your visit enjoyable and memorable. The field has two sod strips ... great for obtaining your tail wheel endorsement in either the Piper Cub or the Cessna 140 that are available for rent at the FBO. Good food is just up the road, and a car is usually availabe. Adjacent to the airport is the Poplar Grove Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum, which celebrates the early years of aviation and other forms of transportation.

Sounds like a destination FBO, Steve — thanks for the tip!

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!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
Look out! We've got another massive batch of photos comin' atcha this week, most of them directly from the cameras of AVweb readers who managed to attend EAA AirVenture '08 in Oshkosh. Gregory Palmer of Palatine, Illinois had us scratching our heads and trying to figure out how to crop his winning photo (taken at Oshkosh!) for the slideshow on our home page. Despite our best efforts, though, you should still make it a point to click through and view the full-size version of this one ... . 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

Webmaster
Scott Simmons

Contributors
Mariano Rosales
Jeff van West

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