What's New -- Products and Services

This month AVweb's survey of the latest products and services for pilots, mechanics and aircraft owners brings you a VFR flight bag, Camloc measuring tool, video downloads and much more.

If you know of a new product or service other AVweb readers should hear about, please send us a note.

Sporty's VFR Flight Bag

Sporty's Pilot Shop has designed a flight bag specifically for VFR flight. This compact bag features specially designed pockets for storing important items necessary for a VFR flight. The exterior features padded pockets to protect a headset while additional pockets allow quick access to charts and a logbook. An organizing section has an ID holder, pen and pencil holders, a key clip and a pocket for a cellphone.

The large interior section has room for a POH, fuel tester, E6B and numerous books, snacks, flashlight and other items. The VFR Flight Bag has double-stitched seams and measures 18-1/2 inches long x 9 inches wide x 12 inches high.

The VFR Flight Bag is available for about $60 and personalized embroidery is available for about $10 more. All Sporty's products may be ordered at Sporty's Web site.

Aircraft Spruce Camloc Measuring Tool

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty has added a Camloc measuring tool to the list of tools it carries for homebuilders, restorers and owners of general aviation aircraft. This tool is made of stainless steel and stepped with notches for measuring Camloc fastener lengths from -2 to -11. The user slides a Camloc fastener into the tool for a reading of the appropriate size, or dash number, of the Camloc.

The Camloc measuring tool is available for about $17 and can be purchased online at Aircraft Spruce & Specialty.

King Schools' Single-Pilot IFR CD-ROM

King Schools has developed Practical Risk Management For Single-Pilot IFR CD-ROM course. In this course, you’ll learn:

• The two fundamental tools for IFR work-load management
• How to develop a TAWS in your head
• Why getting the big weather picture is so important
• The smart way to plan your route
• How to PAVE your way to safe single-pilot IFR
• How to set yourself up for success
• The quick way to make your last situational check before you fly
• The benefit of using the CARE attention scan to manage single-pilot IFR risks in the air
• How to use expert practices to your advantage
• The secret to using your autopilot the way the pros do
• The keys to managing the window of risk in the terminal area

This CD-ROM course is approved for the FAA WINGS and Avemco Safety Rewards programs. It runs 72 minutes before interactive questions and is available for about $50 from King Schools' Web site.

Flynorth.com

Flynorth.com is a Web site to help plan a trip to Alaska, northern British Columbia or the Yukon, primarily designed for pilots who wish to fly their own trips.

Use of (and membership on) the site is free, but donations (through Paypal) keep the site going. Members exchange stories and information about traveling in the northern North America.

The host's philosophy is to encourage low-cost flying and make a membership of lasting friendships. Flynorth.com now also offers detailed planning for individual trips. For $185 Canadian, you tell them what you want to do and see and they will plan your whole trip with routes, resorts, fishing etc. Special rates they have arranged for those taking the package will offset some of the cost of the service.

Visit their Web site here.

Sport Pilot Talk Web Forum

To encourage discussion about Sport Pilots and Light Sport aircraft, a new Web forum has been created.

Consisting just of a message board, forum subjects include aircraft, training, opportunities to "ask the Examiner," "Insurance Agent," and "Mechanic," fly-ins, flying clubs and much more.

Membership is free. Visit SportPilotTalk.com to join the conversation.

Sporty's Video Downloads

Sporty’s has expanded its popular library of downloadable programs with the addition of four more titles. Flight Review, Instrument Proficiency Check, So You Want to Fly Seaplanes and Transition to Gliders are now available for instant download.

These videos can be downloaded to a PC, Mac, video iPod, Microsoft Zune or other personal viewing device. After download, the video is then the customer’s to keep permanently.

These four new videos join the downloadable library of the 32 Air Facts programs. The Air Facts videos may be downloaded for $9.95 each, with a 25 percent discount for four or more. All 32 Air Facts programs are available for $99.00. Flying the Garmin G1000, Flying the Avidyne Entegra and Flying the Garmin GPSMAP 396/496 are available for $19.95 each. Flight Review and So You Want to Fly Seaplanes are available for $24.95, while Instrument Proficiency Check and Transition to Gliders are each available for $34.95.

To preview or purchase these programs, visit Sporty's video download page.

Tanis Engine Dehydrator

There can be two tablespoons or more of water in your aircraft engine as a by-product of combustion. That moisture can cause the internal metal parts of your engine to rust. The Tanis Aircraft Engine Dehydrator circulates air through the engine and reduces the humidity with a desiccant. Run continuously between flights, Tanis states this will maintain a dry environment of less than 5% RH, which inhibits rust.

When the desiccant becomes saturated, the crystals change from blue to pink. To easily reactivate, Tanis has incorporated their preheat technology. Includes a built-in hygrometer/thermometer and LED display.

The dehydrator retails for about $500. Find out more from Tanis' Web site or visit them at EAA Airventure 2007 in Oshkosh.