A GIANT CASH REGISTER IN THE SKY?
U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., characterized the FAA's proposed user-fee-based funding plan as "a giant cash register in the sky" at a House Transportation Committee hearing on Wednesday morning. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey told the committee that a change from a ticket- and fuel-tax-backed Aviation Trust Fund to a user-fee structure is vital to unlocking the gridlock in the skies. "It's my firm belief that our status-quo financing structure cannot deliver the NextGen system we need, when and where we need it," she said. The committee greeted her testimony with a fair amount of skepticism, though Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., was somewhat receptive -- earning a comment from a fellow congressman that "he's been drinking the FAA's Kool-Aid." Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C., asked Blakey if the proposal would hurt general aviation, and she replied, "General aviation would not be harmed.... All we're asking for is basic equity -- the airline passengers are overpaying for use of the airspace." More...

NEXTGEN CAPITAL INVESTMENT (IN ACRONYMS)
The FAA's spending goals for 2008 through 2012 have been outlined in the FAA Capital Investment Plan that provides spending roadmaps for Next Generation Air Transportation System technology. Modernization is the key, according to the FAA, and systems upgrades are a focus. System Wide Information Management (SWIM) and ADS-B "are highlighted" in the plan and the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) program "is acknowledged." Effective implementation of SWIM and broad use of ADS-B will require replacement of many components of the current en route automation system. "The FAA has replaced the original backup system, which sustains operations if the main en route automation system fails, with a system called EBUS (en route back up system)." The En Route Communications Gateway (ECG) replaced a support computer system, and is now operational. More...

GA ACCIDENT NUMBERS AT 40-YEAR LOW
The numbers of accidents and fatal accidents in general aviation in 2006 were the lowest in the 40 years that the NTSB has been keeping records, the Safety Board said on Tuesday. However, the accident rate for GA has been relatively stable since 1990. The overall decline in numbers is mainly due to a decrease in flight activity, which has been on a downward trend. Overall hours flown have dropped about 20 percent since 1990, the NTSB said, while the accident rate has stayed at about 7.5 accidents per 100,000 flight hours. In 2006, there were 1,515 GA accidents, 303 of them fatal, and 698 fatalities. The GA accident rate is the highest for all civil aviation activity, the NTSB said. More...

ANOTHER FATAL HELICOPTER CRASH IN HAWAII
Just three days after four people died in a helicopter crash while sightseeing in Kauai, another air-tour helicopter has crashed, killing a 60-year-old California man and seriously injuring a couple from New Hampshire and a woman from California. The pilot was treated for minor injuries. The Hughes 500 helicopter, operated by Inter-Island, was flying low near the coast when witnesses said there was a loud bang and some parts, including the tail rotor, fell into the ocean. The helicopter hit trees and a fence as it spiraled down into an open field. The NTSB has said some parts were recovered, but it was unclear if a bird strike had occurred. This was the sixth fatal air-tour crash on Kauai in four years. More...

FAA NAMES 2007 SAFETY AWARD WINNERS
This year's winners of the FAA General Aviation safety awards have been announced. Recipients are Mike Gaffney of Lake Saint Louis, Mo., CFI of the Year; Paul New of Jackson, Tenn., AMT of the Year; Jerry Luttrull of Riverside, Calif., Avionics Technician of the Year; and Cheryl Ann De Filippo of Deltona, Fla., FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year. All four will receive an all-expense-paid trip to EAA AirVenture 2007 in Oshkosh, Wis., to accept their awards from FAA Administrator Marion Blakey in a ceremony at Theater in the Woods. "These awards highlight the important role played by these individuals in promoting aviation education and flight safety," said JoAnn Hill, chair of the General Aviation Awards Committee. More...

