NewsWire Complete Issue

Well, we knew something was coming and compared to some of the scenarios speculated in the days before President Bush made his Monday-night speech, the flight restrictions imposed on GA are relatively mild. "There were reports that we were going to impose ADIZs on any airport with Class B airspace," said the FAA's William Shumann. As it turns out, with NOTAMs posted Tuesday, New York gets an ADIZ, Washington ADIZ regulations go back to "orange" alert levels, TFRs have been imposed on Disney theme parks in California and Florida, and there will be nothing in the air (barring medevac and law enforcement aircraft) over major sporting events and festivals. The New York ADIZ is defined by the Mode C veils that radiates 30 nautical miles from Kennedy, La Guardia and Newark Airports. It affects 28 public-use fields including some of the busiest in the country. Among them are Essex County (CDW), Central Jersey Regional (47N), Flushing (FLU), Republic (FRG), Westchester County (HPN) and Morristown (MMU). AOPA has compiled a full list. As in Washington, aircraft entering the New York ADIZ must contact ATC and obtain a discrete transponder code. Before takeoff from anywhere inside the ADIZ, ATC contact and the transponder code must be established. The code must be squawked at all times when flying within the ADIZ and a pilot leaving the zone must get a new code before returning. A flight plan is a must for all operations within the ADIZ. Ultralight owners are reminded that the rules apply to them, too.

After a brief respite of "orange light" security precautions, Washington-area pilots are back to the regime of a couple of weeks ago. Whereas the New York ADIZ is defined on any sectional showing the Mode C veil, the Washington ADIZ has some irregularities and anyone unfamiliar with the boundaries should make sure they're clear before making a flight to that area. The flight-plan requirements were relaxed in Washington for a couple of weeks, but they're back. Also back is the requirement for pilots using the DC-3 (College Park, Hyde Field and Potomac Airfield) to stop at security gateway airport. The designated gateway airport is Tipton Airport in Ft. Meade, Md. Vacationers and sports fans may notice it's a little quieter in the skies. TFRs have been imposed on Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. Aircraft cannot operate within 3 nautical miles or 3,000 feet of the theme parks unless authorized by ATC for "operational or safety purposes." The TFR also exempts aircraft arriving or departing from an airport using standard air traffic procedures. Waivers can be obtained for security and operational purposes within the TFRs and for transporting of officials. Applications are available online or by calling 571-227-1322. All waivers have been suspended for non-emergency and security flights at major sporting events. There have also been reports that GPS signals might be degraded to 100-meter accuracy when the war starts, but the FAA's Shumann said the FAA has not been notified that the Defense Department is planning that.

So, that's what it looks like today. What about tomorrow or next week? The FAA's Greg Martin assured AVweb that as soon as any changes are made or new restrictions applied, the agency will do its best to get the word out to pilots and the media. "There are systems in place," Martin said. He said the communications staff it ready to spread the word about airspace issues "anywhere, anytime, at a moment's notice." He also added that he's heard of no additions to the current list being contemplated. Best place for up-to-the-date information is the agency Web site's special NOTAM section, and pilots should check with flight service for any additions before departure. News media will be informed of any changes by e-mail and telephone conference calls. The situation has prompted some cautionary comments from AOPA's Phil Boyer. Boyer said in a news release that he's concerned about the "ADIZ creep" to New York and he hopes it doesn't continue to spread unnecessarily. "Let's make sure the security threat is real and significant before once again shackling the lives and livelihoods of American citizens." And while government officials continue to urge citizens to carry on with their lives, including traveling, the situation has altered Boyer's travel plans. He's cancelled a couple of Alaska town hall meetings March 24 and March 25 so he can stay in Washington and monitor developments.

As AVweb reported last week, the airline industry claims it will be devastated by a war with Iraq. Now, it seems that some in Congress are listening to these pleas for help. Once the bombs start dropping over Iraq, Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.), head of the House Aviation Subcommittee, promises to help out as much as possible. "We want to try to get as many things in place as we can to help the industry as soon as possible," Mica said. "These issues aren't partisan," he added. Accompanied by Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Mica also wants to aid the military and GA segments of the industry. Both congressmen feel the importance of a proposed $21 billion Air Force lease of 100 Boeing 767s outfitted as tankers will become obvious once the war starts. The tanker fleet "needs replacement now," Larsen said. "It's a good deal for Boeing and more importantly, a good deal for the Air Force." Mica is also concerned about vital research and development funds needed by U.S. aircraft manufacturers, as Airbus and other competitors are reportedly backed by government funding. The two claim the United States should demand more open reporting of financial records by Airbus to reveal any European government support that would violate trade agreements.

