|
September 27, 2012
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
|
|
ForeFlight Mobile —
Now Supports ADS-B In-Flight Weather for iPad!
ForeFlight Mobile — the award-winning, multi-purpose app for pilots — now supports no-subscription-required ADS-B in-flight weather via Stratus. NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, TFRs,
AIRMETs/SIGMETS, PIREPS, and more streamed effortlessly to your iPad via ADS-B. Intelligent Apps for Pilots™ backed by Fanatical Pilot Support™.
Visit
ForeFlight.com to learn more.
|
|
|
|
|
AVflash! FAA Gets Involved in Northwest
Airspace |
|
back to top |
 |
|
The FAA has delayed by a month plans to implement a controversial airspace amendment over Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, Wash. More details have also emerged about just how restrictive the so-called
"Pearson Box" AVweb first reported earlier this week would be. According to OregonLive the plan would have given priority to traffic from nearby Portland
International (PDX) and only one aircraft at a time would be allowed in the one-mile by eight-mile box that would encompass Vancouver's Pearson Field. The root of the proposal appears to be that
traffic in the Pearson pattern was triggering TCAS alerts in overflying airliners. "FAA will be delaying implementation of any airspace changes for at least 30 days. During this time we intend to
re-engage with stakeholders to see if we can find some middle ground on this issue," FAA officials wrote in an email to Vancouver city officials.
The Pearson Box proposal caught the local flying community and city government officials off guard when it was announced on Sept. 20 and implementation was set for Oct. 1. The box would effectively
end flight training at Pearson and inconvenience others using the airport. Officials were also concerned that the unique nature of the proposed airspace would confuse non-resident pilots trying to use
Pearson. "The city of Vancouver and the Port of Portland have safely and effectively shared airspace on both sides of the Columbia River for more than 50 years at their respective airports -- bustling
Portland International and small, historic Pearson Field," Vancouver spokeswoman Barbara Ayers said.
|
|
|
Aircraft Spruce Annual West Coast Super Sale & Fly-In
Aircraft Spruce West will be holding their annual Super Sale and Fly-In on Saturday, October 6, 2012 from 7:00am to 3:00pm in Corona, California. Come and
join the Aircraft Spruce team and vendors for lunch, special pricing, vendor demonstrations, and educational seminars. Lots of opportunities to win raffle prizes from some of your favorite vendors.
A no-cost shuttle will be offered to and from Corona Airport. For more information, call 1 (877) 4‑SPRUCE or
visit AircraftSpruce.com. 
|
|
|
|
Skydivers from 21 countries flew a massive 100-person wingsuit diamond formation, near Perris, Calif., Monday, that will be submitted to Guinness as a world record, but not all participants escaped
the effort without injury. The skydivers used five different aircraft, jumping from an altitude of 13,000 feet over Perris Valley. Successive attempts were observed by three judges who represented the
U.S. Parachute Association and the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. During one attempt involving 98 skydivers, Sunday, two of the participants collided after opening their chutes. Though both
landed under reserve canopies, one was reportedly hospitalized and unconscious, Tuesday.
After performing their freefall work, the formation broke. When chutes opened, Russian participant Irina Sinitsina and a male skydiver collided while under canopy. The parachute of the male
skydiver entangled Sinitina and he jettisoned that chute, safely deploying, and landing under, his reserve. Sinitsina's main chute had not collapsed as a result of the entanglement but she was
trailing the other skydiver's collapsed chute and elected to jettison her canopy to clear both mains and land under her reserve. The reserve opened properly but reportedly left Sinitsina turning at an
altitude of roughly 400 feet. Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld, manager of Perris Valley Skydiving, told local news that upon landing, Sinistra's body fell forward and her head struck the ground.
|
|
|
Faro G2 Now Available to General Aviation
Proven, reliable reputation in commercial operations for over ten years. Three-year replacement warranty. MP3/cell input. Amazing noise reduction. Engineered in the USA. Choose from black, army
green, sky blue, and gray.
Only $189 — limited-time offer.
