Pilot Briefing

Bob's back; Cessna sings

Oshkosh, the EAA's forty-fourth annual International Fly-In and Convention, was the usual extravaganza, albeit with a slightly lower attendance than expected. Some say it was the Olympics that stole some of the crowds or the marginal weather on the days before the show that discouraged VFR arrivals. Nonetheless, it was still Oshkosh and many of the usual displays were there to welcome the new.

On the main display ramp, newcomers such as the Rockwell B-1B bomber and Burt Rutan's lopsided Boomerang were flanked by the usual gathering of old airliners, such as the classy Lockheed Constellation, and various modern-day fighters. One newcomer that attracted possibly the biggest line was a temporary McDonalds restaurant set up near the base of the Wittman Field tower.

Meanwhile, out on the flight line, crowds surged forward to get a good look at Bob Hoover performing his famous aerobatic routine in a Shrike Commander. This was Hoover's first Oshkosh appearance since his medical certificate was surrendered in April 1993 at the request of the FAA.

Cessna proudly displayed its new Skyhawk and Skylane, which attracted droves of people wanting to get an up-close view of the revamped singles. The Skylane sports a new cowling design with bow tie-shaped cooling-air inlets, and both airplanes have refined interiors and avionics. With the new Skyhawk priced at $124,500, Cessna says that it will cost $3,500 less than the 1986 model when adjusted for inflation (see " Pilot Briefing," August Pilot).

And who can forget the usual offerings of thundering warbirds and ear-plugging jet fly-bys? This year's theme was the remembrance of the Korean War, in which many fighters and bombers of World War II performed another mock tour of duty in Korea...er, Oshkosh. Newer aircraft of the Korean War, such as the F-86 and MiG-15, duked it out in the air over show center.

In the five exhibit hangars, visitors were eager to test the latest products from virtually every player in the general aviation business. The busiest booths were those featuring the latest in handheld GPSs with moving-map displays.

Sunburned attendees left Oshkosh with bags full of brochures, freebies, literature, and perhaps a new toy or two. They also left knowing the latest news to hit general aviation.

Zenith Aircraft Company introduced its new Gemini CH 620 kitbuilt mini twin-engine two-seater at Oshkosh. The all-metal Gemini is based on Zenith's Zodiac CH 601 series of kitbuilts and is designed to be as affordable as other light single-engine aircraft. Two 80-hp Jabiru 2200 air-cooled engines will power the Gemini to a top speed of 135 knots. For more information, call 573/581-9000.

Diamond Aircraft displayed the new Continental IO- 240-B-powered Katana trainer at the company's tent at Oshkosh. The 125-horsepower Katana will be available in February and should have significant performance improvements over its 80-hp Rotax- powered brethren. Diamond also announced a new 10-year, 12,000-hour warranty on the major structural components of the DA20 Katana.

GATE to the United States

U.S. Customs Commissioner George Weise announced at Oshkosh that the General Aviation Telephonic Entry (GATE) program, a method of clearing customs when arriving in the United States from Canada, will be implemented on November 4.

The GATE program is nearly identical to Canpass, a Canadian program initiated to allow U.S. general aviation airplanes and their passengers to enter Canada at any time — and at almost any airport — without having to meet a customs official.

As in Canpass, GATE users will simply call a toll-free number three to 72 hours before their planned arrival in the States to receive an entry number. Upon landing, the occupants are allowed to deplane and leave the airport no earlier than the estimated time of arrival. Random inspections may take place upon arrival at the destination. For more information, call your nearest U.S. Customs point of entry office. Contact information can be found on page 2-3 of the 1996 edition of AOPA's Aviation USA.

Steven Goode of New York City was awarded a new Mooney MSE at Oshkosh by John and Martha King of King Schools. Goode was on the "West Coast IFR Adventure," a cross-country instrument training program, when he received a telephone call informing him that he had won the sweepstakes. Field Morey, Goode's instructor on the adventure, commented that Goode had gone from a student pilot to an instrument-rated private pilot with a new Mooney in just two weeks. Goode, a 26-year- old associate in investment banking at Smith Barney, had ordered a set of instrument-training videos from King Schools, which automatically entered him in the drawing for the new MSE. Next year's King "Take-Off Sweepstakes" prize is another Mooney MSE.

