Aviation-Related News from Around the Southwest

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WINGS & WHEELS IN WEST TEXAS

Marfa, Texas will host the annual “Wings & Wheels” event on Memorial Day weekend, May 28-30, 2004 at the Marfa Airport on Texas Highway 17.
Classic airplanes, gliders, vintage cars, tractors and motorcycles from across the southwestern USA will gather at this celebration of transportation. The event is open to the public and admission is free. Glider rides will be available.

Marfa is located on a high plateau near the scenic Davis Mountains, between Carlsbad Caverns and Big Bend National Parks. Marfa is also a destination for artists and writers. Several new art galleries have opened recently, and the Chinati Foundation hosts the works of minimalist sculptor Donald Judd.

The McDonald Observatory is just a few miles away in the mountains above Fort Davis. A new visitor center hosts evening “Star Parties” for the public to explore the exceptionally clear skies of west Texas.
For information, call 800-667-9464 or visit flygliders.com/wings_&_wheels.htm.

HARRISON FORD ACCEPTS CHAIRMANSHIP OF EAA’S YOUNG EAGLES PROGRAM

Harrison Ford, best known as a renowned actor in more than three dozen films but also an extremely active pilot and member of the Experimental Aircraft Association has accepted the chairmanship of the EAA Young Eagles Program.

Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, who has served as Young Eagles Chairman since 1994, has been named the program’s Chairman Emeritus and will continue to participate as one of more than 35,000 volunteer pilots who have been involved since Young Eagles was founded.

The one-to-one outreach between pilot and youngster was part of what attracted Ford to the program. “Young Eagles gives kids a view of the world they’ve never seen before,” Ford said. “Each Young Eagle flight is an opportunity to excite kids by sharing your passion for flight and to show them that they, too, can learn the skills to participate in aviation.”

Ford actually began flight training as a college student in the 1960s, but then put his training on hold until he rediscovered it in the early 1990s. He has since earned ratings in rotorcraft and tailwheel aircraft. He has been an EAA member since the mid-1990s and a member of a local EAA Chapter near his home.

The new Chairman is the third in the history of the Young Eagles Program. Academy Award-winning actor Cliff Robertson served as Chairman from the program’s founding in July 1992 through 1994, with Gen. Yeager serving 1995-2003. Under these two Chairmen, EAA’s Young Eagles has grown into the largest youth aviation education program ever created.

More information is available online at youngeagles.org.

PARKWEST INTRODUCES "ANASAZI ADVENTURE"

Parkwest Air Tours is kicking off its 5th season with a new option for pilots who want to see the West. The “Anasazi Adventure” circumnavigates the Four Corners area, offering a peek into the great Native American cultures of the region. Pilots will overfly Monument Valley, numerous New Mexican pueblos, the Painted Desert and Chaco Canyon while visiting Mesa Verde National Park, Taos Pueblo, Acoma’s Sky City and the gem of the Navajo Nation: Canyon de Chelly. As with all tours, the Anasazi Adventure comes fully-packaged and is led by experienced, safety-minded pilot guides.

Details are available at parkwestair.com or by calling toll-free 866-897-7910.

APEX ADDS OAKLAND BUSINESS JET CENTER

Aviation Points Exchange™ (APEX) is happy to announce that Business Jet Center – Oakland has joined the nationwide network of Authorized APEX Dealers. Business Jet Center currently operates premium FBOs in two locations, Dallas-Love Field and Oakland International Airport.

Opened in October 2003, Business Jet Center Oakland is currently operating from a temporary facility until a complete renovation is completed on their permanent facility, the original, historic terminal facility at Oakland International built in 1927. The renovations are scheduled for completion in Spring of 2004 and promises to be a “complementary blend of history and progress”. The new facility will feature premium amenities in elegant style. Available services include valet parking, crew cars, conference facilities, flight planning room, preflight services, pilots lounge all 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and indicate Business Jet Center’s commitment to customer service.

Visit apexpoints.com for a complete list of APEX dealers or to see the latest Premium Rewards. For more information on the APEX Program, call 877-276-2739.

ARIZONA WING CIVIL AIR PATROL CADETS WIN REGIONAL COMPETITION

The Arizona Wing Civil Air Patrol Drill Team recently returned from the Southwest Region Cadet Competition held at Kirtland AFB NM, in which the Arizona cadets took first place in all events. As a result of the team’s outstanding performance and hard work, the Arizona cadets will be representing the Southwest Region in the National Drill Team Competition at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, July 6 through July 11, 2004.

