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PIPER PUSHES JET PRODUCTION TO MID-2013
The first PiperJets should be rolling off the production line and into owners' hands around the middle of 2013, company spokesman Mark Miller told AVweb on Wednesday. The company had previously announced a target date of 2011 to 2012, but Miller said a new analysis has enabled the staff to better assess the market and pinpoint a completion date. PiperJet position holders were notified of the delay this week. (Sample letter in PDF format.) Miller said the project is healthy and the company's new owner, Imprimis, which took over in May, has been providing an influx of resources and capital for the jet. "We're in the process of hiring 50 new engineers to work on the project," Miller said. Piper had announced at NBAA last week that the jet will feature the new Garmin G3000 touchscreen-controlled three-screen integrated flight deck. More...

PARIS JET REVIVAL IN THE WORKS
The type certificate for the MS760 Paris Jet, a four-seat twin-engine light jet originally certified in France, has been bought by new owners who will license it to MS760 Corp., based in Florida. The company plans to provide engineering, sales and other related services for the MS760 platform. MS760 Corp. has already acquired the manufacturer's drawings and tooling, spare parts and a fleet of over 30 MS760 aircraft. They plan to offer avionics upgrades, as well as a turbofan engine option. Additionally, a new two-ship airshow team, led by Capt. Dale "Snort" Snodgrass, USN (Ret), will showcase the aerobatic and precision flight capabilities of the MS760, which is certified in the U.S. in the "Utility" category. The Paris Jet was designed, manufactured and originally certified in France by aviation pioneer Morane-Saulnier (now Socata). The jet cruises at about 350 knots and has a range of 1,000 miles. More...

UNION DEFENDS NORTHWEST PILOTS
The Delta branch of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), the union that represents the pilots of Delta Air Lines, has issued a statement concerning the NTSB investigation into Northwest Flight 188, in which two pilots flew past their destination and did not respond to messages from ATC and dispatch. "To date, all crew statements related to this case have been voluntary," said Lee Moak, chairman of the Delta branch. "We are disappointed that these voluntary statements are being used without regard for the breach of trust and confidence their use will cause." Taking disciplinary action against the crew, Moak said, could cause pilots to question the integrity of voluntary safety programs. "The continued viability of these programs themselves will be placed at risk. That will, in turn, cause irreparable harm to the safety of our nation's aviation system," Moak said. More...

NTSB: CONTROLLERS CONTRIBUTED TO PILOT'S POOR DECISIONS
The NTSB this week found the pilot at fault in a fatal medevac flight in Maryland in September 2008, but cited a lack of help from air traffic controllers as a contributing factor. The Aerospatiale helicopter, operated by the Maryland State Police, descended too quickly while on a nonprecision instrument approach in fog, and hit the ground. The pilot, a paramedic, a volunteer, and one of the two teenage car-crash victims on board were killed. The safety board said inadequate handling by controllers at the Potomac Tracon and the Reagan National Airport tower contributed to an increased workload on the pilot. The flight had originated at night in VMC, but on the way to the hospital the pilot encountered IMC and diverted to Andrews Air Force Base. The board said the pilot likely became preoccupied with looking for the ground while on final approach, after failing to intercept the ILS glideslope. The pilot's limited recent instrument flight experience and a lack of adherence to effective risk management procedures of the Maryland State Police contributed to the crash, the NTSB said. More...

SECOND 787 LINE GOES TO SOUTH CAROLINA
Boeing confirmed months of speculation Wednesday by announcing a second 787 assembly plant will be built in North Charleston, S.C. instead of the traditional home of its commercial aircraft in Washington State. The Puget Sound Business Journal reported that tax breaks and $170 million in low-interest bonds were approved by the South Carolina legislature this week while politicians in Washington State tried to resurrect negotiations between Boeing and the Machinists Union, which had broken down and scuppered Washington's chances for the plant. Boeing was demanding a no-strike clause from the union. "This is obviously a very disappointing day for all Washingtonians," Gov. Chris Gregoire said in a statement. The announcement caused some in Washington to wonder if enough had been done to keep the 787 a purely Evergreen State product. More...

FLYING FUN IN TEXAS AND FLORIDA
Two unique events for pilots are coming up -- in Texas, the Flying Musicians Association hosts a fly-in music fest on Saturday, Nov. 7, and in Florida, Fantasy of Flight offers Roar 'n Soar, a weekend full of racing machines for land, sea, and air, Nov. 7 and 8. The MusicFest runs all day, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Spinks Airport (KFWS), in Fort Worth, Texas. Admission is free ($10 per carload for parking), and the event features five music venues with over 20 acts, a play area for kids, free Young Eagle flights, a pancake breakfast, "bodacious bbq" and an FAA Wings seminar. Performances range from jazz to country to folk to "open jam/anything goes." The Fantasy of Flight event will feature aerial demos of rare vintage aircraft from Kermit Weeks' unique collection, as well as speedboats, a car show, large-scale RC aircraft demos and tandem flights in hang gliders towed aloft by an ultralight. More...

FAA REVOKES CERTIFICATES OF NORDO NORTHWEST PILOTS
The FAA has revoked the certificates of two Northwest Airlines pilots who overflew their destination airport last week while en route from San Diego to Minneapolis, the agency announced on Tuesday. The pilots were out of contact with air traffic controllers for an extended period of time and told NTSB investigators they were distracted while the first officer was showing the captain how to use a new crew scheduling procedure on their laptops. Air traffic controllers and airline officials repeatedly tried to reach them through radio and data contact, without success. More...

