AVwebFlash Complete Issue

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Booths at EAA AirVenture:

283-285

	TCM Rolls Into Oshkosh with Some New Tricks		back to top

TCM'S Turbo And Fuel Initiative

Click for larger version

When Teledyne Continental said it wanted to prove that high-performance engines could operate on unleaded fuel a few months back, it generated some doubting glances. But at AirVenture on Sunday it proved it was serious by flying into Oshkosh a turbocharged Cirrus SR22 tankered with what will eventually become 94UL aviation fuel. Think of 94UL as just like regular avgas, minus the lead. It's not certified yet nor is the airplane approved to use it, so when Continental lead engineer Keith Chatten gave us a brief demo in the airplane Sunday, we got a look at a test ship. Because 94UL is still a boutique fuel and not available for distribution, our flight trial was on 100LL. The fuel does meet ASTM specs, however.

But Continental had another point to prove: It wants to compete with Tornado Alley for the OEM and aftermarket turbo market with a new 310-HP turbocharged TSIO-550-G. New production Cirrus SR22s are currently equipped with Tornado Alley's hot selling turbonormalizer system and Continental says it would like to get some of that business back for itself. Accordingly, it plans to offer the turbocharged TSIO-550-G as a drop-in replacement for the turbonormalized IO-550 in the TN Cirrus. TCM's Rhett Ross told us the engine will be available at an attractive price for owners who wish to convert.

OK, so what's the benefit? First, says Chatten, the turbocharged airplane climbs and cruises faster than the turbonormalized variant and offers the pilot the option of cruising fast on more fuel, but also the ability to throttle back and run lean of peak. Further, TCM claims the TSIO-550's 7.5-to-1 compression ratio pistons offer better margin against detonation than do the turbnormalized engine's higher compression pistons. Moreover, claims TCM, the TSIO-550 will do that on 94UL, with only slight cooling problems at warmer than standard days at high altitude.

On our brief flight, we didn't see any temperature issues on a max effort climb to 10,000 feet. Cruise performance at 10,000 feet was about 191 knots on 25.5 GPH leaned to about 75 degrees rich of peak. That's high cruise. Hottest CHTs were in the 370 to 380-degree range. A more realistic cruise 75 degrees rich of peak we saw 210 knots at 22 GPH. The engine also appeared to run smoothly lean of peak at 16.7 gallons and about 184 knots. When TCM is further along with the project, we'll compare it directly to the Tornado Alley system via flyoff. TCM is still in the testing phase of the TSIO-550 and initially projects availability sometime in 2010. 94UL is on the table with industry groups and the FAA for certification, after which the oil companies will have to decide if they want to refine and distribute it.

And Don't Forget FADEC

Although its PowerLink FADEC hasn't met with much market acceptance, TCM says the project still has legs. As part of its certification of the TSIO-550, the company is moving forward with a FADEC-controlled turbocharged engine, according to Rhett Ross, TCM's president. Presumably, the system would the PowerLink's ability to control fuel pulse and ignition timing to build in detonation margin. Would it also have an electronic wastegate and prop control? "Not necessarily," said TCM engineer Keith Chatten.

The original idea for the FADEC was to allow high-performance engines to run on low-octane, unleaded future which was thought to be threatened. Nearly two decades later, 100LL lives on, so buyers never really saw much benefit in this technology. Still, Ross believes 100LL will disappear from the market and the FADEC engine may provide better detonation margin, some fuel economy and maintenance and diagnostic capability similar to modern car engines. TCM has no set schedule, but Ross says the project remains active.

Business Aviation Will Help Companies Not Only Survive
But Prosper During the Current Financial Crisis
To be your most productive, and your most efficient, you must keep flying. Because in so doing, you will emerge from these times even stronger than before. And you will replace the uncertainty that surrounds many, with the confidence and courage to light the way for all. Visit CessnaRise.com.

Booths at EAA AirVenture:

78-80, 100-116

	To See and Do at OSH		back to top

Oshkosh Site Improvements

EAA AirVenture leaves an impression on everyone who attends and now attendees can leave a permanent record of their passion for Oshkosh. EAA is selling paving bricks around the newly redone "Brown Arch" that has been the prominent landmark entrance to the main aircraft parking area since just after the event moved to Oshkosh in 1970. In a dedication ceremony on Sunday, EAA President Tom Poberezny said the stone and wood arch, with its generous flower planters, embodies the spirit of camaraderie and community that sets AirVenture apart from other world-class shows like Paris, Farnborough and Dubai.

