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July 24, 2012
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
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See More. Spend Less.
Aspen Avionics' innovative Evolution Flight Display technology clears your way to an affordable EFIS solution. Avoid expensive gyro overhauls and unexpected downtime with a reliable,
leading-edge Evolution glass panel. Improve situational awareness, reduce pilot workload, and get more utility out of your airplane. Aspen Avionics delivers the industry's best value, with
multi-display solutions starting about $15K. Aspen's breakthrough pricing makes it easy to fly with glass panel technology.
Click here for more information.
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
2145-2148 |
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AVflash! Something New Under the Skylane
Hood |
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Cessna will now offer a new engine in its Skylane 182 that is designed to run on Jet A aviation fuel, the company said on Monday. At a news conference at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Cessna
officials said that with the Safran-made SMA engine, the Turbo 182 NXT will cruise at 155 knots and burn about 11 gallons per hour. The engine is already certified by both FAA and EASA. "This is
something the market was really asking for," said Jeff Umscheid, one of the team of Cessna staffers on hand. The aircraft will start deliveries in the second quarter of next year, Umscheid said, and
will replace the 182 avgas version. The engine is paired with a three-blade composite prop. The NXT weighs only about 15 pounds more overall than the standard 182, Umscheid said.
"This is a game-changer that opens up new markets and new regions of the world due to its versatility and performance," Umscheid said. He added that the airplane will burn about 30 percent less
fuel than the avgas version. It will be simpler to operate, with just a single power lever for the engine, and can fly for more hours between overhauls. Diesel fuel is much more widely available
worldwide, opening up global markets for the airplane. The four-seat NXT will sell for $515,000, and comes equipped with the Garmin G1000 avionics suite. Range is about 1,160 nautical miles, with a
fuel capacity of 87 gallons. "This shows the direction Cessna is going -- focused on the Jet A fuel," Umscheid said at AirVenture.
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Three Things You Should Never Say to ATC
Listen as two ATC pros share tips on better communication with ATC. Avoid these common mistakes and make your interactions more efficient and accurate. This is a sample from PilotWorkshops'
Tip of the Week.
Click here for this quick tip.
| EAA AirVenture: |
Official Coverage Sponsor |
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Cessna recently had put a hold on Skycatcher sales in Europe, citing issues over certification, but on Monday at EAA
AirVenture, the company said it has decided on a solution. The airplane will be transitioned out of the LSA category and into the Primary category. This will make it easier to export the Skycatcher to
Europe, company officials said, and U.S. pilots will still have the option to operate the airplane with a sport pilot certificate.
"It's a unique, innovative product and we're happy to have found a solution that keeps it available to our European customers, and will make the aircraft more available to customers in many more
parts of the world," said Tracy Leopold, business leader for the Cessna 162. Cessna is working with the FAA on a Skycatcher primary category designation, which includes the issuance of a Type
Certificate and Production Certificate. The joint Cessna/FAA team worked with EASA rules to allow the Skycatcher to be accepted into Europe through a simpler validation effort following FAA approval,
Cessna said.
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Introducing the IFD440 FMS/GPS/NAV/COM
As the newest member of Avidyne's integrated flight display family, the
IFD440 provides the same powerful navigation, communication, and multi-function display capability as found in our award-winning Entegra Release 9 systems in a touchscreen, panel-mounted
avionics form factor. In addition to the dedicated knobs and buttons that many pilots prefer for frequent pilot actions, the IFD440's Hybrid Touch capability allows pilots to perform virtually all of
those same functions via the touchscreen interface.
Click here for more information.
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
293-294, 2098-2101 |
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Cirrus Aircraft CEO Dale Klapmeier says the investment philosophy of the Chinese fits perfectly with the aviation business. "They're in it for the long term," Klapmeier said during a podcast interview at AirVenture Oshkosh on Monday. It's been a year since China's CAIGA bought a controlling interest in the Duluth
planemaker and Klapmeier, who co-founded the business with his brother and former CEO Alan, said it's that long-term commitment that has re-energized the company. "It's changed our outlook on the
industry [and] our capabilities," he said. Along the way, he said, CAIGA representatives have caught the enthusiasm that is typical of those involved in the aviation industry and are realizing how
important GA is to the economy of the U.S. and the future economy of China. They are especially enthused about the resumption of work on the Vision Jet.
