January 29, 2009

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

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In response to a question about Citigroup spending $50 million for a Dassault Falcon 7X business jet, which was reported Monday in the New York Post, Gibbs said, "The president believes that great care should be used anytime the taxpayers' money is being used ... that money should be used to lend to consumers to get the economy moving again, to free up capital and credit, and help small businesses create jobs." Citigroup has received $45 billion from the TARP, or Troubled Asset Relief Program. According to Bloomberg News, an official from the Treasury Department called Citigroup this week to "express concern" about the company's planned purchase of the jet. A bank spokesperson told Bloomberg that their intent was to sell off older aircraft and buy new, more efficient ones and no TARP funds would be used for the purchase. The plan, however, drew an outcry. Sen. Carl Levin, of Michigan, where the auto industry has taken harsh criticism for use of corporate jets, said that Citigroup shouldn't be flying either. "To permit Citigroup to purchase a plush plane -- foreign-built no less -- while domestic auto companies are being required to sell off their jets is a ridiculous double standard," he said in a statement on his Web site. "The notion of Citigroup spending $50 million on a new corporate jet, even as it is depending on billions of taxpayer dollars to survive, does not fly." Citigroup later released a statement saying that the company has "no intent to take delivery of any new aircraft." NBAA responded on Wednesday with a letter to President Barack Obama. "While we support the need for wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars, we are deeply concerned about a pattern that seems to be emerging in which policymakers are discouraging and disparaging the use of general aviation for business purposes," wrote NBAA President Ed Bolen. "This has to stop -- policymakers need to understand that general aviation is about jobs.... Instead of discouraging companies from accepting and using business airplanes or any other strategic business asset, policymakers should be looking for ways to increase general aviation manufacturing jobs, promote economic development in communities without commercial airline service, and facilitate productivity and efficiency at companies trying to do more with less." [more] For the full text of Bolen's letter, click here. The three-engine 7X was certified in April 2007, and according to Dassault, offers up to 40 percent better fuel efficiency than other aircraft in its class. The airplane has a range of almost 6,000 nm and can carry up to 12 passengers. Air Power: Striving for "Raving Fans"! Air Power, Inc. — #1 Factory Engine Distributor — is dedicated to excellence and 100% Customer Satisfaction. Air Power, Inc. stops at nothing to turn their customers into "Raving Fans"! Air Power, Inc.'s people are friendly, knowledgeable, and have more Factory Engine experience than anyone in the industry! The Best Engines, the Guaranteed Lowest Price, and Zero-Down Factory Engine Financing! Call Air Power, Inc. at (888) 759-4295 or go to FactoryEngines.com for details! Scaling Back back to top  NBAA Cancels Light Business Airplane Show If you were looking forward to the new NBAA Light Business Aircraft show (LBA2009) scheduled for this March in San Diego, you can still catch all of those seminars and exhibits -- but they'll be moving to the site of the regular NBAA annual convention, in Orlando, Fla., in October. NBAA, faced with today's grim economic realities, has canceled the San Diego show. "NBAA is totally committed to serving those who rely on light business airplanes, as well as those who are considering how to fit these aircraft into their business models," Ed Bolen, president of the National Business Aviation Association, said on Wednesday. "But in this economic climate, it is difficult to launch an event that our members and exhibitors expect from NBAA. We all know that our industry is finding it necessary to limit travel and marketing expenses, so we are going to combine all of the excellent elements we'd planned for LBA into the Convention." Merging the two shows will cut expenses for both attendees and exhibitors, says NBAA. The entrepreneurs and pilots for whom LBA was designed will still be able to participate in two full days of education sessions designed for them, including the Cessna Single-Pilot Safety Standdown, Bolen said, at the Orlando show. "Any change in plans has consequences and we regret the inconvenience to all who finalized their itinerary for San Diego," Bolen said. "Still, we believe the step we've taken is the right one for both attendees and exhibitors in this very challenging economy." NBAA had said back in December that it would cut the inaugural LBA show down from three days to just two, and cut fees in half for attendees. The NBAA annual convention is scheduled for Oct. 20 to 22 in Orlando. Boeing Cuts 10,000 Jobs Boeing this week bumped up its previously announced plan to cut 4,500 jobs, and will lay off a total of 10,000 workers, the company told reporters during a conference call on Wednesday. That's about 6 percent of the company's total workforce. Boeing blamed last year's strike and the global recession for its losses. "The progress we made in many areas of Boeing during 2008 was outweighed by the impact of the strike and our performance on some key development programs," said Chairman, President, and CEO Jim McNerney in a news