15 Years and Now 15 Grand Giveaways ... Now's Your Chance to Win 100,000 Air BP Bravo Reward Points
Now's your chance to win 100,000 Air BP Bravo Rewards Points as we celebrate our 15th Anniversary! All you have to do is click here to enter your name and e-mail address. (You only have to enter once, and you'll be entered in our prize drawings for the entire year. If you've already entered for the previous Bose Headset drawing, you're all set no need to register again.)And no, we're not going to rent or sell your name, ever. Tell your friends, and invite them to sign up for AVweb so they can qualify for our 15 Grand Giveaways prize drawings, too. (We won't spam them, either but we hope they will sign up for our newsletters.)Deadline for entries is 11:59pm Zulu time February 19, 2010.Click here to read the contest rules and enter.Congratulations to Ron Goin of Idaho Falls, ID, who won the Bose Aviation Headset X! (click here to get your own from Bose Corporation)
Short Final
With Super Bowl XLIV about to kick off as we prepare this week's AVweb stories, we can't resist the temptation to delve into our mailbag and serve up a "Short Final" that's been holding for over a year:It was a Friday afternoon in November when we were departing OSU airport in the company King Air for our home base in Grand Rapids. The huge college rivalry between OSU and U of M was to be played tomorrow. Since the OSU fans can be quite literally fanatical about their team, my co-pilot and I were pretty quiet all day about our allegiance to the Michigan football squad.As we were taxiing out to the busy runway, we changed over to tower, and the pattern was full of OSU students and their instructors. The frequency was busy. It was my leg, so the co-pilot was on the radio. My voice had not been heard yet.After my copilot responded to our takeoff clearance, I couldn't help myself and keyed the mike, saying in a deep and serious voice, "Go Blue!"We enjoyed a takeoff roll in complete radio silence. All communications stopped dead for about ten seconds!The shocked silence was broken with the words "Who said that?!"I knew we had gotten away with it when we were handed off to Columbus departure and didn't have to enter a hold! That ten seconds of silence was almost as good as the beating we gave them in the next day's game!Doug Downervia e-mail
FBO of the Week: Airbound Aviation (Essex County Airport, KCDW, Caldwell, NJ)
>>> AVWEB FUEL FINDERCURRENT PRICE FOR 100LL: $4.62 (down 1¢ from last week)CURRENT PRICE FOR JET A: $4.30 (down 4¢ 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-->http://media.avweb.com/banmanavweb/a.aspx?Task=Click&ZoneID=0&CampaignID=5517&AdvertiserID=167&BannerID=2798&SiteID=19&RandomNumber=1475325602&Keywords=/TEXT_ONLY-->AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Airbound Aviation at Essex County Airport (KCDW) in Caldwell, New Jersey.AVweb reader Mike Kenny described the FBO as "a hidden gem" in his comments and told us the team at Airbound took care of him on a recent trip into New York City. "The service was exceptional, and they also arranged minor service on our PC-12 on very short notice," wrote Mike.AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!Keep those nominations coming. For complete contest rules, click here.
Exclusive Video: AVweb's G100UL Flight Test
For nearly three decades, general aviation has been struggling to find an unleaded replacement for 100LL avgas. General Aviation Modifications Inc. (GAMI) in Ada, Oklahoma says they've found it. AVweb's Paul Bertorelli recently took a test flight to see how the new fuel works.
AVweb Flies New G100UL Fuel
After years of searching for a replacement for the lead in 100LL, is the solution upon us? General Aviation Modifications thinks so and demonstrated the new fuel to AVweb in a test flight and engine test cell run last week. The new fuel is called G100UL and has essentially come out of nowhere as a developmental fuel to replace 100LL.
FedEx Captain Wins AOPA Sweepstakes SR22
It's not every day that a film crew flies into the Alta Sierra residential airpark east of Sacramento but Michael Graves had been so thoroughly lured into the story, he didn't have a clue that he would be the star of the show. Graves was the victim and beneficiary of an elaborate ruse that ultimately resulted in him flying away in a 2005 Cirrus SR22 as the winner of AOPA's annual Let's Go Flying Sweepstakes. "It's a fantastic flying airplane," Graves said. "It's going to take some getting used to, but I already know we're going to love it." Graves owns a Cessna 180 and is a FedEx captain on A300s overseas.
