http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/index.html en-us Copyright 2008 AVweb. All rights Reserved. editor@avweb.com webmaster@iproduction.com 1000Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:23:02 CDT 1000Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:23:02 CDT IPS - www.iproduction.com Some of the most popular general aviation aircraft designs available today (the Cirrus SR20 and SR22, the Cessna 350 and 400, the Liberty XL2 and others) trace a major part of their roots back to the experimental aviation segment. The argument could be made that if you like innovative certified brand new general aviation aircraft, you should care about the FAA's proposed changes to the 51% rule. The FAA's goal is to better control businesses like builder assist centers that may significantly reduce a builder's actual involvement in the building process. While older kits previously approved by the FAA may be excluded from new regulation, new kits like the Furio -- that could usher in new streamlined methods of production, design and applied aerodynamics -- could potentially be stifled by new regulation. EAA believes the current regulations, if enforced, would be sufficient to meet the FAA's goal. It also believes that by regulating specific amounts of fabrication and assembly required of homebuilders the FAA would place on them an undue burden. Your comments on the FAA's proposal are welcome before the comment period ends later this month. Find the proposal, here. Send your comments here: miguel.vasconcelos@faa.gov . Listen to EAA's Earl Lawrence describe the urgency and the action required in AVweb's regular Friday podcast. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/51_Percent_Rule_Homebuilts_EAA_FAA_198725-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS All good things come to an end eventually, and this week we saw the number of submissions to our weekly "POTW" contest finally recede to normal levels for the first time since AirVenture. Yes, yes, we know — we were making that awwwww sound, too — but wipe that frown off your face, and let's enjoy the terrific photos we do have to share — like this superfast fly-by, courtesy of Ian Astles from Knaphill, Surrey (England)! http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/potw/PictureOfTheWeek_198723-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS In the latest installment of our aviation blog, AVweb Insider, Aviation Consumer's Rick Durden explains why the new Piper Matrix is a surprise best seller. (Cirrus has a lot to do with it.) http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/AVwebInsiderBlog_AviationConsumer_PiperMatrixReview_198722-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS It was all the rage at EAA AirVenture 2008, and now it seems the Martin Jetpack will be available with a BRS 'chute. This week, we're curious how many AVweb readers would be willing to sink their (hypothetical) money into one. Plus: See what AVweb readers said about experimentals' access to airport in densely-populated areas (last week's Question). http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/qotw/QuestionOfTheWeek_MartinJetPack_198721-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Submitted for your consideration: VFR and IFR procedures with, one foot in the 1950s and the other in your 21st-century cockpit. Despite satnav bliss, the National Airspace System (NAS) clings to archaic items that you should know.Take the quiz. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Brainteasers_Quiz137_TwilightZones_198720-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS A Convair 580 crashed in Ohio on Monday, all three crew members died...A P2V fire-fighting air tanker crashed in Nevada Monday, killing three...A trial has been scheduled for Patty Wagstaff on drunk-driving charges...Bombardier's CRJ1000 NextGen airliner made its first flight. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/onthefly/OnTheFly_198719-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS In its continuing effort to "ensure [a] clear path to profitability," the new management team at Eclipse Aviation said on Tuesday that it has created a new structure for operating the company. Peg Billson, previously the company's chief operating officer, has been appointed president and general manager of the Eclipse Manufacturing Division, and Mike McConnell, previously vice president of sales and marketing, will serve as president and general manager of the Eclipse Customer Division. Roel Pieper, who took over as CEO when founder Vern Raburn departed the company, says the new framework will serve to "rapidly advance" his operational excellence strategy. "I have been directly involved in several turnaround efforts over the course of my career and believe these changes will be instrumental in driving world-class manufacturing and a superior customer experience," he said in a news release. "I have absolute confidence in this leadership team's ability to deliver the profitable results this company requires," Pieper said. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/EclipseAnnouncesNewOrganizationalStructure_198717-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Several "well-known investors" have expressed an interest in buying the insolvent Thielert Aircraft Engines company, the company said this week. "In some cases, the offers even exceed initial expectations," according to company spokesman Sebastian Glaser. "Moreover, in recent weeks a number of other new prospective customers have expressed their interest as well," Glaser said. "Thus, the deadlines have been accordingly extended." Once all the bids have been collected, prospective buyers will be given the opportunity to thoroughly examine the company, then, actual purchase negotiations will begin. The company's statement did not offer a timeline for this process. Meanwhile, Thielert continues to produce diesel engines, and a new order from the U.S. has helped to stabilize the company's financial situation, according to this week's statement. "We can offer investors an intact company that is not making losses," said insolvency administrator Dr. Bruno M. Kubler. "Even if plans are to quickly find an investor, we are not under pressure to sell at an inadequate price." http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ThielertSaysPurchaseOffersArePromising_198715-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Imagine flying an airplane when both wings suddenly depart the fuselage -- that is about the kind of emergency that was faced by balloon pilot Chuck Walz on Sunday morning, when the fabric of his balloon envelope collapsed, and the aircraft plummeted toward the ground. But just before impact, the fabric snagged on a cluster of trees, breaking the fall, and the basket tipped, dumping Walz to the ground from a height of about 12 feet. He was taken to a hospital with a broken pelvis and a puncture wound to one leg, but he was conscious and alert, and by Tuesday his full recovery was said to be "promising." Walz, who is from Michigan, was competing in the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championships in Anderson County, S.C. David Levin, an official with the Balloon Federation of America, which organized the event, visited Walz on Monday. "Chuck and I agreed that we witnessed the hand of God in the form of a tree that reached out and saved his life," Levin said. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PlummetingBalloonSnaggedByTrees_PilotSurvives_198714-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS A fleet of scale-model autonomous helicopters operated by Stanford computer scientists can learn to fly complex stunts by "watching" other helicopters perform the same maneuvers, the research team said this week. The project illustrates the capability of "apprenticeship learning," in which robots learn by observing an expert, rather than by following pre-programmed software instructions. Using artificial intelligence, the autonomous helicopters are able to fly a complex routine while correcting for variables such as wind gusts. During a flight, instruments monitor the position, direction, orientation, velocity, acceleration and spin of the helicopter in several dimensions. A computer crunches the data, makes quick calculations, and beams new flight directions to the helicopter via radio 20 times per second -- with no human input. The technology could be useful in "training" autonomous helicopters to search for land mines or wildfires, said Andrew Ng, director of the Stanford research team. "In order for us to trust helicopters in these sort of mission-critical applications, it's important that we have very robust, very reliable helicopter controllers that can fly maybe as well as the best human pilots in the world can," he said. Stanford's autonomous helicopters have taken a large step in that direction, according to Ng. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/AutonomousHelicoptersTeachThemselvesAerobatics_198713-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS A year after adventurer Steve Fossett disappeared while flying near a friend's ranch in Nevada, a group of 28 searchers are back in the field hoping to find evidence of his fate. The team began its search on Aug. 23 and plans to continue through next Wednesday, The Associated Press reported this week. They are focusing on a new area, west of the area previously scoured, based on new information that a radar track that was believed to show Fossett's route may instead have been the track of a local pilot who was flying over the area at the same day and time. This week's effort is the largest since the main search was called off last year, though other groups have continued to explore the region on a smaller scale. "We're pushing harder, leaving people in the field longer. We've got the lay of the land now," Robert Hyman, one of the team leaders, told the AP on Tuesday. Searcher Lew Toulmin added that he hoped the searchers would have a breakthrough on Sept. 3, a year to the day after Fossett vanished. "We hope that Wednesday's the day," Toulmin said. "That would be nice." http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FossettSearchContinues_AYearLater_198712-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS One of the biggest newsmakers at EAA AirVenture this summer was the Martin Jetpack -- a spiffy-looking unit that promised great mobility and potential, though its live demo at Oshkosh was inconclusive as to its true capabilities. But this week, the product took another step forward in mass-market appeal when Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) announced it has entered into an agreement with Martin Aircraft Company to provide an emergency parachute recovery system for the jetpacks. "This system enables the Jetpack pilot to be saved during a catastrophic failure even when flying at a reasonably low altitude," BRS said in a news release. How low is "reasonable" when you are strapped into a jetpack? "Our official position is 500 feet," BRS President Larry Williams told AVweb on Tuesday. "But as always, deploy when in doubt, since we