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January 30, 2006
NewsWire Complete Issue
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
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 A New Resolution for the New Year -- Make This One
CountResolve to put your family's future at the top of your New Year's resolutions list. At Pilot Insurance Center ( PIC), you aren't penalized with higher rates because
you are a pilot. Now there's only one reason your family's future isn't covered -- you haven't made the call (or gone online) to PIC. For a complimentary quote, call the pros at (800) 380-8376
or visit online. |
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As the FAA and NATCA continue their acrimonious contract talks and debate over staffing, funding, safety priorities, equipment, pay rates and just about everything else, the controllers union last
week announced that four Democratic senators are introducing a bill that would prevent the FAA from
unilaterally imposing a "last, best offer." NATCA President John Carr wrote to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey that he hopes the move will encourage her to stop making "misleading statements" and
trying to "drive our negotiations to impasse." The bill is sponsored by Senators Barack Obama (Ill.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), and Daniel Inouye (Hawaii). Carr says the FAA's
apparent goal is to drive the talks to impasse and impose a contract, "gutting established principles of collective bargaining."
The legislation would require both sides to submit to binding arbitration. Senator Obama said he introduced the bill "to help defuse the growing management-labor tension at the FAA." The Professional
Airways Systems Specialists (PASS) union applauded NATCA's move, saying under the current rules, there is no incentive
for the FAA to negotiate. "The FAA is playing games by refusing to negotiate in good faith, knowing full well that in the end its contract demands will ultimately be forced upon public servants who
are committed to keeping our skies the safest in the world," said Tom Brantley, national president of PASS.
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 JA Air Center, Your Garmin
GPSMap 396 Source, Is Looking to Purchase Used GPS Units, Avionics, and AircraftJA offers top dollar for used GPS, avionics, and aircraft. Call (800) 323-5966 for your current value,
with no purchase required. One of Garmin's largest aviation dealers, JA stocks the new GPSMap 396 with terrain, XM Weather, and music with same-day shipping (before 3pm CT). 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, JA provides FBO
services and fuel at Dekalb Taylor Municipal Airport (KDKB) in Dekalb, IL. Please call (800) 323-5966, or click here for more
information. |
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The design of the Mitsubishi MU-2B twin turboprop is not inherently unsafe, the FAA said in a safety report
released last week. The airplane has been involved in 11 accidents in the last two years, in which 12 people died. The FAA's analysis found that compared to similar twin-turboprop airplanes, the MU-2B
accident rate is about twice as high. The fatal rate is about 2.5 times higher, while fatal accident rates in icing conditions are four times higher. An MU-2B pilot is seven times more likely to lose
control and have a fatal accident during an emergency compared to pilots flying similar airplanes in similar situations. The airplane is complex and high-performance, the FAA said, and pilots and
maintenance workers need better training to properly handle and fly it. The safety review was undertaken after
several members of Congress from Colorado asked for the airplane to be grounded, following two fatal crashes at Centennial Airport.
The FAA found that the use of MU-2B airplanes has changed. Originally marketed as a corporate aircraft in the 1960s, it is used more today for cargo hauling and private operations. This switch means
the aircraft is now "in the hands of pilots and maintenance providers who, in general, have less experience in high-performance airplanes than when it was used primarily as corporate transportation,"
the FAA said. Those pilots aren't getting the kind of training and proficiency checks that corporate pilots would, and they may operate a variety of aircraft, not just the MU-2B. Further, this shift
in usage exposes the airplanes to more frequent night flight operations. Mitsubishi spokesman Scott Sobel told The Associated Press the company stands behind the aircraft's safety record when used properly. "MU-2 aircraft operators need to be trained according to the manufacturer's flight
manual procedures, which have been in place for decades to maintain safety standards," Sobel said.
AOPA said it was satisfied with the FAA's report. "The FAA heeded our recommendation and will likely issue a
Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) to require specific MU-2B training," said Luis Gutierrez, AOPA director of regulatory and certification policy. "We think this is the right result and a much
better solution than issuing an airworthiness directive." But AOPA did have a nitpick with the report, which says that for single-pilot IFR operations using an autopilot, compliance with the AD
requiring the installation of trim-in-motion and autopilot disconnect systems is recommended. "The report doesn't mention the alternate means of compliance (AMOC) to this AD, which we believe offers
an equivalent level of safety," said Gutierrez. "The FAA should make it clear that the AMOC is also acceptable."
