Volume 11, Number 30b — July 27, 2005

Email this AVflash to a friend

The Top Headlines From AVweb's Expanded, Illustrated News Coverage At AVweb's NewsWire.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC...
The SpaceShip Company -- that's the straightforward name of the next (publicly announced) venture for Burt Rutan, announced last night at Theater in the Woods, here at Oshkosh AirVenture. Rutan and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic took the stage before an overflow crowd and said they had signed the papers that day to create the new company as a joint venture. "Scaled Composites will do the research and development, and then hand over those designs to the new company, which will be the manufacturer and marketer for what we envision as a large fleet of spaceships," Rutan said. The company's first project (funded to the tune of $120 million by Virgin Galactic) is to build the five SpaceShipTwos already on order for Virgin Galactic, but Branson and Rutan made clear they expect many more, and already are thinking about the next generation of suborbital and eventually orbital commercial spaceships. (Rutan would like to ultimately beat this planet's governments in the race to put humans on Mars.) More...

...AFTER HUNDREDS GREET SPACESHIPONE...
On Monday, hundreds of people crowded the Aeroshell Square area to watch the (somewhat firm) landing and rollout of the bulbous aircraft duo -- SpaceShipOne and White Knight. The occupants were greeted by EAA President Tom Poberezny and other EAA officials (who drove up in one of EAA's equally bulbous roofless Volkswagen Beetles). Rutan and astronauts Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie each took turns thanking EAA for the fundamental role their participation in the event over the years had in setting the stage for their launch of the commercial manned space industry. Poberezny recalled that during one of Rutan's 35 consecutive visits to the show, he said that one day he'd arrive there from space. And while that might not be technically true this time around, Rutan said his turn is coming. More...

...PILOTS NEEDED
Think you've got the right stuff to fly a commercial spaceliner? Get in line. Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn said the company has received more than 4,000 applications for pilot jobs in its new enterprise and estimates it will need about 75 after the full flight schedule is in place. "We will be looking for pilots," he said. Of course Virgin has thousands of its own pilots to choose from in its three airlines and there have been applications from the U.S. as well -- mostly ex-military, ex-NASA, and test pilots. Qualifications are going to be tough and those with military, space and test flight backgrounds are likely to get priority. But not everyone will need a fat logbook to get a foot in the door. And some early passengers may only need a computer and $10. More...

THE STATE OF SPORT PILOT...
Light Sport Aircraft may find its largest markets on either end of the active pilots' life cycle. That is, by attracting entry level "I just want to have fun" pilots on the front end, or by providing a last ride for pilots whose financial means, comfort, or age has caught up with their desire, or ability to fly higher performance aircraft (or earn a third class medical). On the grounds of AirVenture, it is not easy to decipher if Sport Pilots will be a well-defined group, and that may not be a good thing for the price-points of the breed. In the end, the desires of the market with the most buying power will ultimately define the most successful Light Sport Aircraft designs. For now, lack of a well defined group may mean a lack of mass production and a lack of new very low cost aircaft. More...

...TRAINING, ESTIMATED COST: $4,000...
A total of 13 airplanes are now fully approved under Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) provisions and now the push is on to put pilots in them and the dozens that are sure to follow. It's only been a few months since the first ready-to-fly planes were approved and not much longer since the first examiners were certified so there's a lot of catching up to do as these aircraft hit the market. However, we're now getting some idea of the training that will be required and its cost. Joshua Foss, of SportsPlanes.com told an Oshkosh news conference that a full training package for fixed wing S-LSAs should be less than $4,000. More...

...THE LIGHT SPORT INSTRUMENT PANELS
An interesting wrinkle in the carefully refined rules that define Light Sport Aircraft is its "conforming standards" provision. What it all means in the practical world of instrumentation, is glass, glass, glass. Of the thirteen aircraft on display in EAA's Sport Pilot Mall at Oshkosh 2005, multiple examples incorporated multifunction wonder-boxes placed prominently (dare we say, proudly) in places far more capable higher performance aircraft could not legally use them -- in their instrument panels. That's right, you too can carry one passenger at 100-or-so knots in VFR glory while referencing a single $3,000 unit for airspeed, turn rate, heading, altitude, VSI, artificial horizon, airspeed (plus true airspeed), ground speed, GPS slaved CDI, Zulu time and moving map. More...

CESSNA, ECLIPSE IN VLJ SPOTLIGHT...
Cessna left little doubt as to how serious it is about claiming its share of the very light jet (VLJ) market with the splashy arrival of its Mustang prototype at EAA AirVenture on Tuesday. With Cessna CEO Jack Pelton at the controls, the latest stablemate in the Citation line did a low and over (flyby) before landing and receiving a personal greeting from EAA President Tom Poberezny. "We're really happy that Cessna chose AirVenture for the public debut of this exciting new aircraft," Poberezny told AVweb. Pelton said the aircraft performed as expected on the cross-country flight wasn't pushed to its full potential. More...

...ECLIPSE GOES THROUGH PACES TODAY...
Eclipse Aviation has the biggest presence ever at AirVenture, including two type conforming copies of the 500, one of which didn't come out of the factory until two weeks ago. However, in contrast to the Mustang's splashy arrival, AirVenture patrons could be forgiven for missing the arrival of the first two flying Eclipses to be displayed at Oshkosh because of some unfortunate timing. The Eclipses landed just before White Knight and SpaceShipOne and ground controllers told the pilots to stay put on a taxiway while the Rutan crew was formally greeted. However, the Eclipse 500 gets time in the spotlight today with a slot in the air show. More...

