October 22, 2008

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

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 seventh consecutive year in Professional Pilot's 2007 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: Professional Pilot, 2007 Headset Preference Survey, 12/07; Aviation Consumer, 8/07. Top News: FAA, Controllers at Odds Over Training back to top  Sponsor Announcement Union Decries FAA Change In Controller Training The FAA wants to change the way air traffic controllers are trained, dividing the job into two specialties for working in either a tower or a radar center. Most controllers currently are trained in both functions. John Wallin, president of the controllers' union local in Memphis, told The Associated Press that cross-training is important for effective coordination when both facilities work together. "Controllers who work in the tower will no longer have the experience that radar controllers have and that could lead to a disaster because they're not going to know what each other is doing," Wallin said. But the FAA says it is simply more efficient to train workers for just one job. "It's simply focusing their training to do precisely what they're going to be doing," FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto told the AP. The union also said the changes would mean a cut in controller salaries and would limit staffing flexibility, especially in emergencies. At the nation's largest airports, the two controller functions already are separate, but Wallin said most of those controllers have already worked at smaller facilities where they got experience in both the tower and the radar center. U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), chairman of the House subcommittee on aviation, told the AP that any move by the FAA to lessen certification requirements for controllers would draw a congressional review. JA Air Center Moving to Chicagolands Aurora Municipal Airport (KARR) Opening December 1st, the four-building campus will feature a 20,000-sq.-ft. arrival/departure canopy, 90,000 sq. ft. of hangar space, 60,000 sq. ft. of offices, and a separate VIP arrival terminal. The FBO will feature an impressive list of amenities and Conoco Phillips aviation products. Rental space for corporate flight departments will be available. For more information, go online. (PDF) Considering an Eclipse 500? Now May Be the Time ... back to top  Eclipse Selling Off DayJet Fleet It wasn't that long ago that the waiting time for an Eclipse 500 was measured in years, but chances are you could have one in a few days if you don't mind a blue stripe down the side. Eclipse Aviation is holding a dispersal sale of the 28 aircraft returned by DayJet when the incipient air taxi operator ceased operations in September. Eclipse spokeswoman Alana McCarraher told AVweb the aircraft, which have between 150 and 450 cycles on them, are being sold "as is," which, as it turns out, is quite variable. The aircraft come in a variety of configurations, but none of them has flight into known icing or the latest Avio NG 1.5 avionics package. McCarraher declined to release prices for the aircraft, saying each will be priced individually based on equipment and use. All the aircraft have some factory warranty left and all have been maintained by Eclipse and DayJet. DayJet closed its doors Sept. 20, citing an inability to get financing for expansion. CEO Ed Iaccobucci insisted the per-seat business model was working but without the capital it couldn't be taken to the level needed for efficient, profitable operation. Zulu Named Aviation Consumer's 2008 ANR Headset of the Year The Lightspeed Zulu: P (Panel Power) headset raises the bar in performance, comfort, and crystal-clear audio quality, with more total noise cancellation than any other headset — and no batteries needed! The Zulu: P utilizes the same panel-powered LEMO plug used in Bose headsets and comes with built-in Bluetooth for wireless cell phone or music interface. Click for more information. Hawkers New & Old back to top  Hawker 4000 Seized In Cigarette-Tax Case The first Hawker 4000 corporate jet that was delivered to a customer has been seized by federal investigators in connection with a tax-evasion scheme, according to reports this week in the Associated Press and the Wichita Eagle. Gary Hall, a Kansas businessman, took delivery of the $21-million Hawker bizjet in a ceremony at the Beechcraft company in Wichita in June. He and seven others have been charged with scheming to avoid paying $25 million in taxes on cigarettes. Hall's lawyer Dan Monnat said the federal charges involve the complex structure of cigarette taxes in the state of Oklahoma. "Gary Hall is a well-respected businessman and philanthropist," Monnat said. "He vigorously asserts his innocence of these accusations and welcomes a jury trial that will make that clear." As for the fate of the Hawker: "If he's acquitted, he'll get his plane back," Jim Cross, a spokesman for the Kansas U.S. Attorney's office, told the Eagle. Hall owned and controlled several businesses, including some that deal with wholesale tobacco. Prosecutors allege that companies controlled by Hall and the other defendants improperly stamped some of the cigarettes for sale, avoiding taxes. They carried out the scheme through a variety of means, including communications by Internet and fax and money wire transfers, according to the prosecutors. New Life For Old Hawkers There are a lot of older business jets out there that still stack up fairly well in terms of performance and comfort but their cockpits, especially, are showing their age. Recently, Universal Avionics announced the first installation of a flat-panel display in a Hawker 700A. Mid-Canada Mod Center in Toronto put Universal's large-format PFD/ND EFI-890R displays in the 30-year-old aircraft, dramatically reducing pilot workload and increasing curb appeal. Universal says it also made the old Hawker safer and easier to maintain. The screens replace a panel full of electromechanical indicators, consolidate radio controls and make possible the on-screen display of charts, 3-D coupled approaches, and a terrain and awareness system (TAWS). Universal plans to expand the list of Hawker aircraft available for glass displays and, according to company spokesman Dan Reida, is "committed to Hawker operators and keeping this aircraft type viable." Piper Matrix — Piper Compelling