November 5, 2007

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

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 TOP NEWS: Homeland Security Announcements Today back to top  Sponsor Announcement GA Security Plans to Be Unveiled Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is expected to unveil his department's plans to address general aviation security Monday at a meeting in Washington. Chertoff is the guest speaker at the National Air Transportation Association's Aviation Business Roundtable at the Mayflower Hotel. The meeting will be open to the media. In addition to Chertoff, Transportation Security Administration head Kip Hawley and representatives of other government agencies will be there to outline new regulations for GA security. The government has been working on a package of GA security measures for the past year, and GA groups have been in contact with the various agencies to try and ensure the measures make sense in terms of security and the operational needs of the industry. Last July 9, the National Business Aviation Association issued a statement on the ongoing process, saying it had advised the government that a "one-size-fits-all" approach to aviation security will not work. The statement stressed that GA is not a major security threat and noted that the industry has already undertaken voluntary steps to beef up security. There will likely be a comment period prior to enactment of the new rules. "Only PIC Kept Us at the Lowest Rate." — The Aviation Consumer, Feb 2007 Issue Pilot Insurance Center is an industry leader at providing life insurance protection to pilots and their families. PIC has convinced insurance companies that most pilots needn't pay higher life premiums just because they fly. Read the complete Aviation Consumer article on PIC's web site. You can apply for a policy in less than 5 minutes! Call today at 1 (800) 380-8376. Parts and Rather Large Sums (Of Money, That Is) back to top  Precision Airmotive: No Ready Solution to Carb Shipments In Monday's news and podcast, we reported that Precision Airmotive, supplier of MSA carburetors and parts for Lycoming, Continental and Franklin engines might be on the verge of a solution to resume shipping those products in a few weeks. Not so, says Scott Grafenauer, Precision's president. Grafenauer told us Monday evening that Precision stopped shipping MSA carbs and parts on November 1 not because it can't afford liability insurance but because it can't find coverage at any cost. Grafenauer said a Precision spokesman who alluded to a short-term solution in our Monday podcast misspoke. "We're looking at all options. We're open to anything at this point," Grafenauer said, but thus far, the company has nothing firm to report. The impact of Precision's withdrawal from the market—temporary or not—could be dramatic, since some 100,000 aircraft use MSA carbs. Appeal Court Rules on Lycoming Crankshaft Case Lycoming has lost elements of its appeal against a 2005 jury verdict that blamed design faults for a series of crankshaft failures in its engines. The 14th Court of Appeals in Houston agreed with the earlier verdict that Lycoming's design was to blame for the failures, but it set aside a $96 million judgment awarded in the earlier trial to Navasota, Texas-based Interstate Southwest, which forged the crankshafts. As AVweb reported in 2005, Interstate sued Lycoming after the engine manufacturer blamed the failures on problems with Interstate's forging processes. According to Interstate's lawyer, Marty Rose, the appeals court decision also nullifies Lycoming's $173 million counterclaim against Interstate. However, Lycoming apparently doesn't see it the same way. "Lycoming is very pleased that the Court of Appeals has reversed and rejected all of [Interstate Southwest's] claims for damages in this action and has made clear that Lycoming is free to pursue its claims for damages against [Interstate Southwest] and [Interstate Forging Industries]," the company said in a statement to AVweb Saturday. Whether that means more legal wranglings are on the horizon is unclear. When crankshafts in higher-horsepower Lycoming engines failed from 2000 to 2002, Lycoming blamed Interstate for improperly heat-treating the blanks it forged. However, the 2005 verdict determined that Lycoming had changed the recipe for the alloy used to make the crankshafts by adding vanadium. The vanadium made the steel easier to work with, but it also weakened the end product. According to Rose, the appeals court verdict upholds those elements of Interstate's case and also confirms the earlier finding that Lycoming fraudulently told the FAA that the failures were due to improper heat treatment. Rose said the $96 million judgment in Interstate's favor was set aside because the appeal court said the damages ($10 million actual and $86 million exemplary) were not recoverable under Texas law. Trade-A-Plane, Aviation's Original Search Engine, Is Celebrating 70 Years Back in 1937, Trade-A-Plane was the original (and only) place to look for parts to repair an airplane. It's still the best, with everything that keeps you flying — thousands of planes, products, and services. Call (800) 337-5263 or subscribe online. In print or online, start your search with the world's largest aviation resource. Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright ... In the Factories of Georgia back to top  Tiger Lands In Valdosta, Ga. True Flight Aerospace has confirmed it will build a modern version of the Grumman Tiger in Valdosta, Ga., and hopes to have its first aircraft flying by next summer. CEO Kevin Lancaster said in a podcast interview with AVweb that the company intends to build a 60,000-square-foot plant at the Valdosta Airport. "We're very excited," Lancaster, who purchased the type certificate and most of the assets from the former Tiger Aircraft company earlier this year, said Friday. The Taiwanese government was the majority shareholder of the former owner, and Lancaster said closure of the company, based in Martinsburg, Va., was a political decision. There were firm orders on the books for aircraft but no money to build them. Lancaster said the new incarnation will be run much differently. Lancaster has been involved in franchising, and he said there are parallels to franchising in resurrecting the Tiger brand. He said franchising involves replicating successful business models, and much of the hard work in starting to build Tigers has already been done. Many of the staff from the Martinsburg plant will be joining the new company, the aircraft is already certified and Lancaster says he's convinced there's demand for the aircraft, which he claims is one of the most efficient piston singles available. Lancaster said he comes by his enthusiasm for the design honestly, having owned two Tigers in the past. Related Content: Click here for a podcast interview with Kevin Lancaster. AVweb's Monday Podcast: Enter the Tiger (Again) File Size 9.2 MB / Running Time 9:59 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS We don't know how many lives a Tiger can have, but Grumman's venerable four-place single is getting another shot at success thanks to a Valdosta, Georgia company. True Flight Aerospace is planning a 60,000 sq. ft. plant at the airport there and hopes to have its first aircraft off the line by next summer. AVweb's Russ Niles talked to CEO Kevin Lancaster about his plans to succeed with Tiger where others have failed. Click here to listen. (9.2 MB, 9:59) 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. Learn more and order. Quotes reprinted with permission. Aviation Consumer, August 2007. News Briefs back to top  Enola Gay Pilot Paul Tibbets Dies Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945, died at his home in Columbus, Ohio, early Thursday. He was 92. Tibbets was a 30-year-old Lt. Col. when he was called on to plan and execute the world-changing mission, a mission he told Studs Terkel in a 2002 interview that could have been even more dramatic. In that interview, Tibbets told Terkel that the original plan called for simultaneous drops on Europe and Japan to ensure surprise in both theaters. However, the war in Europe ended three months before the weapon was ready so efforts were concentrated on the still-resisting Japanese. Tibbets had been in ill health for a couple of months. At his request, there will be no funeral or grave marker, which he believed would become a rallying point for protesters. Tibbets never expressed regret over dropping the bomb, saying it was his duty. He asked that his ashes be spread over the English Channel, where he flew for part of his war service. Related Content: Studs Terkel's 2002 interview with Tibbets. Canadian Pilot Guilty In Crash A Canadian court has found an Alberta pilot guilty of criminal negligence and unsafe operation of an aircraft for a 2002 accident that led to the death of a Kansas man. Mark Tayfel admitted he misjudged the amount of fuel required for the round trip from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Gunisao Lake Lodge to pick up six American tourists on a fishing trip. He initially made it to Winnipeg International Airport, but for reasons that aren’t clear had to abort the landing. Both engines on the Piper Chieftain quit on the go-around, and the aircraft crash-landed in a Winnipeg intersection. Kansas resident Chester Jones, 79, died three months later from injuries suffered in the crash, and four others were injured. In his defense, Tayfel said running out of gas was an honest mistake and not a criminal act. The judge disagreed, saying his "hasty" check of the fuel gauges to determine the fuel load wasn't enough. "His various explanations sound more like after-the-fact justifications for his very hasty estimate as to the amount of fuel on board rather than any attempt to make the considered calculation expected of a reasonable and prudent person," the unidentified judge was quoted as writing in his judgment by the Winnipeg Sun. Tayfel was found guilty of one count of criminal negligence causing death, four counts of criminal negligence causing injury and one count of operating an aircraft in a manner dangerous to the public. All the charges can result in jail time. A sentencing date has not been set. JA Air Center Offers Huge Incentives For G1000 King Air C90 Retrofit! JA Air Center is offering great incentives to a launch customer! The G1000 for King Air C90A/B series puts a wealth of flight-critical data at your fingertips. It integrates navigation, communication, terrain, traffic, weather and engine instrumentation on high-definition LCDs. Call JA Air at (800) 323-5966 to talk to an expert about your King Air C90. For a presentation on this exciting avionics suite, click here. To order, go