Short Final
Overheard in IFR Magazine's "On the Air"Heard on 121.5 on December 1, 2001 in the Frederick/Hagerstown, Maryland area (near Camp David or P40):Pilot:"Air Force on 121.5, Cherokee One Two Three."Air Force (my guess is this was the AWACS controller):"Go ahead."Pilot:"There are some F-15s near me. They do not answer my calls."Air Force:"F-15s do not have VHF capability; F-16s do."[pause]"Where are you?"Pilot:Near Hagerstown; I am doing some photo work.Air Force:"You are probably violating expanded P40 and they are escorting you out."Herbert RosenthalBethesda, Maryland
On the Fly ...
Irish helicopter pilot rapped for landing on city parkade ...Smoke may have obscured Jim LeRoy's view in fatal crash ...Airport sale items worth millions.
FBO of the Week: Quality Aviation (KFBL, Faribault, MS)
>>> AVWEB FUEL FINDER CURRENT PRICE FOR 100LL: $5.09 (up 3¢ from last week)CURRENT PRICE FOR JET A: $5.33 (no change 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 Quality Aviation at KFBL in Faribault, Mississippi.AVweb reader Rick Lemon made a day stop at Quality while touring a nearby college with his daughter and wife:Jerry [from Quality] met me at the plane and provided a courtesy car for the day. The car itself was fun a recycled police car, so you couldn't open the back seat door or the window from inside. While I was gone, a thunderstorm blew in and Jerry put my plane in a hangar to avoid any possible hail damage. He refueled the plane even though it's advertised as self-serve.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!
Video of the Week: Powered-Parachute Skydiver Dell Schanze Testing the Emotion Paraglider
In our latest "Video of the Week," Powered Skydiving founder Dell Schanze puts a new paraglider through its paces by what else? tumbling through the sky with it. We see some pretty nifty stuff on the receiving end of your video recommendations, but this is something to behold. (Click through to watch.)
Upset Training Aircraft Crash Kills Two
An Extra 300L operated by Aviation Performance Solutions LLC (APS) crashed Friday, killing two aboard. APS offers upset recovery and spin training. APS instructor Jim "Clap" Clapper was killed in the crash along with another pilot identified by a local CBS news affiliate as "an experienced commercial pilot." Clapper is a former F-4 and F-105 pilot. He had 20 years and 1,400 hours experience flying competition aerobatics, with 8 years flying competitive unlimited aerobatics. In 1995 Clapper was Arizona State Champion -- Advanced Aerobatics. Clapper was employed with the school as an instructor in aerobatics, upset recovery and spin training. The aircraft was returning from a training flight when it crashed approximately eight miles east of the Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona. "The type of maneuvers they were doing during that flight were very basic, nothing advanced," said Paul Ransbury, president of APS. "It is clear that numerous families were affected by this terrible tragedy," he said. "Our deepest sympathies and prayers are with all of those who were involved in this tragic accident and their families."
Tumbling Bear Airshow Pilot Survives Modesto Crash
Airshow performer Rob Harrison Saturday crashed his Zlin 50LX while performing at Modesto airport, and though one witness told a local ABC news channel, "the plane just went all to pieces," Harrison, 66, survived the impact with serious injuries. The pilot, nicknamed "The Tumbling Bear," was performing a rolling maneuver at low level near the end of his routine when the aircraft touched the ground and slid for about 100 feet before coming to rest on its side, relatively far from spectators. A crowd of about 4,000 people witnessed the crash and stayed to watch remote-control aircraft perform following Harrison's evacuation by helicopter to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto. Harrison was reported Sunday to be resting in stable condition. Details of his injuries were not released.
NTSB On NASCAR Cessna 310 Crash
"I don't give a sh-t about that. I'm taking the airplane." Juan Solis, an aircraft mechanic, told the NTSB the now-deceased Michael Klemm, an ATP certificated pilot with more than 10,500 hours flight time, spoke those words on July 10, 2007, about the accident aircraft (a NASCAR-operated Cessna 310R) prior to his fatal flight, according to a report released Friday by the NTSB. The flight ended approximately 10 minutes after it began when the aircraft, which was, according to witnesses, trailing smoke, impacted two homes, killing Klemm, along with Dr. Bruce Kennedy (the husband of International Speedway Corp. President Lesa France Kennedy). The death toll on the ground added three others -- including an infant and a four-year-old girl. Klemm's comments are associated with his knowledge of a problem with the aircraft's radar, though the extent of that knowledge remains uncertain.
