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Author: aerotvnetwork Keywords: Avidyne DFC90 DFC100 AOPA AOPA 2009 Aero-TV AeroTV aero-news Dan Schwinn Autopilot Release9 airplane pilot genAv General Aviation Added: November 5, 2009

Author: AeroTVNetwork Added: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:52:33 -0800 Duration: 0The MacMahans Talk Biplanes... At Oshkosh 2008! Miss Muffet may seem like an unlikely name for a proud biplane, but if you listen to the MacMahans a bit, the name makes perfect sense. The owners of a beautiful blue and red 1941 Boeing A75N1 (PT17) Stearman, the two seat trainer bipe is powered by a Lycoming R680-4P-B4 and has received lavish care over the years from the MacMahan family. Back for its second year since a complete restoration, the proud Boeing Stearman drew admiring glances from thousands of pilots who came upon it... and devoutly wished for one just like it. While most folks know the Boeing Model 75 by the common name of "Stearman," it has worn a number of hats and been called a lot of names... (and a few of those weren't nice ones, if you learned to fly taildraggers in this bird). The US Army Air Corps designation for the A75N1 is "PT-17," the Navy designation is "N2S," and the Canadian military designation is "Kaydet." The Stearman was originally designed to ...

Simple, Capable, Ingenious... Release 9 Puts Avidyne At The Top Of The Flight Deck Game Here it is, Aero-TV's Jim Campbell gets his hot little hands on one of the most avidly awaited Flight Deck upgrades in recent memory... Avidyne's "Next-Generation" Release 9. As expected (and alluded to in previous ANN coverage), the anticipated certification of Avidyne's next-generation flight deck was not only around the corner... its right here, right now. Avidyne has confirmed to ANN that they have certified their new Entegra Release 9 Integrated Flight Deck (IFD) system. And not a moment too soon... when much of the industry is about to award first prize to industry behemoth Garmin in terms of Flight Deck preference and market share, Avidyne's massive Release 9 effort, along with their FMS and Digital Autopilot programs raises the bar enough to make the lead a real horse-race. Utilizing a fully-modular architecture, Entegra Release 9 represents the next generation of integrated flight deck systems for light general aviation. The Entegra Release 9 retrofit for Cirrus SR20 & SR22 includes dual XGA-resolution IFD5000 displays, dual-redundant FMS900w systems with a QWERTY keypad, next-generation fully-digital VHF NAV/COM radios, and dual WAAS/RNP-capable GPS receivers. In addition, Entegra Release 9 provides a new level of communication between the FMS/NAV system and the existing STEC 55X autopilot. This added capability virtually eliminates pilot interaction with the autopilot once coupled to the Entegra system, automatically switching the autopilot modes during transitions from en route to approach phases of flight, reducing pilot workload and eliminating 'modes confusion' associated with other systems. Entegra Release 9 system was also designed with a fully-redundant architecture that eliminates traditional 'Reversionary Modes' and the need for a 'big red button' as seen in competing systems. A typical Entegra Release 9 installation, as retrofitted in the Cirrus SR22, features two large-format IFD5000 Integrated Flight Displays, (IFD) which are fully interchangeable for use as PFD or MFD. Since each IFD5000 is fully capable of performing the functions of the other, no unfamiliar or limited reversionary modes are required. In the unlikely event of a display failure, the remaining IFD5000 continues to operate as either display format with no loss of functionality. With Entegra Release 9, Avidyne has developed a truly integrated system that is specifically designed to eliminate complexity, reduce head-down time, provide a whole new level of redundancy, and dramatically enhance safety. The retail price of the Entegra Release 9 retrofit for Cirrus SR20 & SR22 is $72,800 which includes dual XGA displays, FMS keyboard, dual GPS/FMS receivers, dual 16-watt VHF COMM radios, and MLB700 XM/SIRIUS Broadcast datalink receiver. Aero-TV Flight Test Avidyne's Entegra Release 9! FMI: www.aviyne.com, www.release9.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2009, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Private TiltRotor Operations May Be in YOUR Future In the midst of the 2008 NBAA Convention, the mockup of a BA609 TiltRotor concept destined for civilian usage continued to draw curiosity. First announced in 1998, full-size mockups of the BA609 have been fixtures at industry trade shows for several years... but actual progress on the program has been slow in coming. Most of the 80+ orders for the 6-9 passenger aircraft have been on the books for a decade, and the initial $10 million asking price has skyrocketed to somewhere south of twice that amount. So far, two of a planned four prototypes have taken flight. The flight test program has validated the BA609's unique flight envelope, including flight at altitudes up to 25,000 feet and speeds up to 310 knots, all at the maximum weight. The test program continues to check all the points of the flight envelope as required by both the FAA and EASA. The BA609 partners believe the BA609 is the most suitable, flexible, and versatile aircraft for many Homeland Security operations, surveillance and control of illegal traffic and immigration, search and rescue with the possibility to rescue people at more that 500 kilometers from the coast. Bell/Agusta and the FAA continue to work closely with EASA to achieve a dual FAA/EASA certification by 2011/early 2012, the company added. The second prototype Bell/Agusta BA609 made its first-ever appearance at the Farnborough International Airshow this past summer. Get A Lift With the BA609 and Aero-TV! FMI: www.bellagusta.com, www.agustawestland.