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 Your Headset Is a Key Piece of
Equipment, So Choose the Performance of an Industry LeaderThe Bose® Aviation Headset X offers an unmatched combination of comfortable fit, noise reduction, and clearer audio. But
don't take our word for it. Hear for yourself with our risk-free 30-day trial. New: Low monthly payments. Click here to
order. |
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If poking along at 170 knots in your Cirrus SR22 isn't good enough, George Braly, founder of General Aviation Modifications Inc. , home to
GAMIjectors, is working on a solution to retain that speed into the higher altitudes for even better true airspeeds. "We have a turbo-normalizer in flight test now that will make the SR22 into a
200-knot airplane," says Braly. (And they may well do better than that.) He's working on getting STC approval from the FAA and finessing the system, which he expects to have ready for market sometime
later this year -- hopefully in time for Oshkosh. Braly has years of experience on similar systems, notably for Bonanzas, but says this one has been designed from scratch, with a lot of unique
components. "I'm enthused about it," he told AVweb over the weekend. "It will make your SR22 go faster, give it more range, go higher, and do it on less fuel." Braly says the Bonanza system
requires about two or three weeks of downtime and costs about $45,000. The Cirrus system will be in that ballpark, he said, probably more expensive but not a whole lot more. The project is being
developed along with GAMI's sister company, Tornado Alley Turbo.
It was a very good year for pistons, for jets, and for customer service, Cessna CEO Jack Pelton reported last Thursday. In 2005, Cessna delivered 249 Citation jets, 822 single-engine pistons, and 86 Caravan single-engine turboprops; won FAA certification for two new jets --
the CJ1+ and CJ2+; and built its order book up to 788 jets and 1,198 single-engine aircraft with a total value of $6.3 billion, Pelton said. He attributed the success to "a broad product line that is
responsive to the marketplace, emerging global markets, and implementation of lean manufacturing processes." Other milestones for the year, Pelton said, were the type certification of the Garmin
G1000-equipped Skyhawk; delivery of the 6,000th single engine piston airplane since the restart of production in 1996; and unveiling the Citation Encore+ at the NBAA annual convention in November.
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 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 Mini-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 this link and take a look. |
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Amid all the rancor between the controllers union and the FAA, NATCA will take a break tonight to remember what the mission is all about -- helping pilots to fly safely, especially when the going gets
tough. Ten controllers will be honored as the second annual Archie League Medal of Safety winners. NATCA
developed the Medal of Safety as a way to recognize examples of the heroic work of controllers who helped ensure that emergency situations ended safely. This year's winners will be honored for helping
a VFR pilot to find his way out of IMC in Alaska, warning forgetful pilots to lower their gear before landing, helping a panicky lost pilot to get back home, and more. The awards are named for the
first air traffic controller. NATCA members nominated their colleagues, and the winners were then selected by an independent committee.
When Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta made a veiled reference to user fees in a speech to the Aero Club of Washington last week, alarm bells went off at EAA headquarters in Oshkosh. "EAA has been loud and
consistent on this point," said Doug Macnair, EAA's vice president of government relations. "We are categorically opposed to user fees for general aviation, especially since the FAA has not shown
effective cost controls or accountability for the capital improvement programs it wants to undertake. The major airlines and commercial operators favor user fees because they hope to offload many of
the costs for operations and services on to general aviation, even though the nation's air traffic system is truly designed to serve the air carriers, not general aviation." He added that if the FAA
operations budget was properly funded from the general fund as intended, and capital improvements covered by the Aviation Trust Fund, the issue would be resolved. Because the National Airspace System
benefits every citizen of the nation whether they fly or not, Congress has long held that the FAA and the upkeep of the infrastructure should be paid from the nation's general fund. In addition,
general aviation pilots pay a fuel tax to the Aviation Trust Fund, which is supposedly earmarked for modernization and infrastructure improvements. However, the FAA has been funding its operations
budget from the trust fund, draining it of the revenue needed for capital improvements and modernization, EAA said.