AVweb Insider Blog: Flying G100UL Yeah, It Works
If you've been wondering what Paul Bertorelli's up to this weekend and really, who isn't? we've got an interesting answer. AVweb's Editorial Director spent some time flying on G100UL, the unleaded 100LL alternative GAMI's George Braly calls "the future fuel of general aviation." Read about Paul's trip and post your own comments at the AVweb Insider blog.
Three Die In Cirrus/Towplane Midair
Three people died in a midair collision between a Cirrus aircraft and a glider towplane Saturday near Boulder, Colo. Two of the dead were in a Cirrus SR20 and the other was the pilot of a Piper Pawnee glider towplane. The pilot of the glider was able to release the aircraft and had to fly through the flaming debris from the collision before landing safely at Boulder airport. The pilot and two passengers in the glider, a woman and her 11-year-old son, were shaken but uninjured. The Pawnee went out of control and crashed immediately after the collision. The SR20's whole airframe parachute deployed and the vigorously burning aircraft settled slowly to the ground. It's not known whether the pilot pulled the handle or the crash or fire detonated the explosive charge that deploys the chute. Witnesses told various news organizations they saw the occupants of the Cirrus falling separately from the burning aircraft. The horrific descent of the Cirrus was caught on video from various angles but none that we've seen shows anyone falling from the aircraft. There were pieces of the airplane falling separately, however.
Snow Collapses Dulles Jet Center
The huge snowstorm blanketing the mid-Atlantic has reportedly collapsed the roof of an FBO at Dulles and may have damaged or destroyed four aircraft, according to WTOP. It's also been reported that snow caused damage at Manassas Airport in Virginia. The roof of Dulles Jet Center collapsed about 8 a.m. Saturday after the D.C. area was buried under almost three feet of snow in some areas. Dulles Airport Manager Rob Yingling said there were five people in the building but no one was injured. He also confirmed four "private jets" were inside and that damage to the building was significant. Photos and video on the NBC Washington Web site show the front of the building distorted under the weight of the snow.
TSA To Leave Most GA Security To GA?
Reports surfaced Friday that the TSA is backing off of plans to create regulations proposed in 2008 that would have required operators of general aviation aircraft to provide special security measures and screen people and cargo. The agency is now said to be leaning toward leaving security mostly to the judgment of pilots and operators. According to NPR, the general aviation industry, an industry "worth $150 billion a year," sent regulators "thousands of complaints." As a result, the TSA has concluded it will make better progress working with the industry than moving ahead with a "combative back and forth." In a revised security plan expected this fall, the TSA is now expected to increase the size of aircraft that must adhere to stricter regulation (presumably above the previously suggested 12,500 pound limit) and leave the security of smaller aircraft largely in the hands of the pilots who fly them. News reports Friday stated that the changes would spare hundreds of smaller airports from the burdens of costly security programs, personnel and equipment.
AVweb Insider Blog: Unity Results in User Fee Victory
User fees are off the table for now, at least but how did the GA community manage it? On the AVweb Insider blog, Editor-in-Chief Russ Niles says the victory was won with an uncommon weapon in GA's arsenal unity. Click here to read his comments and add your own.
PBS Frontline To Air Report On Colgan Crash, Regional Safety
In the wake of Colgan Air's Continental Flight 3407 that crashed outside of Buffalo last year, reporter and pilot Miles O'Brien has stepped up to front an investigative documentary, "Flying Cheap," to air on PBS and online, Feb. 9, 2010. In the report, O'Brien looks into the regional carrier culture through interviews with past Colgan pilots. He compares those pilots to the pilots of carriers under whose name regionals like Colgan frequently fly ... such as Continental. In a written preview, O'Brien writes that, for regional pilots, they are "less experienced, the hours are longer, the pay is much less and the training is not as extensive." They are also, in his opinion, "flying the most demanding routes in the airline business -- lots of time in the weather, in high traffic areas -- and lots of segments." In a preview of the documentary, one former Colgan pilot tells O'Brien he was flying eight, nine or ten flights a day. "Since 2002 the last six fatal commercial airline accidents have all involved regionals," writes O'Brien, who then asks, "An unfortunate coincidence?"
