|
December 4, 2005
NewsWire Complete Issue
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
| This issue of AVweb's AVflash is brought to you by ... JA Air Center
 NEW GARMIN
GPSMAP 396 WITH TERRAIN, XM WEATHER, AND MUSIC
PLUS FREE AUTO KIT ($239 Value)!
From the sled to the car to the boat — this year, put a Garmin GPSMap 396 under the tree!
In stock at JA Air! Also, current inventory levels allow JA to offer top dollar for used GPS, avionics, and aircraft. 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 [after hours (630) 306-7117] and mention this AVflash, or order online at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/ja/avflash.
|
Threats In The Air
An American Airlines pilot departing from Los Angeles International Airport told air traffic controllers that a missile had been fired at his aircraft and missed, a local ABC News affiliate reported
last week. The pilot said he saw a smoke trail pass by the cockpit as the airplane climbed out over the ocean. FBI agents and Homeland Security officials investigated last weekend and said it was
probably a flare or a [very impressive] bottle rocket, but they may never know for sure, according to KYW
Newsradio 1060. The flight was en route to Chicago and proceeded without further incident.
Although both BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman say they will be ready to produce workable missile-defense systems for airliners by January, so far there is no funding available and no mandate that
would require airlines to utilize such defenses, The Associated Press reported last week. Several
bills pending in Congress would require the systems be carried -- at least on some flights -- but the airlines have balked at cost and maintenance issues, and complain that the systems are too
unreliable. Both systems under development use lasers to jam the guidance systems of incoming missiles. Government contracts call for the systems to cost less than $1 million each and to be easier to
maintain and more reliable than military versions now in service. Last month, two men were charged by a federal jury in Los Angeles with conspiring to smuggle 200 shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles into the U.S.
Earlier this year, a British arms dealer was convicted on similar charges in New Jersey.
When the Transportation Security Administration announced new passenger-screening procedures and a
revised prohibited-items list last week, the Air Line Pilots Association thought it was a good idea. "We feel it's a move in the right direction," Bob Hesselbein, chairman of ALPA's security
committee, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We have to keep the focus on the facts of the
terrorists and the techniques they use, not on our fears of what they could do." The new list will allow small scissors and screwdrivers on board. However, the Association of Flight Attendants –
whose members work in the passenger cabin, while pilots operate behind locked doors -- opposes the change. Allowing scissors on planes "is taking a huge step backwards in terms of security," the
group's spokeswoman, Corey Caldwell, told the AJC. The new rules will mandate more random screenings, fewer prohibited items and a focus on detecting more serious threats, such as explosives, the TSA
said last week. The changes take effect Dec. 22. Knives and box cutters remain on the prohibited list.
New Methodology Employs Statistics
Typically, the NTSB reports on flight risks after reviewing a set of relevant accidents, but for its latest report, released
last week, the board has implemented a new methodology. The new "case-control" statistical-analysis approach was used in a study of GA weather-related accidents, comparing a group of accident flights
to a matching group of non-accident flights in an effort to identify patterns of variables that distinguish the two groups from each other. The advantage, the NTSB says, is that instead of focusing on
factors that accidents have in common -- and possibly being misled by characteristics common to most pilots and flights -- it identifies characteristics that set accidents apart and contribute to
their occurrence. All non-accident pilots voluntarily consented to interviews and provided information about their flights and their aircraft and details about their training, experience, and
demographics. That information was compared with data about the accident flights. Additionally, the FAA provided information about pilots' practical and written test results and their previous
accident/ incident involvement.
For this study, NTSB investigators collected data from 72 GA accidents that occurred between August 2003 and April 2004. An additional 135 safe flights that were conducted in the same area and time as
the accident flights were also studied. The analysis showed that risk factors associated with flying in instrument weather conditions or low visibility include: 1) pilot age and training-related
differences; 2) pilot testing, accident, and incident history; and 3) pilot weather briefing sources and methods. The board recommended that the FAA should beef up weather-related portions of the
Airman Knowledge Tests and flight reviews, develop a means to identify at-risk pilots and target them for intervention, and improve the delivery of weather information to pilots. The NTSB's last
published report on weather-related GA accident risks was in 1989. That report focused on accidents in which VFR into IMC was cited as a probable cause or contributing factor, and did not generate any
new safety recommendations.
