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| Top News: A Somber Anniversary | back to top |  |
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Seven Years Ago Today ...
Seven years later, we still are caught short by the appearance of that date on the calendar -- September 11th -- it brings back all those memories of a day when aviation, and our country, were changed forever. While everyone was affected in one way or another, those of us involved in aviation felt a keen and personal sadness that the technology we admire, that provides us with the amazing ability to fly wherever we wish, was corrupted to such destructive ends. And aviators around the country were affected directly -- stranded by the airspace shutdown, then faced with suspicious scrutiny from local governments and increased regulation of our freedom to fly. Small general aviation airports in the Washington, D.C., area were closed for months, and flight schools around the country saw a drop in student enrollments. Now, seven years later, we almost take for granted those airport fences across what once were open fields. But maybe seven years from now, or seven years after that, or somewhere in the future, those fences will wear away in the wind and weather, and if we're very lucky, nobody will even notice they're gone.
3,500 NavCanada Customers Get Tax Bills
When NavCanada was formed to take over Transport Canada's ATC duties more than 10 years ago, it was determined that the GST did not apply to navigation fees charged to foreign corporate-owned aircraft. However, during a recent audit of the company (which, by law, isn't allowed to make a profit) the CRA decided the tax does apply to corporate planes and ordered NavCanada to fork over the money. Singer said the company had no choice but to go through its records and send bills out to recover the money. Complicating the task is that the rate of the tax has been reduced twice, from seven percent to the current five percent during that five-year period. Singer said the majority of bills are less than $200 and only a few are more than $1,000. Anything less than $25 will be written off. |
If you've flown your corporate-owned aircraft to Canada anytime in the last five years there's a good chance you'll be getting a
bill in the mail NavCanada for back taxes owed on the fees you paid to the private air traffic control provider. NavCanada spokesman Ron Singer told AVweb that about 3,500 "customers" got bills
ranging from $25 to more than $1,000 to cover retroactive assessments of Canada's Goods and Services Tax (GST). But don't blame NavCanada and don't blame the concept of privatization, Singer insists.
It's the Canada Revenue Agency that will get the money and Singer said NavCanada fought to keep the Canadian version of the IRS's sticky fingers off the money. "This was not our decision," Singer
said. "We did not agree with it." He also stressed that private owners of aircraft that have visited Canada need not worry about getting a bill. They've already paid the GST.
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| People in Aviation Don't Give Up Easily | back to top | |
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Seawind Saga Update - Revival Close, But "Time Is Our Enemy"
Over 80 copies of the experimental Seawind are flying. The cruise speed is about 165 knots. AVweb's Russ Niles interviewed Silva about the company's status in July; click here for the podcast. "I'd hate to see the Seawind not happen," Silva told Niles. "We're going to keep plugging away at it."
Engine Owners' Group Puts Thielert Investors On Notice
"Any investor that ignores Thielert's customer commitments will be facing a very unhospitable business environment," said Vilis Ositis, THENOG co-founder. "The first step for any new Thielert owner will be to honor the company's commitments to aircraft operators who bought into Thielert's vision of a dependable, efficient, aircraft turbo-diesel engine. Not only is that the right thing to do, but it would diminish the threat of potential lawsuits, political action and consumer boycotts the company could face from existing Thielert engine owners."
A representative of the owners' group will meet with Thielert insolvency administrator Bruno Kubler in Germany next week. The group is also working with the FAA and EASA to cope with various maintenance issues, and it is working with aircraft manufacturers and Thielert to improve the options available for support and upgrades for Thielert-powered aircraft. |
Dick Silva has been working for over 10 years to get the popular 
The recently formed Thielert Engine Owners Group (
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| Safety Watch | back to top | |
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Panel Recommends Changes In FAA "Safety Culture"
"The mark of an effective safety system is its ability to constantly improve and adapt," Peters said. "Today, the Independent Review Team has delivered a blueprint that will assure continued safe skies ahead for America." New training for safety managers and inspectors will be implemented within six months, Peters said. Members of the review team were Ambassador Edward Stimpson (chair), J. Randolph Babbitt, William McCabe, Prof. Malcolm Sparrow, and Hon. Carl Vogt. Click here for the team's full report in PDF format, or click here for the DOT news release.
Alaska Air Equips Jets With Airport Navigators
RAAS is a software upgrade to Honeywell's Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, which warns pilots if they fly too close to terrain, and will take about an hour to install. The system will eventually become standard equipment on all Boeing aircraft, according to The Wall Street Journal. |
A blue-ribbon panel that was told by the Department of Transportation several months ago to look into the "safety culture" of the FAA has filed its report. "We have found the FAA's aviation safety
staff to be unambiguously committed to its core mission of safety," the panel reported. "However, we find a remarkable degree of variation in regulatory ideologies among the field office staff, which,
in places, creates the likelihood of generating wide variances, and possible errors, in regulatory decision-making." The panel mainly focused on how the FAA oversees airline operations, but some of
the suggested changes could spill over to affect general aviation -- such as changes in how airworthiness directives are handled by the agency, and a recommendation that more training should be
required for managers and inspectors in the field. On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters directed the FAA to implement all 13 of the panel's recommendations.