16-Year-Old Passes Written Via Sporty's Online Course
Tyler Whitney, of Fenwick, Mich., has become the first EAA Young Eagle to pass his FAA private pilot written test by using Sporty's innovative Online Pilot Training Course, free of charge. EAA and Sporty's Pilot Shop joined forces last April to offer the training course free to all young pilot aspirants who are introduced to flight through EAA's Young Eagles Program. Participants earn a logbook and an access code to the online course, which would otherwise cost almost $200. The joint-forces approach was seen by both Sporty's and EAA as a natural fit that immediately mates the excitement of a first flight with a clear path forward. All of it, at no cost. Whitney, whose family does not have an aviation background, was hooked at first flight. "After my Young Eagles flight I knew I had to fly. It's what I want to do," he said. Thanks to EAA and Sporty's, it appears he's now on his way, with next steps already in place.
"Picture of the Week" Bonus Pics Reminder
Don't forget to check out the "Picture of the Week" slideshow on AVweb's home page this week. We had some terrific photos that didn't make it into last week's edition, and you won't want to miss them!
Learn To Fly Day -- How To Take An Active Role
A lot of pilots are active supporters of general aviation, but few of them put their money where their mouth is like Gary Bradshaw, founder of PilotJourney.com and a major contributor to the May 15, 2010 "Learn To Fly Day" initiative. Bradshaw has made it his work and his mission to initiate new pilots into the world of aviation by connecting them with quality flight schools in their area, then following up on their progress and experiences. For Learn To Fly Day, Bradshaw, along with AOPA, EAA, Remos Aircraft and a host of others, is mobilizing to create literally hundreds of learn to fly seminars across the country (hosted by pilots and aviation enthusiasts) that will be presented to future pilots and aviation enthusiasts across the country. According to Bradshaw, thanks to their collective efforts, on May 15 he expects at least 300 seminars (and possibly many more) to launch in a wide range of venues nationwide. And you can be a part of it through LearnToFlyDay.com.
Exclusive Video: How the Amateur Challenger Explosion Video Went Public
Twenty-four years after the event, what may be the only amateur video shot of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion has gone public. A Presidential commission resolved the accident took place on a day that was 15° colder than any previous launch ... and that the 36° launch-time temperature was a contributing factor.
"Only" Amateur Video Of Challenger Disaster Released
What the has been reported to be the only amateur film in existence of the January 28, 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger disaster has become public after nearly 25 years spent in a Florida basement. Retired optometrist Jack Moss shot the video from his home in Winter Haven, Florida, about 80 miles from Challenger's Cape Canaveral launch site. Moss, who passed away in December from Cancer, reportedly told his pastor that he could have the tape when he died. "It took a while to find someone with an old Betamax video player," Moss's pastor told a reporter at the Guardian newspaper, "but when I found the Challenger film my reaction was that people really have to see this." As fate would have hit, Moss's pastor was Marc Wessels, who is also executive director of the Space Exploration Archive, a Kentucky-based group that collects space memorabelia for the purpose of education. Wessels' reaction to the film was acute and the film was quickly made public.
Picture of the Week: AVweb's Flying Photography Showcase
Putting together a weekly selection of reader-submitted photos can be a demanding job especially when you have a readership as talented and prolific as AVweb's. Once again, we find ourselves forced to choose among top-notch submissions and somehow select one as our "Picture of the Week." Refueling was something of a theme in this week's submissions. We had three great photos of mid-air refuelings, but this one from Christopher Kosseff of Monroe Township, New Jersey stole our breath and cinched the top spot.
Question of the Week: Your 2010 Collier Trophy Picks
The nominations for the prestigious Collier Trophy, given annually by the National Aeronautic Association for "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year" were released Wednesday. Who or what is your pick for aviation's most prestigious prize?Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers what the various GA groups should make their top priority in 2010; click through to see how they answered.
Had an Engine Overhaul? Aviation Consumer Wants to Hear About Your Experience
Aviation Consumer is conducting a survey to hear your experiences with engine overhaul shops. Whether the experience was propulsion bliss or aggravation of a new order, please take a couple minutes to let others know how it went. Your response will help inform an article on engine shops for Aviation Consumer magazine. Click here to participate.
Howard Levy, Aviation Photographer, Dead At 88
Howard Levy, of Freehold, N.J., who died at home last week at age 88, took his first airplane photograph at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, in 1936, when he was just 15 years old. He sold his first picture a year later. Over his long career, his work appeared in the Smithsonian Magazine, AOPA Pilot, Sport Pilot, Private Pilot, Kitplanes, and dozens more. He was a staff editor at Look magazine for 25 years. Among many other awards, the staff of Kitplanes presented him with a Silver Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2005. He was a founding member of the American Aviation Historical Society in 1956 and a founding member of the Aviation/Space Writers Association. He served in the Air Corps as a photographer in World War II in Africa, Sicily and Italy. He remained active, shooting pictures at EAA AirVenture last summer, and attending local EAA chapter meetings monthly.
For This Year's Collier Trophy, The Nominees Are...
The National Aeronautic Association this week released its list of nominees for the 2009 Robert J. Collier Trophy, long considered one of the more prestigious awards in the aviation world. The Collier Trophy aims to honor "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year." This year's nominees are: Aircell, which offers inflight communications services; NASA's Ares 1 crew launch vehicle; Lockheed Martin's C-5M Super Galaxy cargo airplane; the Kandahar Airfield [Afghanistan] Operations Team; the International Space Station; the MC-12W Project Liberty Enterprise Team, which developed a variant of the King Air 350 for military use; the SpaceX Falcon 1 Development Team; and former Senator John Warner and the Excalibur Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle.
Concorde Crash Trial Under Way In France
Nearly 10 years after an Air France Concorde crashed and burned near Paris, killing all 109 people on board and four on the ground, a trial began this week in France to determine who will be held responsible. Six defendants have been charged with involuntary manslaughter -- two maintenance workers employed by Continental Airlines who were involved in installing a titanium strip that fell off a DC-10 onto the runway, allegedly causing the damage to the Concorde that led to the crash; two former engineers at Aerospatiale, the company that built the Concorde; a former official of the French civil aviation authority who oversaw Concorde operations; and Continental Airlines itself. All of the accused have denied the charges. A French investigation found the installation of the metal strip on the Continental jet did not meet FAA standards. Continental's lawyers say they have witnesses who will testify that the Concorde engine was already on fire before it struck the debris.
NATCA Protests FAA Facility Consolidation Plans
Air traffic controllers in Ohio are protesting a move by the FAA to consolidate operations from several locations in the northern part of the state to a central facility in Cleveland. The consolidation would mean poorer service to pilots, a loss of local knowledge among controllers, and degraded safety and efficiency, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. NATCA has been meeting with local pilots and government officials in the region to encourage opposition to the FAA plans. Under the current setup, controllers are familiar with the area around the airports where they work. That could change if controllers are consolidated, NATCA spokeswoman Alex Caldwell told a local news site. The FAA's proposed plan establishes large controller stations in Columbus and Cleveland, but doesn't provide redundant support in case of a problem at one of the locations, she said. FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory told the Toledo Blade that no final decisions have been made regarding consolidation, but some NATCA members said plans are already in place for controllers to be moved as soon as this summer.
Colgan Air, FAA, Lawmakers Respond To NTSB Findings
Reacting to Tuesday's conclusions from the NTSB blaming the flight crew for the fatal crash last February, Colgan Air released a statement saying the crew had been properly trained. "They knew what to do in the situation they faced that night a year ago, had repeatedly demonstrated they knew what to do, and yet did not do it," the company wrote. "We cannot speculate on why they did not use their training in dealing with the situation they faced ... We want to make clear again that our pilots are highly trained to handle all situations they may encounter." The FAA also issued a statement, saying they will soon publish proposed federal rules to prevent pilot fatigue and further improve training."Airline passengers deserve an expertly trained and well-rested crew, whether they are flying on a major or a regional jet," the FAA said. "Pilots must be trained for the mission they are flying and the FAA already is working to further improve their professional qualifications." The NTSB report also prompted response from lawmakers in Washington.
