Advertisers
         
Got news? Contact ePilot. Having difficulty using this service? Visit the ePilot Frequently Asked Questions now at AOPA Online or write to [email protected].
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
421 Aviation Way
Frederick, MD 21701
Tel: 800/USA-AOPA or
301/695-2000
Copyright � 2002 AOPA. | GA News
| NEW MEXICO AOPA MEMBER WINS SWEEPS BONANZA
A scientist from Los Alamos, New Mexico, has won the 2001 AOPA Sweepstakes Beech Bonanza. The sleek 1966 V35 model was transformed over the past year into the most advanced aircraft ever awarded by AOPA. AOPA President Phil Boyer surprised Norman Elliott, 50, and his wife Joyce Monday afternoon with the news via a telephone call. The Elliotts, who both work at Los Alamos National Laboratories, whooped with joy and embraced after Boyer delivered the news. Image and audio files are available on AOPA Online. If you didn't win this time, don't worry. The next giveaway airplane is a classic Waco UPF-7 biplane. In addition to giving away the airplane, AOPA will also be conducting a drawing every month over the next two years where the prize is an all-expenses paid familiarization flight in a Waco. See AOPA�Online.
CALIFORNIA COMPANY INTENDS TO BUY MOONEY
Mooney Aircraft Corporation officials have confirmed that Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures Inc. (AASI) of Long Beach, California, plans to acquire the bankrupt company. AASI has taken Congress Financial Corporation's position as senior secured creditor with the intent of restarting the production line once an acquisition deal is completed. AASI officials would not comment on the issue, but have scheduled a media conference for later today to "discuss the company's shift in corporate strategy and a major acquisition." This comes just after AASI put a new management team in place to acquire other general aviation manufacturers. The team is lead by Roy H. Norris, AASI chairman, president, and CEO. Norris is the former president of Raytheon Aircraft Company. AASI is developing and planning to certify the Jetcruzer 500 single-engine turboprop airplane. Mooney, based in Kerrville, Texas, filed for bankruptcy protection in July.
LYCOMING RECALLS ENGINES
Textron Lycoming issued a crankshaft replacement service bulletin last Friday, recalling 399 turbocharged TIO- and LTIO-540 engines. FAA sources told AOPA that it will be at least two weeks before the agency issues an airworthiness directive or a special airworthiness information bulletin. The FAA is looking at the service record to determine if normally aspirated 540 engines should be included. Textron Lycoming's Mandatory Service Bulletin Number 550 calls for all engines listed in the dispatch to be "returned to the factory for crankshaft replacement within 10 hours of operation." Lycoming will reimburse affected owners for parts and labor, according to the bulletin. "There is no field process currently available to identify crankshafts potentially affected," said Lycoming in the inclusive bulletin. AOPA knows of eight reports of broken crankshafts in the field.
FAA CANCELS TWO OLYMPIC TFRs
The FAA has canceled two notams issued January 25 that would have established expanded temporary flight restriction areas (TFRs) around two Olympic venues. This cancellation reopens the Brigham City Airport (BMC) to VFR operations only during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Utah. Slot reservations are still required for IFR traffic at Logan-Cache (LGU), Wendover (ENV), and Evanston-Unita County Burns Field (EVW) airports. AOPA had argued against the two notams. The canceled notams would have expanded the TFRs around the Ogden Ice Sheet and the Peaks Ice Sheet (in Provo) to 30 nautical miles. The TFRs around those venues will now remain at 2 nm. See AOPA�Online.
LINDBERGH GRANDSON TO RECREATE HISTORIC FLIGHT
 Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles A. Lindbergh, has announced plans to retrace his grandfather's history-making route in April and May using a Lancair Columbia 300 with a modified wing that can carry additional fuel. The nonstop Atlantic crossing is expected to be completed in 17 to 19 hours and require about 300 gallons of fuel. Dubbed The New Spirit of St. Louis, the flight will be followed by The History Channel, which plans to air a two-hour documentary on May 20, the seventy-fifth anniversary of Lindbergh's flight from New York to Paris. There will be several intermediate stops before Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic, possibly departing from Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York. The original flight departed from Roosevelt Field, New York. On April 14, he will leave San Diego International-Lindbergh Field for St. Louis and New York, as did his grandfather just prior to the 1927 flight. For more on this story and photos, see AOPA Online.