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Icing On The Cake! HBC Receives Brazilian Order Worth Nearly $200M When Hawker Beechcraft said earlier this year it wanted to strengthen its foothold into international markets... the company wasn't kidding, or making idle comments. In the early hours of NBAA 2008, HBC announced Brazilian-based L der Signatures S.A. had ordered 23 aircraft spanning the Hawker Beechcraft product line. L der, a Hawker Beechcraft dealer and authorized service center since 1996, purchased what is considered to be one of the largest general aviation aircraft orders in Brazilian history with a value estimated at nearly $200 million. The contract was officially signed by L der CEO Eduardo de Pereira Vaz at NBAA. "L der has been a partner with Hawker Beechcraft as a dealer and authorized service center for 12 years. We ve shared a great relationship with them over the years and it s a tremendous honor to now receive one of Brazil s largest-ever orders from this great company," said Brad Hatt, president, Commercial Sales at Hawker Beechcraft. "There is a large demand in Brazil for our aircraft and we are thrilled that L der continues to sell our great products. We ve had an increasing presence in Latin America and our sales team has really elevated HBC as the leader in the region." The momentous order consists of three Hawker 4000, two Hawker 900XP, three Hawker 750, five just-announced Hawker 450XPs, one Beechcraft King Air B200GT, four Beechcraft King Air C90GTi, two Beechcraft Baron G58 and three Beechcraft Bonanza G36 aircraft. Deliveries for the 23 aircraft will take place from 2009 to 2011. The announcement came on the heels of the unveiling of two new aircraft programs... the new Beechcraft King Air 350i, and Hawker 450XP. The King Air 350i is new top-of-the-line model for the world's most popular corporate turboprop family. While mechanicals and avionics will be little-changed from the existing King Air 350, Hawker Beechcraft has made significant changes to the passenger cabin. Using what Hawker Beech terms an "exclusive three-step process," the company says interior noise levels on the King Air 350i have been reduced as much as 4 dBA... which should go a long way to alleviating what was one of the few customer complaints of the current model. In fact, HBC says the improvements make the 350i quieter than several competing jets. Interior enhancements were also on the list of changes to create the Hawker 450XP light business jet, in the form of the Venue entertainment system and a new interior based on the Hawker 900XP. But far more substantive changes lie under the surface. The Hawker 450XP sports new Pratt & Whitney PW535D turbofans, equipped with FADEC and rated at 2,965 pounds of thrust each. That power is flat-rated to ISA+20C, giving the aircraft improved hot-and-high performance. Operators will also appreciate the new Pratts' 5,000-hour Time Between Overhaul, 1,400 hours longer than the JT15D-5R engines on the 400. Rounding out the changes to the Hawker 450 cabin is the inclusion of the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite, bringing the smallest Hawker offering in-line with the company's larger jet aircraft. First flight of the Hawker 450 is scheduled for Q2 2009, with FAA certification planned one year after. The King Air 350i is scheduled for FAA certification of the model planned for Q3 2009. FMI: www.hawkerbeechcraft.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Let's Talk About The MU-2 With An Expert... ANN has always found the controversy over the airworthiness of the MU-2 an argument of political hype over reality. Much maligned over a number of highly visible accidents (often hyped by some politicos with an aviation-ignorant agenda), the truth of the matter is that the MU-2 is a hell of an airplane... and PROPERLY trained and flown, this is a serious working airplane. To separate the "Bravo Sierra" from the reality of the matter, ANN and Aero-TV interviewed and flew with MU-2 expert Pat Cannon to detail the TRUE nature of this airplane and the community that has grown around it... especially in light of the recent SFAR actions. After receiving numerous comments from both private and commercial operators of the Mitsubishi MU-2 turboprop -- as well as owner representatives, and the plane's manufacturer -- the FAA has gone forward with its call for a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) calling for new pilot training, experience, and operating requirements for the speedy aircraft. The final rule mandates a comprehensive standardized pilot training program for the MU-2. The regulation requires use of a standardized cockpit checklist and the latest revision of the Airplane Flight Manual. MU-2 operators also must have a working autopilot onboard except in certain limited circumstances. Owners and operators must comply with the SFAR within a year. The FAA's requirements follow an increased accident and incident rate in the MU-b over the past four years, and are based on a safety evaluation of the MU-2 conducted by the agency since July 2005. This SFAR mandates additional training, experience, and operating requirements to improve the level of operational safety for the MU-2. "The FAA studies enormous amounts of data looking for trends," said FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Nick Sabatini. "When we saw the rising accident rate for the MU-2, we decided to take appropriate actions to bring the plane up to an acceptable level of safety." In its original Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FAA proposed new requirements for ground and flight training that would apply to all persons who manipulate the controls or act as pilot-in-command (PIC) of the MU-2. The proposed SFAR also would apply to those persons who provide pilot training for the Mitsubishi MU-2. Operational requirements -- including a requirement for a functioning autopilot for single pilot instrument flight rules (IFR) and night visual flight rules (VFR) operations, a requirement to obtain and carry a copy of the latest available revision of the airplane flight manual, and a requirement to use a new pilot checklist were part of the proposal -- where included in the NPRM, building on the current MU-2 requirements as spelled out in 14 CFR parts 61, 91, and 135. The FAA proposed that all training conducted in the Mitsubishi MU-2 be done using the standardized Mitsubishi Heavy Industries training program and a checklist accepted by the FAA's MU-2 FSB. The requirements called for by the FAA fall short of a type-rating standard, which some have called for the MU-2 to have due to its unique operational characteristics compared to other multi-engine turboprops. Come Take A Great Flight In, And Learn The Truth About The MU-2 With Aero-TV FMI: www.mu-2aircraft.