April 24, 2009

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

FIND THEM AT: Cessna Display SNF-001 SNF-002 You Won't Need SVT to See Where No-Cost Fuel Can Take You, But We're Throwing It in Anyway If you buy one of a limited number of 2008 Cessna 350 or Cessna 400 aircraft from existing inventory, Cessna will supply you with $25,000 in fuel at no cost to you and upgrade your state-of-the-art Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck with new Synthetic Vision Technology. Supply of eligible aircraft is limited, so act fast and contact your Cessna representative today. Top News: Avemco Has Good News for LSA Owners back to top  Insurance Rates Cut On Some LSAs Avemco Insurance has moved 13 Light Sport Aircraft models into its most preferred rate class and owners of those aircraft can expect premium reductions in the coming year. Avemco CEO Jim Lauerman told AVweb in a podcast interview that factors like company stability, parts availability and, of course, the claims record were all taken into consideration in giving the aircraft preferred rate status. "The industry has matured," he said, noting that many companies are establishing nation-wide service networks and support services for owners of their products. But it's not just the companies and their products that have gotten better. Avemco raised some eyebrows last year when it set minimum transition training standards for those moving to LSAs. The company realized soon after it began insuring LSAs that the accident profile was different. Experienced, high-time pilots were wrecking LSAs at an alarming rate because they assumed, like the insurance company did, that they would be easy to get used to. The light wing loading and responsive controls of the little airplane caused problems for many experienced pilots so the company insisted that its customers take a minimum of five hours of dual with a qualified instructor on the type of airplane they were insuring and that they pass a flight review at the end of the training period. Lauerman said the accident rate has plummeted since then. FIND THEM AT: D-028 D-029 D-030 D-031 D-032 D-033 Gulf Coast Avionics — Your One-Stop Shop for Avionics, Instruments and Pilot Supplies See us at Sun 'n Fun booths #D28-33! Take advantage of show-special rebates and pricing from major manufacturers like JPI, ICOM, and others. Stop by our booth daily for great deals on great products, and be sure to ask about instant savings on specially marked products. See our interactive showroom conveniently located on Lakeland Linder Airport or shop our comprehensive e-commerce site at GCA.aero.   Up for Bid: Electraflyer back to top  First Electraflyer For Sale On eBay How often do you get to buy a piece of green aviation history? Randell Fishman's ElectraFlyer-C—a heavily modified Moni homebuilt motorglider powered by an 18W electric motor and battery pack—is for sale to the highest bidder on eBay. "As far as I know, this is the first practical electric airplane ever," said Fishman. "Someday that'll probably be worth something." The single-seat ElectraFlyer-C can fly for a little over an hour at 70 mph. Fishman figures that hour costs about $10.60—$10 toward the lifespan of the $8500 Li-ion battery pack and 60 cents worth of electricity. Fishman is selling the airplane in part because he's focusing his efforts on a new, two-place design that he hopes will eventually qualify for LSA status. The two place is far into design with a composite construction, detachable wingtips for easy storage and a 50-HP electric engine. That airplane will have a 28:1 glide ratio and should cruise at 80 mph for up to two hours. Additional funding for the project is coming from a Lindbergh Foundation grant of $10,580, which is what it cost to build the Spirt of St. Louis in 1927. FIND THEM AT: Bose Pavilion SNF-009 Fly with Bose® Aviation Headset X® Enjoy an unmatched combination of full-spectrum noise reduction, clearer audio, and comfortable fit. Voted the #1 headset for the eighth consecutive year in Professional Pilot's 2008 Headset Preference Survey. Purchase by May 2, 2009 and also receive a complimentary Bose premium flight bag ($80 value). Learn more and order. Quote reprinted with permission: Professional Pilot, 2007 Headset Preference Survey, 12/08. Cirrus Puts LSA on the Backburner back to top  Cirrus LSA Program On Hold Cirrus said this week that it has suspended for now its work on bringing an LSA to market. "Our interest in the project hasn't changed," Patrick Waddick, Cirrus vp of operations, told AVweb on Wednesday. "We are still very interested in the LSA market, and we will keep coming back to re-evaluate that decision." The company cited three main reasons for its change of heart -- the current challenging economic conditions, the fact that the SRS project requires not only development of the airplane but also an expanded flight-training strategy, and the company said it expects that with time the LSA rules and standards will "mature" and allow Cirrus to build an LSA with a broader mission profile. "While Cirrus Aircraft has made the difficult and sometimes painful decisions over the past several months to ensure longevity and proper funding of many core production and development programs," the company said in a news release, "our total enterprise 'bandwidth' to keep every new program on schedule is still limited." Cirrus had announced at EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh in 2007 that it would produce an LSA in partnership with Fk Lightplanes of Germany, based on that company's Fk14 Polaris model. FIND THEM AT: C-092 C-093 C-094 C-095 AV8OR™ Handheld The AV8OR Handheld is the portable and affordable MFD 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 Handheld uses aviation software and symbology you 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, visit BendixKing.com/AV8OR. Old Planes for a New Generation of Pilots back to top  Build A Plane Benefits During Down Economy Business is booming at Build A Plane, President Lyn Freeman told AVweb at Sun 'n Fun this week. The nonprofit group works to find old airplanes that need a new life, and pairs them up with schools that create projects to teach kids about science and technology. The donors get a tax write-off, the schools get an exciting new project, and the kids are tricked into