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March 30, 2011
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
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FIND THEM AT:
D-051
D-052
D-053 |
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AVflash! Another Controller in the Hot
Seat |
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The FAA said on Tuesday it is investigating an incident in which a Southwest 737 crew allegedly flew too close to a Cirrus at the request of a controller. The incident took place about 5 p.m. on
Sunday, when a controller in the Central Florida Tracon asked the 737 crew if they would check on an SR22 that had been out of radio contact for over an hour. The Southwest crew approached the Cirrus
and told ATC they saw two people in the cockpit, then turned away. About 30 seconds later the Cirrus pilot contacted Jacksonville Center. Both aircraft landed safely at their destinations.
"Preliminary information indicates that there was a loss of required separation between the two aircraft," the FAA said. The controller, who is a supervisor, has been suspended. Southwest also suspended the flight crew pending an investigation.
"By placing this passenger aircraft in close proximity to another plane, the air traffic controller compromised the safety of everyone involved. This incident was totally inappropriate," said FAA
Administrator Randy Babbitt. "We are reviewing the air traffic procedures used here and making sure everyone understands the protocols for contacting unresponsive aircraft." The FAA didn't say how
close the airplanes came. The Southwest flight had originated in Phoenix and landed in Orlando. Another ATC supervisor was suspended just last week, after he admitted to napping while on an overnight
shift in the tower.
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FIND THEM AT:
B-078
B-079
B-090
B-091 |
Aspen Offers the Only Fully Redundant PFD
Solution on the Market — At an Affordable Price
With the Evolution 2000 or 2500 Package installed, a single button push turns the MFD 1000 into a fully functional backup PFD. No other GA glass cockpit system gives owners and
operators this level of redundancy and confidence at any price.
Ask about our 2K
Savings special on the Evolution 2000 Package.
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What's with That New Building at Sun 'n
Fun? |
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The Central Florida Aerospace Academy now has a new home on the Sun 'n Fun campus, which was formally dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday morning. The 58,000-square-foot building
features classrooms, a media center, a cafeteria and an engineering lab, and can serve up to 500 students. The school aims to help students prepare for careers in aviation and aerospace. "I hope this
building serves as a launching pad for CFAA students to become more actively involved in aviation and, in doing so, build a pathway for
successful careers and successful lives," said John C. Ray, whose Aviation Education Foundation provided $7.5 million for the project.
The Academy launched two years ago and has been using the facilities of the Florida Air Museum for its 242 students. "I share Mr. Ray's dream of giving young people the opportunity to experience
flight in order to ignite the passion and confidence within each one of them to change their life," said Sun 'n Fun board chairman Bill Eickhoff. "It is a dream come true for me and can come
true for these students." During the annual fly-in, the building will be used for educational forums and other events.
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FIND THEM AT:
Bose Pavilion
SNF-009 |
Introducing: Our Best Pilot Headset Ever
NEW Bose A20™ Aviation Headset
Bose was the first to introduce active noise reducing headsets to aviation more than 20 years ago, forever changing the way pilots fly. Now the Bose A20™ Aviation Headset sets an entirely new
standard, providing significantly greater noise reduction than currently available. It also features an improved level of comfort, clear audio, Bluetooth ®
connectivity, auxiliary audio input and priority switching.
Learn more.
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Piper brought a mock-up of its Altaire single-engine jet to Sun 'n Fun this week, and reported that the program is on track for first flight of the conforming prototype in 2012. "We now have 175
engineers at work on it, and production parts are being cut for the first four conforming test articles," said company spokesman Randy Groom. The jet, powered by a Williams FJ44-3AP turbofan, features
a roomy cabin with club seating for four plus two up front. Performance targets aim for cruise speed up to 360 knots and a 1,300-nm range. "We are completing our new production facility for 2012,"
Groom said, "and adding new dealers around the globe."
Groom also announced that every Piper Archer sold will come with a free flight-training package to bring new buyers from zero time to private pilot. The training will take place in Florida, and
Groom said he expects students to complete their certificate in about three weeks of full-time study and flying. The program is called Ready, Set, Fly. Piper plans to partner with a local
flight-training provider in Vero Beach to provide the training, Groom said, but those details have not yet been worked out. Buyers who already have a private pilot certificate would be allotted
$10,000 to spend on advanced training, he said.
AVweb's Mary Grady spoke with Piper spokesperson Jacqueline Carlon for all the details on the jet project; click here for the
podcast.
The popular Zulu headset now has several new added features, Lightspeed Aviation said this week at Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland, Fla. The
innovations, some of which are patent-pending, include microport vent technology that provides greater consistency in the active noise reduction capabilities, and a new lighter design for
improved fit and less side pressure. A dual aperture disc microphone adds more voice clarity and improved noise canceling, Lightspeed said. Dealers are taking orders now for the new headsets, which
will start shipping by early July.
