About 20 percent of the participating students said that they trained in an airplane manufactured by New Piper, and an approximately equal number said that they would like to own a Piper airplane in the future.
That trend extended to other manufacturers as well, with about 1 percent of students saying that they are training in a Raytheon/Beech aircraft and an equal number saying that they would like to own one. About 10 percent of students said they would like to own a Mooney one day, while an-other 10 percent said that they would like to build their own airplane.
Turbo Raven sets new climb record
A new propeller system for the Turbo Raven helped the aircraft, piloted by airshow performer Wayne Handley, set a new climb record. The airplane climbed to 3,000 meters in 69 seconds, breaking the record for time- to-climb for propeller-driven aircraft. The previous record for the climb was 91 seconds. For its record bid, the Turbo Raven sported a 93-inch diameter three-bladed aluminum, fully re-versing turbine propeller system. The Turbo Raven is a lightweight carbon graphite-based airplane designed for high performance airshow work.
AOPA Online helps instructors find jobs
AOPA is doing more to help flight instructors find the jobs they want with a new "in search of" function at AOPA Online (www.aopa.org).
Instructors visiting AOPA Online can click on the "classified ads" button of AOPA's home page and then go to the "in search of" section to post their own resumes or view job openings at flight schools nationwide. These job listings include information such as job requirements, qualifications, and descriptions of the schools and their training fleets.
The new function is equally useful to flight school operators, who can peruse the online resumes of flight instructors, selecting from a list of qualifications to find the best instructors for their school's needs.
AOPA Expo '99, October 21-23, Atlantic City New Jersey
AOPA is scheduled to hold its annual convention-AOPA Expo-in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from October 21 to 23. All three days will be packed with opportunities for student pilots and instructors to gather valuable tips and information that they can put to use immediately.
The exhibit hall offers the chance to see and touch aviation products that are useful both for training and for more advanced pilots. Headsets, charts, and weather information, are just a few of the things that every pilot needs, regardless of experience. Expo is a great chance to learn about these products from the people who know them best. With more than 450 booths there's nothing you won't be able to find.
In addition there will be more than 70 aircraft available for you to examine as part of the static display.
Of the 90 seminar hours scheduled throughout the show, there are quite a number geared to beginning and low-time pilots. You will hear from experts about subjects that include "Weather Forecasting Tips," "Navigating without Navaids," "Stall/Spin Awareness," "GPS for VFR Pilots," "Spatial Disorientation," and "Situational Awareness."
For more information, call AOPA at 888/GO-2-EXPO or visit the Web site (www.aopa.org).
Garmin introduces color handheld GPS
The color technology used in Garmin's revolutionary GNS 430 panel-mount GPS units has been incorporated into a handheld unit called the GPSMAP 295. Features of the new system, which was introduced at EAA AirVenture '99 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, include a split-screen view and several mounting schemes like those available for the company's popular GPS III Pilot. The new unit combines the aviation navigation features found in the popular Garmin 195 with the company's ground-bound StreetPilot GPS ColorMap. Using downloadable data from Garmin's MapSource line of CD-ROMs, street-level mapping can navigate your rental car once at the destination. The expected minimum advertised price is $1,449. For more information contact Garmin at 913/397-8200 or visit the Web site (www.garmin.com).
Aero diesel update
Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM), Textron-Lycoming, and Morane-Renault are moving forward with their respective aero diesel engines, which are being considered to some day re-place today's avgas-fueled engines.
Societe de Motorisations Aeronautiques (SMA) of France demonstrated its Morane-Renault diesel both in the air and on the ground at EAA AirVenture '99 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Hourly demonstrations of the 200-horsepower, turbocharged engine were performed on a test stand while a Socata Trinidad powered by the new engine made fly-bys. On the stand, the engine ran smoothly and quietly with only a hint of diesel knocking at idle power.
The 200-hp, four-cylinder turbo-charged diesel runs on Jet-A fuel and has accumulated more than 2,000 hours of test time. On the Trinidad, the engine has made more than 60 flights and accumulated about 50 hours at altitudes of more than 25,000 feet. Weight of the engine will be slightly more than that of a comparable turbocharged four-cylinder engine such as the Lycoming TIO-360. On the plus side, the turbocharging offers altitude capability while the diesel cycle lowers fuel consumption by a little more than two gallons per hour compared to a comparable gasoline engine. Adding simplicity is a single-lever power control. Time between overhauls (TBO) is expected to be 3,000 hours.
