REPLACE PILOT CERTIFICATES, TAKE KNOWLEDGE TESTS NOW
Pilots who are still carrying old paper FAA airmen certificates need to replace them with new plastic card versions by the end of March. On March 31, the old certificates will expire. The only exceptions are temporary certificates and student certificates, which will remain valid until their expiration date. The fee for most pilots to make the change is $2, but if you also ask to change to a new identification number that is not your Social Security number, the fee is waived. Processing by mail can take four to six weeks, so the deadline is approaching fast. Requests filed online take 7 to 10 days. All the necessary info can be found on the FAA Web site. Also, students taking an FAA knowledge test could be assessed an extra $50 fee starting as soon as March 1, AOPA said recently. AOPA, EAA, and other advocacy groups have asked the testing service and the FAA to re-evaluate the need for the fee and either delay or scrap it. But if you are close to ready to take an exam, it might not hurt to take it ASAP just in case. More...

COMING SOON, AVFUEL FROM ALGAE?
Experiments by scientists at the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are moving forward quickly and could be producing jet fuel from algae at competitive prices by next year, the UK Guardian reported this week. "The claim ... has taken industry insiders by surprise," according to the news story. DARPA researchers have already produced oil from algae in ponds at a cost of about $2 per gallon, and could be mass-producing as much as 50 million gallons a year in 2011. DARPA is funding the research to find an algae-based alternative to the petroleum-derived JP-8 fuel used by the Air Force. If an inexpensive fuel alternative is possible, it will be considered for Army vehicles as well. More...

NORTH DAKOTA PILOTS PROTEST UAV AIRSPACE GRAB
You'd think there would be plenty of airspace to go around in North Dakota, one of the most sparsely inhabited states in the U.S., but pilots there are protesting a plan to create some large new restricted areas near Grand Forks that would enable the military to operate unmanned aerial vehicles there. Hearings held last week drew about 150 people, and many aviators expressed concern over the proposal. Paul Hanson, president of the North Dakota Pilots Association, asked Air Force officials to limit the restricted airspace as much as possible, according to the Grand Forks Herald. Doug Albright, a member of the Air Force team working on the Environmental Impact Statement, said the USAF is proposing a new way of restricting the airspace, in three layers. The bottom layer would be from 6,000 to 10,000 feet MSL, a second layer to 14,000 feet, and a third layer to 18,000. When one section was being used by a UAV, civilian aircraft could still freely use the other two levels, he said. The three proposed areas each cover chunks of airspace about 40 by 50 miles. Several transit areas are also proposed. More...

FIRST FLIGHT FOR NEW TWIN OTTER
The last of the original Twin Otters flew off from the de Havilland factory back in 1988, but this week a new version, produced by Viking Air in Canada, flew for the first time.  "Flying the first new Twin Otter in 22 years is the culmination of many months of hard work and determination by our staff and supply-chain partners," said Viking CEO David Curtis. He crewed on the first flight, along with Steve Stackhouse, manager of flight operations. "The aircraft performed exactly as expected," Curtis said. "It felt very stable, fast, and even with my thousands of hours on type, this new Series 400 Twin Otter brought a smile to my face." The airplane is equipped with Honeywell's Primus Apex IFR digital flight deck and configured with a commuter interior. It will be flown by Zimex Aviation, of Switzerland, throughout North Africa to service the oil and gas industry. More...

ROCKET RACING LEAGUE ANNOUNCES "INAUGURAL SHOW"
As of Tuesday, the Tulsa Air and Rocket Racing Show is scheduled for April 24 at the Tulsa International Airport. Rocket racing came out most publicly, loud fiery and fast, at AirVenture Oshkosh, back in 2008 (see our July 29, 2008 introductory video here) where early demonstration aircraft flew solo for the crowd. Tuesday, Tulsa's NewsOn6 reported that it had "learned Tulsa will be the first location for a race" but also wrote that the Tulsa Air and Space Museum "would not confirm the report." What the museum did confirm is that the April 24 event will "unveil a lot of new technology" and "some capability that the Rocket racing league will show publicly for the first time." As for the Rocket Racing League, its latest press release states that the city will host an "inaugural QuickTrip Air & Rocket Racing show." More...

