| This special Sun 'n Fun issue of
AVweb's AVflash is brought to you by ... Oregon Aero
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#MD-009A |
The Top Headlines From AVweb's Expanded,
Illustrated News Coverage At AVweb's
NewsWire.
SUN
'N FUN DEBUTS FACTORY-BUILT SPORT PLANES...
In Lakeland, Fla., this week, aviators are gathering for Sun 'n Fun, and
the FAA is making the most of it by getting past a huge bump on the
rocky road to light sport aviation -- as of Friday, manufacturers that
build fixed-wing airplanes can now get airworthiness certificates for
them and sell them as special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA). The FAA has
signed the final papers that put in place all the necessary
procedures, and will start training designated airworthiness
representatives, who will conduct inspections to be sure the airplanes
are in compliance. Sun 'n Fun opens tomorrow, and those S-LSAs are
going to be for sale all over the field. What kind of response they
get will be closely watched by many. Is the pent-up demand there? Or
is the takeoff point for LSA still somewhere in the future?
More...
...WITH
FLOCKS OF CONTENDERS...
Among the S-LSAs expected to be on display are the Flight Design
CT, an all-composite, high-wing airplane built in Germany and sold
in the U.S. by Flight Design of Connecticut. Two Evektor SportStars, a low-wing, all-metal airplane
from the Czech Republic, will be there, the ink still wet on their
airworthiness certificates. Sport Aircraft International, of Kerrville, Texas,
says that by 4 p.m. Friday it already had S-LSA approvals in hand for
the two airplanes. Making its debut is the Legend
Cub, an LSA-compliant "redefined" Piper Cub lookalike, with a
100-hp Continental engine, a wider cockpit, and other modern touches.
More...
...PLUS
LANCAIR, AVIAT, CHELTON, SYMPHONY, PIPER, MORE
Plenty of the established certified airplane manufacturers and
kitplane companies will be in Lakeland this week also, with new
aircraft to show and product updates to boast about. Aviat Aircraft
is bringing several new Huskies, showing off the recently STC'd
weight-saving MT propeller and a newly modified aileron/flap
combination. Lancair President Bing Lantis will announce
details of a new "set and forget" climate-control system for the
production models Columbia 350 and "world's fastest certified piston
single engine" 400, and talk about company expansion initiatives. Chelton
Aviation has a new digital autopilot mounted in a Cheetah. Watch
your inbox for two special editions of AVweb straight from the
show, arriving Wednesday and Friday, with a wrap-up next Monday.
More...
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AGAINST LIFE'S UNCERTAINTIES & PLAN
FOR THE FUTURE
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Official Sponsor of AVweb at Sun 'n Fun
2005 |
TSA
LOSES HEAD, MAY DOWNSIZE...
Admiral David M. Stone, the third person to head the Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) in the three years of its (somewhat
rocky) existence, announced Friday he will step down in June.
Officials were mum on the reasons for the departure and plans for a
successor. The move could reflect an effort in Washington to diminish
the agency's role, according to The Washington Post. The TSA could be
limited to just managing airport security screeners, or it could be
disbanded altogether. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is
currently undertaking a review of the TSA to be completed in May or
June, which is expected to lead to major changes. More...
...TO
GA DISMAY
General aviation advocacy groups are growing weary of the TSA
revolving door. "We need consistent and steady leadership by the
individuals that shape our fragile flight environment," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. Each new leader needs
to be convinced that GA aircraft are not a threat and educated about
the nature and needs of small airports, a frustrating exercise when
they keep leaving. Stone had appeared last October at AOPA Expo in
Long Beach, Calif., where he showed a willingness to listen to the
concerns of GA pilots. He also had worked closely with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) on
plans to reopen Reagan Washington National Airport. More...
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Visit P2 Inc. (with Eastern
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#C-043-045 |
NTSB
REPORTS PROBABLE CAUSE OF HUGHES RACER REPLICA CRASH
The crash of a Hughes H-1B Racer replica in August 2003 was caused by the loss of a propeller
counterweight in flight, the NTSB said in its final report. The pilot then lost control of the
airplane during a forced landing attempt and spun into the ground. The
crash took place in Yellowstone National Park as pilot James Wright,
53, of Cottage Grove, Ore., who had built the replica, was flying it
home from Oshkosh. The propeller was a "highly modified"
constant-speed prop with a history of control problems, the safety
board said. The NTSB said it found nothing to indicate that Wright,
who was killed in the accident, had any physical problems that might
have contributed to the crash. Wright was wearing a parachute at the
time of the accident. More...
IN-FLIGHT
BREAKUP INVESTIGATED IN CESSNA CRASH
Three men from northern California died Thursday morning when their
Cessna T210L crashed into a field near Fresno. A witness said he heard
an "explosion" and saw debris raining down from the sky at the time of
the crash. Other witnesses reported sounds like backfiring and
sputtering from the engine. The FAA told The Press Democrat of Santa
Rosa that one wing was found some distance from the main wreckage, but
investigators have not yet determined if there was an in-flight
breakup of the aircraft. More...
CONFUSED ABOUT DATALINK WEATHER?
UNDERSTANDING
DATALINK WEATHER AT SUN 'N FUN
WSI Corporation is offering a
no-cost Seminar Series on the topic of Datalink Weather. Created with
the pilot in mind, these seminars will instruct on the proper use of
datalink weather systems in the cockpit. Close attention will be paid
to the exact nature of data products now available on various systems
— ask your own questions about datalink at WSI's premiere
presentations: 10:00 AM April 12 and 17th at Sun 'n Fun. For
more details, visit http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/wsi/snf/avflash
To
help you get to Sun 'n Fun, WSI offers a no-charge Sun 'n Fun
Weather Web Site. See what the conditions are in Lakeland right
now at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/wsi/snf/wx/avflash
Visit WSI at Sun 'n Fun Booths
#A-040-042 |
SUSPECT
PILOT LOCATED IN U.K.