Performance Aircraft's high-perfomance kitbuilt, the Legend, made its public debut at Oshkosh after completing its first flight in June. Powered by a 575-hp liquid-cooled V8, the Legend achieves 315 knots at 75-percent power and is fully aerobatic up to its 3,000-pound maximum gross weight, says company President Jeff Ackland.

In an August 2 news conference at Oshkosh, Jeppesen-Sanderson announced that it has acquired MentorPlus Software Inc., giving Jeppesen control over the following products: FliteStar flight planning software; FliteMap moving-map software; ApproachPro, which, odd as it may seem, includes the National Ocean Service's Terminal Procedures on CD-ROM; FliteLog computer pilot logbook; FliteSchool study guides and videos; and MarineMap marine navigational software, which establishes a foothold for Jeppesen in the nautical world. Jeppesen also released JeppView, a CD-ROM that contains up-to-date Jeppesen approach plates, SIDs/STARs, chart notams, and airport information.

Unison, maker of Slick magnetos, has been awarded STC and PMA approval to install its Lasar electronic ignition system on all carbureted and injected Lycoming 360 engines. The Lasar system uses two special magnetos the performance of which is adjusted by an electronic control unit to provide optimal ignition timing throughout the engine's operating spectrum. Tests have shown power increases of as much as 10 percent compared to engines with conventional magnetos. Lasar was previously certified for installation on Lycoming 320-series engines.

Two lucky high school or college students will be awarded as much as $15,000 each through pilot- training scholarships offered by Sporty's Pilot Shop. The scholarships, which were announced at Oshkosh, must be used for expenses incurred in pursuit of FAA recreational, private, commercial, or flight instructor certificates. Multiengine and instrument ratings are also included. Application forms can be obtained by writing to Sporty's Aviation Scholarship, Post Office Box 44327, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.

Jon Sharp, piloting Formula I racer Nemesis, eclipsed his previous speed record on August 3 at Oshkosh. The record-breaking run averaged 283.75 mph over a three-kilometer course. Nemesis is powered by a Continental O-200 that spins at a mind-numbing 4,500 rpm.

Paragon Aircraft Corporation, maker of the Spirit single-engine fanjet, announced at Oshkosh that it has changed its name to Century Aerospace Corporation. The Spirit will now be called the Century Jet. Powered by a Rolls-Williams FJ-44 turbofan, the six-place Century Jet will cruise at a claimed 400 knots. Century claims that the hourly cost of the $1.8 million Century Jet will compare to that of a cabin class piston twin.

The airspace over the Dallas/Fort Worth area has undergone a massive redesign to better meet traffic pattern needs of satellite airports and to improve the transition from en route to terminal operations. Starting on October 10, IFR pilots headed for Dallas/Fort Worth will find more routes into and out of the metropolitan airport system. Congestion and problems resulting from mixing slower general aviation aircraft with faster and larger transports should be relieved by the plan. While the Class B chart had to be enlarged to depict relocated VORs, there is little impact on the VFR pilot. Overall, the new plan will open 57 new instrument approaches and modify 101 existing approaches, open 275 new intersections and cancel 140 existing intersections, realign 24 low-altitude en route airways plus two high-altitude jet routes, open one new high-altitude route, open 16 new standard arrival routes, and open 15 new standard instrument departure routes.

Going for a record

No one has broken Ron Bower's 24-day around-the- world helicopter record set in 1994, so Bower decided to do it himself — this time in the opposite direction, from east to west. Bell Helicopter provided him a new Bell 430 twin-engine model for the trip. Bower was to depart from the Farnborough Airshow on August 17 and was planning at press time to return to Farnborough only 16 days later. He planned to take along a computer to keep the public updated on his progress via a new page on the World Wide Web. The address is www.bellhelicopter.textron.com.

First-half GA shipments continue upward trend

General aviation shipments, and even piston aircraft shipments, were up decisively for the first half of 1996, compared to the first six months of 1995, according to statistics released by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).

Total GA shipments were up 10.3 percent, for a total of 503 aircraft. Meanwhile, piston deliveries were up 11.9 percent, to 273 aircraft. The turboprop segment enjoyed a whopping 26.2 percent increase in sales compared to last year. For example, Cessna sold 50 Caravans, and Raytheon sold 33 of its Beech 1900D Airliners.