{SPEC1}
WICHITA FIRMS EXPECT TOUGH SALES YEAR
Make a few quick calls to aircraft manufacturers in Wichita, and you'll find that they don't see 2002 as a defining year. Bombardier/Learjet, like others in the business-jet industry, says it expects deliveries in 2002 to fall short of last year's totals. Orders for all models are down, with orders for the Lear 31 being the slowest. A company official said it appears that the economy may be reviving a bit. Therefore, there may be an upturn in orders by late this year following the typical six-month lag. Cessna Aircraft Company said it faces a flat year and will not increase production, nor will it decrease production. In 2002, Cessna expects to deliver 600 piston-powered aircraft, 300 Citation business aircraft, and 100 Caravans. And Raytheon Aircraft Company officials see a "tough year" ahead, but are taking heart in the dwindling supply of used aircraft on the market. That is usually a sign that new aircraft purchases may increase. For more, see AOPA�Online.
GULFSTREAM ANNOUNCES OKLAHOMA PLANT CLOSURE
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation announced that it will close its Oklahoma plant and relocate the work to existing company facilities. Gulfstream, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, said that the closure will be in stages, starting in April and wrapping up by the end of the year. "Following an extensive review of our 50-year-old facilities in Oklahoma, we determined that the sheet metal and Gulfstream IV-SP vertical fin assembly work carried out there could be performed more cost effectively in our more modern facilities," said Bill Boisture, Gulfstream president and chief operating officer. "We are continually seeking ways to remain competitive and become more efficient." Gulfstream acquired the plant in 1981. The closure affects 350 employees.
AVIDYNE THROWS CIRRUS A CURVED FLIGHT PATH
Cirrus Design Corporation delivered its first SR22 equipped with Avidyne's new EX5000C multifunction display (MFD) last week. Avidyne is building two specific MFDs for the Cirrus SR20 and SR22 singles. The EX5000C accepts data from GPS and other sources using an ARINC 529 receptacle, and updated software allows the MFD to display curved flight paths now being put out by Garmin GPS units. Holding patterns and DME arcs show as they are flown, and not as gaps or straight lines as on previous displays. The EX3000C, primarily offered for the base version of the SR20, accepts information through a traditional RS232 line. Cirrus now includes the Avidyne MFDs in all of its SR20 and SR22 packages, though the company will honor existing orders for the Arnav system previously offered. For more, see the Cirrus or Avidyne Web sites.
For daily news updates, see AOPA Online.
| Inside AOPA
| AOPA JOINS HIGH COURT APPEAL ON MISSOURI AIRPORT
AOPA has joined an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on the closure of Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport in Kansas City, Missouri. AOPA's appeal complements a petition filed late last year by Friends of Richards-Gebaur Airport. AOPA contends that the FAA acted improperly when it "released" Kansas City from its federal obligation to maintain the property as an airport and allowed the city to turn the facility into a freight yard. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the appeal and rules in favor of AOPA, it could establish a precedent making it harder to close GA airports. See AOPA�Online.
AOPA OBJECTS TO WASHINGTON STATE NO-FLY ZONE BILL
In a strongly worded letter to Washington Lt. Gov. Bradley Scott Owen, AOPA objected to state Senate Bill 6262 that would penalize pilots for flying too close to the state capitol building or the governor's mansion. The bill would assess class C felony charges against operators of private aircraft flying closer than 1,000 feet to the buildings. "This bill unfairly and unnecessarily singles out private aircraft in an attempt to criminalize private aviation. General aviation pilots should not be singled out as criminals," AOPA Senior Vice President Andrew Cebula said in the letter. See the letter or a graphic.
GOVERNMENT WARNS OF AVIATION THREAT TO NUKE PLANTS
Security officials have stepped up warnings of a potential new terrorist attack on the United States. Terrorists might try to crash a hijacked commercial airliner into a nuclear power plant, according to intelligence reports. Dams and water and sewage treatment plants are also apparent potential targets. "With our nation in this heightened state of alert, once again pilots must take care not to contribute to public fears," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Stay away from nuclear power plants, dams, and other sensitive sites." See AOPA�Online.
FAA IS SERIOUS ABOUT TFR VIOLATIONS, AOPA�WARNS
AOPA is warning that the penalties for violating temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) in the wake of September 11 could be severe. The FAA believes that any pilot who violates the TFRs has demonstrated a substantial disregard for safety and security, warranting a 150- to 240-day suspension or revocation of pilot certificates, according Kathy Yodice, an attorney for AOPA. "The FAA maintains this position even if it is a single, inadvertent, first-time violation, and just a clip of the restricted area," she said. A memorandum to inspectors from FAA headquarters instructs them to seek the more severe sanctions for any violation of a security-related notam. Pilots are advised once again to make sure they have the latest notams before starting a flight. AOPA's Legal Services Plan can help a pilot defend against FAA enforcement actions. See AOPA�Online.