NTSB Blames Captain For Colgan Crash
The probable cause of the Colgan Air crash that killed 50 people near Buffalo, N.Y., a year ago was the captain's inappropriate response, characterized as "startle and confusion," after the stick shaker was activated, the NTSB reported in a hearing on Tuesday. The captain pulled back when he should have pushed forward, the board said, causing an accelerated stall. Contributing factors included the crew's failure to monitor airspeed and their violation of the sterile-cockpit rule. In the daylong hearing, which ran past 7 p.m., the board split over the issue of whether or not fatigue was a contributing factor in the accident. Board chairman Deborah Hersman argued that several factors, including the crew's sleep deficits and the time of day the accident took place, indicated that fatigue was present, and should be counted as a contributing factor to the crew's performance. But the view of board member Robert Sumwalt prevailed -- he said just because the crew was fatigued, that doesn't mean it was a factor in their performance.
FAA Preps For Crowded Skies For Super Bowl Sunday
The Super Bowl, coming up this Sunday, is not only a big event for football teams, TV advertisers, and pizza delivery drivers, it's a big deal for general aviation, with lots of extra traffic expected for south Florida and special flight rules in place. The FAA will establish a TFR around Dolphin Stadium effective two hours before the Super Bowl begins until one hour after the game ends, approximately 4 p.m. to midnight local time. The TFR consists of two rings of protected airspace, 10 nautical miles and 30 nautical miles in diameter, from the ground up to 18,000 feet surrounding the stadium. The only flights permitted within the 10-mile ring will be public safety, military, and commercial passenger, cargo, and private charters operating under a TSA-approved security program. Flights by media, banner towers, blimps, general aviation, or any other flight activities, are prohibited. The 10-mile ring includes Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Opa-Locka Executive Airport and North Perry Airport. GA aircraft at those three airports will not be able to arrive or depart while the TFR is in effect.
AVweb Insider Blog: Do Stunts Help or Hurt?
In the latest installment of the AVweb Insider blog, Paul Bertorelli recounts a conversation he recently had over Matt and Chet Pipkin's upcoming shot at the world flight endurance record. The record attempt is unquestionably a stunt but is that a bad thing? Read Paul's thoughts and add your own at the AVweb Insider.
Federal Budget Free Of Aviation User Fees
The budget plan released by the White House this week drops last year's proposal to impose aviation user fees, and instead retains the traditional FAA funding formula of taxes on tickets and fuel plus a general-fund contribution. "We have waged a 12-month campaign since the moment we learned of a planned $9.6 billion fee," AOPA President Craig Fuller said on Monday. "General aviation organizations worked together to prevent the realization of a policy that could have crippled GA." Other advocacy groups expressed similar relief, while noting that the budget addresses the issue only for the next fiscal year. "The industry must remain vigilant to ensure that any future user fee proposals are unsuccessful," said James Coyne, president of the National Air Transportation Association. Ed Bolen, president of NBAA, also advised caution. "Whether or not this is an indication of a permanent policy shift on user fees, or a one-time development remains to be determined," he said. "Our industry must continue to make its voice heard on this and other issues."
NTSB Concludes Pilot's Actions Caused Colgan Crash
The probable cause of the Colgan Air crash that killed 50 people near Buffalo, N.Y., a year ago was the captain's inappropriate response, characterized as "startle and confusion," after the stick shaker was activated, pulling back when he should have pushed forward, the NTSB reported in a hearing on Tuesday. Contributing factors included the crew's failure to monitor airspeed and their violation of the sterile-cockpit rule. In the daylong hearing, which ran past 7 p.m., the board split over the issue of whether or not fatigue was a contributing factor in the accident. Board chairman Deborah Hersman argued that several factors, including the crew's sleep deficits and the time of day the accident took place, indicated that fatigue was present, and should be counted as a contributing factor to the crew's performance. But the view of board member Robert Sumwalt prevailed -- he said just because the crew was fatigued, that doesn't mean it was a factor in their performance.