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It's the first general aviation show of the year, so lots of eyes are on the sixth annual Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla.,
this week, hoping to get a sense of how 2010 will go. The last two months of 2009 were unexpectedly slow, Dan Johnson, president of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, told AVweb on
Wednesday, ending the year with LSA registrations overall down about 42 percent from the year before. Weather reports for the weekend look good, and some big news is expected, with an airplane under
wraps outside the Piper booth -- this is the first year Piper has appeared at the show, and they are expected to announce on Thursday that they are adding an LSA to their flight line. As of
Wednesday, the show grounds were filling up, exhibit space was pretty much sold out, and Johnson said he was hopeful for a strong turnout. "We're hoping to kick off the year with a good start," he
said. The show runs Thursday through Sunday.
LSA manufacturers also are anxiously awaiting a couple of reports from the FAA, Johnson said -- one regarding their assessment of how the ASTM process is working out, based on a study completed last year, and also a report regarding the Zodiac LSA, which the FAA mandated to be modified last year due to airworthiness concerns. The FAA is
scheduled to be at the show this week, but so far nothing official has been said about whether these reports will be released. EAA and FAA staffers provide free forums focusing on LSA, the sport pilot certificate and related topics such as training and insurance. Exhibitors
include manufacturers of LSA aircraft and kits, providers of related components, firms providing training and a variety of other related businesses. Besides fixed-wing LSAs, the show also features
trikes, powered parachutes, motor-gliders and gyroplanes that operate under the LSA rules. For all the details and info about flying into the airport, click here.
Visitors to the Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla., this week will find plenty of new products to look at, climb into, salivate
over, and even go flying in. American Legend Aircraft Co. will be there with their new Legend AmphibCub, which started deliveries just last week.
With aluminum floats, Garmin avionics, and a useful load of 432 pounds, the Amphib sells for $159,000. Cessna is displaying its No. 1 production copy of the Skycatcher, which belongs to Rose Pelton,
wife of CEO Jack. Van's Aircraft, which has entered the segment with its RV-12 LSA, will have an exhibit at Sebring for the first time. Tecnam has two new aircraft to show this week, the P2008, making its U.S. debut, and the P2006T twin that debuted at Oshkosh last summer
(click here for a video tour of the twin, with AVweb's Jeff Van West). Compared to earlier
models, the P2008 has a new wing, a bigger cabin and larger doors. The Remos GX that is AOPA's Fun-to-Fly Sweepstakes airplane this year will be on display. Flight Design, one of the big players in the LSA segment, will have the latest version of its Metal Concept airplane to show. That's just for starters; there are dozens more exhibitors on the
field.
The tandem MySky MS-1, which debuted at Oshkosh last year, is moving closer to production, with first deliveries expected by the end of the
year. "With its fighter-style bubble canopy, sleek lines, and side-stick control, the all-composite MS-1 has evoked a visceral excitement in every first-time flyer," says the company. Prices start at
$124,500. Belite Aircraft, based in Wichita, Kans., plans to unveil two new aircraft based on their FAR Part 103-compliant ultralight
aircraft -- a trike variant and a Superlite STOL version. Prices for kit versions start at under $10,000. Click here for more details
about the Sport Aviation Expo, including a full list of exhibitors.
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With continuing aftershocks and seemingly endless misery to cope with, responders and residents in Haiti face overwhelming challenges, and general aviation is stepping up to help ease that burden.
While access is still limited at the main airport at Port au Prince, some smaller outlying fields are now open and GA pilots are delivering supplies from the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.
"General aviation has the unique flexibility to use reliever airports to enhance the relief efforts taking place in Port-au-Prince," AOPA President Craig Fuller said this week. "Working through a variety of humanitarian groups here in the
United States and in Haiti, pilots are making a real difference." Bahamas Habitat, a relief-mission group, is asking pilots for help. "General aviation aircraft are needed to deliver supplies and then
do short round trips between Haiti and Inagua in the Southern Bahamas to evacuate missionaries and others unable to leave Haiti," according to the group's blog. "We have medical and other supplies in
Nassau and Fort Lauderdale that need to be moved in and the list of people needing to be evacuated continues to grow," the group told EAA. So far the flight missions have involved aircraft such as Cessna 182s, Beech Bonanzas and Barons, Piper Aztecs, and Cessna 340s and a Caravan. The organization seeks
other volunteers with twin-engine aircraft and high-performance singles.