Plenty of pilots are familiar with technology that tells us to "Turn right" or "Turn left" in a friendly female voice -- because it's installed on the dashboards of our cars, fresh from Best Buy. Now
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| News Briefs | back to top | |
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Cirrus Design Cuts Staff By 8 Percent
Cirrus shipped 10 percent fewer airplanes in the first six months of this year than it shipped in the same period the year before, which was better than the overall 16-percent drop in general aviation piston aircraft shipments. Wouters told the News Tribune that he considers any further cutbacks at Cirrus unlikely.
Fate Of Rare Twin Mustang Goes Back To Court
Rob Bardua, spokesman for the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, told AVweb on Wednesday, "Since litigation is still pending, on the advice of our counsel, we are not able to comment at this time." According to court documents filed in the earlier case, the museum argued that federal regulations that pertain to military aircraft would make it impossible for the government to give the airplane unconditionally to CAF. "The CAF could not acquire complete title to the aircraft no matter what the actions of the Air Force Officers and civilian employees were," the U.S. Air Force told the court.
The airplane originally came to the museum's attention in 2002 when CAF said it was going to trade it for a Mustang. The museum said the CAF couldn't do that. Subsequently CAF said it would keep the airplane and restore it, but the USAF did not relinquish its claim. The USAF museum is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Click here for a PDF of the Motion of the Secretary of the Air Force for Summary Judgment as filed to the district court, and click here for a PDF of the judgment of the court.
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Citing a need to enhance efficiency and redirect resources, Cirrus Design this week eliminated about 100 jobs at its plants in Duluth and
Grand Forks, in Minnesota. "We're dealing with some straightforward realities," company president Brent Wouters told the 
The dispute over the future of a rare F-82 Twin Mustang that has long been operated by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) will go back to court, the
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| News Briefs | back to top | |
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Jet Fuel From Algae A Step Closer
The company recently announced that it had raised $45 million to fund its expansion and growth. Researchers at Arizona State University also have been working to create algae-based jet fuels, though their process is based on growing the algae in sunlight. Alternative fuels derived from algae have attracted serious attention from global companies such as Pratt & Whitney Canada, Virgin Atlantic, Boeing, Airbus, and others.
On the Fly ...Lt. Col. Jack Faas has been selected as the new executive director of the Civil Air Patrol Historical Foundation; CAPHF founder Drew Steketee will remain on the board and serve as an advisor...
Three pilots are flying across the U.S. this week in vintage aircraft to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the U.S. Air Mail service. Click here to visit a Smithsonian Web site that will follow their progress...
The pilot of a hot-air balloon was killed and six passengers were hurt when the aircraft caught fire while landing in Pennsylvania on Sunday evening...
Pilots can attend a ground school about formation flying for $50 in St. Louis on Sept. 22; for more info contact Greg or Stan at Wings Aviation Services, 651-227-8981, or e-mail stan@wingsus.com. |
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| New on AVweb | back to top | |
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Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers
Across the Pond #21: Report from Europe
From a credit-crunch victim to a man with a crazy dream, this month's column takes a look at what's been happening in Euroland this summer.
Click here for the full story.
Grob Files For BankruptcyOne of the biggest shocks the GA community in Europe experienced last month was the surprise announcement that German aircraft manufacturer Grob Aerospace had to file for insolvency after its main investor pulled out.
Flight Global reports that several customers who have ordered the Grob SPn have offered to chip in to save the company, which is struggling because of several delays to the flight-testing program of the all-composite light jet. The company filed for bankruptcy on Aug. 18. According to chief executive Niall Olver, only one of Grob's customers has canceled and several others have offered to invest in the program. The CEO wrote to his staff and said that he is "confident" that the company would survive the crisis: "This unfortunate situation has arisen as a consequence of recent delays in the SPn program, resulting in the increased requirement for cash to see the program through to certification." However, he added, "I am sure that 37 years of pioneering composite aircraft manufacturing will survive." Grob's largest customer for the SPn light jet, Alpha Flying, has ordered 25 aircraft and remains committed to its purchase. Bombardier, too, stands by its decision to have Grob design and build the first three prototypes of its new, all-composite, Learjet 85.
