Zeftronics R15V00 Rev A Voltage Regulator Is Available at Aircraft Spruce
The R15V00 Rev A 14Vdc Alternator Controller works with 12Vdc aircraft alternators on many Cessna, Beech, and Grumman aircraft models. It provides voltage regulation, low/high voltage
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A group of University of Toronto students has just announced that a flight of their human-powered flapping-wing aircraft, The Snowbird, on Aug. 2 may have set an FAI record with a "first ever"
flight for its kind. The group believes that after being towed aloft, the aircraft maintained speed and altitude for 19.3 seconds and covered approximately 145 meters while flying at 25.6 km/h. During
that time, it was powered solely by its pilot and designer, U of T engineering PhD candidate Todd Reichert, who estimates he's capable of about 0.3 horsepower. Reichert believes his team's effort
represents the first-ever sustained flight of a human-powered ornithopter. The aircraft was built from carbon-fiber tubing, balsa wood and foam with a Mylar covering. It weighs 94 pounds and boasts a
32-meter (105-foot) wing. The wing's bracing wires, like the rest of the aircraft, serve as the team's best compromise amongst aerodynamic, structural and weight considerations. They also serve to
pull the wing down, leading edge first, during the thrust portion of the wing's stroke.
The aircraft is designed to be strong enough to survive flight, but little more. The team hopes to receive official notice of its record from the FAI this October. To read more, visit the project's
website here. Find the team's YouTube channel here.
Get Spidertracks Aviator, the Aircraft Location System That Survives Every Crash — So You Can, Too Spidertracks tracks you in real-time and automatically sends SOS alerts within minutes of an accident. Your flights are displayed on the Aviator web site, and your online logbook
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The FAA says so-called through-the-fence agreements, where "hangar home" landowners adjacent to airports have gated access to the airport next door, threaten operations, safety, securit and future
expansion of airports and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure heard from all sides of the debate over whether these kinds of deals should be allowed. The FAA has proposed that the 75
existing arrangements between publicly funded airports and private owners be honored but that no further through-the-fence deals be allowed. AOPA says it was misquoted by the FAA in FAA new releases about the issue. "The FAA stated that AOPA would accept a policy against
establishing new residential through-the-fence (RTTF) access arrangements," AOPA said in a statement. In fact, AOPA's comments on the FAA's 2009 proposal to eliminate this access clearly stated 'that
the FAA should not necessarily close the door to future requests but rather establish specific criteria for new RTTF access and not ban it entirely.'" The National Air Transportation Association
supported the FAA proposal.
NATA President Jim Coyne said airports are for airplanes and related businesses and residential development doesn't fit. "Due to the intrinsic nature of residential properties, as compared to
commercial properties, RTTF agreements limit the flexibility of airport sponsors to expand according to the needs of the community. NATA believes that the FAA has made an overwhelming case for
prohibiting new RTTF agreements and supports its proposal." The hearing also heard from some airport operators supporting the RTTF ban. Ann Crooks, manager of Emira Corning Regional Airport in New
York said it's about the money. "Scarce federal funds should not be squandered on airports that do not take steps to preserve the ongoing viability of the facility."
Are You Ready to Move Up to a Zulu?
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Cessna will cut an additional 700 jobs, CEO Jack Pelton announced on Tuesday. In an e-mail to employees, Pelton cited a "stalled ... lackluster economy" and said that while cancellations of
aircraft orders have slowed, the recovery and growth that was expected this year has not materialized. "We must continue to lower our cost structure to remain competitive," Pelton wrote. Scott
Donnelly, the CEO of Textron, Cessna's parent company, said orders for business jets at Cessna have failed to show a "discernable improvement," although most of the conglomerate's other businesses are
showing "solid performance." Cessna is based in Wichita and Independence, in Kansas, but also has operations in Georgia and Mexico. The company has already cut its workforce in half over the last two
years, eliminating 8,000 jobs, mostly in Wichita.
