October 1, 2007

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

Thousands of Classifieds, Updated Daily With thousands of daily updated Classifieds, a Product & Advertiser Index, Forums, NAAA Evaluator, Performance Database, Spec Sheets, and Aviation Weather, Trade-A-Plane gives you everything that keeps you flying. Order your subscription by calling (800) 337-5263, or go online. » Visit Trade-A-Plane in booths 1021 & 1023 at the AOPA Expo Top News back to top  Sponsor Announcement AVweb Features Daily AOPA Expo Coverage After one of the most news-intensive National Business Aviation Association conventions in recent memory, the aviation world's attention shifts to Hartford, Conn., this week and the AOPA convention. Our jet-lagged troupe of top-drawer print, video and audio journalists will be there for the full three days, starting Thursday, with daily coverage ensuring sure all 130,000 subscribers in the AVweb community know what's going on and how it might affect them. So far, the most interesting announcement appears to be coming from Piper. In an aside during an update on the PiperJet project, Piper VP Bob Kromer mentioned the company was collaborating on a new product and it looks like AOPA Expo will be the showcase. Some are predicting it will be a light sport aircraft along the lines of Cirrus's adoption of an already-flying European aircraft but maybe it's a more high-performance model to compete with Cirrus, Mooney and Cessna/Columbia. Stay tuned. NTSB: Lack Of Weather Info Doomed Scott Crossfield The NTSB on Thursday released its final report on the plane crash that killed famed aviator Scott Crossfield last year, with an unusual dual finding of blame, citing both Crossfield's failure to ask for weather updates, and air traffic control's failure to give them to him. Crossfield crashed on the morning of April 19, 2006, in Ludville, Ga., while flying alone in his Cessna 210. The safety board's determination of probable cause is: "The pilot's failure to obtain updated en route weather information, which resulted in his continued instrument flight into a widespread area of severe convective activity, and the air traffic controller's failure to provide adverse weather avoidance assistance, as required by Federal Aviation Administration directives, both of which led to the airplane's encounter with a severe thunderstorm and subsequent loss of control." Click here for the full report. Inspiring Daydreams Daily, BoeingStore.com The one-stop shop for the aviation enthusiast, BoeingStore.com has everything you're looking for: Apparel, travel gear, aviation posters, photographs, models, books, toys, novelties, and more. Now just a click away, take your passion to a higher altitude at BoeingStore.com News Briefs back to top  Alleviating Congestion, Bush's Way The White House Thursday told aviation officials to reduce congestion and delays, or at least not repeat what the first seven months of 2007 have been -- the most delayed air travel season on record. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics attributes responsibility for the delays equally between the national airspace system and the airlines (each winning 28 percent responsibility) with 38 percent attributed to rippling effects. Only 6 percent of delays could be attributed to weather, according to the Bureau. The push will bring even more tension to an already charged battle for space fought between airlines, private jets and the interests of the air traffic controllers union. President Bush's specific guidance was to ask Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to consult with those in the aviation industry who would help create a strategy by year-end with solutions to be implemented next year. For her part, Peters immediately pointed a finger toward the Northeast, where she says New York's airspace accounts for some three-quarters of all chronic airline delays. The FAA is currently working on a new system of flight patterns it hopes will cut delays in the Northeast by 20 percent. But Peters has indicated that congestion pricing, tighter slot limits, and efforts even less favored by the industry may be coming if it fails to work with her to meet the presidential mandate. The industry is rarely happy to cut back scheduling of packed aircraft for the sake of reducing congestion and during a recent House subcommittee hearing Air Transport Association President James May said "Congress should resist calls to force airlines to reduce flights or impose economic measures to curb passenger demand simply because this approach is expedient." Anti-Scud Running Web Site Launched Well, there's a Web site for just about everything these days and ClearanceWiki.com is aimed at the growing frustration of GA pilots in obtaining IFR clearances. The free service, announced last week, offers pilots airport-specific guidance on expeditiously obtaining IFR clearances while they're safely on the ground. "If IFR clearances are readily available, pilots are less tempted to launch under VFR with the intention of picking up the IFR in the air," says the ClearanceWiki.com news release. "In this way, ClearanceWiki.com hopes to help reduce scud running, and further improve General Aviation safety." The site is aimed at anyone who routinely needs to file IFR in unfamiliar places and is based on the "tribal knowledge" of pilots who have already learned the shortcuts for each airport. The service is free and no registration is required. "The whole purpose of flying General Aviation is to go fast," says Rob Montgomery, the product manager for ClearanceWiki.com. "Recently, long delays have crept