briefs

Remember that post-9/11, war-induced, economy-in-the-toilet downturn the aviation industry is battling? Someone forgot to tell Garmin and the company just kept making money. In fact, while many businesses were trying to keep their other foot out of the grave, the avionics company posted a record 23-percent revenue increase in the first quarter of 2003 (compared […]

Making history can be easier, in some ways, than re-creating it, as three aerospace engineers are finding out in California. Michael Aten, Scot Hazel and Ben Barackman have been pulling their hair out trying to build a replica of the glider the Wrights built before they strapped an engine on the contraption. The glider weighs […]

Flying to Alaska can now be the start of an even bigger adventure. The FAA has issued a NOTAM opening a VFR route from Alaska to Russia. Route B-369 takes the venturesome GA pilot from Nome to Provideniya, a 275-nm trip that includes 39 miles over open water. Alaska Region FAA staff have been working […]

Beleaguered aerospace workers in Wichita got a small break last week, one they might technically not be entitled to, but welcome nonetheless. Thanks to some furious lobbying by one of their congressmen, Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard), the Department of Labor has agreed to apply an unemployment insurance benefit extension for laid-off airline workers to those […]

Beginning with this morning’s AVflash, we’re introducing a new format for both the news and the web site itself. The HTML version of AVflash now has slightly narrower margins, which should make the text more readable on a wider range of e-mail readers. The AVweb home page has been redesigned for better readability and easier […]

Plane spotters arrested, convicted and finally acquitted of espionage in Greece are now trying to get their bail money back. The plane-spotters, most of them British, were kept in jail for five weeks before being freed on 9,000 bail, which was never returned, even though they showed up for court. They were initially found guilty […]

The Jayhawk Chapter of the Commemorative Air Force is no stranger to historic aircraft, but their latest project still catches the volunteers’ attention. Most were on hand last Friday to see their restored Cessna UC-78 Bobcat — affectionately called the “Bamboo Bomber,” take off. “It’s a very rare aircraft. There are just a handful of […]

The NTSB has issued a recommendation letter on certain Hartzell propellers. In its letter, the agency advises the FAA to require the immediate inspection of all propeller parts and propeller assemblies overhauled or inspected by T&W Propellers in Chino, Calif., to determine if they are airworthy. The notice also advises the FAA to require that […]

Northrop Grumman has won a seven-year contract from the FAA for technology upgrades in the National Airspace System (NAS). Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems division will serve as prime contractor for the Technical Assistance Contract supporting the FAA’s Office of Air Traffic Systems Development (AUA). Specifically, Northrop Grumman will provide program management and technical assistance to […]

AOPA staff is in the final planning stages for its 13th Annual Fly-In and Open House. The Fly-In will offer more than 100 vendors and a host of seminars on safety, legal issues, buying advice and, of course, Rod Machado’s humor. If you’re going, don’t forget that special aircraft arrival procedures are in effect thanks […]