The Top Headlines From AVweb's Expanded,
Illustrated News Coverage At AVweb's
NewsWire.
SPACE
TOURS FROM FLORIDA IN 2006?
Aera
Corp., of Temeculah, Calif., announced on Monday that it has
signed a "Commercial Space Operations Support Agreement" with the U.S.
Air Force that will allow it to launch its seven-seat rocket-powered
spacecraft from a launch pad and land it horizontally on a runway,
both at Cape Canaveral. Aera said it will unveil its spaceship,
Altairis, this spring at the Planetarium in New York City, in an event
the company is calling "The Altairis Adventure Rollout," and will be
flying paying passengers into space by the end of next year. Virgin
Galactic, which is building a fleet of spacecraft based on Burt
Rutan's SpaceShipOne, has said it expects to be flying in 2007.
More...
...WITH
A "SIMPLE" ROCKET DESIGN...
Aera Corp., formerly American Astronautics, competed for the X Prize
with plans for a ship that sounds much like Altairis, but the company
never got enough capital together to make it happen. Company founder
Bill Sprague told MSNBC that the success of SpaceShipOne has meant
an infusion of venture capital that has encouraged him to move
forward. The ship will use off-the-shelf technology, he said. Aera has
not yet released details of its plans, but the X Prize spacecraft consisted of a capsule that
would ride atop a booster rocket to about 119,000 feet, then separate
and coast into space. The booster returns to the spaceport, and the
capsule deploys a parafoil to slow its descent, then glides back to
the spaceport for a landing cushioned by pressurized bags.
More...
...AND
SOON, ORBITAL VACATIONS
Aera Corp. also says that three-day orbital vacations should be
available within a few years. By the time they get there, Bigelow
Aerospace, of North Las Vegas, Nev., may well be ready with
orbiting hotels where those passengers can stay. Bigelow expects to
launch its Genesis Pathfinder spacecraft early next year, Space.com reported on Tuesday. The launch will be
a shakeout of systems to be used on a full-scale inflatable space
structure dubbed the Nautilus, which is aiming to be ready for
commercial use by January 2010. Start saving your pennies now, because
the estimated price for visitors is about $8 million apiece.
More...
|
SPECIAL MARCH OFFER — COMPLIMENTARY UPS SHIPPING ON
RECONDITIONED 25XLs
When new, these headsets listed for
$599. Now you can purchase reconditioned 25XLs for $350 and
receive complimentary UPS ground domestic shipping through March 31,
2005. These headsets come from pilots who have upgraded to LightSPEED
Thirty 3G headsets. All have new seals, pads, and are upgraded to
current factory specifications. Plus, they are backed by LightSPEED's
30-day money-back guarantee, one-year warranty, and
LightSPEED's emphasis on customer service and satisfaction. For
more information, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/litspeed/r25xls/avflash. |
FIRST
FLIGHT FOR ALEKTO TWIN AND NEW DIESELS...
When the TT62 Alekto from High
Performance Aircraft made its first flight last month, in
Liechtenstein, it was also the first flight for Thielert's new Centurion 4.0 V8 diesel FADEC engines. "For both
companies, it represents another important milestone in the
introduction of the state-of-the-art technology into general
aviation," Thielert said in a news release last week. The TT62 is a
five-seater all-composite aircraft. The two engines are installed
inside the fuselage behind the cockpit. They power two five-blade
propellers connected to the fuselage via pylons. More...
...AS
JAVELIN JET NEARS LAUNCH
Construction of the Javelin jet demonstrator prototype is undergoing
final assembly and it will be ready for its first flight soon, Aviation Technology
Group (ATG) said Monday. In the last couple of weeks, the main
landing gear and the rudder pedals were installed. Wing flaps and
ailerons are awaiting final installation. Technicians have completed
bench testing of avionics in preparation for instrument panel
installation and final avionics functional testing. They have also
successfully integrated the avionics and aircraft instrumentation in
preparation for preliminary engine runs. About a month after the first
flight, ATG says it will unveil the Javelin prototype to the world.
More...
