PILOTS' GROUP FIGHTS "DAILY CHARGE" FOR SERVICES
The head of Canada's largest pilots' group says U.S. aviators would be wise to consider what's happening north of the border as the specter of user fees hangs over American GA. Kevin Psutka, head of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), says Nav Canada's unilateral decision to impose daily fees on GA aircraft using the country's seven largest airports is an example of what privatization can lead to in the hands of a monopoly. "Everybody in the country should be writing their member of parliament about this," Psutka told AVweb. Nav Canada, the private, non-profit company that runs the country's airspace and pilot services network, claims the $10 daily charge for aircraft weighing less than 6,600 pounds (and larger planes declared as being for personal use only) using the seven big airports is a means of more equitably sharing the costs of running the larger, more complex facilities. More...

SAFETY THE MAIN ISSUE: COPA
Psutka says COPA's only recourse now is to launch an appeal to the Canadian Transportation Agency, the government body that oversees matters such as this. He said the daily charge violates a fundamental safety consideration that resulted in the flat fee (currently $71 CAD per year for aircraft weighing less than 4,400 pounds). The daily charge will apply to Canada's most capable airports in terms of weather operating ability, facilities and services. Psutka says the charge, even though it's only $10, could influence pilots to use an alternative airport that may, for instance, not have a precision approach, rather than submit to the charge. He said the flat charge was specifically instituted so that financial considerations did not enter the flight-planning process. More...

AOPA WEIGHS IN
AOPA says the Canadian experience proves the main point in its continued opposition to the imposition of user fees by the FAA. President Phil Boyer says that private corporations are always looking for new sources of revenue and that's the wrong foundation on which to base the management of the airspace system. "Air traffic control is not a commodity that can be supplied by the lowest bidder, nor charged on a per-use basis," Boyer said. "It is about protecting public safety, in the air and on the ground. Everyone has a stake in that, and that makes air traffic control a government function that is rightfully paid for with taxes." Boyer agreed with Psutka that airlines are trying to offload costs and GA makes an inviting target. More...

OPERATIONAL AIR TAXI UPDATE
A North Dakota air taxi service using Cirrus SR22 aircraft quietly began service in January and is apparently working the kinks out. Point2Point now has eight employees (including two pilots) and operates two aircraft. It's averaging two flights a day carrying business travelers on short hops that would otherwise mean a long drive. Chief Financial Officer Mike Boreman told the Bismarck Tribune that he's happy with the way things are going. "Considering the funding was turned on for Point2Point in January, I don't think we could have moved any faster," Boreman said. "I'm pleased with the progress we've made." More...

LUXURY CARAVAN SERVICE HOPES TO ADD ECLIPSE
Linear Air, based in Lexington, Mass., says it's seen revenues increase 450 percent in a year in its on-demand and semi-scheduled service using eight-seat Cessna Caravans. The luxury-appointed Caravans carry customers to up to 500 destinations in the Northeast and eastern Canada as well as seasonal service to the Caribbean. The company, which recently added a fourth Caravan to keep up with demand, will look to convince investors its future business warrants 30 Eclipse 500s. CEO William Herp says the Eclipses will allow major expansion of the service. "We're looking forward to expanding our ability to serve frustrated airline travelers and those looking for better private charter economics on short-hops," Herp said. More...

DELTA STRIKE MAY BE AVERTED
Delta Air Lines and the union representing its 6,000 pilots have reached a tentative deal on long-term wage and benefit cuts but no details are being released. The deal averts a potential strike the union threatened for next week. The union leadership took the weekend to go over the deal and will inform its members of its recommendations in the next couple of days. Lee Moak told the Chicago Tribune the analysis will be done "in an unrushed, methodical manner." The deal must also be approved by a bankruptcy court. Delta has been in bankruptcy since last September. Delta pilots had already given up about $1 billion in concessions. More...

FAA, NATCA SNIFF THE WIND
The FAA says it's willing to go back to the bargaining table with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association as long as there's some movement on the fundamental issue of pay for new hires. The FAA wants to impose a two-tier pay system that would start the 12,000 or so new controllers to be hired over the next 10 years at rates much lower than the pay received by existing controllers. The pay for new controllers has emerged as the key issue in the events that led to the FAA declaring impasse in the dispute. FAA spokesman Greg Martin said the agency would welcome renewed efforts at a voluntary agreement. "We need to see some movement on the pay scale for new hires," he told AVweb. We contacted NATCA repeatedly for comment but President John Carr was unable to respond in time for our deadline. More...

MODERNIZATION TAKES TIME
A massive effort to replace communications and data lines that stitch together the air traffic control system is (surprise, surprise) behind schedule and not achieving its financial goals, according to the New York Times. The Times story also says the program has caused three failures that resulted in flight delays. However, Harris Corp., which won the contract to do the conversion, said in a news release last week that the work is on schedule and will reduce the FAA's costs. The program, called the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure, was awarded to Harris Corp. three years ago, and will replace all the lines linking 4,400 installations, including remote mountain radio and radar sites. It's supposed to be done by the end of the year but likely won't be finished until the end of 2007, according to the Times story. More...

