NTSB BLAMES CAPTAIN FOR COLGAN CRASH
The probable cause of the Colgan Air crash that killed 50 people near Buffalo, N.Y., a year ago was the captain's inappropriate response, characterized as "startle and confusion," after the stick shaker was activated, the NTSB reported in a hearing on Tuesday. The captain pulled back when he should have pushed forward, the board said, causing an accelerated stall. Contributing factors included the crew's failure to monitor airspeed and their violation of the sterile-cockpit rule. In the daylong hearing, which ran past 7 p.m., the board split over the issue of whether or not fatigue was a contributing factor in the accident. Board chairman Deborah Hersman argued that several factors, including the crew's sleep deficits and the time of day the accident took place, indicated that fatigue was present, and should be counted as a contributing factor to the crew's performance. But the view of board member Robert Sumwalt prevailed -- he said just because the crew was fatigued, that doesn't mean it was a factor in their performance. More...

COLGAN AIR, FAA, LAWMAKERS RESPOND TO NTSB FINDINGS
Reacting to Tuesday's conclusions from the NTSB blaming the flight crew for the fatal crash last February, Colgan Air released a statement saying the crew had been properly trained. "They knew what to do in the situation they faced that night a year ago, had repeatedly demonstrated they knew what to do, and yet did not do it," the company wrote. "We cannot speculate on why they did not use their training in dealing with the situation they faced ... We want to make clear again that our pilots are highly trained to handle all situations they may encounter." The FAA also issued a statement, saying they will soon publish proposed federal rules to prevent pilot fatigue and further improve training. "Airline passengers deserve an expertly trained and well-rested crew, whether they are flying on a major or a regional jet," the FAA said. "Pilots must be trained for the mission they are flying and the FAA already is working to further improve their professional qualifications." The NTSB report also prompted response from lawmakers in Washington. More...

NATCA PROTESTS FAA FACILITY CONSOLIDATION PLANS
Air traffic controllers in Ohio are protesting a move by the FAA to consolidate operations from several locations in the northern part of the state to a central facility in Cleveland. The consolidation would mean poorer service to pilots, a loss of local knowledge among controllers, and degraded safety and efficiency, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. NATCA has been meeting with local pilots and government officials in the region to encourage opposition to the FAA plans. Under the current setup, controllers are familiar with the area around the airports where they work. That could change if controllers are consolidated, NATCA spokeswoman Alex Caldwell told a local news site. The FAA's proposed plan establishes large controller stations in Columbus and Cleveland, but doesn't provide redundant support in case of a problem at one of the locations, she said. FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory told the Toledo Blade that no final decisions have been made regarding consolidation, but some NATCA members said plans are already in place for controllers to be moved as soon as this summer. More...

CONCORDE CRASH TRIAL UNDER WAY IN FRANCE
Nearly 10 years after an Air France Concorde crashed and burned near Paris, killing all 109 people on board and four on the ground, a trial began this week in France to determine who will be held responsible. Six defendants have been charged with involuntary manslaughter -- two maintenance workers employed by Continental Airlines who were involved in installing a titanium strip that fell off a DC-10 onto the runway, allegedly causing the damage to the Concorde that led to the crash; two former engineers at Aerospatiale, the company that built the Concorde; a former official of the French civil aviation authority who oversaw Concorde operations; and Continental Airlines itself. All of the accused have denied the charges. A French investigation found the installation of the metal strip on the Continental jet did not meet FAA standards. Continental's lawyers say they have witnesses who will testify that the Concorde engine was already on fire before it struck the debris. More...

FEDERAL BUDGET FREE OF AVIATION USER FEES
The budget plan released by the White House this week drops last year's proposal to impose aviation user fees, and instead retains the traditional FAA funding formula of taxes on tickets and fuel plus a general-fund contribution. "We have waged a 12-month campaign since the moment we learned of a planned $9.6 billion fee," AOPA President Craig Fuller said on Monday. "General aviation organizations worked together to prevent the realization of a policy that could have crippled GA." Other advocacy groups expressed similar relief, while noting that the budget addresses the issue only for the next fiscal year. "The industry must remain vigilant to ensure that any future user fee proposals are unsuccessful," said James Coyne, president of the National Air Transportation Association. Ed Bolen, president of NBAA, also advised caution. "Whether or not this is an indication of a permanent policy shift on user fees, or a one-time development remains to be determined," he said. "Our industry must continue to make its voice heard on this and other issues." More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER

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FAA PREPS FOR CROWDED SKIES FOR SUPER BOWL SUNDAY
The Super Bowl, coming up this Sunday, is not only a big event for football teams, TV advertisers, and pizza delivery drivers, it's a big deal for general aviation, with lots of extra traffic expected for south Florida and special flight rules in place. The FAA will establish a TFR around Dolphin Stadium effective two hours before the Super Bowl begins until one hour after the game ends, approximately 4 p.m. to midnight local time. The TFR consists of two rings of protected airspace, 10 nautical miles and 30 nautical miles in diameter, from the ground up to 18,000 feet surrounding the stadium. The only flights permitted within the 10-mile ring will be public safety, military, and commercial passenger, cargo, and private charters operating under a TSA-approved security program. Flights by media, banner towers, blimps, general aviation, or any other flight activities, are prohibited. The 10-mile ring includes Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Opa-Locka Executive Airport and North Perry Airport. GA aircraft at those three airports will not be able to arrive or depart while the TFR is in effect. More...

