We've all had to do it at least once -- transition into a new aircraft. It can be a tricky process... but you can do it. CFI Tom Turner tells us how in this week's Aero-Craft.
Cause Not Yet Determined In Crash Near Syrian Border
An Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter has gone down in a sparsely
populated area east of the northern city of Tall Afar.
The eight passengers and four crew onboard were killed, and
all were believed to be Americans.
ANN regrets to report the loss of aerobatic pilot Eric Beard in
what appears to be a weather related crash in the State of
Washington. Well known as the pilot of "Russian Thunder," a Yak 54,
Beard was apparently flying a Piper light twin Friday night when he
went down in reduced visibility in Skagit County, WA.
Doctor Dies In Tragic, Unsuccessful, Emergency Landing
Investigators are picking over the remains of Dr. Jay S.
Richards's Mooney 231, N27ER, which crashed Thursday just 30 feet
from the taxiway that could have been his deliverance. The
51-year-old anesthesiologist from Portland, Oregon died instantly
when his plane plunged into an orchard of filbert trees. Richards
made a mayday call that his plane was losing power, moments after
being cleared to land at Hillsboro Airport.
It was back to work this week for the Expedition 12 crewmembers
after a long New Year's weekend that marked the halfway point in
their six-month stay aboard the space station.
Arnoni Aviation Ltd., the world's largest independent Hawker
parts support company, has been acquired by APPH Ltd of Runcorn,
England, effective January 1, 2006.
Senators Michael Crapo and Larry Craig (pictured below) have not
let up in efforts to protect backcountry airstrips. The two Idaho
senators recently introduced the Backcountry Landing Strip Access
Act into Congress. AOPA is strongly supporting the bill.
The FAA has accepted the consensus standards for
weight-shift-control light-sport aircraft (LSA), clearing the way
for trikes to be sold as ready-to-fly special LSA (S-LSA).
First Piaggio P180 Avanti II Goes To [drum roll please]...
Switzerland!
This is a story about a Swiss customer that found his plane over
the border in Italy. No, nobody stole it; it's brand new, and in
fact, it's the first Piaggio P. 180 Avanti II to be delivered to a
customer.
Aerodynamics. Propulsion. Structures. "Heh. I know this stuff."
We all know this stuff, we pilots... right? Well, maybe not so
right. A look at the agenda for the upcoming AIAA Aerospace Science
Meeting & Exhibit (9-12 January, Reno Hilton, Reno NV) usually
trips my MEGO-mode breaker about midway through the lecture
title.
Finally... there's a better way to care for your engine this
winter without blasting extreme heat into the aircraft engine
compartment -- and Uncle Hal from Sportys has it.
Despite the fact that fuel starvation (running a fuel tank dry)
and fuel exhaustion (running completely out of fuel) are common
causes of engine failure, and that mismanaging fuel flow
contributes to engine wear and early cylinder failure, few pilots
learn how to properly lean the fuel/air mixture.
Jamail Larkins one of the youngest airshow pilots in the
country, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University senior and FAA
Ambassador of Aviation and Space Education. Between classes he
tours in a Cirrus SR22 spreading the word on aviation careers to
middle and high school students across the country.
Accelerate-Stop Distance
In the case of a rejected take off, the runway plus any stopway
must be long enough for the airplane to be accelerated to the V1
speed and then brought to a complete stop. Trees and fences do not
count as items with which to stop an airplane.
"Backcountry landing strips allow people to enjoy forest
and parks, support state economies through recreational activity,
and play a vital role in access to research, management, aerial
mapping, and disaster relief... This bill will ensure our
backcountry airstrips remain in operation, maintained, and
accessible."
Source: Senator Michael Crapo, one of two
Idaho senators who recently introduced the Backcountry Landing
Strip Access Act into Congress. AOPA is strongly supporting the
bill.