LOOK
TO THE PIEDMONT HAWTHORNE AIRCRAFT SALES TEAM WHEN YOU'RE BUYING or
SELLING YOUR NEXT AIRCRAFT
Whether you're looking for that
"envy of many pilots" single (such as a Bonanza) or a workhorse
turboprop or multi-mission jet, Piedmont Hawthorne Aircraft
Sales does it all — and has done so for over 65 years —
boasting a professional sales/marketing team engaged in new and
pre-owned aircraft with more than 100 years of sales, support, and
consulting expertise — Turnkey assistance from acquisition,
financing, or sales consulting to award-winning service and avionics
centers, and a VIP program for every customer at their extensive
network of 36 FBOs — Always looking to purchase quality
turboprop, mid-size, and large turbine aircraft. One call to (800)
259-1940, or one click to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/phas/avflash. |
NEW
PIPER BACK TO FULL PRODUCTION
New Piper was
hit hard by the hurricanes that stormed through Vero Beach, Fla.,
last fall (not to mention hand-me-down crankshaft complications
compliments of Lycoming ... or Interstate ... depending on whom you
talk to) but the company is back to full production and all of its
laid-off workers have been recalled, spokesman Mark Miller told
AVweb yesterday. "We're on track to deliver more airplanes this
year than we did in either 2004 or 2003," he said. The sprawling
80-acre site sustained heavy damage to several buildings, but the main
tooling and assembly equipment was spared and moved into intact space.
The company lost some staffers due to attrition during its recovery,
so it now is hiring and hopes to gradually build back up to a full
workforce of about 1,000, Miller said. So far the staff is up to about
830. More...
CONGRESS
PRESSURES TSA ON DC AIRSPACE
TSA chief David Stone took some heat last week from a
congressional panel for being late with a report on reopening
Washington's airports to GA traffic. During a budget hearing on
Thursday, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) asked about the status of a
progress report on the airports (Reagan Washington National and the
three small GA fields known as the "DC-3") that was due on March 1. Stone said a draft
of the report had been submitted to the Department of Homeland
Security but the recent changes in leadership there had meant a delay.
Another TSA report that's supposed to provide updates on the need for
the ADIZ around Washington is already months overdue, according to AOPA. More...
OREGON AERO — FROM AERONCA CHAMP TO ZENITH
ZODIAK
No matter which letter of the alphabet the name of
your aircraft begins with, you can fly pain-free with an Oregon
Aero™ Seat Cushion System. Oregon Aero makes painless, safer
Seat Cushion Systems for every type of aircraft, from older production
aircraft like the Champ to new homebuilt models like the Zodiak and
even jets. You can send or bring your seat to Oregon Aero, where it
will be upgraded by hand by a skilled and experienced staff. Want see
how Oregon Aero does it? Visit them online to see photos of the
upgrade process and find out how they make aviation seats painless and
safer at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/oregon/photo/avflash. |
AIRBUS
RETURNS TO CUBA AFTER PARTIAL RUDDER LOSS
An Air Transat Airbus 310 was about 30 minutes into a flight from Cuba
to Quebec City on Saturday when the rudder became partially detached.
The airplane returned safely to Cuba. Three other Airbus airplanes
were grounded for inspection but returned to service after no problems
were found. Reports that the Airbus was denied permission to land in
Florida by U.S. air traffic controllers seem to have been false. U.S.
controllers said they were never told about an emergency, and Air Transat said the crew chose to return to Cuba
because they had maintenance crew there and were never refused
permission to land in Florida. More...
NAVAJO
NATION DECIDES AIRPLANE-BUILDING TOO RISKY
The Navajo
Nation has opted out of a partnership with Utilicraft
Aerospace to build a new twin-prop freight hauler. The project was announced in December, but then two state agencies
in New Mexico reviewed the proposal and warned the tribe to proceed
with extreme caution before putting any money into the project, IndianCountry.com reported on Tuesday. The tribe
decided it would take too long to see a return on its investment, and
backed out of the $34 million deal. Navajo Nation President Joe
Shirley Jr. said the memorandum of understanding agreed to in December
had noted that the deal would have to clear such hurdles before being
finalized. More...
|
AVEMCO TEAMS WITH PILOT INSURANCE CENTER (PIC) TO OFFER
LIFE INSURANCE
Avemco, the only direct writer of
property and casualty insurance for general aviation in the U.S., is
sponsoring a Term Life Insurance Program underwritten by
well-respected insurance companies that have products tailored to
general aviation pilots. The Avemco Program will be administered
by the Pilot Insurance Center, using PIC's unique criteria. This
collaborative effort will make life insurance more widely available to
pilots at the best possible rates. For more information, go to
http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/avemco/avflash. |
FAA
CALLS BA'S ENGINE-OUT TRANS-ATLANTIC FLIGHT "RECKLESS"
FAA officials said on Monday they plan to charge British Airways with
"careless and reckless operation of an aircraft," because the airline
flew a 747 from Los Angeles to London with one of its four engines
shut down, the International Herald Tribune reported on Monday. A
British Airways spokesman said the flight crew did nothing wrong. "The
747 is fully certificated to operate on three engines. There is no
requirement to land," said Steve Shelterline. The 747 ran low on fuel
as it crossed the Atlantic at a lower-than-usual altitude, declared an
emergency and landed in Manchester. More...
