November 13, 2008

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

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Cebula and others met with officials from the Office of Management Budget on Monday and proposed two alternatives to the permanent ADIZ -- one, to allow an ADIZ to be established by NOTAM as needed, or two, to shrink the ADIZ from its current 30-nm radius to 20 nm. "Either action would improve general aviation health in the region," Cebula told OMB officials. GA pilots now regularly avoid the D.C. metro area, he said, and many aircraft owners who were based inside the ADIZ have relocated their airplanes or stopped flying. "We also reminded OMB officials that the government has never presented a specific, intelligence-based threat assessment to justify the ADIZ," Cebula said. "Nor has the government provided evidence or analysis demonstrating that the ADIZ results in any measurable increase in security." The ADIZ was established by NOTAM in 2003. More than 22,000 pilots responded to an FAA request for comments in 2006 when the proposal was made to make the ADIZ permanent. The FAA requires all pilots who fly within 60 miles of the Washington, D.C., VOR/DME to take special ADIZ awareness online training by Feb. 9. "The government has made it too complicated, too complex for pilots," Cebula said. Trade-A-Plane, Aviation's Original Search Engine Back in 1937, Trade-A-Plane was the original — and only — place to look for parts to repair an airplane. Trade-A-Plane is still the best, with everything that keeps you flying — thousands of planes, products, and services updated hourly. Call Trade-A-Plane at (800) 337-5263 or subscribe online. In print or online, start your search with the world's largest aviation resource — Trade-A-Plane. Extended LASP NPRM Deadline back to top  TSA Extends Deadline For GA Security Plan Comments The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on Monday it will extend the time period for public comment on its proposed Large Aircraft Security Program for general aviation by an additional 60 days, a change that was lobbied for by GA advocacy groups. The new deadline for public comment is Feb. 27, 2009. The proposed rules would require criminal history records checks of GA flight crews, watch-list matching of passenger manifests, audits of each aircraft operator, and new airport security requirements. "Granting our request will provide much needed time for analysis, community education and feedback," said Ed Bolen, CEO of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). EAA had asked for 90-day extension, but said in a news release it is pleased the TSA responded promptly. "This proposal would be an unprecedented restriction on the freedom of movement for private U.S. citizens," said Doug Macnair, EAA vice president of government relations. "It would also, for the first time, require governmental review and authority before a person could operate his/her own personal transportation conveyance." AOPA agreed. "This proposal is an unprecedented move by the TSA into general aviation," said Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. AOPA's news release also noted that "serious questions" remain about why GA is being considered for these onerous requirements. For more information about the TSA proposal and how you can submit comments to the government's public docket, visit the NBAA Web site. For a PDF of the TSA proposal itself, click here. To read the letter (PDF) submitted by AOPA and NBAA to request the extension, click here. Introducing AV8OR™ from Bendix/King by Honeywell The AV8OR is the portable and affordable GPS built specifically for pilots, by a company that knows pilots. With navigation routing, planning and weather information for the aircraft and the automobile, the AV8OR uses aviation software and symbology pilots understand. Its 4.3-inch touch screen is larger and easier to read than competing GPS systems, with an intuitive interface derived from the pilot-friendly, panel-mounted Bendix/King multi-function display systems. For more information, go online. » Bendix-King (Honeywell) is at the AOPA Expo in San Jose. Visit them at booth #327 for a demonstration of the AV8OR™. MarketWatch back to top  Crisis For Some, Opportunity For Others While many general aviation manufacturers are cutting back and laying off to cope with the economic downturn, China's Aviation Industry Corp (AVIC) said recently it is in the market to buy up a foreign GA manufacturer, to boost its own technological capabilities. The deal is already in the discussion phase and is expected to close by the end of this year, according to China Daily. No information was released regarding what manufacturer might be acquired, or in what country that company is based. And meanwhile, in Wichita, Kan., workers who have been laid off from their jobs in the aviation industry will soon have a shot at moving to sunny Florida. Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach, announced this week it will hold a job fair at the Wichita Airport Hilton next Thursday, Nov. 20, to hire workers for its PiperJet program and other projects. Piper seeks engineers to start immediately in airframe/structural design, stress analysis, electrical and avionics design, powerplant design, mechanical systems, liaison, industrial and manufacturing. Anyone seeking an interview should e-mail a resume to jobs@piper.com or call 772-299-2080 by next Wednesday, Nov. 19. For more information, visit the "Careers" link at Piper.com. Lobster Mounts Available at Aircraft Spruce Lobster Mount offers a complete line of mounts for handheld electronics that includes a suction base for smooth surfaces and bolt-on, handlebar (think control yoke), or roll-bar mounts for other applications. A universal cradle with adjustable fingers fits most handhelds. A camera top-mount accommodates camera bases. Non-magnetic. Non-corrosive. Made in the USA. Limited lifetime warranty. Call Aircraft Spruce at 1 (877) 4-SPRUCE or visit online. News Briefs back to top  Garmin Sales Manager Killed In Airplane Accident photo: EAA Jerry Smith Jerry Smith, regional sales manager for the Garmin's aviation division in the south and central U.S., died on Tuesday in an accident, while piloting his personal airplane on business. Smith was flying his Cessna Cardinal 177 when he crashed near Rich Mountain, in Mena, Ark. He was a commercial pilot with instrument, multi-engine and instructor (CFII and MEI) ratings, and over 20,000 hours of flight time. He was well-known in the industry, with over 40 years of experience. He had been with Garmin since 1994, where he was one of the first aviation sales managers hired by the company. Previously, he worked at BF Goodrich Aerospace, where he did research flying for Stormscope, as well as TCAS, King Radio, and others. "Beyond his professional contributions, even more sorely missed will be his zest for life and sense of humor, which everyone will remember," Garmin said in a news release. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry's family, friends, co-workers and customers as their lives have been changed forever by this tragic event." The cause is still unknown, Garmin said on Wednesday, but the NTSB and FAA are investigating and Garmin has offered its full support. Houston's B-17 Needs A New Home Airworthy B-17 bombers are rare birds indeed, and one of the few that remain is now in danger of becoming homeless. Texas Raiders, a B-17 owned by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Gulf Coast Wing at Houston Hobby Airport, lives in a hangar whose owner has decided not to renew the lease when it expires at the end of this month. Since the airplane is still in restoration mode and not able to fly, a nearby space is needed to continue the work, which CAF says is only nine months away from completion. Otherwise, the airplane will have to be dismantled and shipped to the CAF HQ in Midland, Texas, "nullifying the six years of hard work and diligence completed by the group of volunteers," the CAF says. A better solution would be to find a hangar space in Houston so work can proceed uninterrupted on the vintage bomber. The CAF wing is holding a news conference on Thursday to publicize the airplane's plight and hope that someone will come forward with a facility where the restoration work can continue. "We are desperately seeking assistance from an individual or corporation which will allow this restoration to be completed in a protected environment," said CAF President Stephan Brown. "The CAF Gulf Coast Wing volunteers have spent thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars to return this historic hero of World War II to the skies above Houston. We are hopeful that someone will step forward to help us realize this dream. All we need is the space; we'll do the rest." Texas Raiders was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force in 1945, and joined the Commemorative Air Force Ghost Squadron in 1967. Its last flying mission was in November 2001, celebrating the opening of the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans. An airworthiness directive brought the aircraft down for inspection in 2002. CAF has spent $500,000 to repair corrosion and make the airplane AD-compliant. Aircraft Financing to Fit Your Needs AirFleet Capital offers a competitive and experienced approach to each and every loan program by focusing exclusively on aircraft financing. AirFleet Capital provides exceptional terms coupled with personal service and a long-term commitment to support the business and shared passion of aviation. From Light Sport Aircraft to VLJs and Business Jets, AirFleet Capital has a loan program to fit your needs. Call an AirFleet Capital financing specialist at (800) 390-4324, or request a quote online. News Briefs back to top  Another Online Flight-Planning Tool ince we wrote about ChartGeek in this week's AVwebBiz, we've heard from an AVweb reader who uses a site called RunwayFinder.com, also based on Google Maps. This site doesn't have the cool 3-D graphics that ChartGeek has developed, but it's free to all comers. Pilots can zoom in to an airport and check out the runway layouts (as they appeared at the last Google satellite update, which can be several years old). Airspace boundaries and other info from the latest sectional and terminal area charts are laid out seamlessly in their proper locations on the map surface. Each airport also displays recent weather reports. Multiple disclaimers note that the site is not for navigation, but it can still be a useful flight-planning tool. Users can choose to view the area in chart form, as a satellite image, or in terrain mode. In addition, routes and range circles can be plotted. The site developer, Dave Parsons, accepts PayPal donations from users of the site, which he says will be used for continuing improvements. On the Fly ... Pilot Len Johnson flew coast to coast in a homebuilt biodiesel-powered Cozy MKIV to promote the development of 100LL alternatives ... The longest fuel-cell-powered flight of a radio-controlled airplane has been achieved by students at the University of Michigan, with a flight of over 10 hours. The previous record was just over nine hours ... Last call to sign up for Conklin & de Decker's Aircraft Acquisition Planning Seminar in Scottsdale, Ariz., Dec. 3-4 ... AA wants to toughen rules to ensure that pilots of Boeing 737s heed warnings about low cabin pressure. Can You Believe Avemco® Will Not Exclude Coverage Even If ... ... your annual, medical, or flight review expires midterm? It's true. And with Avemco there are no hidden deductibles, no N-number blocking, and no family sub-limits. To learn more or to get your no-cost quote, call Avemco at (888) 241-7891, or click here to visit us online. What You Missed in AVwebBiz This Week back to top  NTSB Plans Public Hearing On Helicopter EMS The NTSB will hear from the full spectrum of personnel involved in emergency medical services using helicopters at a three-day public hearing planned for its headquarters in Washington Feb 3-9. In 2006, the NTSB issued a special investigation report that found that more than half of all EMS accidents (41 helicopter and 14 airplane) in the previous three years could have been prevented if the recommendations in the report had been followed. There have been nine fatal accidents involving EMS helicopters in the past 11 months and 35 people have died. "This is a drastic increase in accidents since the Special Investigation Report and therefore has prompted the Safety Board to examine this issue in greater detail by holding this hearing," the board said in a statement. The statement said the public hearing is aimed at educating the board on the operational challenges of EMS services and helping members figure out how to stem the rising tide of accidents. "We have seen an alarming rise in the numbers of EMS accidents and the Safety Board believes some of these accidents could have been prevented if our recommendations were implemented," says member Robert Sumwalt, who will chair the hearing. "This hearing will be extremely important because it can provide an opportunity to learn more about the industry so that possibly we can make further recommendations that can prevent these accidents and save lives." The proceedings will be webcast live. 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/. Win This Glass Panel-Equipped Piper Archer II! — Enter by Dec. 31st Enter AOPA's 2008 Sweepstakes and you could be flying high in a fully-refurbished Piper Archer II, accented with a new instrument panel featuring the world's first installed certified EFD1000 PFD. Custom extras include handcrafted leather seats, tie-down rings, nav light retainers, and wood trim accents. Click for more details. The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! back to top  Question of the Week: Post-Election Priorities for General Aviation This Week's Question | Previous Week's Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** Two weeks ago (before the AOPA Expo), we asked readers to predict what may happen with Eclipse and AAI (owners of the Adam A700). Believe it or not, over half of you (52%) predicated certain collapse for both companies. At the other end of the spectrum, only seven readers said that both are good airplanes, and they'll be fine in the long run! For a complete (real-time) breakdown of reader responses, click here. (You may be asked to register and answer if you haven't already participated in this poll.) THIS WEEK'S QUESTION *** The U.S. elections are finally over, and the incoming Democratic administration is gearing up to take office. This week, we want to know where you think GA's priorities should lie. What is the top priority for aviation to settle with the new administration? (click to answer) Have an idea for a new "Question of the Week"? Send your suggestions to . NOTE: This address is only for suggested "QOTW" questions, and not for "QOTW" answers or comments. Use this form to send "QOTW" comments to our AVmail Editor. 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. You're a part of our team ... often, the best part. Over 17,000 Happy GAMIjectors® Customers Can't Be Wrong! GAMIjectors® have given these aircraft owners reduced cylinder head temperatures, reduced fuel consumption, and smoother engine operation. GAMIjectors® alter the fuel/air ratio in each cylinder so that each cylinder operates with a much more uniform fuel/air ratio than occurs with any other factory set of injectors. To speak to a GAMI engineer, call (888) FLY-GAMI, or go online for complete engineering details. AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn back to top  AVweb's AOPA Expo 2008 Video Round-Up Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos At the 2008 AOPA Expo, our video team brought you exclusive interviews with outgoing AOPA president Phil Boyer and the incoming president, Craig Fuller — plus a demo flight with Cirrus Design's new EVS system and an in-depth profile of Garmin's hot GPSMap 696. If you missed any of those, you can watch all eight of our show videos right here. Just use the arrows at the right and left sides of the player to choose your video. Video coverage of AOPA Expo 2008 has been brought to you by Lightspeed Aviation, WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather, and Bose Corporation. (Videos by Glenn Pew.) Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to download the video directly. More AVweb exclusive videos can be found at http://www.avweb.com/video. Related Content: Want more AVweb media from the show? Click here for podcasts from AOPA Expo 2008. AVweb's AOPA Expo 2008 Podcast Round-Up As our on-site audio teams packs their bags to leave San Jose, California, we bring you a collection of nine audio podcasts recorded at (or, in some cases, just before) the show. Once again, our johnnies-on-the-spot have captured some of the most interesting voices in aviation, from CEOs and service providers to innovative thinkers, technical experts, and salesfolk. In case you missed any of our nine exclusive podcasts from the show, we're re-presenting them here. Click here for our podcast round-up from AOPA Expo 2008. AVweb's audio coverage of AOPA Expo has been brought