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

The G1000 And PW's Finest Make This An Exceptional Way To Travel It would be hard to improve on a such an impressive performer as the TBM 850 single-engine turboprop... but that said, if there was one area the previous generation aircraft came up lacking, it was in cockpit integration. That concern has been nicely addressed by EADS Socata for 2008, with a simple one-word explanation: Garmin. After working our way on a warm day at 308-310 kts at FL260, with th best of Garmin keeping things VERY manageable, we have to tell you that the TBM 850 has it RIGHT. Upgrades to the latest TBM 850 variant includes its Integrated All-Glass Flight Deck, based on the last-generation Garmin G1000 system -- which replaces traditional instruments with large liquid crystal display (LCD) screens. It integrates primary flight, navigation, weather, traffic, ground proximity and technical information on the aircraft, fully associated with a digital autopilot. This reduces pilot workload and eases maintenance, and brings the TBM 850 truly into the realm of the world s most advanced light business aircraft. In addition, the TBM 850 s environmental and vapor control system has been replaced by the Global Air Control System, which is more efficient and offers a dual zone temperature control. EADS Socata also made some oft-requested improvements to the TBM 850's cabin. The aircraft s interior has been entirely redesigned to offer more space and comfort, with a two-inch width increase and a one-inch ceiling rise. The changes also serve to reduce airframe weight, increasing the TBM 850 s useful load by 110 lbs. Fuel tank capacity is boosted by 11 gallons, benefiting from a transfer in the fuel cap position. Maximum range increases from 1,330 nm to 1,410 nm at the maximum recommended cruise of 320 knots. Developed in response to customer feedback, the TBM 850 s 2008 model has already achieved success in the market. Introduced to EADS Socata s most faithful customers during the past several months, it has received a warm welcome -- and the 60 aircraft allocated for production in 2008 already have been sold. The new G1000-equipped TBM 850 is the result of our attention to customers. explained Nicolas Chabbert, EADS Socata Vice President, and the head of Sales Thanks to our sales success, we can now accept orders for deliveries mid-2009. Join Aero-TV At FL260 In Socata's TBM 850! FMI: www.tbm850.com, www.socata.eads.net, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Cautious Optimism Remains The Watchword For A Show Almost As Popular As 2007's This is Aero-TV's final daily update from the floor of the National Business Aviation Association's 61st Annual Meeting & Convention. Among the highlights Tuesday, Jim Bass, President of Piper Aircraft announced that, against declining industry-wide sales of piston aircraft, Piper's piston sales are up this year. We caught up with Nicolas Chabbert from EADS Socata for an update... including word on the company's next aircraft project. Hawker Beechcraft announced its own foray into a new market... with a $200 million order from its dealership in Brazil, the backyard of rival Embraer... Monday's Very Light Jet forum got a status report on the segment from four manufacturers in varying stages of VLJ development. Training and electronics leader Jeppesen signed the first of what might lead to many agreements with French planemaker Dassault Falcon, to distribute the Jeppesen's electronic flight bag software to Falcon jet customers One company making headlines on a variety of topics at NBAA is Cessna... but the company's news wasn't confined solely to its new Columbus jet. CEO Jack Pelton filled us on what else is happening at Cessna. Sunday morning Jack Pelton had an update on Cessna's 2008 details for Aero-TV. Monday afternoon Harrison Ford was on hand to participate in the announcement of the Cessna Citation Special Olympics Airlift. And finally... not all the activity on the show floor at NBAA 2008 had to do with flashy business aircraft and new gadgets. Aero-TV had the chance to speak with Amanda Wright Lane, the great-grand-niece of aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright... in front of the newest flying replica of an original 1910 Wright Model "B". Some might call this the first business aircraft... This wraps up our Aero-TV coverage of the NBAA 2008 Convention. For more details on these stories and a whole lot more, be sure to check out ANN's online event coverage. FMI: www.nbaa.org, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Let's Talk About The MU-2 With An Expert... ANN has always found the controversy over the airworthiness of the MU-2 an argument of political hype over reality. Much maligned over a number of highly visible accidents (often hyped by some politicos with an aviation-ignorant agenda), the truth of the matter is that the MU-2 is a hell of an airplane... and PROPERLY trained and flown, this is a serious working airplane. To separate the "Bravo Sierra" from the reality of