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Friday 24th May 2013

Top News
The SpaceShipTwo space tourism vehicle operated by Virgin Galactic is expected to fly into space this year during testing with commercial operations to commence "not too long after," the company said Tuesday. The company seems to be on pace to become the first enterprise to offer a space tourism service, but XCOR may not be far behind and aims to be far more affordable.
May 24, 5:45am UTC

More News
An Arizona-based company Wednesday said that it plans this year to produce and distribute a 93-octane premium unleaded, ethanol-free fuel as an avgas alternative for aircraft that do not require 100LL.
May 23, 3:06am UTC
At this week's European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, in Geneva, Switzerland, representatives from HondaJet, Embraer, and Bombardier provided updates on their newest airplanes.
May 22, 9:24pm UTC
St. Louis University's Parks College has conferred the first-ever Ph.D. in Aviation in the U.S. to Damon Lercel.
May 21, 6:04pm UTC
Business aviation leaders say there is a "fragile" recovery under way and urged governments all over the world to amend or establish policies to shore up the industry.
May 21, 3:44pm UTC
Cessna's new Latitude and Longitude jets are in the works and making progress, company officials said this week at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, in Geneva, Switzerland.
May 20, 5:54pm UTC
Avidyne Corporation announced the STC certification of the DFC90 plug-and-play retrofit autopilot system for Beechcraft Bonanza applications.
May 19, 7:17pm UTC
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology said earlier this month that students there had created and flown a small remote control aircraft made of concrete, but their level of success may be open to interpretation.
May 17, 11:41pm UTC
 
Cessna's first production Turbo Skylane JT-A, running behind a Jet-A fueled diesel engine Tuesday flew for 2.3 hours, the company announced Wednesday.
May 23, 2:58am UTC
Sky Hope Network, a nonprofit organization, is raising money through June 1 to support members of the aviation community affected by the destructive tornado that hit near Oklahoma City on Monday.
May 22, 8:23pm UTC
Nextant Aerospace, which has been producing the 400XT remanufactured business jet since 2011, announced a major upgrade to the airplane this week at EBACE.
May 21, 5:24pm UTC
Cirrus Aircraft has sent an investigative team to Addison, Texas, to look into a report that a repacked Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) failed to deploy when a pilot pulled the handle late last week.
May 20, 12:07am UTC
A trip around the patch at a controlled airport in New Zealand will soon carry a $1 NZD charge under a user fee schedule announced by the Airways Corporation of New Zealand, the "state-owned enterprise" that runs the country's airspace system.
May 20, 3:02am UTC
A documentary based on the insights of individuals who became sole survivors of commercial aviation disasters appears set for release in August.
May 18, 7:12am UTC
Earlier this month, a Robinson R22 helicopter flying a photo flight successfully auto-rotated onto a downtown Honolulu street and, now, the owner of the company that inspected the helicopter says he will pay to have it replaced.
May 17, 8:30am UTC

COMPLETE NEWS Read the Latest Issue of AVwebFlash
NEWS ARCHIVES Past News Stories on AVweb

 

AVweb Insider Blog
It's been clear for a long time that the pilot population is in decline, but the reasons why and the ways to change the trajectory seem to be somewhat less clear.
 

FULL INDEX OF BLOGS View Past Posts Made to the AVweb Insider Blog

Features & Columns

Flying safely in high wind conditions is a matter of adopting the proper technique for your aircraft's weight and configuration.

One complication with which we pilots must always contend is wind. It can complicate a takeoff or landing, force heading changes while en route, mandate a fuel stop when stronger than forecast and make an otherwise smooth ride uncomfortable when blowing over uneven terrain. Learning to deal with the wind is one of the major lessons of primary training, yet the accident record demonstrates many of us still haven't mastered the challenge.

Call it what you will—Chinook, Santa Ana, Foehn or Borea—pilots who live in the lands of seasonal high winds know they must either learn to fly in them or sit grounded and watch the world blow by. What is their secret for flying safely in windy conditions?

Click here to read the full article.

People in the aviation industry have been talking about a looming U.S. pilot shortage for decades, but you may be hard pressed to find anyone in the U.S. who's actually experienced one during the past 20 years. Actually, 20 years ago, I remember receiving materials form an outfit that explained just how strong the demand would soon be. Now, the warnings are back (if they ever went away). So, should you believe them this time? If you think the hype is overblown, you're not alone.

"Shortage" is relative, and if history is any indicator, any future shortage may depend more on real world market conditions than projections developed years earlier (a.k.a., today). For example, if there were any projections for a shortage this past decade, market forces turned that shortage into massive furloughs that took place around 2003 and slashed benefits for many pilots lucky enough to keep their jobs through that decade. Back then, Northwest Airlines was on pace for 1,068 total furloughs. United and Delta had actually each hired furloughed pilots … to serve as furlough administrators. Not long after that, in 2008, the world's economy fell off a cliff.

