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>>> AVWEB FUEL FINDERCURRENT PRICE FOR 100LL: $5.78 (up 2¢ from last week)CURRENT PRICE FOR JET A: $5.52 (up 1¢ 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 Baxley Air at Baxley Municipal Airport (KBHC) in (you guessed it) Baxley, Georgia.AVweb reader Krista Miller recommended the FBO after making an unscheduled stop last month:These guys are lifesavers! My friend John talked me into a 400-nm January ultralight trip from South Carolina to Florida. By mid-Georgia, my feet were frozen! [The staff at Baxley] recognized a damsel in distress and went to work with plastic bags and gorilla tape to cover my sneakers. Thanks to them, the rest of the flight was in comfort! Friendly, helpful, excellent!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!
Both pilots walked away after a Beech Bonanza and Robinson R22 touched in midair near Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday. The R22 lost its tail rotor in the collision but the pilot was apparently uninjured, and was sitting in the car of a bystander when rescue crews arrived. "She was a little shaken up, but she was completely with it," Capt. Brandon Wilson of the Rio Vista Fire Department told CNN. "Initially, she didn't want to go to the hospital." The Bonanza continued flying for about 20 miles before the pilot made either a forced or precautionary landing in a field near Byron. He was uninjured.
Wei Chen, a Chinese citizen and Memphis resident who flew around the world in his TBM700 and became the first Chinese "earthrounder," says he wants to start the first civilian aerobatic team in his home country. Thanks to the growing number of airshows in China in recent years, aerobatic performance is in booming demand. Several western and Chinese military teams flew during different events last year and wowed crowds of spectators. Last month Wei inked a letter of intent with the Xi'An provincial government's aviation arm to jointly form an aerobatic team. The aircraft of choice are Nanchang CJ-6s and Extra 300s. Wei told AVweb in an interview that he plans to enlist all Chinese GA pilots for the team and borrow western experience and safety standards for its operation. Also in the plan is the formation of a GA exhibition company. "My goal is the same as always. I want to promote GA and the passion for flying in China," Wei said.
Companies from China and Russia have teamed up to build their own line of general aviation aircraft ranging from four to 12 seats, Xinhua reported this week. China Oriental Sciences Group, China-Russia International Investment Company and KB-SAT, a Russian aircraft design company, signed an agreement last week in Beijing, according to Xinhua. The consortium will invest $1.27 billion to build a manufacturing facility this year in China's Inner Mongolia region. The group expects to start producing airplanes early next year, and produce 400 airplanes a year by 2016. "China's general aviation industry is at its initial stage of development, and the market demand is huge," said Zhuang Zhong, president of China Oriental Sciences Group, which is based in Beijing.
Companies like Boeing that create jobs in the U.S. instead of shipping them overseas should be rewarded with tax breaks, President Obama said during a visit to the manufacturer in Everett, Wash., on Friday. Boeing has put "thousands of folks to work all over the country," Obama said. "We want to see more of this. We need to make it as easy as we can for our companies to create more jobs in America. And that starts with our tax code." He said he also wants to make it easier for companies like Boeing to export their products. Obama filmed his weekly address from the plant, with airplanes under construction in the background.
In the U.S., airports generally are sited far beyond the outer edges of urban areas, but a new project in Nigeria aims to make the airport the very center of the city. The proposed Minna Airport City/Aerotropolis Project will consist of two runways that cross diagonally, with a control tower in the middle, and a city built in the areas between the runways, with hotels, shops, a conference center, a hospital, and a manufacturing district, according to a recent story in Miller-McCune. Currently there is a general aviation airport on the site, with an 11,000-foot runway, that handles fewer than 10 flights a day. The airport district would extend well beyond the airport boundary, and connect to other nearby urban areas. The country, which is the most populous state in Africa, is trying to diversify its economy and develop more agricultural and mineral exports.
A research team at the University of Pennsylvania has successfully demonstrated close formation work among large networked groups of autonomous vehicles, and the results are visually captivating. The SWARMS project (Scalable sWarms of Autonomous Robots and Mobile Sensors) involves a team from the university's general robotics, automation, sensing and perception lab. Work there on autonomous multicopters has led to demonstrations of the vehicles performing obstacle navigation and precise maneuvering while flying in large formations and operating as a group of networked autonomous vehicles. In plain English, you'll want to watch all 16 of them autonomously fly a cross-over figure eight pattern at 1:22 in the video.