CZECH AIRCRAFT WORKS EXPANDS LSA PRODUCTION
Czech Aircraft Works, which was among the first companies to enter the U.S. Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) market, has been expanding rapidly over the last year and has more growth plans in the works. CEO Chip Erwin told the Czech Business Weekly that he expects his company will be the top producer of LSAs by 2009. "[With the investment] in the last six months, we leapfrogged the competition by a large margin," Erwin said. Last summer, Erwin sold 49.45 percent of the company to an investment firm for about $2.5 million and used much of that cash to buy a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and equip it with new machinery and production technology. Erwin said he plans to buy a second building next door later this year, doubling the space. More...

FAA REVISES CONTINENTAL ENGINE AD
The FAA announced Monday it has found an error in an airworthiness directive (AD) for Continental GTSIO-520 series engines targeting the starter adapter assembly and/or crankshaft gear on about 4,200 engines. As a result, the FAA is superseding that AD with a new proposed AD and expects that 25 percent of the affected engines will require an unscheduled "rough-running engine" inspection and "about half of the engines will require the bushing and TCM service kit." More...

RETIRED MILITARY AIRPLANES PROTECT AFRICAN WILDLIFE
In the wide, wild spaces of Africa, it's tough to enforce the laws that protect wildlife from poaching. But that effort is getting a boost thanks to retired military aircraft that have been donated by several countries to help the cause. So far, eight airplanes have been donated by Israeli, U.S. and French aviation agencies, with more in the works, MediaLine reports. Bill Clark, chief of Interpol's Working Group on Wildlife Crime, has led an ad hoc group of volunteers to restore the retired aircraft and raise funds for the project. Poaching is still a major threat to elephant and rhinoceros populations in Africa. Interpol is now sponsoring the restoration of an Israel air force Super Cub, which will be delivered to Kenya in the next year for use in poacher patrol. More...

NATCA WANTS WEATHER RADIOS BACK IN TOWERS
The FAA should lift its ban on weather radios in air traffic control towers, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) said on Tuesday. According to the controllers union, the radios provide warnings about severe weather and tornadoes that are not available otherwise. The radios were banned under new work rules imposed on the union when their last contract expired. "It's really just amazing to me that we have to even continue to ask this from an agency that says it is committed to aviation safety. It's such a no-brainer," NATCA President Patrick Forrey said in a news release. "Don't believe it when the FAA tells you we have every possible weather tool at our fingertips. There is no tool available to tower controllers that can detect a tornado within a thunderstorm. We must have either a weather radio or access to the Emergency Alert System to get the latest weather bulletins." More...

P&WC ENGINE FOR FALCON 7X WINS APPROVAL
Pratt & Whitney Canada's new PW307A engine has received type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency to power the Dassault Falcon 7X business jet. This achievement marks the final step in the PW307A certification process, P&WC said this week. "This is great news and a major milestone for Pratt & Whitney Canada and the Falcon 7X," said Michael Perodeau, P&WC spokesman. "The Falcon 7X is the first three-engine and longest-range business jet we have ever powered, and we are very pleased with the success of the program." P&WC is responsible for the Falcon 7X integrated powerplant system, which includes three PW307A engines and their nacelle systems. More...

BOEING/NASA BLENDED-WING EXPERIMENT READY TO LAUNCH
Boeing's X-48B blended-wing-body (BWB) experimental aircraft is just about ready for its first test flight, Business 2.0 reported on Tuesday. The scale model, with a wingspan of 21 feet, should take to the air by the end of this month at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The aircraft has long been under development in a joint program involving NASA, the U.S. Air Force and Boeing's Phantom Works. The blended-wing design creates an aerodynamic shape that doesn't require a conventional tail, reducing drag and dramatically improving fuel efficiency. A military version of the aircraft could be on the market by 2022, with a passenger version flying by 2030. More...

CHINA PLANS TO BUILD LARGE AIRLINER BY 2020
Airbus and Boeing may soon have to cope with a third competitor in the global market for large passenger jets. An official in China said on Monday the country plans to fund the development of its own "jumbo" jetliner, which could carry 200 passengers. The airplane should be on the market by 2020. "From a technical standpoint, it is realistic," Richard Pinkham, an analyst with the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, told The Associated Press. He said the 13-year time frame should allow plenty of time to develop the necessary infrastructure. China already is building regional jets, and plans to start test flights next year of a mid-size commercial jet. More...