release. "Our imperative going forward is improving execution where it needs to be improved, maintaining strong performance across all our production programs, and preserving our financial strength to grow in these challenging economic times." The company delivered only 50 aircraft in the last quarter of 2008, but plans had called for 120. Interest in the 787 Dreamliner remains strong, the company said, with 895 orders on the books, although one customer has cancelled an order for 15 aircraft. First deliveries of the 787 are now expected in early 2010, with first flight in the second quarter of this year. Last year's strike stalled airplane deliveries from September well into November. Happy Helicoptering! Get $100 Off a Zulu for Helicopters Lightspeed has lowered their price from $900 to $850, plus Lightspeed will give you a $50 mail-in rebate. Experience unmatched performance, lightweight comfort, crystal-clear audio, unsurpassed quiet, and built-in Bluetooth. Purchase from an authorized Lightspeed dealer by February 28, 2009. Click here to see why Zulu is Aviation Consumer's Headset of the Year. Drop by Lightspeed's Heli-Expo Booth, #639. Moving Forward, Despite the Times back to top  Cessna Revises SkyCatcher Design Cessna has revised its SkyCatcher design with a new tail, and brought the airplane to last week's Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla., to show to potential customers and the press. The new tail surface is bigger and more vertical, and project engineer Neal Wilford told AVweb the new design is now in flight testing and has been performing well. The airplane's aerodynamics got a second look after a spin accident last year, in which the test pilot was unable to regain control and bailed out, and the airplane spun in and crashed. Wind tunnel tests on the new design have shown the airplane has no unrecoverable spin characteristics, says AOPA. Other minor changes include the removal of the dorsal fin, and a switch to aluminum seats to save weight. Wilford told Kitplanes editor Marc Cook at Sebring that the production line at Cessna's factory in China is ready to go and the first copy of the SkyCatcher is already in the works. Once complete, it will be shipped to the U.S. and reassembled here, for first delivery in the second half of this year. Cessna has said it has about 1,000 orders for the airplane, which sells for about $112,000. Click here to see AVweb's exclusive video interview with Wilford and Cook at Sebring. The cockpit is equipped with a Garmin G300 system. Cessna hopes the airplane will become the standard flight-training aircraft for the next generation of light sport and private pilots. Austro Turbo-diesel Engine Certified By EASA Diamond Aircraft Industries has received EASA Type Certification for its Austro E4 turbo-diesel airplane engine, the company announced on Wednesday. The certification has been in the works for almost four years, but recently interest in the engine has intensified as Thielert, another European manufacturer of diesels for GA aircraft, encountered financial difficulties and declared bankruptcy. Although Thielert has continued to produce engines, Diamond has clearly been anxious to bring the Austro alternative to market. Generally, FAA certification follows relatively quickly once the EASA standard has been met. Diamond CEO Christian Dries said the EASA certification program cost about US $64 million. "The complete program developed into one that was significantly more complex than originally anticipated," Dries said. "Only the full dedication of all participants, specifically the Austrian and European Airworthiness Authorities, MB Tech, Bosch General Aviation Technologies and our employees, enabled the successful conclusion of the certification process." There are already 27 Diamond DA42 NG airplanes with AE 300 engines on the production line, the company said, and type certification for those aircraft is also expected imminently. Following will be AE 300 powered versions of the DA40 and the DA50. For the existing diesel-engine-powered Diamond fleet, a retrofit solution to convert to AE 300 power will be developed and offered, the company said. Dries and Thomas Mueller, general manager of Austro Engine, said in Wednesday's news release that they are confident of a good future for the companies, despite the current difficult times. For more about the Austro engine, click here for a recent AVweb Insider blog post by AVweb Editorial Director Paul Bertorelli. Icing and Precipitation Can Be Deadly — Refresh Your Skills Now! Icing and precipitation are among the top causes of fatal weather-related accidents. Learn how to recognize the hazards and create a strategy for avoidance with the newest interactive course from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation — Weather Wise: Precipitation & Icing. Check out this no-cost online course now! What You Missed in AVwebBiz This Week back to top  Race Heats Up For Next Head Of FAA Although Duane Woerth, a former president of the Air Line Pilots Association, has long been considered a strong contender to take over as next FAA administrator, Senate aide Robert Herbert seems to be making headway, the Washington Post reported on Monday. Herbert is an advisor to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the Senate majority leader, and specializes in transportation, defense and security issues. Woerth is backed by the AFL-CIO. Senator Reid has sent a letter to the Obama transition team expressing support for Herbert, according to the Post. Also, Herbert met last Thursday with Ray LaHood, on the same day he