Klapmeier said the prototype has been "flying a lot" in the preliminary flight test program and has almost 600 flights and 600 hours logged to date. The next step is building a type conforming
aircraft to get the certification flight testing under way. To build that aircraft, the production tooling for the composite parts has to be built and it takes time. He said first flight of the
conforming aircraft is planned for late 2013.
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SocialFlight's iPad Giveaway! Where Are You Going to Fly Today?
Join the thousands of pilots using SocialFlight to discover aviation events across the U.S. Plan your weekend flying to make the most of your next airborne adventure. Pancake breakfasts, air
shows, even FAA seminars — wherever you go, SocialFlight brings you the latest events on your iPad/iPhone, Android and on the web. Sign up with the no-cost SocialFlight app by August 15, 2012 for a chance to win an iPad!
Click here »
SocialFlight.com
| EAA AirVenture: |
Official Coverage Sponsor |
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New! Bendix/King KMA 30 Audio Panel
Proof We Listen to Pilots
The Bendix/King KMA 30's music and phone Bluetooth® capability provides unsurpassed audio flexibility throughout your airplane. Connect one or two devices simultaneously, enjoy a
six-place hi-fi stereo intercom with flexible soft-muting converse on the ground or in the cabin with a wireless mobile phone link. It integrates seamlessly with other Bendix/King products and is a
"slide-in" replacement for select older audio panels.
Learn more at BendixKing.com. 
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
313-314, 2162 |
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The Chinese industrialist who recently bought Glasair Aviation said Monday that the company will remain in the U.S. and that he intends to ramp up investment in customer support, existing models
and new development commensurate with market demand. TieJi Fang, chairman of Jilin Hanxing Group, said through an intrepeter that China is on the verge of explosive growth in general aviation that
envisions as many as 1000 new airports during the coming half decade and a strong demand for personally flown airplanes in China, this despite the fact that airspace is still restricted by the
military in China and although new airports exist, they are underutilized.
Feng told an AirVenture press conference that he evisions Glasair products such as the popular Sportsman selling well in China, either as trainers or personally flown aircraft. Glasair's Michael
Via said under current Chinese regulations, there's no viable homebuilt market so many in the industry think that initial sales in China will likely be some kind of trainer, at least for the
foreseeable future.
Feng said the Glasair buy is "the first step in a very long journey" that will result in in the fulfilling the dream that he says many Chinese have: to fly personal aircraft around China,
unhindered by regulation and security considerations. Further, Feng said, China is rapidly developing FBOs based on the U.S. structure of airport support busineses and he estimates establishing as
many as 40 such businesses in the next 10 years. For his part, Michael Via said Feng's investment will make it possible to pursue develomental projects that wouldn't have been possible
otherwise.
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Phillips 66® Aviation — The Most Trusted Wings In Aviation™
On the go? When it comes to convenience and functionality, the WingPoints® app puts you in the pilot's seat. This no-cost app will allow you to plot your
next flight. Plan your next purchase. Reward yourself with the WingPoints App. Just another reason why we are The Most Trusted Wings in Aviation™.
Click here to learn more.
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
484 |
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Can't decide whether you want to land your LSA on runways, lakes or snow-covered fields? LISA Airplanes arrived at Oshkosh with a flying prototype that can do all three. The Akoya's fuselage/hull
is unique in that in the place of a traditional stepped seaplane hull it has two water seafoils—subby fins jutting down from the hull—that lift the aircraft out of the water. The company
claims they also produce almost no drag in the air, which allows for impressive fuel efficiency. The Akoya's other performance numbers best another well-known LSA amphibian.