FAA
WEB SITE UPGRADED
For years, the FAA has been building up stacks of useful information
on its Web site, but trying to find that information (if you even knew
it was there to be found) could be cumbersome. A fresh new redesign
that went online last week aims to make it easier for pilots to find
the info they need. The home page has a list of links for pilots that lead
to graphic
TFRS, NOTAMs, weather, and a downloadable pilot certificate application. A couple of clicks
on the "aircraft" tab will take GA pilots to links about registering
an aircraft and flying a vintage or surplus military aircraft, as well
as an outline of information available from the Small Airplane
Directorate. More...
|
TWIN COMMANDER AIRCRAFT, LLC SEEKS COMPANY
PRESIDENT
Twin Commander Aircraft, LLC is seeking a
new, dynamic company leader to succeed the retiring president.
This CEO position reports to a corporate Executive Vice President and
has full P&L responsibility for the company. In addition to leading a
dedicated in-house engineering, parts, customer service, and support
staff in Arlington, Washington, the President manages contractual
relationships with a key group of 22 independent factory-authorized
service centers worldwide. The ideal candidate must have a
senior-level management background in general aviation, experience
with the Twin Commander Aircraft product line, and the ability and
enthusiasm to take this legendary aircraft product line to new levels
of performance and growth. Contact:
J.
Stevens, HR Dept.
Precision Aerospace Services,
LLC
Click here to send an e-mail
(E-mails only; no
phone calls.) |
ON
THE FLY...
New GPS arrival procedures in place for AirVenture at Oshkosh in
July...
Boeing CEO Harry Stonecipher resigned...
First flight of
Boeing's Worldliner, a long-range version of the 777...
NTSB wants
modifications to Honeywell FMSs to prevent errors...
Register
online for 2005 Air Care Conference, April 29-30 in N.C....
The FAA
will spend $500,000 to study safety barriers at TEB.
More...
AVWEB'S
NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Drop us a line. Heard something that 130,000 pilots might want
to know about? If it caught your eye, it will probably interest
someone else, too. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com.
More...
AVIDYNE'S CMAX™ APPROACH CHARTS TAKE SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
CMax™ Approach
Charts, which can be displayed on Avidyne's FlightMax EX500 or
Entegra/EX5000 MFDs, provide geo-referenced approach charts and
airport diagrams. CMax™ reduces the amount of paper in your
cockpit, and allows you to access critical chart data more quickly and
easily. CMax™ overlays your flight plan and aircraft position for
optimum orientation. CMax™ even shows runway incursion hotspots
and improves taxiway awareness, reducing the need for "progressives"
at unfamiliar airports. With CMax™, you’ll know exactly
where you are on the approach or on the field. http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/avidyne/avflash. |
NEW
ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
WHAT'S NEW
What's New for March
2005
This month AVweb's survey of the latest products and
services for pilots, mechanics and aircraft owners brings you a book
on night flying, a density altitude thermometer, vortex generators for
Stinsons and much more. More...
AVWEB'S
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/
More...
AVWEB'S
QUESTION OF THE WEEK ...
This week, one AVweb reader wants to know if you've ever had a
near-mid-air and didn't report it. PLUS: Results of last week's
question on the spread of MOAs. More...
CHICAGO
BIZAV AIRPORT RFP
Chicago Palwaukee Municipal
Airport, the region's premier business-aviation facility, is
seeking industry proposals that require hangars (36,000 sq. ft.
approx.) and adjacent offices and shops (14,000 sq. ft. approx.). The
airport will consider a variety of business possibilities to
complement the airport's predicted growth, including aircraft charter,
maintenance, flight training, aircraft sales, or aviation
manufacturing. Contact Airport Manager Dennis G. Rouleau, C.M.,
at (847) 537-2580 ext. 114 for complete proposal materials. An
Executive Summary is available at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/rfp/avflash. |
AVWEB'S
PICTURE OF THE WEEK ...
This was a light week for "POTW" submissions, but almost every entry
this week was a serious contender for one of our top three spots. So,
despite a slight drop in submissions, we're going to run an
astonishing seven pictures this week — headlined by a colorful,
exciting air show pic from Bob Harrington. Bob, like all our weekly
winners, will receive an official AVweb baseball cap to keep his eyes
shaded during this summer's air shows. To get an AVweb cap of your
own, submit your photo to our contest! More...
| Sponsor News and
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| SHOPPING DEALS |
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SUBSCRIBE TO IFR MAGAZINE NOW AND
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| SPONSOR NEWS |
ATTENTION, PIPER OWNERS & PILOTS
The new
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ATTENTION, MECHANICS! SOFTWARE FOR YOUR
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