The brick program is a fundraiser for EAA and inscribed bricks top out at $5,000 for a prime spot in the landing gear or cockpit of the biplane that is depicted in the brick pattern. A quarter share of a brick in the general area is $350. The arch is among a host of site improvements that EAA has been working on since the close of last year's show. New roads (and a new traffic flow through the show), underground services and storm drainage and flush toilets in high-use area throughout the site are among the improvements.

Showcasing The Public Benefit Of Aviation

Fly4Life The public benefit presence organized by EAA's Fly4Life program this year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh showcases what for the people it serves is a critically important segment of general aviation -- some 63 organizations staffed by pilots who donate their time and aircraft to offer the benefit of flight to people who could not otherwise afford them. In most cases that means medical transport. These grass roots organizations have in the past sprouted locally and organically, which has sometimes led to locally efficient but nationally disconnected efforts. The organizations ,which include big names like Lifeline Pilots, Wings of Mercy, and the Air Care Alliance together contribute a rough estimate of about 15,000 charity (mostly medical transport) flights per year, according to Rol Morrow co-founder of Air Care Alliance and executive director of Wolf Aviation Fund. So, beyond collecting the groups, the Fly4Life program at AirVenture provides a focal point to help organize public benefit organizations in the collective goal of increasing mission efficiency. Transporting a needy passenger across the country is often an inter-organizational effort and logistics can always be improved.

All together, volunteer pilot operations -- including those that introduce young pilots to aviation through the young eagles program -- have since 1990 delivered the gift of flight to an estimated 1.6 million individuals and their families. But public benefit flying is just one arm of the Fly4Life program -- the other is mission flying. Distinguishing the two, one Lifeline pilot said simply, "their pilots get shot down, ours don't." We'll have more on the mission presence here at Oshkosh later in the week.

AV8OR ACE™
The new AV8OR ACE from Bendix/King by Honeywell is the latest in paperless, full Electronic Flight Bag solutions — a highly affordable, portable system for the cockpit. Its compact, lightweight design includes airborne navigation, all FAA charts, airport diagrams, weather, traffic, automotive, and multimedia capabilities. With its geo-referenced charts and large, easy-to-use touchscreen, the AV8OR ACE lets you clearly read your charts as you stay on course. For more information, go online.

Booths at EAA AirVenture:

259, 2083-2086, S-22

	AV8OR Expands		back to top

AV8OR ACE: Charts And Plates In A Portable

If there's an established trend in portable navigators, it's buyers asking for—or at least manufacturers providing—approach plates and charts in electronic form. Bendix/King joined the club Sunday at AirVenture with the new AV8OR ACE portable, a follow-on to a product it introduced last year. The ACE has the same basic software platform as the previous AV8OR product, but the hardware is physically larger, with a 7-inch diagonal screen compared to the 4.5 inch used on the earlier navigator.

The AV8OR ACE features FAA NACO approach plate and charts which are, uniquely—at least for portable—geo-referenced, so you can see your miniature airplane motor across the airway and onto the approach. AVweb got a look a demo at the press unveiling and we noted that the ACE's screen is bright and the charts are sharp enough to read, if not super sharp. They're based not on vector graphics but on scanned PDFs of the FAA original. Other features include multi-channel Bluetooth interface, airport guide data and a fuel price finder utility. To scoot around the page, you can both zoom and pan, using your finger in an IPhoneish sort of way. Initial price for the AV8OR is $1995. We'll have a video on the this device later in the week.

Lightspeed Welcomes You to the Biggest Celebration of General Aviation in the Whole World!
If you love to fly, this is where you want to be this week. Along with hundreds of thousands of people who are in love with aviation, including tens of thousands of their planes. Come visit our tent, just outside Hangar B, for Zulu demos, t-shirts, free refreshments, videos and more. To learn more, go to ZuluChangeYourMind.com.

