Sole Survivor Documentary Targets August

A documentary based on the insights of individuals who became sole survivors of commercial aviation disasters appears set for release in August. According to the movie's creators, the film includes commentary from at least three survivors who have never spoken publicly about the events that changed their lives. Among them is one pilot, Jim Polehinke, who acted as co-pilot of Comair Flight 5191, which crashed at Lexington on August 27, 2006, killing all 49 others aboard. The NTSB's found the probable cause of the accident included multiple failures of the flight crew. Click through for the trailer.

NORDO No More

So Bertorelli gets a radio in the Cub, and now he's a pattern pest.

Concrete (RC) Airplane 'Flies' (With Video)

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology said earlier this month that students there had created and flown a small remote control aircraft made of concrete, but their level of success may be open to interpretation. The aircraft had a wingspan of 40 inches and weighed 18 pounds. A news release from the school notes "viral" coverage of the event. It also states that the "flight was quick and wobbly with the landing equally erratic, but it was enough for the record books." After viewing video of the flight, it may not be clear that the vehicle's return to earth can be categorized as a "landing." The concrete plane isn't the first of its kind.

Virgin Galactic Has Hired Its Pilots

A retired Air Force Lt. Colonel and a former NASA space shuttle commander have been hired to fly space tourists in Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, the company has announced. Michael "Sooch" Masucci has 30 years of civilian and military operational and test flying, according to the company, has served as a U-2 pilot with the Air Force and has flown 70 different types, including gliders. Frederick "CJ" Sturckow has 26 years of military flight experience, flew as commander of two Space Shuttle missions and has logged 1,200 hours in space. The men are currently training to operate commercial suborbital space flights, carrying passengers for $200,000 per ticket.

Video: Sam LSA Debuts at Sun 'n Fun

The Sam light sport aircraft, which first flew in March, was on display at Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland, Florida.

Video: Total Eclipse Quick Look

Eclipse Aerospace is touring the country with a Total Eclipse jet, using it as a demo for the soon-to-be-delivered Eclipse 550. In this AVweb video, Paul Bertorelli offers a quick product overview.

Cessna 152 vs. LSA: Vintage Wins the Day

On the flight training line, ancient 152s can still be more profitable, chiefly because LSAs lack a mature parts chain and repair support infrastructure.

Question of the Week: How Dependent Are You on GPS?

There might be a big solar flare that could affect GPS later this week. If it happens while you're flying and knocks out your wonder boxes, what will you do?Plus: Last week, we asked AVweb readers what role they believe EAA should play in the aviation community; click through to see the breakthrough of answers.

Podcast: Prof. Kent Lovelace on the Pilot Pool

It's not an easy road from first solo to an airline left seat, and new rules now in the works are making that journey even bumpier. Kent Lovelace, chair of the aviation department at the University of North Dakota, talks with AVweb's Mary Grady about the impact of new rules that raise the bar for that first job, how airlines and students are adapting, and some new programs that aim to address some of these issues.

Solar Flares Could Disrupt Some Communications

The sun this week unleashed a series of X-flares, classified among the most intense solar activity, that each became the most energetic of the year until the next one; none were directed toward earth but that may change next week with possible effects for aviation. The Space Weather Prediction Center is watching the activity for potential disruption of space-based communication systems and ground-based electronics. Aviation activities most susceptible to the flares include aircraft communication. If affected, scientists say we would see it first with aircraft flying near the poles. The increase in solar storm activity was predicted years ago and AVweb sat with a specialist to talk about its affects on GA.

Navy Carrier And Liquid Hydrogen Drone Milestones

The U.S. Navy this week announced it has -- for the first time -- successfully launched the X-47B combat-capable aerial vehicle from an aircraft carrier and, separately, set a new record for flight endurance with a fuel cell-powered UAV with the Ion Tiger. The X-47B's testing Tuesday saw it launch from the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush during flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean off the Virginia coast. The launch was followed by several low approaches and a flight mission to the naval base at Patuxent River, Md., that also demonstrated a ship-based to land-based transfer of control. Also this week the Navy reported that its Ion Tiger unmanned vehicle set a record for endurance, flying 48 hours and one minute on liquid hydrogen fuel.