China Inaugurates Commercial Jet Manufacturer
Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (CACC) was inaugurated Sunday, having been bolstered by a $2.72 billion cash infusion, almost one-third of which comes from the state. The company is expected to be involved in the development of the 90-seat ARJ21 regional jet, which rolled off the production line last December, should be test flown later this year and may be the first commercial regional jet developed and produced by China. Deliveries are scheduled for 2009. The aircraft's initial specifications "indicate that it's a bit heavier" than current offerings from other manufacturers, according to Teal Group aviation analyst, Richard Aboulafia, and may be built without extensive use of lightweight composites. Still, "they might be able to establish a presence in the business over the next 10 to 20 years," he told the International Herald Tribune. Airbus has forecast that China will need more than 2,600 new passenger jets within the next two decades.
FAA: Smooth Frost May Not Be OK
The FAA has proposed to change its regulations regarding operations with "polished frost" on an aircraft's flying surfaces ... just in time for summer. Frost polished to make it smooth would no longer be permitted as the FAA has determined it poses a threat to safe flight. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) officially applies to parts 125, 135, and certain part 91 operations. Though the FAA previously recommended that aircraft manufacturers could offer recommended procedures for polishing frost, no current manufacturer has issued any recommendations for polishing or operating with polished frost, and the FAA stipulates that "polished frost" is an "ambiguous" term. Plus, the FAA has correlated at least 11 accidents with circumstances involving individuals who crashed shortly after takeoff after attempting to smooth frost on the aircraft's wings. According to the FAA, nine of the 11 accidents would not have been prevented by the newly proposed rule because those accident aircraft were not operating under regulations that would be affected by the proposed rule. Nonetheless....
Mooney Gets FAA Approval For Garmin WAAS
Mooney's Acclaim Type S, Ovation 3, and Ovation2 GX have earned FAA approval to use Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)-aided navigation and Safe-Taxi technology via amended Type Certificate. The systems work with the Garmin G1000 avionics' GPS to ease pilot workloads in instrument conditions and better manage high traffic environments both in the air and on the ground, according to Mooney. Deliveries of WAAS-approved Mooney aircraft with the Safe-Taxi software upgrade will begin immediately. Upgrades to earlier aircraft are expected to become available in the second quarter, after Mooney establishes its pricing structure for retrofit packages. Mooney says the move to WAAS meets with the company's determination to provide aircraft that are built with the ability to safely and efficiently perform in the same environment as turboprop business aircraft. Working in Mooney aircraft, the WAAS system can interface with the Garmin GFC700 autopilot and also generate a virtual glide path for more than 3,000 straight-in GPS and RNAV approaches already in the aircraft's navigation system.
CAFE, Electric Aircraft And 100 MPG Airplanes
The second annual Electric Aircraft Symposium (EAS) held late last month offered a lot of theory and some progress. For now, the tone at EAS may suggest development of electric aircraft could follow the path of electric cars, and see their most immediate practical incarnations take the form of gas/electric hybrids. Boeing, which this year flew a small fuel cell aircraft, has one research group targeting a hybrid that could fly 300 miles per charge. That initiative is connected with a navigational control package that aims to take the work (fun?) out of flying and make it accessible to individuals without special training. That offering may appear sometime in the next few decades. Later this year, however, expect Pipistrel to offer its "world's first two seater self launching glider powered by electrical means." In August the CAFE (Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency) foundation will host a contest to test the practical application of current designs and award $50,000 to the most efficient aircraft.