Booths at EAA AirVenture:

260, 2029-2030

	More to See and Do at OSH		back to top

Diamond's Twin Back On Diesel For OSH

Diamond is flying DA42 powered by twin Austro AE300 170 hp turbo-diesel engines from Austria to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, stock, with no ferry tanks. For long distance flyers, the DA42's seven legs of 3 to 4.5 hours over two and a half days from Austria to London, Ontario, may be less impressive than the fact that it's carrying a six foot seven inch pilot "comfortably." Diamond is using the flight in part to showcase the new Austro engine's performance of 155 KTAS at FL 140 and 65 percent power -- all at the cost of 5.6 gallons per hour, per side. ... and its new taller canopy and electrically adjustable rudder pedals. The aircraft, DA42 NG OE-FSP, is en route for display at EAA AirVenture from July 27 to August 2.

In a press release, pilot Martin Scherrer, Manager of Flight Operations at Diamond Airborne Sensing offered his comments in market-friendly phrases. "The flight was very pleasant. The low noise and vibration levels reduce fatigue, the seats with memory foam inserts, adjustable lumbar support and backrests are very ergonomic and the new taller canopy and electrically adjustable rudder pedals accommodated my 6'7" height comfortably." His flight from Austria to Ontario was flown in 7 legs including fuel stops in Dortmund, Germany; Wick, Scotland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Narsarsuaq, Greenland; Goose Bay and Quebec, Canada.

Carter Debuts PAV Prototype

The folks at Carter Aviation Technologies have been talking about their personal air vehicle project for a couple of years now, and on Sunday at EAA AirVenture they debuted the prototype. The four-seat gyrocopter combines vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with efficient high-speed flight and a 600-mile nonstop range, the company said. President Jay Carter Jr. said the aircraft is "super simple to fly and super safe." If the engine quit in flight, the rotor would slow descent to 1,200 fpm and the the landing gear would absorb that impact, providing a level of safety that "grandfather and grandmother going to visit their grandkids" could be comfortable with, he said. "It's like having a parachute that's always deployed," he said. The aircraft's aerodynamic design prevents porpoising or "bump-over," which can occur with some gyrocopters, Carter said. He expects to start flight testing soon and to have five copies flying by the end of next year.

Those aircraft will be deployed globally as demos. "We think there is a huge market worldwide, especially in developing countries where airports are scarce," Carter said. He plans to offer the aircraft as a kit with a two-week quick-build program hosted at the company facility in Wichita Falls, Texas, with prices starting at about $350,000 to $400,00. He said he is taking orders now and has 29 deposits so far.

EFB Charts & Plates Cost Less and Are Easier to Update Than Paper!
FlightPrep™ ChartBook™ EFB shows your position directly on charts, plates, and airport diagrams, far ahead of the simple stick maps on handheld GPS devices. ChartBook™ EFB makes it easy to add XM™ in-cockpit weather now or later. Now displays Zaon™ Traffic, too! FlightPrep™ ChartBook™ systems start at $1,595. Full VFR/IFR charts just $357! To demo ChartBook™, see us in Hangar C, Booth 3119/3120 or buy online at FlightPrep.com/AVweb.

Booths at EAA AirVenture:

3119-3120

	From the Sky to the Road and Back Again		back to top

Maverick Flying Car Debuts At Oshkosh

If you live and work in remote parts of the world where roads are scarce, Steve Saint's Maverick design could be just what you need. It drives off-road, it can deploy a sort-of parachute wing with less than five minutes of tinkering, you can even take off the tires and replace them with pontoons for travel on water, and it all works fairly intuitively without any need for extensive pilot training. "This is a brand-new flying machine making its debut here," said Saint, when we caught up with him working to put the vehicle together for display on Sunday afternoon at EAA AirVenture. "Do you mind if I both hammer and talk?" He developed the aircraft as a nonprofit endeavor for use in frontier regions, mainly by the people who live in those places, he said. The controls are simple. The wing is similar to that used on a powered parachute, but it is not deployed by dragging it behind the vehicle. Instead, it is held aloft with a 24-foot mast and spars. With a takeoff roll of just 50 to 75 feet, the vehicle is in the air. It can carry up to four people when flying, and more on the ground, and it's designed to accommodate a stretcher for medical evacuation missions.