EAA also has an update from the Mission Aviation Fellowship, which is seeking volunteers and donations. The National
Business Aviation Association is collecting a list of general aviation aircraft willing to help; go to the NBAA
Web site for more info. Thierry Pouille, president of Air Journey, has offered free use of his company's new border-crossing service, Easy
Air Journey, for any aircraft flying relief missions in or out of Haiti. "We forget just how critical aircraft can become," said Pouille. "We hope that Easy Air Journey makes it just a
little bit simpler for all of the people who are trying to help Haiti." The Air Care Alliance has compiled a listing of current information and links; click here for that resource.
The Remos GX: Fun to Fly
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The wreck has been stripped of its engines, and it's a bit the worse for wear, with extensive water damage and impact damage to the underside, but the remains of the Airbus A320 that was made
famous in last year's Hudson ditching are about to go on the auction block. Interested parties can contact Chartis Aerospace Insurance Services to get a look at the airframe, or click through to visit the Web site's set of 20 detailed photos. An inspection will be scheduled probably
within the next 45 days. The aircraft is for sale "as is," and the buyer must move it from its storage site in Kearny, N.J., by April 10 or take over the storage payments. The wreckage was treated
with a corrosion inhibitor last summer, but otherwise has not been repaired. The auction closes March 27.
The auction is open to the general public, according to the Web site, and bids can be
submitted online. The Airbus A320, famously piloted by Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles, ditched in the Hudson after both engines failed following a bird strike shortly after takeoff
from LaGuardia Airport in New York, and all on board survived.
The New Meridian G1000 — Commanding
The new Meridian G1000 with Garmin G1000 avionics and GFC 700 autopilot suite, business jet luxury and turbine simplicity for 30% less than any comparable six-place turbine-powered aircraft.
With a panel as commanding as the airplane, and a million dollars less than its closest competitor, "Pilot in Command" means precisely that.
The Garmin folks are at the Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla., this week with two announcements -- add-on capabilities for the G3X glass panel that was introduced last year, and a new app for
the iPhone that overlays your flight route directly onto weather information. Users of the G3X now can add an engine information system (EIS) and an integrated autopilot interface that were designed
specifically for the G3X. The result, according to Garmin, is "an affordable way for experimental and light sport aircraft (LSA) pilots to bring Garmin integration and quality into their cockpit."
The EIS can be added on to existing systems with a free software download and the installation of a sensor kit, both of which will be available next month for most of the popular engine types. The new
integrated autopilot interface will be available next month as a free software upgrade. Click here for more
details from Garmin and click here for a preview of an upcoming review of the G3X by Kitplanes editor Marc Cook. The basic
G3X system starts at $9,995. The new app for the iPhone or iPod Touch is called Pilot My-Cast and provides aviation weather, flight planning, and flight filing capabilities, and it is available
now.
"We've designed the iPhone and iPod Touch version of Pilot My-Cast from the ground up," said Craig Burfeind, president of Digital Cyclone, a subsidiary of Garmin. "Our customers range from the
student pilot who has taken their introductory flight to executives of general aviation companies. Pilots who use Pilot My-Cast tell us they can't live without it. They appreciate that we tailor the
information to their flight. They input their route, and then Pilot My-Cast overlays the flight path with the weather -- no other aviation weather app gives pilots this much customization." The app is
downloadable from the app store, for a monthly fee of $9.99, or an annual subscription of $99.99. For more details, click here for Garmin's news release.
A Special Offer Only from TCM
You've taken care of your factory engine, now TCM will take care of you. Return a first-run core and you'll receive a special offer only from TCM.
