|
September 11, 2005
NewsWire Complete Issue
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
$1-Per-Gallon Hikes Not Unusual
The bad news is, you've likely seen the price of avgas zipping upward in the last two weeks, but the good news is, that upward trend seems to have topped out, and by the end of last week many prices
were starting to backslide a bit. Paulo Santos, who has been tracking GA fuel costs for eight years at AirNav.com, told AVweb last week that
although prices now are the highest he's seen, "At a few FBOs we are now seeing some softening." He cited several examples of FBOs charging $4.50 and up for 100LL midweek that were down to $3.99 by
Friday, while some highs still topped $6.00. Overall, of 1,617 FBOs reporting, prices per gallon were up an average of 39.4 cents over two weeks, Santos said. Prices went up $1 or more at 64 FBOs, and
the largest increase was $1.69. Prices are changing all the time, but as of Friday the highest price was at Teterboro, just outside New York City, where 100LL was selling for $6.41. But bargains could
be found. The lowest prices are hard to track, Santos said, because generally they're found at remote, rural airfields, but he's pretty confident that the $2.60 at Winnsboro, Texas, (F51) is among the
very lowest in the country. "It's certainly a lot cheaper than car gas just about anywhere," he said.
"U.S. pilots don't appreciate how good life is to them," CFI Juergen Boettcher wrote to AVweb last week. "In Germany we are presently paying more than $9 per gallon of avgas. Most of that is
taxes, of course." Another way to look at the price hike is as just one factor in overall operating costs. "If you are currently paying $4 for a gallon of avgas 100LL, and your price leaps [by 50
percent] to $6, your overall expense will increase only by plus-or-minus 11 percent, approximately," Jeremy Cox, an aircraft mechanic, wrote recently on GlobalAir.com. If that's cold comfort, advice on fuel-saving methods abounds. Pilots can fly slower, carry less weight,
keep the airframe clean and waxed, and try to keep routes as direct and efficient as possible. There are more creative solutions afoot. One more creative, if more complex, approach -- lobby your state
legislature for tax relief. It seems to be working for the NASCAR folks. If a bill now pending is passed, the motor-sport teams would be exempted from North Carolina state taxes on avgas used to
travel to races.
MOTHER NATURE CAN HIT ANYWHERE, ANYTIME
As current events have so vividly shown us, Mother
Nature can change our lives as easily as a strong wind. If you have or need life insurance, compare and save at the Pilot Insurance Center. You will receive the best policy at the best price.
Don't overpay for life insurance just because you are a pilot. Pilot Insurance Center specializes in providing pilots — from student to ATP — with premium rates that are not available
through other agents. A+ RATED CARRIERS – NO AVIATION EXCLUSIONS – fast and easy application process. For a complimentary quote, call 1 (800) 380-8376 or visit http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/piclife/avflash. |
Crews Frustrated
Many who are trying to offer help to the devastated Gulf region are still grounded. Dr. Aziz Kamali, a family practitioner in Stockton, Calif., mobilized a volunteer group of 20 nurses willing to
donate 7 to 10 days of vacation time to help out. Angel Flight America is ready and willing to fly them there, but having gone through "proper channels" as of Friday, Kamali still couldn't get the OK
to leave. The Louisiana governor's office has told him, "'We don't know where to put you and how to use you,'" Kamali told The Stockton Record. They said they'll get back to him. Dave Pechan, an Angel Flight pilot,
told the Record that he was grounded for a week, ready and willing, but unable to get approval to fly. An agreement was signed in August with the Department of Homeland Security saying that pilots
could be deployed within two hours of a disaster, but when the hurricane struck, that didn't seem to help.