The vehicle will be on display all week at the Fly4Life exhibit area just off Aeroshell Square. It recently won a Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics magazine; click here for their story about the project. Click here for videos of the Maverick in flight, at the Web site of the Indigenous Technology and Education Center, which supported the development of the aircraft.

Terrafugia 2.0

AVweb caught up with Carl Dietrich, CEO and Chief Technical Officer of Terrafugia Inc., Sunday, at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to discuss the aerodynamic challenges revealed through testing and 28 flights of its roadable aircraft prototype, and where the company is headed now. In short, the prototype proved that the lift generated by the canard was compromised by its proximity to the vehicle's large front wheelpants. That, along with an unforeseen body-effect that complicated things by producing more than the expected lift farther aft on the fuselage than expected. Viewers of AVweb's video saw the result of these effects showcased as a large amount of up elevator and canard trim deflections necessary to keep the vehicle aloft. Now, after several rounds of funding (and with more ahead), the company is using practical experience earned from 28 flights of the prototype along with empirical data collected from ground runs and recently computational fluid dynamics modeling not previously available to the company to design its second vehicle. "Everything is changing a little," Dietrich told AVweb, "but the design heritage will follow through." Half of the ten-person team that is Terrafugia has remained home to work on the new design, which Dietrich hopes to show (in computer graphics form) in early 2010, with a physical prototype to follow later in the year, but almost certainly post-OSH 2010.

The new prototype will likely include molded interior surfaces and, according to Dietrich, will likely pass NHTSA crash test requirements. It will also incorporate a stand-alone rear bumper that is independent of the elevator and the space between the canard and front tires will be increased.

AVweb Insider Blog: What Now, Terrafugia?

Sometimes even the brightest young minds aren't enough to sort out the many and varied challenges of designing aircraft, so Terrafugia's brain trust is going back to the drawing board and expects a much better roadable aircraft to result. In the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog, Glenn Pew muses over the long, uncertain road the Terrafugia project is traveling.

Fire Boss Air Tanker Down, Pilot Hurt

An air tanker pilot escaped with minor injuries after his amphibious Fire Boss (a highly modified Air Tractor) crashed in Okanagan Lake in south central British Columbia Saturday. The unidentified pilot, who worked for Abbotsford-based Conair, was rescued by boaters. "The pilot was not injured to the extent that he was left incapacitated and was able to extricate himself," Yearwood said. The pilot was taken to hospital where he's being treated for minor injuries. The aircraft was one of six fighting the Terrace fire, which has grown to 45 square kilometers and forced the evacuation of 1,200 people, most of whom have returned home after rain dampened the fire overnight Friday.

Bruce Freeborn told the CBC he was working in his yard when he heard a loud bang. "Its nose was under [the water] and its tail section was still up and the tip of one wing was still up," Freeborn said. The plane sank shortly afterward. Cause of the accident is being investigated.

How Do You Like That Glass Panel? Take Aviation Consumer's User Survey

Virtually every new airplane these days has an electronic flight display system of some kind. Our sister publication Aviation Consumer would like to hear from users of these systems.

Click here to take the survey.

(The results will appear in a future issue of Aviation Consumer. For subscription information, click here.)

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.

TCM AirVenture and Web Specials!
Come see Teledyne Continental Motors for our show specials, seminars, new engines, and innovation in booths 229-234. Can't make it to AirVenture? Read TCM's exciting news and get exclusive web discounts on factory-new and rebuilt engines for the first 50 engines ordered from July 27 to August 2. For any engine owner unable to attend AirVenture, please click here to find out more information or call (888) 221-6442 for a quote.

Booths at EAA AirVenture:

229-234

	AVweb Audio —? Are You Listening?		back to top

EAA AirVenture 2009 Podcast Series: Garmin Pilot MyCast Now for iPhone

File Size 5.2 MB / Running Time 5:42

Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS

Garmin's Pilot MyCast has allowed pilots to gather flight planning information and even file flight plans from their cell phones for years, but it hasn't been available for iPhones until now. Garmin made the announcement at EAA AirVenture 2009 and AVweb's Paul Bertorelli spoke with Garmin's Jessica Myers about it.

