PILOT LANDS SAFELY AFTER CRANK FAILURE
The 2005 Cessna 172S that shed its propeller while climbing out from St. Augustine (Fla.) Airport last Tuesday had a crankshaft failure, the NTSB said in its preliminary report. The airplane total time at the time of the incident was 399.3 hours. A pilot had landed the airplane at St. Augustine on Monday, reportedly after the engine began to run rough. On Tuesday, a commercial pilot checked the airplane over and tried several run-ups, finding no discrepancies. The pilot took off at about 1 p.m. in VFR conditions, to ferry the airplane to New Smyrna Beach, the NTSB said. During the initial climb at 500 feet, the engine rpm decreased from 2,390 to 2,200. The pilot advised the tower controller of the loss of power and had turned to return to the airport when he heard a loud noise and the engine and engine cowling began to vibrate. He put it down safely on a taxiway. More...

LYCOMING ASSISTING INVESTIGATORS
Although recent Airworthiness Directives and Service Bulletins have addressed problems with crankshafts in Lycoming engines, none of them applied to this particular airplane, Lycoming spokeswoman Daria Fish told AVweb yesterday. "Whether the fracture of the crankshaft at that location was secondary to some other cause is not known yet," Fish said. Further, "the reported fracture here does not involve the portion of the crankshaft which was the subject of prior incidents." Fish said the information she has received so far indicates that after the initial reports of rough running, the airplane was checked by a mechanic and flown again, and continued to run rough. More...

DIAMOND D-JET TO DEBUT AT OSHKOSH
Diamond Aircraft has officially confirmed plans AVweb told you about last year -- that the single-engine D-Jet will make its public debut this July at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The five-place (four-passenger) jet flew for the first time in April and has been in flight testing since then. Goals put the price below $900,000, max range at 1,351 nm, ceiling below 25,001 feet, cruise at 315 KTAS, and all while fitting in and out of 2,500-foot strips. "During my test flights, I was thoroughly impressed by the D-Jet's performance and feel. It is everything you would expect in a personal jet," said Diamond CEO Christian Dries. The D-Jet will arrive at the show on Wednesday, July 26, and taxi onto AeroShell Square, where Diamond executives will conduct a 10:30 a.m. briefing. Later that afternoon, at about 2 p.m., the Diamond Jet will provide a flight demonstration as a prelude to the air show. More...

WHAT'S NEW AT NEW PIPER ... A JET?
New Piper has been busy the last year or so dealing with hurricanes, union conflicts and more, but now is ready to think about the future. "We're very, very diligently working" on new product designs, says New Piper CEO Jim Bass, who joined the company just last September. He said he's not ready to announce any plans yet, but when he does, he'll have a well-formulated program with target dates, and Piper will "by golly" meet those dates. Plans for a very light jet will be announced later this year, he said. Meanwhile, the company continues to work on enhancements to its current product line, with efforts underway to improve fuel payload, speed, range, avionics and ergonomics. For more from our interview with Bass, including where the company will tend to focus its efforts in the future, check out AVweb's podcast, available online tomorrow. More...

TIGER AIRCRAFT SEEKING CASH
Tiger Aircraft has plenty of orders, but until new financing comes through, there is not much activity at the factory. "We've cut back, but we're still there," company spokesman Mat Goodman told AVweb on Tuesday. "Things are about the same. We're still working on a financing deal." Goodman said he hopes to have more news soon. The plant, in Martinsburg, W.V., opened in 2002, ready to build copies of the sporty touring aircraft first made by Grumman in the 1970s. Last December, eight of the 28 employees were laid off. Company President Gene Criss said then that he was working on some new products and hoped to eventually have a workforce of 50 or more. More...

