August 11, 2010

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

View Trade-A-Plane's New Edition at No Cost on Your Mobile Device! Just enter Trade-A-Plane.com/mobile. Search for aircraft (hourly updates). Find companies, products, and services. Locate dealers/brokers. Call or e-mail sellers, and click directly to their web sites. With our web and mobile editions, you can view all of our ads at no cost, all the time! Call (800) 337-5263, or visit us online. AVflash! All Eyes on Alaskan Crash back to top  Former Sen. Ted Stevens Killed In Crash Click for larger version Former NASA head Sean O'Keefe and his son survived an aircraft crash in Alaska Monday night that killed former Republican Senator Ted Stevens. The turboprop-powered de Havilland Otter (a DHC-3 single Otter) that went down about 20 miles from Dillingham in southwest Alaska. Five of nine people aboard the aircraft died. Bad weather hampered rescue efforts but local residents, including a doctor, were on the scene helping the survivors shortly after the crash. The survivors waited about 12 hours in rain and wind to be rescued from the rugged crash site. The accident happened about 8 p.m. local time as the aircraft, N455A, owned by Alaska communications company GCI, headed toward a private resort also owned by the company. Stevens, 86, was one of the U.S.'s longest-serving senators but lost the last election after he was convicted of corruption. Stevens' conviction was vacated after the prosecutors moved to dismiss the indictment. O'Keefe, 54, left NASA in 2005 and became the CEO of EADS Defense North America. He had previously worked with Stevens in Congress for many years. Stevens and O'Keefe often went on fishing trips together. Introducing: Our Best Pilot Headset Ever NEW Bose A20™ Aviation Headset Bose was the first to introduce active noise reducing headsets to aviation more than 20 years ago, forever changing the way pilots fly. Now the Bose A20™ Aviation Headset sets an entirely new standard, providing significantly greater noise reduction than currently available. It also features an improved level of comfort, clear audio, Bluetooth® connectivity, auxiliary audio input and priority switching. Learn more. Aviation Responds to the Loss of Stevens back to top  Tributes Pour In For Stevens Reaction to the death of former Republican Sen. Ted Stevens in a plane crash Monday in Alaska poured in from aviation groups Tuesday. Stevens was well-known for his vigorous defense of general aviation in Alaska, to the point where the state has many exemptions from and special applications of FAA regulations that reflect the unique operating conditions (not to mention Stevens' political clout) in the state. "Senator Stevens demonstrated a profound understanding of the value of general aviation to Alaska and to the nation," said AOPA President Craig Fuller. "He was quick to point out GA's unique ability to connect isolated communities across Alaska's vast distances, deliver vital resources and services, and generate economic value for businesses of all sizes." NBAA President Ed Bolen said Stevens will be remembered for his major impact on the business of aviation. "He understood, and made sure others understood, the critical role aviation plays in our nation's economy and transportation system," Bolen said. "He fought constantly to keep the United States the world leader in all aspects of aviation, including general aviation." National Air Transportation Association President Jim Coyne called Stevens a "great American" who made a difference. "Stevens was a remarkable member of the U.S. Senate as well as a steadfast supporter of the general aviation community, especially in the state of Alaska," Coyne said. Get Spidertracks Aviator, the Aircraft Location System That Survives Every Crash — So You Can, Too Spidertracks tracks you in real-time and automatically sends SOS alerts within minutes of an accident. Your flights are displayed on the Aviator web site, and your online logbook automatically fills in flight time and distance. You can upload photos, share your flights, "follow" other pilots, and talk flying with other aviators who love flying as much as you do. Get Aviator today — call 1 (800) 491‑2895 or visit Spidertracks.com. Quest Charts Its Path in New Economy back to top  Layoffs At Quest Aircraft, Despite Recent Sales Quest Aircraft had an exciting time last week at EAA AirVenture, announcing the delivery of nine of its Kodiak turboprops on floats to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but this week the company laid off 65 workers at its factory in Sandpoint, Idaho. The workers were not only in manufacturing but also in support and administration. A series of cutbacks has left the company with about 155 employees, down from 340 a year ago. Quest was making about three airplanes a month until last fall, but since then has cut back to two per month, according to The Spokesman-Review. "The whole aviation business is in a very soft spot right now," Quest CEO Paul Schaller said in a staff meeting on Monday, the Bonner County Daily Bee reported. "We are trying to get through it by tightening our belts the best we can." Schaller told the laid-off workers they would be eligible to be rehired once the economy picks up. The company announced the availability of floats for the Kodiak in June, and last month made a new icing-protection system available and an optional external cargo compartment. Earlier this year, the Kodiak's maximum takeoff weight was increased to 7,255 pounds. The company was established in 2001. Have You Ever Gotten the Short End at Trade-In Time? REVENGE Pilatus just authorized its dealers to offer you more for your aircraft trade-in than anyone else. But you'll have to hurry. They can only offer these prices for a limited time when you trade up to the Pilatus PC‑12 NG. Call 1 (877) 363‑7212 today or click here for info. Trade-in must be 15 years or newer; trade-in value will be determined by a Pilatus dealer; must take delivery of the new PC‑12 NG in 2010. Limited time offer. Embraer Makes Headlines at LABACE back to top  Embraer Unveils 650 At LABACE Embraer Aircraft will take the home field advantage Thursday and unveil the first Legacy 650 business jet at the seventh Latin America Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Sao Paulo. The reveal will happen at 1 p.m. on the first day of LABACE. The event, which has grown steadily in importance over its brief history as South America becomes a mainstay market for aviation, runs until Aug. 14 at Congonhas Airport. A media briefing will be held the day before outlining the progress of the program. The 650 is an updated and beefed-up version