INSIDE THE ADAM A500
The natural assumption is that two engines must be better than one in terms of safety and performance but reality often gets in the way of such broad notions. Sure, the cushion of an extra engine is comforting on an IFR flight over the mountains but keeping two props spinning comes at a premium, not only in cost, but in the extra skill necessary to manage and handle the aircraft. Putting the engines one in front of the other eliminates many of those concerns, as we discovered on a demonstration flight in the Adam A500 during EAA AirVenture last week. More...

A500 PHILOSOPHY -- BIGGER, FASTER
Since one of the A500's selling points is ease of transition from singles, AVweb sent writer (and Cessna 140 pilot) Russ Niles to test that claim. The biggest difference Niles found was in speeds. Take the 140 figures and almost double them for everything, notably the landing speed of 95 knots, pretty much the top speed of the Cessna. "Twins go faster," said Adam's chief pilot Butch Allen, who kept a relaxed but ready watch from the right seat during the flight. But if the speeds seem scary to the pilot of a slow single, they are entirely appropriate for something as big as an A500. More...

INLINE TWIN FLYING QUALITIES
We set the altitude bug on the big Avidyne display at 4,500 feet, dodging the remnants of a late afternoon storm, and went through the usual routine of steep turns, slow flight and general goofing around. Allen chopped power to the rear engine and there was a sag in performance that was felt more than observed. No rudder adjustment, no yaw or roll issues, just a minor pitch adjustment through the big stick-mounted trim button. The side-stick controllers are surprisingly light and responsive and very intuitive, even for someone coming off a yoke arrangement. Allan had to intervene to steepen our final approach a tad but other than that the landing was all ours and resulted in no damage to aircraft or ego. More...

"NEXT GENERATION" PERSONAL JETS IN THE WORKS
It may seem strange that when a very light jet has made it to FAA certification for the very first time this week, so many people already are working on "next-generation" designs, but that's what AirVenture is all about -- the spirit of innovation. Maverick Jet, which had an experimental VLJ flying back in 1999, this week said it will build two new jet aircraft – the single-engine Solo Jet, which they say will fly 472 knots at 31,000 feet, and an "economy" version, the twin-engine SmartJet, which will go 290 knots at 22,000 feet, at half the operating cost. Both will have five seats. Target prices are $899,000 for the SmartJet, which will be certified, and $1.25 million for the single-engine experimental Solo Jet, which offers an optional BRS full-airplane parachute. More...

SPORT-JET TO SOLDIER ON
The folks from Excel Jet in Colorado planned to fly their Sport-Jet at Oshkosh for the first time this week, but instead they were telling the story of how the prototype cartwheeled down the runway after apparently hitting wake turbulence on takeoff, proving the hardiness of the cabin. Test pilot James Stewart (who tells his story in today's AVweb audio news) and mechanic John Welty survived without injury, and the company brought the damaged cabin to the show, minus its wings, tail and nosecone, and put it on display. Other than a few scratches, and a few square feet of sod jammed into the underbelly (visible thanks to mirrors laid on the Oshkosh grass), the cabin looks good to go. The aircraft was in late flight tests. More...

SOCATA: WHAT IF IT'S BETTER THAN A JET?
Socata's TBM 850 is not a VLJ, but the company says its performance is pretty darn close, and given the lower acquisition and operating costs, the difference is negligible. "No need for a VLJ," says the company's brochure. "Fly smarter with a VFT!" as in, Very Fast Turboprop. The 850 will climb to 26,000 feet in 15 minutes and cruise there at 320 knots. It can carry six people, and will fly 1,500 nm nonstop with four adults on board. The company says it's an easier transition for the owner-pilot than moving into a jet, and saves on insurance. The powerplant of the TBM 850 is Pratt & Whitney Canada's PT6A-66D, which delivers 1,825 eshp flat-rated to 850 shp. More...

VAN'S LSA CONCEPT UNVEILED
Cessna was not the only big player to bring a new "proof-of-concept LSA" to this year's show. Van's Aircraft, which has sold thousands of kit airplanes (and whose builders have thousands flying), brought out its RV-12, a work in progress that it expects to fly later this year. It has two side-by-side seats, an all-metal airframe, and a Rotax 912S 100-hp engine. Van's said it won't offer the kits for sale until flight testing is complete and they are satisfied with the performance and handling characteristics, which would be late 2007, at the earliest. The LSA would most likely be offered as a standard kit, with a quick-build version to come later. An LSA kit, which allows for the airplane to be completed to greater than 49 percent, might come later. What about a factory-built version? More...

THE 51-PERCENT SOLUTION?
Builders of experimental aircraft will be paying close attention in the coming months as the FAA begins its review of the rules that govern amateur-built airplanes. EAA's Joe Norris said a lot of issues have arisen with various aspects of the 51-percent rule, which was crafted back in the 1950s. A lot has changed since then, with more complex and higher-performance aircraft being built, which were never envisioned when the rule was written. Also, custom builders and owner-assist consultants sometimes operate in a grayish area. "The regulation maybe hasn't kept up with what is happening in the aviation community, so the FAA is going to take a look at some of these issues," Norris said. More...

HONDA'S POWERPLANT FOR AIRCRAFT
General Electric, which has partnered with Honda to squire the engine through the FAA certification maze, says Honda did things differently when it developed its engines. In GE's large fanjets, such as the giant GE90-115B found in the Boeing 777, TBOs of 20,000 to 30,000 hours are common, with 5000 hours "on wing" not unusual. In Honda's 400-pound package, the 2000-pound thrust HF118, Honda and GE are aiming for a 5000-hour TBO, with no interim hot section overhaul, something that's predicted to reduce operating costs and downtime. Like the Pratt 600-series used on the Eclipse and Cessna Mustang, the HF118s have drastically reduced parts counts compared to small jet engines of even a decade ago. More...