Although delivery numbers for general aviation aircraft manufactured in the U.S. were down by 3.5 percent in 2011 over the year before, the numbers do show "reasons for optimism," Caroline Daniels, chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, said on Wednesday. At the annual news conference for the release of industry data, Daniels said the hoped-for turnaround did not take place last year, "but we did see signs of recovery." Total billings were up about 0.4 percent. Deliveries were down in all segments, Daniels said, but the declines generally were in the "single digits." A few companies did show their deliveries were flat and several showed improvement, Daniels said.
Melodie Homer, widow of Flight 93 co-pilot LeRoy W. Homer Jr., has released the book "From Where I Stand: Flight 93 Pilot's Widow Sets the Record Straight" and is donating all proceeds. The book honors the deceased pilot and his role on September 11, 2001, when United Flight 93, a Boeing 757-222, was hijacked. The book also includes how the widow and her two children coped with their tragedy. Flight 93 was the only one of four hijacked aircraft not to impact a strategic target, crashing instead in a field at Shanksville, Penn. All proceeds earned from the sale of the book will be donated to support young adults seeking careers as professional pilots through the LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation.
The detailed historical record of the dawn of U.S. civil aviation will remain intact and accessible by the public thanks to a 15-year effort by a Minnesota antique aircraft enthusiast. The Herrick Amendment, named for Aviation Foundation of America President Greg Herrick, is part of the FAA reauthorization bill that is expected to be signed into law shortly. It orders the FAA to maintain the records of more than 1,200 aircraft that received an "Approved Type Certificate" between 1927 and 1939. Those records include technical drawings, test data and other information about the construction of the aircraft. In a podcast interview, Herrick said data was in danger of being destroyed by the FAA and was difficult to obtain by those who owned the aircraft because the agency invoked a ban on distribution of the material on the premise that it would violate the "trade secrets" of the current holders of those type certificates. Almost none of the aircraft are still in production and few of the original manufacturers are still around. The new law invalidates the trade secret claim for aircraft from that era. It's naturally of great importance to those who own or are restoring aircraft from those times but Herrick said it's important for other reasons, too.
A clean-sheet design from Bell Helicopter is the highlight announcement so far at Heli-Expo in Dallas. The annual show got under way in Dallas on Saturday and on Sunday Bell unveiled the mockup of its much-anticipated 525 Relentless, a 16-passenger aircraft the company hopes will define the "super medium" category. As with business jets, bigger is generally selling better on the helicopter side and the Relentless will top out at about 18,000 pounds with a 400 mile range and a Garmin 500H panel. First flight is expected in 2014. Not all the success is in the big aircraft, though and Robinson Helicopters had plenty to talk about.
>>> AVWEB FUEL FINDERCURRENT PRICE FOR 100LL: $5.76 (up 3¢ from last week)CURRENT PRICE FOR JET A: $5.51 (up 5¢ 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-->Our latest "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to the FBO at Shelby County Airport (KEET) in Alabaster, Alabama.AVweb reader Joe Barnhart shared his recent experience there:My daughter and grandkids recently moved to Birmingham, Alabama. On our first trip to visit, I chose Shelby County Airport because of the low fuel price and the relative proximity to my daughter's home. Upon arrival, not only did I find the best fuel price in the Birmingham area but a first-class airport and FBO facility. On top of that, everyone was as friendly as I've ever encountered. Not only did the FBO bring a tug to park my Bellanca Viking; they put it under a covered tie-down at absolutley no charge! I'll definitely be back.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!
Long time ago!Army Caribou:"Raleigh Durham Tower, Army 73080 in position, runway 23, ready for take-off. Wait a minute, Tower there is a turtle crossing the runway!"Tower:"Army 080, hold for crossing turtle; advise when clear."Army 080 (several minutes later) :"Raleigh Tower, turtle has cleared runway!"Tower:"Army 080, winds 240 at 6; cleared for take-off, runway 23. Use caution. Wake turbulence from departing terrapin."Scott McMillanvia e-mail
The Obama administration's 2013 budget proposal, released on Monday, includes a fee of $100 per flight for some general aviation aircraft, which drew a quick response from GA advocacy groups. AOPA, the National Business Aviation Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and EAA all protested the plan. The proposal exempts all piston aircraft, military and public aircraft, air ambulances, aircraft operating outside controlled airspace, and flights that begin and end in Canada. Nonetheless, "AOPA finds little solace [in the piston exemption]," said AOPA President Craig Fuller. "In nations where user fees have been introduced, the fees have grown." However, in the bigger election-year picture, the proposal may not get far, anyway.
