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April 1, 2004

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

This issue of AVweb's AVflash is brought to you by ... IFR Magazine IF YOU LOVE THE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF FLYING THE GAUGES ... Don't miss this opportunity to subscribe to IFR Magazine! Each issue briefs you on what you need to know to fine-tune your technique, sweet-talk the system, and bust-proof your ticket. Order IFR Magazine now and save big at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/belvoir/ifrmag/avflash.

"Smart Drugs" On The Way

"V!agra Of The Mind" May Help Pilots...

A new generation of, uh, performance-enhancing drugs -- nicknamed "V!agra for the mind" -- is in the works, and drug companies already are looking at pilots as a potential market. According to a report in theage.com, some in the industry are predicting these so-called "smart drugs," which dramatically improve memory, could be on the market in five to 10 years. "If [the drug] proves safe and effective, it could ultimately be used by people who want to learn a language or a musical instrument or even in schools," said Tim Tully, a professor of genetics at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York. Tilly's lab developed a drug, with the hard-to-remember name HT-0712, that works by kick-starting a vital gene involved in the memory-formation process. As we get older, that process slows down, and that's why we can't find our keys in the morning or remember names as well as we used to. So far, fruit flies and mice given the drug have shown remarkable memory improvement (who knew fruit flies had memories?). A trial will be done with 100 people who have mild memory loss this summer, and Tilly estimates that if all goes well, HT-0712, presumably with an easier-to-remember name, will be on the market in five to seven years.

Note: AVweb intentionally altered the name of the drug in an attempt to elude spam filters that might otherwise prevent us from fulfilling your AVflash subscription.

...Alzheimer Drug Shown To Boost Cockpit Performance...

Scientists already have experimented on pilots with drugs available today, to see if they can make us better, more alert and more responsive. Of particular note is a test done at Stanford University in 2002 with donepezil, which is widely used to ease the memory loss of Alzheimer patients. It found that pilots taking donepezil performed better in tests in a Cessna 172 simulator than those given a placebo, and that the drug-taking pilots were particularly superior at landing and maintaining a scan of the panel. In that study, researchers first trained all the pilots in the simulator. Then they then split the group, with half getting the drug for a month and the other half getting the sugar pill. At the end of the month, they threw the book at all the students in the sim, giving them complicated air traffic control sequences and in-flight emergencies, including a sudden drop in oil pressure. The memory-enhanced students did significantly better than their undrugged counterparts, particularly in the most difficult parts of the test. However, the effects were "subtle," said Jerome Yesavage, director of the study. "I would suspect that the major market for these compounds will be professional older adults who want to continue working professionally as long as they possibly can," Yesavage said. "But the effects are indeed subtle, and whether people would be willing to pay $100 or so a month for such a treatment is questionable."

...As "Go Pills" Fuel Military Pilots

Of course, drugs in the cockpit are nothing new. U.S. Air Force flight surgeons frequently supply amphetamines to pilots for long flights and in demanding combat situations -- a practice not without controversy. Also known as "speed," and, in the military, as "go pills," amphetamines are considered essential by some in the military to maintaining a top-notch fighting force. Their use was not publicly well-known until the drugs were implicated in a friendly-fire incident in Afghanistan in 2002, in which an American F-16 pilot mistakenly dropped a laser-guided bomb on Canadian soldiers, killing four of them. According to an ABC 20/20 report, the pilot, Maj. Harry Schmidt, had taken a "go pill" about an hour before he saw the Canadians engaged in a live-fire exercise. Although told by controllers in a nearby AWACS plane to hold his fire, Schmidt was convinced his aircraft was under attack and dropped the bomb.

Alcohol And Aircraft

Brits Set Stiff Limits For Some...

Britain has set strict blood-alcohol limits for airline and air traffic personnel, changing a longstanding law that simply made it illegal for them to work if they were alcohol-impaired. Pilots, cabin crew and controllers now will be breaking the law if found with more than .02 percent alcohol in their systems, which is the lowest point at which tests are reliable. Mechanics could theoretically nip down to the pub for lunch and still legally do their jobs, however. Their limit is set at .08 percent, the same as the legal driving limit in Britain. The government explained the difference by saying that mechanics aren't required to react to emergencies with the same speed as flight crews. Police also now have the power to order alcohol tests on suspected offenders. "The action we have taken ... has brought aviation into line with other modes of transport, which have had legal alcohol limits for years," said Aviation Minister Tony McNulty. Those who bust the limits face fines of up to $9,000 USD and/or two years in jail. In the U.S. and many other countries, the legal limit for pilots is .04. The new limits will apply to all pilots, cabin crew, air traffic controllers and licensed aircraft maintenance engineers within the U.K., regardless of nationality, and to the crews of U.K.-registered aircraft anywhere in the world. No distinction will be drawn between the commercial and leisure sectors and the limits will apply to anyone who is flying or working with aircraft in their free time.