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 Put
Your Favorite Destination on TV!Wings to Adventure TV is looking for great fly-in destinations to show in stunning high definition. Each week, WTA visits
great places for pilots — some remote, and some right in town. Share your favorite destination on the forum section of the WTA web site, and you might see it on
TV! Watch WTA every Wednesday at 7:30pm Eastern, and visit their forums online. |
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Pilots should not include the effect of thrust reversers when computing safe landing distances for jet aircraft, the NTSB
said last week. Calculations tend to assume the thrust reversers will deploy immediately, when in practice there can be a lag of several seconds. The difference can be critical, especially when
runway conditions are poor, the NTSB said. The thrust-reverser credit was used when calculating the safe landing distance required for a Southwest 737-7H4 that landed at Chicago Midway Airport on Dec.
8, during a snow storm. The airplane ran off the runway, crashed through a fence, and hit two cars, killing a 6-year-old boy. If the thrust-reverser credit had not been employed, the calculations
would have shown that a safe landing was not possible, the NTSB said. "We believe this recommendation needs the immediate attention of the FAA since we will be experiencing winter weather conditions
in many areas of our nation for several more months to come," NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker said. The board asked the FAA to immediately prohibit all Part 121 operators from using the reverse
thrust credit in landing performance calculations. Although the recommendation would prohibit the thrust-reverser credit on all runways, its practical effect would be felt on planned landings only on
contaminated runways, which is when the credit is included in stopping distance calculations.
A Czechoslovakian-made Albatros L-39 jet crashed in Ketchikan, Alaska, last Wednesday, killing the pilot. The pilot apparently ejected from the jet before it hit the ground, and was found strapped
into his seat about 100 yards from the wreckage. The jet crashed into a small trailer park, causing extensive damage but no serious injuries. The pilot was identified as Stephen Freeman, 32, of San
Diego, Calif. Various reports last week said the jet had been sold to an Alaskan charter company and was being repossessed; or that the Alaskan company was only considering the sale and had rejected
it; or that Freeman was considering buying the aircraft and was testing it out. Freeman was a retired Marine. The Aero Vodochody L-39 aircraft is a low-wing, tandem-seat, all-metal turbofan-powered
aircraft built in the 1970s. About 200 of the popular warbirds are privately owned and flying in the U.S.
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The Best Aviation Weather Service for Cell Phones Now Available!WxServer's Version 6 is
chock-full of new features, with a simpler, more powerful menu structure. NexRad radar maps and satellite pictures are zoomable, and Version 6 takes maximum advantage of any phone's available
screen size. Put NexRad maps centered on every U.S. 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 wherever and whenever when you need it. SPECIAL: AVweb readers receive $10 off the regular annual subscription rate. Click here.
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You might suspect that watching a sailplane competition -- even in a spectacular setting amid New Zealand's rugged Omarama mountains -- would be about as exciting as watching a lawn bowling match. But
at last week's Gliding Grand Prix there may have been some who strongly disagree. A week's worth of daily press releases painted the televised event
as: "tense ... dramatic ... challenging ... historic ... competitive ... adrenalin-charged ... thrilling." The excitement included one finish with multiple aircraft crossing the finish line within
seconds of each other. It all finished up yesterday, with New Zealander Ben Flewett taking first prize. "Aviation and television history was made in Omarama this week," said Grand Prix director Peter
Newport. "We have created an exciting new spectator sport, the repercussions of which will filter out around the world. I firmly believe if this weekend's coverage is anything to go by, people will
soon be glued to their television screens following one of the world's fastest, most skilled and compelling sports." Hey, if they can get bazillions of people to watch golf tournaments on TV, why not?
The GlobalFlyer could launch on Wednesday, weather permitting. Steve Fossett plans to take off from Kennedy Space Center
in Florida and fly farther than any other aircraft in history...
New York's busy LaGuardia Airport will get a new control tower, to
be completed by 2009 at a cost of $40 million. The new facility will be 100 feet taller than the current dilapidated tower, eliminating "blind spots" and enhancing safety...
AOPA's Air Safety Foundation has posted a new online "mini-course" about using GPS for VFR pilots, just 15 minutes long
and it's free...
Helicopter pilots who fight wildfires in Oregon are running into opposition over use of a
"wild and scenic" river for training runs...
A Navy instructor and a student pilot were killed Friday when their T-34C Turbo
Mentor crashed near a runway used for practice landings and takeoffs in Corpus Christi, Texas...