online to JA Air Center. Craig Field Expansion: Safety or Politics? back to top  Jacksonville Runway Expansion Opposed Residents opposed to the Jacksonville Aviation Authority's (JAA) bid to lengthen a runway at Craig Field, a reliever airport close to downtown Jacksonville, say the authority is breaking a six-year-old promise to leave the facility as is. In 2001, the airport authority agreed to scrap any expansion plans in exchange for autonomy from the Jacksonville Port Authority, and that deal is apparently coming back to haunt JAA as it starts jumping the political hoops to extend one of Craig Field's runways from 4,000 to 6,000 feet. According to the Jacksonville Times-Union, JAA and its supporters cite the numerous safety benefits of the extension. The campaign in favor of the extension is called Safer Craig, and proponents say the longer the runway, the safer it is. But some nearby residents and some members of city council aren't buying the safety angle. "The airport authority has framed the issue," City Council President Daniel Davis said at a recent meeting where the issue was discussed. "That's a legitimate discussion, if it's a safety initiative or not." Others believe there is a hidden agenda to allow more and larger aircraft to use Craig, which is closer to upscale neighbourhoods and some city attractions than other local airports that have the runway capacity for larger aircraft. There's also the suggestion that the runway extension is aimed at accommodating an air taxi service, which needs a longer runway for insurance requirements. For neighbor Beverly Garvin, the issue is clear. "I don't know how many times I have to stand up in front of these gentlemen and say, 'No,'" she told the Times-Union. "The City Council has said that to them, but it's like they don't hear. They don't know what the word 'no' means." New Product Announcement — OxyArm Aviator Headset-Mounted Cannula NEW!!! OxyArm Aviator Nasal Cannula mounts directly on virtually all aviation headsets to provide continuous oxygen flow with minimal contact while flying. Its unique design removes the hassle of wearing an oxygen cannula during flight. Its presence is virtually unrecognizable. Visit Aeromedix.com to purchase this product today! Investigating Pilots back to top  Airline Pilot on No-Fly List A recently-retired airline pilot told Colorado television station 9News on Friday that while he has all the clearances he needs to fly an airliner, his appearance on the "no-fly" list makes being a passenger a major ordeal. Robert Campbell says that even though the Transportation Security Administration assured him in 2006 that he was off the list, he still gets the third degree when he checks in for a flight as a passenger. "The fact is, I'm authorized by the TSA to fly the airplane and ride the jump seat on air carriers," he said. "But if I want to ride in the back, I'm on the no-fly list." Campbell found out he was on the list in 2005 and tried everything he could think of to get off it. "I've talked to everybody under the sun — my Congressmen, my union, union legal people, the airlines, my chief pilot — and nobody seems to be able to get me off the no-fly list," he told 9News. "This is absurd. Even the TSA knows it's absurd." Indian Airlines Hiring Medically-Suspect Pilots, Says Newspaper The Times of India says a budget airline, which it did not identify, has rehired a pilot who lost his medical because he's suspected of being epileptic. The newspaper says the condition was spotted during an electroencephalogram (EEG) and it was reported to the pilot and the airline. The newspaper says its sources claim the pilot went to the U.S. to recertify because an EEG is not required unless there is a history of brain injury or disease. The Times says its sources assume the pilot did not mention the failed EEG during the U.S. examination and was given his medical. On his return to India, the same airline that had to let him go for the failed medical rehired him. India's director-general of civil aviation Kanu Gohain has promised to investigate. "We will look into the matter. How can he fly in India if he failed medicals here?" Gohain said. The newspaper also claims that there is a pilot flying in India on a single transplanted kidney. Whether that's a violation of medical regulations isn't clear, but the Times said it's indicative of the desperate shortage of "qualified" pilots as a new "retirement bubble" looms. "After the retirement age was increased from 60 to 65 in 2004, retirements froze for a while as 60-plus commanders continued to fly. But there will be a spate of retirements in 2009. It's also the time when the country will need every single experienced commander it has," Capt Yashraj Tongia of Yash Air, a flying school in Ujjain, told the Times. Avidyne's New MLB700 Broadcast Datalink Receiver Really Delivers! Avidyne's MLB700 Broadcast Datalink Receiver delivers aviation-quality datalink graphical weather from WSI InFlight® and audio entertainment from SIRIUS® Satellite Radio. With the MLB700, you get WSI's industry-leading NOWrad® radar mosaic displayed on your EX500 or EX5000 MFD for the most up-to-date and highest-quality aviation weather available and over 130 channels of music, sports, news, and talk radio right through your aircraft's audio system. Click for more information online. Cessna 172 Retirement Party back to top  Highest-Time 