AVmail: January 9, 2003

Reader mail this week about Sun'n Fun dates, air traffic control, Time Magazine's controversial ads and more.

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Sun’n Fun Dates

Your news story on the Pre-Sun ‘n Fun Races Set is in error. The race is not early. The published fly-in date for `03 is April 2nd through April 8th. The race is during the fly-in. They published the new fly-in format at last year’s event (no longer Sat.-Sun.).Thanks for the great aviation news service you provide. Keep up the good work.Rick R. Jones
EAA Chapter 960


Internet Weather

I have a different view than the AVweb editorial response to a Nov. 7 AVmail posting about the Internet phasing out phone weather briefings. I don’t believe that pilots should be required to have computer and Internet access and knowledge in order to be permitted to fly legally and/or safely. Also, I’m a young pilot that grew up with computers. I’ve had Internet access for 10+ years which I find is longer than most other people. But I still prefer taking weather notes from a telephone brief that will fit on a 4X6 inch sheet, and the informations is more quickly accessable and understandable to me in the cockpit than having reams of computer weather printed and trying to find the small piece needed for a weather decision. Tim Holloway

AVweb responds …

We agree — there will probably be a need for telephone briefings for a long time, either due to the unavailability of internet access, or to the needs or skills of the pilots. Like you, I was raised with computers, but in many trips across the country I often found myself in an FBO where the internet was much less available than the courtesy car. We’re just saying we’d like to see some FSS money used to boost those more efficient means of delivering information, especially to airborne pilots.

Kevin Lane-Cummings
Features Editor

Air Traffic Control

Lately, up and down the East Coast, I have been denied a higher, flight-planned cruise altitude because, according to ATC, they are “saving thesealtitudes for faster aircraft”. So I am forced to fly lower, with muchunplanned-for higher fuel burns. I feel that this is not a fair andequitable way to control aircraft altitude selection. This occurred withboth Washington Center and Miami Center. It was not for traffic avoidancebut for what appeared to me to be for the “convenience” of the controller.On one occasion the trip leg was about 900 nm, the other about 180 nm. Are you aware of this? I operate a TBM700 and normally file for at least FL240up to FL310.Fred S. Croatti

AVweb responds …

Any other AVweb readers experience this phenomenon? Is it related to Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM)?

Kevin Lane-Cummings
Features Editor

Time Pulls Controversial Ad

Time may have pulled the ad from their magazine but it is running this month in “Southern Living”. John G Crusco

AVweb responds …

I suspect that, like most monthly magazines, Southern Living is produced (and advertising inserted) many weeks or even months before the publication month. Perhaps that’s one reason AOPA tried to stop it as soon as possible.

Kevin Lane-Cummings
Features Editor

Landing Techniques

Lying in bed this morning I espied a fly walking on the ceiling. I said to myself — How did it get there? Did it do a half loop or a half roll?What offers?Have a wonderful year and keep up the good work.Peter Rodd

AVweb responds …

Neither. It did a chin-up. At least, that’s what I found on this web site, which reported the results of high-speed camera observations: The fly reaches above its head with its front legs and “grabs” the ceiling with the sticky pads on those feet; then momentum carries the rest of the body up in a half backflip.

Kevin Lane-Cummings
Features Editor

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