OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OPPOSES NEW JET FOR BAILED-OUT BANK, NBAA RESPONDS
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday at a press briefing that President Barack Obama "doesn't believe" using private jets "is the best use of money"-- at least not if that money is from a federally financed bailout package. 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." More...

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. More...

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. More...

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. More...

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. More...

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. More...

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 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. More...

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. More...

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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. More...

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. More...

ON THE FLY ...
An ATR-42 owned by FedEx crashed while on an ILS approach into Lubbock, Texas, early Tuesday morning...
GA pilots are invited to take part in a research project about Notams this Saturday...
Europe's trade show for secondhand aircraft will take place as part of the AERO international aviation show...
EAA has set the dates for its 2009 B-17 Flying Fortress spring tour. More...

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. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: BUSINESS TRAVEL IN THE AGE OF BAILOUTS
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?

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers where they'd most like to fly to get away from it all; click through to find out which fantasy destination was the most popular. 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...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FROM U.S. SPORT AVIATION EXPO 2009: CHAIRMAN BOB WOOD ON THIS YEAR'S EXPO
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. (Click through to watch.) More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FROM U.S. SPORT AVIATION EXPO 2009: FLIGHT DESIGN'S TOM PEGHINY
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. (Click through to watch.) More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FROM U.S. SPORT AVIATION EXPO 2009: CESSNA SKYCATCHER'S JOURNEY TO MARKET
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. (Click through to watch.) More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FROM U.S. SPORT AVIATION EXPO 2009: LSA ENGINE OVERVIEW
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. (Click through to watch.) More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: WEST PLAINS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KUNO, WEST PLAINS, MISSOURI)

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!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK: AVWEB'S FLYING PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
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. Hayden Bryant of Fort Smith, Arkansas recently spent some time chatting with the "unexpected visitor" in this week's top photo, 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!" 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
Jeff van West

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