was appointed Transportation Secretary. Relations between unions and the FAA have long been contentious, and LaHood has said that settling those issues will be a top priority for him. Herbert may gain from delay, says Post columnist Al Kamen. "Each day, the administration is going to find things to ask Reid's help on, and Reid, by coincidence, might find it opportune to ask how his pal Herbert is doing with that FAA job," says Kamen. GA Gives TSA An Earful Over LASP The Transportation Security Administration wrapped up the public hearings into its highly controversial Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) with a fifth and final session in Houston today (following a similar session in Chicago last week) and TSA reps heard more of the same from the GA community. In fact, if anything, rather than calm the waters, the hearings appear to have whipped up even more opposition to the plan, which would mandate airline-style security procedures for aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds. "In this brutal economy, everyone in every corner of general aviation will be impacted if this plan is enacted without significant changes," NBAA President Ed Bolen told the attendess at the Chicago meeting. But while much of the focus has been on the impact on flight operations, hundreds of airports, some of which only occasionally see aircraft that big, will have to be set up to handle the security. The TSA has compiled a list of airports that will be required to establish formal security procedures for larger GA aircraft, and it's a long one. (Click here to view the list as a PDF.) Opponents of the proposal say many of the airports will be unable to fund the security apparatus and will be unavailable to larger private aircraft, reducing the utility that is the chief appeal of private air travel. NBAA wants a rule-making committee established to review private aircraft security instead of the existing rule-making process. Related Content: PDF list of the airports affected by LASP Study Shows Significant Drop In Business Aircraft Activity Statistics on business aircraft identified by arrival and departure information on all IFR flights for December 2007 and compared to December 2008 show a 22.8 percent drop, according to the Aviation Research Group/U.S. Inc., but there may be some surprises. The data includes both Alaska and Hawaii and segregated data between Part 91, Part 135 and fractional operations. The steepest decline in activity was seen by Part 135 operators, which in 2008 dropped by one third versus the same month in the prior year. The steepest decline came to Part 135 large-cabin jet aircraft (identified as those with a maximum takeoff weight of over 41,000 pounds), which saw a 44 percent decline in activity. On the opposite end of the scale, Part 91 business aircraft operators as a group curtailed their activity by only 15.3 percent and showed the largest diversity in change by aircraft size, according to ARG/US. Small cabin jets (MTOW under 20,000) flown under Part 91 and midsize-cabin jets suffered the least, falling just 6.3 percent, while turboprop business aircraft (both single- and multi-engine) took the largest hit for the Part 91 category, chiming in with a 23.2 percent drop in activity. Fractionals told a slightly different story. The business use of fractional aircraft fell by about 32 percent with small-cabin jets bringing the largest impact on the overall figure -- their use fell by more than 44 percent within the fractional category. Just one step up in size, midsize-cabin jets used in fractional business operations fell by 24.3 percent. AVwebBiz: AVweb's Business Aviation Newsletter Have you signed up yet for AVweb's no-cost weekly business aviation newsletter, AVwebBiz? Delivered every Wednesday morning, AVwebBiz focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry, making it a must-read. Add AVwebBiz to your AVweb subscriptions today by clicking here and choosing "Update E-mail Subscriptions." Choose Cutter Aviation PHX for NBA All Star 2009! Cutter Aviation PHX is your premier FBO for Phoenix, AZ destinations! Make your FBO fuel and ramp reservations today for the NBA All Star Game in Phoenix with Cutter Aviation, and you're automatically entered to win your choice of a Citizen Black Eagle Skyhawk watch or a Coach handbag at tip-off! Reservations must be received by February 8th to be eligible. Click here to reserve online! News Briefs back to top  FAA Prepares For Super Bowl Sunday No, they're not ordering in pizza, though that might be part of the FAA's plan for the day. They're preparing to handle the large increase in GA traffic in the Tampa Bay area for the upcoming Super Bowl, on Sunday, Feb. 1. The FAA expects that as many as 1,000 additional GA aircraft will use the area's airports over the weekend. If you plan to be in one of those aircraft, you can find out about the FAA's air traffic plans at the FAA Web site. Pilots should also refer to Notams before flying into the area. Three separate TFRs will be in place around Raymond James Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday, and private pilots will not be allowed to fly near the stadium for several hours before, during and after the game. Click here for details of those TFR restrictions. The east-west runway (9/27) at Tampa International Airport will be closed for aircraft parking. FAA air traffic controllers from the Tampa Tower will be deployed to FBOs at the airport to issue departure clearances. Extra FAA staff will be on duty through the weekend. Special procedures are in place for helicopter operations. The