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GA News
| AOPA WORKING WITH MEDIA ON TRAGIC NEWARK CRASH
AOPA Communications responded throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to numerous media questions following the November 26 crash of a 1964 Beech Bonanza S35 in Newark, New Jersey. Instrument failure was reported by the pilot, a highly experienced flight instructor, but news reports focused on statements by airport workers of nearby Linden, New Jersey, (the departure airport) that the pilot took off into poor IFR weather against the advice of airport personnel. Killed in the crash were Dr. Itzhak Jacoby and family members. Jacoby worked for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, where military physicians are trained. Jacoby was a close friend of AOPA.
AOPA helped correct initial media assumptions about the pilot's qualifications, especially since Jacoby was an instructor for American Bonanza Society safety programs and a former AOPA Air Safety Foundation instructor in the early 1990s. The "private pilot" was, in fact, a former Israeli Air Force pilot who held an Air Transport Pilot certificate, and was a well-known Washington-area CFI. He was also a volunteer pilot for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. AOPA briefed the media on IFR operations and rules, operation of gyro instruments, and procedures in cases of gyro failure and pilot-in-command authority.
NEW AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM DIRECTOR CHOSEN
Former Marine Corps Gen. John R. Dailey, currently the deputy associate administrator of NASA, has been named to head the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Dailey won the Distinguished Flying Cross while a Marine fighter pilot. He succeeds (retired) Adm. Don Engen, the former AOPA Air Safety Foundation chief who was killed in a glider accident last July. One of Dailey’s chief responsibilities will be to supervise the construction of a new 710,000-square-foot facility at Dulles International Airport. It is scheduled to open in December 2003.
CAPSTONE PROGRAM STARTS IN ALASKA
Another step towards what will be the future for all GA pilots took place recently. The FAA has approved installation of UPS Aviation Technologies equipment in 21 models of aircraft participating in the Alaska Capstone program. The purpose of the program is to evaluate advanced aviation technology. Using an Apollo GPS navigation system, a two-way datalink, and a multifunction display, pilots will be alerted to other traffic, receive weather information, and avoid terrain. At the same time, aircraft position data will be transmitted to air traffic controllers and to other equipped aircraft. Installation has begun on the first of 132 participating aircraft, and will be completed by June. During 2000, AOPA Pilot will run a year-long series of articles on future general aviation technology.
CIRRUS COUNTS 420 ORDERS
 Cirrus Design Corporation has firm orders for 420 Cirrus SR20 aircraft. The sales are secured with a nonrefundable $15,000 deposit for each airplane. The aircraft was certified a year ago. Eight SR20s have been built, while another nine are under construction. For more details, see the Cirrus web site at ( http://www.cirrusdesign.com).
INVENTOR OF STALL-WARNING HORN GETS BENDIX TROPHY
AlliedSignal Aerospace has awarded Dr. Leonard M. Greene of Safe Flight Instrument Corporation the AlliedSignal Bendix Trophy for aviation safety. Greene invented the stall-warning indicator more than 50 years ago, and has developed indicators and computers to help pilots control pitch, speed, and lift during critical phases of flight.
For daily news updates, see ( http://www.aopa.org/members/).
| Inside AOPA
| FLIGHT SERVICE MODERNIZATION TO BE DELAYED A YEAR
ePILOT has learned that the FAA and the National Association of Air Traffic Specialists will sign a memorandum of understanding agreeing to delay modernization of flight service stations for a year. The delayed program is called the Operational and Supportability Implementation System, better known as OASIS. OASIS will upgrade hardware (processors and displays) and software, and provide new graphics to all FSS workstations. The system is also expandable to allow for future upgrades like DUATS and surveillance information. The program will now be completed in August 2002 when the weather graphics software package will be added. The FAA requested $24 million in fiscal year 2000 for OASIS, but Congress cut the appropriation by more than half to $10 million.
| On Capitol Hill
| BUDGET DEAL WHACKS FAA
The FAA lost more than $38 million in funding during the final budget deal between Congress and the White House. Part of the problem came from a 0.38 percent across-the-board cut for all federal agencies. The cut was just the latest in a series of decisions that allowed lawmakers to avoid making hard choices regarding federal spending. It joins the long list of other budget gimmicks endorsed by leaders in Congress that includes bogus emergency spending and deferred spending. The cut will cause a disproportionate share of the burden to fall on the FAA. Although officials at the Department of Transportation claim that the cuts will not affect safety, the FAA will now have to reduce the already drastically underfunded program to modernize flight service stations (see Inside AOPA, above).
| Quiz me!
| Here's a question asked by an AOPA member last week of our AOPA technical specialists. Test your knowledge.