After five years of trying to get a long-term FAA funding bill passed, President Obama's signature on Tuesday was the last step required to create a new four-year authorization bill. The $63.6 billion bill, which runs until 2015, aims to provide consistent funding and support to help upgrade to NextGen. "This is a great day for our National Airspace System," said Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. "This four-year bill will provide the funding stability we need to develop and train our next generation of controllers along with the next generation of equipment and procedures."
The new Obama administration budget proposal, released on Monday, had general aviation advocates worried about user fees, but other aviation sectors have also found cause for concern. The Air Line Pilots Association was unhappy about proposed cuts of $36 million from the Federal Air Marshal Service and $13 million from the federal flight deck officer program, which trains volunteer pilots to carry firearms on board. Lee Moak, president of ALPA, said funding for the FFDO program is already "minimal," and any further reduction "could very well lead to its ultimate demise." Airlines would face increased security fees, as well as a $100 departure fee to help cover the cost of the air traffic control system. Funding for improvements at medium and large airports would be cut by 27 percent.
The new FAA reauthorization bill that was signed into law this week by President Obama (PDF) creates a fast track for the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace. The legislation states that the FAA and the UAS industry must work together to develop a "comprehensive plan" by mid-November that will safely achieve the full integration of UAS by Sept. 30, 2015. Deadlines for certain smaller systems are set even sooner. For example, first responders will be allowed to fly small UAS weighing 4.4 pounds or less within 90 days. And within six months, the FAA must designate six test ranges where the UAS can fly to develop their sense-and-avoid capabilities.
Heli-Expo, the annual event for vertical aviators, closed out on Tuesday with record attendance, reporting more than 19,000 visitors to the four-day show in Dallas. More than 650 exhibitors filled the show floor, and 60 helicopters were on display. Eurocopter announced sales of 191 aircraft at the show, valued at $1.44 billion. "For the whole of last year we sold 170 helicopters," Eurocopter CEO Lutz Bertling told Agence France Presse. "This year, we sold 191 in just three days." Of those sales, the newly upgraded EC130 T2, designed for tourism and transport, counted for 105. Russian Helicopters showed its new medium-lift aircraft, the Mi-171A2, a heavily upgraded version of the popular Soviet-era Mi-8. The new design features modern avionics, new engines, composite rotor blades, and seats for up to 26 passengers. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2014.
The British Airline Pilots Association, acting to oppose new less-stringent rest rules, told a Transport Select Committee that nearly half of its members already admit to falling asleep in the cockpit, but that's not all. According to BALPA, that figure is likely under-reported and, as it is, 80 percent of accidents are already due to human error. BALPA testified that new European rules could increase working-hour limits for UK commercial pilots from 16 and one-half hours to 22 hours under certain conditions. The CAA has a different take, but not too different.
A group of aviation enthusiasts in the U.K. is steadily moving ahead with an ambitious plan to build a fleet of 90-percent-scale Spitfires, and the interest sparked by the project may have helped to save their local airport. Paul Fowler, owner of The Enstone Flying Club, attracted a lot of publicity with his plan to build a squadron of Spitfire replicas. The project drew visitors to the airport, and the local support to keep the field active seems to have been a factor in thwarting a proposal to build a solar powerplant on the field that would have interfered with flying. "It would be a tragedy if we lost this airfield, as it's one of the few places left like this in the country, and the chances of finding a place like this again are zero," Fowler told the Banbury Guardian.
This week's question comes from an AVweb reader who wants to know about your confidence as a pilot. Dave Coriaty asks, "At what point in your flying career did you honestly feel to be at your peak of competence in all piloting situtations?"Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers which aviation innovation should take home this year's Robert J. Collier Trophy; click through to read what AVweb readers had to say on the subject.
It's not every day that a light sport aircraft lands in Antarctica, but on Thursday, Matevz Lenarcic touched down there in a Virus SW 914 Turbo, marking the first time a Pipistrel has landed on the continent. His aircraft has been modified with an Intercooler unit to be able to withstand temperatures as low as minus-60 degrees Fahrenheit, Pipistrel said in a news release. Lenarcic is about one-third of the way through a round-the-world flight that launched on Jan. 7 from Slovenia. He plans to fly over all seven continents and take photographs of more than 120 national parks. He'll also fly above some of the planet's tallest mountains, including Mount Everest. Lenarcic also is collecting atmospheric data for research during his flight.
