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Tuesday 2nd December 2008

Top News
The Airbus A320 that crashed in the Mediterranean last Thursday had just been painted in Air New Zealand livery and The Australian says investigators are probing whether the fresh paint led to the crash. Although only two bodies have been recovered, it's assumed all seven people aboard the four-year-old aircraft died in the crash. The plane had recently been rented to a German airline and was in the process of being returned to Air New Zealand. The cockpit voice recorder has been recovered but the flight data recorder, which will likely provide more insight to the paint-clogged sensor theory, has not.
Dec 1, 6:04am UTC

More News
The booming Chinese aviation market has gone bust, at least for now, upon news that the Civil Aviation Authority has halted all aircraft orders until overcapacity within the country can be resolved.
Nov 29, 7:29am UTC
Google has upped the ante to keep its corporate aircraft at the spacious and convenient Moffett Field thanks to some snags in the way such aircraft are certified.
Dec 1, 2:20am UTC
The fatal crash of a Cessna 310R into a Sanford, Fla., neighborhood on July 10, 2007, has spawned a lawsuit prior to release of the NTSB's final report on the crash.
Nov 27, 9:40pm UTC
Tom Callahan, of Pensacola, Fla., was shooting photos of the Blue Angels when he noticed an FJ-4B Sea Fury on final approach without something important.
Dec 1, 2:51am UTC
One lucky bidder on Jan. 17 will get to be the new owner of a completely restored 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor, after an auction to be held in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Nov 26, 5:31pm UTC
This year the FAA made history by flying a fully equipped FAA Challenger 601 to the South Pole and conducting the entire flight annual inspection Antarctic research stations.
Nov 26, 9:11pm UTC
NASA is conducting a study using sophisticated imaging technology to track how blood flows in the brains of airline pilots as they interact with today's sophisticated cockpit tech.
Nov 26, 5:28pm UTC
About 500 production employees at Cirrus Design will be furloughed for about a month each as the company cuts production to clear out built up inventory.
Nov 26, 2:17am UTC
Diamond is advising its customers to continue fueling their diesel aircraft with jet fuel in spite of ExxonMobil's recommendation that dealers stop selling jet fuel to diesel aircraft owners.
Nov 24, 9:13pm UTC
 
Boeing in August filed a patent stating that the company believes an unmanned liquid hydrogen powered aircraft might be designed to fly for up to 10 days at 60,000 feet.
Nov 29, 7:25am UTC
The Moulton B. Taylor Aerocar registered N103D and built in 1956 has become available through auction on eBay.
Nov 30, 10:16am UTC
AVweb has previously explained that the video is a promotion, but in catering to that broader audience, there is one more technical piece of information we left out of our video critique.
Nov 29, 7:55am UTC
An Airbus A320 crashed into the sea off southwest France, killing at least two, according to the first reports, and leaving five of the seven aboard unaccounted for and presumed dead.
Nov 27, 8:51pm UTC
With no parachute and no safety net, Eric Scott flew under jet-pack power across the 1,053-foot-deep Royal Gorge, in Colorado, on Monday.
Nov 25, 10:14pm UTC
Pilots who have some extra time over the holiday weekend might want to spend 45 minutes to improve their understanding of the weather and enhance their safety.
Nov 26, 8:40pm UTC
Eclipse Aviation has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and it appears ETIRC, controlled by current Eclipse CEO Roel Pieper, is moving to consolidate its hold on the troubled planemaker.
Nov 25, 5:31pm UTC
"In light of recent cutbacks from two of its major customers," about 25% of aircraft parachut maker BRS's workforce has been laid off.
Nov 25, 9:25pm UTC
With a new administration preparing to take over in Washington, AOPA incoming president Craig Fuller met with members of the DOT transition team on Monday to press the case.
Nov 25, 10:16pm UTC

COMPLETE NEWS Read the Latest Issue of AVwebFlash
NEWS ARCHIVES Past News Stories on AVweb

Columns
Stabilized approaches aren't just for the Jet-A club. AVweb's Thomas P. Turner suggests ways to make them work for piston-pounders.
AVweb's European correspondent Liz Moscrop pays a fond farewell to the Robin and the Kestrel manufacturers and tells why it is vital to speak up in Europe now.
 
Your aircraft is undergoing its annual inspection, and your IA tells you that he has to perform some costly maintenance task because the manufacturer says it's required. But is it really?
Student pilots don't have to prove they can recover from a spin, but Rick Durden knows the training advantages that come from near-spins.

FULL INDEX OF COLUMNS Find All Columns Of Interest

AVweb Insider Blog
Dances with airplanes. (Yes, there are pictures.)
 

