CIRRUS' JET DELIVERS (A COASTER)
Perhaps the biggest question among those who received the so-called "grey box" on Cirrus' plans for "the-jet" revolves not around the engine, the design or the performance (none of which were addressed in detail). What's up with the coaster? The centerpiece of the marketing package is a heavy cast-metal drink coaster emblazoned with the Cirrus logo. There's also a letter from CEO Alan Klapmeier and an "initial position holding deposit" form, which, when accompanied by a check for $100,000, puts the recipient among the first in line to buy a "the-jet." More...

CIRRUS' TARGET MARKET: EVERY PILOT
While other entrants in the burgeoning mini-jet market have listed the air taxi business as a major component of their plans, Cirrus' initial marketing push appears to choose the road not taken. The grey box is clearly aimed at those who want a jet of their very own, largely for the fun of it. "The personal jet follows the Cirrus philosophy path to grow and enhance the entire personal aviation industry," says one of the cards in the marketing kit. "A personal jet is about more than power, it's about empowering you to live the dream of the jet lifestyle." So when will we see it? More...

D.C. AIRPORTS COMPENSATION PLAN
The Department of Transportation is proposing to compensate general aviation businesses at five Washington-area facilities for reductions in revenue directly resulting from government actions in the wake of 9/11. GA operators, suppliers and service providers at Washington Reagan National Airport, College Park, Potomac Airfield, Washington Executive/Hyde Field and Washington South Capitol St. Heliport are eligible for the money, which was approved by Congress in 2005. There's a total of $17 million in the kitty but the businesses will have to prove, in auditable form, they deserve every penny. More...

COMMENTS ON COMPENSATION
David Wartofsky, the enigmatic owner of Potomac Airfield, told AVweb the money proposed should cover the justifiable losses of the businesses but actually extracting it from the government could be an agonizing process. He said the bureaucrats charged with assessing and approving the claims may not have the skills and experience needed to accomplish the work, even though they are trying their best to do the right thing. "You've got dentists coming in to do brain surgery, with predictable results," he said. Wartofsky said the government is especially cautious because of the potential precedent being set in paying for the results of what some might consider questionable decisions. Wartofsky believes that when the checks are finally issued, they will come with strings attached. More...

PURDUE RESEARCHERS TACKLE AIRSPACE MODERNIZATION
Researchers at Purdue University say it's not necessarily a lack of capacity that is bogging down air transportation, it's the plodding pace of change. So they've developed a mathematical model that might help the FAA design a system that can respond more quickly to changes, thereby maintaining or adding capacity without huge capital infusions. "Improving agility, we found, requires not so much that you build a brand new runway at every large airport," said Daniel DeLaurentis, an assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics, told Innovations Report. "You need to be able to add capacity in a variety of other quicker ways. One of the problems in the current system is that it takes so long to develop new capacity at a major airport that by the time the capacity is available, the demand has already changed." More...

MATHEMATICAL MODEL MIMICS OPERATIONS
How it all works seems pretty esoteric to the uninitiated so DeLaurentis tried to bring it down to a level mere mortals can understand. "You can almost think of it as a video game where the service providers are adding flights and subtracting flights and doing the best they can to satisfy changing demand, and the FAA is trying to catch up and add the capacity necessary to meet the needs of the airlines," DeLaurentis said. "One of the findings was that if the infrastructure providers were not able to keep pace with demand, the service providers would stagnate. They would be unable to add the flights that they needed. Yet, such agility or responsiveness is critical." More...

PILOTS DENY WRONGDOING IN BRAZIL CRASH
U.S. bizjet pilots John Lepore and Jan Paladino are denying accusations they caused a collision with a GOL Boeing 737, in which the airliner crashed and killed all 154 people on board (not 155 reported earlier). The pilots have been openly accused of turning off their transponder so they could perform "pilot tricks" without detection by air traffic controllers. Ralph Michieli, a spokesman for ExcelAir, which owns the Embraer Legacy 600 involved, called the allegations "untruthful, absurd and insulting" in an interview with the Brazilian Web site Folha Online. Lepore and Paladino were quoted as saying they did not turn off the transponder and that they were flying at the proper altitude, assertions that have made Brazilian authorities "furious," according to news reports out of Brazil. More...

CARAVAN CRASH PROMPTS SUIT
The family of a Canadian pilot killed when her Cessna Caravan crashed in downtown Winnipeg last year is claiming $25 million in damages from Cessna and Goodrich. The suit filed on behalf of the family of Nancy Chase-Allen by the Nolan Law Group, of Chicago, alleges Cessna is misrepresenting the ability of the Caravan to safely fly in icing conditions. "The Cessna Caravan is presently being marketed as a safe and secure aircraft for winter operations, a contention disputed by Nolan Law Group," the law firm said in a news release. Operation of the Caravan in icing conditions attracted attention and produced action from the FAA earlier this year. We were unable to reach Cessna on the weekend but the company does not normally comment on pending litigation. More...