...Laws Not The Only Answer...

Now, the law can only do so much to keep impaired people earthbound, as authorities in Pennsylvania found out in the now-infamous case of pilot John Salamone. Salamone, you'll remember, lost his certificate and surrendered his medical after allegedly flying erratically in Philadelphia International's busy airspace. On Tuesday, a judge said Salamone will stand trial on charges of risking a catastrophe and reckless endangerment. He won't be charged with flying drunk, though, although his blood-alcohol level was allegedly twice the legal limit for driving, because Pennsylvania has no law against flying drunk. Some officials, however, have said the case raises even bigger concerns than a lack of sobriety laws, because it revealed troubling flaws in the emergency-response system. As an airplane flew haphazardly through some of the nation's busiest airspace, the controllers tried to contact emergency officials along its path with only sparse success, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported last week. According to tapes of the incident, air traffic supervisor David Urban was unable to reach some agencies and was put on hold by others. The FAA contacted the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which determined the flight was a "non-event." A police helicopter finally caught up to the plane more than three hours into the flight and followed it back to Limerick Airport, where it landed safely after one missed approach. After the incident, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) demanded a full report from the FAA on how it handled the situation. A response has been promised in April.

...And Yet Another Airline Pilot Detained

As the British put the official seal on their new alcohol limits, an Aloha Airlines first officer was detained after allegedly trying to go to work with what the Associated Press is reporting as a blood-alcohol level of .182. That's about the level reached by a 180-pound man who drinks eight 12-ounce beers in one hour. The unidentified pilot, who was scheduled to fly from Oakland to Hawaii on Saturday morning, was detained by police after a security screener allegedly smelled alcohol as he passed through the checkpoint. The pilot has been suspended pending the investigation. "Aloha considers this to be a very serious matter," the airline said in a statement.

Legislation Would Mandate Missile Defense For Airlines

A bill that would promote the development of defenses to protect commercial aircraft from shoulder-launched missiles was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday. The bill, H.R. 4056, would require the FAA to speed up certification of anti-missile systems at the same time it encourages the government to take steps to stop the proliferation of the portable weapons. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, told CNN the government might require missile-defense systems as standard equipment on new airliners. The bill would ask the president to pursue international treaties and agreements to stop the spread of the cheap, easily concealed launchers. It would also suggest the U.S. continue to buy back missiles already on the international market. Shoulder-launched missiles have never been deployed against airliners in the U.S., but a DHL cargo plane was hit while taking off from Baghdad last November. The crew managed to land the plane despite extensive wing damage and still-unconfirmed reports that all the hydraulically operated flight controls were taken out.

Egyptian Airline Banned From France

France banned Egyptian carrier Luxor Air after the pilot of an MD-83 flew low and off course while on approach to the Nantes Airport last Sunday. The plane reportedly descended to about 660 feet over the city, below the level of some of the taller buildings, and was about a mile off course. The aircraft landed safely on its second attempt, and none of the 104 passengers or 10 crew members were hurt. The crew reportedly rushed to leave Nantes quickly afterwards. France's Civil Aviation Authority is investigating the incident. Luxor Air is a small, privately owned company.

Suicidal Man Jumps From Stearman

A suicidal man, who asked for a ride in an open-cockpit biplane for his 88th birthday, jumped to his death Monday near San Diego. Joseph Harold Frost, who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, got out of the Stearman despite the best efforts of pilot Willis Allen to restrain him. The elderly passenger removed his safety belt and stood up in the seat in front of Allen, who tried to wrestle him back to safety. Allen also pitched the plane up to try and force Frost back in his seat. They were about 300 to 400 feet above the ground, on approach to Gillespie Field, when Frost managed to jump. "I think that was Dad's idea, to go out in a flash of glory," his son, Robert Frost, told CNN. Frost had apparently flown Stearmans during World War II and asked his son to help arrange the flight as a birthday gift. The elder Frost's body was severed by power lines before landing on an apartment patio, to the horror of witnesses on the ground.