FAA EXPEDITES MUSTANG CERTIFICATION
The FAA is clearing away at least some red tape so as not to impede the certification schedule of Cessna's new Mustang mini jet. The current regulations don't address some of the unique design and performance parameters raised by the Mustang and the normal process for adding the rules necessary to accommodate the plane's certification involves advance notice followed by a 90-day comment period. However, the agency has ruled that since the new criteria apply only to the Mustang, the notice and comment period can be waived and the certification process can proceed unimpeded. More...

SIGN-OFF LANDS INSTRUCTOR A SUSPENSION
An Illinois flight instructor who his lawyer says mistakenly signed off a student's logbook has lost his commercial and instructor's ticket for six months, even though all the training was properly provided. Mark Clements, owner of Northwest Aviation, supervised the computer simulation part of a student's training while another instructor actually went flying with him. Clements signed off the logbook, when it should have been the other instructor's signature. It somehow came to the attention of the FAA, who charged him with submitting "false or fraudulent" records to the FAA. "It was just the wrong guy who signed the flight book," Clements' attorney John Scott Hoff told the Pioneer Press. "Had he just had (the other instructor) sign it, there would not have been a problem." Hoff said all the training recorded in the logbook was properly provided and recorded. More...

FBI TO GIVE PLANES BACK
An Alaska air charter company with mysterious ties to at least two intelligence organizations is getting back six of eight L-39 Albatross jets seized by the federal government earlier this year. The planes were taken after Security Aviation and one of its principals, Rob "Commander" Kane, were charged with illegal possession of rocket launchers. The government has now determined that at least six of the planes couldn't be fitted with the rockets and it's still examining the other two. A judge has been asked to dismiss the six aircraft from the case and talks are underway to transfer them back to the company. Meanwhile, documents unsealed last Wednesday revealed that, contrary to earlier statements by prosecutors, the federal government now concedes that Kane worked for at least two intelligence agencies. More...

ON THE FLY...
Apparently, it's giant falling ice chunk season, again...
ADIZ public meeting transcripts are publicly available, again.
DVT isn't just for pilots and long-haul passengers, anymore. More...

AVWEB PODCASTS
Online Now: Interviews not included in AVweb's Flash or NewsWire, plus today's news. Click here to listen. Subscribe free to AVweb's podcasts and receive them automatically, or check this spot each Monday and Friday to download them individually for listening on your computer, iPod, or while traveling with any MP3 player. Find AVweb's Podcast index, here. The content includes exclusive interviews with Cirrus Design's Alan Klapmeier, FAA administrator Marion Blakey, and more... More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: ACKER AVIATION
AVweb's "FBO of the Week" contest is sponsored by Aviation Safety magazine, the monthly journal of risk management and accident prevention.

Thanks to all the pilots and AVweb readers who took time to nominate their favorite FBOs in our "FBO of the Week" contest. Today's ribbon finds its target in Michigan.

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to ACKER AVIATION at 48D, Clare Municipal Airport, Michigan.

MARCELAINE LEWIS put it simply, "THE WELCOME MAT SAYS IT ALL. IT'S A RUNWAY LEADING RIGHT IN THE DOOR. IF YOU'VE MADE YOUR POSITION REPORTS 10 MILES OUT, YOU ARE GREETED BY THE FRAGRANCE OF A FRESHLY BAKED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE! SMILING AIRPORT MANAGER."

Keep those nominations coming.

Click here to nominate your favorite FBO and here for complete contest rules

NEW ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
COLUMNS
Probable Cause #4: Scud Runner
There are many aspects to flying safely, and FAA regs just scratch the surface. An experienced Marine helicopter pilot seemed to have the skills necessary to fly close to the earth; but he forgot how quickly new towers are built, as we learn in this week's Probable Cause column.

_________
AEROMEDICAL
Dr. Fredrick Tilton, Federal Air Surgeon
With a new Federal Air Surgeon in office -- one who is also a pilot -- many are wondering if changes will come to the medical certification process. Bureaucracies move slowly, but AVweb's Dr. Brent Blue learned about some interesting plans when he interviewed Dr. Frederick Tilton.

More...

READER FEEDBACK ON AVWEB'S NEWS COVERAGE AND FEATURE ARTICLES ...
http://www.avweb.com/avmail/

Reader mail this week about Sun 'n Fun ATC, Lycoming crankshafts, avgas prices and 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...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
What have you heard? There might be something to it. If you've heard something that 130,000 pilots might want to know about, don't be shy. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. Our best stories start with you. More...

SHORT FINAL...
Proudly flying my new Lancair Columbia 350 into Tucson International, having been cleared for the visual to 11L, I heard this interchange with a regional jet: 

Tower: RJ1234 you're cleared for the visual following the Columbia on a one mile final. 

(pause)

RJ1234: ...I'm following the Space Shuttle?!! More...

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 Russ Niles (bio).

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