The FAA has no plans to revise recent Airworthiness Directives that require a tactile check by pilots to prevent icing problems on the Cessna Model 208 Caravan, the Regional Air Cargo Carriers
Association (RACCA) said on Friday. RACCA representatives met with the FAA in mid-November and told the agency that the requirement that pilots must physically inspect the airframe for ice
contamination within five minutes of takeoff was impractical at most airports. Since such inspections would likely have to take place in run-up areas, where lighting is often poor and other aircraft
are operating, "the cure is seemingly more dangerous to pilots than the disease," RACCA said. Still, the FAA is adamant that the inspection be conducted in the timeframe specified and points to the
airplane's record of icing-related accidents as the reason. RACCA still wants the FAA to explore alternate solutions.
Picture this ... you're the captain of an Airbus A319-131, and you've just taken off from London into a clear night sky, bound for Budapest with 76 passengers on board. Approaching FL200, you hear a
"CLUNK" and the cockpit goes dark. No autopilot, no multi-function displays, no radios, just a bit of backup lighting. An airline pilot must now actually fly the airplane. As your co-pilot starts down
the checklist, you take manual control of the airplane, and fly by the night horizon outside and what backup instruments you can see. Two minutes into the checklist, the co-pilot pushes a button, and
all whirrs back into bright life. That's what happened during a very long two minutes on Oct. 5. With everything back online, the crew spent 40 minutes in a hold checking all the systems, then flew on
to Budapest without incident. A mechanic reset the system and put it back in service. The U.K.'s Air Accidents Investigation Board said it checked the systems and found no anomalies, but the investigation is continuing -- a preliminary report is available online. The event adds to those of airliners behaving badly following our last report of a Malaysian Airlines
Boeing 777 that seemed hell-bent on crashing itself on a trip from Perth to Kuala Lumpur last Aug. 1.
With 800 jets sold already this year and some big orders pending, Boeing is closing in on surpassing its peak of 877 sales, set back in 1988. But in the manufacturing world, big orders can be a mixed
blessing. Back in the late 1990s, high demand cost Boeing billions of dollars when the company ran up against a shortage of materials and an abundance of production problems. The company leadership
remembers those days all too well, spokesman Craig Martin told MarketWatch. "They are -- to a person -- determined it will never happen again, and particularly not on their watch." Much of the sales boom is being driven by growth abroad. Last
week, Jet Airways of India placed orders for 10 737-400/800/900 aircraft and 10 Boeing 777s, and Cathay Pacific Airways of Hong Kong said it will buy 12 Boeing 777-300ERs with options for 20 more.
|
 ZULUWORKS IS NEW AND IMPROVED!
Zuluworks has not only treated themselves to a little digital makeover, but have re-tooled their product line as well. The
new Gazelle is the ultimate flight bag with 3,200 cubic inches of versatility and style. Zuluworks has also added the super-popular Mimi-Z kneeboard at 50% smaller than the original
Zuluboard, but still packing the same punch. And the original Zuluboard has never looked so good, with new styling and sixteen new color choices. Click on the web site and take a look at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/zulu/avflash.
|
A commercial pilot from Centerville, Mass., has been charged in federal court with four counts of making false
statements on FAA medical forms, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said on Friday. The 53-year-old pilot lied on four first-class medical FAA forms, Sullivan alleged. If convicted, the pilot faces up
to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General,
Investigations Division. It is being prosecuted by Sullivan's Major Crimes Unit in Boston. Last summer, 46
California pilots, 14 of them active, faced similar charges after a two-year investigation. In most cases, authorities alleged, the pilots, seven of whom held commercial licenses, hid medical
conditions that would have disqualified them.
When it's not airspace grabs, it's user-fee threats -- that's AOPA's take on the FAA these days. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey spoke to the Aero Club in Washington, D.C., last Monday, and expressed
what is by now a familiar theme -- the Aviation Trust Fund faces imminent doom and a new funding system is essential. "You do the math," she said. "The equation doesn't work." AOPA was quick to respond. "Others have done the math, including the White House's Office of Management and Budget,"
AOPA said at its Web site. The OMB predicts continued trust fund growth. The FAA's authority to collect aviation ticket and fuel taxes will expire in 2007, and Blakey wants to replace the current
funding structure. Also, on Thursday, AOPA reiterated its opposition to a new TFR above Vice President Dick
Cheney's new house on the shore of Chesapeake Bay. AOPA says it is bad public policy, it further crowds and complicates already complex airspace, and it is inconsistent with the FAA's regulation on
TFRs. The association has requested that the FAA replace it with a NOTAM similar to those issued for nuclear power plants, dams and bridges. The TFR has a radius of 1 nautical mile and extends to
1,500 feet AGL.