Question: Where can I find the sunrise/sunset table that defines night?
Answer: That information is listed in the Air Almanac, published by the Naval Observatory. You can also look up the information online at ( http://riemann.usno.navy.mil/aa/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html).
Got a technical question? Call 800/872-2672 or e-mail [email protected].
| Picture of the day
| Dozens of new photos have been added to AOPA Online Gallery, and they’re all available to you as wallpaper to dress up your computer screen. Find your favorite airplane with this link to AOPA Online Gallery. Right click on the photo to capture wallpaper for your work area. Visit ( http://www.aopa.org/online_gallery/).
| ePILOT Calendar
| FLY AWAY PICKS FOR THE WEEKEND
Pryor, Oklahoma. A narrow-gauge steam Christmas Train takes you to Santa’s VIllage in the historic 1880's town of Dry Gulch near Pryor, Oklahoma, through December 21. Horse-drawn carriages transfer visitors from Pryor to Dry Gulch where thousands of holiday lights adorn the western buildings. Mid-America Industrial Airport (H71) serves the area; call 918/476-6090 for airport information. For information on Dry Gulch, call 918/234-8100 or visit the Web site ( http://www.drygulchusa.com).
Fort Myers, Florida. Florida's premier sea kayak festival brings some of the nation's best instructors and kayak vendors together from December 3 through 5 to introduce the sport of kayaking. The area is served by Page Field (FMY, 941/936-1443) and Southwest Florida International (RSW, 941/768-1000). For festival information call 414/242-5228 or visit the Web site ( http://www.gopaddle.org/florida99).
Indio, California. Spice up the holiday season at the International Tamale Festival on December 4 and 5. Tamales are the traditional Christmas cuisine in many Latino households and this festival, which attracts more than 125,000 visitors, offers up food, a parade, carnival, and nonstop entertainment. Both Thermal Airport (TRM, 909/275-6735) and Bermuda Dunes (UDD, 619/345-2558) serve the Indio area. Call 760/342-6532 for festival information or visit the Web site ( http://www.tamalefestival.org).
Breckenridge, Colorado. Of interest to pilots is the Continental Divide Hot Air Balloon Challenge December 8 through 13. There is a hot air balloon race over the Continental Divide and nighttime balloon luminaries. Call 970/453-6018 for festival information. (Closest airports are in the Denver area; consult AOPA’s Airport Directory).
For airport details, see AOPA’s Airport Directory Online at: ( http://www.aopa.org/members/airports).
OTHER EVENTS
December 4--Chino, CA. The Air Museum. Special event featuring the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero. 909/597-3722.
4--Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). Challenge Air Event. Call Lonna Harris, 214/351-3353.
6--Miami, FL. Miami Air Traffic Control Tower, Miami International Airport (MIA). Operation Sunshine. Use of the ATC system, flight plans, IFR operations, VFR operations, tours of the tower and radar room, and simulation lab experience. Call Rust Potter, 305/869-5415.
6-8--Atlanta, GA. Marriott Marquis Hotel. SAFE Association Annual Symposium. Call 615/902-0056.
7--Rio Hondo, TX. Texas Air Museum. Pearl Harbor Reenactment/Memorial Service. Call 956/784-2112. December 11-- Fly-In Breakfast.
11--Cocoa, FL. Merritt Island Airport (COI). Pancake Breakfast, sponsored by Brevard Aviation Association and Merritt Island Air Service. Call Bobbi Lasher, 407/267-8780.
12--Pembroke Pines, FL. North Perry Airport (HWO). Christmas Toy Drop, benefits the Broward County Foster Families Association. Call Matt Davis, 954/359-6103.
12--Santa Monica, CA. Museum of Flying. Santa Fly-In. Call 310/392-8822.
For more events, see ( http://www.aopa.org/pilot/calendar/).
AOPA AIR SAFETY FOUNDATION FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
(All clinics start at 7:30 a.m.)
December 4-5--Orlando, FL. Adam's Mark Hotel, 1500 Sand Lake Road.
4-5--Denver, CO. Doubletree Hotel-Denver, 3203 Quebec Street.
11-12--Lincoln, NE. Holiday Inn-Lincoln Downtown, 141 North 9th.
11-12--Fresno, CA. Four Points Sheraton, 3737 N. Blackstone.
11-12--Allentown, PA. Ramada Inn at the Malls, 1500 MacArthur Road, Whitehall, PA.
For more ASF Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics, visit ( http://data.aopa2.org/asf/schedules/firc1.cfm).
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