of the Embraer 600 and offers a 500-nautical mile increase in range over the 600. Most other business aircraft manufacturers will be at the show. Bombardier is holding its first Latin America safety standown in conjunction with the event. Last year, more than 13,000 people attended. PiperJet — Revolutionary PiperJet. A class of one. Because only one jet combines so much speed, range, cabin comfort, and payload with single-engine efficiency. PiperJet — Piper's economical solution for business aviation. Click here for more information on the PiperJet. This Looks Like a Job ... For the Internet! back to top  FIRC Webinars Now Online Certified flight instructors who want to stay current need to attend periodic refresher clinics, but finding one nearby when you need it can sometimes be a problem. Now AVseminars has come along to take advantage of the computer age and offer the FIRC online in a webinar format. The course is the first of its kind to be approved by the FAA. The class takes place in "real time" with up to 24 instructors participating in interactive discussion using a microphone and webcam, combining the interaction of a live seminar with the convenience of learning from home. The course runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. The next one coming up is August 21 and 22, with a registration deadline of August 17 and a fee of $96. FAA flight instructor certificates are only good for 24 months before they must be renewed. There are several ways to renew the certificate, such as signing off students, adding another rating, or attending an FAA-approved refresher clinic. CFIs can also complete a self-guided online course such as those offered by AOPA, Gleim, and others. Click here for the complete FAA regulation regarding CFI renewals. Get More Rewards Faster with WingPoints®! Reward yourself when you refuel with WingPoints from Phillips 66® Aviation. Start earning points immediately, and earn double points when you use WingPoints with any Phillips 66 Aviation branded card. Get your card today! Opinion & Commentary back to top  AVweb Insider Blog: When Flight Attendants Lose It The pax may not be far behind. Although normally the soul of propriety and a stickler for discipline and procedure, Paul Bertorelli suggests that he may very well have followed Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater down the emergency slide. As for the beer, he'll take a Sam Adams. Click here to read Paul's latest post at the AVweb Insider blog. Diamond Has Your Training Needs Covered Getting your license or upgrading your rating? Operating a flight school? Diamond offers the only complete modern fleet of technically-advanced training aircraft, along with model-specific flight training devices and a safety record that is second to none. Leading flight training schools around the globe fly Diamond Aircraft. Find out why. AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn back to top  X-Air's $60,000 Light Sport Aircraft Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos X-Air is trying to deliver on the promise of a low-cost LSA for affordable, fun flying. Just before he left Oshkosh at the end of EAA Airventure 2010, AVweb's Jeff Van West took the X-Air LS up for a flight. 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. Aviation Consumer Shows You How to Upgrade Your Headset to ANR Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos How hard is it to upgrade your old headset to become noise-canceling? Aviation Consumer's Jeff Van West tried it out. And he only burned himself with the soldering iron once. If you enjoy this video, be sure to look for more on Headsets Inc. in the August issue of Aviation Consumer. 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. IFR Magazine's Tips for GPS VNAV Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos Going vertical? Get more from your GPS. VNAV is a great feature that goes unused or underutilized on many a GPS. See how a GNS 430's VNAV can do more than just tell you when to start down for the airport. If you enjoy this video, be sure to look for other instrument flying tips and advice in our sister publication, IFR magazine. 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 New EX600 MFD with QuickPan™ Is Simplicity Reinvented With the EX600's simple "map-centric" operation and new Map Panning feature, you can display a moving map of your flight plan and view Datalink Weather all along your route of flight. And view On-Board Wx Radar. And Special-Use Airspace. And Traffic. And Terrain. And Color Lightning. All without ever leaving the map page. It's the only MFD available that provides the complete picture. Flying Made Simple. Click here to learn more and enter to win an authentic Avidyne leather bomber jacket! Help Us Celebrate AVweb's 15th Anniversary back to top  15 Years and Now 15 Grand Giveaways ... We're Giving You Another Chance to Win a Bose Aviation Headset X Our 15th anniversary celebration continues, with a second chance to win a Bose Aviation Headset X! All you have to do is click here to enter your name and email address. (You only have to enter once, and you'll be entered in our prize drawings for the entire year — so if you've already entered, you're all set.) And no, we're not going to rent or sell your name, ever. Tell your friends, and invite them to sign up for AVweb so they can qualify for our 15 Grand Giveaways prize drawings, too. (We won't spam them, either — but we hope they will sign up for our newsletters.) Deadline for entries is 11:59pm Zulu time Friday, September 3, 2010. Click here to read the contest rules and enter. Rod Machado Instrument Pilot Training AVweb Bookstore now features Instrument Rating Part 141-approved training kits based on Rod Machado's text books. We find Machado's teaching style memorable, interesting, fun, and a welcome alternative to Brands X and Y. Many flight schools and college programs agree, citing higher test scores and pass rates since making the switch. Machado Instrument Kit / $192.45 Call (800) 780-4115 or click here for more information. 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. 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. Looking for Low-Cost, Yet Effective, Marketing Options? Let AVweb assist your company in creating effective direct-response marketing campaigns to generate leads. No other digital aviation news media reaches more qualified subscribers more often. Text messages in newsletters combined with online banners reach over 255,000 readers monthly and deliver more new users to sponsor sites weekly than most print publications do monthly. Click now for details. 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.