Navy Reviews Flight Ops After Crashes

The Navy has ordered a review of its flight safety and maintenance operations after it lost about $150 million in hardware last week. Four fighters -- three F/A-18 Hornets and an F-14 -- were destroyed in separate incidents. All crews ejected safely, although two pilots suffered minor injuries, and no one on the ground was hurt. The F-14 Tomcat went into the ocean two miles off the West Coast near San Diego, about 11 a.m. local time on Monday. Also on Monday, a Hornet crashed in an unpopulated area near Chattanooga, Tenn. Last Wednesday, an F/A-18 ditched off the South Carolina coast, and another crashed during takeoff on Friday at Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina. The F-14 was involved in a carrier exercise when its crew reported engine problems. The crew was ordered to land at North Island Naval Air Station, near San Diego, but didn't make it. They were rescued by a civilian fishing boat and then picked up by a naval research vessel. Witnesses of the Tennessee incident, reported seeing the Hornet "swerving back and forth" before the crash. In Raleigh-Durham, witnesses reported that the pilot ejected while about 1,700feet into the takeoff roll. The burning jet continued rolling for about another 550 feet toward Terminal A and came to a stop about 250 feet from the terminal, according to airport spokeswoman Teresa Damiano. The pilot was hospitalized for a day but recovered to help investigators piece together the mishap on Sunday. On March 24, a Hornet went into the Atlantic off South Carolina and the pilot was unhurt.

Space Tourist Has Scientific Agenda

The next space tourist doesn't intend to just kick back in the weightlessness for a week. Gregory Olsen is a New York scientist who made his fortune with optics inventions. He's packing a bag full of infrared sensors with him to do some research of his own during his $20 million visit to the International Space Station. "I feel this is a way of paying back," said Olsen, who told the Associated Press he will use his high-tech gear to analyze pollution in the Earth's atmosphere and research the health of agricultural systems on the ground. His eight-day adventure is scheduled for April 2005, but could be moved up to this October. Like the two preceding space tourists, Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth, Olsen will ride a Soviet Soyuz rocket to the space station. The deal has been brokered through Space Adventures, which also arranged Tito's trip. Olsen begins six months of training at Star City, Russia, this week. Olsen said he hopes to share his adventure with young people through a video hookup with high schools in Trenton, N.J., and the Crow Reservation in Montana. And in case you were worried about how he's going to pay for all this, Olsen developed crystal technology that makes fiber optics systems run more efficiently. His company, Sensors Unlimited, was sold for $700 million a few years ago.

Youth Charged After Bogus Radio Calls

An Australian youth might be looking for a less dangerous pastime after he was charged last week with making hoax radio calls to aircraft and the tower at Perth Airport. Scott Bradley Pike, 19, of the Perth suburb of Lynwood, was charged with a single count of using a transmitter in a way likely to interfere with radio communications. The Australian Federal Police allege Pike made bogus radio calls on radio control frequencies over two days earlier this month. The transmissions were allegedly purported to be from aircraft seeking clearances to enter controlled airspace, land and cross active runways. The police also allege some of the calls contained threats to the safety of aircraft. Pike will be back in court in April.

On The Fly...

A former attack helicopter pilot says pilots need foolproof identification systems to prevent friendly-fire accidents like the one that killed 10 U.S. Marines in Iraq in March 2003. Ralph Hayles made a similar mistake in Operation Desert Storm and killed two U.S. soldiers. A report released Monday blamed the forward air controller in the Iraq incident, but Hayles said pilots should have a direct method of determining who they are targeting...

A granite monument to airmail pilots will be erected at the American Philatelic Society headquarters in State College, Pa. Paul Mulvehill has been looking for a home for the 2,800-pound monument for a year. It commemorates the pilots who died crossing the Allegheny Mountains in the early days of airmail service.

New Articles and Features on AVweb

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COLUMNS
Say Again? #35: Lessons Unlearned
The National Airspace System has lots of redundancies; and some would say that takes more effort than is necessary. Why fly on airways when direct can be faster? Why read back the entire clearance or radio frequency change when you can just give your callsign? AVweb's Don Brown tells of a time when a perfect storm of at least 11 separate, small errors built up to bring two planes mere feet from each other at high speed.

Business AVflash

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb’s NO-COST twice monthly Business AVflash? Reporting on breaking news, Business AVflash also focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the Business of Aviation. Business AVflash is a must read. Watch for a Business AVflash regular feature, TSA WATCH: GA IN THE "SPOTLIGHT". Sign up today at http://www.avweb.com/profile/

AVweb's Question of the Week ...

*** PREVIOUS RESULTS ***

Last week, AVweb polled readers on the dangers of bird strikes.  Most of you agreed that birds and wildlife in the airways are a serious problem, but opinions varied as to just how serious.  A full 7% of our respondents reported firsthand experiences with bird strikes (or near-hits) and say the problem needs to be addressed soon.  The bulk of those who participated in the survey (47%) say that they can only devote so much time to each potential hazard in the air — and birds will just have to get out of the way.  Another 15% would like to see a bird report as part of their preflight briefing.