THIELERT ENGINE OK'D FOR MORE PA28S
Thielert Aircraft Engines of Germany said on Monday it has obtained supplemental type certification (STC) from the European Aviation Safety Agency to integrate its jet-fuel/diesel piston engines into additional Piper PA28 series aircraft. Two years ago, Thielert incorporated the Centurion 1.7 in the Piper PA28-161 as a rebuilt engine. Now, STCs for the Piper series PA28-140, -150, -160, -180 and -151 have been added. To this end, the Piper PA28-160 and -180 were reduced in weight to 2,152 pounds. "The Piper PA28 is one of the most popular aircraft in general aviation, after the Cessna 172. With these new certifications we now cover almost all series of these two aircraft models," said Frank Thielert, CEO and founder of the company. More...

CLOCK IS TICKING ON FAA/ATC DISPUTE
June 5 is the deadline for Congress to act on the FAA's proposed contract for air traffic controllers, and unless something happens between now and then, that proposal will become the new contract. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is far from giving up that something will happen. Several bills are in the works in the halls of Congress that would derail the FAA's plan, and the NATCA lobbying effort is at full force. John Carr, president of NATCA, says a majority of Congress "wants the FAA to restore fairness and accountability to the bargaining process." They have until Monday to act on that conviction. And if they don't? More...

BIG OIL SEARCHING FOR HELICOPTERS, PILOTS
With oil prices surging worldwide, rig operators in the North Sea are ramping up production, and running up against a shortage of helicopters and pilots to fly them. Bristow Helicopters, based in Aberdeen, has 10 new helicopters on order and is looking for more. "We have already had to turn down business because we did not have the assets available," Bristow manager Mike Duncan told The Scotsman. "It not just ourselves at Bristow that are in this situation -- it is an industry-wide problem. It is not just a question of getting the physical airframe; we've got to get the crew to fly them and the engineers to maintain them." It takes up to two years to get a new aircraft delivered, and five years or more to train pilots from scratch. More...

INDIA, THE HOT MARKET FOR HELI'S, TOO
Meanwhile, the global economy is growing, and that adds to the growing heli demand. Bell Helicopter plans to open a pilot training facility in India next year and will also start to offer fractional ownership plans there. "We expect the Indian market for helicopters to grow to $4.3 billion over the next 20 years, with 40 percent of the demand from the civilian sector," Bob Fitzpatrick, Bell's senior vice president for business development, told a group of Indian journalists who recently visited Bell's Texas facilities. Of the 120 helicopters now flying in India, 70 of them are Bell products. "This figure will grow to 81 aircraft by the first quarter of 2007, and we want to be aggressive in India as it is going to be a big market," Fitzpatrick said. India's Army Aviation Corps is ready to buy 197 helicopters, and Bell is competing with Eurocopter for the contract. More...

PILOT GROUPS SEEK VOLUNTEER GEEKS
The Air Care Alliance, a nationwide league of volunteer flying groups, is gearing up to bring its membership into the computer age. Many members already are using the latest technologies, the ACA says, but others are still working with pre-digital systems. At its recent convention in Oklahoma City, the ACA introduced a new initiative to find, adapt and disseminate "smart technology" solutions for its members. The group is soliciting savvy volunteers who'd like to join its Technology Committee, whose purpose will be to look for current and emerging hardware, software and Web-enabled technologies that would benefit members. Interested? Contact your local volunteer flying group by June 15 to submit your name. More...

WHEN AIRLINES FIGHT, CHILDREN WIN
WestJet, Canada's biggest low-cost airline, "unreservedly apologizes" to Air Canada for an episode of industrial espionage, in a joint statement released on Monday. WestJet, the fast-growing low-cost airline, admitted that it snooped in Air Canada's computer files, using a password provided by a former employee. "This conduct was both unethical and unacceptable and WestJet accepts full responsibility for such misconduct," the statement reads. To settle their dispute, WestJet agreed to pay Air Canada's investigation and litigation costs of $5.5 million and will donate $10 million to children's charities. More...

A CUB OF A FIGHTER
When pilots think of fighter aircraft, the first thing to come to mind is not likely a little two-seat taildragger. But American Legend announced on Tuesday that its Cub Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) is now available as the Legend Combat, painted in military regalia for like-minded sport pilots. The new design is reminiscent of the historic Piper L-4, L-18 and L-21 models, the company says, which were used as military liaison aircraft in World War II. The Combat, built in Sulphur Springs, Texas, comes with standard features including modern instruments and electrical system, doors on both sides of the fuselage, an aircraft electrical system with starter, fuel storage in wing tanks, and the 100-hp Continental O–200 engine, the company said. More...