ON THE FLY
Congress may force the FAA to resume negotiations with NATCA...
Nominations sought for the Scott Crossfield educator of the year award...
College students in Israel hope to break a world record for solar-powered flight...
A British Airways pilot has won a three-year fight to be allowed to work part-time...
An aircraft-parts supplier got six years in for selling fraudulent parts to the DoD. 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 to newstips@avweb.com. What have you heard? More...

AVWEBBIZ: AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVIATION NEWSLETTER
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb's NO-COST weekly business newsletter, 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. Sign up today at http://www.avweb.com/profile/. More...

THE SAVVY AVIATOR #42

COLUMN INDEX

The Savvy Aviator #42: Don't Worry -- They All Do That
Owners often bring some aircraft squawk to the attention of their A&P mechanic, only to be told that it's nothing to worry about because "they all do that" or "it's the nature of the beast." If you hear those phrases, seek an expert second opinion. More...

WELCOME TO THE NEW FACE OF AVWEB
AVweb.com, the world’s best Web site for general aviation news and information, is now even better thanks to a redesigned home page. The revamped home page has more content, easier navigation, a more user-friendly podcast interface and better graphics to complement AVweb's real-time general aviation news, incisive commentary and unparalleled feature reporting. More...

AVWEB AUDIO NEWS

AVweb posts audio news on Mondays, plus a new in-depth interview each Friday. In last Friday's podcast, you'll find an interview with Andrew Hamblin of Expedition Aircraft. And AVweb's podcast index includes interviews with Eclipse Aviation's Vern Raburn; NBAA's Ed Bolen; Open Air's Michael Klein; Air Excursions' Cable Wells; Stephen Brown; NATCA's Paul Rinaldi; AOPA's Kathleen Vascouselos; Maule Air's Mikel Boorom; Professsional Aviation Maintenance Association president Brian Finnegan; aviation forecaster Richard Aboulafia; Bill Lear, Jr.; and NATA President Jim Coyne. In Monday's news summary, hear about how AOPA is fighting userfees, layoffs at Columbia Aircraft, another helicopter air-tour crashin Hawaii, a pilotless cargoliner and more. Remember: In AVweb's podcasts, you'll hear things you won't find anywhere else.

More...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN CHOOSING AN FBO
Plenty of factors inform your decision to choose one FBO over another. This week, AVweb wants to know which single factor has the greatest bearing on your choice. Plus: What level of success did you predict for air-taxi services in your responses to last week's Question? More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: NORTH ATLANTIC AIR

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to North Atlantic Air at KBVY in Beverly, Mass.

AVweb reader Steven Swartz says employees at this FBO kept their cool under difficult weather conditions.

"Four days after we received our just-repainted (and gorgeous) 1980 Warrior, the Northeast was hit with an ice storm. North Atlantic's superb and enthusiastic line people moved it into a cozy corner of a heated hangar to wait out the storm. Moving aircraft for the next several days was like something out of an old-time Laurel and Hardy movie as the ice was inches thick all over the taxiways, ramps and parking lot. NAA's crew never flinched, and more importantly never fell down on the ice. Regular jet traffic was slowed but not stopped by the storm. Watching these guys handle expensive hardware on treacherous ground deserves a nomination of FBO of the week. May can't come soon enough around here!"

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!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK
Each week, we go through dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of reader-submitted photos and pick the very best to share with you on Thursday mornings. The top photos are featured on AVweb's home page, and one photo that stands above the others is awarded an AVweb baseball cap as our "Picture of the Week."

There's an extra hour of daylight at POTW headquarters this week, thanks to the changes in U.S. Daylight Saving Time. Good thing, too — we're getting enough photos that we can use the extra hour! Enrique Morales of Tegucigalpa (Honduras) captured an American Airlines pilot "successfully land[ing] the largest aircraft capable of land[ing] here" on a rather tight-looking short final. More...

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