AVweb Insider Home

Podcasts and Video
Carol Ann Garratt and Carol Foy are gearing up for another 'round-the-world flight, and this time they're hoping to break the speed record. Once again, the flight will be used to raise awareness of ALS and inspire donations toward ALS research.
In an earlier podcast, we spoke to Blackstone Labs about the optimum interval between oil changes. Now Blackstone's Kristin Huff returns to demystify the process of oil analysis.
Tough economic times are providing great opportunities for many AVweb readers who are looking to buy an airplane. One of the most popular ownership options, of course, is a partnership. But how do you find compatible partners — people who have the right budgets, flying schedules, maintenance needs, and resources to complement you? The Aircraft Partnership Association can help, with a bevy of online resources ranging from a partnership matching service (think online dating) to spreadsheets and industry data. The APA's David Kruger gave us the low-down on their no-cost, membership-based web site when we met with him at AOPA Expo 2008.
Putting together a new panel can be a painstaking process, involving hours' worth of research, measuring, and comparison shopping — but Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Company hopes to make that a thing of the past. Avionics specialist Ryan Deck explains how their new Panel Planner software suite can help you design the perfect panel for your layout, find the right intruments, and order the parts directly from Aircraft Spruce.
Thinking of buying an airplane but feeling a little scared by the current credit crisis? AirFleet Capital's Jim Blessing sat down with us at AOPA Expo in San Jose to explain why aircraft loans have been somewhat insulated from the credit crunch. With fewer people applying, this might even be a good time to take the plunge.
Diamond Aircraft is bringing affordable glass to the venerable DA20, great news for flight schools everywhere. The new avionics system is the Aspen EFD1000 (Pilot or Pro), and it makes Diamond's DA20 the least-expensive glass-cockpit certified airplane available. Director of Marketing & Sales Mark Lee explains how the company is servicing both the high and low ends of the airplane market.
Kitplanes Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook checks in with JPI vice president Larry Elbert. As it turns out, the company has a lot going on, especially for those of you running lean of peak.
How are those much-touted Light Sport Aircraft faring in this tough economic climate? Flight Design CT distributor Tom Peghiny says that while there has been some scaling back, they're beginning to rebound.
 
On Oct. 29, Ric Lee sent us an amazing, actually unbelievable, video of an aerobatic airplane losing a wing in flight and landing successfully. We were initially amazed, then became skeptical, and finally, in our AVweb Insider blog, explained some of the reasons this dramatic video could be nothing more than an (ultimately very successful) attempt to create a viral video that flashes the name of a skateboarder clothing line in front of millions of viewers. Trouble is, people by the dozens keep sending us the video and urging us to present it on our site. Our video editor, Glenn Pew, spent some time illuminating the glaring shortcomings of this admittedly clever hoax and put them together in a single video. We should have thought of this a month ago ... . (Click through to watch.)
CrownAir makes Cessna 210 Centurions new again. The company modernizes the old aircraft, upgrading its oxygen system, its avionics, its internal airflow and more. AVweb's Glenn Pew has the details. (Click through to watch.)
Glasair's "Two Weeks To Taxi" program has been approved by the FAA. Pilots can now build their own experimental category "homebuilt" aircraft with the help of Glasair technicians inside of two weeks' vacation time. Kitplanes Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook (himself a veteran of the program) talked to Glasair's Harry DeLong at AOPA Expo about the current state of "Two Weeks to Taxi." (Click through to watch.)
A 300+ hp (flat-rated) turbine that weighs well under 300 pounds designed for small general aviation aircraft — is this what the high-end piston market has been waiting for? Pilots may be asking, and Mooney may have an answer, via Rolls Royce. (Click through to watch.)
Over the past couple of days, we've brought your our exclusive interview with outgoing AOPA president Phil Boyer. Now, after 17 years, the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association will have a new chief. Meet Craig Fuller. (Click through to watch.)
Departing Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association president Phil Boyer talks to AVweb and Aviation Consumer's Paul Bertorelli about his 17 years working on behalf of pilots. (Part 1 of 3.) (Click through to watch.)
Departing Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association president Phil Boyer talks to AVweb and Aviation Consumer's Paul Bertorelli about his 17 years working on behalf of pilots. (Part 2 of 3.) (Click through to watch.)
Departing Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association president Phil Boyer talks to AVweb and Aviation Consumer's Paul Bertorelli about his 17 years working on behalf of pilots. (Part 3 of 3.) (Click through to watch.)
You can now own a state-of-the-art Maxviz forward-looking infrared enhanced vision system in your Cirrus G3 — and that sounded so appealing to us that we had to make time to fly with one during the AOPA Expo in San Jose, California. Join us for a quick introduction to the system and its benefits. (Click through to watch.)
Meet Garmin's 696 portable GPS, making its debut at the AOPA Expo in San Jose this week. AVweb and Aviation Consumer's Paul Bertorelli walks you through the basic functionality of the unit and helps you get acquainted with it. (Click through to watch.)

