Pilot Briefing

Garmin acquisition of UPSAT shrinks avionics market

Ever since Garmin was founded in 1989 it's been full of surprises. But on July 24, the company announced perhaps its boldest business step. Two of the largest avionics manufacturers said that they are uniting forces.

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd, announced a definitive agreement to acquire UPS Aviation Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of United Parcel Service Inc., for $38 million in cash. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter. Once the deal is done, UPS Aviation Technologies (UPSAT) will change its name to Garmin AT Inc., and will continue operations as a wholly owned subsidiary of Garmin International. "Our decision to sell is based on the fact that our airline has matured and ongoing development and marketing of aviation technology is not part of the long-term strategic direction of UPS," said Tom Weidemeyer, president of UPS Airlines.

It was not immediately clear what Garmin's acquisition of UPSAT means for consumers. Although UPSAT will become a subsidiary, it essentially leaves Honeywell Bendix/King, Avidyne, and L3 Avionics Systems as the remaining avionics manufacturers for the general aviation market. A source at UPSAT said the move could ultimately be good for general aviation consumers because the engineering teams at UPSAT and Garmin working together can, he believes, bring new technology to the market more quickly than either of them could alone. Garmin, which is known for innovation and user friendliness, will pick up UPSAT's customer base and new technology. UPSAT developed Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and certified the first panel-mount navigation receiver, the CNX80 GPS, that can be used for primary navigation using the FAA's Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). (See " GPS Goes Low," page 71.)

Neither Garmin nor UPSAT officials would comment further on the deal at press time, citing U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requirements.

Russians dominate World Aerobatic Competition

A female competitor came close to winning the World Aerobatic Competition in Lakeland, Florida, in July. It would have been the first time in the history of the competition that a female pilot claimed the crown.

Instead, Russian Svetlana Kapanina was defeated by her teammate, Segey Rakhmanin, for the world title. In third place was another Russian, Alexander Krotov. Robert Armstrong of the United States placed fourth. Kapanina has been the top woman competitor at the biennial event three times. She flew a 420-horsepower radial-engine Sukhoi with controls so light that spades had to be added to the ailerons to provide control feedback.

Americans did well in earlier segments of the competition. U.S. pilot Kirby Chambliss won the known compulsory program, with Mikhail Mamistov of Russia coming in second, and Armstrong placing third. In the best overall male category, Rakhmanin placed first, Krotov placed second, and Armstrong took third place. Armstrong also took third place in the final free program in which pilots design their own routines and can accompany their performances with music. The United States also won third place in male team standings. There weren't enough female competitors to establish a female team category. In all, 13 nations participated. (See " Flying the Schnozz," page 92.) — Alton K. Marsh

FAA's DC-3 joins air tour

The last Douglas DC-3 to be operated by the FAA has joined the National Air Tour 2003 as the largest aircraft in the roving fleet of more than 25 historic aircraft. The tour was dreamed up to recreate the National Air Tours that took place from 1925 through 1931 to convince the skeptical public that air transportation was safe and viable.

The 58-year-old DC-3, N34, is painted in Civil Aeronautics Administration (predecessor to the FAA) colors and is outfitted just as it was when it served as one of the agency's 60 DC-3s in the flight inspection fleet. It was put into service for the Navy in 1945 as a transport serving U.S. embassies in Rome, Naples, Paris, Algiers, Oslo, Cairo, and many other cities. In 1963, the aircraft was transferred to the FAA, along with other DC-3s, where it was used to check the accuracy of navigational aids. In 1993, N34 was taken out of service as a goodwill ambassador and stored in a hangar at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, awaiting transfer to a museum.

"This wonderful ship will fly on the tour as an official participant with the best-of-the-best of America's vintage fleet," said Greg Herrick, president of the Aviation Foundation of America. "We're excited to have such a historically significant aircraft come out of retirement and be a part of the National Air Tour."

The Aviation Foundation of America, an official partner of the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission, organized the event. Beginning on September 8 in Dearborn, Michigan, the tour will visit 26 cities on a 4,000-mile route during a 17-day period, weather permitting. In addition to the FAA's DC-3, the tour is slated to include at least three Ford Tri-motors, flying boats, and other vintage aircraft. The tour is expected to return to Dearborn on September 24. For more information, see the Web site ( www.NationalAirTour.org).

