March 6, 2013

By The AVweb Editorial Staff

Peerless Electronics E-Commerce Store Now Open! Peerless Electronics Inc. has been supplying switches, circuit breakers, relays, splices, shrink tubing and connectors to many of the world's largest aerospace manufacturers since 1945! We are an authorized stocking distributor for Sensata Klixon™, Honeywell S&C (including Hobbs & MicroSwitch™), Eaton, OTTO, Leach, TE Connectivity (including AMP™ and Raychem™) and more! Our e-commerce store features spec sheets, photos, movies and one-stop shopping for your aerospace electrical component needs. To shop now, click here. AVflash! Top New Tech from Heli-Expo back to top  Electric Tiltrotor Unveiled AgustaWestland has unveiled an unmanned electric tiltrotor technology demonstrator at Heli-Expo, which runs until Thursday in Las Vegas. The aircraft, which features twin rotors powered by independent electric motors, was built in less than six months and has flown a few times, tethered and untethered. The aircraft is entirely electric with no hydraulic system. Although it's a drone, it has what appears to be a handy place for a cockpit up front, but the lack of redundancy in the powerplants (there is no transmission linking the two rotors in case one of the motors fails) likely ensures this aircraft will remain pilotless. Although limited by the battery power they can store, electric aircraft have some advantages over their petroleum-powered counterparts, say AgustaWestland officials. It was stressed that the electric vehicle has a low noise and heat signature and can fly in conditions that cause trouble for air-breathing aircraft. AgustaWestland CEO Daniele Romiti said tiltrotors are the way of the future for some helicopter applications. "We strongly believe in the tiltrotor concept as the future of high speed rotorcraft flight as it offers much greater speed and range than compound helicopter technology," Romiti said. A hybrid version is envisioned. Bose® A20® Aviation Headset The Best We've Ever Made Bose was the first to introduce active noise reducing headsets to aviation more than 20 years ago, forever changing the way pilots fly. Today, we continue to set the standard with the Bose A20 Aviation Headset. The headset provides acclaimed noise reduction, with a comfortable fit and the clear audio you expect from Bose. It also features Bluetooth® connectivity, an auxiliary audio input and priority switching. Learn more. Tightening the Belt back to top  Looming Sequester Impacts Remain Uncertain As all sectors of government scrambled this week to figure out how to operate under the new rules imposed by sequestration, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said on Tuesday the FAA intends to send furlough notices to all of its employees. "This means that beginning in a month, there will be fewer air traffic controllers in towers and radar rooms helping our national airspace work," NATCA said in a news release. "Consequently, fewer flights will be able to take off and land … Worse, the FAA intends to close many towers." The new federal rules will require $600 million in cuts at the FAA. Exactly how the sequestration rules will take effect, and when, remains unclear. Government agencies are scrambling this week to find places to cut, and the FAA has not yet made any official announcements. Dozens of towers across the country could be closed, and failed navaids may not be repaired. Even the meaning of the "furlough notices" is vague -- it could mean cutting workers hours by two days per month, or it could mean actual layoffs. Abolish Medicals, Save Money The ever-fertile mind of David Wartofsky has come up with a way of framing the movement to abolish third-class medicals for private pilots in a way the FAA is sure to understand. In a letter headlined "Potential Cost Savings for the FAA" (PDF), Wartofsky, the outspoken owner of Potomac Airfield, urges John Porcari, the Deputy Secretary of Transportation, to scrap the biennial poke and prod in the name of fiscal restraint. "[The] workload for the FAA must be huge and cost a fortune to run," Wartofsky said. And he makes the case that maintaining the medical status quo hurts the FAA's bottom line even further by deterring participation in general aviation. "Just as any pilot matures in life to be able to afford their own small private aircraft their use of that asset becomes subject to the [biennial] roll of the dice by the aviation medical examiner," he said. What's more, he said there's ample evidence the medical requirements have negligible impact on safety. He noted that in the seven years since the Sport Pilot certificate was introduced there has not been a single accident attributed to medical incapacitation and that's in a pilot population where at least some of the participants would not pass a regular medical. "If the third-class medical were preventing medical incapacitation LSA pilots ought to be falling out of the sky," he said. Wartofsky posted a petition on the FAA public docket calling for an end to medical oversight for those flying aircraft lighter than 6,000 pounds but it was denied by the FAA. EAA and AOPA have since jointly filed a petition with tighter requirements but there hasn't been word for some time about the initiative. Pilot's Guide to Avionics Now Available The 2012-13 edition of the Aircraft Electronics Association's Pilot's Guide to Avionics is now available. To request a complimentary copy, visit AEAPilotsGuide.net. This special 10th anniversary edition is a consumer's directory containing buyer's guides, educational articles and timely information about the avionics industry, its products and its people. The publication helps pilots make better buying decisions and locate more than 1,300 AEA member companies, including government-certified repair stations around the world. Cessna's Regal Sovereign Gets Real back to top  Cessna Rolls Out First New Citation Sovereign Cessna rolled out its first New Citation Sovereign in Wichita this week, sporting new winglets and new Pratt & Whitney PW306D engines. The airplane was announced at the NBAA show in October, and is one of six new Cessna models expected to start deliveries this year. The airplane, which typically seats nine in the cabin, can fly an extra 150 nm compared to