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| GA News
| NTSB RELEASES FINAL KENNEDY CRASH REPORT
The NTSB released yesterday the final accident report on the John Kennedy Jr. crash, citing spatial disorientation as the cause that took the lives of three people near Martha's Vineyard on July 16 last year. The report stated that Kennedy failed to maintain control of the airplane during a descent over water at night. Haze and darkness were listed as factors in the crash of the Piper Saratoga that, besides Kennedy, killed his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and his sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette. There was no evidence of mechanical problems. The accident report is available on the NTSB's Web site.
WANT TO GO 400 MPH WITH A PISTON ENGINE?
Air race pilot Jon Sharp, a past winner of many races aboard his Formula One class aircraft that he named Nemesis, is receiving design help from volunteer Lockheed employees to build a two-seat NemesisNXT (next). The old Nemesis reached 290 mph. ePilot learned during a pylon racing seminar in Reno last week that the new aircraft will reach speeds approaching 400 mph and that the aircraft will be offered for sale in kit form. The taildragger will have side-by-side seating, metal landing gear, and be powered by a Continental 550 engine. Continental and Lockheed are sponsors of Sharp's racing activities. Sharp is allowed to use Lockheed equipment during "down time" at the giant aerospace company's famous Skunk Works development facility. At the moment the all-composite aircraft, which looks a lot like Nemesis and has a 24-foot wingspan, is undergoing wind-tunnel testing. There are already plans to develop a model with longer wings to provide a lower landing speed. The aircraft will be machine-molded. It should fly in July or August of 2001. It will have a small baggage compartment. There is already a waiting list of customers for the aircraft, which will be produced at Fiberset located in Mojave, California. Pricing should be available in six months. Look for the prototype to race in the Sport Class (because of the higher power) on closed courses as well as in cross-country races.
ROOKIE PILOTS READY FOR RENO
 Rookie air race pilots recently completed three days of training at Reno, Nevada, in preparation for the upcoming air races sponsored by the Reno Air Racing Association. Look for a story on the school in upcoming issues of AOPA Pilot. The school was conducted to allow the fledgling racers to evaluate whether they want to participate in the sport, and to allow RARA officials to evaluate the pilots. Those winning approval, and desiring to continue, may race at Reno in September in one of five airplane classes: Unlimited, Sport, Biplane, Formula One, and T-6. The aircraft Critical Mass races in the Unlimited class and has 4,500 horses available to power it to speeds expected to reach 550 mph. It is a modified Sea Fury raced by Tow Dwelle.
WINDEAGLE DELAYED TO FALL
Problems establishing a production facility in North Bay, Canada, have delayed until next fall plans to put the Windeagle aircraft in production. Officials of Canadian Aerospace Group in Burlington, Ontario, said new facilities have been located in Quebec. Production could begin this fall, but the first production aircraft will not fly before next year. The company plans to offer a piston and turboprop model of the four- to six-passenger aircraft. The piston model, powered by a Continental IO-550 engine, will sell for $200,000, while the variant powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turboprop engine will cost about $800,000.
For daily news updates, see AOPA Online.
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Inside AOPA
| AOPA HELPS T-34 CLUB EXTEND AD COMMENT PERIOD
With the help of AOPA's Government & Technical Affairs staff and recent testing data provided by the T-34 Technical Committee, the FAA has agreed to extend the notice of proposed rulemaking comment period of 2000-CE-O9 AD to October 15. In its comments to the FAA, AOPA cited the spirit of a new form of dialogue called the "AD coordination process," and the preliminary test data of the T-34 Technical Committee's alternate inspection method. If the final testing results are as expected, it is highly probable that the alternate inspection method will be incorporated into the final AD. For more information, see the Web site. More information on the AD coordination process is also available on AOPA Online.
AOPA'S BOYER CALLS FOR SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
AOPA President Phil Boyer criticized those who advocate using expensive technology to curb runway incursions without ever considering the cost-sensitive owners of some 200,000 general aviation aircraft. "Technology is not the panacea to prevent runway incursions," AOPA President Phil Boyer said at the Runway Safety National Summit in Washington, D.C. last week. "There are low- or no-cost solutions that could be implemented right now to help solve this problem." The FAA called the three-day summit to discuss the growing problem that has been under increasing scrutiny from the media and Congress. U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), chairman of the House appropriations transportation subcommittee, told the group he expects answers from the FAA before Congress recesses in early October. For more on this issue, see the Web site.
