March 8, 2013

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

Flying IFR? ForeFlight Mobile Pro Is for You ForeFlight Mobile Pro for iPad is a must-have service for instrument-rated pilots flying in IMC. The instrument procedures organizer, the instrument procedure search, and the enhanced situational awareness provided by ForeFlight's best-in-class TrueTaxi and TruePlates geo-referenced airport diagrams and approach charts make each IFR flight a joy. Visit ForeFlight.com to learn more and upgrade. From the AVweb Archives back to top  Leading Edge: Choosing Your Takeoff If a nonpilot asks you "How do you take off?" how would you answer? Line up with the runway, add power, accelerate to liftoff speed, raise the nose and go. But is it really as simple as that? Every year airplanes fail to get off wet or muddy runways, or to clear obstacles past the departure end. Every summer we hear of airplanes that can't get airborne or, if they make it into ground effect, don't have the power to climb any higher. The answer to "How do you take off?" is "I have to choose the technique to match the takeoff conditions." So how do you choose your takeoff? Click here to read the full article. Masimo Introduces a Pulse Oximeter for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch From the leader in hospital pulse oximetry comes the world's first pulse oximeter for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that measures during movement and low blood flow to the finger. The iSpO2 allows you to noninvasively track and trend blood oxygenation (SpO2), pulse rate, and perfusion index – for sports and aviation use.* Click here for more information. * Not intended for medical use. From the Pages of Aviation Safety Magazine back to top  Avionics Gone Wild Whether it's a calamity of wrong button pushes or a subtle input failure to a glass panel, understanding the interface is key to safety. As an avionics guy, I'm often asked if I would rather deal with total avionics failure in an all-glass or round-gauge aircraft. My preference is all-glass because total failure is pretty unlikely. And even if it did happen, the situation shouldn't be debilitating. With dual batteries, dual electrical systems, standby instruments and a portable GPS, there's little reason why you couldn't put down safely. But for an older retrofit panel, the risks are elevated. You don't have to be an avionics tech to understand what makes your panel tick, but you do need to know what can make it a ticking time bomb. Perhaps you pushed the wrong button sequence for an autopilot-coupled approach, or maybe an encounter with ice has turned your Aspen PFD into an expensive tic-tac-toe game. Knowing how to troubleshoot on the fly the way a technician might troubleshoot on the ground can keep you alive. Here's some advice for taming the avionics when the automation you trust and rely on tries to kill you. Click here to read the full article. Risk-Engineered Insurance for Owners, Flight Schools, FBOs, Renters, Clubs, Refurbished, Experimental, Ag, Rotor, and Antique Aircraft Starr Aviation understands how to insure airplanes — and pilots — that don't fit cookie-cutter underwriting. If you've heard "no" from other underwriters for your unique-risk flight operation — Starr is the solution. Through our national network of aircraft insurance brokers, Starr's financial strength and fast-pay claims service is hard to beat. For details, click here to visit StarrCompanies.com. AVweb Audio — Are You Listening? back to top  Podcast: Flying on Recycled Fuel File Size 6.7 MB / Running Time 7:19 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS Ross McCurdy, a science teacher and private pilot in Rhode Island, worked with members of the Paramus Flying Club in New Jersey to test a 50/50 biofuel blend in their diesel 182. After returning from a 1,000-mile test flight, he talked with AVweb's Mary Grady about how it went, why they did it, and what he hopes to do next. Click here to listen. (6.7 MB, 7:19) In the Soup? Whether you fly in the system daily or just IPC check rides, IFR magazine helps you be the best instrument pilot you can be. Subscribe now. Names Behind the News back to top  Meet the AVwebFlash Team 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.