FAA also has special procedures in place for parking and traffic management at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport and Vandenberg Airport. The FAA also will operate General Aviation Program (GAP) air traffic procedures for departures from Tampa Bay airports into high-altitude airspace immediately after the game. GAP enables air traffic control to monitor the number of flights in Tampa airspace and meter flights by issuing expected departure times to flights as necessary, the FAA says. Crash Victim A British Photographer A well-known British aviation photographer has been identified as the person killed in the crash of a Remos light sport aircraft at U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla. on Sunday. Steven Fletcher was on assignment for Today's Pilot to do air-to-air photography of another Remos aircraft, which was taking off behind the crash airplane. The pilot of the downed aircraft, Mike Kostelac, is a sales representative for the company and remains in hospital in stable condition. Witnesses said the aircraft banked sharply before crashing on a ramp at the south end of the Sebring Airport. Fletcher, 44, was from Baston, England and is survived by his wife and two children. He was an experienced aviation photographer. "He was a very popular aviation photographer who was very well respected, experienced and known throughout the world of aviation," said Paul Hamblin, group publisher for Key Publications, which owns Today's Pilot. "He had done this many times before and knew exactly what he was doing. He was working with the magazine's managing editor Dave Unwin, who is now working with the FAA and NTSB in the accident investigation. On the Fly ... An ATR-42 owned by FedEx crashed 300 feet short of the runway while on an ILS approach into Lubbock, Texas, early Tuesday morning; both pilots on board walked away... GA pilots are invited to take part in a research project about Notams this Saturday, Jan. 31. Just one meeting is required, from 10 to 4, at the airport in Midland, Va. Pilots can also participate remotely via teleconference. Contact Cori White at (202) 403-5768 or cwhite@air.org for more info... Europe's trade show for secondhand aircraft, IMAS, will take place this year as part of the AERO international aviation show in Friedrichshafen, in April... EAA has set the dates for its 2009 B-17 Flying Fortress spring tour, which offers both ground visits and flight experiences in California and several Western states. Putting More Power in Your Logbooks Subscribe to AircraftLogs, a total aircraft management service for private and corporate aircraft operators. AircraftLogs has developed industry-leading technologies that automate aircraft records and eliminate paperwork. Flight data, maintenance records, expense records, even tax requirements are captured with FAA-compliant technology that is secure and simple to use. AircraftLogs is the Cadillac option for tracking pilot and aircraft time! Subscribe. Click. Fly. For complete details, call (888) 359-5647, or go online. New on AVweb back to top  Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers AVweb Insider Blog: Light Sport in Sebring — Bucking the Tide Despite a troubled economy, the fifth U.S. Sport Aviation Expo proved to be a must-see event. Some exhibitors scaled back a little, but everyone was represented. AVweb Editorial Director Paul Bertorelli has some thoughts on this little bright spot amid all the economic turbulence; read them on the AVweb Insider blog. Read more. 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. The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! back to top  Question of the Week: Business Travel in the Age of Bailouts This Week's Question | Previous Week's Answers PREVIOUS RESULTS *** The $100 hamburger is nice, but sometimes you just need to get a little further away from the rat race. Last week, we asked AVweb readers where they'd most like to fly to get away from it all. The most popular getaway destination in our informal poll was the tropical island, cornering a full 44% of the votes. We could chide our readership for being a little predictable on this one — except, well, that was a pretty popular answer around the AVweb office, too. 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 *** After the Big Three automakers flew to Washington in their jets to request federal aid, private air travel in the name of business has become a touchy subject. With pressure to change their ways, corporations are beginning to ask themselves how to move executives from one place to another if they're partaking of government aid. We'd like to hear what you think. How should companies receiving federal bailouts deal with their travel needs? (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. $99 Online Pilot Specialty Courses! Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers a variety of online Pilot Specialty Courses ranging in topics from Cold Weather Operations to Required Navigation Performance. For more information, visit Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's web site. AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn back to top  Exclusive Video from U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2009: Chairman Bob Wood on This Year's Expo Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos As the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2009 gets underway in Sebring, Florida, Chairman Bob Wood talks with Aviation Safety Editor-in-Chief Jeb Burnside. A quick preview of this year's show tells attendees what to expect and what they don't want to miss at the nation's premier sport pilot gathering. 