FULL INDEX OF PODCASTS Find All Podcasts Of Interest

Features
It doesn't get much more essential for getting rated engine performance than a properly functioning set of spark plugs.
As winter approaches, days get shorter ... well, not shorter; they're still 24 hours each, but they do get darker. To master nighttime's dark side, shed light on the following questions.
 
Reader mail this week about the TSA, ADS-B, ATC, FSS, NTSB, and more acronyms.
It can best the ILS for minimums and requires no fancy equipment, yet this approach is becoming a thing of the past.

FULL INDEX OF FEATURES Find All Features Of Interest

Top Bizav News
Last week's controversy about the convoy of business jets that carried the CEOs of the Big Three automakers to Washington to ask for a bailout was bound to get tongues wagging on the nightly news elsewhere. It prompted an "investigation" by "Chief Investigator" Darcy Spears at KTNV in Las Vegas. Spears combed public records and discovered 80 percent of the state's Citation's flights are between Vegas and Reno (closest IFR airport to the capital of Carson City) and that the average cost per passenger, round trip, on those flights was $760. Well, those who know something about bizjet costs might remark that the figure represents pretty efficient utilization of the aircraft, which obviously flies fairly full most of the time. But Spears suggested her viewers would consider it "crazy" to spend that much when Southwest goes there a dozen times a day for $300 or less. Robert Chisel, of Nevada's Department of Transportation, was patient and unapologetic about the Citation and the state's only other airplane, a Turbo Commander used for mapping and photography.
Nov 26, 12:04am UTC

More Bizav News
Oil prices have dropped but who knows where they'll be in four months and aviation representatives will have a meeting of the minds in London in February to compare notes on squeezing the most from each drop of kerosene. The Efficiency In Aviation conference (PDF brochure) will be held Feb. 3-4 and proposes to bring together business and airline execs aimed at "developing and implementing [a] proactive cost and fuel efficient strategy."
Nov 26, 12:47am UTC
 
Thanks to the credit crunch and a burgeoning inventory of used business jets, financial analysts are busily rewriting the fairy-tale forecast for business aviation and are predicting a steep decline in orders and deliveries over the next three years. As little as six weeks ago, the predictions were that business aviation would continue to grow through 2010 and then level out or decline modestly. But now the Montreal Gazette is reporting that independent reports by two UBS analysts, Fadi Chamoun and David Strauss, point to the market's peaking this year at 1,080 business jet deliveries followed by declining sales and order books through 2011.
Nov 18, 9:22pm UTC

FULL INDEX OF BIZ STORIES Find Past Biz Stories Of Interest

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Who's Where
Alan Dias
Angel Flight West has named Alan M. Dias as its Executive Director. Dias has been flying missions since 1993 and was previously vice chair of the board of directors.

Nov 26, 7:25am UTC

FULL INDEX OF WHO'S WHERE STORIES Find Past Who's Where Stories Of Interest

VIDEO


Honest, That One-Wing Landing Video Really Is a Hoax ...

No video? Direct link here.
Warbirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover

No video? Direct link here.

No video? Direct link here.

More Video from AOPA Expo 2008

2 Weeks to Taxi
Rolls Royce Engine

Craig Fuller
Phil Boyer 1

Cirrus EVS
Phil Boyer 2

Garmin 696
Phil Boyer 3

READER-SUBMITTED PHOTOS
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Who should be the next FAA Administrator?

With the new administration preparing to take office in the U.S., appointments and high-profile positions are on everyone's mind. This week, we'd like to hear what you think of aviation's top office.


Share your Opinion »

FUEL FINDER

FBO OF THE WEEK

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to the FBO at John H. Batten International Airport (KRAC) in Racine, Wisconsin.

We've heard quite a few nice things about Batten Airport recently, but one of the earliest comments came from AVweb reader A. M. Radel, who wrote:

The fantastic service that I experienced at KRAC should be used as a benchmark for every FBO across the U.S. The professionalism and low fuel prices made me a believer that there is still pride and personal care in aviation companies. Don't be foolish and overlook this FBO if [you are] able [to visit them]!

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!

Nominate an FBO »

SHORT FINAL...

Overheard in IFR Magazine's 'On the Air' Section
Overheard in IFR Magazine's "On the Air"

Overheard on a busy Friday afternoon with Seattle Center/Approach:

Center (handing off to Approach):
"Cross JAXON at 8,000 and reduce speed to 250."

Airliner 123 (checking in):
"Approach, will we have to slow to 250 knots at JAXON?"

Center:
"Airliner 123, I wish I could say no, but approach insists that they need it for spacing."

Airliner 123:
"How's the ride at 8,000 feet?"

Center:
"No complaints so far, except for controller ability."

Dave Chuljian
via e-mail

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