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October 20, 2010
By The AVweb Editorial Staff
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XM WX: As Vital as Vision
With XM WX Satellite Weather in the cockpit with you, it's possible to see immediate weather threats to you, your passengers and your cargo. Keep everyone safe and comfortable by planning to
avoid any weather that could impact your flight. Viewable on multiple displays, including the Garmin G1000, XM WX Satellite Weather helps keep your wings in the air.
Click for more
info.
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Piper went back to the drawing board with its single-engine PiperJet and the result is the Altair. The new aircraft differs substantially from the proof-of-concept PiperJet and includes a
redesigned fuselage that is substantially larger than the stretched Meridian body that served the original. The tail-mounted engine stays but the longer nacelle and reworked tail give the aircraft a
sleeker appearance. Company Executive Vice President Randy Groom said the new aircraft is aimed at both the business and owner-pilot market and suggested larger versions of the aircraft are possible
in the future. He declined to say whether future designs will have more engines.
Groom said the company learned a lot from the proof-of-concept aircraft and there will be some direct transfers, such as the Garmin G3000 flight deck. However, a traditional dual yoke replaces the
sidestick controllers that were in the prototype. Groom also expects the 160 position holders on the old design to transfer their commitment to the new design. The new plane will be ready for
customers in 2014 and, in the meantime, the $75,000 deposit can be used to reduce the price of a Meridian the future jet pilots can use to get comfortable in the turbine environment. The Altair will
be priced at $2.5 million.
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An updated version of the Beech Premier that Hawker Beechcraft says is "worthy of being called a Hawker" was one of several surprise small aircraft announcements at this year's National Business
Aviation Association convention in Atlanta. The Hawker 200 will be a little faster, have a little more range and fly a little higher than its predecessor, Hawker Beechcraft VP of sales Shawn Vick told
a Monday news conference. The aircraft will also have an updated interior. He said 95 percent of bizjet flights are shorter than 1,000 miles and carry three or fewer passengers and he said the 200
fits that niche while offering greater performance and comfort than competitors. The aircraft will sell for $7.55 million. Certification is scheduled for late 2012 and deliveries will start in 2013.
Vick also announced a new short-field King Air model he said will open up 1,100 more airports to the venerable turboprop twin.
With engine induction enhancements, composite winglets and props, Vick said the sea-level takeoff distance of the King Air 250 is just 2111 feet (over a 50-foot object) and it's about 1,000 feet
longer at 5,000 feet. Meanwhile, company CEO Bill Boisture said the company is making up, in part, for the downturn in the GA market with more emphasis on its military and government business. He said
the attack version of the Texan-II trainer has performed almost flawlessly in recent tests and the recon and surveillance version of the King Air 350 continues to find new markets.
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An electric-powered Cessna 172 proof-of-concept aircraft will be ready to fly by April of next year, Bye Energy and Cessna said this week at NBAA's Annual Convention. The two companies are
collaborating on the project, which was announced earlier this year at EAA AirVenture. George Bye, CEO of Bye Energy, said the project is making steady progress. "This is an ambitious effort, but we
are continuing to uncover additional efficiencies with electric-powered flight," he said. "We are grateful to Cessna for its continued collaboration and support." Cessna CEO Jack Pelton said progress
toward first flight of the electric 172 demonstrator is "encouraging news for the future of mainstream general aviation."
When the project was introduced in July, Pelton said "the electric power plant offers significant benefits, but there are significant challenges to get there." He added that he believed Bye Energy
has "gotten off to a good start in understanding those challenges and how to overcome them." Bye spoke with AVweb at Oshkosh about his plans for the project;
click here to listen to the podcast.
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There Are Lots of Reasons Why Lightspeed Aviation's Zulu
Is the World's Most Comfortable Headset
It's lightweight (just 13 ounces) with plush ear seals and magnesium ear cups. The Zulu also includes focused noise attenuation over the most critical ranges, Bluetooth connectivity, and Front
Row Center for surround sound music. So what are you waiting for? With Lightspeed's trade-up program, where you can trade up even the other guys' headsets, you could be flying with a Zulu in
no time. Stop by booth #1840, or
go to
LightspeedAviation.com to learn more. 