have seen successful deployments as low as 60 feet. The parachute offers some drag immediately that will slow down the impact. Also, as with all our applications, the function of the system will be influenced by forward velocity as well." http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/MartinJetpackNowWithBRSChute_198703-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Hurricane Gustav was no Katrina, but it still caused plenty of headaches for aviators in the Gulf Coast region. As of Tuesday, Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans remained closed to passenger traffic and was operating on generator power, but VFR daytime operations were allowed. The airport was expected to be back to normal operations sometime Wednesday. The city's Lakefront Airport was closed and unattended as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Business Aviation Association's hurricane report. Most other airports in the region were reopened by Tuesday, although some were lacking electrical power. Gustav has been downgraded to a tropical depression as it moves northwest, but threats of local rains up to 20 inches and possible tornados remain. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/GulfCoastMopsUpFromGustav_198702-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS When deHavilland built the Tiger Moth, it was designed to have the gentle flight characteristics that would launch a legion of crack pilots against the Third Reich. It did that job with minimal damage to airframes and teenaged pilots and it helped Augie Gorreck and his passenger Susie Williams walk (make that rappel) away from mishap that might have had a terrible result. The 65-year-old biplane lost power in its unique inverted Gypsy Major engine shortly after takeoff from Skylark Airpark near East Windsor, Conn. on Sunday and Gorreck, lacking altitude to do anything else, settled it into a copse of trees at the end of the runway. "We got away with it," Gorreck told reporters as he and Williams rode on the back of an all-terrain vehicle from the crash site. Both were unharmed but spent three hours 50 feet above the ground waiting for rescue. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/DeHavilland_TigerMoth_EmergencyTreeLanding_198698-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Overheard on a scanner recently at St. John's International Airport (CYYT):An inbound commercial flight was getting the bad news from the tower that conditions for the active runway were 200 feet and 1/4 mile in heavy fog. Controller and aircraft discussed alternatives for a few minutes before the pilot, knowing his passengers were going to be disappointed by a diversion, asked the tower wistfully:Commercial Pilot:"Any chance it'll change soon?"Tower (after a brief pause):"Yeah, maybe August."Commercial Pilot:"I don't think we've got that much reserve fuel."Gary Hebbardvia e-mail http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/shortfinal/ShortFinal_AviationHumor_198696-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Woman jumped from car just before 172 hit it ...Runway partly closed by midway ride ...Newark slot auction delayed. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/onthefly/OnTheFly_198695-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS >>> AVWEB FUEL FINDER CURRENT PRICE FOR 100LL: $5.53 (down 1¢ from last week)CURRENT PRICE FOR JET A: $5.67 (down 1¢ from last week)Fuel prices provided weekly by AirNav, based on prices from the past 2 weeks. Changes are relative to last week's prices. /TEXT_ONLY-->AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Stout Flying Service at Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport (KLWS) in Lewiston, Idaho.AVweb reader Steve Cronje gave the FBO "a big thumbs up" for going above-and-beyond to correct an honest mistake. While visiting the FBO, Steve received a fuel bill that he thought was a little high, and after returning home, he began to wonder if the lineman had overcharged him or if (perhaps more worrisome) someone had breached security and stolen a bit of his fuel. Here's the rest of the story, in Steve's own words:Imagine my pleasure when I received an unprompted letter from Stout Flying Services today. It apologized for accidentally overcharging us for 40 gallons of fuel when we refueled. Apparently, the fuel meter had not been reset properly, and the lineman, who was new, did not notice it. (It was early in the morning and he was the only one around.) They had corrected the accounting with the credit card company and included transaction receipts for our records!It is great to find a company that puts honesty and integrity above the bottom line in the world of today. There was no need for the Stouts to do anything other than nothing — yet they went to the trouble of tracking us down and putting the matter right.I hope that Stout Flying Service wins the "FBO of the Week" award for putting principles before the bottom line. Our family, for one, will be certain to use their services again and hopefully this nomination encourages others to do the same.