The Zulu technology provides clear, crisp audio with greater noise rejection for clear, intelligible communications, the company says. Bluetooth connectivity and an integrated auxiliary input
provide compatibility with a range of music players, cellphones, and audio devices. Allan Shrader, president of Lightspeed Aviation, said he's proud of the original Zulu headset, which was introduced
just three and a half years ago. "Now, we've simply taken a great headset and made it even better," he said. If you're at Sun 'n Fun this week, you can check out the new headsets at the Lightspeed
booth in Hangar D.
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FIND THEM AT:
C-024 |
As Vital As Vision
Never fly blind again when you sign up today for one of XM WX Satellite Weather's Aviator LT, Aviator, or Aviator Pro data packages. Enhance your situational awareness with products like
Radar, Lightning, Winds, and more when you make XM WX a permanent part of your cockpit today. Come see the latest from XM WX Satellite Weather at booth C-024 during Sun 'n Fun 2010 or
visit us online at
XMWXweather.com/aviation. 
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Not Everyone Is a Pilot — But Anyone Could
Be |
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EAA wants to reach beyond the faithful and bring new converts into general aviation, EAA President Rod Hightower said at Sun 'n Fun on Tuesday. "How do we reach out to the non-flying public?"
Hightower asked. One way he proposes is to expand the audience of the organization's Sport Aviation magazine, which currently is available only by mail to members. Soon the magazine will appear
on racks in pilot shops, and plans are in the works to further expand the title into the wider world, Hightower said. Signing on to help with that effort is longtime Flying contributor Lane
Wallace, who will bring her "Flying Lessons" column to EAA. "Reaching out to the world at large, I'm all about that," Wallace said. "It's not about the plane -- it's about where it can take you."
Hightower said Young Eagles spokesman Jeff Skiles was expected to be at the show Tuesday morning but had been delayed by the weather. Skiles is flying to the show in a Cessna Skycatcher -- EAA's
sweepstakes airplane for this year -- and stopped at several sites along the way to host Young Eagles events. About 100 youngsters went for a flight at each stop, Hightower said, including the
11-year-old son of one of the passengers who survived the famous ditching in the Hudson with Skiles in the cockpit. EAA will continue to support Young Eagles as a way to help create the next
generation of aviators and will develop new "pathways to participation" to encourage more people to engage in the world of general aviation, Hightower said.
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FIND THEM AT:
SNF-001
SNF-002
SNF-004
SNF-005 |
More Versatile than a Swiss Knife
For more than 25 years, operators have relied on the Caravan models to meet the most demanding mission parameters. To which the Caravan replies, "Bring it on." Its confidence is
backed by a remarkable dispatch reliability rate of over 99 percent and exceptional payload capabilities from its 675-horsepower engine. And when you consider the versatility, configurability, and
sheer ruggedness of the Caravan line, the applications are virtually limitless.
So, where will the Caravan take you?
Visit
Cessna.com.
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Calm, Cool & Protected
Get the protection you need at a time when you need it more than ever, with Avemco Insurance Company. Their financial strength — and one of the most stable track records in the industry
— has earned them an A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best every year since 1977.
Get protected!
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Garmin Magic Days at JA Air Center
Garmin has drawn back the curtain on some new and exciting avionics technology. You are invited to be amongst the first to see and touch this revolutionary equipment during Garmin Magic Days
at JA Air Center: Monday, April 11 at 3pm and 6pm and Tuesday, April 12 at 6pm.
Please RSVP to
magic@jaair.com for one of the three formal presentations.
JA Air Center — Aurora Municipal Airport — KARR
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But was it really? With Japan sinking and Libya exploding, the press still had a field day with a midshift controller nodding off in the Reagan National tower, as if Randy Babbitt really needs
this on his desk. On the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli argues that throwing more people at the problem is just featherbedding, but Mary Grady says you can't beat Mother Nature: Circadian
rhythms mean that nobody can be expected to be fully alert at 3am.
Read more and join the conversation.
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Fly More for Less
Visit the AVbuys page for discounts, rebates, incentives, bargains, special offers, bonus depreciation, or tax benefits to help stretch your budget. We're helping you to locate and view
current offers instantly, with a direct link to sponsors' web sites for details.
Click for the
resource page.
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The aviation community is coming together to help Kyle and Amanda Franklin get back on their feet and eventually back in the air after their mishap at Air Fiesta at the Brownsville/South Padre
Island Airport. If you'd like to contribute, click on the banner at right to visit the ICAS Foundation web site.
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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 255,000 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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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,
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.
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version of AVwebFlash. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here.
Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.
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BOOTHS AT |
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Where to Find Our Sponsors at Sun 'n Fun 2011
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