CAMO Arrives In Europe
As of Sep. 28, Europe's new Part M maintenance standards will come into force across the EC. Part M aims to create the same aircraft maintenance standards throughout all Member States. EASA will issue Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO) certificates, allowing a company to perform annual airworthiness reviews for its clients. All EU-registered commercial and private aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight above 5.7 tonnes must be managed by a CAMO and Certificates of Airworthiness will need to be validated by a renewable Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC). An organization must have a CAMO approval in order to issue or renew an ARC. Although many organizations are already well-prepared, the move will hit smaller operators across the EU, who had hoped the move would be deferred for a further year. Britain's CAA has issued a guidelines page for operators wishing to find out more.
Zephyr Flies
A British-built aircraft powered by the sun has set an unofficial world-endurance record for a flight by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Zephyr-6 flew for 82 hours 37 minutes -- i.e., more than three days -- using rechargeable lithium batteries energized by the sun to keep it airborne during the night. The time beats the official world record set by the Global Hawk of 30 hours, 24 minutes. However, since the Zephyr's creator, QinetiQ, did not involve the FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale), the record is unofficial. Aimed at the U.S. military, the aircraft could support ground troops as a reconnaissance platform or communications vehicle. The latest flight was conducted at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, with participation by the U.K. Ministry of Defence. The 30-kg, 18-meter-wingspan Zephyr was flown by remote control to 18 km (60,000 feet), and then flew on autopilot and via satellite communication, carrying a communications payload of approximately 2 kg. Zephyr proved that it can cope with extremes of temperature: from the blistering 45 degrees C heat found at ground level in Arizona's Sonoran Desert to the -70 degree C chill experienced at altitude. The Farnborough-based company is now working with Boeing on a defense project codenamed Vulture, which would see the largest solar-powered aircraft ever fly, capable of carrying a 450-kg (1000-pound) payload.
Unmanned Gliders To Fly UnaidedIn more UAV news, Britain's Roke Manor Research is working on "automated on-board energy-aware planning" to allow autonomous gliders to find naturally occurring lift and sustain unpowered flight or prolong powered flight. The gliders would be equipped with software and hardware capable of analyzing cloud conditions and surface data. These would merge with models assessing weather and thermals and share information with other similar aircraft in the vicinity. This would help create a real-time lift map, which a flight-management system on board the aircraft could read and help move the glider from thermal to thermal en route. The aircraft would thus exploit the best areas of lift between the departure point and destination point. Current proposed applications for the developing technology include extending the flight range of UAVs.
Hanging On by a Wing and a Prayer
A retired German couple was lucky to be alive after their Europa light aircraft hit a 380,000-volt power line last month. The airplane's right main gear wheel got caught in the power line as they approached to land at a nearby field. The crash rolled the plane onto its back, and left it suspended 80 feet in the air. The pair of pensioners then hung upside down by the wheel for nearly three hours in Durach, southern Germany. "They had a very, very lucky accident," said police officer Edmund Martin, part of the rescue team at the scene. Emergency services freed the pair with a hydraulic lift after a helicopter rescue was deemed too dangerous, because a downdraft would potentially throw the Europa onto the ground. The couple was also covered in avgas from the leaking fuel tank, which heightened the drama further. There were also fears that increasingly gusty winds would throw the plane to the ground. The pilot and passenger stayed in radio contact with the ground throughout. They were treated at a local hospital for shock, but fortunately suffered only minor injuries. A video of the rescue is available on YouTube.
Regulatory Affairs
There are some important GA conferences coming up this month organized by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). A workshop of paramount importance to maintenance bodies and personnel is taking place on Sep. 16 at No.4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK. Sessions in the Airworthiness & Maintenance Conference include:
The conference promises to examine particularly the role of the maintenance engineer in the future and the extent to which he or she can be expected to act alongside the aircrew as the final airworthiness safeguard. Liverpool, England, plays host Sep. 16-18, to the 34th European Rotorcraft Forum at the Arena & Convention Centre. The ERF will be the 34th in a series of meetings, which take place annually across Europe, rotating around the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Russia. The first ERF was held in Southampton, England, in 1975 and the most recent in Kazan, Russia in 2007. Finally, the society is holding its annual international Flight Crew Training Conference on Sep. 25-26 at its Hamilton Place HQ. The third conference will address the important issues that advanced-technology aircraft pose for flight crew training. Subjects tackled will include: aircraft design and certification; pilot selection; training technology, strategies and systems; the user interface and aircraft checklists; human factors; the effectiveness of flight simulators; and flight-crew licensing requirements. Sadly the planned EASA FORUM on General Aviation issues scheduled for Sep. 17 has now been cancelled. Register online at the RAeS Conference site.