into the clearance delivery process, and that gets expensive. Hopefully, ClearanceWiki.com will help folks get on their way just a little faster." Fly with Bose® Aviation Headset X™ Enjoy an unmatched combination of full-spectrum noise reduction, clearer audio, and comfortable fit. Voted the #1 headset for the sixth consecutive year in Professional Pilot's 2006 Headset Preference Survey. Also rated "Best ANR Headset — The Aviation Consumer Product of the Year" by Aviation Consumer. Purchase today and receive a complimentary pair of Bose in-ear headphones (a $99.95 value). Learn more and order. Quotes reprinted with permission. Aviation Consumer, August 2007. » Visit Bose Corporation in booths 538 & 540 at the AOPA Expo News Briefs back to top  Laser Targets Medevac Helicopter--Twice The pilot of an Australian medevac helicopter said he had to delay a landing with a critically ill passenger on board after he was briefly blinded by a laser aimed from the ground. The Sydney Morning Herald reported Saturday that the pilot, Darryl Humphries, was setting up to land at a hospital in Sydney when the green laser (powerful enough to damage eyes) hit the cockpit. It was the second time in three weeks that he'd been hit. "The laser distracted me whilst I was flying and caused me to stop doing a pre-landing check, which delayed landing with our patient," Humphries told the Morning Herald. "Some of these lasers can cause permanent eye damage, which is quite scary when you're trying to get a critically ill patient to hospital." Police are investigating and, of course, the air ambulance folks would appreciate it if the nonsense stops. "I'd say to them, get a bit of maturity about yourself and have a think about what you're doing," operations manager Steve Hughes said. "The risks you create for the pilot, the crew and the patients is considerable. Not only that, if it had resulted in an accident, we're flying in over domestic properties all the time and we could end up crashing onto suburban areas. It has some fairly large ramifications when you think about [it]." Cargo Plane Crash Pilot Takes Plunge After a spectacular crash landing on a busy Fort Lauderdale freeway, Bob Robertson says he's ready to take the plunge. Robertson, whose photo appeared in hundreds of newspapers and Web sites as he sat in the pilot's seat, the shredded Beech 18 around him, told reporters his girlfriend has agreed to marry him. The promise of a new life is in sharp contrast to the fate he assumed he'd have when one engine gave out last week on takeoff from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. "I knew that I was going to die. The idea at that point is to try not to take a lot of people with you," Robertson told The Associated Press. Robertson said he aimed for some grass near the freeway but didn't expect much. "I was shocked I survived," he said. "There was nothing left of the airplane, nothing except me and the seat. Everything else was debris. There was no pain, but I realized my injuries were severe." He's expected to make a full recovery. JA Air Center, Your Garmin GPSMap 496 Source, Is Looking to Purchase Used GPS Units, Avionics, and Aircraft Call (800) 323-5966 for current value, with no purchase required. JA Air Center is your source for Garmin GPS and Avionics, including the popular GPSMap 496 with XM Weather, Terrain, AOPA Airport Guide, Taxiway Database, and built-in StreetPilot Auto GPS. JA Air Center [Dupage Airport (KDPA) in West Chicago, IL] provides the finest avionics installations, turbine/piston maintenance, avionics/instrument service, mail order, and aircraft sales. Call (800) 323-5966, or click for more information. News Briefs back to top  Night Vision Goggles Certified for Queensland Emergency Team The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has made its move in Australia to allow the Queensland Government's "Emergency Management Queensland" (EMQ) to become the first operator certified to use night vision goggles. EMQ provides emergency services via helicopter and frequently flies high-priority missions to night landings in rural areas or at accident sites. Previously relying on "night sun" search lights, "It's a huge safety enhancement for landing in unsurveyed areas," EMQ chief pilot Trevor Wilson told TheAustralian.com. "It also demonstrates CASA's potential for safety innovation by positive engagement with the industry," he said. Aside from the obvious safety enhancements for the crews, the new enhanced vision capabilities will make night searches both on land and sea dramatically more effective, adding a much-valued ability to crews flying over a wide range and sparsely populated areas. Bomb Threat Temporarily Scuttles Seaplane Airline Service The world's largest floatplane-based airline was left high and dry for several hours last week after an anonymous caller threatened to send one of its aircraft to the bottom of Georgia Strait with a bomb. Harbour Air, which flies float-equipped Otters and Twin Otters between the harbors of Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, as well as some other communities, suspended operations to search its 60 aircraft, leaving 300 passengers temporarily stranded. The threat came in just as passengers were ready to board the popular 7 a.m. commuter flights. "Once the threat was phoned in we followed our emergency procedures and ceased operations," Harbour Air spokesman Chad Wetsch told the Vancouver Sun. Harbour Air's 15- to 30-minute flights between cities on the mainland and Vancouver Island are a popular alternative to the car ferries that serve the routes, particularly for business