The New Piper sold 98 piston airplanes, with the Malibu Mirage totaling nearly one third of those sales. Raytheon sold 58 piston airplanes, with the Beech A36 Bonanza leading the way with 28 sales. Mooney and Maule followed, with 41 and 40 piston airplane deliveries, respectively.

Among those killed when TWA Flight 800 crashed off the coast of New York was the captain, AOPA member Steven E. Snyder of Stratford, Connecticut. Snyder owned a Cessna 172, which he based at Bridgeport's Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corporation (ANPC) was awarded a $5.65 million contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to produce a rapidly deployable Tactical Landing System, which is based largely on the company's Transponder Landing System (TLS). Using ground- based sensors to receive and identify the aircraft's transponder signal, TLS can bring aircraft to any runway on an airport with the precision of an ILS. The pilot is prompted by standard localizer and glideslope indications.

AOPA Pilot photographer Mike Fizer has teamed with national aerobatic champion Mike Goulian to produce a poster featuring Goulian's Extra 300S. The posters are available for $10 plus $3 postage from Mike Goulian Airshows at 617/641-1886.

An in-flight power loss resulted in the forced landing of a Cessna 152 near Frederick, Maryland. After further inspection, it was determined that a piece of the carburetor heat valve baffling had broken free from the valve assembly and was sucked into the carburetor venturi, causing a fuel- air mixture that was too rich. A mechanic filed a service difficulty report after discovering that three other 152s on the FBO's line had evidence of the same problem.

FAI rejects Belarussian balloon report

The Federation Aeronautique Internationale in Paris has rejected an official report on the September 12, 1995, shoot-down of a gas balloon by a Belarussian military helicopter. The FAI has demanded that the investigation be reopened.

Alan Fraenckel and John Stuart-Jervis of the Virgin Islands were killed in the incident during the Coupe Gordon Bennett international balloon race. The report, prepared by the Belarussian government, claimed that the balloonists were asleep when the incident occurred and that their balloon did not carry proper international markings. However, FAI said, the radio was found tuned to an emergency frequency after the balloon crashed, and the balloon was properly marked.

There is also barographic evidence that the crew was alert when the incident took place. The FAI statement on the report is available on the World Wide Web at www.fai.org/~fai/.

Motion-sickness bags send important message

Daryl Dickerson of Grants Pass, Oregon, found a new use for motion-sickness bags while checking out in a friend's Piper Comanche 250 last spring.

The 260-hour private pilot was getting his high-performance sign-off from instructor Ray Keough, while at the same time meeting insurance requirements to fly the aircraft solo. The checkout required cycling the gear several times, which proved to be more than the generator could take. It quit working, and because the ammeter was broken, the pilots did not realize the problem.

By the time the aircraft returned to the airport, the battery had drained and the gear could not be lowered. The two couldn't even ask observers at the Grants Pass Airport for a visual inspection, since the radio was dead. So Dickerson, who always carries half a dozen white motion-sickness bags, dropped a message asking observers to cross their arms in an "x" over their heads if the gear was not down.

Seeing about 10 people with arms raised and crossed, Dickerson attempted to activate the emergency gear handle, which got stuck. He sent another note: "Is the gear down? If not, send this back up. We might need it." Seeing more crossed arms, Dickerson and Keough flew to Rogue Valley International Airport at Medford, Oregon.

Dickerson continued to wrestle with the emergency gear handle, finally winning the battle and lowering the gear while in the pattern at Medford. The aircraft landed safely.

Instead of the usual spot-landing contest one has come to expect in precision flight contests, the folks at the Ohio University Airport in Athens, Ohio, held an ILS flight contest, with the prize being a ride in the university's Douglas DC-3. The top three pilots — those with the fewest flight path deviations — were Jill Jardine, Martha Lunken, and Jean St. Onge, all certificated flight instructors. Participants could fly the ILS in their choice of airplane, with a safety pilot provided by the school. A portable GPS was used to pinpoint positions in relation to the center of the ILS localizer and glideslope signals. The GPS path was considered the true path, while the pilot flew the ILS needles.

Italy's Dragon Fly Model 333 helicopter received its type certification from the Italian civil air board in June, which, according to the company, makes Dragon Fly the only non-U.S. manufacturer of piston helicopters. The two-place helo is powered by an air-cooled two-stroke engine and has an empty weight of only 551 pounds. For more information, call 011-39-031-725-190.

Wake turbulence separations increased

On August 17, the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association implemented changes regarding wake turbulence separation standards and aircraft weight classifications.