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. Exclusive Video from U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2009: Flight Design's Tom Peghiny Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos The nation's showcase for light sport aircraft and the Sport Pilot program (U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2009) kicks off in Sebring, Florida today. Tom Peghiny from Flight Design joins Aviation Consumer Editor-in-Chief Paul Bertorelli to discuss the company's presence at the show and the state of LSA. 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. Exclusive Video from U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2009: Cessna Skycatcher's Journey to Market Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos Kitplanes Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook talks with Neal Willford, Cessna Aircraft's project engineer on the 162 SkyCatcher. Neal was kind enough to share the inside scoop on the SkyCatcher's journey to market. 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. Exclusive Video from U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2009: LSA Engine Overview Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos New to the world of LSA? One of the things you'll discover is that your engine choice makes a big difference, in terms of both weight and performance. For an overview of the three top choices in the light sport segment, Marc Cook, Editor-in-Chief of Kitplanes magazine, visits Rotax, Jabiru, and Continental on the grounds of the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida. 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. Great Valentine's Day Gift for the Pilot Who Has Everything! Win a Diamond Star DA40 XLS! Only 5,000 tickets will be sold to benefit Wings of Dreams, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Help Wings of Dreams complete their aviation museum and warbird restoration facilities at Keystone Heights Airport, Florida (42J). Void where prohibited. For more information and special event schedule, visit WingsOfDreams.org. Your Favorite FBOs back to top  FBO of the Week: West Plains Municipal Airport (KUNO, West Plains, Missouri) Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to the center at West Plains Municipal Airport (KUNO) in West Plains, Missouri. AVweb reader Jim Vick recommended the FBO after several top-notch visits to the facility: [E]ach experience is the same, with terrific hospitality and service. A phone call in advance will get a courtesy car waiting (even after hours), and, if needed, after-hours assistance with fueling. A great place to stop for fuel or a few days of stay. 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! Economic Challenges Call for Proven Advertising Results — AVweb Delivers Results Since 1995, AVweb has been the most comprehensive no-cost aviation site online. Advertisers reach over 255,000 pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation professionals via a unique and effective combination of newsletter text messages and web site banner ads. Links send readers directly to advertisers' web sites for instant information. Click now for details on AVweb's cost-effective programs. 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 *** Great pics continue to trickle in from all across the globe, and (as always) "Picture of the Week" gives us an opportunity to show you what your fellow AVweb readers have been up to. medium | large Used with permission of Hayden Bryant Hangin' Out with a Chinook Hayden Bryant of Fort Smith, Arkansas recently spent some time chatting with the "unexpected visitor" who dropped in to re-fuel. The Chinook crew was "very friendly," writes Hayden, showing off their ride and making small talk before departing on their next mission. Hayden tells us, "This made our day!" medium | large Used with permission of Chris Buckler Seminole in Motion (And at Rest) Chris Buckler of Atlanta, Georgia made good use of a long expoure at a flight school he attended a while back in Eastman, Georgia. Behind the stationary Piper Seminole is another, similar Piper taxiing onto the ramp. medium | large copyright © Victor Pallotto Used with permission "Cheez!" "Helicopter pilots always take time for a photo op," writes Victor Pallotto of Passaic, New Jersey. Good thing, too — helps our readers keep the picture supply flowing to AVweb HQ! (Yep, that was another of our not-so-subtle hints.) medium | large Used with permission of Drew Chaplin "Daddy, Look — Another Canard!" Drew Chaplin of Springvale, Victoria (Australia) made the trip to Australia's first annual Canard Fly-In in Mangalore and sent us a couple of nice pics. This one (of course) was our fave. (Maybe it's because we live on the other side of the globe and never get to go to any of this cool stuff — but over the last few months, we've noticed that Australia has some rocking airplane gatherings. Just sayin' ... .) medium | large Used with permission of Terry J. Wallace On Short Approach to KTRK Terry J. Wallace of Sacramento, California makes his final approach as our weekly edition of "POTW" draws to a close. If you still have the yen for more flying photos, but sure to check out the bonus pics on AVweb's home page. Look for our slideshow of reader photos about 1/3 of the way down the page. And don't forget to submit your own photos, O.K.? — 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. 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. 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.