The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in Ohio, is working to develop technology that will enable the Air Mobility Command to land in a range of environmental
conditions, anytime and anywhere, the Air Force said last week. An onboard system will process
data picked up by imaging radar to generate a near real-time three-dimensional video image on a heads-up display. The image will be enhanced to appear as if the pilot were landing in daytime
conditions on a typical visual approach, the Air Force said. The system would allow for landing in low visibility at remote runways that lack navigation aids. For off-airport landings, a pre-mission
landing analysis system will analyze satellite imagery to determine an area's suitability for landing operations by looking at length, width and flatness as well as potential obstructions and standing
water. Additionally, the system will be able to determine soil type and moisture content in order to estimate the strength of the area. "This technology is a true game-changer," said Douglas Zimmer,
deputy program manager with the Air Force Research Laboratory Human Effectiveness Directorate. "With the Autonomous Approach and Landing Capability providing the pilot with adequate imagery and the
dependence on airport infrastructure gone, mobility assets will be free to operate under a majority of atmospheric conditions related to extreme low-visibility," he said. Flight tests are scheduled to
begin late next year, with deployment by 2010. The Air Force Research Laboratory Air Vehicles, Human Effectiveness and Sensors Directorates are working collaboratively with BAE Systems, Boeing Phantom
Works and the U.S. Army's Cold Regions Research Engineering Laboratory, in Hanover, N.H. One day, the technology (or something similar) will likely trickle down.
Unmanned aerial vehicles have been attracting more and more attention in recent years, mainly for applications in military reconnaissance and border patrol. But down under in Australia, a new research
center is aiming in a new direction. "People are talking about using them for so-called armchair farming," says Rod Walker, director of the brand-new Australian Research Centre for Aerospace
Automation that opened at Brisbane Airport last Thursday. Farmers with large properties could send out cheap UAVs to find where the stock is, or to collect data on crops to improve management and
productivity, Walker told ABC Newsonline. And protecting the country's borders is on the agenda too. "This is the
future of aviation," said Deputy Premier, Anna Bligh at the dedication last week. "This is the next most significant development internationally in aviation and Queensland wants to be at the cutting
edge of that. We will in this centre develop the capacity to take this technology to the world."
|
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. |
An FAA Airworthiness Directive for McCauley
Propeller Systems targets 40 propeller hubs that the company says were incorrectly manufactured. The hubs could crack, causing blade separation and loss of control. The AD is effective Dec. 15 and
requires that the hubs be removed from service within 10 flight hours or 10 days...
An around-the-world "world speed record" helicopter flight is in the works for next June, with the aim to break the 1996
record of 17 days and six hours, and to raise millions of dollars to improve the lives of poor children...
Last week, Raytheon Co. said it had signed the largest single order in its history, selling 50
Hawker business jets to NetJets in a billion-dollar deal...
A 1981 Piper Seneca was stolen from Andres Island, Bahamas (MYAF) last Wednesday. The aircraft is gray with light blue and white trim, small registration numbers, and large tricolor stripes on
the tail. If found, contact the local police then call the Aviation Crime Prevention Institute, 800-969-5473...
A New York philanthropist, George F. Baker III, 66, went missing off the coast of Nantucket on Thursday afternoon. He was flying a twin-engine Beechcraft and was alone on board...
After 11 years of planning, Los Angeles International Airport will scrap its
plans and start over to plan expansion....
The first G1000 Diamond Star to be delivered in Australia arrived there recently. It will be used as a personal aircraft as well as for
flight training and rental in Melbourne.
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.
COLUMNS
Motor Head #10: Baffling Explanations
We squeeze engines into tight, streamlined cowls and allow the least amount of (drag-producing) cooling air through there because what we really want is speed. But even tiny leaks in baffles can have
huge effects on engine cooling and, therefore, engine longevity as Marc Cook discusses in this month's Motor Head column.
____
ATIS
ATC Pay
This opinion piece from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is in response to a letter from an AVweb reader about recent negotiations between the FAA and NATCA.
|
HOLIDAY STOCKING STUFFERS! FROM AEROMEDIX.COM
The Doug Ritter RSK MK1™ and the Mini RSK
MK1™ knives are the best value in a folder for everyday utility or survival use, starting at $99.95. Both models have a CPM S30V steel blade and the superb Griptilian handle. The
Pocket Survival Pak™ is waterproof, floats, and has all essential survival items for $27.50. The Freedom Photon light with yellow case and covert nose is priced at $19.95.