Cessna is telling 162 Skycatcher position holders that their order will be delayed six to 10 months because of design changes that resulted from the flight test program. "We did find a few things
during our flight tests," Cessna spokesman Doug Oliver told AVweb. Most of the changes were needed to fix spin-recovery issues. Cessna lost two aircraft to unrecoverable spins, although the
pilot in each instance was uninjured. Oliver said the rudder needs more surface area and the elevator and aileron travel needs to be decreased on each aircraft and that work is currently being done
after the aircraft are finished by the factory in China. Eventually, the design changes will be integrated into primary production but in the meantime it's causing delays as Yingling Aviation, which
is reassembling the crated aircraft in Wichita, makes the modifications.
Oliver said all the computer modeling and wind tunnel testing each Cessna design undergoes can't precisely duplicate real-world conditions. "It is important to remember that these aircraft, as
with all Cessna aircraft, are designed to be in service for decades, so we prefer to take a little extra time now to ensure its long-term success," Oliver said. Cessna has the first production model
Skycatcher on display at the Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Fla., which starts Thursday. The first Skycatcher is owned by Rose Pelton, the wife of Cessna CEO Jack Pelton, and she's currently pursuing
her sport pilot certificate in the aircraft. And yes, this one has the mods....
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has reached the end of its initial airworthiness test phase, the company said last week,
which means more crew members and engineers now can fly in the cabin and additional aircraft will be added to the program. "This is an important step forward," said Scott Fancher, general manager of
the 787 program at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are very pleased ... The pilots have told me the results we are seeing in flight match their expectations and the simulations we've run." The 787
has flown 15 times and accumulated about 60 hours since the first launch in mid-December. Pilots took the airplane to 30,000 feet and speeds up to Mach 0.65. Initial stall tests and other dynamic
maneuvers have been run, as well as an extensive check-out of the airplane's systems. In the next phase of testing, the team will expand the flight envelope to altitudes above 40,000 feet and up to
Mach 0.85.
Most of the flights have been flown by Dreamliner No. 1. Dreamliner No. 2 has flown only twice, and was sent back to Everett, Wash., last week to have particulates and debris removed from its fuel
tanks. "We've refined the manufacturing inspections to make sure it doesn't happen again," Boeing spokesman Scott Lefeber told the Seattle Times. The program has suffered a number of delays and setbacks. First flight
was originally scheduled for 2007, then was rescheduled about five times. First delivery is planned for the fourth quarter of this year, the company says.
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."
From preflight briefing to IFR cancellation, the PIC faces a boatload of Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM). Helping, or hindering, are countless FARs and AIM suggestions. Count how many you can
handle with this quiz.
Last week, we tackled a hot-button topic and asked if general aviation pays its fair share into the system.
The biggest segment of readers who took time to answer our question admitted that private aviation benefits from services primarily created for commercial use, but stood firm on
the notion that GA pays its way through fuel taxes. That answer only accounted for 45% of responses at press time, though. If you'd like to see the full breakdown, take a moment to answer the question yourself, and then you can view the real-time results.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION ***
The U.S. Sport Aviation Expo is happening in Sebring, Florida this week, and that has us wondering
about the role of LSAs in learning to fly. We're curious what our readers think: Would you learn in an LSA?
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.
Paul Bertorelli has a couple of posts on the AVweb Insider blog about aviation lending a helping hand with Haitian earthquake relief. Click here and then click here to see how you may be able to do more good at
this stage by dropping a little cash out of your wallet than by dropping supplies over Haiti.
Diamond Has Your Training Needs Covered
Getting your license or upgrading your rating? Operating a flight school? Diamond offers the only complete modern fleet of technically-advanced training aircraft, along with model-specific flight
training devices and a safety record that is second to none. Leading flight training schools around the globe fly Diamond Aircraft.
Find out why.
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.