Click here for more information on the new Matrix, Piper's next generation of cabin-class sophistication. Compellingly priced at $757,000. P&W Fires Starter Gun on New Engine Tech Race back to top  P&WC Boosts R&D Pratt and Whitney Canada will spend more than $360 million on research and development in the next three years to make engines that are cleaner and leaner. The Quebec government is chipping in $125 million in the form of a repayable loan that the province will recover from royalties on sales. John Sabaas, PW&C's executive vice president, said R&D is a cornerstone of the engine maker's success. "Our sustained investments in R&D have allowed us to bring more than 65 new engines to market over the past 15 years, a significant accomplishment," Sabaas said. Although modern turbine engines are about 30-percent more efficient than the previous generation, PW&C believes there are ways to squeeze more push from a pound of Jet A with less pollution. It has about 1,500 engineers working on that at R&D facilities in Longueuil, Quebec, and Mississauga, Ontario. It's latest engine, the geared turbofan 800 series, has been chosen for Cessna's intercontinental bizjet, the Columbus 850. Precise Flight: Hidden in Plain Sight With design capabilities as varied as the number of aircraft models available, it's easy to find at least one device manufactured by Precise Flight in the cabin, cockpit, or body of any aircraft on the market. In fact, integration is a key characteristic of Precise Flight's operating code. Learn more online. Last Chance to Book a Flight to Scottsdale back to top  Turboprop Expo Next Week Jets seem to get all the attention but turboprops are the backbone of many business aviation sectors and the focus is on them next week at the annual Turboprop Expo. The 2008 edition launches in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Oct. 28 and continues for three days of turboprop-specific seminars and workshops. Keynote speaker Dr. David Strahle will present a session on "Understanding Nexrad Imagery" and the seminars have been expanded to include key topics on airframe operations, maintenance, upgrades and mods. Of course, all work and no play would be a terrific waste in a place like Scottsdale. A full program of social and networking opportunities has been organized for attendees. Golf, a Southwest barbecue dinner and Gary Sprague, the Singing Cowboy, and his horse Dusty will be entertaining. Attention, Turboprop Operators! Reserve October 28-30 on Your Calendars Turboprop Expo 2008, October 28-30 in Scottsdale, AZ, will offer specialized programs including seminar tracks for airframe and turboprop engine topics as well as operational and ownership information. Dr. David Strahle will present his informative and acclaimed seminar: Understanding Nexrad Imagery. Enjoy the relaxing surroundings of a classic resort and network with industry leaders at Turboprop Expo 2008. For more information and to register, visit online. New on AVweb back to top  Columns | Features | What's New | Calendar | Brainteasers Aviation Consumer Magazine Asks: 'Did AIG's Financial Crash Take GA Insurance With It?' File Size 6.7 MB / Running Time 7:17 Podcast Index | How to Listen | Subscribe Via RSS Not really. AIG is the largest writer of aviation insurance, but the parent company's fiscal turmoil has spared the insurance shop. In this podcast, insurance expert Jon Doolittle explains why. To learn more about AIG and aviation insurance, check out the November issue of Aviation Consumer. Stay on top of the products and services that matter to pilots by subscribing to Aviation Consumer. Click here to listen. (6.7 MB, 7:17) AVweb Insider Blog: Fresh Blood for Aviation, One Waiter at a Time We've all heard how difficult it is to get new people involved in aviation, and at this year's NBAA Convention AVweb Editor-in-Chief saw how easy it can be to spark an interest in aviation — and why it doesn't always work out. Russ shares his tale (and that of Dan-the-possible-pilot-in-waiting) in the latest installment of our AVweb Insider blog. Read more. Join NAA and Help Shape the Next Century of Flight It's a great time to join the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), the nation's oldest aviation organization. At $39 a year, NAA membership is a terrific value for any aviation enthusiast! Members receive the Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine, plus access to aviation records and much more. To become an NAA member, sign up online or call (703) 416-4888 and press 4. Who's Where back to top  Chevrestt Leads Executive Beechcraft Ed Chevrestt BBA Aviation has named Ed Chevrestt as Vice President and General Manager for Executive Beechcraft. Chevrestt was formerly general manager of American Airlines' maintenance base at Kansas City International Airport. Cunningham Gets Avidyne Sales Post Jeremy Cunningham Jeremy Cunningham is the new Northeast Regional Sales Manager for Avidyne. He's a former U.S. Navy aviation electronics technician and was most recently director of business development for AeroSolutions Group, Inc. Who's Where? You Tell Us Get a promotion or a new job? Your colleagues want to know about it, and AVwebBiz can get the word out. Drop us a line about the staff appointment, with a nice recent photo, and we'll do our best to include it in our new section, "Who's Where." The items will be permanently archived on AVweb for future reference, too. Safety Equipment — Add Aviation Safety to Your MEL A Minimum Equipment List is not complete without a subscription to Aviation Safety. Discover this informative, instructive monthly publication that sharpens your air readiness. Order your subscription online for savings from the regular rate. The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! back to top  AVweb's Newstips Address ... Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 200,000 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. Names Behind the News back to top  Meet the AVwebBiz Team AVwebBiz is a weekly summary of the latest business aviation news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service. The AVwebBiz 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 Webmaster Scott Simmons Contributors Jeff van West 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 AVwebBiz. For complete instructions on making the switch, click here. Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.