The Top Headlines From AVweb's Expanded, Illustrated News Coverage At AVweb.com.

ANOTHER FLIGHT SCHOOL SHUTS DOWN...
In San Antonio, Texas, Stinson Air Center abruptly shut down last week and left employees and students high and dry, the Express-News reported on Friday. The flight school, one of the largest in the area, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation, according to the news report. Employees told the Express-News they had shown up ready for work last Thursday and found the doors locked and the offices apparently empty. Stinson Air's chief pilot told the News-Express he was getting calls from students asking about their $20,000 deposits. The news echoes the recent story of an abrupt shutdown at Airline Training Academy in Florida, where several hundred students say they lost thousands of dollars they had put on deposit for flight time. More...

...AS GA STRUGGLES TO RECOVER
The shutdown at Stinson Air is yet another beat on the drum reminding us that we are a long way from back to normal in the GA business world. Despite efforts to boost morale and accentuate the positive, the tough times are a reality for all too many unemployed workers, besieged small-business owners, and students trying hard to believe they have a future in aviation. In Wichita, planemakers are hanging some hope on the recent tax-cut bill, which includes an incentive that could encourage businesses to invest in new equipment, such as bizjets. "With aircraft sales the way they are, any boost is appreciated," Raytheon Aircraft spokesman Tim Travis told The Wichita Eagle. More...

AIRSPACE: HELP FOR THE LOST; HOPE FOR DCA...
If you could use a little help navigating through today's security-conscious and ever-changing airspace, AOPA's Air Safety Foundation (ASF) now offers some assistance. The ASF on Monday unveiled a free online training program called "Know Before You Go" that helps pilots deal with the realities of shifting TFRs, prohibited airspace, NOTAMs, the off-and-on ADIZ, and intercept procedures. Pilots who complete the 30-minute program are eligible for credit in the Wings program. Meanwhile, at our nation's capital, GA operators are still banned from Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), but the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) says there may be some light at the end of that tunnel. More...

...NEW RUNWAYS ALSO BRING AIRSPACE CHANGES
It may seem strange to some that in these times of diminished air travel, airports are building new runways and terminals. But planners haven't forgotten the congestion that was strangling the system a couple of years ago, and expect an upturn before too long and a positive trend over the long run. The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday that airports across the country launched $1.7 billion in new expansion projects last year. Among those projects is a proposed new parallel runway at St. Louis-Lambert International Airport, and along with the new runway comes changes in traffic flows. The FAA's Central Region plans to hold four public meetings this month to seek input on the ATC modifications. The changes would affect not only STL but four nearby fields as well. More...

HEAVY METAL AND THE BLAME GAME
The NTSB has released its final report on a January 2002 incident when a China Airlines A340 took off from a taxiway in Anchorage, Alaska. The airliner, with 252 souls on board, left tire tracks in a snow berm, but climbed out safely and completed its flight to Taipei. The NTSB found as probable cause: "The captain's selection of a taxiway instead of a runway for takeoff and the flightcrew's inadequate coordination of the departure ... A factor in the incident was inadequate airline operator's procedures that did not require the crew to verbalize and verify the runway in use prior to takeoff." In a separate, and more deadly, incident, Alaska Airlines on Monday said it will accept legal responsibility for the January 31, 2000, crash of flight 261, an Alaska Airlines MD-83, off the California coast that killed all 88 aboard. More...

HELIOS PROTOTYPE READY FOR NEW RECORDS
Helios, an unmanned solar-powered flying wing created by AeroVironment, is now being prepared for another NASA-sponsored major milestone -- the world's first multi-day fuel-cell-powered flight in the stratosphere. The aircraft in 2001 shattered the world altitude record for non-rocket-powered aircraft by flying to 96,863 feet, powered solely by silicon solar cells mounted on its wing. A 12-hour test flight that will take place this month sets the stage for the multi-day flight test, planned for Hawaii in July. "The Helios prototype has proven its capabilities to conquer the day on solar power," said John Del Frate, Helios project manager at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. "Now to fulfill the long-term vision for it to fly routinely for extreme duration, the next challenge is to conquer the night. The key to that is development of the fuel-cell system. It's the necessary next step to extreme endurance." More...

SPAIN BANS RUSSIAN AICRAFT
When a Russian-made Yakolev-42 crashed in Turkey last week, 62 Spanish troops returning from Afghanistan were killed, along with 13 crew members. The accident raised questions in Spain about aviation safety, and on Sunday the Spanish government banned the use of aircraft from former Soviet-bloc countries, CNN reported Monday. Spanish officials at first defended the safety record of the airplane, but they later told CNN the ban will remain in place pending an investigation into the crash. The Yak had been chartered from a Ukrainian company. The safety of Russian aviation has been a recurring concern in the years since the breakup of the Soviet Union and a string of recent fatal accidents. More...

GET DAD OUT OF THE HOUSE (AND INTO THE AIR)
We'll bet you didn't know that June is not only National Dairy Month but also National Learn To Fly Month. With Father's Day falling smack dab in the middle, on June 15, perhaps the question is whether your Dad would prefer his first flying lesson to a block of Brie. The folks at Be A Pilot are trying to make the choice a bit easier by offering a certificate good for a $49 intro lesson at any one of 1,900 participating flight schools nationwide. "An introductory flying lesson is a gift Dad won't soon forget," says Drew Steketee, president of the nonprofit Be A Pilot campaign. "Chances are, it's something he's always thought of doing. So, don't give another run-of-the-mill gift when you can help him fulfill a lifetime dream." More...