The High Spot Of Their Lives
An adventurous couple made their wedding vows 1000 feet in the air on top of the wings of three Boeing Stearman biplanes in Cirencester, U.K., last month. The couple borrowed aircraft normally seen carrying Team Guinot wingwalkers. Groom Darren McWalters, 24, and his bride Katie Hodgson, 23 -- dressed in a full bridal gown -- flew in formation with the vicar, Rev. George Bringham. Bringham flew ahead of the couple and brought the Lancashire couple together in holy matrimony, broadcast over the radio. The congregation on the ground witnessed the touching ceremony via loudspeakers dotted around RFC Rendcomb Airfield. Doubtless groom, bride and vicar were in tears afterwards.
FusionMan Jets Into The Ether
Proving that you don't have to be in the military to build a strange plane, last month a magnificent man flew more than 35 kilometers wearing his four-engine jet "wing" flying machine. Yves Rossy jumped out of an aircraft above the town of Bex in Switzerland. He flew to Villeneuve and then turned back to Bex airfield. Managing this distance means he has the range to fly over the English Channel, which he intends to do Sep. 24 if the weather holds. "If there are no technical problems, it's OK for the English Channel," he said. "I can't wait for this next challenge." The event will be broadcast live by National Geographic Channel in 165 countries, as well as online.
AirshowFinally, there is at least one more airshow around the region. JetExpo, the Russian International Business Aviation Exhibition, is back for the third time, bigger and better than before, in Moscow Sep. 17-19.
For more aviation news and information from Europe, read the rest of Liz Moscrop's columns. // -->
AVweb Insider Blog: Why Eclipse's Future Is Daunting
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The ongoing FAA review of the airplane's certification may be the least of the company's problems. Emerging competition and the need for yet more cash transfusions cloud the future. In his latest
AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli analyzes the state of play.
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| The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! | back to top | |
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Question of the Week: Reflecting on Post-9/11 Air SecurityThis Week's Question | Previous Week's Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Last week, we asked what AVweb readers think of the Martin Jetpack — specifically when it comes to the question of whether or not they'd like to own one. The biggest segment of our readers, 39% of you told us the much-hyped jetpack looks like a flash in the pan — but at the other end of the spectrum, nearly 8% of you said you'd seriously consider it (with 5% expressed some genuine enthusiasm for the jetpack revolution). For a complete (real-time) breakdown of reader responses, click here. THIS WEEK'S QUESTION *** It's been said that the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 changed everything; the date certainly motivated a lot of changes in general aviation, and we'd like to know what you think about them, seven years later.
Have an idea for a new "Question of the Week"? Send your suggestions to . NOTE:
AVweb's Newstips Address ...
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Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 200,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips
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| AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn | back to top | |
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AVweb's AirVenture 2008 Video Round-UpOriginal, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos 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. (The main frame contains all of our videos, or you can click over to a particular video if one interests you more than the others.)
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| Your Favorite FBOs | back to top | |
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FBO of the Week: McDonald-Gregory Aviation (DVK, Danville, KY)
Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs
Traveling AVweb readers have recommended many FBOs to us this week. If you'd like to see your favorite FBO spotlighted here next Monday, recommend them using our online form.
Our latest "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to McDonald-Gregory Aviation at Danville-Boyle County Airport in Danville, Kentucky.
AVweb reader Richard Grindal made an unscheduled visit last week:
Far from home and way out of my comfort zone — and experiencing engine trouble — I precautionary-landed on Monday, September 5 (Labor Day). The owner of the FBO arranged a car and called the mechanic that night. With an overnight and the chief mechanic dropping everthing (including work on a Cessna 414) to work on my lowly experimental Cub, I was quickly on my way again — thankful for the hospitality and expertise on the mechanic work, as well as the reasonable price for everything. Thanks again to Tim and Shane!
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! |
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| Reader-Submitted Photos | back to top | |
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Picture of the Week: AVweb's Flying Photography ShowcaseSubmit a Photo | Rules | Tips | Questions | Past Winners Each week, we go through dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of reader-submitted photos and pick the very best to share with you on Thursday mornings. The top photos are featured on AVweb's home page, and one photo that stands above the others is awarded an AVweb baseball cap as our "Picture of the Week." Want to see your photo on AVweb.com? Click here to submit it to our weekly contest. *** THIS WEEK'S WINNERS *** Once again, it's time to harvest the fruits of our eagle-eyed readership — and this week's crop is outstanding! We've got as many photos as we can bear to look at, and we're thrilled to share them with the rest of you. Let's dig in!
Click here to submit your own photos to "POTW." (No, seriously — click and send 'em, folks!) — A quick note for submitters: If you've got several photos that you feel are "POTW" material, your best bet is to submit them one-a-week! That gives your photos a greater chance of seeing print on AVweb, and it makes the selection process a little easier on us, too. ;)
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| More AVweb for Your Inbox | back to top | |
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AVwebBiz: AVweb's Business Aviation Newsletter
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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 | Names Behind the News | back to top | |
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Meet the AVwebFlash TeamAVwebFlash 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:
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. |