Lycoming is running a second prototype of its 205-hp, liquid- and air-cooled, turbocharged, four-cylinder diesel, which it is developing in partnership with Detroit Diesel. According to Lycoming's Rick Moffett, the sea level testing of the airplane is complete and the 500-hour endurance test should be completed by the fourth quarter to establish a TBO. So far, the only hurdles have been determining radiator size and how much coolant is necessary to cool the engine. Pending the outcome of the testing, the partnership will move forward into a market analysis and a final go/no-go decision to pursue certification will be made.
Moffett said the Lycoming diesel still needs to lose more weight. The first diet shaved 20 pounds from the engine but the goal is to make it within 5 to 10 percent of a comparable gasoline engine. The advantages of the new diesel will be better fuel economy, more widely available fuel, and high-altitude capability thanks to a standard turbo. As for the cost of the engine, Moffett predicts that it will cost more than a comparable avgas-fueled turbocharged Lycoming. Moffett said he would be surprised if the engine could surpass the TBO figures achieved by current Lycomings. "Taking structure out of the engine to reduce weight reduces the strength of the engine and lowers TBO," said Moffett.
Teledyne Continental is also running the second prototype of its two-stroke, turbocharged diesel being codeveloped with NASA under the General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program. The liquid-cooled, four-cylinder engine has been run to its 2,200-rpm redline on a dyna-mometer but has not yet been taken to full throttle where it is expected to make 200 horsepower. According to Gil Hensien, director of TCM's GAP program, no radical changes have been made to the configuration since the first example was run last year. Endurance testing is expected to begin this month, which puts the development a few months behind schedule. Hensien reports that the engine has a slight diesel sound but is as smooth or smoother than current TCM engines. Pending a first-quarter 2000 decision to pursue certification, users couldn't expect to see a certified GAP engine flying for two to three years.
Peter A. Bedell
Pilot Town Meetings set for three western states
AOPA President Phil Boyer will host three Pilot Town Meetings next month. At these meetings, Boyer will present the latest news about general aviation issues and welcome the opportunity to discuss pilots' concerns. The 7:30 p.m. meetings are free and open to all pilots. For more information, visit the AOPA Web site (www.aopa.org/prez/ptmsked.html) or call 800/USA-AOPA.
November 9-Denver, Colorado
November 10-Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
November 11-Prescott, Arizona
AOPA and Microsoft team to enhance FlightSim 2000
AOPA has reached an agreement with Microsoft Corp. to provide informative pilot content to enhance Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000. The popular FlightSim 2000 is the newest version of the all-time best-selling personal computer-based flight simulation software.
Selected by Microsoft as the ex-clusive aviation organization for Flight Simulator 2000, AOPA will provide a wide range of resources and information to Microsoft as part of the agreement. In addition AOPA will provide guidance from the new AOPA Flight Training Program to enhance the personal computer flight simulation experience for real and virtual pilots alike.
Horizon Air, CWU create direct hire program
Horizon Air and Central Washington University have established a direct hire program that will allow flight technology students to apply for jobs as Horizon pilots, typically within a year of graduation. Under the agreement, qualified graduates of Central Washington's flight technology program can apply for jobs with Horizon with 50 hours of multiengine time and 750 hours total flight time. Five of the first seven candidates to interview with Horizon under the new program were hired. All five were slated to begin training to serve as first officers on Horizon's Bombardier Dash 8 Q200 turboprop fleet.
SimuFlite announces scholarship winners
SimuFlite Training International has announced the winners of its 1999 Citation pilot training scholarships. The four award winners are recent aviation school graduates and will each receive Cessna Citation type ratings after completing a 13-day Citation initial pilot training course at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. The scholarships were awarded with the University Aviation Association.
This year's winners are Patrick Denney, a flight instructor for Western Michigan University; Elisabeth France, a pilot for Ohio University; Ryan Johnson, a flight instructor for Kansas State University; and Jennifer Schultze, a flight instructor for Wright Aero Inc., in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Cessna makes fleet sale to Daniel Webster College
Daniel Webster College, located in Nashua, New Hampshire, has purchased 19 Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft for its pilot training program, Cessna Aircraft Company announced at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The aircraft will replace the school's existing fleet of Cessna 152 trainers.
Delivery of the first seven aircraft was scheduled for September, with the remaining 12 set to arrive a year later. Other recent Skyhawk flight-training fleet sales include: 10 to Kansas State University; 10 to the Spartan School of Aeronautics; an additional six to Western Michigan University, bringing that school's fleet to 38; 14 Skyhawks to U.S. Air Force Flight Training Centers; and five to the University of Dubuque.