Aircraft And Marriage, Perfect Together
When was the last time you heard that? For AVweb reader Jeff Goosetree, it seems to be the case. Goosetree currently flies 30- and 40-series Lear Jets out of northwest Arkansas, but maintains his earlier-won CFI. Currently, he is in the process of teaching his girlfriend, Maria, to fly, but on May 3 took a carefully planned deviation from the course book. Jeff arranged for Maria's first cross-country flight to fly west into the sunset, headed for the couple's favorite Italian restaurant. He even made sure to request some extra time with the crew car for the evening's dinner. Then, while en route in a 172, with Maria flying, Jeff began talking about their life together with her 8-year-old daughter, Halle. It was about halfway through the flight when, with ring in hand, "I managed to get up on one knee in the seat and proposed."
Aircraft Industry First Quarter Check-Up
The "current uncertainty in the U.S. economy is having an effect," specifically on the spectrum of piston aircraft, according to General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Pete Bunce. This year, Q1 piston-powered airplane shipments dropped 28 percent to 399 from 544 for the same period last year, according to GAMA's report. However, turboprop shipments were slightly higher and business jet shipments rose dramatically -- by more than 40 percent. In sum, total industry billings reached all all-time first-quarter high, up more than 16 percent over last year's. The divergent trends may be partially explained by worldwide economics. Accounting for 67 percent of piston deliveries last year, the North American market is an important player in worldwide figures and a downturn in that economy has broad effects. However, growth is strong in markets outside of North America and a good footing in multiple markets may ultimately provide some stability for those manufacturers best able to adapt to worldwide demand. The turbine segments showed impressive gains as did market share outside of the U.S. and North America. Economic stimulus in the form of bonus depreciation may be having a positive impact on aircraft sales, this year.
Picture of the Week: AVweb's Flying Photography Showcase
"Picture of the Week" submissions are still hovering in the fair-to-middling range, as least where sheer numbers are concerned but we won't tire you with our usual bellyaching and begging. Why? Because the quality is still sky-high, and we're having to turn away some awfully eye-catching pics just to whittle the finalists down to a managable number. Kicking off the excitement this week is 12-year-old Austin Randall of Clyde, Texas, who shot this week's super-sharp winning photo at Dyess Air Force Base this past Saturday. "It was awesome!!!" writes Austin and we agree!
Embraer Phenom 100 Gallery
Embraer's Phenom 100 hasn't been publicly displayed yet, but PP-XPH, one of Embraer's certification prototypes, has been making the rounds in the U.S. as part of its certification program. It was spotted in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where it's undergoing icing tests. (Click through for more photos.)
AVweb Insider Blog: Rethinking Air Taxis Maybe It's Not About the Airplane
What does DayJet's scaling back mean to the future of air taxi services? AVweb's editors have a few ideas, and they're sharing them on our blog, the AVweb Insider. Today, Mary Grady wonders whether the VLJ is really the critical piece of the puzzle and reflects on other air-ferry services that have made a go without jets.
Question of the Week: Changing Forecast for Air Taxi Services?
With DayJet's announcement that it will scale back operations and lay off employees, many are beginning to speculate that the bright, golden rug has been out from under the future of air taxi services. As usual, we'd like to know what you think: Do air taxi operations have a future? Plus: How many AVweb readers would say "yes" to an electric-powered airplane?
On the Fly ...
The developments at DayJet continue to be discussed at our AVweb blog, and also at James Fallows' blog for the Atlantic Monthly...An Air France pilot took evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision after "showing off"...Thielert says it will fulfill all currently held orders for diesel engines, AOPA reports...A single-PFD flight deck for the King Air 90-series has been OK'd by the FAA...FAA has not performed scheduled safety checks at major carriers, says The Wall Street Journal...An unmanned aircraft will be used to study air pollution in Southern California.
Industry Dismayed By FAA Funding Snag
The FAA funding bill under consideration in the Senate has stalled, bringing dismay to GA advocates who had been momentarily heartened by this latest version's lack of user fees. Partisan politics are to blame, says EAA. "We're deeply disappointed, but will continue to push for procedural opportunities to move the bill forward through the Senate," said Doug Macnair, EAA vice president of government relations. "This could mean extended and protracted continuing resolutions, leaving unresolved the questions of user fees and how the FAA will be funded ... This also continues to jeopardize airport improvement funds and other programs vital for general aviation and the entire aviation industry." Ed Bolen, president of the National Business Aviation Association, said he's hopeful the compromise to settle for a GA fuel tax instead of user fees will survive this latest delay, and a bill will be passed in this session.