More savings found with combo packs! To order, call Aeromedix at (888) 362-7123. View Aeromedix's complete line of safety and survival products for pilots at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/aeromedi/avflash. |
AVmail: December 5, 2005
Reader mail this week about flight service, Airbus ADs, controller pay negotiations and more.
|
WINGX FOR THE POCKET PC, VERSION 1.7
Don't fumble for frequencies, Morse codes, or FSS phone numbers. With
WingX for the Pocket PC, you get: Advanced Weight and Balance with over 400 pre-defined models; A/FD information; Route Planning with the latest FAA data; fast FAR access; superb E6B with winds
aloft, fuel, and IFR climb calculations; and more. With Hilton Software's referral program, get $10 back with every referral! Don't have a Pocket PC? Hilton Software will pre-install WingX Pro Edition
on a high-performance Dell Axim X50 with the WingX Pro Solution! Call Hilton Software at 1 (866) 42-WINGX, or go online for screen shots and a downloadable demo at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/hilton/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/
|
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. |
|
ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME YOU CHOOSE SOMETHING EXTRA?
Pilot-inspired, German-engineered, and internationally renowned
— that's the difference in Extra Aircraft's EA-300 and EA-500. All it takes is one flight in the EA-300, and you'll discover why so many world-champion aerobatic pilots choose
Extra. Extra's certified, Rolls Royce-powered, 6-seat turboprop EA-500 is in a class all by itself. The only new technology cabin class airplane, the EA-500 averages 220 kts, gets 11 mpg, and
costs less than $200/hr to operate. Find out more about both aircraft at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/extra/avflash. |
Submitted by a heavy iron driver...
After landing on RWY 30 the other day I began to taxi to the gate when I noticed a beautiful red fox strolling across the taxiway.
Me: Hey, Ground. Did you know you have foxes here on the airport?
Ground: Oh, sure, plenty of them. I'm surprised you knew it was a fox -- most pilots think they are wild dogs.
Me: Well, I've been to a bar or two. I believe I know a fox when I see one!
Female Voice: Then I guess you'd know a wild dog, too.
|
GIFT-GIVING MADE
EASY
Visit AVweb's Holiday Shopping Page
Featuring products and services from AVweb's
sponsors — including very special holiday offers!
http://www.avweb.com/shopping
|
| 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 |
|
NEW NAA MEMBERS JOINING IN DECEMBER WILL RECEIVE AN NAA HAT
A $12.95 value at no cost! To
take advantage of this offer, enter the coupon code HOLIDAY05 in the "How did you hear about NAA" field on the online application. The National Aeronautic
Association (NAA) is also offering member rates on NAA merchandise to everyone during November. To take advantage of this discount offer, enter coupon code HOLIDAY05 on the product order form from NAA's web site. Your hard-to-buy-for aviator problem is solved, at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/naa/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. |
PROTECT YOUR IFR TICKET WITH THE MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO KEEPING IT!
IFR
Refresher is dedicated to keeping IFR-rated pilots updated with the latest information. IFR Refresher polishes your proficiency, challenges your knowledge, briefs you on changing regs,
and keeps your decision-making skills sharp. Order for guaranteed savings for as long as you subscribe at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/ifrref/avflash. |
PILOTS COMMENT AFTER READING IFR: A STRUCTURED APPROACH:
"The GPS chapter alone is worth
getting the book. ... It's the best instrument flying book I have ever read," states Fred Scott. "If one book could help you make the leap from a bit player to a skilled conductor of instrument
flight, this is probably it," reads a November 2003 AOPA Pilot review. With the help of this book, you will establish your own personal standard operating practices for IFR, including
incorporation of checklists, flows, callouts, briefings, and the "fly by the numbers" method of aircraft control. For more information and to order, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/skyroad/avflash. |
THE SHORT STACK HAS ARRIVED FOR PIPERS & GRUMMANS AT POWER FLOW!
Power Flow
Systems, manufacturers of FAA-certified tuned exhaust systems, have introduced a new "short stack" exhaust pipe for Piper PA-28 and Grumman AA5 series aircraft. The new STC'd short stack looks
better while still providing up to 23 more available horsepower. For more information on this and the right tuned exhaust system for your aircraft, go online to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/power/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! AVweb Specials: Price reduction on the 5-amp converter and NO charge for U.S. domestic shipping! To view all
Trans-Plata products and to order, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/transplata/avflash. |
PHOTON MICRO-LIGHT SPECIAL IN TIME FOR HOLIDAY GIVING
Save $8.50 and/or $10.50 on
Photon's P3s — covert and regular version, regardless of beam color — and each P3 order will include a hands-free clip and necklace clip. Order for everyone in
your office, your family, and your friends. These will go fast, so the offer is only good while supplies last, at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/photon/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
POWERLINK™ FADEC CERTIFIED ON LIBERTY XL-2;
YOU WORK AT
BEING A GOOD AND SAFE PILOT. HERE'S A REWARD!
YOUR HEADSET IS A KEY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, SO CHOOSE THE PERFORMANCE