Last week, authorities located a 35-year-old British national who had
been the subject of a "special alert (scroll down) issued to flight
training providers. The alert included a picture of the man and said
he should not be allowed to rent or fly airplanes or take lessons. A
flight school in Georgia, where two of the 9/11 hijackers had briefly
trained, had reported that the man had tried to have his pilot rating
upgraded despite not being qualified. He also became "aggressive"
while pushing for his training schedule to be accelerated. Authorities
say they now have located the man in the U.K. The matter is still
being investigated and he has not been taken into custody, but his
name is now on the FAA's "no-fly" list. More...
INDIAN
PILOTS HONORED FOR HIGH-ALTITUDE RESCUE
Two Indian air force helicopter pilots visited the National Air &
Space Museum in Washington, D.C., last week to accept an award for a
record-setting high-altitude rescue flight in the Himalayas last May.
The two pilots landed their Cheetah helicopter at 23,240 feet on a glacier to
rescue three critically hurt mountaineers. Wing Commander S.K. Sharma
and co-pilot Flight Lieutenant A.P. Dhanake made the landing despite
turbulent conditions and high winds. The helicopter's official service
ceiling is about 17,700 feet. India is working on building a beefed-up
helicopter that could fly rescue missions above 25,000 feet. More...
|
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ANNOUNCE A NEW LOWER PRICE ON THE GARMIN GPSMAP 296 WITH TERRAIN
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All the new aviation GPS units are in
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GPSMap 76C, and the GPS 10 Deluxe GPS (Bluetooth compatible).
Established in 1965, JA Air Center prides themselves on being
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SHUTTLE
PREPARES TO LAUNCH, RUSSIANS WORK ON THEIR OWN
Space Shuttle Discovery reached its launch pad Thursday morning,
and is getting ready for the first flight in the orbiter program since
the loss of Columbia in February 2003. The rollout is one of
the last major steps before Discovery's launch, targeted for a May 15
to June 3 window. Shuttle Commander Eileen Collins will lead the
seven-person crew. Meanwhile, Russia says it's ready to start building
a new space shuttle of its own that would land on
ordinary runways and be far cheaper to operate than the U.S shuttle.
The Kliper spacecraft, which was unveiled recently at the 2005 World
Exposition in Japan, would provide a supply link to the ISS,
replacing the Russian Soyuz and the U.S. shuttle. More...
INSURANCE
FOR AGING PILOTS
Aging pilots can run into problems with insurance, facing substantial
surcharges or even cutoffs. AOPA is working on a study to see if the accident record justifies such
actions. "This study is extraordinarily important to pilots, because
the answers could very well affect general aviation safety and the
cost of flying for everyone," AOPA President Phil Boyer said. "This
affects all of us. We're all getting older." AOPA will also fund an
independent study to examine what happens to the cognitive and
neuro-muscular skills of pilots as they age. "Currently, there is no
hard, scientific data to justify the way some insurance companies are
treating older pilots," said Boyer. "We're going to find the truth."
More...
ON
THE FLY...
Mooney to add 'airbag' seat restraints in Bravo and Ovation
models...
PAMA hopes to declare May 24 Aviation Maintenance
Technician Day...
Fla. man whose wife and son died in a crash sued
FAA for $30 million...
LSA guru Dan Johnson has a new Web log about
sport aviation...
NATA has elected three new members to its board
of directors. 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...
READER
FEEDBACK ON AVWEB'S NEWS COVERAGE AND FEATURE ARTICLES:
AVmail: April
11, 2005
Reader mail this week about airborne cellphone
use, privatizing Flight Service, medical certification for
recreational pilots and much more. More...
NEW
ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
COLUMNS
CEO of the Cockpit #43: Summit
Talks on Aviation
A informal meeting of the minds (such as they
are) takes place each year where folks from many walks of life -- but
connected by aviation -- discuss the state of the industry and
relations among pilots, mechanics, and more. AVweb's CEO of the
Cockpit tells the tale. More...
JOIN
NAA AND CELEBRATE AVIATION'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
What
a great time to join the National Aeronautic Association (NAA),
the nation's oldest aviation organization — marking their 100th
anniversary in 2005! NAA membership is a terrific value for any
aviation enthusiast. You will receive two magazine subscriptions
— Smithsonian's Air & Space and NAA's Aero —
and access to aviation records, product discounts, and much more. Call
NAA at (703) 527-0226 to become a member of the NAA family, or sign up
online at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/naa/avflash. |
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...
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.
Visit Avidyne at Sun 'n Fun
Booths #D-043-044 |
SHORT
FINAL...
Sometimes you fly touch-and-go's, sometimes you watch others fly
touch-and-go's.
Thrity minutes later, still at the runway's
threshold...
Plane: Tower, 01Q.
Tower: 01Q, Tower.
Plane: 01Q has a request.
Tower: Go ahead 01Q.
Plane: 01Q would like to taxi back to the FBO to refuel.
(pause)
Tower: OK 01Q, we'll see if we can't get you out of here
today. More...
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| SPONSOR NEWS |
|
LANCAIR COLUMBIA 400 — NOW CERTIFIED TO
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_____________________________________
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Feedback!
AVflash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest aviation news,
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