Click here to see what pilots think of Faro aviation headsets.
|
|
|
|
Felix Baumgartner is set for an Oct. 8 attempt to freefall from an altitude of 120,000 feet near Roswell, N.M., breaking the sound barrier along the way, and a record that's stood for more than
half a century. The jump will be the culmination of the Red Bull Stratos project, which began in 2005. It aims to best USAF Col. Joe Kittinger's 1960 record for jumping from 102,000 feet and landing
safely with a parachute. The team suffered a setback in July, when a practice run from more than 97,000 feet saw Baumgarnter reach 537 mph in freefall. He landed safely, but his 2,900-pound capsule
did not, suffering minor damage. The team now says it's ready to go. In Baumgartner's words, "I feel like a caged tiger waiting to get out."
Weather and technical details permitting, a helium balloon will lift Baumgartner in his custom capsule from Roswell, N.M., on or about Oct. 8. If all goes well, the trip will set a record for
"world's highest-ever skydive." It will also leave Baumgarnter with the distinction for the highest manned balloon flight, followed by the longest, fastest freefall. The team says weather trends in
early fall in New Mexico suggest they'll make their target date. The July 25 jump became the second-highest jump ever. After Baumgartner departs the capsule, the capsule is released to parachute back
to earth. Some unfortunately situated rocks left the capsule on its side, damaging its outer shell, framework and other key components. The systems have since been rebuilt and tested. Key players
include Col. Kittinger, who is an advisor on the project, and Don Day, project meteorologist.
|
|
|
Lycoming & Continental Aircraft Starters: Aviation-Manufactured, OEM-Endorsed, & Factory-Installed — For Over 20 Years
TCM supplier Hartzell Engine Technologies introduces the zero back torque M-Drive starter — the best lightweight starter designed to start even the hardest-cranking
large-bore TCM engines while safely disengaging from the starter adapter. Lycoming-chosen E-Drive starters from Hartzell Engine Technologies are unaffected by kick-backs, saving hours
of service time and replacement costs along with the best warranty available — two-year unlimited!
More on Hartzell
Engine Technologies' aircraft starters ...
|
|
|
|
It's rare to find funding, support, and space for a new airport in the U.S., but on Tuesday the FAA said it will provide nearly $500,000 in grants to three projects in California, Colorado, and
Hawaii to help develop and expand the infrastructure for commercial space transportation. "Government and private-sector partnerships are essential to carrying out our national space policies," said
FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta. "Today's grants help keep America competitive." Efforts to develop proposals for new commercial launch sites in Hawaii and Colorado won grants of $250,00
and $200,000, and a grant of $23,750 will go to buy a new rapid-response firefighting system for the Mojave Spaceport, in California.
The FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, created in 1984, is responsible for licensing, regulating and promoting the commercial space transportation industry. It has issued
licenses for more than 200 launches and licensed the operation of eight FAA-approved spaceports. Many other projects are in the works around the country. For example, Florida officials recently asked NASA to give them 150 acres of land north of the former shuttle launch pads,
as well as the shuttle runway, for aerospace development. In Colorado, the FAA recently provided $200,000 in funding to study building a spaceport near Denver. And in south Texas, SpaceX is searching for a launch site, although Florida
officials and several other states are also courting the company.
The central Alberta, Canada, city of Edmonton has set an $80 million budget to expropriate every business and individual with a property or business interest at Edmonton City Centre Airport so it
can close the busy (80,000 movements a year) facility within a year. The closure would make way for houses, condos and shopping centers. The city has identified 198 people with interests in the
airport land and has its checkbook open to offer them fair market value for whatever that interest might be. The dozens of businesses at the airport range from FBOs to flight schools and
aviation-related suppliers. There are also some businesses that are located off the airport lands by a few feet that are not included in the expropriation offer but will have to move if the airport
closes. The airport was formerly the city's main airport and has been there since the 1920s, but a new international airport was built on the outskirts 20 years ago and the "Muni" as it's called
became the main reliever for GA and business traffic. Its fate has been a political issue ever since and the most recent election installed a city council and mayor intent on getting rid of it. The
city's plan hit a major legal roadblock on Tuesday, however.