Aviation Consumer is conducting a survey to hear your experiences with engine overhaul shops. Whether the experience was propulsion bliss or aggravation of a new order, please take a couple
minutes to let others know how it went. Your response will help inform an article on engine shops for Aviation Consumer magazine.
(The results will appear in a future issue of Aviation Consumer. For subscription information, click
here.)
Q: What's the Difference Between a $10,000 Annual and a $2,500 Annual? A: SAMM Mike Busch and his team of seasoned maintenance professionals are saving their aircraft-owner clients thousands of dollars a year in parts and labor — not to mention hours of hassle —
by providing professional maintenance management for owner-flown singles and twins.
Learn how they do
it.
Ancient 1970s-style post lights don't cut it for night flying in a modern world. Aviation Consumer's Larry Anglisano explains some of the products available to improve panel
lighting.
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.
Peter Drucker Says, "The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It"
It's easy for your company to be more proactive, flexible, and entrepreneurial with AVweb's cost-effective marketing programs. Discover the benefits of instant response, quick copy
changes, monthly tracking reports, and interactive programs. To find out how simple it is to reach 255,000 qualified pilots, owners, and decision-makers weekly,
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Win a Bose Aviation X headset as we celebrate our 15th Anniversary! All you have to do is click here to enter your
name and email address. (You only have to enter once, and you'll be entered in our prize drawings for the entire year — so if you've already entered, you're all set.)
And no, we're not going to rent or sell your name, ever. Tell your friends, and invite them to sign up for AVweb so they can qualify for our 15
Grand Giveaways prize drawings, too. (We won't spam them, either — but we hope they will sign up for our newsletters.)
Deadline for entries is 11:59pm Zulu time Friday, January 29, 2010.
AVweb reader Rollin Wiggington took a chance on the FBO on a recent trip to Sarasota and was blown away by the service:
We go into SRQ often and thought we would try the new guy. [We were] treated like a Bizjet! [This is] the newest and nicest FBO I've been to, fuel was priced right, and they even gave us free
tie-down for a week because we were first-time customers. We'll go back to Rectrix again and again.
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 ***
This week's selection of "POTW" entries is top shelf, boys and girls. As usual, we've picked five to share here, but you don't want to miss the bonus pics we've got in the slideshow
on AVweb's home page. Once you've enjoyed these pics, but sure to point your clicks over there and check out our runners-up.
Gary Dikkers of Madison, Wisconsin drops in from sunny blue skies with our latest "Picture of the Week." As you may have guessed, this is from the
start of the daily air shows at EAA AirVenture — and man, we are ready for the summertime!
Scott Shea of Pensacola, Florida got this eye-popping contrast by adjusting the shutter speed at Zephyr Hills Municipal Airport (KZPH). (Look for
another stunning photo from Scott in this week's slideshow on the AVweb home page.)
Mike Gugeler of Erie, CO is here to remind us that the mail carrier's oath may apply just as well to FBO and airport staff. Despite the ice,
someone's gotta show up!
This Pilatus PC-12-NG (on display at AirVenture last year) may not be ready for the taxiway, but it was certainly primed for the camera of Montoursville, Pennsylvania's Eric Cipcic.
Ron Horton of Fort Mill, South Carolina is starting his grandson Lucas young. And yes, that's actually a P-51
Ron built himself in his garage! Next time you see our buddies from Kitplanes, ask 'em about that one, O.K.?
You'll find more reader-submitted photos in the slideshow on AVweb's home page. Don't miss 'em!
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.
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.
Search for aircraft (hourly updates). Find companies, products, and services. Locate dealers/brokers. Call or e-mail sellers, and click directly to their web sites. With our web and mobile
editions, you can view all of our ads at no cost, all the time! Call (800) 337-5263, or
or call 1 (877) REMOS-88.
Have you signed up yet for AVweb's no-cost weekly business aviation newsletter, AVwebBiz?
From preflight briefing to IFR cancellation, the PIC faces a boatload of Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM). Helping, or hindering, are countless FARs and AIM suggestions. Count how many you can
handle with this quiz.
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 