Despite beauracratic obstacles, hundreds of volunteer pilots and their GA aircraft are contributing to the relief effort. Civil Air Patrol pilots who live in Mississippi fly all day and return at night to homes damaged by
the storm. "These people have drawn on some inner strength to get the job done," says Maj. Owen Younger, who is overseeing operations in Jacksonville, Miss. CAP cadets are helping out on the ground,
checking on victims and handing out thousands of pounds of basic supplies. Even the vintage aircraft of the Commemorative Air Force are helping. A CAF R4D (a Navy version of the DC-3) based in Lancaster, Texas, has been delivering freight from Austin to Hammond, La. Most of the crew flying the 60-plus-year-old airplane are
age 70 and over. Angel Flight has kept busy with over 1,000 supply runs and relocation flights. LifeLine Pilots have been filling in
for the regular Angel Flight missions. More pilots keep volunteering -- LifeLine alone signed up 14 pilots in the last week. From Friday, Sept. 2 through Monday, Sept. 5, more than 200 civilian and
military aircraft safely coordinated by Operation Air Care evacuated nearly 20,000 people, while bringing in relief supplies.
The FAA said on Friday that all airports in the region are operating, with the exception of New Orleans Lakefront Airport, which
was still under water. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) and Stennis International Airport in Bay St. Louis, Miss., are open only to relief efforts, and several other fields are
restricted to daytime and/or VFR only. Over the Labor Day weekend, MSY was one of the nation's top five busiest airports, with 3,300 flights per day, four times the usual traffic. The disaster is also
having an impact on aviation events scheduled for the area. NBAA has moved its annual meeting from New Orleans to
Orlando. And a Stearman event has been cancelled. NBAA's convention now will be held Nov. 9 to 11, a week earlier than originally scheduled. And the annual Stearman fly-in in Jennings, La., scheduled
for Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, will not take place.
The FAA last year fined the city of Chicago $33,000 for its destruction of Meigs Field, and now it is time to pay
up. On Aug. 31, the FAA notified the city that the fine is due in 15 days, unless a hearing is requested. The FAA is also investigating whether the city improperly used $1.5 million in federal funds
to demolish the lakefront airport, The Chicago Tribune
reported last week. That money was derived from grants and airline passenger taxes and was supposed to be used for repairs at O'Hare Airport. The FAA could order the city to repay the money or impose
penalties of up to $4.5 million, the Tribune said.
Pilots flying in the New York City area this month will be affected by multiple flight
restrictions during events surrounding the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, starting tomorrow and extending through Sept. 28. The restrictions will include two TFRs, a Flight Restricted
Zone with a special set of restrictions, and an outer ring designated as the New York Area Defense Identification Zone, with its own set of restrictions. The restrictions will affect traffic to at
least 16 airports. For more details, check NOTAMs. Also, AOPA has posted a plain-language interpretation. And since NOTAMs change, be sure to check again before flying into the area.
|
JA AIR CENTER, YOUR GARMIN GPSMAP 396 SOURCE, IS LOOKING
TO PURCHASE USED GPS UNITS, AVIONICS, AND AIRCRAFT
Current
inventory levels allow JA to offer top dollar for used GPS, avionics, and aircraft. Call (800) 323-5966 for your current value with no purchase required. JA Air Center, one of Garmin's largest
dealers, is accepting orders for the new color GPSMap 396 with terrain, XM Weather, and music on a first-come, first-served basis. Demand is extremely high on the new Garmin GPSMap 396, so get
your order in today! JA Air Center [Dupage Airport (KDPA) in West Chicago, IL] provides the finest avionics installations, turbine/piston maintenance, avionics/instrument service, mail order,
and aircraft sales. Also, they offer FBO services and fuel at Dekalb Taylor Municipal Airport (KDKB) in Dekalb, IL. Please call (800) 323-5966 and mention this AVflash, or order online at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/ja/avflash. |
An engineer working with the "Silent Aircraft Initiative" said in Dublin Friday that advanced airliner designs using a
blended-wing body could be flying within 20 years, and would create less noise than background traffic levels. Speaking at the British Association for the Advancement of Science's annual festival,
aerospace engineer Tom Reynolds, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said researchers are also experimenting with ways to make current aircraft quieter (which may one day help keep more
airports open). Flight tests will start next year to try out a new, steeper landing approach that would limit the amount of time planes spend at low altitudes. "It's really a win-win from an
operational point of view because you get less noise and less fuel burn at low altitude," Reynolds said. Once the engines are throttled back for landing, about half the noise comes from the flow of
air over the airframe, Reynolds said. Some solutions that the team is exploring include putting the engines above the aircraft so the body of the plane itself shields the ground from noise; embedding
them in long ducts, muffled with acoustic liners, to reduce the noise; and designing an advanced engine. The Silent Aircraft Initiative is a consortium of researchers from Cambridge University in
England and MIT.