MILLENNIUM MOONEY TO BE DISPLAYED AT OSHKOSH
Pilots attending the big Oshkosh fly-in this July will see this year's AOPA Sweepstakes grand prize plane–the AOPA Millennium Mooney. And some lucky pilot will be flying fast while laughing at fuel prices after this economical and well-equipped speedster is awarded in late January 2001. This year's edition of AOPA's dream plane is a Mooney 201, formerly one of the "Lean Machine" models from the 1980s. It won't be lean for long after AOPA gets done with it. The 1987 airframe will be enhanced with a new Oregon Aero custom interior and ergonomic rate-sensitive seats, and a fresh Mattituck Red Gold engine overhaul. An all-new UPS Aviation Technologies avionics panel has already been installed. For more information, see the Web site.
| Airport Support Network
| VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK–JOSEPH BARCA
Airport Support Network volunteer Joseph Barca of Norwood Memorial Airport (OWD) in Massachusetts recently alerted AOPA of a developer's request to put a 59-unit assisted-living facility less than a mile from the airport right under the downwind to base leg of the traffic pattern to Runway 35. After soliciting support of ASN staff, Barca along with the Norwood Airport Commission wrote a letter in opposition of the development to the planning board. Just this past week, Joseph reported that the planning board denied the developer's application. While this is good news, Joseph also noted that the parcel of land in question is zoned residential and he plans to continue to stay one step ahead of any potential residential development in close proximity to the airport.
Click here to learn more about the Airport Support Network.
| Quiz me!
| Here’s a question asked by an AOPA member last week of our AOPA technical specialists. Test your knowledge.
Question: How often does a crew have to have recurrent and simulator training if their operations are conducted under FAR Part 91?
Answer: Operations under 14 CFR 91 require that the pilot(s) have a current flight review, required number of takeoffs and landings in the last 90 days, and instrument currency, if appropriate. Recurrent and simulator training are normally done yearly, but are at the discretion of the company.
Got a technical question? Call our technical specialists at 800/872-2672 or e-mail to [email protected]. Send comments on our Quiz Me! questions to [email protected].
| Picture of the day
| Jump to the AOPA Online Gallery to see the featured airplane of the day. Click on the link for details on how to capture wallpaper for your work area. Visit the AOPA Online Gallery.
| ePilot Calendar
| FLY AWAY: ePilot PICKS FOR UPCOMING WEEKENDS
Longview, Texas. The Great Texas Balloon Race covers the East Texas skies with hot air balloons July 14 through 16. Pilots compete for the state championship. Gregg County Airport (GGG), 903/643-3031, serves the area. Call 903/237-4000 for event information.
Hamburg, New York. The only indoor airshow in the country, Celebration of Flight 2000, takes place July 8. Featuring anything and everything that flies. Hamburg Airport (4G2), 716/627-2440, serves the area. Call 716/826-7420 for event information.
Eureka, California. Blues by the Bay features Wilson Pickett and other blues artists July 8 and 9 in Eureka's waterfront park near Woodley Island Marina. Murray Field (EKA), 707/443-3179, is the best choice for visiting pilots (Eureka Municipal and Arcata/Eureka Airport also serve the area.) Call 707/445-3378 for festival information.
UPCOMING AOPA EVENTS
AOPA Expo 2000 takes place in Long Beach, California, October 20 through 22. Visit the Web site.
For more airport details, see AOPA’s Airport Directory Online. For more events, see the Aviation Calendar of Events.
ASF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REFRESHER CLINICS
(All clinics start at 7:30 a.m.)
The next AOPA Air Safety Foundation Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics are scheduled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland, Maine; and Seattle, Washington on July 8 and 9. Clinics are scheduled in Jacksonville, Florida, and San Mateo, California, July 15 and 16. For complete details, visit the Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic schedule.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
The next AOPA ASF Safety Seminars are scheduled in in Northbrook, Illinois, July 10; Batavia, Illinois, and Providence, Rhode Island, July 11; Bedford, Massachusetts, and Rockford, Illinois, July 12; and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Peoria, Illinois, July 13. For more information about ASF Safety Seminars, visit the Web site.
ASF PINCH HITTER GROUND-SCHOOL COURSES
(Pinch Hitter courses start at 9:30 a.m.)
The next Pinch-Hitter� Ground School will take place July 9 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For details and a complete schedule, see the Pinch Hitter Ground School Schedule.
AOPA PILOT TOWN MEETINGS
Featuring AOPA President Phil Boyer
(7:30 p.m.; admission is free)
The next Pilot Town Meetings are in Omaha, Nebraska, August 28; and Des Moines, Iowa, August 29. Click for more information on Pilot Town Meetings.
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