Compared head-to-head with the Icon A5, the Akoya goes further (540 nm versus 300 nm), on less fuel (20 gallons versus 18.4), carries over 100 pounds more payload, and has cabin that's five inches
wider. Unlike the A5, where buyer must choose between electrically folding wings and retractable landing gear (or a parachute and retractable landing gear), the Akoya can have all at once (including
the skis for snow). There is a catch: The Akoya will cost more than twice as much at € 300,000 (about $370,000).
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Our Agents Are Pilots!
Talk to pilots who value your airplane, even before they insure it.
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insurance markets to save you time and money — or expand coverage — for new owners, transitioning pilots, renters, FBOs — even flight schools.
Call (877) 247‑7767. Or
click here. 
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
1141 |
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VoiceFlight Demonstrating New VFS101 Features at Oshkosh
In addition to Victor Airways, the VFS101 has been enhanced to support Jet Airways and T/Q routes. The software has also been extended to include support for non-WAAS GPS. These features are
operational now and can be tried in Hangar D at Oshkosh. The complimentary software upgrade will be available this fall. For VFS101 users that fly outside of the United States, VoiceFlight
has signed an agreement with Jeppesen to offer international navigation data.
Click here to view demo.
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
4026 |
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American Champion Aircraft introduced a new version of the venerable Decathlon at EAA AirVenture on Monday, modified to fly with a Lycoming AEIO-390-A1B6 210hp engine. The Xtreme variant pairs the
powerful engine with an MT 76-inch prop. "That meant we needed taller gear, so we've redesigned the gear legs," said Jerry Menlhaff Jr., the company's VP of engineering. They also added a new airfoil
tail with 10 percent more area, clipped the wingtips, and boosted the ailerons. "We not only added 30 horsepower, we've enhanced almost every aspect of the airplane," Menlhaff said. Flight testing of
the prototype is ready to start, and test pilot Jody Bradt said he expects the new features will translate to a higher roll rate, lighter stick forces, increased longitudinal control, and overall
better performance in the box. Menlhaff said certification is expected in October. Base price for the airplane is $204,900.
The company listed performance specs for the Xtreme at a 1660 fpm rate of climb, a maximum level speed of 165 mph, and a stall speed of 54 mph. Menlhaff also showed the media a new agricultural
spraying system that the company will soon have available for its Scout. The system was certified for spraying back in the '70s, he said, but then was out-competed by larger, more powerful ag planes.
Now, he said, new concentrated chemicals are on the market that make the little Scout with its 90-gallon spray capacity an attractive option. "These new chemicals only require as little as 6 ounces
per acre to be effective," he said. With the Scout, Menlhaff said, the companies who do the spraying "can charge half as much to the customer and still make a bigger profit than they would with the
bigger airplanes." He hopes to have the system certified and ready for the market by early next year.
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ForeFlight: Intelligent Apps for Pilots™
Best-in-class design, best-in-class pre-flight and in-flight weather, Touch Planning™, auto-routing, geo-referenced approach and enroute charts, aviation documents, and our Fanatical Pilot
Support™ make ForeFlight Mobile for iPad aviation's most popular app. Learn more about ForeFlight — including our recently announced support for ADS-B in-flight weather via Stratus
— on on the web at
ForeFlight.com. 
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
1147-1148 |
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Your Personal S1 Experience
With its revolutionary adaptive digital noise cancelation and customizable comfort features such as headband contact pressure adjustment, the S1 Digital is truly a headset that can be
personalized for every user and every environment. We want you to experience this level of customization for yourself. For a limited time only, try an S1 Digital without risk for 30 days, share your
experience with us, and get rewarded.
Learn more.
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
288 |
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Superior Air Parts is steadily gaining back marketshare and revenue it lost leading up to its 2009 bankruptcy, SAP's CEO Tim Archer said on Monday. But that doesn't necessarily mean that Archer
sees a broader recovery in the aviation economy. At a press conference at AirVenture on Monday, Archer said Superior's strong growth during the past year is a more a reflection of its rebuilding
following it spurchase by the Chinese-based Superior Aviation in 2010.
