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While at the Redbird Migration 2013 ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell talked with Radek Wyrzykowski, the founder and president of IMC Club.

The IMC Club is a membership based Non-Profit 501(c)(3) organization focused on instrument rated pilots and flight instructors, with a network of chapters throughout the nation, whose intent is to create a community of pilots in order to share information, provide recognition foster communications, promote safety and build proficiency in instrument flying.  IMC Club Chapters offer monthly meetings in which pilots can network and share knowledge and experiences.

iFlightPlanner is the presenting sponsor of the IMC Club's Inner Marker Circle, an elite group of pilots who are dedicated to the consistent and constant improvement of instrument flying skills.

» IMC Club International

By Russ Niles, AVweb

The FAA and EASA have certified the first lithium ion battery for engine start and main ship use in light aircraft. Mid-Continent Instrument announced at HAI Heli-Expo Tuesday that the TrueBlue TB17, a 17 amp hour battery designed for piston and light turbine aircraft, is now available for OEMs to incorporate into new aircraft. The battery will not be available as an aftermarket item, at least at first. The company is also developing a 44 amp hour lithium ion battery for the business jet market.

» More on AVweb

At 170 miles per hour, Rob Weber's flight into Page Field (KFMY) became a shocking flurry of feathers and broken windshield.  A camera on board his Piper Saratoga captured the moments a bird struck his windshield, sending pieces of plastic and electronics into his face.

The video shows Weber keeping his cool, even after he notices he's bleeding from the forehead. He takes the controls and makes a calm landing.

» More on WINK News

By Russ Niles, AVweb

The White House, with the apparent blessing of the FAA, is urging the FCC to make 406 ELT equipage in aircraft mandatory by 2022. In comments filed with the FCC on Feb. 5 (PDF), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recommended the FCC get moving on its plan to eliminate 121.5 MHz-only ELTs but to give aircraft owners up to eight years to make the transition. The NTIA, which represents the executive branch's view on telecommunications policy, said it consulted with the FAA and the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking program (SARSAT) in making the recommendation. The filing of the document may mean the FCC is getting ready to implement a final rule on the disposition of 121.5 MHz ELTs, a process it started in 2010 with a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that caught most aviation organizations, including the FAA, by surprise.

» More on AVweb

By Russ Niles, AVweb

To thunderous applause from alphabet groups, the House passed a bill last Tuesday that will force the FAA to go through a formal rulemaking process to institute its controversial sleep apnea measures. As we reported in November, FAA Air Surgeon Dr. Fred Tilton sent a newsletter to air medical examiners telling them that any pilot with a body mass index of 40 or higher would have to undergo an expensive evaluation at a sleep clinic to determine if he or she has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and be cleared to maintain their certification. The memo caught the entire U.S. aviation community, including AMEs, by surprise. There was a flurry of protest but Tilton wouldn't back down. The FAA measure was widely criticized for its scope, cost and questionable impact on safety. The House bill was proposed last month and a parallel measure is before the Senate. 

» More on AVweb

By GA News Staff

IMC Club International has launched an IFR Airport Practical Tips Reference Base, a library of a “real life experiences” about arrival and departure to the nation’s busiest and most challenging airports like Boston Logan International, Los Angeles, or Teterboro, N.J., as well as rural airports.

All posts are based on actual experiences of the pilots. They will be checked, but not verified or endorsed by the IMC Club.

They will be placed in a searchable database. This practical resource will be available for use by IMC Club members and other non-profit charitable aviation organizations to help their volunteer pilots plan and execute their charitable flights.

» More on GA News

By Rick Durden, AVweb

A lightning strike that injured an air traffic controller at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has exposed a potential vulnerability at air traffic control towers during storms. It has prompted Federal Aviation Administration officials to inspect hundreds of towers nationwide, according to the Associated Press. The FAA said in a statement that the accident was "the first of its kind in FAA history," and the agency plans on "assessing the condition" of lightning protection systems at the 440 air traffic control towers it is responsible for across the country. In particular, the agency said it will examine lightning protection at more than 200 towers that were built prior to 1978, when the FAA first issued standards for the protection systems.

» More on AVweb

By Mary Grady, AVweb

A special event to honor the life and achievements of Bob Hoover will be held Friday, Feb. 21 in Los Angeles. Guests will join the aviation community, "including celebrities, leaders, and icons," the organizers say, for a night at the Paramount Studios Theater. The event schedule includes a red-carpet reception, dinner, speakers and the premiere of a new documentary film about Hoover's life, narrated and introduced by Harrison Ford. A maximum of 500 tickets will be sold, at $950 each. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at the event website. In his long career, Hoover has served as a combat pilot, test pilot, air racer and legendary airshow performer.

» More on AVweb

The trailer for the upcoming Disney movie, "Planes: Fire & Rescue" the sequel to the popular animated movie "Planes" has been released.

Following on the success of the 2013 film that featured an ag aircraft with a fear of heights who became an air racer, Dusty Crophopper (voice of Dane Cook), the sequel will again follow the life of Dusty as he discovers that damage he has suffered may mean he'll never race again. High-profile promotional activity for "Planes" included the appearances of a real aerial applicator, an Air Tractor AT-301 in a Dusty Crophopper paint scheme, at events across the country, including numerous flights during the airshow at AirVenture 2013. 

Official FAA data for the 02/06/14 cycle, including airport diagrams, approach plates, sectional charts and terminal area charts, was updated today at 09:01Z.

Anytime you access iFlightPlanner.com or mobile.iFlightPlanner.com you can be confident that you are seeing the most current and accurate data available.  To ensure that iFlightPlanner for iPad is current, 'Check for Updates' in the lower-left corner of the Downloads tab.  The app will quickly tell you which files need to be updated!

The iFlightPlanner Crew
PLAN. FLY. LOG.™

The February 2014 digital issue of Avionics News Magazine is now available!

In this month's issue, you'll find:

• The View from Washington
• International News & Regulatory Updates
• AEA Member Profile: Advanced Helicopter Services
• Jet Aviation St. Louis Taps Technicians' Expertise
• A Conversation With Curtis Arnold of REBTECH
• WAAS My Options?
• Rockwell Collins' HeliSure Safety Enhancement for Helicopters

For more information on the Aircraft Electronics Association visit http://www.aea.net/.