April 12, 2013

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

FIND THEM AT: B-080 B-081 B-088 B-089 Bendix/King myWingMan Navigator App There's no easier way to fly informed. Ease-of-use is on every pilot's checklist — myWingMan delivers. With sophisticated yet intuitive flight planning, simply enter your start point and end point and go. It'll calculate your best route — VFR and IFR — based on your weather and terrain conditions. Two- and three-way split-screen options give you flexible, custom views. Just touch. And go. Visit PreviewMyWingman.com. Pelton Prognosticates back to top  EAA Ready To Roll, Sequester Or Not The federal sequester will certainly have an impact on EAA AirVenture, coming up in July in Oshkosh, Wis., chairman Jack Pelton told AVweb on Thursday in a podcast interview, but he's sure the show will go on as usual. Pelton also said the search for a new president to replace Rod Hightower is on hold at least until after AirVenture. "There's no timeline," he said. "As a retired volunteer, I can spend as much time as necessary to keep the organization going." The extra tower staff for AirVenture is generally provided by volunteer controllers, he said, so even if the contract operation is closed, he expects the tower will run as usual. Pelton also said he's "a little bit pessimistic" about getting the EAA/AOPA Class III medical exemption request approved. EAA also announced on Thursday a new partnership with Sennheiser as the first commercial sponsor for EAA's Eagle Flights program, which works to introduce adults to general aviation flying and help them overcome obstacles in their flight training. Sennheiser will provide financial resources as well as outreach assistance. The EAA program is in sync with Sennheiser's Live Your Dream effort, which launched in 2011. "Both programs provide a wealth of resources designed to educate and motivate, while bringing the possibility of attaining a pilot's license one step closer," said Sennheiser spokesman Christian Pulm. Jeff Skiles, EAA's director of education programs, told AVweb he is developing a new discount-priced online ground school for the Eagle Flights program that will be available soon. FIND THEM AT: C-049 C-050 Headset-Friendly Sunglasses A private pilot in sunny California, tired of sunglasses becoming uncomfortable on long flights and causing noise leaks in his headset seal, has designed a completely unique pair of sunglasses. Flying Eyes exist for one specific purpose: to be the best, most comfortable sunglasses to wear with a headset. Prescription lenses available by special order. Standard bifocal/readers in stock. Visit us at Sun 'n Fun at the MyGoFlight booth (#C-049, C-050). Watch the video review and take advantage of our special introductory price. Podcast: FAA Cooperating for AirVenture, Medicals Not So Much File Size 5.5 MB / Running Time 5:58 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS EAA Chairman Jack Pelton says sequester will have an effect on AirVenture but not in terms of safety. But he also told AVweb's Mary Grady that he's pessimistic about the chances of the joint effort with AOPA to get an exemption from third-class medicals for recreational flying in certified airplanes being approved. This podcast is brought to you by Garmin, Lightspeed Aviation, Sennheiser, and Bendix/King by Honeywell. Click here to listen. (5.5 MB, 5:58) FIND THEM AT: C-024 C-025 C-026 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 are 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 booth C-024 during Sun N Fun 2013 or visit us online at XMWXweather.com/aviation. Inside Diamond's Slick New DA40 back to top  Diamond Introduces DA40 XLT Diamond Aircraft is showing its latest model, the DA40 XLT, with an all-new interior, at the Sun 'n Fun show in Lakeland, Fla., this week. The upgrade is the first major overhaul to the interior in over eight years, company spokesman Jeff Owen said in a news conference Wednesday morning. The changes include deluxe leather seats with improved lumbar contours and a special sun-resistant coating that can produce substantial reductions in seat temperatures, plus sun visors, more cup holders, and more storage spaces for phones and tablets. "These things really do make a difference" in the comfort of everyone on board, Owen said. The front seat widths have also been increased by an inch, and the rear footwells were redesigned to give passengers more space. The technology for the seat coatings is the same that's used on BMW convertibles, Owen said, and can lower the seat temperatures by as much as 20 degrees Celsius compared to traditional uncoated leather in direct sunlight. The XLT is on display at Diamond's exhibit all this week. The company also is offering a DiamondShare program at several sites in the Eastern U.S. Essentially, the program helps an owner share the airplane with two or three other pilots, reducing the costs of ownership. Owen also said the company has started to recall workers after layoffs earlier this year. FIND THEM AT: B-078 B-079 B-090 B-091 Aspen Avionics Introduces ADS-B Solutions Designed to work with what you already have in your panel, Aspen's affordable NextGen ADS-B solutions provide an easy, cost-effective path to increased situational awareness and meeting the FAA's NextGen mandate. Try our simple ADS-B solution finder to get started, at AspenAvionics.com/EasyADSB. Anything Good on the Telly? back to top  Air and Space Channel in the Works If you find yourself missing the old Wings channel, there may soon be a replacement. After several years of work, television entrepreneur Phil Hurst told AVweb that his latest project, Air and Space Television, grows ever nearer to going on the air. "We're through the first phase, which is developing content and making sure there's an audience out there and developing the entire concept," Hurst said in an AVweb interview. After that, said Hurst, A&S TV will actually acquire the content, then acquire an underperforming network to launch the new service. As the name implies, Air and Space Television will broadcast a steady diet of aviation and aerospace-related programming from a variety of sources, including news and documentary programs. It will likely feature regular weekly shows. "For instance, we may have a reality show, but it will be about pilots or we may have a contest where you can win, say a Virgin Galactic ride. Just because it's about aviation and space doesn't mean that you can't tell all kinds of incredible stories." Air and Space Television, by the way, is a private venture not