Archer said Superior's bankruptcy confronted it with three problems: staffing, loss of proven vendors and customers abandoning the business because the company was unable to ship parts on time, if
at all. But thanks to investment from the Chinese parent company, Archer says Superior has been able to attract the key talent it needs to rebuild the business and, interestingly, attract more
domestic vendors while dropping foreign ones. He said the Superior Aviation investment has resulted, among other things, in the retaining for four domestic vendors that represent 20 percent of the
company's business.
Before the 2009 bankruptcy, Archer said, Superior's business was mainly driven by PMA parts volume, but its Vantage experimental engine program was a growth product. As the company rebuilds, the
PMA and engine programs each represent about the same revenue values, although he expects the PMA business to contine to grow. The inventory of parts that SAP can ship on demand has continued to
expand to nearly 90 percent of the orginial catalog. Archer said SAP's expansion in China involves mainly training technicians in Vantage engine production and assembly to serve Asian markets. The
Vantage engine, which is an evolution of the Lycoming O-360 and IO-360 models, was certified by Superior for OEM use. Superior sees a strong market for it in Asian markets.
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Bose® A20® Aviation Headset
The Best We've Ever Made
Bose was the first to introduce active noise reducing headsets to aviation more than 20 years ago, forever changing the way pilots fly. Today, we continue to set the standard with the Bose A20
Aviation Headset. The headset provides acclaimed noise reduction, with a comfortable fit and the clear audio you expect from Bose. It also features Bluetooth® connectivity, an auxiliary audio input and priority switching.
Learn more.
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
283-285 |
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When It Has to Work — Choose BRS
276 Lives Saved and Counting
Join us at AirVenture Friday, July 27 at 11:30am at Forum Pavilion 06 to learn about two amazing saves by BRS ballistic parachute systems: a Cirrus SR-22 Bahamas
splashdown after engine failure — and a low-altitude Cessna 182 save from 400 feet AGL over dense forest. More than 5,500 Cirrus SR-20s and SR-22s, hundreds of Cessna 172s and 182s, and
thousands of experimental, ultralight, military, and UAV aircraft fly with BRS systems.
Visit BRSparachutes.com for more.
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
2017-2018 |
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On AirVenture's pre-opening day, AVweb covered the Cubs 2 Oshkosh mass arrival, which turned out to be a yellow-tinged festival of people who know how to land airplanes. What a delight. We
also heard some ambitious plans from Bendix/King and Avidyne. Paul Bertorelli has all the scuttlebutt from OSH on the AVweb Insider blog.
Read more and join the conversation.
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Weather with Perspective
XM WX Satellite Weather gives you onboard perspective on the weather. Graphical data like Radar, Lightning, Winds and more enhance your situational awareness and is compatible with the
industry's leading MFDs, EFBs, glass cockpits, and now the iPad. Additionally, flexible subscription options ensure you get the dataset that's right for you. Come see the latest from XM WX Satellite
Weather at booths C-3037-3039 during AirVenture 2012 or
visit us online at XMWXweather.com/aviation. 
| Booths at EAA AirVenture: |
190, 3037-3039 |
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Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were
Here |
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| click for photos |
The AVweb team started a little early on our AirVenture coverage this year, with contributor Andrew Zaback riding up alongside Cubs 2 Oshkosh. Strap in and share the journey with some of
his photos.
Click for photos.
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| click for photos |
As AirVenture 2012 gets underway, AVweb takes in the sights of arriving airplanes and campers settling in for the long haul.
Click for photos.
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Visit PIC in Oshkosh for a Chance to Win
an iPad and One Year of ForeFlight Service
Simply request a quote for pilot life insurance from the Pilot Insurance Center.
Don't pay more for life insurance just because you fly.
Visit PICLife.com
or call (800) 380‑8376.
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The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is
You! |
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Have you had your aircraft interior redone in the past five years? If so, our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, wants to hear about it. Please take a moment to answer this completely
confidential survey and help your fellow aircraft owners find the best shop to replace their 1970s Royalite-and-velour with something less embarrassing.
Click here to take the survey.
The results will appear in a future issue of Aviation Consumer. For subscription information, click
here.
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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AVwebFlash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the world's premier independent aviation news resource.
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Where to Find Our Sponsors at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (booth numbers)
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