The EAA unveiled its 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction in a ceremony at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on Tuesday. EAA's Flyer reproduction will re-enact the Wright brothers' first flight 100 years later to the minute on Dec. 17, 2003, in Kill Devil Hills, N.C. With Amanda Wright Lane and her brother Stephen Wright, both descendents of Wilbur and Orville Wright, looking on, EAA and its sponsors for Countdown to Kitty Hawk rolled out the 605-pound aircraft, handmade primarily of wood, steel and muslin. "The eyes of the world will be on EAA's Wright Flyer this coming Dec. 17 as we attempt to re-create the Wright brothers' first powered flight on the dunes of North Carolina," said EAA President and U.S. Centennial of Flight Commissioner Tom Poberezny. Ken Hyde, of Warrenton, Va.-based The Wright Experience, the organization that built EAA's Flyer, said, "It's pretty easy to build a Wright Flyer replica that looks like the first plane, but it's very difficult to build one that is an exact reproduction." He said that building this Flyer was "the ultimate reverse engineering job with a major catch." Hyde and crew had to ignore what they had learned over the past 100 years and revert to the Wright brothers' way of thinking.

As the Centennial Of Flight celebration continues, we hear more about some other Wright Flyer replicas surrounding this series of events. For example, the FAA presented the Wright Redux Association with an Airworthiness Certificate for their replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer. The certification -- issued on March 15 -- permits the plane, called the "Spirit of Glen Ellyn," to attempt powered flight. According to its builders, the "Spirit of Glen Ellyn" appears to be the first Wright Flyer replica that is being certificated in accordance with a new FAA policy, designed specifically for 1903 Wright Flyer replica aircraft. "We have been waiting for this day for three years," said Mark Miller, co-president of Wright Redux. After a couple more weeks of test "towing," the group believes the replica will be ready to fly early this spring. Another replica of Wright design will also take to the skies this summer. At this summer's Muskegon Air Fair, Dana Smith plans to fly a replica of the Wright brothers' Model EX. The Model EX replica is patterned after the "Vin Fiz," which flew from Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., to Long Beach, Calif., in 49 days during the fall of 1911. Smith's version of the Vin Fiz weighs 400 pounds less than the original and has a redesigned rudder.

While the Wright Brother's accomplishments continue to be celebrated, some in New Zealand are making it a point to remember their own aviation pioneer. Many Kiwis claim that fellow countryman Richard Pearse developed and tested his first machine about the time the Wrights were experimenting near Kitty Hawk. Pearse designed a two-cylinder, horizontally opposed, two-stroke engine with the prop mounted directly to the engine. The tricycle gear had inflated tires, and the nose wheel was steerable. His method of lateral control was by wingtip spoiler/flap, and his method of controlling the craft's up-down pitch was by an elevator that was mounted at the rear. The Wright brothers, on the other hand, used a self-made, four-cylinder, in-line engine. They used a 20-meter wooden launching track and catapult device to get their craft moving and in a straight line, and they used chain drives from the engine to power two separate propellers. Regardless of the chosen design method, the main question remains who flew first. While the Wrights had the witnesses to watch their first flights, Pearse did not. The debate continues.

Lancair announced that it's back in full production, as it delivered the first Columbia 300 since the company restarted production just over a month ago. With over 200 employees back at work, the company is also working on the development of its newest models. The company claims the Columbia 350 program is moving along at a fast pace. This new aircraft replaces traditional vacuum pumps with a dual-bus, dual-battery electrical system. It also features the new PowerLink FADEC option. Lancair is in the midst of flight-testing the 350 electrical and fuel systems. Certification is tentatively scheduled within the next few weeks. Lancair says the Columbia 400 program is also moving on schedule. This turbocharged model will feature the Continental TSIO-550-N1B engine, which the company claims will allow it to fly higher and with greater speed and efficiency than its other models. Flight-testing for the 400 is underway with certification scheduled for July, just in time for EAA's AirVenture.

On Monday, EADS Socata announced its TBM 700C2 had received FAA certification. Socata spent 10 years refining the original TBM -- produced in 1990 -- resulting in this new variant. The C2 follows on the successes of the TBM 700B with a large door and optional pilot door in 1999, and the Freighter version developed in 2001. Its most pronounced new feature is its strengthened airframe (spar box and wing attachments) allowing a maximum takeoff weight of 7394 pounds (3,354 kg) instead of 6,578 pounds (2,984 kg). This allows the new version to deliver bigger payload and range performance. A 1,074-nm maximum range with 45-minute fuel reserves has been calculated for the C2 with a 1,347-pound (611 kg) payload at 300 KTAS. Socata claims that a C2 will carry an 805-pound payload with full fuel and fly over a 1,565-nm distance with a 45-minute fuel reserve. Technical teams at EADS Socata worked 18 months to complete the certification program. As of March 1, a total of 230 TBM 700s have been delivered worldwide, of which 134 are registered in the U.S.

After months of debate on the proposed expansion of Chicago's O'Hare International airport, reports hint that the entire program is now shelved for the foreseeable future. The Chicago Tribune reported earlier this week that the $6 billion project has been quietly put on the back burner. While the increased size of the airport was always a hot issue, the recent financial pounding on the airline industry -- particularly United Air Lines - helped shelve it. United Air Lines is in bankruptcy, with American, O'Hare's second-largest tenant, also on the financial ropes. Sen. Dick Durbin, a major supporter of the expansion plan, admitted last week that he can't push a vote for O'Hare expansion through Congress. This report comes before a scheduled presentation where the FAA and the Chicago Department of Aviation will simultaneously host public outreach sessions on the expansion plans. The events, scheduled for March 19, will update the public on the environmental-analysis process and planning efforts completed at this time for the O'Hare Modernization Program. The reported shelving of O'Hare's expansion comes as welcome news to those supporters of a new airport project in the nearby city of Peotone. Mayors of Park Ridge, Bensenville and Elk Grove Village want, and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has expressed, a renewed bid to build this reliever airport.