This podcast is brought to you by WxWorx XM WX Satellite Weather and Bose Corporation.

Click here to listen. (5.2 MB, 5:42)

EAA AirVenture 2009 Podcast Series: WingX for iPhone

File Size 6.0 MB / Running Time 8:48

Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS

WingX is one of the pioneers in flight planning for mobile applications, and it's adapting to the rapidly changing market. The company recently announced an iPhone application that brings in all the features that made it so popular for Blackberry and Windows Mobile users. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli spoke with Hilton Goldstein of WingX.

This podcast is brought to you by Lightspeed Aviation.

Click here to listen. (6.0 MB, 8:48)

Like a 696 on Steroids
GPS moving map & XM Weather. The most advanced system anywhere.

For more information and live video demonstrations, click here.

	AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn		back to top

EAA AirVenture 2009 Video Series: Oshkosh Pre-Show Report

Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos

Welcome to EAA AirVenture 2009! Our Oshkosh video coverage starts here ... .

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.

EAA AirVenture 2009 Video Series: Continental's Turbocharger and 94UL Effort

Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos

Teledyne-Continental announced a new turbocharger system for the Cirrus SR22 at EAA AirVenture. The company says the engine will run happily on 94UL fuel.

This video is brought to you by Lightspeed Aviation.

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.

Video Marketplace Spotlight

Classic Cockpits DVDs
Rick Searle Productions takes you behind the stick of some of the world's most incredible classic airplanes — the Douglas DC-3, the PBY Catalina, the de Havilland Vampire, and the Avro Lancaster — in a series of Classic Cockpits DVDs.

Click here to watch the video (and discover other great products) at AVweb's Video Marketplace.

As Vital As Vision
XM WX Satellite Weather provides comprehensive in-flight weather data directly to your cockpit. Never fly blind again when you sign up today for one of XM Weather's Aviator LT, Aviator, or Aviator Pro weather data packages. Enhance your situational awareness with data products like Radar, Lightning, Winds, and more. Come see the latest from XM WX Satellite Weather at Booth C-3030 to C-3032 during EAA AirVenture 2009 or visit us online at XMWXWeather.com.

Booths at EAA AirVenture:

189, 3030-3032

	The Sights and Sounds of AirVenture		back to top

EAA AirVenture 2009 Galleries: Day One

Click for more photos

EAA AirVenture is not yet open to the public, but we took advantage of the day to talk with vendors and attendees preparing for show. We also armed AVweb intern Adam Cutler with a camera and set him loose on an unsuspecting Oshkosh.

Click here to view photos.

This Week, Live from Oshkosh: The AVwebCam (Live Video Feed)

Watch for live video coverage of EAA AirVenture throughout the web, via our AVwebCam. We'll be broadcasting live from 9am to 6pm local (Oshkosh) time each day of the show. Look for the webcam player on our home page to enjoy the sights and sounds of the show — and maybe catch a glimpse of the AVweb team in action. Weather and technology permitting, we're planning to cover the arrival of WhiteKnightTwo at approximately 3:30-4:30pm tomorrow (Monday, July 27)!

Don't see a video screen?
Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page.
If that doesn't work, click here to watch at Justin.TV.

	Your Favorite FBOs		back to top

FBO of the Week: TAC Air (KTXK, Texarkana, AR)

Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to the TAC Air location at KTXK in Texarkana, Arkansas.

Whether you're one of those folks who consider Texarkana a Southern city or one of those who consider it part of the West, AVweb reader Craig Gill reminds us that the real issue is whether that famed hospitality extends to traveling pilots. As it turns out, it does.

Craig writes:

I have a Lancair IVPGarrett turbine. It requires some special handling for towing and fueling, [and] the line guys were awesome. There was fresh iced tea and cookies in the lounge. The facilities are really nice, and the flight planning area is very well-equipped.

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!

	The Lighter Side of Flight		back to top

Short Final

Overheard in IFR Magazine's "On the Air"

I heard this at Hanscom Air Force Base (Bedford, Massachusetts):

Tower:
"Westwind Two Three Four, taxi into position and hold."

Westwind 234:
"Roger — assume the position."

Don Druga
Lexington, Massachusetts

	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.