NTSB: NORTHWEST PILOTS DISTRACTED BY LAPTOPS
Two Northwest pilots who overflew their destination and went silent for over an hour last week were working on their laptops, in violation of company policy, the NTSB said on Monday. The first officer was showing the captain how to use a new crew flight scheduling procedure, and both pilots said they lost track of time. During their discussion, they did not monitor the airplane or notice calls from ATC. Neither pilot was wearing a headset, but both said they heard conversation on the radio. Also, neither pilot noticed messages that were sent by company dispatchers. Neither pilot was aware of the airplane's position until a flight attendant called about five minutes before they were scheduled to land and asked for an ETA. The captain said at that point, he looked at his primary flight display and realized they had passed their destination, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). They then made contact with ATC and were given vectors back to MSP. The flight had originated in San Diego. More...

RICHARD WHITCOMB, REVOLUTIONARY AIRCRAFT DESIGNER, DEAD AT 88
Engineer Richard Whitcomb, whose innovative ideas are incorporated in the design of most aircraft flying today, died in Newport News, Va., on Oct. 13. Whitcomb "was the most important aerodynamic contributor in the second half of the century of flight," according to historian Tom Crouch, of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Whitcomb won the Collier Trophy in 1954 for his development of the "transonic area rule," which reduces the shock wave drag that occurs near the speed of sound. "We built airplane models with Coke-bottle-shaped fuselages and lo and behold the drag of the wing just disappeared," said Whitcomb. "The wind tunnel showed it worked perfectly." In the 1960s, Whitcomb's supercritical wing design was revolutionary, according to NASA. The airfoil design was flatter on the top and rounder on the bottom with a downward curve on the trailing edge. That shape delayed the onset of drag, increasing the fuel efficiency of aircraft flying close to the speed of sound. More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER

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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.

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Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: FLIGHT 188 — WHAT'S APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINE?
Opinion on the fate of the pilots who overshot Minneapolis last week seems to range from "hang 'em high" to "slap them on the wrist." We'd like to know where you fit in.

Plus: Last week, we asked how AVweb readers might defend the use of airplanes for business if they found themselves deep in conversation with a skeptic; click through to see which answer was the most popular among our readers. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: FLIGHT 188, CONTINUED — DID THE SECURITY APPARATUS DO IT RIGHT?
According to the Air National Guard, the F-16s stayed on the ground. If that's true, AVweb's Paul Bertorelli thinks it's good thing, showing a level of restraint that may mean things are going in the right direction with regard to aviation security. Read more of his thoughts in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog. More...

AVMAIL: OCTOBER 29, 2009

Letter of the Week: Safety or Punishment?

Yes, the pilots of NW 188 made a mistake. However, it is a shame that we are so focused on blame and punishment. What ever happened to "learning from our mistakes"? Given their experience (and especially their most recent experience) and previous records, I can think of no other flight crew I would rather have in the cockpit the next time I fly.

I know they would be on top of their game because they know it can happen to them. But, no, I'll be riding with a low time, marginally qualified crew who may have never seen ice and doesn't know what to do if it is encountered, or a crew that can't tell they are lined up on the wrong runway, while these two highly experienced pilots are looking for a new career. Is it about safety or about punishment?

Jim Oeffinger

Click through to read the rest of this week's letters.

HOW'S YOUR AIRCRAFT PARTNERSHIP WORKING OUT?
Aviation Consumer would like to know. We're most interested in hearing about successful long-term aircraft partnerships. What works for you? How have you sustained group ownership? And what effect has the current economic downturn had? Contact the editorial staff directly at avconsumer@comcast.net and we'll respond with our questions. (The results will appear in a future issue of Aviation Consumer. For subscription information, click here.) 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...

IT'S THE FINAL AV8OR PRIZE THIS YEAR ... AND YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Bendix/King by Honeywell is helping us give away one last AV8OR handheld MFD unit this year! All you have to do is click the image at right to enter your name and e-mail address. And no, we're not going to rent or sell your name, but Bendix/King by Honeywell may send you information on the AV8OR. You may also forward this newsletter to friends and invite them to sign up for AVweb so they can qualify for the AV8OR prize drawing, too. (We won't spam them, either, but we hope they will sign up for our AVwebFlash and AVwebBiz newsletters.)

Deadline for entries is midnight EST on Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

Click here to read the contest rules and enter.

(There's nothing to buy. All you need to do is be registered with AVweb.)

FBO OF THE WEEK: MONTGOMERY AVIATION, INC. (KTYQ, ZIONSVILLE, INDIANA)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Montgomery Aviation at Indianapolis Executive Airport (KTYQ) in Zionsville, Indiana.

AVweb reader James Shobert does a lot of flying in the area and told us how Montgomery never forgets the little guys while serving all those executive jets:

I fly several aircraft in and out of KTYQ, but most often an LSA used to commute to work. [Montgomery] give[s] me the same service as they do someone flying a Lear or King Air. They really focus on customer service!

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
The advent of PhotoShop has ushered in a golden age of artificial lens flares — but sometimes you just need to see natural light bent around by glass, and this week's top shot from Richard Lawrence of Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) is just what the doctor ordered. Richard took this great shot at the 2009 Classic Air Rally at Ottawa's Canada Aviation Museum. 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
Mariano Rosales

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