The Edmonton Flying Club, which was established in 1927 and is the oldest in Canada, doesn't want to move and has filed an $18 million lawsuit against the city. Its current lease doesn't expire
until 2028. On Tuesday, a judge allowed the club to seek a temporary injunction against closing the facilities it uses in the enjoyment of that lease (maintenance, navaids, the tower etc.) as it
pursues the lawsuit. If the injunction is granted, the airport closure could be delayed for years as the lawsuit drags through the courts. Meanwhile, the club has offered to drop the suit if it's
granted a permanent injunction against the city's closure plan.
|
|
|
U.S. Sport Aviation Expo
January 17-20, 2013
Sunny Sebring, Florida will hold its 9th annual U.S. Sport Aviation Expo this January 17-20, 2013 — the largest LSA-dedicated event in the world. Additions for
2013 range from a twilight air show opened by Patty Wagstaff demonstrating LSA Aerobatic Aircraft to The Year of the Cub to star-studded Manufacturers Showcases and a contest that will crown LSA's
most efficient aircraft/pilot duo. Four days in Sebring, Florida to "See, Try, Fly and Buy" ... everything in the world of Sport Aviation.
Visit Sport-Aviation-Expo.com for details.
|
|
|
|
Beginning next week, AVweb will step up its coverage of general aviation with a new news feed called Friday Features. Each week, we'll be offering in-depth reporting on products, services
and companies that we're sure will be of interest to our readers. Our focus will be primarily on stories related to aircraft upgrades, repair and refurbishment, but we'll also be covering new
products of interest to all pilots. Twice a month, we'll also feature articles on safety, maintenance and instrument operations condensed from Belvoir Media Group's widely read aviation print
publications. We'll continue to offer audio podcasts as part of Friday Features.
If you have a topic in mind, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you.
An 84-year-old former Boeing manufacturing engineering instructor says he hopes to finish a 60-year-old project this year with a flight in a replica of one of the most unusual homebuilt aircraft
designs ever conceived. Ed Kusmirek built a replica of a 1924 Dormoy Bathtub aircraft at his home in Renton, Wash. According to a story in the Los Angeles Times (rerun from the Seattle Times) the project began in the 1950s when Kusmirek
found an authentic engine for the type (actually a motorcycle engine) in Oklahoma. Since then he's plugged away at recreating the single place and very light aircraft, starting in his living room and
moving to his garage. Now, he says, he's a few pen strokes away from flying it.
Kusmirek has asked for an inspection from the FAA and he has to brush up his own flying skills. He has a pilot certificate but isn't current. In the spirit of homebuilt aircraft of the era,
Kusmirek has used an assortment of adapted technology to create the aircraft, from bicycle spokes as tension wires to dirt bike wheels for landing gear. A rowing machine bungee provides the landing
gear suspension. After six decades of development, he said he plans to fly it once and then donate it to a museum.
|
|
|
Talk to an Insurance Decision Maker, Not a Middleman
Avemco is America's only direct aviation insurer. You'll never have to deal with insurance brokers who stand between you and the insurance company. When you call, you speak directly to a
decision-maker empowered to solve problems and approve coverage based on your unique situation.
Get your no-obligation quote.
|
|
|
|
|
The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is
You! |
|
back to top |
|
|
|
|
Find Out Why Leading Flight Training Schools
Fly Diamond Aircraft!
Diamond Aircraft offers the only complete modern fleet of technically-advanced training aircraft, along with model-specific flight training devices and a safety record that is second to none.
Call now to find out why leading flight training schools around the globe fly
Diamond
Aircraft. 
|
|
|
|
Nearly two dozen Boeing 787 Dreamliners are already flying all over the world, but this week the first one for a U.S. airline was delivered to United Airlines, in Everett, Wash. The airplane is the
first of 50 copies the airline has on order, with five to be delivered by the end of this year. The 787 will start out on domestic flights, then transition to international flights later this year.
Next year, the airplane will operate on United's new Denver-to-Tokyo route. "Customers will be more comfortable with improved lighting, bigger windows, larger overhead bins, lower cabin altitude and
enhanced ventilation systems," according to Boeing. The airplane will be flown to United's hub in Houston sometime this week.
United said the 787 is configured to seat 183 in economy and 36 in business/first class. Training for crews will take about a month. The airplane will then fly its first commercial route on Nov. 4,
from Houston to Chicago. "The Dreamliner will revolutionize the flying experience for United customers and crews," the airline said in a statement. The first 787 was delivered in September 2011 to a
customer in Japan, and 23 copies have been delivered so far.