the prior model, for a total range of 3,000 nm. Cessna says short-runway performance is also improved. Type certification and first deliveries are expected this fall. The airplane also features upgraded cabin cooling, Garmin G5000 avionics with auto throttles, a new cabin management system, and a maximum cruise speed of 458 knots. The winglets enable the jet to climb direct to 45,000 feet and also contribute to the increased range, according to Cessna. "This rollout today is proof of Cessna's commitment to bringing new products to customers in 2013, and demonstrates our strong investment in the future," said Kelly Reich, business leader for the project. Our Agents Are Pilots! Talk to pilots who value your airplane, even before they insure it. Aviation Insurance Resources (AIR-PROS.COM) will research your aircraft's market value before you buy, sell, trade, or renew. And we shop coverage options from all major aviation insurance markets to save you time and money — or expand coverage — for new owners, transitioning pilots, renters, FBOs — even flight schools. Call (877) 247‑7767. Or click here. Aviation Safety back to top  Heavy Crosswind Cited In Crash The weekend manager of a New Mexico airport questioned a Texas pilot's intention to take off in a heavy crosswind that may have contributed to his Mooney crashing and killing all four occupants, including his 13-year-old niece. "'Are you really going to try to fly in this weather?'" Angel Fire Airport manager Harvey Wright quoted his weekend manager as asking the pilot. "And his answer was, 'Yeah.' I guess he felt confident in his abilities in his skills, and in the plane." Wright made the comment to the San Antonio Express News. Pilot John Phillip Verhalen III, 33, of San Antonio, was killed along with his sister Sara Verhalen, 41, and niece Chloe Marie Jameson, 13, both from the Dallas area; and girlfriend Jennifer Woodward, 26 of San Antonio. Weather records indicate the crosswind far exceeded the demonstrated crosswind component in the POH. According to Weather Underground there were sustained winds of 30-35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph directly across the runway when Verhalen took off. According to another witness, a gust seemed to cause a wing to dip shortly after takeoff and the aircraft crashed between the runway and a highway. Wright said Verhalen was the only pilot who attempted to fly on Sunday and added that local terrain makes the wind even trickier to handle. "We sit in a bowl," he said. "When the wind comes over the west ridge, it accelerates and tumbles and is hard for even experienced pilots to navigate." Trade Up to Clarity, Quiet, Comfort, and Value There's no better time to gain peak performance with Lightspeed Aviation headsets. Trade up your old headset and receive a generous credit towards the purchase of the model that best suits your needs. Start enhancing your flying today with Lightspeed performance and innovation. Click here for details. Who's Where back to top  Carr at Flexjet Lori Carr Lori Carr is the first Owner Experience Officer at Flexjet. She previously operated her own consulting firm and worked at North Star Aviation. Aso to StandardAero Ken Aso Ken Aso is the new Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Customer Development at StandardAero. He was previously a partner Oliver Wyman. 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. How to Own an Airplane Available from AVweb Bookstore. Here are some good ideas on how to afford and own an airplane, including checklists, sample contracts and agreements, your rights and responsibilities, simplified FAA and tax rules, and lots of how-to solutions and ways to best economize your investment. Call (800) 780‑4115 or click here for more information. Opinion & Commentary back to top  AVweb Insider Blog: AOPA -- Fuller's Out, Who's In? After just four years on the job, AOPA President Craig Fuller announced that he's leaving the association. That represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the board in finding a replacement. One thing's for sure, says Paul Bertorelli on the AVweb Insider blog: We not looking for more business as usual. Read more and join the conversation. Survey: What Now, AOPA? With the sudden resignation of president Craig Fuller comes the opportunity for some navel gazing and maybe even some chest poking from the membership. Take our survey and tell us what you really think about the job the organization is doing. (It only takes five minutes.) In the Soup? Whether you fly in the system daily or just IPC check rides, IFR magazine helps you be the best instrument pilot you can be. Subscribe now. AVweb Video: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn back to top  Video: Oil Filters Compared Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos An oil filter is an oil filter, right? Generally, yes — but there are some subtle differences between the two aviation oil filters on the market, Champion's line and the newer Tempest product. Aviation Consumer's Larry Anglisano recently compared the two brands, and this video summarizes his findings. Don't see a video screen? Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page. If that doesn't work, click here to watch on YouTube 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. 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 255,000 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 world's premier independent aviation news resource. The AVwebBiz team is: Publisher Tom Bliss Editorial Director, Aviation Publications Paul Bertorelli Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles Webmaster Scott Simmons Contributing Editors Mary Grady Glenn Pew Contributors Kevin Lane-Cummings Ad Coordinator Karen Lund Avionics Editor Larry Anglisano Have a product or service to advertise on AVweb? Your advertising can reach over 225,000 loyal AVwebFlash, AVwebBiz, and AVweb home page readers every week. Over 80% of our readers are active pilots and aircraft owners. That's why our advertisers grow with us, year after year. For ad rates and scheduling, click here or contact Tom Bliss, via e-mail or via telephone [(480) 525-7481]. 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. 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