briefs

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COLUMNS Probable Cause #19: Fuel And The IFR Pilot A pilot in IMC runs out of options as the fuel needles bounce on empty. When flying IFR, there’s never such a thing as too much fuel on board.

Two fatal crashes this year might have been affected by FAA staff changes, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) said yesterday. In one incident, a local radar facility was closed for the night when a twin-engine Beech Baron crashed on approach in Lawrenceville, Ill., last month, killing the pilot. NATCA says local approach controllers […]

The Freedom amphibian, built by Spanish manufacturer Colyaer, was approved last week as a Special Light Sport Aircraft. The airplane, which is built of carbon fiber, Kevlar, Nomex and epoxy, won recognition earlier this year at Sun ‘n Fun, where it was named best composite seaplane. It also won a takeoff award, averaging six to […]

Mooney’s Acclaim, Ovation2 GX and Ovation3 can now be equipped with Garmin’s new GFC 700 autopilot, Mooney said this week. The FAA has certified the installation on all three models. The GFC 700 is a three-axis, fully digital, dual-channel, fail-passive Automatic Flight Control System. “The GFC 700 marks the first time single-engine piston pilots will […]

Wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have many challenges ahead, but finding transportation shouldn’t be one of them. That’s the view of a new nonprofit group, Veterans Airlift Command (VAC), which is recruiting volunteer pilots and aircraft owners to lend air support to recovering soldiers and their families. The group recently flew its first […]

Thielert, a German company that builds diesel aircraft engines, has rebutted accusations alleging that some of its financial reports were fraudulent. The allegations first surfaced in October, and briefly deflated the company’s stock price by 40 percent, Thielert says. At that time, the company said its balance sheets had been approved by auditors and also […]

The new V-6 engine that was promoted at Oshkosh last summer as the REV will be shelved, BRP-Rotax said this week. BRP-Rotax, based in Austria, said it will complete the certification of the engine next month, but then will not proceed with bringing it to market. The company will continue to offer its 912 and […]

AVweb posts audio news on Mondays, plus a new in-depth interview each Friday. In Friday’s podcast, you’ll find an interview with Cessna chairman, president and CEO Jack Pelton, covering the company’s light sport aircraft and next-generation piston family. And AVweb’s podcast index includes interviews with Spectrum Aeronautical chairman Linden Blue, Adam Aircraft chairman Rick Adam […]