the matter, ANN and Aero-TV interviewed and flew with MU-2 expert Pat Cannon to detail the TRUE nature of this airplane and the community that has grown around it... especially in light of the recent SFAR actions. After receiving numerous comments from both private and commercial operators of the Mitsubishi MU-2 turboprop -- as well as owner representatives, and the plane's manufacturer -- the FAA has gone forward with its call for a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) calling for new pilot training, experience, and operating requirements for the speedy aircraft. The final rule mandates a comprehensive standardized pilot training program for the MU-2. The regulation requires use of a standardized cockpit checklist and the latest revision of the Airplane Flight Manual. MU-2 operators also must have a working autopilot onboard except in certain limited circumstances. Owners and operators must comply with the SFAR within a year. The FAA's requirements follow an increased accident and incident rate in the MU-b over the past four years, and are based on a safety evaluation of the MU-2 conducted by the agency since July 2005. This SFAR mandates additional training, experience, and operating requirements to improve the level of operational safety for the MU-2. "The FAA studies enormous amounts of data looking for trends," said FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Nick Sabatini. "When we saw the rising accident rate for the MU-2, we decided to take appropriate actions to bring the plane up to an acceptable level of safety." In its original Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FAA proposed new requirements for ground and flight training that would apply to all persons who manipulate the controls or act as pilot-in-command (PIC) of the MU-2. The proposed SFAR also would apply to those persons who provide pilot training for the Mitsubishi MU-2. Operational requirements -- including a requirement for a functioning autopilot for single pilot instrument flight rules (IFR) and night visual flight rules (VFR) operations, a requirement to obtain and carry a copy of the latest available revision of the airplane flight manual, and a requirement to use a new pilot checklist were part of the proposal -- where included in the NPRM, building on the current MU-2 requirements as spelled out in 14 CFR parts 61, 91, and 135. The FAA proposed that all training conducted in the Mitsubishi MU-2 be done using the standardized Mitsubishi Heavy Industries training program and a checklist accepted by the FAA's MU-2 FSB. The requirements called for by the FAA fall short of a type-rating standard, which some have called for the MU-2 to have due to its unique operational characteristics compared to other multi-engine turboprops. Come Take A Great Flight In, And Learn The Truth About The MU-2 With Aero-TV FMI: www.mu-2aircraft.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

The News Keeps Soaring At NBAA2008.... Despite the turmoil outside trhe sunshine state, the business avaion indsutry is still doing Business... and lots of it. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen welcomed Attendees of the NBAA 61st Annual Meeting lez, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) president, along with Ron Kaplan, executive director of the National Aviation Association Hall of Fame, who announced this year's recipient of the Combs-Gates Award. To underscore the increasing international presence of business aviation, NBAA invited Kobeh to give this year's keynote address. The engineer, professor and former deputy general has served as ICAO's president since 2006. "It is a great pleasure for me to address this Opening Session, and to take part in the largest and most important civil aviation event," said Kobeh. His address focused on several key issues facing the business aviation community including safety, security, airspace management and environmental concerns. Kobeh commended the excellent safety record of business aviation and advocated for "workable security measures that will not compromise operations, and will help achieve secure air transportation in an intelligent and practical way." He also championed the use of "NextGen" toward maximizing efficient use of the airspace system, and noted that global aviation accounts for two percent of total emissions, with aircraft now 70 percent more fuel efficient than thirty years ago. Kobeh emphasized the aggressive work that the aviation community continues to pursue in maintaining minimal environmental impact, describing a plan of environmental action to be submitted to the 2009 meeting of the United Nations to revise the Post-Kyoto Agreement. Also at the session, Executive Director of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) Ron Kaplan announced the recipient of the 6th annual Combs-Gates Award, which is intended to spur the research and preservation of the nation's aviation heritage, supporting projects that document the value of the aviation industry to the world. The NAHF was established in Dayton, OH, in 1962, to honor individuals who have made important contributions to the industry and its heritage. Presented by NAHF enshrinee Colonel Joe Kittinger, this year's recipient of the $20,000 award is the First Flight Foundation of Kitty Hawk, NC. First Flight Foundation was selected in recognition of its work to resurrect and restore the Wright Brothers National Memorial Monument, a costly six-month project. President John Harris and Executive Director Lola Hilton accepted the award on behalf of the foundation. "May the memorial be a beacon of light to all who dream of flight," Harris said in his acceptance speech. In a special advance announcement, Ron Kaplan revealed that, during the NAHF's next annual enshrinement ceremony in June, Cessna's Russell W. Meyer, Jr. will be officially enshrined into the NAHF, in recognition of Meyer's historic contributions