INHOFE GROUNDLOOPS RV-8
Sen. Jim Inhofe says he knew there were problems with the rudder of an RV-8 he was flying as he approached Jones Riverside Airport in Tulsa, on a flight from Duncan, Okla., last week. He was right. The taildragger groundlooped and was substantially damaged but Inhofe and his passenger, long-time aide Danny Finnerty, were unhurt. Inhofe told reporters he noticed problems with the rudder on takeoff from Duncan but couldn't see what the problems were. He asked to land on the main runway at Tulsa, rather than the one normally used by GA aircraft and "prepared for the rough landing," according to an Associated Press report. The FAA is investigating. More...

MOLLER SKYCAR FOR SALE
Paul Moller finally has his Skycar for sale but don't expect the skies and carports of the nation to fill up with them anytime soon. The brains behind what could be the longest-lived aircraft development program in history is selling the original prototype of the vehicle on eBay. We couldn't find a listing on Sunday. He's expecting to get $4 million. The prototype has slipped the surly bonds on its own power in an unmanned, tethered flight. But anyone hoping to use it for the morning commute is likely to be disappointed. "Potential buyers are cautioned that this is a prototype model and considered an experimental aircraft," says a Moller news release. More...

DIAMONDS USED FOR AIR FORCE FLIGHT SCREENING
The first 11 of 44 Diamond DA-20 C1 two-seat trainers have been delivered to Doss Aviation, in Pueblo, Colo., for use in a flight screening program for the U.S. Air Force. The program takes potential candidates for military flight training and ensures they have the right stuff to continue. These types of programs cut the failure rate in later training by half. Doss President Frank Hunter said the low acquisition, maintenance and insurance costs for the Diamond made it the logical choice. Those candidates who move on from the screening program will get their first taste of military flight training in the same aircraft. More...

WOLF AVIATION FUND DEADLINE NEARS
The application deadline for funding from the Wolf Aviation Fund is Nov. 15 and organizations with projects worthy of consideration are urged to get them in soon. Last year, there were 130 proposals and funding was approved for 45. The fund will consider application for any project "supporting or promoting general aviation" so the types of projects funded are as diverse as the industry itself. In most cases, only partial funding is provided to be used as leverage in approaching other organizations for money. More...

ON THE FLY...
70 TBMs converged on Coeur d'Alene...
Northwest pilots say shortage prompted cancellations...
Air Canada pilots tried to block shareholder payout...
Kirby Chambliss took top honors at Red Bull's air race in San Fran., Saturday. More...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something that 130,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips via email tonewstips@avweb.com. What have you heard? More...

AUDIO NEWS
AVweb posts audio news on Mondays, plus a new in-depth interview each Friday. Check AVweb's audio news index to hear the news straight from the horse's mouth.

Find exclusive interviews featuring Cessna's Jack Pelton on his company's LSA, TCM president Bryan Lewis, NATCA president John Carr, New Piper CEO Jim Bass, Hal Shevers for Sporty's Pilot Shop, Light Sport guru Dan Johnson, 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 online, now. You'll hear things you won't find anywhere else.

FBO OF THE WEEK: DIXIE CHOPPER AIR

For local prices, enter your U.S. ZIP Code or Airport Identifier: Fuel prices provided weekly by AirNav, based on prices from the past 2 weeks. Changes are relative to last week.

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Dixie Chopper Air at K4I7 in Greencastle, IN.

AVweb reader Bruce Cameron offered comments and a few reasons to stop by.

"Stopped twice in the last month (X-C in my Bonanza Coast to Coast R/T) Excellent service and prices, Great restaurant and 12 guest suites overlooking the runway. What else could a pilot/passengers ask for?."

Keep those nominations coming.For complete contest rules, click here.

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

NEW ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
COLUMNS

The Pilot's Lounge #105: Flying In To AirVenture -- It's Time To Slap Around The Bozos
Another summer in Oshkosh has come and gone -- and good riddance, say many. AVweb's Rick Durden heard some sad and frustrating stories while in the virtual lounge at EAA's AirVenture 2006. 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...

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: RC MODEL AIRPLANE INDOOR AEROBATICS
New and interesting videos continue to trickle in through reader recommendations. Thank you very much! This week, lest we forget to include it in our new "Video of the Week" feature, we showcase an amazing clip that ran at our AirVenture booth in Oshkosh this summer. Many AVweb readers stopped to speculate with us on what was going on in this clip — and we discovered just how many of you are Radio Control airplane buffs! If you've never been to an R.C. meet or have no interest in these tiny aircraft, this is just the clip to show you why so many people are fascinated by them. More...

SHORT FINAL
A few years ago I was getting an IFR clearance from ground control. When I called for clearance I had a brain fart and forgot where we were going. The conversation went like this:

Me: Ground, lear 1234 looking for clearance to ....... ummmmm .... that airport we're going to.

Ground: Lear 252RP cleared to that airport your goint to via radar vectors...

Don't worry. It came back to me eventually. 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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