A new NTSB study of weather-related GA aviation accidents, which AVweb told you about last
week, could potentially lead to costly and complex regulation, AOPA has warned. "The NTSB study itself helps highlight the need for ongoing pilot training, but some of its conclusions raise
serious concerns," said AOPA President Phil Boyer in a news release on Friday. "If the FAA were to implement any of the recommendations, pilots could be faced with burdensome new requirements that
might not significantly improve safety." Several of the study's nine recommendations, such as giving flight instructors access to pilots' records, are of concern, AOPA said. "As always, we will work
with the FAA to make sure that whatever is done truly benefits pilots and their safety," said Boyer, and meets a reasonable test in terms of cost and complexity.
|
A NEW RELEASE OF THE BEST AVIATION WEATHER SERVICE FOR CELL PHONES
Version 6 of WxServer just hit the
'Net, and it's chock full of new features. A simpler, more powerful menu structure makes WxServer easier to use than ever before. NexRad radar maps and satellite pictures are now zoomable.
And the new WxServer takes maximum advantage of whatever screen size your phone has available. Put NexRad maps centered on every US airport, satellite pictures centered on more than 95% of
airports worldwide, METARs, TAFs, and even Winds Aloft maps in your pocket. Aviation weather that's ready when you need it — on the tarmac, in the run-up area, or at unattended grass
strips. SPECIAL: AVweb readers receive $10 off the regular annual subscription rate at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/wxserver/avflash. |
WSI Corp.'s Pilotbrief Pro product line of weather information services for the cockpit now offers integrated FAA flight
plan submission capability, the company announced last week. Using a WSI system, pilots will now be able to plot a flight route, evaluate the impact of weather on their flight and, with one click,
file their flight plan for approval with the FAA. The upgrade is available free to all current Pilotbrief Pro and Pro Online customers. "With the addition of flight plan submission, pilots can quickly
turn a route briefing into a filed flight plan -- a great convenience and time saver," said Arlo Gambell, WSI director of aviation services. Pilots using the system can combine route information from
their briefing with stored profile information to more easily generate the form, WSI said.
UP Aerospace, of Connecticut, will be the first company to launch a rocket from New Mexico's Southwest Regional Spaceport, in March 2006. "This
launch will be a brilliant signal flare that will let the nation and the world know New Mexico's spaceport is open for business," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson announced last week. (We'll keep our eyes to the Mojave skies for unexpected developments.) UP Aerospace will
launch its SpaceLoft rocket on a suborbital flight carrying seven experimental and commercial payloads for a variety of scholastic and business groups. After traveling into space, the rocket and its
payloads will land in the downrange area of the Spaceport. Three launches are planned for 2006, 12 for 2007 and up to 30 in 2008. "This is a milestone event in the history of aerospace," said Eric
Knight, CEO of UP Aerospace. "For the first time in all of space flight, a facility is now available for regularly scheduled, private space launches. ... the 'final frontier' is now open to everyone."
The company has said it can offer access to space for as little as $25,000.
|
ATTENTION, BARON AND CESSNA 310 OWNERS — NEWS FROM McCAULEY!
A new STC has been approved to McCauley
Propeller Systems for installation of a new three-bladed propeller. Replace your old threaded propellers with the new Blackmac propeller. The Blackmac provides operators with an
average weight savings of 10 pounds, longer TBOs, and fewer ADs than other propellers available today. The Blackmac also comes with a standard three-year warranty. For more information and
an authorized service center near you, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/mccauley/avflash. |
English was the only language shared by the German captain and Cypriot co-pilot of the Helios 737 that crashed Aug. 14 near Athens, and they had trouble understanding each other as they tried to
interpret a confusing series of alarms in the cockpit during climbout, The International Herald Tribune reported last
week. Citing unnamed sources close to the investigation, the Tribune also reported that a maintenance crew that worked on the aircraft the night before the flight left a pressurization controller
rotary knob out of place, and the crew didn't notice it during preflight checks. Also, Boeing sent a notice to airlines saying it will revise its manuals to stress to crews what the various alarms
mean and how to respond to them, the Tribune said. The same horn warns of a takeoff-configuration problem if it sounds on the ground and a cabin-altitude warning if it sounds in the air.
