| Volume 11,
Number 38b — September 22, 2005 |
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The Top Headlines From
AVweb's Expanded, Illustrated News Coverage At AVweb's
NewsWire.
BUSTING
THE DC ADIZ -- IN ARIZONA...
Shortly after Dale Mooneyham put away his G-model Mooney (no, we
didn't ask) on the afternoon of Sept. 2 at his home base of Chandler
(CHD) in Arizona, an aircraft apparently strayed near Stevensville, Md
into Washington D.C.'s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). That
aircraft apparently wasn't squawking a discrete transponder code and
had not established contact with air traffic control. The trouble (for
Mooneyham) is, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) thinks it was
Mooneyham's plane that busted the ADIZ. Now, Mooneyham is waiting to
see if federal officials will accept the mountain of evidence he's
provided to prove that this is a case of mistaken identity. "This
isn't just my pilot's certificate at stake, I'm an A&P mechanic for
Southwest [Airlines] and it could affect my job," Mooneyham told
AVweb. More...
...PLENTY
OF EVIDENCE
Mooneyham said he left in the morning from CHD (near Phoenix) for
Tucson, where his ailing parents live. He stopped for fuel along the
way and, after visiting his mom and dad, flew back to CHD where he
says he landed in the mid-afternoon. Fortunately, he kept his
time-stamped fuel receipt, which also has his N-number on it, as well
as his ATIS scratch sheets. He's also called both towers and confirmed
that the tower tapes have been saved. (Standard policy is to keep them
for 45 days but Mooneyham has filed a Freedom of Information request
to have the tapes taken out of the normal recording rotation so they
will be preserved indefinitely -- just in case.) He said he doesn't
think he can be too careful in this case and it's imperative that his
file be cleaned up. More...
|
PUT YOUR AIRPLANE ON TELEVISION!
Wings
to Adventure, the exciting new weekly television series on
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programming on television by visiting Wings to Adventure's
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 |
SPORT
PILOT EXPANDS NETWORK...
As the Sport
Pilot era enters its second year, the number of certified S-LSAs
(Special Light Sport Aircraft) is up to 15, with the FAA's acceptance
of the AveoUSA SportRider last week. The Italian design is built in
the Czech Republic and sold in the U.S. by Texas-based AveoUSA. The
second Sport Aviation Expo is coming up soon, Oct. 27-30
at Sebring Regional Airport, Fla. The first Expo was friendly and well-organized, and
this year's version will see an expanded exhibit area, nonstop demo
flights and four busy forum tents. There will also be a groundbreaking
for the brand-new CubAir Flight Academy, where students can learn to
fly tailwheel Sport Cubs built by CubCrafters. More...
...EAA
SPORT PILOT TOUR CONTINUES...
The EAA Sport Pilot Tour will be holding events around the country
again this winter, bringing new LSAs to airports, where pilots can get
to know them. The New Orleans stop scheduled for November has been
postponed until next year. The tour has added a stop at McKinney Field
in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 12. Next stop after that is Camarillo
Airport in Ventura, Calif., on Dec. 3. A January site will be
announced soon. This weekend, Sept. 24-25, Calhoun Airport, north of
Atlanta, will hold its own sport-aviation fly-in, featuring a dozen or so
LSAs. Ultralights and warbirds are expected, along with a couple
hundred visiting aircraft. More...
...AS
INFRASTRUCTURE AND AIRPLANE FLEET CONTINUE TO GROW
The RANS S-7 Courier is now nearing approval as an S-LSA, Dan Johnson
reported last week in his Sport Pilot Blog. For $75,000, RANS will offer a
factory-built S-7S with a Garmin GPS/COM and a transponder. Also, more
flight schools around the country are offering sport pilot training.
St. Charles Flying Service, in St. Louis, Mo.,
told AVweb last week they have just finished up their first two
students. Both came from California and completed the training in less
than two weeks, Dennis Bampton said. More students are scheduled and
the school has ordered a second Evecktor Sport Star LSA to meet the
demand. More...
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 |
BATON
ROUGE TRAFFIC STILL DOUBLE THE USUAL...
As tough as things got in the two weeks following Katrina's assault on
the Gulf Coast, as hard as the work was, however long the hours and
thick the traffic and the stress of constantly revamping procedures
trying to make it all work, "It felt good to do it," air traffic
controller Nic Bordelon told AVweb yesterday. "It was our
contribution to the relief effort," he says, but besides that, it was
a "pride thing." For a couple of weeks little podunk Baton Rouge was
handling almost as many operations per day as JFK ... up to 1,400 or
1,600 and more, up from the usual 300 or so on a typical day, Bordelon
said. "That's a lot of traffic." More...