...JAVELIN ON THE MOVE
Once considered by some to be a sleeper, at best, in the VLJ market, Aviation Technology Group's Javelin, a fighter-like two-place twinjet, has been piling up orders as it gets its prototype ready for its first flight. The company has also hired veteran Cessna exec Charlie Johnson as chief operating officer to guide the project through certification. Johnson took 20 Cessnas through the process and told a news conference on Tuesday he's excited about the prospects for the plane. More than 100 deposits have been received from individuals who'd like a $2.8 million, 600 mph jet that climbs at 10,000 feet per minute. But the military-style performance hasn't gone unnoticed elsewhere. More...

HEARTS TURN SKYWARD FOR YOUNKIN, FRANKLIN
Bobby Franklin and Jimmy Younkin were lost to this world July 10, but at AirVenture the two men are this week held close at heart. Just last year at AirVenture, the men and their X-Team left all onlookers wide-eyed with the Masters Of Disaster display -- if you were on the grounds last year, you likely couldn't look away. Younkin was awarded the World Airshow News Bill Barber Award for Showmanship here at AirVenture last year. But for a pair of men who together shared more than seventy years of flight experience and thrilled air show-goers for decades, the flying ended in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on a Sunday when their craft collided in mid air. Monday, the greatest general aviation gathering in the country began in tribute. A missing man formation flown to a lone bugle that played Taps at the same time both recognized the lost performers Younkin and Franklin, and officially started the show. More...

LOWRANCE INVITES GARMIN OWNERS TO DROP BY
If you have an aging GPS, and a friend on the grounds at OSH, you may soon be thinking of express mailing option. With bubbles of excitement frothing over the color-screened, terrain aware, weather-displaying, satellite music playing Garmin 396 handheld wonderbox, Lowrance has made an offer -- limited in time to the duration of AirVenture (now through July 31). Anyone walking the Oshkosh show grounds carrying older Garmin products -- or owners of any competing GPS product -- can exchange the units for a rebate letter worth $50-$100. Lowrance will put that dollar amount toward your purchase of any Lowrance AirMap series GPS. (The largest rebate for the most expensive unit.) For faithful Lowrance AirMap owners, larger rebates reflect a respect for customer loyalty and range from $100-$225. More...

AN EYE-OPENER FOR STUDENT PILOT
For most student pilots, the introduction to aviation is often a highly personal, humbling and even slightly intimidating (if exhilarating) experience. Well, Rick Roberson quite literally didn't know what he was getting himself into when he signed up for a $49 introductory lesson through the Be A Pilot program at a school in upstate New York. Not long after the first flight (which hooked him, incidentally) he got a call from Be A Pilot CEO Drew Sketekee telling him he was the 250,000th "pilot prospect" to take the introductory flight and his prize was an all-expenses-paid trip to Oshkosh. "'What's Oshkosh?' he said," Sketekee told a news conference at AirVenture on Tuesday. More...

TWINSTAR DIESEL CERTIFIED
Diamond Aircraft has announced that it's fuel-sipping, Thielert Diesel-powered DA42 TwinStar has been certified by the FAA. The type certificate will be presented by the FAA's Director of Aircraft Certification Services, John Hickey, at a ceremony at EAA AirVenture on Thursday. The plane has been certified in Europe for almost a year and 35 have been delivered. The company is also testing a Lycoming-powered avgas version of the plane that it hopes will be certified next year. "The DA42-TDI is the world's very first certified piston aircraft that incorporates new technology airframe, powerplant, and avionics technology," said Peter Maurer, Diamond,'s president. More...

THE NEW GENERATION HEADSETS
For those in the market for the ultimate lightweight comfortable tried and true technology (it uses wires) headset, LightSPEED Aviation is offering up to 40dB of hearing protection in a unit roughly the size of a cell phone headset. Appropriately, the design includes inputs for cell phones and music devices, cast in a magnesium alloy belt-clip worn unit. If you practice the black magic wireless and would like to invite it into the cockpit, wireless communication ultra-lightweight in-ear headsets (also about the size of a cellphone headset) are on the market. For those seeking the ultimate in lightweight (and untethered) communication headgear, think Bluetooth. The new technology translates to wireless headsets available right now from both Peltor and Panther Electronics. More...

ON THE FLY...
For those who think a picture is worth a thousand words, the galleries:
The grounds of AirVenture Oshkosh, Sunday (pre-show)
New aircraft, nose art and warbirds
The Sport Pilot Mall
Unique aircraft, the Exxon Flyin' Tiger, EpicJet in spandex, Tom Poberezny and more.
SpaceShipOne arrival
and taxi
and the team that brought it to us. 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. You're a part of our team ... often, the best part. More...

NEW ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
WHAT'S NEW
What's New for July 2005
This month AVweb's survey of the latest products and services for pilots, mechanics and aircraft owners brings you lightning maps, weight and balance on your cell phone, light sport aircraft 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...

PICTURE OF THE WEEK...
Just one image today. A man and his space ship. More...

Visit AVweb (and Our Sponsors) at AirVenture Click here for a printable list of our sponsors (and where to find them). Click here for the AVweb booth schedule.

AVflash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest aviation news, articles, products, features and events featured on AVweb, the Internet's Aviation Magazine and News Service. http://www.avweb.com

Letters to the editor intended for publication in AVmail should be sent to mailto:editor@avweb.com.com. Have a comment or question? Send it to mailto:newsteam@avweb.com.

Today's issue written by the AVweb newsteam:
http://www.avweb.com/contact/authors.html#newsteam
AVweb's editorial team: http://avweb.com/contact/authors.html.

Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's sales team: mailto:sales@avweb.com.

Freedom, independence, responsibility.

AVflash is now available in optional easier-to-read graphic format, which includes some photos and illustrations. If you prefer, you can continue to receive AVflash in text-only format. Simply follow these instructions and AVflash will continue to arrive as it always has, in text format.