FAA CLARIFIES INSPECTOR AUTHORIZATION POLICY
The FAA has tweaked its proposal for clarifying how it authorizes maintenance inspectors, and NBAA and AOPA seemed mostly satisfied with the results, although AOPA says it is still concerned about how the new policy (PDF) will be implemented. The proposal issued last November triggered alarm that some inspectors would not meet the new proposed standards, causing a shortage, leading to delays and higher maintenance costs. The policy issued last week "has clearly been broadened to include as eligible for renewals those [inspectors] who perform specialized or occasional maintenance inspections," said AOPA.NBAA said it had advocated for the FAA to clarify its criteria, because the former rules had been confusing. "The lack of specific guidance had led some FAA inspectors to define the term narrowly and deny renewals to [some] individuals," NBAA said. The new definition will become effective with the next IA renewal expiration date of March 31, 2013. More...

AIRLINE PILOTS FIGHT FOR PAY
Airline pilots are seeking to take back wages, benefits, and pension concessions they gave up to save their employers from bankruptcy following the 2001 terrorist attacks, but airlines allege the pilots aren't playing fair. US Airways filed suit last week because the company believes its pilots have illegally caused as many as 10 flight cancellations each day since May. The union says pilots are being forced to fly unsafe aircraft. Similar stories are being told at other carriers. Pilots at some carriers have seen their wages cut in half over the past decade. Pilots and their employers may soon be engaged in negotiations that may define a new normal for compensation packages. Unions are concerned that if the airlines have their way, those negotiations may take a long time. More...

HYPERSONIC FLIGHT TEST SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY
If all goes well, the Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle II will launch Aug. 11 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, near Los Alamos, Calif., and splash down nearly 4,900 miles away -- and 30 minutes later -- near The Marshal Islands. The test flight is the product of DARPA funding and Lockheed Martin production. The arrowhead-shaped glider is a vehicle that will be attached to an eight-story-tall Minotaur IV rocket. It is part of a system intended to reach speeds of up to Mach 20 to deliver a military strike anywhere on earth within one hour. More...

AN AFRICAN JOURNEY JUST FOR PILOTS
Flying an African safari is on the "bucket list" for many aviators, and next month a group of pilots are flying their own airplanes from the U.S. to circumnavigate Africa on a new 20,000-mile adventure organized by Air Journey. The pilots will meet at the Chateau Frontenac hotel in Quebec on Sept. 7 for an extensive briefing before launching on the 54-day trip, which will feature stops in 27 countries. While in Africa, the travelers will fly above the Masai Mara national park in hot-air balloons, visit Victoria Falls, and stay at high-end resorts along the continent's west coast. More...

FAA POSTS NEW GUIDANCE FOR FUEL APPROVALS
The FAA has published a new Advisory Circular providing guidance for the approval of new aeronautical fuels. Issuance of the document aims to "facilitate the aviation fuel approval process," according to the FAA, by "clarifying and describing" acceptable methods of compliance to existing FAA regulations. But unknown to most in the industry who aren't involved in fuel work, AC 20-24 sparked controversy last summer when proponents of a quick replacement for 100LL complained to FAA's upper management that the agency's Engine and Propeller Directorate was dragging its feet on allowing STCs for fuel approvals. More...

DO PILOTS MAKE BETTER CEOS?
Well, you knew it in your heart all along but now researchers from Notre Dame University's Mendoza College of Business and from the University of Oregon have confirmed it: Pilots make better leaders, especially in the corporate setting. In a study that compared the relative success of 179 companies led by CEOs who are pilots and 2,900 led by those who are not, researchers found that pilot-led companies tend to do better, by some benchmarks, than those who don't fly. "These CEOs tend to complete acquisitions that are more successful than those completed by non-sensation seeking CEOs," Notre Dame Professor Matthew Cain said. "Their creativity and novelty seeking characteristics lead them into deals that improve the growth prospects of their firms." The researchers say its in those CEOs' genes to take calculated risks that can lead to better prospects for their companies and it works for the same reason many of them ride motorcycles, skydive and fly aircraft. The same genetic predisposition can also lead to a host of other less noble pastimes. More...