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Kestrel Aircraft hopes to move into its government-spec factory before the end of the year to begin work on certifying the big turboprop single. Company spokesman Adrian Norris told AVweb in a podcast interview at the National Business Aviation Association convention the private sector funding needed to begin creation
of the production version of the aircraft is "falling into place" and will supplement the government incentives being provided by the State of Maine in exchange for job creation. The new factory will
be in a state-of-the-art Navy maintenance facility at the decommissioned Brunswick Naval Air Station. Although the company has a proof of concept aircraft, it's safe to say the final article will be
substantially different, although no decisions have been made about the final engine or avionics choices.
Something else that has changed substantially is the perception of the project. Just before AirVenture Oshkosh, former Cirrus CEO Alan Klapmeier became CEO of Kestrel Aircraft and the difference
has been palpable said Norris. "People really seem to believe we have an aircraft that fills a gap in the marketplace," he said.
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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
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If you own an aircraft, you will have to re-register it sometime over the next three years, and last week the FAA issued a clarification (PDF) to help some of those owners who are starting the process now. The FAA says it has sent out re-registration notices to owners of
aircraft that were registered in March of any year. Those owners can go ahead and re-register now, but the new registration will expire three years from the last day of the month it's issued. So if
you register in October, the registration will expire October 31, 2013. If you want the new registration to last until March 31, 2014, you should wait until March 2011 to complete your paperwork.
Also, this week, EAA posted a "simple guide" to the new registration form online.
"Feedback we've received thus far has reinforced our experience that the re-registration process can be accomplished in as little as five to ten minutes," EAA said. The process can be completed
online or through the mail. Also, those who want more help can call EAA for a walk-through, at no charge. For more details about the new procedures, click here for the FAA's explanation and its schedule for re-registration
deadlines, and click here for AOPA's analysis.
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Exhilaration: Found
Your search for the ultimate aircraft will take you many places. But the true enthusiast is always led back to the Pilatus PC-12 NG.
+ 280kt max cruise speed zip + Pilot's dream primus apex avionics
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+ Quick-to-the-air learning curve
+ Lift a ton, go have fun
Pilatus. Destination: Found
Pilatus-Aircraft.com
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File Size 7.1 MB / Running Time 6:52
Podcast Index
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How to Listen
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Subscribe Via RSS
As Eclipse Aircraft continues to rebuild itself — and its airplanes — it announced a new integrated flight management system for the EA500 at NBAA in Atlanta this week. In this podcast,
CEO Mason Holland tells AVweb that some 100 existing Eclipses have been fully updated with state-of-the-art avionics and more upgrades are on the way. Holland says the company's
Albuquerque production facility is ready to resume building new airplanes, but it's unknown when that will happen. He says the sweet spot for Eclipse economics is between 50 and 150 airplanes a year,
although it could ramp up to higher numbers.
This podcast is brought to you by WxWorx XM WX
Satellite Weather. and Bose
Corporation.
Click here to listen. (7.1 MB, 6:52)
File Size 4.9 MB / Running Time 4:45
Podcast Index
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How to Listen
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Subscribe Via RSS
The money is almost in place, and there's a big new factory building waiting for Kestrel Aircraft in Brunswick, Maine where the company hopes to move in later this year. AVweb's Russ Niles
spoke with Kestrel's Adrian Norris about what's next.
This podcast is brought to you by Lightspeed
Aviation and Phillips 66
Aviation.
Click here to listen. (4.9 MB, 4:45)
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Visit
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Try an eBook at No Charge — The Concise Guide to Safe Flying
This demonstration eBook is provided to offer you an opportunity to try this technology for yourself and determine if this method of buying books is right for you and compatible with your computers.
As an Adobe .PDF file, this sample book offers a wide array of functions including highlighting, personal book-marking, copy & paste, and printing. You will also notice this book (as with all our
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The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is
You! |
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 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.
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Peter Drucker Says, "The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It"
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click now for
details. 
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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
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Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.
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and 
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