Blog

By Russ Niles, AVweb

Textron expects to gain $65 million to $85 million annually with the "synergy" of combining Cessna and Beechcraft into its new airplane company but it's not yet saying exactly where those savings might be realized. As AVweb reported Thursday, Textron is buying Beech for $1.4 billion. In a conference call with analysts on Friday (recording available by calling (320) 365-3844, access code 314378). Textron CEO Scott Donnelly said it's likely most of the money will come from savings that result from overlap of functions and premises but there have been no decisions on if and where cuts might be made at either company he acknowledged that cuts are coming.

» More on AVweb

By Jason Blair

The last twenty years or so aviation training has seen aircraft used that, well, worked. They haven’t been ideal. We have used old airplanes, airplanes that cost a lot, airplanes that are too big, and in some cases aircraft that are too complicated. But we have had to use what we have.

These old airplanes such as Cessna 150s and 152s, old Cessna 172s, Piper Warriors, and a number of others are wearing out. They are getting old and they aren’t going to last for another generation. Which means we need to come up with some aircraft that will meet these needs.

In my last couple of posts I have poked at the problems, and I believe if you are going to poke a problem, you should propose a solution or shut up. I propose that we develop an airplane that will meet the needs of the training industry (not just in the United States, but around the world) and give us the equipment that will allow us to train the next generation of pilots.

» Read More on JasonBlair.net

via EAA.org

EAA Aeromedical Advisory Council chairman Dr. Stephen Leonard learned from the FAA (last Friday) that the agency will delay implementation of its new sleep apnea policy planned for next month in order to gather additional input from the aviation and medical community.

The new policy, which would mandate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) testing and evaluation for pilots with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 and above, was scheduled to go into effect in January. EAA and its aeromedical council objected strenuously to the policy, saying such testing was not FAA's role, was of questionable medical use relating to pilot fitness, would cause additional financial burdens to pilots, and would overburden an already taxed special issuance system for medical certificates.

The FAA is now planning a meeting as early as next month with aviation and medical stakeholders, including general aviation organizations and aviation medical examiners (AMEs).

» More on EAA.org

Southwest Airlines recently completed installation of Water Vapor Sensing Systems (WVSS-II) on 87 Boeing 737 aircraft. The water vapor initiative, a result of a partnership between Aeronautical Radio Incorporated (ARINC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and SpectraSensors, has the potential to improve weather forecasting by providing real-time and frequent humidity data when aircraft takeoff and land at airports around the country.

"Southwest's meteorology team has always worked closely with ARINC and NOAA, and the WVSS-II project is symbolic of our strong reliance on each other. We are proud to be the only passenger airline currently participating in the project and look forward to the many ways WVSS-II will impact and improve both weather forecasting and the impact on airline operations," said Rick Curtis, Chief Meteorologist, Southwest Airlines.

» More via Southwest Airlines

By Glenn Pew, AVweb

The FAA is moving ahead with implementation of mandatory screening and tests (apparently regardless of widely reported objections) for obstructive sleep apnea in pilots with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, the agency said Thursday. Individuals are typically categorized as obese by current BMI charts if they score a number higher than 30. AOPA, EAA, the Civil Aviation Medical Association and members of the U.S. House of Representatives are among those who have requested the FAA make substantive changes to lessen the impact of its new sleep apnea policy. The FAA would require additional medical evaluations for those pilots determined to be outside of the FAA’s safe (under 40 BMI) range. Pilots scoring 40 or higher would have 60 days to receive an evaluation or have their medical certificate disqualified.

» More on AVweb

In light of the winter storm that swept the nation over the past week, we thought you would appreciate knowing about an online resource that one of our members shared with us...

For about the cost of 1-hour of flight instruction, The Practical Guide To Winter Flying will not only teach you how to manage encounters with ground and in-flight icing, but also provide you the tools to make smarter decisions so that you fly confidently during the cold, winter months.  The course delivers on the real world experience of two flight instructors and their cold weather operations knowledge from flying as airline captains and is worth a look!

» The Practical Guide To Winter Flying

We've partnered with the guys at StuckMicAvCast.com to promote this resource and encourage you to check it out!  Let us know what you think and feel free contact us if you know of other educational resources that you've found helpful in your flying that we can share with the iFlightPlanner Community as well!

The iFlightPlanner Crew
PLAN. FLY. LOG.™

Official FAA data for the 12/12/13 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.™

» Download from iTunes

The FAA announced that it will be conducting testing on the GPS network over the next several days that will affect large areas of the southeastern United States.

During testing, the GPS signal may be unreliable or unavailable within a 335NM radius centered at 300500N/0800500W or the OMN VOR 055 degree radial at 71 NM at FL400 and above, decreasing in area with decrease in altitude to 285NMR at FL250, 220NMR at 10,000 FT MSL, 182NMR at 4,000 FT AGL and 139NMR at 50 FT AGL.  Pilots are strongly encouraged to report anomalies during testing to the appropriate ARTCC to assist in the determination of the extent of GPS degradation during tests.

» Flight Advisory CSFTL GPS 13-10

The November/December 2013 issue of FAA Safety Briefing explores the critical function of FAA's Flight Standards Service in promoting safety within our National Airspace System. Articles focus on the diverse roles and responsibilities of Flight Standards and highlight the important contributions of its many dedicated safety professionals.

Among the feature articles in this issue include:

• "Our Finest Hour" - a look at how the FAA is organized to perform its safety mission
• "Lifting the Curtain" - meeting the people behind the policies that affect GA
• "From Aeronca to Zenair" - the basics of buying your own bird

» FAA Safety Briefing, November/December 2013

Amazon.com recently teased Prime Air, a project their team has been working on in its next generation R&D lab.  The goal of this new delivery system is to get packages into customers' hands in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles.  Putting Prime Air into commercial use will take some number of years as they advance technology and wait for the necessary FAA rules and regulations.

» More on Amazon.com

The December 2013 digital issue of Avionics News Magazine is now available!

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

• The View from Washington: Leadership
• International News & Regulatory Updates
• Want to be Legally Found? Only 406 MHz ELTs Currently Comply
• AEA Member Profile: SIL Aviation
• AEA Member Profile: Aeronautical Engineers Australia
• A Conversation With Dave Feuerhak of West Star Aviation
• Avotek Publishes New AET Study Guide
• Business Basics: Drained Down

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