Click here to read the full article.

 
Our latest winning photo comes from Dale Morris of Woodland, CA. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions.
Our latest winning photo comes from Steve Nelson of Westminster, CO. Click here for the rest of this week's submissions.

FULL INDEX OF FEATURES Browse Our Features Archive
FULL INDEX OF COLUMNS Browse Our Columns Archive

Podcasts and Video
The AOPA Foundation has launched a new initiative that aims to give away money to non-profit aviation groups and student pilots, as well as offering free AOPA memberships to teenagers and members of the armed forces. AVweb's Mary Grady spoke with Stephanie Kenyon, a vice president of the foundation, to learn more about it.
It's not an easy road from first solo to an airline left seat, and new rules now in the works are making that journey even bumpier. Kent Lovelace, chair of the aviation department at the University of North Dakota, talks with AVweb's Mary Grady about the impact of new rules that raise the bar for that first job, how airlines and students are adapting, and some new programs that aim to address some of these issues.
The $100 hamburger can be a pleasant quest for pilots, but there's nothing like planning a flight to a specific event to get the prop turning. That's the theory behind Social Flight, an app that lists more than 3,500 flying-related events all over the U.S. with customized features that let pilots know where they can fly -- but, more importantly, why they should. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Social Flight's Jeff Simon.
Terrafugia announced plans this week to proceed with development of a four-seat VTOL hybrid electric semi-autonomous flying car with a 500-mile range. Even with a time frame of 10 years or more, the regulatory, technological, and funding challenges are steep. Terrafugia CEO Carl Dietrich spoke with AVweb's Mary Grady about the company's plans.
Russ Niles interviewed EAA interim president Jack Pelton about the direction of the association following the resignation of Rod Hightower. According to Pelton, EAA is "the only true association out there that truly represents all aspects of general aviation and recreational flying." This is how he thinks that association should behave.
 
At the European Business Aircraft Conference & Exhibition in Geneva this week, Pilatus unveiled its design for a new twin-engine jet that can operate from short and unpaved runways.
The Sam light sport aircraft, which first flew in March, was on display at Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland, Florida.
Eclipse Aerospace is touring the country with a Total Eclipse jet, using it as a demo for the soon-to-be-delivered Eclipse 550. In this AVweb video, Paul Bertorelli offers a quick product overview.
At Aero in Friedrichshafen, Germany two weeks ago, Rotax revealed some flight test data that shows that their new 912iS engine is much more fuel efficient than originally claimed.
Angel Flight West arranges free flights for people with chronic medical conditions are urgent needs when traditional forms of transportation are unavailable or cost prohibitive. This specific organization is active in the western United States. They're always looking for volunteer pilots to fill the ranks because there is always a need.

FULL INDEX OF PODCASTS Browse Our Podcast Archive
FULL INDEX OF VIDEOS Browse Our Video Archive

AVwebBiz: AVweb's Business Aviation Newsletter
Delivered every Wednesday morning, AVwebBiz focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the business aviation industry, making it a must-read.

Add AVwebBiz to your free subscriptions today by clicking here and choosing "Update E-mail Subscriptions."
Jan 1, 10:14pm UTC

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Who's Where
Jalil Jatip
Jalil Jatip is the new director of quality assurance at Superior Air Parts. He was previously the quality fabrication department manager for Lockheed Martin on the F-16, F-22, and F-35 platforms.

May 8, 12:44am UTC
FULL INDEX OF WHO'S WHERE STORIES Browse Our Career Archive

Refurb of the Month
click for larger image
Although considered somewhat high maintenance, Cessna's P210 offered -- and continues to offer -- unique performance at an affordable purchase price. A careful search will find older airframes worth refurbishing, and that's exactly what Steve Wathen of Columbus, Ohio did with his P-210.
May 24, 7:58am UTC
FULL INDEX OF REFURB STORIES Browse Our Refurbished Airplane Archive

VIDEO


QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What type of fuel do you think you'll be buying in 10 years?

Everyone agrees that 100LL is or should be on the way out, but the way ahead is less clear.


Share your Opinion »

PILOT RESOURCES

FBO OF THE WEEK

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to St. Clair County Airport (KPLR) in Pell City, Alabama.

AVweb reader Mike Grossberg got the royal treatment there recently:

The service is "over the top" at this beautiful country airport. The airport manager, Larry, answered my airport advisory request and offered to meet me on the ramp with the rental car as I taxied in from landing. Larry escorted us to the transient hangar, helped push the plane in, and gave us directions. This lovely airport even has a shady gazebo for watching the airplanes come and go. Real Southern hospitality at its best.

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!

Nominate an FBO »

SHORT FINAL...

This gave me a little chuckle because it rhymed so well. The pilot knew too, as he said it with pauses:

Line up and wait...
Runway 28...
Cirrus 188

Shawn Byers
via e-mail

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