After the pilots lost consciousness in the cockpit, the autopilot flew the airplane to Athens where it entered a holding pattern, as it had been programmed, and flew there until it ran out of fuel and
crashed. As the probe into the crash continues, Cypriot officials said they will fly to London to interview a British maintenance worker who left Cyprus after the crash. He feared for his safety if he
returned to Cyprus for the inquiry, according to the Times of London. The official report is not expected
for at least six months.
NATCA says the FAA is deliberately slowing the pace of contract negotiations, being "disruptive and
counterproductive..."
The FAA is testing new wind shear-detection technology at Las
Vegas airport...
Federal prosecutors have sued American Airlines for $1 million,
alleging the airline failed to investigate a fuel leak detected by an FAA inspector on a flight in 2003...
Chelton Flight Systems will provide glass-cockpit systems
for Bell Helicopter's 407 light single-engine helicopter...
The Flight 93 Memorial Project has chosen a design for a permanent memorial at the site of the
crash...
Sino Swearingen has wrapped another flight-test phase for its SJ30 light jet and hopes for FAA certification
this year.
|
WINGX FOR THE POCKET PC, VERSION 1.7 — NEW!
WingX Version 1.7 for the Pocket PC — it's a flight
bag powerhouse! Advanced Weight and Balance with over 400 pre-defined models; A/FD information (frequencies, runway lengths, and more); excellent Route Planning with the latest FAA data; fast access
to FARs 1, 43, 61, 91, 119, 141, 830, AC61-65D (endorsements), and more; superb E6B with winds aloft, fuel, and IFR climb calculations; and much more. With Hilton Software's referral program, get $10
back with every referral — with no limit! Don't fumble for frequencies, Morse codes, or FSS phone numbers; check out WingX for the Pocket PC. If you don't have a Pocket PC, Hilton Software will
pre-install WingX Pro Edition on a high-performance Dell Axim X50 for you — it's called the WingX Pro Solution! Call Hilton Software at 1 (866) 42-WINGX, and take a look at screen
shots and download the demo at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/hilton/avflash. |
Drop us a line. If it caught your attention, 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.
AVmail: September 12, 2005
Reader mail this week about user New York controllers, New Jersey FSS, your GPS and more.
COLUMNS
From The CFI #9: Mentor, Mentor, Who Has The Mentor?
Some pilots like to tell horror stories of times they got themselves out of trouble with their great stick skills. But the older pilots sitting thoughtfully to the side, chuckling at the boasting, are
the ones you might want to seek out and hear their experiences. AVweb's Linda Pendleton has thoughts about mentors in this month's column.
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/
|
DA40 DIAMOND STAR A FLEET FAVORITE
Airline Transport Professionals, Beijing PanAm, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University CAPT, Empire Aviation, Middle Tennessee State University, and Utah Valley State College — all have selected the G1000-equipped DA40 Diamond Star. For value, efficiency, and
safety, the DA40 is the fleet favorite. For more information, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/diamond/avflash. |
Falling on deaf ears...
Airline: New York Center, Bizmumble 123, inbound from across the pond. How are you today?
Center: Well ... I'm working on a holiday.
Airline (indignantly): You're barkin' up the wrong tree, buddy.
| Sponsor News and Special Offers
Access to AVweb and AVflash is provided by the support of our fine sponsors. We appreciate your patronage. |
| SHOPPING DEALS |
|
NAA OFFERS FIRST COLLIER TROPHY MEDALLION FOR YOUR SPECIAL COLLECTION!