to the industry. The session concluded with a ribbon cutting to open the Convention by Federal Aviation Administration Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell, who thanked NBAA for inviting him to participate in the show, and said he was pleased to be a part of the event. In addition to this, Aero-TV covers the following news items in this program... Adam Aircraft Acquisition: Jack Braly, President/CEO, AAI Acquisition Inc. With the recent acquisition of Adam Aircraft Jack Braly was on hand after their morning press conference to answer a few questions. Ron Lueck: Owner/CEO Comp Air Aviation Ron Lueck was on hand to discuss the new and upcoming airplanes from Comp Air, starting with the most recent Comp Air 9 and continuing on to the Comp Air 12. Bombardier: David Coleal, VP and GM, Learjet Business Aircraft With Bombardier's announcement of the Learjet 85 being built in Mexico, Aero-TV had a few questions for David Coleal after their NBAA press conference. Cessna Columbus Buyer Preview: Jack Pelton, CEO - Cessna Aircraft Company Cessna opened up the Columbus mock up at their booth a few hours early for the customers with deposits on the airplane to take a look at the interior before it was open to the public. The Columbus remains on schedule and appears to be taking the aero-world by storm... Wichita Aero-Club: Dave Franson, Executive Director of Wichita Aero Club A consortium of business, government and educational organizations in the greater Wichita, Kansas area are joining together to form the Wichita Aero Club. The club has been patterned after the Aero Clubs of Washington, Atlanta and The Wings Club in New York, Dave Franson offered Aero-TV some insights on the future of the club. Corporate Angel Network Bets Big Bucks... Courtesy of NBAA Representatives from the Corporate Angel Network were on hand to accept a donation from Ed Bolen of NBAA to help support the life changing efforts of their organization. Ed Bolen was on hand afterwards to speak on behalf of NBAA. This wraps up our Aero-TV coverage of the Second day of NBAA 2008. For more details on these stories and a whole lot more, be sure to check out ANN's online event coverage FMI: www.nbaa.org, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

The News Starts Early Here At NBAA.... Welcome to Orlando, Florida... home to this year's National Business Aviation Association Conference and Trade Show. These are some of the recent NBAA show headlines for Monday, October Sixth, 2008. There's no denying these are different times in the world of business aviation... just as these are difficult times for the world at large. In stark contrast to the festive atmosphere seen over the past three years at NBAA, the news from the first day of this year's event was subdued by comparison, yet still cautiously optimistic... a tone NBAA President Ed Bolen says reflects a general uneasiness of the today's marketplace... Continuing a somewhat-quirky NBAA tradition, Sunday's 'sneak-peak' press conference schedule was jam-packed with companies hoping to get their announcements out ahead of the show's formal opening ceremonies on Monday. Gulfstream was among the first to show their hand, announcing its new G250 "super mid-size" jet. Based on the existing G200 -- itself a variant of the old IAI Astra -- the G250 appears aimed at soothing those naysayers who may quibble over whether the aircraft is a "true" Gulfstream product... While Dassault Falcon didn't have a brand-new plane to announce, the company did reveal its plans for an upgrade package to its popular EASy flight deck, including a new synthetic vision option. But Dassault's Olivier Villa spent most of his time talking about the recently-introduced 900LX... telling attendees the aircraft will build on Dassault's already-impressive lineup of fuel-efficient business aircraft when it enters the market in mid-2010... Embraer's Lu s Carlos Affonso provided an update on the Brazilian planemaker's rapidly-expanding line of business aircraft. Starting with just one offering when Embraer launched its "executive jets" line in 2005, today the company has five new business jets in various stages of development, and a sixth in production. Embraer expects to win certification for its smallest Phenom 100 very-light jet -- and its largest plane, the Embraer-190-based Lineage 1000 -- within coming weeks. Affonso also weighed in on the current state of the global economy... and how Embraer expects those declining fortunes to affect the market for high-dollar business aircraft. He told attendees deliveries over the next two years should be healthy, as supply catches up with demand -- but after that, the market may endure a three-year reversal in fortunes until it rebounds... And finally... Cessna provided an inspiring conclusion to the day's events in Orlando, with the announcement of the company's sixth annual Citation Special Olympics Airlift Program, to help athletes travel to the 2010 USA National Games to be held near Lincoln, Nebraska. This will be the sixth time Cessna has organized the extensive airlift campaign to benefit Special Olympics... and for 2010, athletes may have the opportunity to fly with Han Solo himself! This wraps up our Aero-TV coverage of the first day of NBAA 2008. For more details on these stories and a whole lot more, be sure to check out ANN's online event coverage FMI: www.aero-news.net, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

