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Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
421 Aviation Way
Frederick, MD 21701
Tel: 800/USA-AOPA or
301/695-2000
Copyright � 2002 AOPA. | | GA�News | AOPA DONATES PILOT FACILITY ON�BEHALF�OF�MEMBERS
 AOPA, the National Park Service, and the First Flight Centennial Foundation broke ground this week on an all-new pilot facility at First Flight Airport, part of the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. AOPA donated the funds on behalf of its membership to build the new facility, which will be the only permanent structure built at the historic site to remain following the centennial of powered flight celebrations in 2003. "Sponsorship of the permanent pilot facility is a very appropriate way for AOPA members to honor the Wright brothers' legacy and the generations of pilots who have followed them in flight," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. The schedule calls for the structure to be completed and dedicated this December. It will include rest rooms and a pilot briefing room complete with telephones, wall-mounted navigation charts, space for flight planning, computerized weather, and flight planning equipment. In photo, Boyer breaks ground for pilot facility. See AOPA�Online.
DIESEL-POWERED CESSNA CROSSES THE NATION
Recognizing that the long-term availability of avgas looks bleak, an international consortium flew a Cessna 182 from Daytona Beach, Florida, to Carlsbad, California, in 16 hours running on Jet-A fuel. The 230-hp SMA SR305-230 turbodiesel engine was tested at 100 percent power the whole trip and showed a 40-percent increase in range over regular avgas engines, according to Riley Aero International, the company that is pursuing a supplemental type certificate (STC) for the 182. The company also said the fixed-gear airplane flew at 153 knots at 12,000 feet, compared to 139 kt for a stock 182 and ran much quieter. FAA certification for the installation is expected early next year. Hartzell, meanwhile, is working to certify propellers for the engine. Other manufacturers, including Maule, Socata, and Cirrus, are evaluating the engine conversion. Riley estimates the cost of the upgrade at $110,000, including prop and a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system. The target TBO is 3,000 hours. AOPA staff serve on several committees studying alternative fuels. New engines such as the Cessna's represent another approach to the problem.
FAA EXPANDS CRANKSHAFT AD; LYCOMING EASES BURDEN
The FAA issued this week an airworthiness directive that mandates the inspection of 600 more Lycoming crankshafts. The new AD supersedes an emergency AD in late August that required immediate replacement of crankshafts in more than 850 turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540 engines. The new AD requires metallurgical inspection of crankshafts within a prescribed time-in-service interval, based on date of manufacture. The new AD affects all aircraft equipped with a Lycoming TIO-540 (turbocharged at the factory or aftermarket) rated at 300 hp or more with crankshafts installed from March 1997 to present. The engines are found on Piper Mojave, Navajo, Malibu Mirage, Saratoga, and Aerostar models, as well as the turbocharged Cessna Stationair. Coinciding with the new AD, Lycoming announced a "customer care package" aimed at providing compensation to aircraft owners affected by the series of crankshaft ADs. See AOPA�Online.
TIGER WINS PRODUCTION CERTIFICATE
Tiger Aircraft accepted Tuesday its production certificate for the AG-5B Tiger from the FAA in a ceremony at its facility in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The company has completed nine of the single-engine, four-place aircraft, with one more in the paint shop, for a total of 10 Tigers to come out of the factory in the 10 months since type certification was acquired in late 2001. The production certificate will allow Tiger Aircraft to ramp up production to four units a month in the immediate future, with production increases to nine a month by the end of 2003 for a total of 90 aircraft completed in 2003, according to Bob Crowley, company president and CEO. The AG-5B Tiger sells for $219,500. For more, see the company's Web site.
TV SHOW TO HIGHLIGHT GA's ROLE IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Airshow performers Patty Wagstaff and Dale Snodgrass will appear in an Animal Planet television show on September 24 about wildlife conservation in Africa. The show is called "Operation Animal Shield" and highlights efforts to save elephants and other wildlife from destruction. It will air at 8 p.m. (EDT) and again at 11 p.m. (EDT). For those who can't see it then, the show will repeat on September 29 at 6 p.m. (EDT).
For daily news updates, see AOPA�Online.
| Inside AOPA
| AOPA LAUNCHES AD BLITZ TO EDUCATE PUBLIC ON GA
AOPA is launching a major advertising campaign to direct nonpilots to a new Web site that tells the truth about general aviation. Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, public misunderstanding of what GA is and all that it does has been an obstacle to overcome, said AOPA President Phil Boyer. Beginning Monday, AOPA will turn obstacle into opportunity with nationwide newspaper ads promoting GA Serving America , the Web site created using $500,000 donated by thousands of AOPA members to the General Aviation Restoration Fund. "This is the largest advertising campaign, especially directed at opinion leaders and the general public, that we have ever conceived," Boyer said. "We developed the ads to teach the general public and politicians how vital a role GA plays in the nation's daily life. The GA Serving America Web site does just that, and the ads will draw people to it." See the series of five ads and the publication schedule on AOPA Online.