Related Content:

• POLL: Do Pilots Really Make Better CEOs?

AVIDYNE ANNOUNCES TAS WINNER AND NEW GIVEAWAY
Avidyne this week chose its first Extravaganza Prize winner -- who won after clicking on the contest link in AVwebFlash -- and announced the start of a new giveaway. Bob Edmondson, of Brookshire, Texas, won a TAS620A dual-antenna active-surveillance traffic advisory system, valued at almost $21,000. The new gear will be installed in Edmondson's 1960 Beech BE35-33 Debonair. The company announced the giveaway at Sun 'n Fun in April, and collected about 1,000 entries. Edmondson's name was selected at random. The new giveaway offers an IFD540 FMS/GPS/NAV/COM, valued at $17,000. 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: LYCOMING ON AUTOMOTIVE GAS
A significant subtext in the quest to replace 100LL with an unleaded equivalent is the use of automobile fuel or mogas in engines that are approved to burn it. The two major engine makers, Lycoming and Continental, have traditionally avoided the approvals required to do this. But Lycoming sees a place for automotive-type fuels in the supply chain, and beginning this week, in a series of three guest posts to the AVweb Insider blog, Lycoming GM Michael Kraft explains the company's views on how automobile fuels can be integrated into aviation. The blogs will run on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Read the first here, then share your own comments. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: LYCOMING EXPLAINS WHY PUMP GAS ISN'T MOGAS
In the second of three guest posts to the AVweb Insider blog on aviation fuels, Lycoming GM Michael Kraft expands on his explanation of why Lycoming approved some of its engines for automobile type gas. But not just any car gas. Lycoming favors and has specified an aviation-spec automotive gasoline whose parameters are more tightly controlled and guaranteed than are those at the corner filling station. Read more and join the conversation. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: LYCOMING'S VIEW -- AIRWORTHINESS BY DESIGN, NOT LUCK
In Part 3 of his guests posts to the AVweb Insider blog, Lycoming's Michael Kraft explains how the company arrived at its decision to approve some of its engines for an aviation-spec automotive-type gasoline. Read more and join the conversation. More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: PILOTS AS CEOS
A new study out of Notre Dame has determined that chief executive officers who are also pilots lead their companies especially well. This week, we'd like to know how that gibes with your experience.

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers if D.B. Cooper had finally been identified; click through to see how many readers claim to know the real story. More...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
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. What have you heard? More...

VIDEO: AVIATION CONSUMER'S REMOS NXT FLIGHT TRIAL
Remos has a successful line of light sport aircraft, and now they've introduced a new and improved model, the NXT. Aviation Consumer's Paul Bertorelli flew the airplane recently, and here's his video report. More...

EAA AIRVENTURE 2011: COMPLETE COVERAGE ROUND-UP

Click here for all our news stories from AirVenture — both for 2011 and previous years. And our AVwebAudio newsletter has the complete run-down of this year's multimedia coverage:

• Podcasts
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• Daily E-Mail Coverage

Want to get AVwebAudio in your inbox every Friday? Just log in to AVweb (or create a free account in the upper right corner of this page) and visit AVweb.com/profile. Choose "Update E-mail Subscriptions" in the profile center, and from there, you can add or drop any AVweb newsletters.

FBO OF THE WEEK: CARLSON AVIATION (KYKN, YANKTON, SD)

Word of a good FBO spreads far and wide — as evidenced by our latest "FBO of the Week," Carlson Aviation at Chan Gurney Municipal Airport (KYKN) in Yankton, South Dakota.

AVweb reader Bruce Robertson tells us how, in Carlson's case, you really can believe the hype:

After reading their profile on various web sites, I thought I'd make Yankton a stop on my way to Oshkosh. They were better than all reports, welcoming us and taking care of our every need. As we needed to stay the night, Katie Carlson took care of hotel and transportation details. She also loaned us the crew car so we could explore the area a bit. We liked Carlson so much, we stopped in again on the way out of Oshkosh. They are worth a visit.

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
This week's winning photo comes from Michael F. Young of McLean, VA. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions. 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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