SpaceShipOne was
the 2004 recipient of the Robert J. Collier Trophy. A special commemorative metal medallion shows the 95-year-old Collier Trophy on one side and an image of SpaceShipOne on the other. This is the
first in NAA's Collier Trophy Centennial Medallion Collection. Makes a terrific gift. Supplies are limited, and there's no cost for shipping. Order at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/naa/avflash. |
DON'T HAVE A LOW-LEVEL MONOXIDE MONITOR YET? GET READY FOR WINTER!
Low levels of carbon monoxide can
be extremely hazardous in aircraft, because the effects of CO and hypoxia are cumulative. A small CO leak may be an early warning sign of an impending life-threatening problem. Don't take chances!
With its digital readout that displays CO concentrations as low as 10 parts per million, the CO Experts Model 2004 from Aeromedix.com is by far the most sensitive carbon monoxide
detector you can buy. Now includes a 5-year battery! Order today by calling (888) 362-7123 or by going online at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/aeromedi/avflash. |
MIKE BUSCH'S SAVVY SEMINAR IS COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU!
During the next 12 months,
aircraft maintenance expert Mike Busch will be offering his acclaimed weekend Savvy Owner Seminar in Chicago, Boston, Denver, Frederick, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Orlando,
Houston, Memphis, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Salt Lake City. Learn how to have a safer, more reliable aircraft while saving literally thousands of dollars on maintenance costs, year after year.
For seminar details and to reserve your spot, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/savvy/avflash. |
SEE WHAT ATC SEES — AND THEN SEE WHAT THEY DO WITH IT
The AVweb Edition of Flight
Explorer is the PC-based graphical aircraft situation display that gives a real-time picture of all IFR aircraft in-flight over the U.S. and Canada. Whether you're tracking a friend or want to
learn more about the system in action, Flight Explorer has the information you need for just $9.95 a month. Go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/flightexplorer/avflash. |
WHICH SIX-PLACE RETRACTABLE HAS THE BEST SAFETY RECORD?
How good are the new Garmin
GPSs? Which low-cost ANR headset is most failure-prone? Only Aviation Consumer gives pilots full, unbiased reviews and evaluations of aircraft, avionics, gear, accessories, and much
more. Subscribe to general aviation's most outspoken and respected monthly at a special money-saving price at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/avcons/avflash. |
HASSLE-FREE AUTO BUYING FROM CREWCAR & CONSUMER GUIDES
Don't go blindly into a dealership when
purchasing a vehicle; look to CrewCar. CrewCar is a car-buying service providing shoppers with a complimentary integrated phone and electronic concierge-level buying service offering value
nationwide. The service is provided gratis and meets the Consumer Guide dealership network standards. For more information, visit CrewCar at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/crewcar/avflash. |
CARBON MONOXIDE KILLS! GIVE THE GIFT OF SAFETY FROM CO GUARDIAN
CO Guardian has
carbon monoxide detector models from portable units to panel-mount units. Each unit's solid-state sensors and temperature sensors (EMI-shielded to prevent radio interference) are built in the USA and
FAA-certified. Go online to find the CO Guardian model right for your aircraft at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/cog/avflash. |
HAVE A 24-VOLT AIRPLANE AND NEED 12 VOLTS?
Problem solved with Trans-Plata's Cockpit
Voltage Converter. And for $69.95, it's affordable, too! For more information and to order, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/transplata/avflash. |
| SPONSOR NEWS |
IFR MAGAZINE'S OCTOBER ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:
"Circling with Precision" — the
math is less scary than unlit towers at night; "What Makes the Bumps" — flying smarter in turbulent air; "Don't Kiss the King Air" — the pilot who prevents the aluminum rainfall; "Victor
Airways No More" — congestion relief via GPS; "Learning a Navigator" — some focused study pays off; plus, ATC tools that don't work in the rain, precision approaches that aren't precise, GPS
approaches that no one can fly, and clearances the pilot can't readback. Order your IFR magazine subscription at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/ifrmag/avflash. | | _____________________________________
We Welcome Your Feedback!
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 News Writer Mary Grady:
http://www.avweb.com/contact/authors.html#mgrady
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.
|
Printer-Friendly Version
OWN THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED HEADSET THAT REDUCES COCKPIT NOISE