*** THIS WEEK'S QUESTION ***

This week, AVweb wants to know which air shows you'll be attending during 2004.  Click here to answer this week's polling question.

Have an idea for a new QOTW? Send your suggestions to qotw@avweb.com.

Note: This address is only for suggested QOTW questions, and not for QOTW answers.

Picture Of The Week...

Submit a Photo | Rules | Tips | Questions

Current POTW Winner | Past POTW Winners

Beautiful landscapes, historical aircraft, exciting aerobatics — just some of the things you won't see in this week's "Picture of the Week." Why? Because we had too many good photos to squeeze them all in! And if you're enticed by the photos we had to pass over, just wait until you see the ones that made the cut — especially this week's contest winner, a breath-taking Cougar helicopter photo.

Due to privacy issues, AVweb does not publish e-mail addresses of readers who submit photos.

"Need Some Fireworks?"

Click here to view a large version of this image

AVweb continues to receive a large number of excellent images for our POTW contest. Here are some of the runners-up. Click on the links below to view larger versions.

To enter next week's contest, click here.

A Reminder About Copyrights: Please take a moment to consider the source of your image before submitting to our "Picture of the Week" contest. If you did not take the photo yourself, ask yourself if you are indeed authorized to release publication rights to AVweb. If you're uncertain, consult the POTW Rules or send us an e-mail.

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IF YOUR CELL PHONE CAN SURF THE NET, IT CAN RECEIVE AVIATION WEATHER!
WxServer works with virtually any internet-enabled phone. No matter whether you're using Verizon, SprintPCS, AT&T, T-Mobile, Cingular, or Nextel, WxServer can give you up-to-the-minute aviation weather information. SPECIAL OFFER: This month, AVweb readers receive $10 off the regular annual subscription rates, and CFIs can sign up for the WxServer referral program at no charge! Check it out at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/wxserver/avflash.

COMM 1 ANNOUNCES INTERACTIVE NAV & VOR/NDB SIMULATOR TRAINING PROGRAM
Comm 1 Radio Simulator programs contain comprehensive tutorials and fully interactive two-way radio exchanges with ATC — which you can experience from the safety and privacy of your computer. Build skills and confidence on the ground while saving money and aggravation. Select the programs right for your flying needs by visiting Sun 'n Fun Booth #C-061, or order online at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/comm1/avflash.

GLEIM OFFERING "AVWEB ONLY" SPECIALS & SUN 'N FUN DISCOUNTS
Gleim Publishers is offering during April a 15% discount on the 2004 FAR/AIM and their flight bag, plus 10% off all Pilot Kits. Check out Gleim's online Private Pilot Refresher and Flight Instructor Refresher Courses. All course students receive a no-cost 2004 FAR/AIM, a $21 value. Stop by Gleim Publishers' Sun 'n Fun Booth (#B37-38) for show discounts — and tell them how you appreciate their AVweb special deals. Gleim's April AVweb deals can be found at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/gleim/avflash.

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THE NEW PHOTON FREEDOM MICRO-LIGHTS ARE IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP!
Photon's NEW Freedom Micro is the easiest to use, most powerful full-featured micro-light available. Intuitive single-button operation, increased water resistance, convenience, and rock-solid reliability with a full-range brightness control and five safety modes. No cockpit or home should be without a micro-light. SPECIAL: Order the Freedom Micro at $19.95 and receive a no-cost hands-free Photon clip (a $4.95 value). See Photon's Freedom Micro (and other Micro-Light models) at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/photon/avflash.

SPONSOR NEWS

ROD MACHADO GETS THE NICEST LETTERS FROM THE NICEST PEOPLE — CUSTOMERS!
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CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS! SAFETY IS CO GUARDIAN'S CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR
CO Guardian has models from portable units to panel-mount units. Each unit's solid-state sensors and temperature sensors (EMI-shielded to prevent radio interference) are built in the USA and FAA-certified. To see all of CO Guardian's models, stop by Sun 'n Fun Booth #D-060, or go online to find the CO Guardian model right for your aircraft at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/cog/avflash.

AVflash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest aviation news, articles, products, features and events featured on AVweb, the Internet's Aviation Magazine and News Service. http://www.avweb.com

Letters to the editor intended for publication in AVmail should be sent to mailto:editor@avweb.com.com. Have a comment or question? Send it to mailto:newsteam@avweb.com.

Today's issue written by News Writer Russ Niles:
http://www.avweb.com/contact/authors.html#rniles
AVweb's editorial team: http://avweb.com/contact/authors.html.

Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's sales team: mailto:sales@avweb.com.

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