CIRRUS 'THE-JET' IMAGE EMERGES
Cirrus continues to have fun teasing customers and everyone else with parsimonious details on its new jet. Although there aren't many configurations possible for a single-engine jet, Cirrus has managed to whip up a fair amount of interest in what the final product will look like. The 140-plus position holders have been receiving jigsaw puzzle pieces in the mail and we can now see a few details. "We can confirm it has a windshield and wings," smirked CEO Alan Klapmeier. The mystery will end for position holders on June 27 at a private viewing, and the public will get a look at a mock-up on June 28. More...

FORWARD VISION LOOKS FORWARD
Forward Vision and Max-Viz this week at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., announced their new working relationship to bring enhanced vision systems to the general aviation market. As a result of the partnership, Forward Vision has developed a completely redesigned EVS design dubbed the EVS-100. The system is only 1.2 pounds and is completely self-contained, meaning it is smaller and easier to install than previous infrared systems. According to Forward Vision president Patrick Farrell, the EVS-100 uses a new-generation sensor technology that is sunlight safe, while still offering "excellent imaging." A single-sensor system runs $14,995 (plus installation), and an extra sensor -- which will allow operators to fly to lower minimums on instrument approaches -- will add another $3,000 or so. More...

AVWEB'S SUN 'N FUN PODCAST #4:
ONE-ON-ONE WITH PIPER CEO JIM BASS FROM LAKELAND
Following up on our conversation with Bob Kromer, we talked to Piper CEO Jim Bass about the company's resurgence as a 21st Century aircraft manufacturer. More...

EMBRAER PHENOM TAKES FORM
At the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In this week in Lakeland, Fla., Embraer said its Phenom 100 very light jet and derivative Phenom 300 light jet are making "steady" progress. The Phenom 100 prototype's wing mating went "exceptionally smooth" the company's plant in São José dos Campos, Brazil. Both the wing and the fuselage – assembled at the Botucatu plant – arrived at Embraer’s main facility and are undergoing systems integration. First flight of the VLJ is expected this summer, with certification scheduled for mid-2008. Meanwhile, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer has cut the first metal for the Phenom 300. An automated five-axis high-speed machining center milled the aircraft’s first part – a nose landing gear fitting located in the forward fuselage. More...

BUILDAPLANE GROWS
A grassroots effort to expose high school students to aviation has blossomed into an international effort that now has a $6 million fundraising goal. BuildAPlane started in California in 2003 with the donation of an airplane to a Burbank school's small engine repair program. After the first year, at least five of the students, who signed up to fix lawnmowers, ended up in post-secondary aviation programs in a variety of career paths. "It's interesting what happens when suddenly there's an airplane in the classroom. The organization has caught on and has formal partnerships with the FAA and the Wathen Foundation. It's also trying to raise the $6 million needed to buy textbooks and other classroom resources. But the group has also had a profound effect on a village in Nigeria. More...

VISTANAV BOOSTS SYNTHETIC VISION GRAPHICS
The VistaNav folks brought their new synthetic vision units to Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland,Fla., this week to introduce them to the flying world. The CIS-2000 and CIS-2200 systems provide faster graphic processing capabilities for smooth, lifelike, 3-D motion on the screen. The system is not certified, so it's for information-only, not for navigation, but VistaNav's Jeff Simon said he knows of at least two instances when pilots were able to use VistaNav to help get safely out of an emergency situation. One was a pilot who lost avionics at night in IMC, and one was a helicopter pilot who got caught in white-out conditions in a snow squall. The CIS-2000 system is designed for mid-level aircraft and can be powered from the cigarette lighter. A flat-screen display can be mounted in the coc kpit, and a 15-foot cable connects it to the hard drive, which can be secured anywhere in the aircraft. Both systems will be ready to ship in June, Simon said. More...

LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO GROW
"As of early April, the FAA has registered 838 Light Sport Aircraft," Dan Johnson, chairman of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, told AVweb at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., on Friday. "The manufacturers have been working hard to increase production to meet the demand. So where a year or so ago you might have had to wait six to eight months to get an LSA delivered, now you can get one pretty quick." As the industry matures, companies are starting to expand their infrastructure beyond manufacturing and sales to provide service and support. "Flight Design, which has sold over 150 CTs, is at the forefront of developing a service network," Johnson said. Several new designs are also on display on the show. More...

AROUND THE WORLD IN 70 DAYS
"We've done a trip around South America in 35 days, and a 24-day Europe trip, so flying around the world seemed like the next challenge, the next dream," said Thierry Pouille, of Air Journey, on Thursday. His company announced the new trip this week at Sun 'n Fun, and six of the nine slots are already taken. "Not many people have done this on their own, and as far as we know, we are the first to offer a round-the-world escorted tour for private fliers." The trip will depart from New York in May 2008, and proceed to the west for 23,000 nm. "Most legs will average 600 miles or so, and we want to take time to visit and enjoy our destinations, and relax," he said. "It's not a race, it's an adventure." Events along the way will include a camel ride in Libya, a cruise along the Nile, snow skiing in Dubai, and a candlelit dinner on the Great Wall in China. Most nights will be spent in high-end hotels, he said, except in the Aleutian Islands, where the only accommodations are military barracks. 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...

AVWEB'S VIDEO TOUR OF THE 2007 SUN 'N FUN FLY-IN
And now for something completely different.... At AVweb we're used to bringing you all the news from all the big shows, but we like looking at airplanes, too. For a softer look at the sights and sounds, we found Thursday at Sun 'N Fun. (Click through to watch.) More...

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