Summer Aviation Events Gearing Up
Pilots in search of an aviation destination for summer have plenty to choose from. This week, the FAA published instructions for pilots flying into Oshkosh for EAA AirVenture, July 28 to August 3. The NOTAM takes effect starting July 25, and outlines procedures for arrival and departure. There have been some major changes since last year, EAA says, so be sure to check. "Besides following the published arrival and departure procedures in the AirVenture NOTAM, pilots should maintain high vigilance in watching for other aircraft," adds EAA. "Pilots are expected to have a copy of the NOTAM available for in-flight reference." Also coming up soon -- the annual AOPA fly-in and open house at their headquarters in Frederick, Md., on June 7. The free event features 100 aviation exhibitors, 40 aircraft on display, safety seminars, and tours of the HQ.
It's Not A Bird, Not A Plane It's Flying Logos
Just in case you don't already have enough stuff flying around in the sky to watch out for, a new company in Alabama says it's ready to start marketing a new product called Flogos -- for flying logos. The floatable icons come in various sizes up to three feet across, and can be stamped out in any shape, such as a peace symbol or a corporate logo. They are made from an airy mixture of foam, soap and helium, and the company says they will pop like a soap bubble in a collision. However, they can be released into the sky dozens at a time, they can travel up to 20 or 30 miles, and they can reach as high as 20,000 feet. "It sounds like it's harmless," said Jerry Emison, a professor of public administration at Mississippi State University told The Associated Press. "But there's a lot of stuff that we thought was harmless that turned out not to be." Coming soon, the company says: a Flogo generator that can create shapes up to six feet across.
Court Finds ATC At Fault For Fatal Helicopter Crash
A federal judge in California said this week that air traffic controllers at the Torrance Municipal Airport made a critical mistake in November 2003, resulting in the collision of two helicopters in flight. The NTSB report, issued last May, found the surviving pilot, a student flying an R22 solo, had caused the crash, by failing to comply with an ATC clearance. Two men in a Robinson R44 helicopter on a training flight died when it crashed to the runway and exploded. The R22 pilot survived with serious injuries. The judge said the two controllers involved "failed to issue clear and concise instructions" to the pilots and acted "negligently and carelessly," the L.A. Times reported on Wednesday. The two pilots were maneuvering in the traffic pattern above parallel runways and were in positions where neither pilot could see the other when ATC reportedly told one of the pilots to turn, putting the two aircraft on a collision course, the Times said. The NTSB final report says the R22 pilot crossed runway 29R, where the controller had directed him to land, and was heading toward 29L when the collision occurred.
Congress Scrutinizes Aviation Emissions
The House Subcommittee on Aviation met on Tuesday for a hearing about aviation's impact on the environment. Noise and emissions from aviation are expected to double by 2025, the panel said, so aggressive action is needed soon to prevent that scenario. Gerald Dillingham, speaking for the U.S. Government Accountability Office, told the panel that NextGen developments will improve efficiency, but more funding is needed for research into better technology. National Air Transportation Association (NATA) President James Coyne also testified at the hearing. NetJets, a member of NATA, is investing in the development of an ultra-low-emissions jet fuel, Coyne said. Several representatives of the airline industry noted that given the cost of fuel, the industry is doing all it can to improve efficiency.
New GA Fuel Promises Better Range, Lower Cost
"Not only can our fuel seamlessly replace the aviation industry's standard petroleum fuel [100LL], it can outperform it," says John Rusek, a professor at Purdue University and co-founder of Swift Enterprises. The company recently unveiled a new general aviation fuel that it says will be less expensive, more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendlier than any on the market. Unlike other alternative fuels, Rusek said, SwiftFuel is made of synthetic hydrocarbons that are derived from biomass, and it can provide an effective range greater than 100LL, while costing about half as much to produce. "Our fuel should not be confused with first-generation biofuels like E-85 [85 percent ethanol], which don't compete well right now with petroleum," Rusek said. Patented technology can produce the 1.8 million gallons per day of fuel used by GA in the U.S. by using just 5 percent of the existing biofuel plant infrastructure, the company said.