"Our strategy is to defend and protect our current markets while investing in products and services to secure our future, but we can do this only if we succeed in restructuring our processes and
reducing our costs," Pelton said. Over the weekend, members of the Machinists Union at Cessna rejected a contract offer but narrowly
averted a strike when just 49 percent of the membership voted to walk off the job. The main issue at stake in the contract was job security.
Big South Fork Airpark Is More than Just a Neighborhood — It's a Community
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Eclipse jets should soon be able to fly as high as Flight Level 410, as originally intended, Eclipse Aerospace said this week. Currently, the FAA restricts the fleet to FL 370, but since taking
over the EA500 twin-engine personal jet design just over a year ago, the new Eclipse Aerospace Inc. has been working to upgrade the fleet. EAI said it has designed a modification for the EA500 to
dissipate potential precipitation static, using a maintenance-free thin carbon strip that is bonded across the windshield and the aircraft structure. "This new diverter strip replaces the previous
chemical-based application, which was hard to apply and difficult to maintain," said Ken Ross, president of the company's service and support division.
EAI said it is in the process of testing the design modifications and expects final certification from the FAA before the end of the year. With the modifications installed, the EA500 will be
certified to return to a service ceiling of 41,000 feet, the company said. Mason Holland, CEO of EAI, said the windshield upgrade and return to 41,000 feet were the most difficult challenges the new
company had to overcome in its upgrade program. "By completing these projects we are officially announcing that the initial commitments to our existing customers have been met," he said.
The Midwest LSA Expo, which launched for the first time just last year, is back for a second time. This version features more exhibitors
and it's scheduled a week earlier in hopes of catching nice early-fall weather. The event runs Thursday through Saturday this week at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) in Illinois, about an hour's
drive south of St. Louis. The organizers say hotel rooms and restaurants are plentiful in the area, and even those without advance reservations should have no trouble finding a place to stay. The
airport will provide free shuttle service for those who fly in. About three dozen exhibitors will be on hand, ready to show off their LSAs to potential buyers, and a full slate of forums will cover
topics such as how to form an aircraft partnership, how to navigate with GPS, and how to care for your airplane's engine.
Midwest LSA Expo Inc. created the event to promote the sale of LSAs and to educate aviators about the LSA industry, including the different types of aircraft types, available engines, and LSA
performance. Entrance fees are $8 per day, free for kids under 16 accompanied by an adult. Parking for aircraft or anything on wheels is free, as are all the shuttle services. Hotel rooms in the area
are available for rates as low as $30 to $90 per night, and camping on the airport is free (though there are only two showers to be shared among those who choose this option). The organizers are
promoting the event as affordable, easygoing and fun, featuring even an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for $7.99.
Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Safe Pilot? Challenge yourself with the Air Safety Foundation Safety Quiz, underwritten by the AOPA Insurance Agency.
Quiz Topic: Aerodynamics
The most critical test of a pilot's aerodynamics knowledge happens in the air — whether they lose track of airspeed, fail to respond properly when behind the power curve on final approach, or
don't plan on the ground to endure their safety in the air.
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The Senate has OK'd the continuation of a tax break for companies that buy airplanes before the end of this year, and both the National Business Aviation Association and the General Aviation
Manufacturers Association welcomed the news. The tax break, known as "bonus depreciation," allows companies to take a bigger tax deduction in the first year of ownership rather than spreading it over
five years. One general aviation manufacturer said the provision helped close 55 percent of its aircraft sales last year, according to GAMA. "This incentive is a critically needed measure for bringing
back jobs and boosting economic recovery in our industry," said GAMA President Pete Bunce. NBAA President Ed Bolen called on the House to quickly approve the House bill to allow time for sales to
close before the end of the year.
"Accelerated depreciation is a proven investment incentive, and could significantly benefit the business aviation community," Bolen said. Aircraft purchased before the end of 2010 must be placed
into service by the end of 2011 to use the bonus depreciation option. "Our industry has been waiting for this key measure to be passed to help in our recovery," said Bunce. "We look forward to
swift passage of this bill in the House and to the president's signature on this important piece of legislation."