Gliders finish transcontinental race

It was a race like no other. More than 40 gliders and motorgliders competed in a 12-leg race from Llano, California, to Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Although the goal was to celebrate the Wright brothers' first flight, along the way racers educated the public about aviation and pushed themselves to the limits of human and aircraft performance during the Return to Kitty Hawk 2003 Transcontinental Glider Race. Some of the top soaring pilots in the country signed up for this event. But sadly, racer Gene Carapetyan died in a crash on the first day of the competition. An NTSB investigation is pending. See the Web site for complete coverage of the event ( http://ssaregion12.org/rtkh/).

ePILOT Headliners

Recent news from AOPA's weekly e-mail newsletter.

New Piper gets new owner

Following an announcement of a debt restructuring, New Piper said that American Capital Strategies Ltd (ACS) now owns 94 percent of New Piper's voting equity. The move should allow the company to better weather economic turbulence.

Diesel-powered Symphony flies in Europe

OMF Aircraft, manufacturer of the two-place Symphony 160, reported that a Symphony airframe, powered by a Thielert Centurion 1.7 diesel engine turning a constant-speed propeller, took its first flight on July 9.

Zenair Zodiac wins seaplane race

Chip W. Erwin flew to victory in a Zenair Zodiac CH 601 XL in the Piccola Schneider Cup seaplane race on Lake Varese, Italy. Modeled after the famous races that started about 75 years ago, the modern version is limited to the European Ultralight class of aircraft.

Navy replaces T-34 with T-6A Texan II

It's the end of an era at Pensacola. The Beechcraft T-34 will disappear soon from the Navy's training base at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida to be replaced by Raytheon Aircraft's T-6A Texan II.

Liberty completes XL-2 spin tests

Liberty Aerospace has successfully completed the spin test phase of its FAA certification for the Liberty XL-2. The XL-2 is based on the Europa kit-built aircraft.

Cirrus founders donate plane

Alan and Dale Klapmeier, founders of Cirrus Design Corporation, will donate a fully operational SR20 to The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington, as a learning tool for school students.

Adam selects Avidyne

A significant new safety innovation in the world of avionics, Avidyne's Entegra flight display system, will make its way into Adam Aircraft's centerline-thrust piston twin A500.

Now you can receive a customized version of the free AOPA ePilot e-mail newsletter tailored to your interests. To customize your weekly newsletter, see AOPA Online ( https://www.aopa.org/apps/epilot/).

Oshkosh Notebook

New airplanes, engines announced at AirVenture

Each year manufacturers descend on Oshkosh in July to show off the latest in all things related to flying. Some of them bring new airplanes to EAA AirVenture or at least ideas for new airplanes.

In the piston world, it was no surprise that The New Piper Aircraft received type certification for the Piper 6X, the fixed-gear version of the Saratoga. The airplane is designed as a sport utility vehicle of the sky that probably could haul the kitchen sink if you wanted to. Base price for the 300-horsepower airplane is $336,000. A turbocharged version is to follow.

Cirrus Design sees a market in a VFR-only SR20. Called the SRV, it comes with a base price of $189,900. But standard in the aircraft line, as with the SR20 and SR22, are Avidyne's FlightMax Entegra primary flight display (PFD) and multifunction display (MFD). The SRV will be offered with upgrade packages and options ranging from leather interiors to three-blade propellers. Cirrus also unveiled a Centennial Edition of the SR22, equipped with many exterior and interior upgrades and an extended warranty to commemorate the first 100 years of flight. Most striking is the "linen" white paint, made to look like the fabric the Wright brothers used.

In smaller airplane news, Maule Aircraft and Mooney Airplane both have their sights on the FAA's developing Light Sport Aircraft category. Maule is currently flying a prototype called the M-4-100. Expected to be priced at $80,000, the 1,000-pound empty weight tailwheel aircraft is powered by a Rotax 912S 100-hp engine. Maule is waiting to decide whether to enter production until the FAA publishes the final rule for the new category.

In a departure from its high-performance aircraft lineage, Mooney said it is pursuing its own light sport airplane as part of its future plans to launch a range of general aviation aircraft under the Mooney umbrella by teaming up with investors such as BAE Systems. The design, a Spanish composite called the Toxo, will be assembled in the United States, and a Rotax 912 engine currently powers the prototype.