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! http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/fbo/FBOOfTheWeek_StoutFlyingService_LewistonIdaho_198694-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS We try to spend as much time as possible surfing the web for aviation-related content, but some days we think AVweb reader Robert Reid may have us beat. Robert's usually the first person to e-mail us links to flying videos buried deep in the bowels of YouTube and other user-driven aviation communities, and this week we feature one of his recommendations as our "Video of the Week." Although the airplane featured here is a real 747 (an acrobatic Aerosur) performing a low pass during last year's Portugal Air Show, your brain can easily mistake it for a prop of some sort, watching its low, slow glide for the crowd. (Click through to watch.) http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/votw/VideoOfTheWeek_Aerosur747AcrobaticLowPass_198693-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Sikorsky last week announced that its upgraded UH-60M Black Hawk, which could become the first fly-by-wire (FBW) helicopter for the U.S. army, has begun flight testing. The digital triple-redundant FBW system involves dual-channel flight control computers and actuators as well as active control sticks. It eliminates mechanical control linkages, saving weight and reducing maintenance requirements, lowering pilot workload and increasing the aircraft's handling qualities, according to Sikorsky. "The UH-60M Upgrade will reduce pilot workload, increase lift, offer better protection and enhance survivability," said Sikorsky president Jeffrey Pino. The entire system is coupled with a Rockwell Collins glass cockpit suite and upgraded engines with full authority digital engine control (FADEC). The first flight took place at West Palm Beach, Fla., and tested forward flight as well as hovers and hover turns over the course of about an hour. The Army hopes to one day operate more than 900 of the new fly-by-wire Black Hawks following first deliveries currently scheduled for late 2010. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Sikorsky_fly_by_wire_Black_Hawk_198692-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS A federal judge has ruled that a pilot whose health status was shared by federal agencies cannot sue the government for violating his rights because he did not prove he was harmed financially. The FAA and Social Security Administration shared medical records and personal information on the pilot in 2005 as part of "Operation Safe Pilot." That FAA investigation examined the records of some 45,000 pilots in Northern California, comparing pilot certificates against records of disability benefits. The investigation ultimately led to charges against 40 pilots -- each of whom allegedly defrauded the government with regard to his or her medical status. In this specific case, as a result of the information sharing, the pilot who later brought the lawsuit was charged with three felonies of making false statements to the government and his certificate was revoked. His certificate was reinstated once his medical records were reviewed, but not until after he was made the subject of a disparagingly titled news segment. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Pilot_Rights_Privacy_Medical_Records_198691-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS A British buyer of an Eclipse 500 very light jet is reportedly suing the jet maker, claiming the order has been cancelled, but that a $180,0000 refund is past due, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Attorney Robert Sutphin is suing Eclipse on behalf of London-based Ice Blue Air, which signed on in July of 2006 to purchase a $1.5 million Eclipse 500. Meanwhile, Eclipse says, through its attorney David Thuma, that the buyer is not entitled to a refund of the deposit per the purchase agreement. The company has also said that refunds will be delayed until its next round of financing is in place, possibly as late as the end of the year. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/198690-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Boeing's goals of building 160 aircraft and flying its 787 Dreamliner for the first time before year-end may have hit a snag when the company upset the Machinists union by the way it offered workers an 11-percent raise in base pay. The plane-maker apparently held one-on-one meetings between managers and machinists to lay out its offer, bypassing union leaders and prompting those leaders to file unfair labor charges against the company. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers also rejected Boeing's offer and may follow up with a strike that could begin as early as Sept. 4, further delaying the long-awaited Dreamliner. As the workers' contract came to an end, Boeing began posting online its proposal. That "openness" may now lead to a work stoppage that could cost the company an estimated $3 billion per month. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/boeing_machinists_union_workers_strike_198689-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS The FAA plans to reduce VOR coverage beginning in 2010, according to AOPA, in spite of AOPA's urging against the reduction -- particularly if widespread implementation of WAAS is not part of the plan. The association argues that FAA regulations require pilots flying with non-WAAS GPS to also carry a "primary navigation system" and AOPA says that for general aviation "the primary system available for regulatory compliance is VOR." AOPA's concern stems in part from estimates that WAAS-equipped GA aircraft make up only about 15 percent of the general aviation fleet. In a letter to the FAA dated May 23, AOPA urged the FAA to more universally implement wide area and required navigation performance systems to boost user confidence and ensure "that all IFR flights can be conducted from takeoff to touchdown with an IFR GPS, regardless of the airports involved." Until GPS-equipped aircraft are allowed to fly direct, instead