ATP Rule Change Affects Career Choices

A new law that will require first officers in regional jets to hold at least an ATP certificate is not yet official, but it's already affecting aviation careers, Kent Lovelace, chair of the aviation department at the University of North Dakota, told AVweb this week. The law will take effect this August, whether or not the FAA has completed its proposed rulemaking process, Lovelace said. The regionals already have started to reject applicants who aren't likely to log the minimum 1,500 hours total time by this summer, and the change also has caused some students to choose a different career track. The regionals' applicant pool has shrunk "to where some carriers, the usable applications they have on file are virtually nil," says Lovelace.

B-29 Connections

Two books provide interesting glimpses of this remarkable airplane. Forty years ago, Paul Bertorelli got his own close-up look and has the scarred knuckles to prove it.

Sonex To Offer Transition Training

In a study of amateur-built aircraft completed last year, the NTSB cited a need for transition training to help new owners safely fly their airplanes, and this week Sonex said it has developed a training program for its fleet. Sonex said the FAA has authorized the company to provide flight training for pilots who are building, buying, or considering a Sonex design. "Preparing to fly your Sonex with the proper training and type-specific flight time is just as important as building the aircraft properly," said Sonex CEO Jeremy Monnett. The training is offered by Sonex staff CFIs at the company base in Oshkosh, Wis.

Flight Services Adds SpiderTracks Monitoring

Pilots and operators who use SpiderTracks satellite monitoring devices in their aircraft can now register their device with the AFSS system to enable real-time tracking of their flights. In a news release Lockheed Martin, which operated the AFSS system, said by registering their SpiderTracks device, pilots can ensure that their flight progress is monitored from takeoff to landing and if the device stops moving, stops transmitting or sends an emergency signal, the system is instantly alerted. "As a result, the system is able to initiate search and rescue procedures with more precision and speed than previously possible," said Lockheed Martin. The service is free. The SpiderTracks system currently plots aircraft progress on a website that requires a login. The SpiderTracks partnership seems to be the test bed for a system-wide real-time monitoring system.

Twin Turboprop Flies By Remote Control

Two pilots sat in the cockpit of 16-seat BAE Jetstream 31 and did nothing as it flew for 500 miles from England to Scotland in civil airspace, controlled by an operator on the ground, according to news reports this week. The flight reportedly took place sometime last month. The on-board pilots handled the takeoff and landing, according to the BBC. The test was done by Astraea, a research group funded by the government and commercial companies, in cooperation with the National Air Traffic Services. In an online video, Astraea official Lambert Dopping-Hepenstal says the company has been working with authorities to develop a process for certifying and operating an unmanned Jetstream in the civil airspace.

Embraer Unveils Legacy 500 At EBACE

Embraer will fly its prototype Legacy 500 midsize business jet to the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva next week in the first public showing of the aircraft. Corporate Jet Investor is reporting that Embraer will also bring along its 2013 model Lineage 1000. "EBACE, Europe's premier business aviation gathering, is an excellent showcase to debut the Legacy 500 and the 2013 Lineage 1000," said Ernest Edwards, president, Embraer Executive Jets. The Legacy 500 was announced at the 2008 EBACE and had its first flight last November. Meanwhile, EBACE continues to be the go-to show for business jet vendors and customers in Europe.

FAA Calls For GA Safety Improvements

With the busy summer flying season upon us, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta on Tuesday met with leaders from EAA, AOPA, GAMA, NBAA and others in the general aviation community to discuss actions to enhance safety and reduce accidents. The GA fatal accident rate has remained flat over the past five years, Huerta noted. "We cannot become complacent about safety," he said. "Together, we must improve the safety culture to drive the GA fatal accident rate lower." The group agreed to set short-terms goals to raise awareness on the importance of basic airmanship and to promote a positive safety culture. Huerta also asked the aviation community to commit to several longer-term goals.

Flyers' Group Seeks Limit On 787 Flights

Flyers' Rights, an advocacy group for airline passengers, said on Tuesday the FAA should restrict 787 flights to within two hours of an airport "until the safety of its lithium-ion batteries is proven." The restriction wouldn't affect flights over the continental U.S. or most flights to Europe, but trans-Pacific and transpolar routes would be off limits. "Our proposed actions are both urgent and necessary," said Paul Hudson, president of the organization. "Adequate testing of the batteries haven't been done and the fire investigation is not finished." United Airlines, the only U.S. carrier flying 787s, plans to resume domestic flights with the airplane next Monday, and will start flying the Denver-Tokyo route on June 10.