On March 13, the Senate Commerce Committee approved legislation to arm cargo pilots. Part of S. 165, the Air Cargo Security Act, this provision was offered as an amendment by lead Democratic co-sponsors Senators Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). Specifically, The Bunning-Boxer Arming Cargo Pilots Against Terrorism Act closes a loophole within last year's Federal Flight Deck Officer program included in the final Homeland Security Act. Because cargo aircraft do not carry passengers, the requirements to strengthen cockpit doors and carry federal air marshals did not apply to their operations. However, some airline groups have long argued that these operations are a easy target for terrorist hijackings and therefore should implement the same protective measures. [more] "I applaud Senators Boxer and Bunning for taking the first step towards closing the security loopholes that currently exist in our national security agenda," Captain Bob Miller, president of the Independent Pilots Association (IPA), said after hearing the legislation was approved. ALPA president Capt. Duane Woerth also applauded the legislation. "Cargo airline security frequently has been overlooked in the post- 9/11 rush to fix passenger security. We look forward to working with both the Senate and the House, where a companion bill, H.R. 765, has been introduced, as the next step toward improving security in cargo airline operations," he said. There has been no indication on when the legislation will move into the full Senate.

Qantas, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) and the Center for Sleep Research at the University of South Australia have joined forces to conduct a major study on pilot fatigue. The Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) study will be conducted in three phases, with the aim of discovering the patterns and factors that contribute to drowsiness in the cockpit. In the first phase, volunteer flight crews have kept sleep-wake diaries and worn special activity monitors to obtain data on sleep patterns. In the second phase, in addition to collecting sleep-wake data, research will be undertaken to determine how quickly pilots' body clocks adapt to changes in time zones. In the final phase, pilots will be observed in flight simulators to link real performance measures with predicted fatigue. The research data will be used to develop methods to determine how different flight tasks are affected by fatigue, and then be used to determine pilot rosters, shifts and duty time in the cockpit. "The FRMS has the potential to be the single biggest improvement in the management of pilot fatigue and rostering since flight-time limitations were introduced," said Professor Drew Dawson, director of the Center for Sleep Research.

Owners of Diamond Aircraft have formed their own organization. The new Diamond Owners and Pilots Organization recently debuted online. This non-profit organization was established to "support the owners and pilots of certified aircraft manufactured by Diamond Aircraft Corporation and to educate, promote the safety of and encourage ownership of these aircraft." The group will also work together with other aircraft associations to promote all of the benefits of general aviation. For more information, please visit their Web site...

Glacier Girl -- one of few P-38s flying in the world -- is scheduled to fly again on March 19-20. Steve Hinton will pilot the beautifully restored warbird over the skies of Middlesboro, Ky. Glacier Girl organizers advise Hinton may also fly another P-38 on site. For more information, visit the online Glacier Girl Gazette newsletter...

As we reported on Monday, Bombardier's workers union was voting on a new company proposal that could have possibly closed the Toronto facility. Workers voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new deal that will keep the facility operating for at least another three years. Under the new deal with de Havilland's 1,900 unionized employees, workers will see wages rise by 7 percent over the three years of the contract, which kicks in when the current contract expires June 21. However, to meet this goal, about 650 jobs at Bombardier Inc.'s de Havilland aircraft assembly plant will be eventually cut...

Raytheon is considering a plan to move some of its production south of the border. The company is analyzing the benefits of outsourcing its wire harnesses and electrical panels work to Mexico, where two companies specializing in this field are located. No decision has been made on this particular area, but teams are analyzing outsourcing work across Raytheon Aircraft's lines in an effort to cut costs.

We received over 100 pictures last week. Congratulations to this week's winner, George Mock, of Windsor, ON, Canada. His photo, titled "Yellow Peril," gives us a double taste of yellow aircraft. Pictured are a 1941 Boeing Stearman and a Chipmunk operated by the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association here in Windsor, Ontario. Great picture. George! Your AVweb hat is on the way.

To check out the winning picture, or to enter next week's contest, go to http://www.avweb.com/potw.

We received over 700 responses to our question last week on War's Effects On General Aviation. Almost half (42 percent) of those responding felt a war with Iraq would definitely be a negative event; however, GA will fare better than the airlines. A smaller group (27 percent) indicated the GA industry will experience another large economic hit with this kind of armed conflict. Only 2 percent of those responding felt a war would actually boost GA sales.

To check out the complete results, including comments, go to http://www.avweb.com/qotw.

This week, we would like to know your thoughts on the new Airport Watch program. Thanks to Dave McClurkin for suggesting this week's topic. Please go to http://www.avweb.com/qotw to respond.

Have an idea for a new QOTW? Send your suggestions to qotw@avweb.com. Note, this address is ONLY for suggested QOTW questions, and NOT for QOTW answers.