ON THE FLY...
A rocket-powered F-104 Starfighter will try to break land speed record...
Eclipse said it's "on track" for FAA certification by end of June...
A 1975 Schweizer sailplane crashed into a house near Pittsburgh...
Politics may have factored in collision of Greek and Turkish F-16s...
A Piper Warrior hit an SUV on Friday near Oxnard, two hurt...
Volcanic ash above Mount St. Helens rose to 20,000 feet...
A lawsuit alleges NavCanada contributed to a fatal crash in Vancouver. 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, tell us. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. Our best stories start with your tips. More...

PODCASTS
Coming, Friday: New aircraft from New Piper? Check AVweb.com tomorrow and look for the podcast link at the top of the page.
Online Now: Exclusive interviews featuring Excel Jet's Bob Bornhofen, Adam Aircraft's Joe Walker, FAA administrator Marion Blakey, Cirrus Design's Alan Klapmeier and more. AVweb's Podcast index, is available online -- pick and choose your pleasure, or subscribe free to AVweb's podcasts and receive them automatically for listening on your computer, iPod, or while traveling with any MP3 player. You'll hear things you won't find anywhere else. More...

NEW ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
COLUMNS
As the Beacon Turns #101: Returned To Service
Like pilots, planes that have been out of the air for a while shouldn't be taken up on a whim. AVweb's Michael Maya Charles needed to give his C185 some TLC this spring.

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...

FBO OF THE WEEK: CROTTS AIRCRAFT

Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to CROTTS AIRCRAFT at KDDC, Dodge City, Kansas.

ALAN OCHS wrote in to tell us, "THE STAFF AT CROTTS AIRCRAFT ARE THE BEST. THEY ALWAYS GO THE EXTRA MILE TO KEEP PEOPLE FLYING. I HAVE SEEN THEM COME OUT AFTER HOURS, ON SUNDAY, TO HELP PILOTS IF YOU NEED A FUEL STOP, OR JUST A CUP OF COFFEE, IN THE MIDWEST ,THIS IS A GOOD PLACE."

Keep those nominations coming.

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

AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBO's in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
According the NTSB, last week's Cessna 172S incident in St. Augustine included crankshaft failure -- and the engine was a Lycoming. This week, AVweb wants to know how you react to the news. PLUS: Results of last week's poll on the predictions for a robust VLJ market. More...

PICTURE OF THE WEEK
AVweb experienced some server problems over the weekend, and many "POTW" submissions were lost. Some came through mangled or partially submitted, but many have disappeared into the cyber-aether. (Which is why our "POTW" selection this week is a bit smaller than usual.) We apologize for the inconvenience, but if you've submitted a photo for consideration during the last seven days (and you don't see it in this week's winners), then please take a few moments to re-submit. We realize it's a hassle for some of you, but -- well, quite frankly, we really like looking at your pictures every week and can't help but feel like we've missed some really good ones this week. (We were able to make out a few tail fins and the tops of some heads in many of the mangled shots.)

Thankfully, the pictures that did come through were stellar. We'd put Kevin Orr's winning photo up against anyone's, from any week! For those of you astounded at Kevin's luck in getting such a terrific shot, consider this: He didn't even have to leave his driveway to do it. Not a bad day's work, Kevin. We're cutting you a check for one official AVweb "POTW" baseball hat even as you read this -- watch your mailbox!

Remember: Kevin won this week's hat because he took time to submit his photo. We'd love to see yours! 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 Mary Grady (bio).

Click here to send a letter to the editor. (Please let us know if your letter is not intended for publication.)

Comments or questions about the news should be sent here.

Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's sales team.

If you're having trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd prefer a lighter, simpler format for your PDA or handheld device), there's also a text-only version of AVwebFlash. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here.

Freedom, independence, responsibility.