THIELERT EXPANDS ITS DIESEL OPTIONS
Prowling the grounds at AirVenture, we couldn't help but notice that Frank Thielert, the Germany-based entrepreneur responsible for the engines in Diamond's brisk-selling aerodiesel-powered Star and Twin Star, was in intense discussions with Cessna officials. Is a Thielert diesel about to find its way into a new Cessna? Cessna CEO Jack Pelton said earlier this week that diesel may be an option in the new next-gen high-performance single Cessna shown in a low-key flyby on Monday. But it could just as well be a Lycoming diesel, a mock-up of which we saw in Lycoming's tent. Nonetheless, Thielert has a Cessna diesel program of its own in Europe and announced this week that U.S. approval for an STC to convert the Cessna 172 to the 135-hp Centurion 1.7 has just been granted. And there's more. More...

GA GOES TO THE MOVIES
Some of you who went out to catch a movie over the weekend may have noticed that a distinctive GA airplane made its Hollywood debut in "Miami Vice." An Adam A500 flew to Florida and the Dominican Republic – the first international flight for an Adam aircraft –- and took part in the filming of the Michael Mann picture. Some segments were shot from the cabin, and many of the movie crew, including Mann and stars Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell, took the opportunity to fly in the airplane. Also this week at Oshkosh, a screening was held of the movie "Flyboys," which tells the story of the Lafayette Escadrille -- the American pilots who volunteered to fly for the French in the early stages of World War I, before the U.S. entered the fray. More...

THUNDER OF MUSTANGS -- THE ONES WITH GUNS
Of all the warbirds that appear every year at AirVenture, a perennial favorite is the North American P-51 Mustang, examples of which arrive at OSH in the dozens each July. But that's a pale shadow of a gathering of P-51s planned for September 2007 at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. "Gathering of Mustangs and Legends" is next year expected to attract at least 100 of the famed World War II fighters. As important as the airplanes may be, however, it's the guys who flew them -- the legends -- who are more interesting. GML 2007 says of the 1279 aces in World War II, 274 were Mustang pilots. Sadly, only about 80 of those pilots are still living and GML 2007 hopes to get as many of them as possible to the Columbus event, which will take place at an airport with a rich World War II history. More...

WRAPPING IT ALL UP
Tough as it was to live up to last year's spectacular lineup, opening day at EAA AirVenture this year was the biggest ever, EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski told AVweb on Saturday, with the Beach Boys and the B-1 bomber helping to draw that crowd. This year's show also had huge breaking news announcements, with the Eclipse certification, the unveiling of two new Cessna piston airplanes, and the Honda decision to move into jet production and partner with Piper Aircraft. "We had more news conferences than ever, almost 50," Knapinski said. What's in the works for next year? More...

ON THE FLY...
So, there it is, then...
AVweb's no-iPod-required audio news -- index. If you want to hear it straight from the horse's mouth, this is for you. Just click and listen, it will play right on your computer.
AVweb's print coverage -- Monday's, Wednesday's, and Friday's.
The galleries ... pages and pages worth, with a new page added today. 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...

NEW ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB

COLUMNS
As the Beacon Turns #103: It's a Tribal Thing
Airplane type club can be a great place to learn more about the quirks and habits of your favorite steed -- and other owners too. AVWeb's Michael Maya Charles has a Cessna 185 and a great gang to hang out with.

COLUMNS
CEO of the Cockpit #60: The Rebel Alliance
There is a certain rebelious streak among pilots; anti-authoritarian attitudes are admired if not quite encouraged. But among airline pilots? No one, least of all AVweb's CEO of the Cockpit, wants to lose their job ... More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: FRANLIN AIRPORT - ROSE FIELD, FRANKLIN, VA

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Franklin Municipal Airport, at KFKN, Franklin, VA.

Offering up Franklin, Ben Jamey" Duffey" told us, "Franklin VA's airport (FKN) has the nicest staff (Jimmy Gray - Manager, in particular), Lowest fuel prices around, 24 hour weather, pilot briefing and bathrooms. Instrument approach with a nice long lighted runway. If you are traveling up or down the east coast - this is the place to stop for fuel, etc. Wonderful airport and great staff!"

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!

 More...

AVWEBBIZ
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb's NO-COST twice monthly AVwebBiz? 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...

SHORT FINAL

AirVenture, some pilots just don't get it.

On the return home Saturday I heard the following exchange as I headed southbound passing Madison, WI. Warrior 98765 was heading north and already receiving a Flight Following Service from Madison Approach.

Warrior 123: Madison, Warrior 123. Can you tell me if there is a NOTAM or anything for getting into Oshkosh?

Madison Approach: Say Again ...

Warrior 765: Yeah. Can you tell me if there is any kind of special NOTAM for getting into Oshkosh today?

[Long Pause]

Madison Approach: You're kidding, right?

Warrior 765: No, my [garbled] was out and I couldn't get anything before I took off. Can you tell me what the arrival procedure is?

[Longer Pause]

Madison Approach: (speaking slowly) I suggest you land before you get there and get a copy. There's one here at Wisconsin Aviation ... or Middleton is in your 10 o'clock.

Warrior 765: Standby ... More...

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