NASA Funds Prize To Advance Drone Integration

NASA is providing a half-million-dollar prize for Phase 1 of a Centennial Challenge that aims to develop technology to help unmanned aircraft operate safely in the national airspace system, the agency has announced. The first phase of the UAS Airspace Operations Challenge will focus on safe airspace operations and robustness to system failures, NASA said. Competitors will need to demonstrate skills including separation from other aircraft using ADS-B, and respond to failures such as unreliable GPS or lost links. The first competition event is expected in May 2014. Phase 2 of the competition will focus on how to detect UAS that are not cooperating with the system.

Short Final

I was flying just northeast of Dallas on Monday, April 22. This was the first day of sequester-induced cutbacks of controllers.Fort Worth Center:"King Air 12345, cleared direct FINGR for the FINGR3 arrival."King Air 12345:"Cleared direct FINGR."Fort Worth Center:"They told us not to give any shortcuts today, but I don't see any way to do it except to give you the finger."I was laughing too hard to hear the King Air's reply.Steve Beckerditevia e-mail

FBO of the Week: Sonoma Jet Center (Santa Rosa, California)

>>> AVWEB FUEL FINDERCURRENT PRICE FOR 100LL: $6.04 (up 3¢ from last week)CURRENT PRICE FOR JET A: $5.49 (no change from last week)Fuel prices provided weekly by AirNav, based on prices from the past 2 weeks. Changes are relative to last week's prices. /TEXT_ONLY-->AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to Sonoma Jet Center at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (KSTS) in Santa Rosa, California.AVweb reader Austin Kalb told us about the FBO:Wow. Either I'm really a VIP, or the people at the Sonoma Jet Center in Santa Rosa, California just made me feel that way. When I arrived in my Mooney, I was immediately swarmed by staff unpacking my luggage, loading the rental car (that was brought to the airplane), hooking up a tow, [and] handing us some cold waters. Then Josh said hello. He owns the place — and when I found out he was a Mooney driver, I stepped out of the airplane to chat. A couple of minutes later, I was offered hangar space with the big guys. Nice! That night, my rental car experienced a flat tire. [The rental company] was less than helpful — they left me pretty much on my own. I called the FBO. They simply took care of the issue. I left my car at the B&B in the morning, and when I returned later that day, a new rental was sitting where the old one was. When we left Santa Rosa, Josh showed up again to see us off. Last time I visited Santa Rosa, Joyce at the front desk was exceptional. Now I get why — it starts at the top. Great job, guys!Keep those nominations coming. For complete contest rules, click here.AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!

Dodging A Bullet

AVweb's Russ Niles describes what it was like to be waiting on the ramp for a Maverick flying car ride, only to watch it crash on final approach.

Senators Urge FCC To Drop 121.5 ELT Rule

Comments have closed on the FCC's proposal to phase out 121.5 MHz ELTs but a group of senators has made it a political issue. Five members of the Senate GA Caucus, led by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., have written the head of the FCC, Julius Genachowski, urging him to drop the plan. The senators argue that ELTs will be redundant when the NextGen air traffic system is fully implemented, and effectively making new 406 MHz ELTs mandatory for the big majority of GA pilots who still have 121.5 units is a waste of time and money. "Should the FCC move forward with its proposed rule to ban the use or manufacture of 121.5 MHZ ELTs, the general aviation industry will be required to install $500 million of technology which could soon become obsolete once the FAA fully implements that satellite based navigation system authorized under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012," said the letter. But a 406 MHz ELT manufacturer says the 406 MHz units are vastly superior and not as costly to pilots as opponents are saying it will be.

Museum Plans Constellation Flight Re-enactment

The countdown has begun for the ambitious re-enactment of a record-setting flight that helped usher in the modern age of air travel. The National Airline History Museum hopes to re-create the inaugural coast-to-coast flight of a Lockheed Constellation flown by Howard Hughes and Jack Frye in its own Connie. Right after the first Constellation was rolled out on April 17, 1944, Hughes and Frye jumped in the cockpit and flew across the country in less than seven hours. Orville Wright was onboard and it was his last flight. The museum hopes to have its Connie fully restored and ready for the flight on the 70th anniversary in 2014. "There are so many great stories and great people associated with this effort," said John Roper, VP of Operations for the museum. There is a huge fundraising task ahead of the volunteer-run effort, however.