This Episode Features A Presentation By Kit Darby, AIR Inc. (Part Two In A Series) Understanding the Pilot Shortage, Part One We've been hearing about it for years... a pilot shortage... a critical one, at that. For many in the aviation community, it sounded like good news... at least if you were on the bottom rungs of the pilot hiring ladder and working desperately to climb your way up. However; after engaging in discussions throughout the industry over the last year and in attending a particularly pointed (and very well-organized) presentation at the FAA Forecast Conference some months ago, ANN and Aero-TV are left with the troubling impression that aviation has a BIG problem on its hands. The session devoted to discussing the Pilot Supply was, as indicated earlier, exceptionally produced and wholly on target. the session was presented by Moderator Peter J. Wolfe, Executive Director, Professional Aviation Board of Certification (PABC), and augmented by presentations delivered by Kit Darby, President, AIR, Inc, Captain Paul Rice, First Vice President, Air Line Pilots Association, International, Ron Levy, University Aviation Association, John Dixon, Director of Pilot Recruitment for American Eagle. The first presentation (continued over here in Part Two), and one that set quite a trend for the session, was delivered by Kit Darby. Kit Darby is the president of Aviation Information Resources (AIR, Inc.). Currently a B767 captain with United Airlines, Mr. Darby has interviewed 20 times with 16 different airlines and worked with three majors and one national airline since 1978. He has a BS in Aeronautical Studies from Embry-Riddle AU. Kit is coauthor of the Simulator Flying Guide, Beginners' Guide to Becoming a Career Pilot, the World Wide Pilot Supply Report, World Wide Jet Transport Simulator Study and the new Pilot Career Guide. Kit's flight experience includes 15,000 hours total time, 10,000 hours jet time. He has an ATP with B737, B727, DC-8, and B767 type ratings, flight/instrument and engineer instructor, commercial instrument helicopter pilot, plus military instructor/instrument examiner ratings in two helicopters and five fixed-wing multi-engine aircraft. Darby continued his discussion with even more 'damning' statistics... especially when it comes to the retirement of the current pilot population. Darby's analysis concludes that 'established airlines will retire 50% of their pilots by 2017 - 17% to 49%,' and that very few pilots are flying past age 60 as FE. He further posits that changing the retirement age to 65 in 2007 will reduce retirements by at least 4,000 to 8,000 pilots over the next 5 years. Still, he expects that the major airlines would have retired 2,000 pilots each year. The other airlines add an additional 1,000 retirements, annually. AIR, Inc. estimates that between 5,000 and 10,000 pilots will remain in the workforce over the next 5 years - thereafter annual retirements will be the same. Darby also opines that future pilot productivity gains will be small... the The FAA maximum allowable flight times are 1000 hrs/year leaving the pilot some 83 hours per month of flight time... and that airline operations are perilously close to this utilization already. Kit talked extensively about changes to the pilot population... everything from the overall ease in eyesight protocols (with 20-30% now using some type of visual correction) to the state of foreign hires. He noted that most western European carriers did not hire U.S. pilots, previously, but that now they do! He also stated that immigration with the right-to-work is difficult or impossible, with foreign pilot hiring and training procedures said to be 'very different.' On the subject of corporate flying, the AIR presentation noted that (at the time of the presentation), some 18,161 pilots were crewing for 14,079 A/C. He summarized the situation by noting that, 'Corporate jobs are harder to obtain... Who you know really counts... Recommendations are a must... The network is critical to getting most corporate jobs.' There's much more to this presentation and we urge you to check it out right away... as darby's efforts are easily one of the most cohesive studies we've ever been privy to. So... worried yet? You should be. The situation is troublesome, answers are few and aviation safety can only be negatively impacted if the situation is not dealt with. Not sure about that? Well... check out Part Two of our series on Understanding the Pilot Shortage and see if you don't agree that this is an issue that needs urgent attention. Click Here To See the Aero-TV Special Series: Understanding The Pilot Shortage (Part 2) E-I-C Note: This is the second in an extensive series on this topic... each of which will be presented every Monday (barring special programming requirements for breaking news or special event coverage) until completed... FMI: www.jet-jobs.com, www.faa.gov Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

The US Army Gets Some Serious Bang For The Buck Via AVCATT Outside of military circles, you are unlikely to have heard of AVCATT... one of the Army's most aggressive efforts yet to maximize the realism and mobility of one of its most crucial flight training and simulation efforts. AVCATT? What the hell is an AVCATT, you might ask? Well, the military DOES love its acronyms, but this one packs some punch as AVCATT stands for Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (Army). The AVCATT mission is a hefty one... 'To provide a collective training capability for Army aviators across the entire fleet of Army rotary wing aircraft.' That acronym barely hints at the raw capability of the AVCATT program, as the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer has become the Army's (AVCATT) preeminent mobile, reconfigurable, aviation-based collective trainer. The Army tells ANN that each monstrous (but incredibly well-organized) AVCATT trailer supports three manned modules (cockpits), with an After Action Review (AAR) theater and a battle master control. AVCATT currently supports the UH-60 Blackhawk, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, AH-64A Apache, AH-64D Longbow and CH-47 Chinook platforms. Additionally; AVCATT will incorporate the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) in FY 2010. Ongoing updates to AVCATT include a visual re-architecture (flat screens versus projection), classified operations capability and a new image generator. AVCATT has demonstrated the capability to be interoperable with a variety of other simulators including the Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT), the Virtual Combat Convoy Trainer (VCCT), and the CCTT Reconfigurable Vehicle Simulator (RVS). This versatility has proven AVCATT to be an invaluable resource to Army flyers as they take on the daily responsibilities inherent in protecting the USA. ANN crews were amazed at the versatility (and cost-effectiveness) of this platform and are looking forward to seeing the system demonstrated in the field... keep an eye out for a follow-up program on Aero-TV! Come Along With Aero-TV and Get REAL (Kinda) With the Army's AVCATT Flight Sim Program! FMI: www.army.mil, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