Changing your mailing or e-mail addresses? Click here to update.
| On Capitol Hill
| BUSH'S BUDGET: GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS FOR GA
The Bush administration's proposed budget for the FAA is good news for general aviation in the short term, but there are storm clouds on the horizon. The budget does request the full funding for airport and airway improvements as established by the AIR-21 bill. That means all of the trust fund monies collected will be spent on aviation. The administration also said it would not seek user fees. Buried within the budget proposal, however, is a note that the administration will evaluate the effectiveness of the yet-to-be formed air traffic control performance-based organization (PBO). If it doesn't work as planned, the Department of Transportation will consider "partial privatization" or "franchising" parts of air traffic control. "If aviation didn't have enough to be concerned about in the post-9/11 environment, it now seems that privatization is creeping back up through all of the security concerns," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. See AOPA�Online.
| Airport Support Network
| SIGN UP TO SAVE YOUR AIRPORT
What would you do if your airport closed tomorrow? Ask yourself these questions: Has my flying been affected by development near, restrictions on, or negative public relations about my local airport? Have local issues or political pressures affected my use and the efficiency of my local airport? If the answer is yes to either question, you may be just the sort of person we are looking for to help ensure the health and availability of your airport. Every day, more than 1,100 Airport Support Network volunteers are working with AOPA headquarters on a local level to help save their airports. That's a lot but not enough. Below are just a few airports in your area where an ASN volunteer could make a difference.
To nominate a volunteer–which can be yourself–see AOPA�Online.
| AOPA Air Safety Foundation News
| ASF IMPROVES SAFETY QUIZ FORMAT
Check out the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's latest safety quiz about spatial disorientation. This is the first question under a new, more interactive format, providing explanations of right and wrong answers, and even includes pictures and graphs where appropriate. See AOPA�Online.
STILL TIME TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
The March 31 deadline for the McAllister and Burnside Memorial scholarships is approaching, but there's still time to prepare your entries. For application forms and information, see AOPA Online or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Air Safety Foundation, Scholarship Coordinator, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701.
| Quiz Me!
| Here's a question asked by an AOPA member last week of our AOPA technical specialists. Test your knowledge.
Question: What is P-static?
Answer: The term P-static stands for precipitation static. According to section 7-5-10 of the Aeronautical Information Manual, precipitation static is caused by aircraft in flight coming in contact with uncharged particles such as rain, snow, ash, etc. When the aircraft strikes these neutral particles the positive element of the particle is reflected away from the aircraft and the negative particle adheres to the skin of the aircraft. A negative charge will quickly develop on the skin and, if the aircraft is not equipped with static dischargers, the aircraft will discharge the static electricity. There can be a variety of problems caused by P-static, a few of which could be a complete loss of VHF communications, erroneous magnetic compass readings, or loss of avionics in clouds. For a full description of P-static and ways to combat it, see AOPA�Online.
Got a technical question for AOPA specialists? Call 800/872-2672 or e-mail to [email protected]. Send comments on our Quiz Me! questions to [email protected].
| Picture Perfect
| Did you know you can create a personal e-card using the images from the AOPA Online Gallery? Send one to a friend today. See AOPA�Online.
| What's New At AOPA Online
| 'NEVER AGAIN' IS ONCE AGAIN
What's the most popular feature in AOPA Pilot? It's the "Never Again" column written by AOPA members about instructive–and often frightening–flight experiences. Now, never-before-published "Never Again" features are available on AOPA Online. A new installment of " Never Again Online" was just posted.
| ePilot Calendar
| Check your weekend weather on AOPA Online.
WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Puyallup, Washington. The nineteenth annual Northwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show takes place at the Western Washington Fairgrounds February 23 and 24. AOPA President Phil Boyer is the keynote speaker. Call 253/288-2304 for event information.
For more airport details, see AOPA's Airport Directory Online . For more events, see 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 in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and New Orleans February 16 and 17. Clinics are scheduled in Melbourne, Florida; Reston, Virginia; and Sacramento, California, February 23 and 24. For the Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic schedule, see AOPA Online.
ASF PINCH-HITTER GROUND-SCHOOL COURSES
(Pinch-Hitter courses start at 9:30 a.m.)
The next Pinch-Hitter� Ground School will take place in Las Vegas February 10. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Mesa, Arizona, February 12; Tucson, Arizona, February 13; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 19. Spatial disorientation is the topic. See AOPA Online.
For comments on calendar items or to make submissions, contact Julie S. Walker at [email protected].
| |
