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November 12, 2010
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
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Bendix/King by Honeywell KFD 840
The KFD 840 Primary Flight Display is now certified and available from your local dealer today. To mark the occasion, initial pricing is set at an unprecedented $11,995
MSRP. The KFD 840 makes flying easier with features like an expansive 8.4" diagonal LCD and wide horizon, much larger than other systems. It includes a solid-state attitude sensor that
outperforms the competition. And the KFD 840 protects your investment with the newly certified flight director and enhanced graphic features.
Click here for more
information.
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AVflash! Shining a Light on Flight
Training |
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A survey expert who recently earned his private pilot certificate says the industry isn't exploiting the cool factor of being a pilot to keep students in training. Mark Benson, CEO of APCO Insight told a news conference at AOPA Summit in Long
Beach that the whole sense of community and belonging that pilots feel among pilots could be an important promotional tool for the industry to retain student pilots. Jennifer Storm, who is heading up
AOPA's Flight Training Student Retention Initiative told AVweb in a podcast interview that the survey data provides important insight into
what student pilots want from schools."The research says that there's a huge element of the specialness of being a pilot that we're not especially tapping into," she said. Storm also noted that
student pilots want value for the money and a sense that flight schools or independent instructors are actively trying to save them money rather than running up the bill.
Benson said the industry needs to attract committed and involved CFIs to ensure students remain engaged and that message came through clearly in the extensive research his firm did on the subject
of student pilot retention for AOPA. He said instructors who are simply "building time" necessary to apply for pilot jobs are a major turn-off for students. "You would be amazed at how many people
believe that the instructor didn't care whether they passed or failed," he said. "They were just building time." The information gleaned from the study was shared with CFIs and flight school owners
who attended a pre-Summit event. The CFI boredom factor was discussed as was the need for flight schools to ensure that CFIs are properly paid and have the training materials they need. Although most
student pilots, even those who quit, considered their training a positive experience, many commented on the lack of professionalism, organization and motivation of their instructors.
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If You Haven't Yet Experienced the Zulu, Lightspeed Aviation Invites You to Come by Booth #846 and See, Feel, and Hear Why It Is the World's Most Comfortable
Headset
And if you purchase during the show, you'll receive a $25 discount at the dealer's booth, plus another instant $25 cash rebate when you bring us
your receipt. To learn more about Zulu's focused noise attenuation, Bluetooth connectivity, and Front Row Center for surround sound music,
go to
LightspeedAviation.com. 
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Bye Energy says its electric-powered Cessna 172 will be much more than an airshow curiosity. In fact, the company told AVweb that it hopes to revolutionize the Part 23 training market with
the aircraft. "Our clear focus is mainstream aviation," company president George Bye said. "It's ideal for training." Bye said the aircraft will be a two-place with an endurance of two hours on a
combination of battery power, solar and power reclaimed from wing tip devices intended to capture vortex energy in flight and by the push on the prop during descent. He said the company intends it to
be "the point of entry for new pilots."
Bye said the 172 is the ideal platform for the aircraft because it's already the most popular training aircraft in the world. By making it electric, operating costs drop dramatically (they're
predicting $5-$10 an hour in energy costs) and the TBO of the 180-horsepower, 42-pound engine is estimated at as much as 25,000 hours. The resulting 172, which the company hopes will fly in early
2011, will look a little different. The cowling will be tapered for the much smaller motor and that means virtually all the prop's thrust will be used for movement, rather than the significant amount
that is used for engine cooling in current models. The conforming aircraft will have a six-bladed composite prop but the proof of concept will have a conventional two-blade prop. The weight shed by
getting rid of the piston engine and the fuel it needs will be taken up by lithium ion batteries and the weight and balance is not expected to change.
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Get More Rewards Faster with WingPoints®!
Reward yourself when you refuel with WingPoints from Phillips 66® Aviation. Start earning points immediately, and earn double points when you use WingPoints with any Phillips 66
Aviation branded card.
Get your card
today!
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A newly certified five-place Rolls-Royce turbine powered helicopter is now available from Robinson, which hopes to fit the aircraft into the market between its own very popular piston R44 and more
expensive light turbine heli's. The turbine blends vastly improved high altitude performance and load carrying capabilities with a moderate increase in fuel burn.
The R66 burns about 22 gallons in the same hour its piston sibling burns closer to 15. As company president Kurt Robinson
told AVweb Thursday, aside from the added capability and some nuances specific to turbine helicopter operation "the aircraft actually handles very similar to an R44" ... it just does it with a
300-horsepower Rolls-Royce turbine.