HOWARD LEVY, AVIATION PHOTOGRAPHER, DEAD AT 88
Howard Levy, of Freehold, N.J., who died at home last week at age 88, took his first airplane photograph at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, in 1936, when he was just 15 years old. He sold his first picture a year later. Over his long career, his work appeared in the Smithsonian Magazine, AOPA Pilot, Sport Pilot, Private Pilot, Kitplanes, and dozens more. He was a staff editor at Look magazine for 25 years. Among many other awards, the staff of Kitplanes presented him with a Silver Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2005. He was a founding member of the American Aviation Historical Society in 1956 and a founding member of the Aviation/Space Writers Association. He served in the Air Corps as a photographer in World War II in Africa, Sicily and Italy. He remained active, shooting pictures at EAA AirVenture last summer, and attending local EAA chapter meetings monthly. More...

FOR THIS YEAR'S COLLIER TROPHY, THE NOMINEES ARE...
The National Aeronautic Association this week released its list of nominees for the 2009 Robert J. Collier Trophy, long considered one of the more prestigious awards in the aviation world. The Collier Trophy aims to honor "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year." This year's nominees are: Aircell, which offers inflight communications services; NASA's Ares 1 crew launch vehicle; Lockheed Martin's C-5M Super Galaxy cargo airplane; the Kandahar Airfield [Afghanistan] Operations Team; the International Space Station; the MC-12W Project Liberty Enterprise Team, which developed a variant of the King Air 350 for military use; the SpaceX Falcon 1 Development Team; and former Senator John Warner and the Excalibur Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: YOUR 2010 COLLIER TROPHY PICKS
The nominations for the prestigious Collier Trophy, given annually by the National Aeronautic Association for "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year" were released Wednesday. Who or what is your pick for aviation's most prestigious prize?

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers what the various GA groups should make their top priority in 2010; click through to see how they answered. More...

15 YEARS AND NOW 15 GRAND GIVEAWAYS ... NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN 100,000 AIR BP BRAVO REWARD POINTS

Now's your chance to win 100,000 Air BP Bravo Rewards Points as we celebrate our 15th Anniversary! All you have to do is click here to enter your name and e-mail address. (You only have to enter once, and you'll be entered in our prize drawings for the entire year. If you've already entered for the previous Bose Headset drawing, you're all set — no need to register again.)

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 February 19, 2010.

Click here to read the contest rules and enter.

Congratulations to Ron Goin of Idaho Falls, ID, who won the Bose Aviation Headset X! (click here to get your own from Bose Corporation)

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: DO STUNTS HELP OR HURT?
In the latest installment of the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli recounts a conversation he recently had over Matt and Chet Pipkin's upcoming shot at the world flight endurance record. The record attempt is unquestionably a stunt — but is that a bad thing? Read Paul's thoughts and add your own at the AVweb Insider. 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...

HAD AN ENGINE OVERHAUL? AVIATION CONSUMER WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE
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. Click here to participate. More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: ROTAX ENGINE ESSENTIALS
What's special about preflighting the Rotax engines found on most LSAs? Tim Brooks, Director of Maintenance for Heart of Virginia Aviation, takes you on a just-the-facts tour explaining what you're looking for and why it's important. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: STARPORT USA (SANFORD, FLORIDA)

AVweb reader Charles "Doc" Truthan told us how StarPort USA at the Orlando-Sanford International Airport (KSFB) is "providing fuel at cost to pilots with Angel Flight Southeast/Mercy Flight Southeast who are flying Haitian refugees ... to their Florida destinations." But that's not all:

[T]hey are [also] delivering the fuel to the aircraft at the terminal gate we are operating from, so the pilot does not have to spend time and fuel taxiing between the FBO and the pickup gate.

For their "outstanding service and American spirit," StarPort is our latest "FBO of the Week."

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
Putting together a weekly selection of reader-submitted photos can be a demanding job — especially when you have a readership as talented and prolific as AVweb's. Once again, we find ourselves forced to choose among top-notch submissions and somehow select one as our "Picture of the Week." Refueling was something of a theme in this week's submissions. We had three great photos of mid-air refuelings, but this one from Christopher Kosseff of Monroe Township, New Jersey stole our breath and cinched the top spot. 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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