AOPA Online Members Only -- AOPA ePilot--Vol. 4, Issue 12

CIRRUS PILOT POPS CIRRUS CHUTE, LANDS IN FIELD
When a Cirrus SR20 went down in a field in Lexington, Kentucky, last Saturday it marked the first time that the rocket-launched parachute system had been activated by a customer. But there is uncertainty as to why the parachute didn't activate immediately. The airplane's owner, Paul Heflin, and another instrument-rated pilot, Ben Ditty, were going to do practice instrument approaches in actual conditions at Blue Grass Airport when they experienced instrument failure after takeoff, Heflin told ePilot. Heflin said that the pilots found themselves in an unusual attitude in the clouds. Heflin said he reported to controllers that he was pulling the activation handle at 2,000 feet agl. After there were no immediate signs that it had launched, Heflin said he continued to pull it numerous times in the manner in which he had been trained. But the chute didn't fire until after the airplane landed in field several miles from the airport, he said. Neither pilot was injured.

... HANDLE DEEMED HARD TO PULL
Heflin said engineers later determined that he had exerted a force of 100 pounds or more on the handle and that he had pulled at the proper angle. Heflin said that the rocket canister was found about 50 feet from the aircraft. Heflin had complied with a service alert bulletin issued by Cirrus that required immediate modification to the activation cable that may have prevented the parachute system from launching. But he did not comply with another service bulletin designed, with a modification, to reduce the force necessary to activate the chute. Cirrus sent out a message to owners Sunday recommending that they comply with the second bulletin before the next flight. The company also advised, "Pull down with both hands--hard!" Cirrus spokesman Ian Bentley said that "it's impossible to speculate" at this point what exactly happened and that "nobody is pointing fingers." An NTSB investigation is currently under way.

SOLD: MOONEY HAS NEW OWNER
With the purchase of Mooney Aircraft's assets on Monday, Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures Inc. (AASI) is transforming itself from a startup company to a leading supplier of piston-engine aircraft. The federal bankruptcy judge approved the sale with AASI being the lone bidder. Long Beach, California-based AASI plans to restore Mooney to full production within a few months at the Kerrville, Texas, facility. AASI said it will be completing 21 airplanes that were left unfinished when production ceased last year. Along with the change in ownership comes new names. AASI intends to change its name to Mooney Aerospace Group Ltd. while Mooney, a subsidiary, will become the Mooney Airplane Company Inc. AASI has also launched an 18-month redesign program for the Jetcruzer 500 and has entered into discussions with Century Aerospace Corporation to acquire the rights to manufacture the Century Jet. Roy Norris, AASI president and CEO, said that any aircraft company operating in today's business environment needs to have a multiple-model product line and take advantage of recent technological advances.

SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH TIMES TO BECOME SECRET
NASA announced this week that, for security reasons, it intends to keep the exact times of future shuttle launches secret until 24 hours prior to liftoff. This has raised concerns by Florida pilots who are most affected by flight restrictions that accompany shuttle launch operations. For shuttle launches since September 11, AOPA has worked with the FAA to disseminate graphical and other flight-critical information via AOPA Online. AOPA will continue to work with NASA and the FAA to get pilots the information they need on a timely basis. Several senior NASA managers are AOPA members and say they understand the impact of shuttle-related flight restrictions on pilots. They have pledged to AOPA that they will minimize the restrictions as much as possible, consistent with security concerns. NASA's next shuttle mission is scheduled for April 4.

NASA PROVIDES EYES FOR PILOTLESS CRAFT
NASA's remotely piloted aircraft might not mean much to you as a general aviation pilot, unless you're on collision course. To mitigate that, NASA has developed collision avoidance technology that was successfully tested in New Mexico recently. Using the unmanned "Proteus," several piloted test airplanes, including an F-18, flew 18 different scenarios, some in groups of two. NASA said that Proteus' sensors notified the aircraft's ground controller, who was then able to divert the craft. The Goodrich SkyWatch HP traffic advisory system acts as the primary sensor. The aircraft also carries radar and infrared sensors.

LINDBERGH AIRPLANE NEARS FLIGHT-TEST STAGE
The Lancair Columbia 300 that Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh, will use to re-create his grandfather's historic solo flights is nearing the flight-test stage. Recently, the "New Spirit of St. Louis" received its wing that was specially modified to carry 300 gallons of fuel. The airplane is to make its maiden flight in within two weeks. The first public appearance of the airplane will be at the Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In next month. On April 14, Lindbergh will launch from San Diego and later cross the Atlantic Ocean after leaving New York. See the Web site.

FAA TO SHUT DOWN WAAS FOR TWO HOURS
The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) enhancement to GPS will be shut down for two hours and then restarted today (Friday), sometime between 1600 and 2200Z. WAAS improves the accuracy and integrity of the GPS signal and will eventually provide ILS-like instrument approaches into almost every airport. The shutdown is part of the continuing progress toward certifying WAAS for actual IFR operations. Some newer handheld VFR GPS receivers are already using the WAAS signal to improve accuracy, but the temporary loss of the WAAS signal will not significantly affect those users. See AOPA Online.

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