Extra! IFR Refresher Gets Weather-Wise with XM Weather By Meredith Saini, Mike Blakeney Want to know more about what datalink can do for you in the cockpit? IFR Refresher serves up some answers in a double-shot of podcasts related to their June issue. In this audiocast, editor Meredith Saini chats with Bob Baron Sr., CEO of XM Weather parent company Baron Services.
Extra! IFR Refresher Gets Weather-Wise with WSI By Meredith Saini, Mike Blakeney Want to know more about what datalink can do for you in the cockpit? IFR Refresher serves up some answers in a double-shot of podcasts related to their June issue. In this audiocast, editor Meredith Saini talks with Paul Devlin, business aviation program manager at WSI Corporation.
Barry Schiff, Defender of the Beleaguered Santa Monica Airport By Russ Niles, Mike Blakeney Chances are, you've read one of Barry Schiff's books or heard him speak about his lifelong affair with the air, but the accomplished pilot and aviation advocate is also a staunch defender of one of the nation's most threatened airports as chairman of the board of the Santa Monica Airport Association. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Schiff about the current issues surrounding access by larger business jets and why that's just part of a greater threat to the facility.
Has Tomorrow Arrived Early? Swift Enterprises' John Ziulkowski on the Company's New Synthetic AvFuel By Paul Bertorelli, Mike Blakeney As you may have read recently on AVweb, Swift Enterprises has unveiled a new general aviation fuel that it says will be less expensive, more fuel-efficient, and environmentally friendlier than any on the market. Swift promises their new synthetic fuel can replace standard petroleum fuel (100LL) and provide a greater effective range while costing about half as much to produce. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli caught up with Swift's John Ziulkowski to find out more.
AOPA's Andy Cebula on the Latest Delays in the FAA Reauthorization Bill By Russ Niles, Mike Blakeney Although it seemed like a pretty straightforward thing to do, politics got involved in the Senate's consideration of the FAA Reauthorization Bill, and the legislation is stalled again. Andy Cebula, AOPA's executive vice president for government affairs, talked with AVweb's Russ Niles about how the bill became mired by non-aviation issues and how it might be revived.
Tired of Hauling Those Jepp Manuals Around? Switch to eBooks! By Russ Niles, Mike Blakeney We've all been there, lugging bags full of heavy books and manuals to ground school or out to the hangar, but computer technology has reached the point where none of that's necessary anymore. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Aviation Technical Books President Andy Gold about the trend toward e-books and the introduction of the full line of Jeppesen manuals to the AVweb Bookstore catalog.
Flying to Alaska: Marveling at Natural Beauty with Gary Scott By Russ Niles, Mike Blakeney Gary Scott has flown his Cherokee 180 from New Mexico to Fairbanks Alaska three times and has been amazed by the beauty of the landscape and the hospitality of the people along the way. But flying to Alaska does take some preparation, and those thinking about going might consider ordering the DVD and handbook Gary and his wife Sandy have put together. (Contact them for ordering information.)
AVweb and FlyContract Wonder "Who's Going to Fly All Those Jets?" By Mike Blakeney Corporate jet deliveries are at an all-time high. In the face of rising insurance requirements, employers are finding it a challenge to fill all the positions coming available with qualified pilots and flight attendants. Terry Cooper, CEO of FlyContract.com, tells AVweb's Mike Blakeney that airline pilots are disenchanted with falling wages and benefits and type-rated flight school graduates are frequently competing for the same corporate jobs.
User Fees Out of the FAA Reauthorization Bill? NATA's Eric Byer Gives Us the Inside Story By Russ Niles, Mike Blakeney Thanks to the tremendous pressure the FAA has come under in recent weeks over maintenance inspections and the air traffic controller situation, the issue of user fees as a method of financing the agency just didn't seem that important anymore to legislators in Washington. In order to get an FAA reauthorization package in place, the user fee issue has been abandoned, and a new reauthorization package will likely be voted on by Tuesday. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with Eric Byer of the National Air Transportation Association for an explanation of Friday's events.
Scott Crossfield Foundation Carries On the Aviation Legend's Legacy (and Work) By Mike Blakeney Sally Crossfield Farley, one of the late Scott Crossfield's six children, has created the Scott Crossfield Foundation to, among other things, carry on the A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year Award. We caught up with Sally to find out about the foundation, but also what it was like being raised by a gentle, quiet and humble man whose day job just happened to include flying at Mach 3 in planes like the X-15.