...AS EMERGENCY WORK CONTINUES
The Baton Rouge tower now is staffed with four positions, up from two,
and the radar room has five, up from three. The new staffers came from
New Orleans Lakefront Airport, where the ATC facilities remain closed,
and two volunteers from Dallas-Fort Worth. Even with the extra staff
-- who spent a couple of weeks in RVs parked outside, until hotel
rooms could be found for them -- controllers have been working
mandatory overtime to keep everything running. Traffic has slowed
down, but it's still at least double what it was pre-Katrina, and it
may stay elevated for quite a while. Or even forever -- the population
of Baton Rouge has just about doubled with evacuees from New Orleans.
More...
NATA,
NBAA ASK FOR MERCY FROM IRS ON FUEL TAX
Under changes recently enacted in Congress, the Internal Revenue
Service can collect an additional 24.4 cents per gallon in taxes on
Jet A aviation fuel, apparently due to concerns that highway operators
are avoiding taxes on diesel fuel by buying Jet A to burn in their
trucks. Thus, aviation users, unless they are buying the fuel under
certain circumstances that are not yet clearly defined, must also pay
the extra 24.4 cents and then apply for a refund. If it seems a bit
like guilty till proven innocent, well, the National Air
Transportation Association (NATA) and National Business Aviation
Association (NBAA) don't like it either. They've asked the IRS to delay implementing the
tax changes until the whole process is clearly explained.
More...
NASA
CHIEF ENGINEER BOHN-MEYER DIES IN CRASH
Marta Bohn-Meyer, 48, chief engineer at NASA's
Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., died
Sunday morning when the Giles G-300 she was flying crashed as she was
beginning an aerobatic practice routine near the C.E. Page Airport in
Oklahoma. Bohn-Meyer was the first female crewmember from NASA or the
Air Force -- and the second woman -- to fly in the supersonic SR-71,
and was active throughout her career as a mentor to women in aviation.
She was married to fellow pilot and aeronautical engineer Bob Meyer,
who also works at Dryden. She was practicing for the U.S. National
Aerobatic Championship, to be held next week in Texas. An early report
said a witness saw something fall from the aircraft shortly after
takeoff. More...
SPEEDING
JEEP PROVIDES FIX FOR TRAILING GEAR
Instructor Jason Messenger and his student were landing at New Smyrna
Beach (Fla.) Airport last Friday morning, when they ran into a problem
-- the gear was down on their Cessna 172RG, but not locked. After an
hour or so spent trying various fixes, they made a plan with the help
of three airport workers to try hooking the errant gear into place
from a speeding Jeep. "I had heard of it being done one time before and it seemed like a logical step
to do at the time," said Jeep driver Danny Perna. Perna sped down the
runway as the Cessna flew above at about a dozen feet off the ground.
On the fourth try, the two men in the back of the Jeep were able to
hook the gear with a fireman's pole. More...
GA
SAFETY REMINDERS FROM THE FAA
Summer and fall are prime flying time, so the FAA has made available a
12-page safety briefing to remind pilots about the causes
of accidents and how to prevent them. "General Aviation Common Safety
Challenges 2005" identifies stalls and loss of horizon as key areas of
concern and provides some tips for avoiding the most common mistakes.
To prevent stalls, the booklet says, know your aircraft's performance
and maintain your airspeed when operating close to the ground. "Don't
get 'low and slow' during takeoff and landing. Do not exceed 30
degrees of bank in the traffic pattern," the FAA says. (The FAA, there
to help.) More...
AIR
TAXI OF THE FUTURE, FLYING TODAY
With fleets of very light jets ready to come on the market in the next
few years, many operators are planning to use them in the development
of point-to-point air-taxi systems. Aerobatic pilot Mike Goulian and
partner Bill Herp have the same idea, but they've decided to jump the
gun and start building their business now, using the VLJ-air-taxi
model but flying four Cessna Grand Caravan turboprops. And it seems to
be working. In their first year of operation, Linear Air has
grown from two employees to 25. Based at Hanscom Field, just outside
of Boston, Mass., the company flies weekenders to Nantucket in summer
and the New Hampshire ski resorts in winter, and zips business
commuters to White Plains and Teterboro, near New York City.
More...
B-25C
BOMBER RECOVERED FROM SOUTH CAROLINA LAKE
It's been known for 15 years exactly where a B-25C bomber rested on
the bottom of Lake Murray, 150 feet deep, and finally, about 9 o'clock
Monday night, a crane lifted it to the surface, as hundreds watched
from shore. The operation had taken 10 years of planning and about a
week of work at the South Carolina site by a team of several dozen
people. The bomber ditched during a training mission on April 4, 1943,
but the crew escaped safely. Monday night, the workers drained water
and about 800 gallons of fuel from the wreck and then lowered it into
a cradle. Over the rest of this week, the airplane will be taken
apart, and then it will be shipped to the Southern
Museum of Flight, in Birmingham, Ala., for restoration.
More...
ATTENTION, PIPER OWNERS AND PILOTS!
The
Piper Flyer Association (PFA) provides parts locating, tech
support, a monthly member magazine, online forums, national and
regional events, an annual convention, seminars, and more. For less
than a tank of fuel ($39 for a one-year membership), you can access
the needed information to expand your knowledge and get more enjoyment
from owning and flying your Piper aircraft. Join the Piper Flyer
Association (PFA) today as they build the ultimate Piper Association.
The PFA is now located on the Waupaca Municipal Airport (PCZ in
Waupaca, WI, just 35 NW of Oshkosh). Go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/pfa/avflash. |
ON
THE FLY...
A JetBlue A320 with 139 pax made a much-televised emergency
landing...
4,000 pilots took AOPA ASF free online Mountain Flying
course...
EAA says FAA won't drastically change 51-percent
homebuilders rule...
NASA released plans for new spacecraft to go
to the Moon and beyond...
Boeing says China will buy 2,600
airplanes for $213 billion by 2025...
FAA wants airlines to enhance
cabin security and crew communication...
The N.H. Aviation Society
dedicated a site for its new Museum...
Brad Pitt has reportedly
signed up for flying lessons. 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...
LOW-COST DIGITAL REPLACEMENT
TRANSPONDERS!
Narco Avionics proudly announces the
availability of their all-new Value Series plug-and-play line of
Digital Transponders. The Value Series is designed for the
cost-conscious owner. Narco's Value Series line of plug-and-play
transponders includes the AT165/VS (a replacement for the AT50 through
AT155), the AT165/KA/VS (a replacement for the KT76A/78A), and the
AT165/K/VS (a replacement for the KT76/78). Coming Soon: Narco's AT165/C and
AT165/C/VS, plug-and-play replacements for the ARC (Cessna)
RT359A/RT459A. SPECIAL: Purchase an AT165 and get an AR850 for
$99. For more information, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/narco/avflash. |
NEW
ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
COLUMNS
As the Beacon Turns #93: A Night
With Katrina
A hurricane is never to be trifled with -- on the
ground or in the air. But AVweb's Michael Maya Charles traversed the
remnants of a hurricane and reports that it can be done. Until he saw
lightning ... 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...
|
PILOT GETAWAYS' SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ISSUE TAKES YOU
TO:
White Sands, NM for dunes, rockets, balloons, and sand
boarding; Santa Monica, CA for sunbathing, surfing, and sushi;
Columbus, OH to show off flowers, the John Glenn Institute, and the
Jack Nicklaus Museum; Bar Harbor, ME, which sports colorful island
views, fishing, biking, hiking, and kayaking; Astoria, OR, where Lewis
and Clark met the Pacific and where history abounds today; Dolores
Point, CO for hundred-mile views; and Winter Haven, FL for a tour of
Jack Brown's Seaplane Base. Don't miss a single issue of Pilot
Getaways. Order your subscription online at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/getaways/avflash. |
AVWEB'S
QUESTION OF THE WEEK ...
Last week, AVweb asked what your personal threshold is with regard to
user fees. This week, we want to know how high avgas would have to
rise before you considered giving up flying. Plus, we give you the
results of the user-fees poll. More...
AVWEB'S
PICTURE OF THE WEEK ...
Hot-cha! In recent weeks, we've moaned and complained about the
dropping number of "POTW" submissions — though, oddly, the
quality of submissions has been soaring. Well, folks, our complaining
is over. This week, we received nearly 100 entries — that's more
like it! — and all of them held to the high standard we've come
to expect. (Oh, we are spoiled!) So settle in and get ready for some
amazing aviation photos, brought to us by talented AVweb readers from
across the world. We'll start you out with a rousing (and official
AVweb baseball cap-winning) take-off from Bob Tripp of Friday Harbor,
Washington. More...
| Sponsor News and
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STOP WONDERING — OR WORRYING — WHERE YOUR
FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE!
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PROTECT YOUR IFR TICKET WITH THE MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO
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FLYING MAGAZINE FLYS THE (LANCAIR) COLUMBIA 400
— THE FASTEST PISTON AROUND
In the September issue,
Flying also takes you up in the Grumman G-73 Mallard for
some amphibious twin-engine time; travels to Alaska for some bush
flying; gives you the third installment in their IFR series; and has
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| SPONSOR NEWS |
COMING UP IN THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF LIGHT PLANE
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PILOTS COMMENT AFTER READING IFR: A STRUCTURED
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___________________________________________________________________
Reader
feedback on AVweb's news coverage and feature
articles:
http://www.avweb.com/avmail/
Reader mail this week about Sport Pilot, shooting at crop dusters,
provocative Questions of the Week and more.
_____________________________________
We Welcome Your
Feedback!
AVflash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest aviation news,
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Today's issue written by News Writer Mary Grady:
http://www.avweb.com/contact/authors.html#mgrady
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