With a few exceptions, the standards were developed for IFR arrivals and are intended to provide additional protection for aircraft weighing 41,000 pounds or less. In addition, the new standards will provide increased separation for small aircraft following an arriving Boeing 757, or a "heavy" airplane (more than 255,000-pound takeoff weight).

New weight classifications are as follows: Heavy — aircraft capable of takeoff weights of more than 255,000 pounds; Large — aircraft of more than 41,000 pounds up to 255,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight; Small — aircraft of 41,000 pounds or less.

Separation for small aircraft (less than 41,000 pounds) landing on the same runway behind a 757 will be a minimum of five miles. Aircraft of 12,500 pounds or less that take off behind an aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds will be given a 3-minute hold unless the pilot chooses to waive the hold. Any requests to deviate from separation intervals behind a 757 or a heavy aircraft will be denied by ATC.

Datalink shown at Olympics

Cirrus Design Corporation's SR20 prototype was one of the few aircraft allowed to fly over downtown Atlanta during the Olympic games. All aircraft flying over the temporary restricted areas were required to have squitters that displayed to ATC the aircraft's GPS-derived position for traffic identification and management.

It is hoped that multiple datalinking will support "free flight" in the future by allowing pilots to view graphical and textual weather and receive traffic alerts over a GPS-derived moving map. The system can also send text messages back and forth to the ground. All of the information, plus monitoring of the aircraft's engine(s) and systems, can be shown on a large display. With the traffic information available to the pilot and the continuous GPS-derived position of the airplane available to the controller, supporters envision free flight's becoming available to general aviation users. In the SR20 prototype, information is displayed on a 12-inch Arnav Systems ICDS 2000 multifunction display. Other displays are the same size as an airborne weather radar screen.

The Small Aircraft Manufacturers Association, Arnav Systems, Lockheed-Martin, the FAA's Office of Aeronautical Data Link Integrated Product Team, and Cirrus are promoting the use of multiple datalinks, in hopes of obtaining FAA funding for the implementation of the system. They are requesting that pilots express to the FAA their desire for such a system to promote general aviation.

Veteran air racer Marion Jayne is scheduling an air race around South America that will take place in January. The 11,500-mile trip is expected to take nearly three weeks, and stops are planned at most major cities along the South American coast. Many of the cities were visited in Arc en Ciel's Air Race of the Americas last April (see "To the End of the World and Back," July Pilot). Race fees are currently estimated at $900. Call Jayne at 817/491-4055.

Michael Pidek, AOPA 528066, of Owosso, Michigan, has been selected as the Detroit district's Flight Instructor of the Year for 1996 by the Detroit Flight Standards District Office.

World Air Games set

The first World Air Games, AeroSports '97, is scheduled for September 13 through 21, 1997, in various locations throughout Turkey. Organizers hope to draw as many as 4,000 competitors from 75 different countries. Athletes will compete in a wide spectrum of aviation from sky surfing to aerobatics. The event is co-organized by the Turkish Aeronautical Association and the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Organizers claim the World Air Games will be the largest air competition ever held and hope to hold the event every four years. For more information, contact Sarah Ries at 202/467-3900.

Lauren Trent Nicholson and Jacqueline Battipaglia won the twentieth annual Air Race Classic, an all- women's speed race that covered 2,381 statute miles across 11 states. The two students from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, flew a Piper Warrior and beat nearly 50 airplanes in the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-sponsored race.

Signature Flight Support has begun refunding to its customers the 17.5-cent-per-gallon fuel tax collected during the first quarter of 1996. Legislation requiring the collection of the taxes expired last year and was not reinstated in the current fiscal year.

Air East Airways Inc., of Farmingdale, New York, has obtained a supplemental type certificate (STC) that will add 115 pounds to the maximum gross weight of 1977 through 1982 Piper Warriors. The STC essentially raises the maximum gross weight of these Warriors to that of the latest model Warriors. For information call 800/597-0866.

Lancair International's LC40 entered flight testing in May. The flight test program is on schedule and is expected to result in FAA certification during the first half of 1997, thus taking Lancair into the production-airplane business. It is powered by a 300-horsepower Continental IO-550N. The IFR- equipped four-seater will sell for $169,000. It will be shown to the public for the first time at AOPA Expo in San Jose, California, during October.