PATENT OFFICE ACTION MAY BE GOOD NEWS FOR AIRCRAFT OWNERS
In a move that could be good news for any aircraft owner faced with complying with an airworthiness directive, the U.S. Patent Office has agreed to review a patent it issued for a kit to make an FAA-required fix. AOPA requested the review, claiming the patent in effect requires aircraft owners to use the patent holder's product, even though there is a virtually identical FAA-approved fix available from another manufacturer. At issue in this case is an AD for cracks in the wing spar cap of several Lake amphibian aircraft models. See AOPA�Online..
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| On Capitol Hill
| AOPA CONTINUES BATTLE AGAINST CATCH-22 NOTAM
AOPA is continuing its fight against the infamous "blanket" sporting-event notam that effectively closes any nontowered airport within 3 nm of a major event or large assembly of people. But the "Catch-22" is that the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will not tell pilots when and where the events are taking place. AOPA Legislative Affairs staff on Wednesday worked late into the night to try to defeat an amendment that would write the notam 1/3353 into law. Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) on Thursday pushed through an amendment to the Aviation Security Improvement Act that would prohibit the government from changing the notam for 180 days, and prohibit any waivers to the notam. The National Football League strongly supported the amendment. Although the Senate Commerce Committee approved the amendment, the legislation still must be voted on by the full Senate and the House. AOPA will let members know the appropriate time to contact Congress. AOPA this week also told TSA officials that the notam was vague and unenforceable. See AOPA�Online.
| Airport Support Network
| VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK–RAY BRINDLE
Ray Brindle has been working a little more than a year to protect the Mid-Way Regional Airport (4T6) in Texas from excessive residential encroachment, as well as addressing other issues to ensure the future viability of the airport. Brindle, who serves as the AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer for the airport, is happy to report that both Midlothian and Waxahachie city councils have annexed all the property adjacent to Mid-Way Regional. This will protect the airport from any further encroachment or potential residential growth. Brindle was instrumental in pushing for the annexation.
To learn more about the Airport Support Network, visit AOPA�Online.
| AOPA�Sweepstakes Waco Update
| SWEEPS WACO TO WEAR RED
Now that AOPA members have voted, it has been decided that your AOPA Centennial of Flight Sweepstakes Waco UPF-7 will be red all over with black trim. That is only slightly different than the one you have seen in promotional brochures prepared by AOPA. See AOPA Online.
| On The Road To Expo
| MACHADO TO BE SEEN IN MORE THAN ONE PLACE
Don't miss the chance to see aviation humorist Rod Machado speak at four seminars during AOPA Expo 2002 in Palm Springs, California, next month. Machado's seminars include Aviation Humor, How it Helps, Machado's Defensive Flying, Handling In-Flight Emergencies, and Pilots, Poets, Psychologists–Making Decisions. For seminar dates and times, see AOPA Online.
| Quiz Me!
| Here's a question asked by an AOPA member last week of our AOPA technical specialists. Test your knowledge.
Question: I'm an instrument student and can't find any reference to the following code. In the NACO U.S. Terminal Procedures book. The airport diagrams list the runways in the corner. After each runway, there is a code such as "S70" or "T90." What do these mean?
Answer: These codes are actually the runway weight-bearing capacity numbers. They are also shown in the Airport/Facility Directory (AFD). You can find an explanation of these numbers in the "Directory Legend" section of the AFD. According to the legend, the runway strength data is a realistic estimate of capability at an average level of activity. The letter code indicates the type of landing gear. You would add 000 to the figure following the letter code for gross weight capacity. In your example, "S70" would indicate single-wheel type landing gear and allows a gross weight capacity of 70,000 pounds. "T90" would indicate twin-wheel type landing gear and allows a gross weight capacity of 90,000 pounds. 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
| | 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. See AOPA�Online.
| What's New At AOPA�Online
| How much do you know about weather? Take the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's online safety quiz and find out. See AOPA�Online.
| Weekend Weather
| See the current weather on AOPA�Online, provided by Meteorlogix.
| ePilot Calendar
| WEEKEND FLYING DESTINATIONS
Spartanburg, South Carolina. An exhibition by the Canadian Snowbirds takes place September 26 at Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA). Join us for this exciting exhibition–the only appearance by the Snowbirds in the Southeast. Tickets are available the day of event only. Proceeds benefit Warbirds of South Carolina. For more information, call 864/574-3433.
Compton, California. The ninth annual Compton Air Fair takes place September 28 at 901 W. Alondra Boulevard. Sponsored by the California Black Aviation Association. Many attractions, including a Coast Guard helicopter demo, remote control model demos, parachute jumping, static aircraft display, exotic modern aircraft, entertainment, and great food. Contact Art Bennett, 661/722-4079 or 310/111-1111.
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 Clinic is scheduled in Baltimore, on September 28 and 29. Clinics are also scheduled in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas, on October 5 and 6. 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 San Jose, California, October 13. For more Pinch-Hitter courses, see AOPA Online.
ASF SAFETY SEMINARS
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Safety Seminars are scheduled in Eugene, Oregon; Philadelphia; and San Antonio, Texas, on September 23; Gresham, Oregon; Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania; and West Houston, Texas, on September 24; New Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Addison, Texas; and Everett, Washington, on September 25; Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Fort Worth, Texas; and Seattle, on September 26; and Austin, Texas, on September 27. The topic is Single-Pilot IFR. For the complete schedule, see AOPA�Online.
To make submissions to the calendar, visit AOPA Online. For comments on calendar items, e-mail [email protected].
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