In engine news, Bombardier Recreational Products announced that its two new general aviation engines — 220 horsepower and 300 hp models that share the same 189-cubic-inch, overhead camshaft, liquid-cooled, V-6 configuration — have operated for more than 7,000 hours in the company test cell and flown for more than 170 hours attached to a Piper airframe. Training, writing, and distributing maintenance manuals, and establishing a complete service structure will be top priorities for the company before the engine certification date, which is projected to be in 2005.

On July 18, Maule successfully flew an airplane in Moultrie, Georgia, powered by a 230-hp SMA (Société de Motorisations Aéronautiques) SR 305-230 turbodiesel engine. The airplane then flew cross-country to Oshkosh. The airplane and engine combination with two people on board is reported to have climbed to 7,000 feet in a little more than eight minutes from brake release and to have obtained a preliminary cruise speed of 125 knots.

And Honda is nearing the end of development of a 6-liter, 225-hp liquid-cooled aircraft engine. The horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine has been in development for three years and has been tested using a Cessna Skymaster. With the radiator and a mixture of 40-percent water and 60-percent coolant, it weighs 310 pounds and runs on automotive or 100LL gas. The normally aspirated engine features digital engine controls. Honda said it won't decide whether to enter production until later this year.

NASA sky surfs for better fuel economy

NASA is continuing to do its part to slash aviation fuel costs by flying close together. AOPA Pilot previously reported on how NASA was using two F-18s to improve efficiency by flying one aircraft in the other's wingtip vortex, similar to birds flying in a V formation or a surfer riding an ocean wave.

The biggest fuel savings NASA saw in flights with one F-18 flying off another was 18 percent. But by flying one of the F-18s 200 feet behind a DC-8 at an altitude of 25,000 feet, the efficiency nearly doubled to 29 percent. "We were hoping for a larger number based on some predictions that the DC-8 vortex would be bigger and thus more of the trailing aircraft would be in the upwash. We are not sure whether the smaller vortex that the pilot reported is generally the case for transport aircraft or perhaps the DC-8 has a particularly small vortex," said Brent Cobleigh, project manager for the DC-8 study and chief engineer for the formation project. The findings may one day benefit the airline industry where transport category aircraft will be able to fly in formation and cut fuel costs. "Surprisingly, the overall effect of entering the vortex core was much milder than expected," said Gordon Fullerton, NASA research pilot of the trailing aircraft.

The Adam A700 twin-engine jet made its maiden flight on July 27. The 50-minute test flight was conducted by Bruce Barrett and Glen Maben. The pilots climbed to 15,000 feet and tested stability, control, slow flight, and aircraft systems. The A700 is powered by Williams International FJ33 engines. "Throttle response was smooth and strong. Climb performance was excellent. The A700 handled very well," Barrett said. Later that week the airplane was flown to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh for display. The airplane is priced at nearly $2 million.

Members in the news

Nova Hall, AOPA 4896759, discovered an old steamer trunk in his family's garage. Inside was a treasure trove of Spirit of St. Louis memorabilia, including more than 100 photos, personal correspondence with Charles Lindbergh, original documents, models, and film footage of the airplane's first flight. Hall's grandfather, Donald A. Hall, was the designer of the famous airplane. The younger Hall has put the information together in a collector's book titled Spirit and Creator: The Mysterious Man Behind Lindbergh's Flight to Paris. Published by ATN Publishing, the hardcover book sells for $39.95. To order, call 888/628-8731 or visit the Web site ( www.spiritandcreator.com).

Phil Scott, AOPA 1275180, has published The Wrong Stuff, Attempts at Flight Before (and After) the Wright Brothers. A frequent contributor to AOPA Pilot, Scott writes about the mishaps of wacky flying machines and the adventurous and sometimes crazy souls who flew them. Published by Hydra Publishing, the hardcover book sells for $24.95 and is available in bookstores. (See " Hanging Around: Doing the Wright Thing at Jockey's Ridge," page 78.)

John J. Sheehan, AOPA 240812, has published Business and Corporate Aviation Management about successfully running corporate and charter aircraft operations. A contributor to AOPA Pilot and the executive director of International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA), Sheehan provides information on choosing the best aircraft and method of transportation; keeping flight operations safe, legal, and efficient; and jointly owned, owner-flown, and fractional aircraft. The book sells for $49.95 and is available on Amazon.com. (See " Turbine Pilot: Justifying Business Aircraft," page 109.)