Acrylic-shattering aerobat

Hard-headed U.S. Aerobatic Team member Phil Knight survived a training incident in Oklahoma City in May, in which he was thrown partially through the canopy of his Extra 300S during practice for the World Aerobatic Championships held last month.

A steel loop in his Hooker Harness, used to restrain pilots during aerobatic flight, broke as Knight performed an inverted half-snap roll at minus six Gs. Knight, who wears only a cloth helmet and a headset, said his head and shoulders went through the canopy, where he became stuck.

Knight remembers what seemed like an explosion (his head blasting through the bubble canopy) and was momentarily stunned but not seriously injured. He found that the aircraft was pointed at the ground. Knight could reach the throttle, but not the control stick, and reduced power. Fortunately, the power reduction forced him back into the aircraft.

Bleeding from his head and concerned about his condition and that of the aircraft, he was nevertheless able to level the aircraft at 500 feet. He landed despite difficulty in reaching the rudder pedals. The aircraft seat pan had broken loose when the harness broke, and it had moved several inches toward the tail of the aircraft.

Aviation cadets to be remembered

A former military aviation cadet hopes to establish a museum to preserve the program's history and is planning a cadet reunion in Texas next year. The Aviation Cadet Museum, Inc., is gathering uniforms, flight gear, and other memorabilia for a museum in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, southwest of Branson, Missouri.

Some 300,000 military personnel — including pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and observers — earned their wings through the Aviation Cadet program between its creation by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in 1917 and its termination by the U.S. Air Force in 1961. World War II alone saw 192,000 men enter the program, which counts Charles Lindbergh and Eddie Rickenbacker among its graduates.

Promised to the museum is a Lockheed T-33 flown on its last flight by William F. Wesson, the last pilot to graduate from the aviation cadet program.

An aviation cadet reunion is planned for October 15 through 19, 1997, at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Errol D. Severe, a former cadet, is spearheading the museum and reunion effort. He is writing a book about the program. For information, send a stamped, self- addressed envelope to the Aviation Cadet Museum, Inc., Route 4, Box 416, Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632; telephone 501/253-5008. — Michael P. Collins

Zlin Aerospace of the Czech Republic is introducing two new variants of its Z 143 and Z 242 aircraft. The four-place Z 143-L is powered by a 235-hp Lycoming O-540 and is expected to be a multipurpose trainer capable of positive-G aerobatics. A new Z 242-LA is a lightweight version of the current Z 242-L. It is powered by a 180-hp Lycoming O-360 driving a fixed-pitch prop. Zlin says the -LA is 300 pounds lighter than its predecessor and will be approved for basic aerobatics. Deliveries of the Z 143-L were to begin by August; and it was to be "priced to compete with new non-aerobatic training aircraft," says the company. Certification of the Z 242-LA is scheduled for the end of 1996. For more information, call 800/959-6988.

SkyStar Aircraft has delivered 2,500 Kitfox kitplanes since its introduction in 1984, making it the most successful kit ever sold in the experimental business, says the company. The latest Kitfox Series V has become the most popular model, with sales of more than 250 complete kits since its 1994 introduction.

Cub's birthplace to be marked

No historical marker recognizes the Piper Cub's birthplace, but a group of Cub enthusiasts is working to change that. The venerable Piper Cub — originally the Taylor Cub — was designed in 1930 by G. Gilbert Taylor at the Harri Emery Airport in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The Taylor Aircraft Company's secretary and treasurer, W.T. Piper, later bought Taylor's interest in the design; Taylor formed Taylorcraft Aviation Company; and the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford was built on the airport site.

Memphis artist Jeff Lewis has designed a monument featuring a J-3 Cub replicated in bronze that will be erected on the university campus. The university has a significant collection of Piper memorabilia, and its president has expressed interest in displaying this material.

Tax-deductible contributions to the monument effort may be sent to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Educational Foundation, Piper Cub Memorial, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Bradford, Pennsylvania 16701. For more information, call George Welsch at 704/892-6917 or E-mail [email protected]. — MPC

Applications are available for four helicopter flight training scholarships to be awarded to female pilots during 1997 by The Whirly-Girls. The first two are valued at $4,500 each; the Whirly- Girls Helicopter Flight Training Scholarship will provide a rotorcraft rating to a licensed pilot with a current medical, while the Doris Mullen Memorial scholarship can be used for an advanced certificate or specialized training. The Bell Helicopter Whirly- Girl Scholarship will send the winner to the Bell Helicopter Customer Training Academy in Fort Worth, Texas, for Bell 206B-III turbine training. The Pritchard Corporate Air Service Lend-A-Hand Scholarship provides an 18-month training program leading to the commercial rotorcraft and rotorcraft flight instructor ratings. The winner will complete training in one year and work as an instructor for six months at Pritchard. It requires relocation to Novato, California. Applicants may obtain forms from Charlotte Kelley, President, Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund, Executive Towers 10-D, 207 West Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85013; or call 602/263-0190.