associated with the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Hurst said the project is seeking investment capital with a launch in about two years. Prior to A&S TV, Hurst was a partner in starting the Golf Channel, which followed a similar developmental model. For more information, see AirAndSpace.TV. FIND THEM AT: SNF-009 Bose® A20® Aviation Headset Focus on what matters. Flying. Better sound matters. So does comfort. That's why the A20 headset is designed with proprietary ear cushions to provide quality acoustic seals, even over eyeglasses. So you can fly comfortably for hours. And 30% greater noise reduction than conventional noise-reducing aviation headsets means you hear more of what you need to hear. Also features Bluetooth® communications interface,* auxiliary audio input, and priority switching. Learn more. * Available in certain variants of the headset. Podcast: TV Channel About Flying File Size 4.9 MB / Running Time 5:20 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS Air and Space Television has been working for about five years to bring a dedicated channel about flying to cable. Phil Hurst updates AVweb's Paul Bertorelli on progress to date. This podcast is brought to you by Aspen Avionics, Flying Eyes Pilot Sunglasses, Bose Corporation, and XM WX Satellite Weather. Click here to listen. (4.9 MB, 5:20) FIND THEM AT: D-034 D-035 D-036 D-037 D-038 D-043 D-044 D-045 N-011 Track Up with Garmin Pilot™ With new dynamic navigation maps in Garmin Pilot, you can now choose Track Up map orientation to see what lies ahead. You can also configure maps by turning on or off different airspaces, airports, and other features. Garmin SafeTaxi® airport diagrams are integrated right into the map, as well. Plus, you can now annotate procedures to highlight approach minimums, jot down frequencies, and more. Click here for more information. Securing the Device That Secures Your Data back to top  iPad Mounting Solutions iPads may have conquered the cockpit, but handling and mounting them with ease remains a challenge. MyGoFlight has set out to tame the iPad in the cockpit, offering a variety of products -- including kneeboard mounts, glare shield mounts and storage cases. Unlike other manufacturers with similar but universal mounting products, MyGoFlight offers mounts that are specific to aircraft type, particularly for mounting on a control yoke. The mounting hardware has obvious quality and perceived durability, while providing useful features that might solve some of the problems pilots face with both the full-size and mini iPad. The company also makes anti-glare screen covers, carry cases and flight bags geared toward tablet storage. FIND THEM AT: B-084 B-085 Come to See Sennheiser and Spectacular Air Show Performers at Sun 'n Fun Join Sennheiser at Sun 'n Fun (booths B-84 & B-85) and experience a new level of customization and comfort in the cockpit with the S1 family of aviation headsets. Try out our groundbreaking S1 Digital with digital adaptive noise reduction or the S1 Passive with adjustable clamping pressure and judge for yourself. And if you have always wanted to ride along with an air show performer, stop by our booth and find out how that dream can become a reality. Learn more. Video: MyGoFlight iPad Cockpit Accessories Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos Without the proper hardware, managing an iPad in the cockpit can be a challenge. MyGoFlight has a line of high-quality iPad mounts, knee boards, cases, and other accessories designed for the task. AVweb's Larry Anglisano had a look at the products at Sun 'n Fun 2013 in Lakeland, Florida. Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to watch on YouTube This video is brought to you by Aspen Avionics, Flying Eyes Pilot Sunglasses, Sennheiser, and Garmin. FIND THEM AT: D-051 D-053 Save $100 on Zulu.2 from Lightspeed Aviation Gear up for the flying season with Lightspeed Aviation's Spring Sale. April 1 through May 31, 2013, participating dealers will be offering $100 instant savings on the top-of-the-line headset from the company ranked #1 in the latest Professional Pilot Headset Preference Survey. Click here to learn more. A New Approach to an Old Problem back to top  MWFly's Unique Experimental Engines An Italian company named MWFly has come up with an intriguing way to handle the problem of torsional loads on small geared engines. Rather than a clutch or a dog gear to absorb the loads, MW's idea is to reduce the loads in the first place so it has developed a variable compression ratio design that backs off compression at idle and low speeds, but allows it to return to high compression when more power is needed. In its first showing in the U.S. market at Sun 'n Fun this week, MWFly showed AVweb how this clever idea works. In this exclusive AVweb video, the company's Guido Fantini said the variable compression ratio approach reduces weight and parts count without a loss in performance. New Terrain: Terrain and Obstacle Hazard Awareness for iPad ForeFlight's new Hazard Advisor swiftly and elegantly highlights hazardous terrain and obstacles, making you more aware of the granite clouds and threatening obstacles in your path. A worldwide terrain database keeps you informed wherever you fly, from Aspen to Auckland. Obstacle data covers North America, the Caribbean, and U.S. territories. Upgrade to ForeFlight Pro today and keep hazards at bay. Video: MWFly's New Experimental and LSA Engines Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos At Sun 'n Fun 2013, an Italian company called MWFly showed off an intriguing variable compression ratio engine that they say addresses the typical torsional loads on a small engine's gearbox. Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to watch on YouTube This video is brought to you by Bose Corporation, Bendix/King by Honeywell, Lightspeed Aviation, and XM WX Satellite Weather. Traditional Tactics Need a Fresh Approach Doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Isn't it time to initiate a digital marketing program with AVweb that will deliver traffic and orders directly to your web site? Discover several new and highly successful marketing options to use in lieu of static print or banner campaigns. Click now for details. Photos from Lakeland back to top  Sun 'n Fun 2013 Photo Gallery: Paradise City click for photos With the 39th annual Sun 'n Fun fly-in in full swing, we decided to lighten up and spend some time among the frames, sticks, and engines of Paradise City. Click for photos. 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.