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Fly Safely. Reduce Your Workload. Increase Your Fuel Economy. Fly Intelligently.
Save $500 Now! The Auracle Engine Management System from Flightline Systems offers comprehensive engine and fuel situational awareness, delivered on a stunning full-color
LCD display. Available for both single- and twin-engine aircraft in several form factors, Auracle helps you make critical decisions rapidly. It's the most sophisticated, intuitive engine management
system available, and it's STC's for primary.
Learn more at
Ultra‑Fei.com/auracle. 
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Veterans Day at AOPA Summit: Visiting with
Fifi |
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The Commemorative Air Force's (CAF) freshly re-engined B-29 Fifi is the only airworthy example of its kind anywhere in the world and it was on display as part of AOPA's Summit at Long Beach
Airport's Airfest, 2010. AVweb caught up with the aircraft's crew chief, Dave Miller, who flew in on the rare bomber as flight engineer and also logged some stick time.
The aircraft is running on four new custom engines that are a cross between the R-3350-95W and the R-3350-26WD. They were installed through two years hard work of volunteers and thanks largely to
the financial backing of Jim Cavanaugh. CAF plans to take Fifi on tour -- and they're giving rides.
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XM WX: As Vital as Vision
With XM WX Satellite Weather in the cockpit with you, it's possible to see immediate weather threats. Keep safe and comfortable by planning to avoid any weather that could impact your flight
— especially bad weather. Viewable on multiple displays, including most portable devices, XM WX Satellite Weather helps keep your wings in the air.
Learn more.
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The recent election is almost certain to accelerate an already established trend — fees for all kinds of aviation services. You've already been paying them for a while, says Paul Bertorelli
on the AVweb Insider blog — but as government spending tightens and privatization of services increases, you may be paying for some of them a la carte in the future.
Read more and join the conversation.
In the latest installment of the AVweb Insider blog, Mary Grady is appreciative of the time and labor invested by the town of Talkeetna, Alaska in a Build A Plane restoration project —
but why, she wonders, did it take Build A Plane's involvement to galvanize the community when there was clearly so much willingness and passion there in the first place?
Read more and join the conversation.
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Compare and Save at the Pilot Insurance Center
Don't pay more for life insurance coverage just because you fly. Contact Pilot Insurance Center to see how you can save. PIC works with A+ rated insurance companies to provide preferred rates
for pilots. Call (800) 380-8376 or
visit
PICLife.com. 
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Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Safe Pilot?
Challenge yourself with the Air Safety Institute Safety Quiz, underwritten by the AOPA Insurance Agency.
Quiz Topic: Radio Communication
Are you making the most of your time on the airwaves? This quiz challenges you with questions about everything from announcing your position in the pattern on the CTAF to what to do in an emergency
if you are on frequency with ATC.
Take this safety quiz
to get you back up to speed.
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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
located right where your airplane was made, and we use nothing but 100% Mooney-approved parts. From major modifications to performance to paint to systems to service, there is no better place to care
for your airplane.
Visit
Mooney.com for more info.
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Due to technical difficulties, some of you may not have received yesterday's edition of AVwebFlash until later in the day than you're used to getting it. If you're the type who checks your
e-mail in the morning and doesn't loop back to see what you've missed, be sure to visit our online archive to catch all the stories from our first day
of coverage of the AOPA Summit in Long Beach.
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WingX Pro7 Moving Map for iPad!
The $99 Moving Map — WingX Pro7 Moving Map for iPad is now available for your iPad. See your location on the approach chart; Approach Charts and Airport Diagrams are now
geo-referenced*, and all are stored right on the iPad! WingX Pro7's interactive moving map displays Class B, C, and D airspaces; animated weather images; A/FD; AOPA Directory with Yelp integration;
route planning, FARs, METARS, TAFS, winds, and temperatures aloft; TFRs' text and graphics; an E6B; and more. WingX is also available for Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and Android.
Click here for more
information.
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Win an iFly 700 GPS from Adventure Pilot 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 — 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 Sunday, November 28, 2010. (That's a couple of days later than our usual Friday deadline, because of the Thanksgiving holiday.)
Click here to read
the contest rules and enter.
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What's Hot? Homebuilts
Subscribe to Kitplanes magazine now and catch the building excitement. Flight reviews, building, buying, and flying guidance — it's everything you need!
Order now.
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The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is
You! |
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 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.
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Traditional Tactics Need a Fresh Approach
Doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Isn't it time to initiate a digital marketing program with AVweb that will deliver traffic and orders
directly to your web site? Discover several new and highly successful marketing options to use in lieu of static print or banner campaigns.
Click now for
details. 
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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.
Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.
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