FAA official Keith Noles has clarified the cost estimates published in last Monday's airworthiness directive affecting
some Piper aircraft. According to Noles: "An owner/operator could choose one of two paths, either inspection or replacement. The key here is that the disassembly/removal and reassembly/installation is
the bulk of the cost in any scenario, and it would not be repeated in any one event. Here are the possible scenarios: 1. Disassemble, inspect with no discrepancies, reassemble. Cost estimate is $1020.
2. Disassemble, inspect with discrepancy requiring replacement. Cost estimate is $1592. 3. Disassemble, do not inspect, replace/reassemble. Cost estimate is $1592." AVweb story last Monday
read, "If the assembly needs to be replaced, it would cost another $1,600," but that amount should be $572.
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."
|
No, it's not a good excuse for a highly technical explanation — it's a joke. On the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli speculates on why it fell flat. Maybe Mitt Romney just needs a
better straight man.
Read more and join the conversation.
Does the pilot community have something to teach us about how democracy works? AVweb contributing editor Mary Grady looks for signs of hope in her latest post to the AVweb Insider
blog.
Read more and join the conversation.
|
|
|
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. 
|
|
|
|
Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb
|
Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos
American Legend gained success with its popular Legend Cub, and now it's followed up with a new Lycoming-powered version of the airplane. If you like the Super Cub, you'll like the
Super Legend, too, because its performance is quite similar. AVweb ventured to Legend's Sulphur Spring, Texas, homebase to fly the airplane, and here's a video report on the flight.
Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb
|
Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos
The B-24 was the most widely produced bomber in world history. This video shows the sole surviving regularly flown example, from roughly 18,000 B-24 Liberator bombers produced.
This is the Collings Foundation's B-24, Witchcraft.
During World War II, at peak production, factories put out roughly ten of these aircraft per day. Each was driven by four supercharged turbocharged radials putting out 1,200
horsepower each. Flying with greater range than the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator bomber could drop about 8,000 pounds of bombs from high- or low-altitude attacks. When WWII's most widely
used big bomber went down, it often took all ten crewmen at a time. It was notably involved in the infamous Ploesti raid, in which more than 50 aircraft and 660 crewmen were lost. The surviving men
who flew in the bomber and the men and women who produced these historic aircraft are becoming few. Talk to one if you get the chance.
|
Nominate an FBO
|
Rules
|
Tips
|
Questions
|
Winning FBOs
AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Berg Air at Madras Municipal Airport (S33) in Madras, Oregon.
AVweb reader Charlotte Echelberger explains how Berg has taken care of her traveling party on different occasions this year:
As part of the Oregon Air Tour, in May we stopped in. It felt like they could not do enough for us! Tracy even took time to go through the newspaper to find us a coupon for a free root beer float,
and Rob helped us hand-tow our 182 to the gas pump so we didn't have to start the engine. We returned to Madras in August for the Air Show of the Cascades and camped at the FBO. Excellent
facilities! (Even though I lost the pool game.) They even have a little yellow rubber duck in the shower. With all the comotion and large crowds [from the air show], Rob and Tracy were calm, cool,
and wonderful. Can't say enough about them.
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!
|
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.
The AVwebFlash team is:
Publisher
Tom Bliss
Editorial Director, Aviation Publications
Paul Bertorelli
Editor-in-Chief
Russ Niles
Webmaster
Scott Simmons
Contributing Editors
Mary Grady
Glenn Pew
Contributors
Kevin Lane-Cummings
Ad Coordinator
Karen Lund
Avionics Editor
Larry Anglisano
Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? Your advertising can reach over 225,000 loyal AVwebFlash, AVwebBiz, and AVweb home page readers every
week. Over 80% of our readers are active pilots and aircraft owners. That's why our advertisers grow with us, year after year. For ad rates and scheduling, click here or contact Tom Bliss, via e-mail or via telephone [(480) 525-7481].
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.
If you're having trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd prefer a lighter, simpler format for your phone or handheld device), there's also a text-only
version of AVwebFlash. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here.
Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.
|
|
|