Carl Chance, AOPA 1396498, has updated the Wings Over Kansas Web site ( www.wingsoverkansas.com) to better serve the needs of aviation professionals, educators, historians, and enthusiasts worldwide. Chance said that the Web site is easier to navigate and allows for weekly updates of news and articles. The Web site offers a unique perspective on the role Wichita and Kansas have played in the history of aviation. The site was recognized by McGraw-Hill as one of the top 500 aviation Web sites with more than 20,000 visitors a month from 135 countries.

Peter B. Booth, AOPA 934215, has published Humble in Victory, a novel set in 2010 about a Navy fighter squadron deployed in the Indian Ocean on board an aircraft carrier with a gender-equal combat crew. The crew must weather a political storm stirred up by missing nuclear weapons and foreign relations. The 452-page book focuses on the sacrifice, heroism, and patriotism of the Navy troops deployed for almost nine months. Booth, a retired Navy fighter pilot, flies an RV-6A. For more on the novel, visit the Web site ( www.peterbbooth.com).

This month in GA

I've been luckier than the law of averages should allow. I could never be so lucky again. — Gen. James H. Doolittle

September 15, 1904. Orville Wright makes the first turn with an airplane; five days later his brother Wilbur makes the first complete circle.

September 17, 1908. Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge, U.S. Army Signal Corps, evaluating the Wright plane at Fort Myer, Virginia, is killed. He was 75 feet in the air with Orville Wright when the propeller hit a bracing wire and broke, throwing the airplane out of control, killing Selfridge and seriously injuring Wright.

September 2, 1910. Blanche Scott is the first woman to solo in an airplane. However, it was never established if her brief flight — measured in seconds — was intentional or accidental. Some witnesses claimed it was caused by a gust of wind. Scott is shown on a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1995.

September 10, 1910. Cal Rodgers embarks on his quest to fly the United States coast-to-coast in 30 days or less and win a $50,000 prize offered by William Randolph Hearst. Rodgers' airplane, named the Vin Fiz, is plagued by problems from the outset, but his endurance through five major crashes endears him to the American public — although he does not win Hearst's money.

September 24, 1929. James H. Doolittle takes off and lands entirely on instruments, proving the feasibility of attitude instrument flying.

September 12, 1930. A test flight of the Taylor E-2, powered by the "Tiger Kitten" 20-horsepower Brownbach engine, ends abruptly when the aircraft runs out of runway — the underpowered engine was unable to lift the monoplane higher than 5 feet above the ground. The two-seat tandem low-powered aircraft featured wings mounted high on the fuselage, an open cockpit, a fabric-covered tubular steel fuselage, and wooden wings. Later that year, Taylor Brothers Aircraft Company went bankrupt.

September 4, 1931. James H. Doolittle wins the first Bendix transcontinental race flying a Laird Super Solution from Los Angeles to Cleveland in 9 hours, 10 minutes with an average speed of 223.058 mph. He then flies to New York to complete a record transcontinental flight.

September 18, 1947. The United States Air Force is established. With passage of the National Security Act, the USAAF (United States Army Air Force) became the USAF, a separate military service.

September 22, 1950. Col. David C. Schilling (USAF) flies 3,300 miles from Manston, England, to Limestone, Maine, in 10 hours, 1 minute, in a Republic F-84E. It is the first nonstop transatlantic jet flight.

September 17, 1976. NASA publicly unveils its first space shuttle, the Enterprise, during a ceremony in Palmdale, California. Development of the aircraftlike spacecraft cost almost $10 billion and took nearly a decade. In 1977, the Enterprise became the first space shuttle to fly freely when it was lifted to a height of 25,000 feet by a Boeing 747 airplane and then released, gliding back to Edwards Air Force Base.

September 18, 1984. Joe W. Kittinger lands near Savona, Italy, in his helium-filled balloon, Rosie O'Grady's Balloon of Peace, after a flight of 3,535 miles from Caribou, Maine. It is the first solo transatlantic balloon flight.

September 11, 2001. Two hijacked jetliners hit the World Trade Center in New York City and a third hits the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. A fourth hijacked airplane crashes into a field in Pennsylvania. The FAA halts all flight operations at the nation's airports.