This Episode Features A Presentation By Kit Darby, AIR Inc. (Part One In A Series Examining A Ponderous Issue) We've been hearing about it for years... a pilot shortage... a critical one, at that. For many in the aviation community, it sounded like good news... at least if you were on the bottom rungs of the pilot hiring ladder and working desperately to climb your way up. However; after engaging in discussions thorough the industry over the last year and in attending a particularly pointed (and very well-organized) presentation at the FAA Forecast Conference some months ago, ANN and Aero-TV are left with the troubling impression that aviation has a BIG problem on its hands. The session devoted to discussing the Pilot Supply was, as indicated earlier, exceptionally produced and wholly on target. the session was presented by Moderator Peter J. Wolfe, Executive Director, Professional Aviation Board of Certification (PABC), and augmented by presentations delivered by Kit Darby, President, AIR, Inc, Captain Paul Rice, First Vice President, Air Line Pilots Association, International, Ron Levy, University Aviation Association, John Dixon, Director of Pilot Recruitment for American Eagle. The first presentation, and one that set quite a trend for the session, was delivered by Kit Darby. Kit Darby is the president of Aviation Information Resources (AIR, Inc.). Currently a B767 captain with United Airlines, Mr. Darby has interviewed 20 times with 16 different airlines and worked with three majors and one national airline since 1978. He has a BS in Aeronautical Studies from Embry-Riddle AU. Kit is coauthor of the Simulator Flying Guide, Beginners' Guide to Becoming a Career Pilot, the World Wide Pilot Supply Report, World Wide Jet Transport Simulator Study and the new Pilot Career Guide. Kit's flight experience includes 15,000 hours total time, 10,000 hours jet time. He has an ATP with B737, B727, DC-8, and B767 type ratings, flight/instrument and engineer instructor, commercial instrument helicopter pilot, plus military instructor/instrument examiner ratings in two helicopters and five fixed-wing multi-engine aircraft. Darby started his discussion with some startling statistics... US air-fleets will grow from 4,133 AC to 7,402 AC by 2025 which represents nearly almost 65% growth. That means there will be 7,402 new A/C which require (on average) some 12 pilots per airframe/AC which leaves us with a need for 88,824 new pilots. No one needs to tell you that this is a LOT of pilots... who not only have to be trained but get time and experience in the system to be able to handle the new generation of airliners coming our way (or keep the old ones flying, for that matter). Darby also clued everyone in on the fact that A/C utilization is approximately 8.26 hours/day in the US, alone, and that A/C utilization expected to increase by 8% annually, over the next 20 years. Add that to the fact that US pilot productivity is nearing its maximum capabilities and you see why Darby was conducting the equivalent of yelling "Fire" in a crowded room. And the situation, overseas is far more contentious. So... worried yet? You should be. The situation is troublesome, answers are few and aviation safety can only be negatively impacted if the situation is not dealt with. Not sure about that? Well... load up Part One of our series on Understanding the Pilot Shortage and see if you don't agree that this is an issue that needs urgent attention. Click Here To See the Aero-TV Special Series: Understanding The Pilot Shortage (Part 1) E-I-C Note: This is the first in an extensive serieson this topic... each of which will be presented every Monday (barring special programming requirements for breaking news or special evwent coverage) until completed... FMI: www.jet-jobs.com, www.faa.gov

Compact 8" PFD4000 Joins Massive 15" Systems From Avidyne -- With Synthetic Vision! It's been an interesting year for a renewed and reinvigorated Avidyne. Avidyne Corporation had a message for pilots, manufacturers, and the general aviation industry as a whole, at AirVenture 2008: the company's back, and anyone who had written them off should take notice. After ceding much of the GA glass panel market -- a market pretty much Avidyne created, with its Envision flight deck -- to rival Garmin, Avidyne knew it had to offer a knockout punch in order to stand any chance of regaining market share. The avionics manufacturer has done it by combining Synthetic Vision (SVS) and Enhanced Vision (EVS) with large-format 15-inch Integrated Flight Displays (IFDs). Avidyne says its Entegra SVS offers improvements over existing systems by depicting 3D terrain all the way out to the horizon, based on the aircraft's altitude above the ground. The Avidyne system also depicts obstacles, traffic and "Highway-in-the-Sky" (HITS) boxes on the PFD, enhancing the utility of the airplane, improving the comfort level of passengers, and increasing the safety of each flight. As demonstrated on Avidyne's massive new 15" IFD8000 PFDs, the company builds on that capability by offering Entegra EVS enhanced vision, using a Max-Viz EVS-100 infrared