to you by Bose Corporation's Aviation Headset X™; WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather, the premier weather provider for pilots; and Lightspeed Aviation, makers of the Zulu ANR headset. If you've enjoyed our coverage, please click on the links and check out their products. Virtual Flying in Some of the World's Great Airplanes Classic Cockpits is a series of high-quality DVDs that put you into the pilot's seat of some of the world's great airplanes. Be there for engine start, checklists, taxi, take-off, climb, cruise, descent, landing, and more. Titles currently available are: Flying the Legendary DC-3, Flying the PBY Catalina, and Flying the de Havilland Vampire. Makes the perfect holiday gift! Click on the individual titles for complete descriptions, and click here to order all DVDs online. Your Favorite FBOs back to top  FBO of the Week: Volo Aviation (KEFD, Houston, TX) Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Volo Aviation at KEFD in Houston, Texas. AVweb reader Brian Hunnell recommended the FBO for making an Angel Flight go as smoothly as possible: I called the folks at Volo Aviation [during preflight, and] ... they informed me that 100LL would be $3.75 (normally $3.95) and if we needed "anything" they would accommodate us to the best of their ability. Landing 10 minutes after closing time, we met Buddy Roberts, the mid-day and night manager. He gave us a ride to the hotel, where the patient could relax. This was the patient's first experience with General Aviation (along with his slightly nervous wife!). Thank you to all who helped and made this a success. 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! We Live in a Fast-Paced World; Use Your Travel Time Wisely Subscribe to Pilot's Audio Update and you'll receive monthly CDs packed with up-to-the-minute information on topics ranging from "Understanding GPS and WAAS" to the lowdown on "Light Sport Aircraft." Put your in-flight "down time" to work for you. Subscribe now to receive the Acing the Flight Review CD as a gift with your order. Reader-Submitted Photos back to top  Picture of the Week: AVweb's Flying Photography Showcase Submit 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 *** Had you a little worried, didn't we? When we skipped last week's regularly-scheduled installment of "POTW," submissions surged from a lighter-than-usual trickle to a massive torrent. Normally we give a little advance notice when we decide to skip our weekly "POTW" feature — especially AirVenture and Sun 'n Fun — but last week we were secretly hoping to sneak in our regular reader-submitted photos in addition to the flood of podcasts, videos, and product announcements that came out of AOPA Expo. Several of you e-mailed to ask about the missing "POTW," and we certainly appreciate the interest! As you may have read in this week's AVmail, we're back on schedule this week. Speaking of AVmail, we should also take a moment to thank AVweb readers Bill Neely, Jim Nixon, Gary Dikkers and others who pointed out that Herb Baker's Ditto is not a T-38, but a T-28. Our fingers sometimes get a little reckless when we're putting together the copy for this section; we're just lucky we didn't turn it into a P-38 by mistake! (Oh, and thanks for pointing us to Herb's web site! Now — on to new business! medium | large Used with permission of Ron Babuka Tricked-Out Ride — Navy Style Ron Babuka of Groton, New York found himself inspired by Donald Neuberg's "Pilot with Great 'Skull'" last week: "I thought of an image a friend sent me of him taxiing his E-2 to the catapult — notice the fuzzy dice!" Funny enough, we barely even noticed the dice! medium | large copyright © Ricky Barnard Used with permission V-22 Osprey in the Morning Light Ricky Barnard of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma serves up a perennial favorite of the "POTW" team, this time frame by a few stray clouds at Will Rogers World Airport. medium | large copyright © Brian Emch Used with permission F-22 Afterburner Pass "Max Moga is seen here putting the afterburners to good use!" according to photographer Brian Emch of Lancaster, California. medium | large Used with permission of John Morris Ground Crew Veterans We just celebrated Veterans Day here in the States, and John Morris of Rochester, Minnesota showed up right on time (give or take a day) with this photo of his uncle, "James 'Buddy' Sutton (right), who was crew chief for B-26s durign WWII." According to John, Uncle Buddy "ended his wartime career preparing for the invasion of Japan on Okinawa and later also served during the Korean War." medium | large copyright © Jerry L. Morris Used with permission A Couple of Square Riggers Jerry L. Morris of Dahlonega, Georgia flies us out this week with a rather professional-looking composite he put together in PhotoShop. (Yep, it's a bit of visual trickery — but it makes great desktop wallpaper, all the same!) With two weeks' worth of photos to share, the slideshow on AVweb's home page is packed to the gills today. Grab a cup of coffee and cruise on over for more amazing submitted photos from your fellow AVweb readers. And when you're done gawking, click here to submit your own photos to "POTW." — 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. ;) A Reminder About Copyrights: Please take a moment to consider the source of your image before submitting to our "Picture of the Week" contest. If you did not take the photo yourself, ask yourself if you are indeed authorized to release publication rights to AVweb. If you're uncertain, consult the POTW Rules or or send us an e-mail. Names Behind the News back to top  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 Jeff van West 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.