people. Do You Have Enough Life Insurance? The truth is most people do not. Studies show that 40% of adult Americans have no life insurance whatsoever and over 50 million people in this country lack adequate life insurance. Pilot Insurance Center can help you protect your family with full-coverage life insurance and no aviation exclusions. PIC specializes in providing pilots — from student to ATP — with the life insurance protection they need. For a personalized quote, call PIC today at 1 (800) 380-8376 or visit online. » Visit Pilot Insurance Center (PIC) in booth 245 at the AOPA Expo News Briefs back to top  Airbus Lands With Parking Brake Set British authorities say an airline's procedures have changed, and Airbus is installing a warning system on its aircraft after the pilot of a A319 landed the aircraft with parking brake set. All four mains blew after the landing but the aircraft stayed on the runway and no one was hurt in the incident at Leeds Bradford Airport, according to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch report. The report says the aircraft commander was the non-flying pilot and was preoccupied with tower weather reports. When the flying pilot called for flaps, the captain mistakenly hit the brakes. The first officer called a second time for flaps after they didn't come down the first time and the captain got the right control. The report says both pilots missed procedures and visual cues that would have alerted them to situation. After the aircraft skidded to a halt, the captain then asked the first officer to set the parking brake and he discovered it was on. There's no word on discipline for either pilot. A New Airport for Central Texas? We always like to hear about new airport developments, and Austin, Texas, has needed a story like this for a long time. In 1999, the city closed down two airports -- Austin Executive and Robert Mueller-- leaving general aviation struggling for a place to call home. Now a private investor, Ron Henriksen, has purchased the privately owned, public-use Bird's Nest Airport 12 miles northeast of Austin and hopes to upgrade it to a modern general aviation airport catering to the piston crowd. While the Texas state government has recognized the need for a new airport in the area for some six years, not much has happened. With the help and encouragement of the Texas Aviation Association and AOPA, Henriksen may provide the solution Central Texas aviators have been waiting for. He has his work cut out for him. Bird's Nest has a rich history (student solos from the 1970s were carved into the stones that still exist at the field), but the tiny field has fallen into disrepair and disuse over the years. We're rooting for him. XM WX Satellite Weather Uses a Continuous Satellite Broadcast to Deliver Graphical Weather Data to the Cockpit Pilots view and interact with the data — including radar, winds, METARs, lightning, and more — on compatible MFDs, EFBs, and PDAs from a wide range of industry partners, as well as on laptop PCs. The situational awareness afforded by XM WX Satellite Weather allows pilots to enjoy their journeys with more confidence and comfort than ever before. For more information, please visit XMWXweather.com. New on AVweb back to top  Probable Cause #42: Racing Weather It's never a good idea to try beating a thunderstorm to your destination. Click here for the full story. AVmail: Oct. 1, 2007 Reader mail this week about system delays, Cessna's interest in Columbia, the Age 60 rule and much more. Click here to read this week's letters to the editor. The Columbias Are Coming Can't find time to visit the Columbia Aircraft factory in Bend, Oregon? Then Columbia Aircraft will bring it to you with the 2007 Fly Columbia Tour. The mobile, interactive Columbia experience is making 28 stops at airports around the country through the summer and fall. Come see for yourself what makes the Columbia 350 and 400 the best of the best. Click here for the 2007 Fly Columbia Tour schedule. » Visit Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing in booth 813 at the AOPA Expo AVweb Audio News — Are You Listening? back to top  AVweb's Monday Podcast: WSI's New Weather Boxes — More Datalink Competition File Size 7.9 MB / Running Time 8:38 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS WSI was out early with weather datalink for the cockpit but stubbed its toe when the satellite technology proved troublesome. But the company is back with two new datalink receivers and new weather products delivered via Sirius Satellite Radio. WSI's Paul Devlin covers the specifics. Click here to listen. (7.9 MB, 8:38) NBAA 2007 Podcasting Round-Up: Our Complete Audio Coverage from the Atlanta Convention Innovation and growth topped everyone's agenda at the 2007 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. If there was any doubt as to the health of the business jet market, this show eradicated it. As always, AVweb's audio news team was on hand to get the biggest stories straight from the newsmakers themselves. In case you missed them, here's a quick recap of our NBAA 2007 podcasts: DayJet's Ed Iacobucci sits down with us for an extra-long podcast (20 minutes!) about the future of VLJs and the air taxi startups that are driving demand. Cessna Vice President of Sales Roger Whyte explains why Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing might be a better fit at Cessna than many would expect. Piper VP of Sales Bob Kromer takes us behind the scenes of PiperJet's avionics — which might (or might not) include some version of a Garmin G1000 glass panel. Jeppesen's Andy McDowell has a plan to put WAAS-enabled approach-planning in the hands of every pilot via something called "RNP." Larry Riddle from L-3 Communications explains how the SmartDeck EFIS system is making a comeback — and could loosen Garmin's grip on the avionics market. Jamie Luster from Avidyne explains how you can retrofit your Cessna 210 with a full-featured glass cockpit system. It ain't cheap, but it's state-of-the-art. Visit AOPA Aircraft Financing at Expo! If you are attending AOPA Expo 2007 in Hartford October 4-6, stop by and see AOPA Aircraft Financing in booth 643, and ask about the show special. Whether you are looking to purchase an aircraft or make upgrades to your existing aircraft, now is the perfect time to make your dream come true. Check out AOPA Aircraft Financing's competitive rates, quick decisions, and new No Document Loan Program. Call 1 (800) 62-PLANE to speak with a loan expert or apply online. » Visit AOPA Aircraft Financing in booth 643 at the AOPA Expo Take a Break, Watch a Video (or Two) back to top  Video of the Week: Journey Through the Classics Recommend a Video | VOTW Archive "Journey Through the Classics" with AVweb reader Walter Bogaardt this week. Walter's put together a couple of amazing videos from footage shot at the recent Camarillo Air Show in California. We've seen some fun musical montages since we started wasting time on YouTube, er, researching viral flying videos — but these are top-notch and all worth a watch. Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to download the video directly. NBAA 2007 Video Round-Up: Complete Video Reporting from the Atlanta Convention Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos If there's one thing we cay with certainty about the 2007 NBAA Convention and Trade Show, it's this: Business aviation is healthy and keeping (very) busy. If you don't believe us, check out these three exclusive videos we put together while gathering news reports for AVweb at the show. Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to download the video directly. The Quietest Aviation Headset on the Market & Full of Features — Introducing the Zulu The latest in headset technology and features are all wrapped into the stylish and fully functional Lightspeed Zulu. This new headset from Lightspeed performs total noise cancellation across the entire audible range. Once you experience this headset your first word will be WOW. Be one of the first to own this headset, with a 30-day money-back guarantee to ensure you will love it. Order online from PilotEssentials.com. Your Favorite FBOs back to top  FBO of the Week: Cutter Aviation (KCOS, Colorado Springs, CO) Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Cutter Aviation at KCOS in Colorado Springs, Colorado. AVweb reader Jim Landfried recommended the FBO after getting top-notch, personalized service from a big chain operation: I was surprised that at [an] airport this [big] they didn't charge any more for fuel than my local municipal airport. On my departure, Doug, a lineman, after learning that my family hadn't been to a General Aviation facility before, loaded my granddaughter, her husband, and their 1-1/2-year-old daughter into a crew vehicle and drove them to a place where they could see my wife and I depart. This at a large commercial airport! ... I have been back three times since and they always provide very excellent service and personal attention ... . By the way, the fuel prices have remained modest. And it sounds like Jim would know his way around FBOs, having visited many of them over the years during a career as a scorer for the Air Race Classic! 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! Find Your Next Aircraft on ASO! When you search for aircraft on ASO, you get the most complete picture of the market available anywhere. View thousands of listings with detailed specs and photos or use ASO's advanced search tools to quickly find your next aircraft. Best of all, know that every ad is current and no time is wasted on stale listings. If you're ready for your next aircraft, it's ready for you — on ASO. Visit ASO today! » Visit Aircraft Shopper Online (ASO) in booths 444 & 446 at the AOPA Expo Stay in Touch with AVweb back to top  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. You're a part of our team ... often, the best part. AVwebBiz: AVweb's Business Aviation Newsletter HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb's NO-COST weekly business aviation newsletter, AVwebBiz? Reporting on breaking news, Business AVflash focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry. Business AVflash is a must read. Sign up today at http://www.avweb.com/profile/. Names Behind the News back to top  Meet the AVwebFlash Team AVwebFlash is a weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service. The AVwebFlash team is: Publisher Timothy Cole Editorial Director, Aviation Publications Paul Bertorelli Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles Contributing Editors Mary Grady Glenn Pew Features Editor Kevin Lane-Cummings Click here to send a letter to the editor. (Please let us know if your letter is not intended for publication.) Comments or questions about the news should be sent here. Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? A question on marketing? Send it to AVweb's sales team. If you're having trouble reading this newsletter in its HTML-rich format (or if you'd prefer a lighter, simpler format for your PDA or handheld device), there's also a text-only version of AVwebFlash. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here. Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.