getting an education while thinking they are having fun. While donations have been plentiful, Freeman said he still has schools on a waiting list, so more are always needed. Also this week, Freeman announced that Build A Plane will sponsor Teacher's Day at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh later this summer, along with EAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. The program, scheduled for July 28, will expose teachers to a variety of programs and curricula to help them use aviation in classrooms from kindergarten through high school. Teachers from across the United States are expected to participate, and so far response has been tremendous, Freeman said. "Today's students respond to real-world applications and challenges, and aviation really captures their attention," he said. Teachers who attend will receive continuing education credit as well as a free pass to AirVenture. For more information about Teachers Day, and to register online, click here. For more information about Build A Plane and their programs, click here for AVweb's exclusive podcast interview with Freeman. FIND THEM AT: D-051 D-052 D-053 More Zulus Are on the Way! We bring more Zulus to every show, and every time, it's still not enough! So if you're at Sun 'n Fun, stop by for a demo and ask about our show special. And if you couldn't make it this year, go to the Lightspeed Aviation web site and take a look at our trade-up program. Your nearest dealer will be happy to give you a demo, and we always make sure they have plenty in stock. Zulu. Change your mind. Our Daily Sun 'n Fun Photos back to top  AVweb's Sun 'n Fun 2009 Galleries: Day Four — Exhibitors Click for more photos Who brought what to the show, and where can we find it? — that's the question we put to Mariano Rosales as he set off in search of product photos today. Have a gander at some of the cool stuff he ran across in the outdoor exhibitors area. Click here to view photos. SPONSOR Like a 696 on Steroids The new Flight Cheetah FL 210-S is the most advanced GPS Moving Map system available today. The Flight Cheetah incorporates the most powerful and comprehensive list of features that you will find anywhere. For more information and live video demonstrations, click here. AVweb Audio — Are You Listening? back to top  AVweb's Sun 'n Fun 2009 Podcast #7: Insurance Rates Drop for Some LSAs File Size 2.8 MB / Running Time 4:08 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS As the Light Sport Aircraft sector matures, insurers like Avemco are getting a better handle on assessing risk. Avemco President Jim Lauerman told AVweb's Russ Niles that owners of 13 models of LSAs will see rate reductions based on the company's experience with their aircraft. This podcast is brought to you by WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather and Bose Corporation. Click here to listen. (2.8 MB, 4:08) AVweb's Sun 'n Fun 2009 Podcast #8: Build A Plane Update File Size 4.2 MB / Running Time 6:04 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS As it turns out, a slow economy is a boon for Build A Plane, which is getting plenty of donated airplanes for its school programs, but more are still needed to meet the demand. BAP President Lyn Freeman talks with AVweb's Mary Grady at Sun 'n Fun about some new projects that the non-profit group has in the works to help promote aviation to the next generation. This podcast is brought to you by Lightspeed Aviation's Zulu Headset and Gulf Coast Avionics. Click here to listen. (4.2 MB, 6:04) FIND THEM AT: C-024 C-025 C-026 N-036 Having XM WX Satellite Weather On-Board Is Not a Luxury — it is a necessity, and when it comes to getting the most accurate and reliable weather information onboard, more pilots trust XM WX Satellite Weather than any other satellite-delivered weather service. Come see the latest from XM WX Satellite Weather at booth #C-024 during Sun 'n Fun 2009, or visit us online at XMWXweather.com/aviation.   AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn back to top  AVweb's Sun 'n Fun 2009 Video #7: Apex Edge EFIS from Bendix/King by Honeywell Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos Bendix/King reports that it's taking orders for the PFD component of the Apex Edge EFIS system for light aircraft and turbines. Check out this video for more details. This video is brought to you by WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather and Bose Corporation. 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. AVweb's Sun 'n Fun 2009 Video #8: Product Minutes Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos Looking for a headset? A good deal on a custom seat pad? Sun 'N Fun is the place to shop. Here are four product minutes on things that caught our editors' eyes at the show — Garmin's G1000 glass cockpit for the Piper Meridian, the Bose Aviation Headset X, 3xtrim's Navigator 600, and the SoftSeat from Oregon Aero. This video is brought to you by Gulf Coast Avionics and Lightspeed Aviation's Zulu Headset. 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. FIND THEM AT: C-071 Avidyne Introduces Release 9 of the Entegra Integrated Flight Deck Avidyne's Entegra Release 9 Integrated Flight Deck System represents the next generation of integrated flight deck systems for light general aviation. The Entegra Release 9 retrofit for Cirrus SR20 & SR22 includes dual XGA high-resolution IFD5000 displays, dual-redundant FMS900w systems with a QWERTY-style control/display unit, next-generation fully-digital VHF radios, and dual WAAS/RNP-capable GPS receivers. Find out more about The Best Flight Deck in Aviation at Release9.com. The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! back to top  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. FIND THEM AT: MD-035-A 3 Airplanes ... 3 Levels ... 1 Edition ... Ice New for 2009, Cirrus Aircraft shakes the lineup with a new way to spec out your new Cirrus. SR20, SR22, and Turbo models are now available in three well-equipped trim levels - "S," "GS," and "GTS"; Known Ice Protection is ready to go on SR22 and Turbo models; or choose an all-new premium interior and exterior upgrade package dubbed "X-Edition." Visit CirrusAircraft.com for details. 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 Mariano Rosales 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.