172 Retired A 1982 Cessna 172P flown daily in scheduled airline service in Belize has been retired with more than 30,000 hours on it. John Greif, CEO of Tropic Air, told AVweb in last Friday's podcast interview that little remains of the original aircraft, which he says is still in good flying condition. He said he believes it's the highest-time 172. Greif said he made the decision to retire the aircraft out of an "abundance of caution." He said it's being replaced with a new diesel-powered 172. Greif said the retired aircraft will be sold as a flying aircraft but he believes it will ultimately be parted out. He said it's a nice 172 to fly because it's had a lot of weight taken out over the years, particularly the heating system, which, of course, is not needed in tropical Belize. The lack of heater might make its market potential limited. Greif said the aircraft regularly flew three to four flights a day involving 12 cycles and was a dependable member of his fleet. Related Content: Click here for a podcast interview with John Greif. AVweb's Friday Podcast: A Well-Deserved Retirement for Tropic Air's Cessna 172 File Size 6.2 MB / Running Time 6:44 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS For those of you struggling to put 50 hours a year on your Cessna 172, consider the long and productive life of a 1982 P-model that was retired last week with 30,000 hours on it, likely making it the highest-time 172 in the world. The 172, with tail number V3-HDN, has been making as many as three or four flights a day in scheduled airline service for Tropic Air, which is based on San Pedro, an island off the coast of Belize. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Tropic Air President John Greif about the aircraft's history and his experience with a diesel-powered replacement. Click here to listen. (6.2 MB, 6:44) Over 16,000 Happy GAMIjectors® Customers Can't Be Wrong! GAMIjectors® have given these aircraft owners reduced peak cylinder head temperatures, reduced fuel consumption, and smoother engine operation. GAMIjectors® alter the fuel/air ratio in each cylinder so that each cylinder operates with a much more uniform fuel/air ratio than occurs with any other factory set of injectors. To speak to a GAMI engineer, call (888) FLY-GAMI, or go online for complete engineering details. New on AVweb back to top  AVmail: Nov. 5, 2007 Reader mail this week about Bobby Sturgell, NASA's secret safety survey, airline security hassles for air crews, and an FSS blind spot in the Northeastern U.S. (among other topics). Click here to read this week's letters to the editor. The Pilot's Lounge #119: Sunshine, Round Engines, Tailwheels ... Life Is Good AVweb's Rick Durden spent a glorious weekend among a gathering of radial-engined beauties. Click here to read Rick Durden's column. Your IFR Moments IFR magazine asked its readers to contribute defining moments of IFR flying. Here are a few where the moment was made by the company as much as the flight. Click here for the full story. The AVweb Bookstore, The Most Complete Aviation Bookstore Anywhere Over 400 titles representing 52 publishers are in stock and ready for immediate delivery — as books, videos, or CDs. 100+ titles available instantly as fully searchable e-Book downloads. Whether you are a pilot, an A&P technician, or a kit airplane builder, if it's worth reading, it's available from the AVweb Bookstore. Click here to visit online. Your Favorite FBOs back to top  FBO of the Week: Panorama Flight Service (Westchester County Airport, White Plains, NY) Nominate an FBO | Rules | Tips | Questions | Winning FBOs AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Panorama Flight Service at Westchester County Airport (KHPN) in White Plains, N.Y. "Panorama Flight Service goes out of their way to serve pilots and passengers," according to AVweb reader George Samara, who also raved about the princely treatment he received there: They are the only FBO I know of that provides free: a flavored coffee service, a large container of Gorp Mix, a large container of Jelly Beans, a large container of small chocolates, and (for all pilots) a selection of seven different kinds of cheesecake (which were awesome). Oh, and they also provide several kinds of free granola bars, and a great Crew Lounge with two computer terminals and two phones. Did I mention that there are three phones in the lobby, too? 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! Aviation Consumer — The Only Magazine with the Guts to Tell You the Truth about the gear you buy and the planes you fly. Aviation Consumer is packed with in-depth and uncompromising ratings of equipment, avionics, accessories, mods, services, aircraft, and much more. Order online and receive unlimited access to Aviation Consumer's ratings-packed web information database! The Lighter Side of Flight back to top  Short Final When I was learning to fly in 1967 in Merced, Calif., we had no control tower. We were taught that after engine start-up, we should pretend to call the tower for taxi clearance. Another pilot trainee started his engine, then immediately started to taxi. The instructor stopped him and advised that he had forgotten to call for clearance. The trainee thought for a second, opened the pilot air vent, and, over the roar of the engine, yelled, "Clear!" Help Us Make the News 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.