Cessna Flies First CJ4, First Production SkyCatcher
Cessna's new Citation CJ4 business jet prototype flew for the first time on Monday in Wichita, the company said. "We tested quite a number of the systems on the aircraft, including the autopilot, and all performed very well," said Cessna test pilot Dan Morris, who flew the jet for nearly two and a half hours. "The FADECs operated just as we expected, and along with the four displays of the Pro Line 21, this is a very pilot-friendly aircraft. Operators will transition easily into the CJ4." Cessna also announced on Monday that it has flown the first production model of the SkyCatcher for the first time. It flew for a half hour on May 1, about two months after the first flight of the first prototype of the airplane. Cessna said it plans to add one more aircraft to the test fleet.
Red Bull Air Race Returns To U.S.
The Red Bull Air Race returned to the U.S. over the weekend, with Mike Mangold and Paul Bonhomme battling for first place over San Diego Bay. Mangold won the series last year, but just barely. This weekend, Bonhomme took first after a one-on-one flight against Mangold. "Great rivalries have a history of triggering interest in motorsports," wrote Bill Center, in the San Diego Union Tribune, a view that is sure to warm the heart of the race organizers. Kirby Chambliss, of Arizona, came in third, but took first for the weekend in pulling Gs, pegging at +9.1 in a tight turn. Mangold said that after three years of competition, all 12 pilots are hard to beat. "This thing is getting a lot tighter," he told the Union Tribune. "The small things are adding up, we're all getting closer and closer." The races drew a crowd of about 150,000 over the weekend. The racers will compete again in Detroit at the end of this month, then move overseas to Europe.
Exclusive Video: Patty Wagstaff Interview and Flight
Ride along with Patty Wagstaff as she flies her airshow routine at Sun 'n Fun 2008, courtesy of AVweb's Glenn Pew. Or, if you're easily queasy, just close your eyes and listen to our post-flight interview with Patty about how it feels to fly the maneuvers and what it's like to perform. Special thanks to our friends at Bose Corporation and Aircraft Spruce & Supply Co., whose good people stepped up when we needed them and helped make this video happen. And very special thanks to Patty's main sponsor, Cirrus Design, maker of the airplanes that changed the industry. (Click through to watch.)
Ethanol Rampant, Mogas Users Warned
AOPA is warning aircraft owners who normally use automotive fuel purchased off the airport to test the gas for ethanol even if the pump doesn't say there's alcohol in the fuel. The federal government mandate to increase the use of renewable fuels in gasoline blends has prompted some companies to add ethanol without notification and that can be dangerous for aircraft engines. "While AOPA has successfully prevented ethanol from being blended with avgas, there are limits to what the general aviation industry can do to prevent auto gasoline from being blended," AOPA said on its Web site In Idaho, pure gasoline is apparently so rare that it's no longer available at some airports. "What I'm hearing from my members is that they cannot find ethanol-free auto gas on airports anywhere," Idaho Aviation Aviation Association Director Ken Jackson said in an email to AVweb. "Their choices now are to switch to 100LL, run contaminated fuel, or hang it up."
Polite Pilot Released From Psych Ward
Welsh pilot Maurice Kirk gets full marks for politeness but his questionable judgment landed him in a Texas psychiatric hospital. Kirk, from the Vale of Glamorgan, was detained for psychiatric assessment after landing his Piper Cub in a field about six miles from President Bush's Texas ranch April 25. Known as the Flying Vet, Kirk wanted to personally thank Bush for help he got from the U.S. Coast Guard when he crashed off the coast of the Dominican Republic in February. According to the BBC, police who stopped Kirk in the Texas field originally thought he was drunk, but he was sober. McLennan County Chief Deputy Sheriff Randy Phlemons said he was not arrested but was ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment. Kirk was released from the Austin State Hospital last Thursday.
Short Final
On a Qantas flight from Adelaide to Perth last week, our lovely senior air steward announced the following after the doors closed:Over the Speaker:"Ladies and gentleman, please turn off all electronic devices such as laptops, mobile phones, washing machines and hairdryers. However, if they have a flight mode, please switch now."It made me smile; must be hard to repeat the same thing every flight.D. Dannvia e-mail