Air Racers 3D, a 40-minute-long IMAX film about the Reno National Championship Air Races, will be coming to U.S. theaters in April, the filmmakers said recently. It's the first film about the races ever shot completely in 3D, and "unprecedented access" to the course was granted, according to the filmmakers. The film will be shown at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Ga., and the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., starting April 5, with other theaters to follow. The Reno footage was shot in 2009 and 2010, and has been in production for two years. The film also features many airshow performers, including Canada's Snowbirds, the late Greg Poe flying his MX2, and Kent Pietsch, known for landing his Interstate Cadet on top of a moving truck (Click here for an exclusive AVweb video of this stunt.)
A Cessna 182 that violated a presidential TFR in southern California on Thursday morning posed no threat to President Obama, officials said, but the pilot faces prosecution because authorities discovered 40 pounds of marijuana inside the airplane. Two Air Force F-16s scrambled to intercept the Cessna after it strayed into a eight-mile-wide TFR where Marine One was carrying the president. The 182 landed at Long Beach Airport, where the pilot was questioned by Homeland Security and Secret Service investigators. They determined that he intended no harm to the president, and turned him over to local police. Investigators declined to say how close the 182 was to the Marine One helicopter.
The Icon A5 amphibious light sport aircraft has met a spin-resistant standard beyond what is required for its certification, the company said on Thursday. Under the LSA standards, aircraft must be either "spin recoverable" or "spin resistant." The A5 has met the criteria for "spin resistant," which are spelled out in Part 23, the rules that apply to certified aircraft. "This milestone will make the A5 the first production aircraft in history to be designed to and completely comply with the FAA's full-envelope Part 23 spin-resistance standards, developed from NASA's work on the topic," the company said. Icon engineers met the standard by creating a cuffed wing design that uses multiple proprietary airfoils across the span of the wing.
There's only one P-51C Mustang in the world with dual controls, although a couple of D-models have the spare stick, too. In this video, AVweb's Paul Bertorelli takes a hop in the back seat of the Collings Foundation's Betty Jane, and pilot Mark Murphy gives us an in-depth cockpit tour.
The FAA needs to improve its management practices to ensure that the NextGen air traffic system is implemented without further cost overruns and delays, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released this week. The GAO reviewed 30 major programs involved in NextGen and found that half of them were behind schedule and costs had increased from initial estimates by a total of $4.2 billion. The delays ranged from two months to more than 14 years behind schedule, and averaged four years. The FAA didn't comment on whether or not it agreed with the GAO analysis, the GAO said, but the FAA did send a statement to AVweb. "The GAO report includes air traffic programs that are not part of the NextGen portfolio," FAA Public Affairs wrote in an email. "However, from 2004 - 2011, the FAA was 0.8 percent under budget across all major system acquisitions."
Australian-based Gippsland has sold its GA8 Airvan all over the world, and now it's got a follow-on model, the GA8TC, with a turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540. AVweb got a crack at trialing the airplane recently, and here's our video report on the model.
Overheard while listening to an area radar center in England during the early '80s. Two United States Air Force Europe fast jets climbing out of a low flying area were trying to locate each other to join formation."Ratch 13":"Ratch 12, where are you?""Ratch 12":"Ratch 13, one mile south of Chester.""Ratch 13":"Ratch 12, say again.""Ratch 12":"Chester! Chester!"An undentified voice, in a strong Western Drawl:"I'm a-comin', Marshall Dillon!"Readers of a certain age will remember "Gunsmoke"!Gary Brindlevia e-mail
Professional base jumper Jeb Corliss is due out of the hospital Friday and Tuesday released comprehensive video of the accident that broke both his legs and came within feet of taking his life when he clipped a rock formation at roughly 180 mph. The accident happened last month while Corliss was filming a jump for a TV documentary at Table Mountain in South Africa. Corliss cleared the rock formation with his upper body, but his legs hit. The contact significantly changed Corliss' trajectory causing him to nearly tumble but he quickly recovered and deployed his parachute. Multiple cameras placed on the ground, on a trailing wingsuiter and on Corliss himself captured the flight and the impact. Click through for video.