AD SETS LIFE LIMIT FOR MORAVAN/ZLIN AIRFRAME
An FAA Airworthiness Directive issued on Monday affirms a fact that pilots have long suspected: having a wing (or two) separate from the airplane in flight would be a bad thing. This AD affects (Moravan) Model Z-242L aircraft, which are built in the Czech Republic. It beefs up a prior AD that restricted Acrobatic and Utility category operations and required replacement of the wings after a certain operational time. This week's AD maintains those restrictions, but also will incorporate the aerobatic frequency and life limit the airplane, instead of just the wings, in order to prevent fatigue cracking. More...

THE GANG'S ALL HERE -- HARD AT WORK IN THE HANGAR
There's an old saying that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a boy, and that may just hold true for airplanes as well. Some folks at Flabob Airport in Riverside, Calif., are trying out that theory on five young high-school-age gang members, by inviting them into a hangar to help restore a DC-3. The boys spend three hours a day, four days a week working on the aircraft, which is owned by the Commemorative Air Force of Riverside. "We didn't look them in the eye and tell them 'Gangs are bad' and 'You are all bad people,'" said Jon Goldenbaum, a retired Air Force colonel who is involved in the project. "We just said 'C'mon in, we'll take you as gang members, we just want to show you something.' They work well as a team because we left the gang intact." More...

FOR THE RECORD...
The January 8, 2003, crash of a Beech 1900D shortly after takeoff from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport that killed two crewmembers and 19 passengers was flown by Air Midwest (d.b.a. US Airways Express). We thank the good (and communicative) folks at Midwest Express for their enthusiastic patronage. Scaled Composites has informed AVweb that there will be no Scaled-organized June 7 gathering or display of new air vehicles at Mojave. Don't polish up those canards just yet ... More...

DOES YOUR COMPANY LET YOU FLY ON BUSINESS?
Does your company let you fly your personal airplane on business trips? Or do the suits in the corner office look the other way when you hand in your expense reports? Our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, is preparing a report on corporate policies for light aircraft use and we would like to hear owner experiences pro and con on this subject. Contact avconsumer@comcast.net. More...

ON THE FLY...
High winds on Monday damaged about 25 airplanes in San Marcos, Texas...
2,000-foot tower will not be built in Bayonne, N.J., but at WTC site...
Spirit of St. Louis replica crashed at England airshow, pilot killed...
AOPA prez Phil Boyer will host hangar talk at Saturday's Fly-In...
Camp David, Md., prohibited airspace reduced to a 3-nm radius. More...

AVweb's Picture Of The Week...

*** PREVIOUS RESULTS ***

We received over 90 pictures last week. Congratulations to this week's winner, James H. Cramer, of Henderson, Nev. His photo titled "Piper Arrow over Lake Mead, NV" provides us with an excellent view of northern Lake Mead. The aircraft pictured is James 1968 Piper Arrow." Great picture James! Your AVweb hat is on the way.

To check out the winning picture, or to enter next week's contest, go to http://www.avweb.com/potw.

**Due to privacy issues, AVweb does not publish e-mail addresses of readers who submit photos.

AVweb's Question Of The Week...

*** PREVIOUS RESULTS ***

We received over 300 responses to our question last week on flying during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. About 30 percent of those responding flew during the period, but only within their local area. However, 22 percent did fly out of town, while 27 percent did not fly at all due to money, time or other personal reasons.

To check out the complete results, including comments, go to http://www.avweb.com/qotw.

*** THIS WEEK'S QUESTION ***

This week, we would like to know your thoughts on ATC facility tours. Thanks to Matt McNelley for suggesting this week's topic. Please go to http://www.avweb.com/qotw to respond.

Have an idea for a new QOTW? Send your suggestions to qotw@avweb.com. Note, this address is ONLY for suggested QOTW questions, and NOT for QOTW answers.

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AVweb's AVscoop Award...

Congratulations and an AVweb hat go out to Todd Hutsell, this week's AVscoop winner. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. Rules and information are at http://www.avweb.com/contact/newstips.html.

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New Articles and Features on AVweb

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INSURANCE
Life Insurance - Medical Qualification
Sure, you can get just about as much insurance as you're willing to pay for, but first there is that medical exam. Seth Legatowicz of the Pilot Insurance Center gives you the inside track on medical underwriting when applying for life insurance.

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THE SYSTEM
Flying The Summer Low
A wimpy winter evolved into a wet, cold spring above the Mason-Dixon line, with plenty of low-pressure systems to entertain instrument pilots. (This article originally appeared in the July 2002 issue of IFR Refresher and is reprinted here by permission.)

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SPONSOR NEWS

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AVflash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest aviation news, articles, products, features and events featured on AVweb, the Internet's Aviation Magazine and News Service. http://www.avweb.com

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Today's issue written by News Writer Mary Grady:
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