If there's any truth to the maxim that the right time to expand is when times are tough, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University may be poised to test that. The country's largest aviation education
institution is considering a third campus to complement the current facilities in Daytona Beach and Prescott, Ariz. ERAU President John Johnson told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that Houston, Los
Angeles and Rockford, Ill., are being considered for the new facility, which he said will be similar in scope to the Daytona main campus but much smaller. Johnson said the university is looking to
serve untapped markets. "We are not expanding for the sake of expanding. We are trying to make it possible for students to get an Embry-Riddle education who currently would not come to either Daytona
or Prescott," he said. Johnson said no decision has been made on whether to expand, much less where, but Rockford is rolling out the red carpet.
The town's airport, about 80 miles west of Chicago, is already used as a bizjet reliever airport and local officials clearly think ERAU would be a good fit. There's even talk of a taxpayer-funded
$35 million building to lease to ERAU. "We are very impressed with some of the things they have to offer," Johnson said. "But we also have not ruled out Houston or Los Angeles either." The expansion
discussions are going on even though enrollment is down slightly at both the main campuses and its satellite operations all over the world.
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Noise abatement rules top the list when complying with them whittles your margin down to unacceptable limits or is just — stupid. Better to have the neighbors complain about the noise than to
have a Cub come down on the patio. On the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli offers his usual inciteful, hot-headed and %#*! crazy observations on the topic.
Mooney Factory Service Center
If you own a Mooney, you've got the fastest and most sophisticated aircraft in the sky. Shouldn't your service center hold those same standards? Mooney's Factory Service Center is
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The FAA says through-the-fence arrangements work against airport development and expansion. Opponents to their plan to
ban any future TTF deals on federally funded airports say the opposite is true. What do you think?
Have an idea for a new "Question of the Week"?
Send your suggestions to
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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.)
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.
JA Air Center — When It Comes to Garmin Avionics, Go with a Name You Can Trust!
Since 1965, pilots have trusted the avionics experts at JA Air Center. Whether you're looking for ship-in repair, custom installation, or a mail order purchase, no one knows avionics better
than JA Air Center.
A group of University of Toronto students has just announced that a flight of their human-powered flapping-wing aircraft, The Snowbird, on August 2 may have set an FAI record
with a "first ever" flight for its kind. The group believes that after being towed aloft, the aircraft maintained speed and altitude for 19.3 seconds and covered approximately 145 meters while flying
at 25.6 km/h. During that time, it was powered solely by its pilot and designer, U of T engineering Ph.D. candidate Todd Reichert, who estimates he's capable of about 0.3 horsepower. Reichert
believes his team's effort represents the first ever sustained flight of a human-powered ornithopter. The FAI ruling committee (the record keepers) is expected to offer it's opinion in October.
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AVweb visits the Airline History Museum in Kansas City.
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Cheap Thrills
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Deadline for entries is 11:59pm Zulu time Friday, September 24, 2010.
Peter Drucker Says, "The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It"
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AVweb reader Brian Stirm from Swift Enterprises recently spent some time at our latest "FBO of the Week" — Tradition Aviation at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (KTRM) in Thermal, California.
As Brian's quick to point out, "A closed course world speed record was set at the airport by Smokey Young, his Reno race crew using Swift's new 100SF renewable pure hydrocarbon fuel." And the
staff at Tradition? During Brian's stay, "Penny, Ann, Lynn, and crew went out of their way to support the effort. ... [Over] a three-day period, I observed many happy customers who received a great
value and wonderful services with a smile from every Tradition employee," writes Brian.
PICTURE OF THE WEEK ... will return on Monday. We're running a bit behind today, but we've got a fresh batch of reader submissions ready and waiting to be cropped, sized, and shared.
Watch for 'em!
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
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Contributors Jeff van West Mariano Rosales
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