briefs

The tax dollars that fund the U.S. Air Force and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) are not for nothing … the brains there are hard at work finding ways to deflect threats most of us didn’t even know existed. The trouble is, according to some New Zealand researchers, their fix might cause problems of […]

Aviation Consumer (AVweb‘s sister publication) named Diamond Aircraft‘s DA42 Twin Star as its “Airplane of the Year” in the August 2006 issue. The magazine was impressed with Diamond’s use of Theilert aerodiesel engines, especially with the price of 100LL reportedly peaking above $7 per gallon in some areas. According to Aviation Consumer, the aircraft addresses […]

AVMAIL AVmail: Aug. 14, 2006Reader mail this week about too few student pilots, accident causes, user fees and much more.

COLUMNS The Pilot’s Lounge #103: The FAA As Customer — Good Business?Somebody has to rent planes to FAA personnel so they can maintain currency. And with the government backing them up, you shouldn’t have to worry about collecting the fees, right? AVweb’s Rick Durden has a cautionary tale from the Pilot’s Lounge this month.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVwebs NO-COST twice monthly Business AVflash? Reporting on breaking news, Business AVflash also focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the Business of Aviation. Business AVflash is a must read. Watch for a Business AVflash regular feature, TSA WATCH: GA IN THE […]

Drop us a line. If it caught your attention, it will probably interest someone else, too. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. You’re a part of our team … often, the best part. Find all of today’s stories in AVweb‘s: NewsWire

Online Now: Listen to, or take AVweb’s no-iPod-required audio news with you. We post fresh audio news issues each Monday and in-depth interviews, Friday. Find exclusive interviews featuring Cessna’s Jack Pelton on his company’s LSA, TCM president Bryan Lewis, NATCA president John Carr, New Piper CEO Jim Bass, Hal Shevers for Sporty’s Pilot Shop, Light […]

The National Aeronautic Association and the Air Care Alliance have chosen the 2006 Public Benefit Flying Award Winners. Ted Ruscitti, of Sewickley, Penn., gets the Distinguished Volunteer Pilot award for his many efforts in public benefit flying from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina. Distinguished Volunteer Award goes to Jubel Caldwell, the director of maintenance for Med+Flight […]

A Canadian company is considering resuming production of the kit-built Thunder Mustang, a three-quarter scale replica of the P-51 that’s been turning heads at the Reno Air Races. The original company closed its doors several years ago but Mike Paller says it wasn’t because of the airplane. Paller said there is demand for the $285,000 […]

The Civil Air Patrol has been pressed into service to conduct “reconnaissance” missions along the border between Arizona and Mexico. Three CAP Cessna 182s and pilots from Nevada will head south to fly the missions, which will be in support of government border-patrol efforts. The CAP crews have no authority to try and stop anyone […]