camera. EVS is designed to turn night into day, enabling pilots to see up to ten times further in marginal VFR conditions through most atmospheric obscurations. With SVS and EVS, pilots can now fly comfortably at night, enjoying clear views of the ground, seeing emergency landing fields, roads, lakes, and buildings. Avidyne also introduced the Entegra PFD4000, a new compact, 8-inch primary flight display system, at AirVenture 2008. The panel is designed to fit virtually any general aviation aircraft, adding the enhanced situational awareness and reliability of an all-glass flight deck. The PFD4000 is designed as a "6-pack" replacement that will fit in virtually any panel space and offers traditional primary flight instrumentation, including support for autopilot and flight director as well as altitude pre-select, vertical speed select and heading select modes. Just like the Entegra EXP5000, it's bigger brother, the PFD4000 has a wide-format artificial horizon, intuitive trend tapes for altitude, airspeed, and vertical speed, a full horizontal situation indicator (HSI) with moving map presentation of flight plan data and an RMI/Bearing pointer overlay, as well as a full-time wind vector -- all within the pilot's primary field of view. The PFD4000 also offers one-button access to frequent pilot settings such as altitude, vertical speed, and heading, as well as a dedicated BARO knob, make it easy to use. It is designed to have a learning curve of less than five minutes. Avidyne says the PFD4000 will be "competitively" priced, and available sometime in 2009. Come See How Avidyne Tackles Synthetic Vision With The IFD800 and PFD4000--On Aero-TV! FMI: www.avidyne.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Sporty Plane Makes Public Debut Startup light-sport aircraft manufacturer ICON unveiled its original prototype aircraft at Oshkosh during a media-only reception Sunday, ahead of yesterday's scheduled public unveiling Monday morning at 10:30 AM on AeroShell Square. As ANN has reported, the A5 is an amphibious two seat aircraft which touts a wing design that folds back at a flip of the switch. This takes about 20 seconds to accomplish and allows for ease of transportation on the road as well as in the air. The company previously hosted a lavish private unveiling back in June in Los Angeles, CA. ICON's marketing department also pulled out all the stops for Sunday's event. Going for that ever-popular 'shock and awe' value, the company attempted to evoke the inspiration and spirit of sport aviation (and even succeeded somewhat, tough to do before a crowd of jaded aviation journalists.) As CEO Kirk Hawkins said, "ICON is here to bring the sport and adventure back in flying." With a base purchase price of $139,000, the A5 is meant to attract those customers that may not have been able to afford the freedom of flying. FMI: www.iconaircraft.com Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Entegra FMS900W Designed To Reduce Workload In Single-Pilot IFR Avidyne recently strutted its stuff before the Aero-TV crews with a demo of their upcoming FMS900W FMS system. In the works for some time, the new Entegra FMS900W WAAS-enabled GPS/NAV/COM Flight Management System (FMS) is designed to reduce workload for single-pilot IFR operations. The FMS900W provides a fully-redundant, state-of-the art VHF and TSO C146b Gamma 3-compliant turbine-class FMS capability for all GA aircraft. Utilizing a fully-modular architecture, the FMS900W Flight Management System is an enhancement to Avidyne's Entegra Integrated Flight Deck platform and is designed specifically to take advantage of Entegra's large-format displays and Byteflight peer-to-peer databus architecture. FMS900W system components include single or dual remote-mount LRUs, each with Avidyne's GPS723 WAAS/RNP GPS Sensor and a DVX740 VHF NAV/COM module and optional ACD215 Control/Display Units. Avidyne's GPS723 sensor is a fully compliant RTCA DO-229D, Gamma 3 navigation system, and is designed to meet Required Navigation Performance (RNP-0.3). Avidyne tells ANN that it is nearing completion of the product design phase and will soon be entering into the certification phase of the Entegra FMS900W program. Aero-TV Gets A Solid Briefing On The NEW Avidyne FMS900W! FMI: www.avidyne.com Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

Aims To Spotlight Smaller Side Of BizAv When you think of the National Business Aviation Association, what types of aircraft first come to mind? Citations, Challengers, Falcons and the like... right? Well, NBAA would like people to think smaller, too. At a news conference in early April, NBAA CEO Ed Bolen announced the first of what the organization hopes will be an annual event, showcasing the "lighter" side of business aviation -- light jets, turboprops, and piston aircraft. The inaugural Light Airplane Conference and Exhibition is scheduled for March 12-14, 2009, in San Diego, CA. "We are confident that the Light Airplane Conference & Exhibition will be well received by our light airplane operators, who will now benefit from a show filled with exhibits and educational information sessions focused on their unique interests, and a static display that showcases their aircraft." NBAA plans to have approximately 1,000 exhibit booth spaces at LAC&E, with 50 aircraft on display at nearby San Diego International Airport. The organization also expects to offer 25 information sessions, tailored to light business aircraft operators. While the perception of his organization is mostly of its high-flying members in Global Express jets and BBJs, Bolen noted that of NBAA's estimated 8,000 member business and organizations, 1,000 operate piston aircraft -- and that a majority (60 percent) own just a single plane they use for business. Aero-TV Joins NBAA As They Detail The Light Airplane Conference and Exhibition FMI: www.nbaa.org Copyright 2008, Aero-News Network, Inc. ALL Rights Reserved.