Rans has developed a full enclosure for the S-12XL which the company claims has a recently increased top speed of 90 mph. The enclosure can be retrofitted to existing S-12XLs for $1,500. For information, call 913/625-6346.

AOPA members in the news

John Cameron, AOPA 1046900, of Woodland Hills, California, conducted the AirLifeLine's 10,000th free medical flight when he flew five-year-old Rebecca Soto of Las Vegas, Nevada, to the UCLA Children's Hospital in Los Angeles aboard his 1963 Beech P35 Bonanza in June. Two years ago he flew Rebecca to the hospital for a successful kidney transplant, but she must return for frequent checkups, including this one in June. Rebecca was born with only one poorly functioning kidney, but she has gained considerable health since the transplant. Without AirLifeLine — supported in part by Ronald McDonald House Charities — it's an all- night drive for the girl and her father.

Ron Woodard, AOPA 1283117, soloed a Cessna 172 recently and enjoyed the experience so much that he decided to encourage others to fly. As president of the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, Woodard decided on August 1 to reimburse employees $500 for flight training once they solo and $1,000 after they complete their pilot's certificate. Woodard is training with instructor Wes McKechnie, AOPA 939638, at the Boeing Employee Flying Association, a flying club with 14 aircraft. It was McKechnie who suggested that Woodard join AOPA. "Flying is a core competency for our airline customers, and the more pilots we have in BCAG, the better we will understand our customers' business," Woodard said. "Learning to fly is one of the best things I have ever done," he added.

James E. Griswald, AOPA 951027, has been named vice president of engineering for Cirrus Design Corporation, located in Duluth, Minnesota. He previously worked for the FAA in regulatory policy and was president of Questair, where he helped to develop the Venture and Spirit. While at Piper, he was principal architect for the Malibu.

Kathleen Jillson, AOPA 1078294, Jonathan Marut, AOPA 1132353, Erin Krumwiede, AOPA 12022991, and Daniel McMurray, AOPA 1133930, won 13-day Cessna Citation II initial type training scholarships at SimuFlite's Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport training center. Upon completion of training, each will receive a Citation II type rating.

Ethanol approved for Cessna 152

A supplemental type certificate has been issued that will allow Cessna 152s to burn ethanol. The STC was obtained through work at Baylor University of Waco, Texas.

Baylor's 152 now has slightly better performance because of the ethanol, but fuel burn expectedly rose 20 to 25 percent. Changes to the airplane included a modified carburetor to support the increased fuel flow, a new carburetor jet, a boost pump for precautionary use during takeoff and landing, and a small tank of 100LL to use for priming the engine in cold weather. The engine runs cooler on the ethanol, and the chance of vapor lock is said to be nonexistent.

Baylor is now working on certifying a Piper Pawnee ag plane in the fall. For more information, call 817/755-3563.

Congress has allocated $1 million for installation of additional automated weather observation systems (AWOS) at U.S. airports as part of the Department of Transportation's appropriations bill for fiscal 1997. The bill has passed the House of Representatives and is awaiting Senate approval. If approved by the Senate and signed by President Clinton, it will allow airports to purchase commercial AWOS units. The provision was introduced into Congress by Representative Ron Packard (R-CA) at the request of Artais Weather Check, Inc., of Plain City, Ohio.

The University of California at Berkeley, California; Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland; and Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia, have been named FAA Air Transportation Centers of Excellence for Operations Research. Work will focus on air traffic management, human factors, safety data analysis, scheduling, navigation, communications, and aviation economies.

American Aviation, Inc. has introduced Aerodynamic Speed Stack exhaust stacks for the Cessna 425 Conquest I. The new stacks increase airspeed by four to eight knots and improve boundary layer airflow so that less exhaust ends up on the airframe. For more information, call 800/423-0476.