of point to point via VORs, AOPA argues a "reduction in the VOR network would be premature." http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA_VOR_WAAS_AOPA_198688-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Civil Air Patrol members spent the weekend making preparations both to safeguard their assets and to respond to those in need after Hurricane Gustav makes landfall. And forecasters are now tracking Tropical Storm Hanna, which they say may follow Gustave to New Orleans. Both Southeast and Southwest wings of CAP were Friday ordered to initiate communications checks and update alert rosters, plus aircraft resource lists. CAP wings in Texas, Mississippi and Alabama were busy Friday relocating aircraft and vehicles, with Alabama organizing aircrew, ground crew and urban direction-finding teams from those members available for "a one- or two-week tour" (if necessary) following the storm's landfall. CAP currently includes some 56,000 volunteer members nationwide and performs "90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center." CAP is promoting National Preparedness Month (September) and the Ready Campaign Web site, Ready.gov. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/CAP_Gustav_Hurricane_198686-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Garmin Model 819 and Model 820 Flybuddy GPS units "stopped working" on or about Aug. 16, according to some e-mails received by AVweb from users of those products. Thursday, AVweb contacted Garmin for comment and Friday, Garmin responded with Service Advisory No. 0835 (PDF), which clearly states that the affected units "cannot recover normal operation on their own." Applicable to all Flybuddy GPS Model 2001/2101 GPS owners, Garmin's service advisory differentiates affected models by sensor, stating that "model 2001/2101 Systems with TSO-C129 GPS sensors are not affected." The affected units use GPS sensors purchased from a third-party supplier and Garmin is working with that supplier toward a solution. Garmin hopes to have "a reasonably priced upgrade program" in place as soon as possible. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Garmin_819_820_problem_Service_Advisory_198685-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS The National Airspace Data Interchange Network (NADIN), which failed Tuesday at a Georgia facility causing at least 646 flight delays, is scheduled for an update to be installed by year-end. Hank Krakowski, COO of the FAA's Air Traffic Organization, said Wednesday an improved version with vastly higher memory will offer noticeable improvements before November, according to The Wall Street Journal. "Our exposure to this will be much reduced," said Krakowski. Tuesday's failure on the distribution side that sends flight plans out to other FAA facilities where controllers use them to clear aircraft for departure was the first of its kind, according to Krakowski. The Journal points out that a separate ($2.4 billion) system meant to provide redundancy for communication has failed both before and after upgrades (specifically at Memphis last September, where 550 flights were delayed when voice data and radar were lost for three hours). The failures are not sitting well with the air traffic controllers union. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/update_nadin_georgia_flight_delays_198683-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS In Florida, you never know quite where the storm will go, but you can still make sensible evacuation decisions. Oh, and if you think you're subsidizing the sunny Florida lifestyle with your insurance rates, you need to read Paul Bertorelli's latest blog on this topic at the AVweb Insider. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/AVwebInsiderBlog_HurricaneFlyouts_198682-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS A recent incident in Nevada has some calling for a ban on experimental and/or homebuilt airplanes at major airports in densely populated areas. We want to hear what you think. Plus: Find out what AVweb readers said about mandatory ELTs in the cockpit, the subject of last week's Question. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/qotw/QuestionOfTheWeek_ExperimentalAccess_MajorAirports_198681-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Sometimes a little contrast and not much else can make for an unforgettable photo. Doug Gaudette of Xenia, Ohio kicks off the festivities this week with a shot of Ron Awad piloting Scott Biser's Dominator. The embarrassment of riches continues this week, as we share more post-AirVenture photos from our overflowing submission box. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/potw/PictureOfTheWeek_198680-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS A corrupt file contained in a normal software upload brought down the FAA's main flight planning computer on Tuesday, delaying hundreds of flights and prompting questions about the inevitability of it happening again. FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto told eWeek the corrupt file stopped flight plans from being filed at the FAA's Hampton, Ga., facility, which is the principal flight planning computer. "Basically, all the flight plans that were in the system were kicked out," Takemoto said. "For aircraft already in the air, or had just been pushed back form the gate, they had no problems. But for all other aircraft, it meant delays." http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/CorruptFileBroughtDownFlightPlanningSystem_198679-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS