LIGHTSQUARED THREATENS LEGAL ACTION IF SYSTEM DENIED
LightSquared says it will take legal action if the FCC rejects its plan to build a nationwide wireless broadband system in the U.S. that the GPS industry and Department of Defense says will interfere with GPS signals. In its most aggressive move so far, LightSquared wrote a letter (PDF) to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski reiterating the company's position that the faulty design and performance of the majority of GPS receivers is responsible for the interference detected in a series of tests earlier this year. Lightsquared then called a news conference to throw down the legal gauntlet. "If it is impossible to get a decision on this that allows us to go forward, I think our way forward is pretty clear, that we then have to insist on our legal rights," Lightsquared VP of Government and Regulatory Affairs Jeff Carlisle is quoted by ExecutiveGov as telling reporters. "If you have to be the bad guy, and go out and start … insisting on your property line, well, then that's what we'll do." The FCC has ordered more testing and the results are due Nov. 30. More...

GI BILL NOW COVERS FLIGHT TRAINING
As of Oct. 1, changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill have taken effect that include flight-training benefits for veterans. The new benefits aim to provide support for short-term vocational training in addition to the traditional college-degree programs. The change is not expected to create a major new wave of pilots, however, as happened in the post-World War II era. Only 160 veterans per year, out of about 13,000 who are expected to use the new vocational benefits, will likely enroll in flight schools, the Army Times reported. The benefits will pay up to $10,000 per year to cover flight-school fees and tuition. The bill also provides some housing subsidies and pays tuition for some online courses as well. More...

REPORT RECOMMENDS CHANGES IN ATC TRAINING
An independent panel has reviewed how the FAA hires and trains air traffic controllers, and this week released a report (PDF) with 50 recommendations for improvements. The panel, made up of five experts in the field, including one from the FAA and one from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, recommended that the FAA should expand its use of mobile simulator labs, establish a yearly refresher training course for senior controllers who act as trainers, and more closely oversee the curriculum of ATC training programs in colleges around the country. "This report shows us we are doing a great job, but there are things we can and will do better," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. More...

NASA AWARDS $1.35 MILLION FOR EFFICIENT FLIGHT
NASA Awards $1.35 Million For Efficient FlightFirst place in NASA's Green Flight Challenge went to Pipistrel-USA, for a prize of $1.35 million, and the second-place prize of $120,000 went to team eGenius, NASA announced on Monday. The prize purse was the biggest ever awarded for an aviation competition, according to NASA. To win, the aircraft had to fly 200 miles in less than two hours and use less than one gallon of fuel per occupant, or the equivalent in electricity. Pipistrel's Taurus G4 achieved fuel efficiency of 403 passenger miles per gallon at a speed of 107 mph. The results show that "battery-powered electric flight is feasible for general aviation aircraft," according to Pipistrel team leader Jack Langelaan. More...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: WHAT USE IS AN ELECTRIC AIRPLANE?
Do electric airplanes have a future, or are they just an intriguing curiosity? In her latest post to the AVweb Insider blog, Mary Grady argues the huge strides in performance prove they're ready for prime time. Read more and join the conversation. More...

UAVS EXPECTED IN NAS BY 2013
Facing increasing pressure from both industry and the military to allow greater freedom to unmanned aerial vehicles, the FAA is expected to start integrating small UAVs (generally 55 pounds or less) into the National Airspace System as soon as 2013, the National Defense Industrial Association said this week. The FAA formed a committee in June to create rules that would govern that integration. Rick Prosek, manager of the FAA's unmanned aircraft program office, told NDIA at a recent conference, "We are plowing through the small-UAS rule to put that on the street." Under current rules, anyone who wants to fly a UAV of any size freely in the NAS must obtain an FAA waiver. The proposed new rules could be published as soon as December. More...

NEW YORK POLITICIAN WANTS "TOURIST FLIGHT BAN"
A New York politician is calling for a ban on "tourist flights" by helicopters over an unspecified area of the city following Tuesday's fatal crash on the East River. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) told CBS 2, whose Chopper 2 was among the first to hover over the scene of the crash, that she's concerned all those helicopters flying around aren't safe. "I have written the FAA to see if the frequent numbers of helicopters going across the East River and in that vicinity is safe or not. Thank heavens they weren't going over buildings... or there would be a tremendous loss of life," It's not clear how Maloney would distinguish between "tourist flights" and other helicopter traffic or how the flight in question might meet her criteria. The Bell 206 that crashed was privately owned by the pilot and all on board knew each other. The flight had been arranged to celebrate the birthdays of two of the occupants. While the pilot Paul Dudley was local, two of the passengers, including Sonia Marra Nicholson, who died, were from Australia and the others were British citizens living in Portugal. Some reports say Dudley is blaming the crash on a mechanical fault. More...

NBAA: THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING
SuperJet International will be among the prominent presenters as the National Business Aviation Association convention gets under way next week in Las Vegas. The company will be promoting a business version of the SuperJet regional airliner it is building as a joint venture between Russia's Sukhoi and Italy's Alenia. The SuperJet business variant was announced earlier this year and NBAA is the first North American exposure to the product. It's an example of the globalization of the bizjet industry where countries like Russia and China used to come shopping but are now coming to sell. Two Chinese organizations are also on the agenda for NBAA, including aircraft sales and brokerage firm China Business Aviation Group and China Civil Aviation Report, a magazine devoted to non-military flying in the country. Cessna may be the only company with a truly new aircraft to introduce at NBAA. More...

SLOT WARS LOOMING IN EUROPE?
Business aviation in Europe is rallying against recommendations in a consultant's report that, if implemented, could sharply reduce access to some European airports. The Steer Davies and Gleave Impace Assessment report to the European Commission recommends that airport slots be allocated purely based on the number of passengers on board each aircraft. The European Business Aviation Association calls the proposal simplistic and says it could seriously disrupt business aviation. "This report is blind to the full impact of the entire aviation industry on local and regional economies," EBAA President Brian Humphries said in a speech to the European Airport Coordinators Association. "All of its arguments are based on the premise that maximum passenger throughput is the be-all and end-all, and as a result, it consistently seeks ways that passenger throughput can be maximized, regardless of the economic impact on sectors other than airports and airline.," More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER

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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.

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QUESTION OF THE WEEK: HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU NEED TO SIT IN THE RIGHT SEAT ON AN AIRLINER?
The FAA now says an airline first officer should have a minimum of 700 hours, up from 250 but far less than the 1,500 that was originally proposed. Does the number of hours really matter?

Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers about AOPA and EAA's joint attempt to push reform of the third class medical certificate; click through to see a breakdown of the answers we received. 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...

AVWEB INSIDER BLOG: IS IT TIME TO PRIVATIZE TSA?
Rep. John Mica, who helped bring TSA into being 10 years ago, says he's surprised at how big the agency has has become. Really? Now he would like to get the agency under control by privatizing it. But that has its own problems, says Paul Bertorelli in his latest post to the AVweb Insider blog. Read more and join the conversation. More...

VIDEO: ELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL'S MVP50 ENGINE MONITOR
Electronics International has had great sales success wit its large-screen engine monitor, the MVP50. In this video, AVweb's Paul Bertorelli takes a test flight to see how it works. The MVP50 has proven popular because it fits well with aftermarket glass products likes the Garmin G500/600 line and the Aspen Evolution system. More...

VIDEO: 'IFR' MAGAZINE LEARNS HOW JEPPESEN PRINTS APPROACH PLATES
Jeppesen prints half the approach plates they used to -- one billion sheets per year instead of two billion. But they've also changed the way they print many of them. Any custom order, from trip kits to new manuals, gets printed similarly to how you might at home. Just bigger. And faster. And more. More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: GLACIER JET CENTER (KPGI, KALISPELL, MT)

It's been a busy week for FBO nominations on AVweb.com -- but when all was said and done, we had to give this week's blue ribbon to Glacier Jet Center at Glacier Park International Airport (KPGI) in Kalispell, Montana.

AVweb reader Mark Fryburg had high praise for the staff and facilities at Glacier:

Best FBO service I've ever received in my 29 yeas of light aircraft flying. From my first e-mail to book a tie-down and rental car through ramp service and tourism advice, they constantly offered to help and promptly delivered on their promises. A three-man ramp crew greeted us to park, fuel, and unload our Debonair then load luggage in the car. The front desk staff was equally helpful. Everything was delivered on time and as promised. Everyone was courteous and friendly. And my non-pilot wife felt especially welcomed.

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 Steve Ratchford of Norcross, GA. 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.

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Timothy Cole

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Paul Bertorelli

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Glenn Pew

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Scott Simmons

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Jeff van West
Mariano Rosales

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