SEATS OPEN IN PACIFIC PROWLER B-25 TO DOOLITTLE REUNION
The Doolittle Raiders Reunion, set for April 16 to 18 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, is sure to be a memorable event, and now the folks who fly the Pacific Prowler B-25 are offering a chance to ride along with them on their flight to Dayton, Ohio. The Prowler, operated by a nonprofit group based at the Vintage Flying Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, was built in 1944 at North American's Kansas City plant and joined the Army Air Force in 1945. The airplane has been featured in about 80 Hollywood films, including Memphis Belle, Flight of the Phoenix, and Catch 22. "The Pacific Prowler is one of the most stunning B-25s flying today," according to the group's news release. For more information about the available seats, offered on a cost-sharing basis, contact the group via their Web site. More...

GAMA NUMBERS SHOW 'ONE OF THE TOUGHEST YEARS EVER'
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) announced on Tuesday that 2009 worldwide shipments and billings of general aviation airplanes were down in all categories. GAMA Chairman Rob Wilson, president of Honeywell Business and General Aviation, said it was one of the toughest years ever for GA manufacturers. "The worldwide economic crisis, which included major constraints on credit, cutbacks in flying hours, and downsizing and divestiture of business jet fleets, forced manufacturers to take difficult steps in 2009," Wilson said, at the annual industry review and market outlook briefing, held in Washington, D.C . "General aviation manufacturers had no choice but to cut production and announce painful layoffs and furloughs," he said. Industry billings dipped to $19.5 billion, a 21.4 percent decrease from the 2008 record high of $24.8 billion, but still the third highest year ever. Worldwide shipments of GA airplanes declined for a second year in a row with a total of 2,276 units delivered, a 42.6-percent decrease over the 2008 total of 3,967 airplanes. The piston airplane segment experienced the greatest decline at 54.5 percent. Shipments totaled 965 piston airplanes in 2009, compared to 2,119 the year before. Wilson added, however, that there are some hopeful signs the worst of the economic crisis may be over. More...

HELI-EXPO STARTS SATURDAY
The trade show season revs up next weekend in Houston with Heli-Expo 2010 put on by Helicopter Association International (HAI). Thousands of delegates and hundreds of exhibitors will fill the George R. Brown Convention Center for the event, which runs from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. Exhibits and business meetings will go from Sunday to Tuesday. Most major helicopter companies and makers of related gear will be in attendance and the exhibit floor looks mostly booked. There are dozens of seminars and educational forums scheduled and the event wraps up with HAI's annual Salute To Excellence Awards dinner. More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER

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."

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: IS LEAD IN FUEL MORALLY BAD?
Lead in auto fuel has already become a memory, and it seeems that day may be coming for avgas, too. In the latest installment of the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli asks whether the scientific data supports a crusade to remove lead from aviation fuels. Click here to read Paul's thoughts and add your own. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: FUTURE FUEL
Where's your money on the future of aviation fuel? Proposals are out there to make it from algae, biomass, corn and simply reworking petroleum to give useable unleaded avgas.

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers which trainees make the best airline pilots; click through to see how they answered. 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...

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)

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: AIRBORNE LASER SHOOTS DOWN MISSILE IN FIRST SUCCESSFUL TEST
Boeing may have a legitimate proof-of-concept for its airborne laser targeting weapon, which this week successfully intercepted a liquid-propelled ballistic missile in flight. AVweb's Glenn Pew has the video. More...

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: AVWEB'S PIPERSPORT FLIGHT TRIAL
At the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, Piper launched its entry in the light sport market, the Czech-built PiperSport. Aviation Consumer editor Paul Bertorelli got a flight demo on the airplane, and here's his video report. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: BANYAN AIR SERVICE (KFXE, FT. LAUDERDALE, FL)

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Banyan Air Service at Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) in Florida.

We knew AVweb reader Lindy Kirkland was volunteering with Haitian evacuation and relief flights — watch for a podcast with him in the next few days — but we were surprised to see his name in our weekly "FBO" critiques, singing the praises of Banyan Air:

Banyan Air Service in Ft. Lauderdale has donated hangar space, personnel, and fuel discounts to those participating in the Haiti relief efforts. Despite the very upscale facilities and their normal heavy iron clientele, they were so very courteous to us and got us fueled, moved, loaded and on our way quickly. All this despite getting ready for the Super Bowl!

Lindy went on to call the staff at Banyan "truly amazing" and commended them for their dedication to the relief efforts when there was plenty of other (more profitable) work to be done.

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
Joe Budge of Annapolis, Maryland has been flying supplies into Haiti. While the relief work probably doesn't allow much time for photography, Joe did manage to snap this photo of one of the DC-3s he's been following on departure after a late-day refueling stop at Providenciales. We've heard from many AVweb readers who are aiding the recovery effort in Haiti, and we will feature a podcast interview with one of them (as well as a gallery of photos) in the Friday morning edition of AVwebAudio. Watch for it. 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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