An unmanned tiltrotor's first flight last week was successful. The Bell R918 Eagle Eye Unmanned
Aircraft System hovered for nine minutes, then flew again for half an hour...
In Udon Thani, Thailand, the Royal Thai Air Force is completing formation flight training in
five C-130s, which they'll use to attempt the world's largest skydiving formation, beginning this week. More than 400 skydivers from around the world will attempt a 400-person skydive.
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.
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Get Award-Winning VFLITE Computer-Based Training for Your GPSDon't train in the cockpit! Discover the
safe way to get the full power of your GNS 530/430, GPSMap and AirMap navigators. The new VFLITE GNS 530/430 Advanced Training CD-ROM is FAA FITS-accepted and helps you reach a higher level of
understanding on complex procedures. Recommended by Garmin(R) and Lowrance(R), VFLITE programs are the ideal solution for both initial and recurrent training. Prices start at $49.95. Windows
and Mac compatible. Click here for free demos and more information.
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COLUMNS
Motor Head #11: One Thousand (Not So Easy) Pieces
Wonder why airplane engines cost so much? Just try to build one. AVweb's Motor Head, Marc Cook, did (well, he helped anyway) and found it to be very enlightening. And then he flew a Turbo Cirrus ...
__________
AUDIO CLIP
Dick Taylor takes on the IFR crowd, making sure you understand the requirements and the not-so-common sense behind selecting suitable and legal alternate airports. Click through to make sure you've got it right.
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406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon from Aeromedix Takes the "Search" Outof "Search & Rescue." A 406
MHz PLB should be an essential part of your safety gear. PLBs greatly reduce the time it takes rescuers to reach an individual and provide the best chance of being rescued in an emergency. A PLB
with integrated GPS transmits precise coordinates to within 100 meters and reduces SAR notification time to as little as five minutes! Aeromedix.com has great deals on FastFindPlus ($549) and
ACR 406 I/O PLBs ($649). Order by calling ( 888) 362-7123, or order online.
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Garmin 396 vs. Flight Cheetah with XM Weather ComparisonHow does the Garmin 396 really compare to the Flight
Cheetah with XM Weather? Check out this link and find out. Call (866) 443-3342 to order, or order
online.
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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/
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Use the Best — ASA 2006 Test Books, Software, & DVDs for FAA Exam PrepASA's Test Preps for pilots and
Fast-Track Test Guides for AMTs include all FAA Knowledge Exam questions. Prepware combines all the information in the Test Prep and Fast-Track Test Guide series in computer-based
training. Virtual Test Prep lets students study from their TVs or computer DVD players. For complete details about these products, visit ASA's web site.
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Tired of the High Cost of Fuel? GAMIjectors Are the Answer!Don't be grounded by sky-high gas prices. Install
GAMIjectors, and you could see up to a 20% cut in your aircraft's fuel bill. Balanced fuel/air ratios make your aircraft's engine run smoother, cooler, and more efficiently. Call
888-FLY-GAMI, or order a kit online for your Continental or Lycoming engine.
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Submitted by a friend of AVweb...
Heard over the UNICOM:
Cessna XYZ: "Cessna XYZ taking runway 10."
Unknown voice: "Well, don't take it very far. There's another plane on final."
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AVWEB APPRECIATES YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR SPONSORS,
WHO BRING YOU TODAY'S NEWS AND FEATURES AT NO COST TO
YOU
Join NAA and Help Shape the Next Century of Flight
The New Year is a great time to join the National Aeronautic Association, the nation's oldest aviation
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DA40 Diamond Star a Fleet Favorite
Airline Transport Professionals, Beijing PanAm, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University CAPT, Empire Aviation, Middle Tennessee
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Low-Cost Digital Replacement Transponders!
Narco Avionics proudly announces the availability of their all-new Value Series plug & play line of digital
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(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 & play replacements for the ARC (Cessna) RT359A/RT459A. For
more information, visit Narco Avionics online.
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
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Models from portable to panel-mount units. Order online.
Power Flow's Short Stack Approved for Pipers & Grummans
Power Flow Systems, manufacturers of FAA-certified tuned exhaust systems, have introduced a new
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AVwebFlash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service.
Today's issue was written by news writer Mary Grady (bio).
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