Now that the cadets will be going to the National competition, they must begin to raise the necessary funds to get there. The estimated cost is $15,000.00.

Contact 1LT Bruce McKie at 602- 565-1297 or 480-461-1862 or 1LT Allan Pearlstein at 480-855-1796 or 602-370-1321 for additional information on the drill team or CAP. Or, visit the AZ Wing CAP website at azwg.cap.gov or the national CAP website at cap.gov.

AIR BP STERLING SERVICE SILVER MINE AT 2004 AS3 SHOW IN LAS VEGAS

Air BP Aviation Services is pleased to announce that the company will once again bring the “Sterling Service Silver Mine” to their exhibit at the AS3 Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 18 - 20. All attendees are invited to try their luck at the mine for a chance to win great prizes and to see first hand how Sterling Service can benefit their company. Everyone who plays will walk away a winner! And, everyone will also have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a set of premium golf clubs complete with a custom leather “Air BP” bag.

Sterling Service is exemplified by Air BP’s commitment to providing FBOs with the combination of extensive resources and secure supply necessary to enhance their success. Information and personnel related to areas critical to a successful FBO will be on hand such as Parts, Trucks and Equipment, Lubricants, Business Aviation Services, Card Programs, Safety and Quality Control Training, and much more.

Visit the Air BP at airbpaviation.com to find out more.

ORACLE CEO LARRY ELLISON PLACES DEPOSIT ON HIGH PERFORMANCE JAVELIN JET

Aviation Technology Group (ATG) announced today that their Northwest Distributor, Western Aircraft, has taken a deposit for an early Javelin delivery position from Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation.

"I'm really looking forward to flying my new Javelin. Its unique combination of high performance and economy will redefine the market for very light jets," said Ellison.

As the first distributor/service center to sign on with ATG, Western Aircraft owns a number of early delivery positions on the high performance Javelin. "The Javelin is an exciting project and we believe this is the first of many sales to high profile cliental," said Western President of Sales Al Hoyt, "It's great to see the efforts of our sales team being rewarded so quickly."

Western Aircraft is an authorized service center and repair station for many of the world’s top business aircraft manufacturers and OEM’s such as Dassault Falcon, Pilatus, Raytheon, Cessna, Honeywell, Collins, and Aviation Technology Group. In business since 1957, Western's on-going improvements and investments in people, training, tooling, technology and facilities have combined with a commitment to customer service to create the company's motto of "Professionals Serving Professionals".

To learn more about the Javelin, call 303- 799-4197, or visit avtechgroup.com.

“NO JUSTIFICATION” FOR PROPOSED CHARITY/SIGHTSEEING RULE, AOPA TELLS FAA

The FAA’s proposal to force small sightseeing businesses to meet the requirements for large air tour operators and increase flight-time requirements for pilots who fly charity fund-raisers is neither justified nor supported by safety data and should be withdrawn, AOPA told the agency.

In AOPA’s formal response, Senior Vice President of Government and Technical Affairs Andy Cebula said that by combining sightseeing, air tours, and charity flights, the FAA has made the proposal “impractical, if not impossible, to implement.

AOPA says the FAA’s claims that the proposed rule will improve safety are suspect.

“Nothing in the original Federal Register notice or the information that has been made available during the comment period indicates that there is a significant safety issue with sightseeing flights,” Cebula wrote. The AOPA Air Safety Foundation reviewed the 73 accidents mentioned in supporting documents for the NPRM and found that in 92 percent of those cases, the proposed rule would not have prevented the accidents. The other eight percent only might have been prevented if operated as Part 135 flights.

The proposal to increase the minimum number of hours a private pilot must have in order to provide sightseeing flights to help charities raise money is arbitrary and would do little to improve safety, argued AOPA. Raising the minimum from 200 to 500 hours would mean 22% fewer pilots would be available to help charities raise money. Private pilots are limited to four such events per year. The flights must be conducted in day VFR conditions and are typically flown near the pilot’s home in an area with which they’re thoroughly familiar.

Visit aopa.org to learn more about the full extent of AOPA's programs.

SPORTY'S CHART VIEWER™ FAA TERMINAL PROCEDURE PUBLICATIONS ON DVD

Pilots can now use Sporty’s Chart Viewer™ software to access FAA Approach Charts which are now being offered on DVD. Sporty’s Chart Viewer software, along with every current FAA Terminal Procedure Publication including approaches, departures, arrivals and airport diagrams for the entire United States, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands, are included on a DVD.

Through Sporty’s Chart Viewer, pilots can either load charts directly on to their computer or view them from the DVD. Charts can be printed ahead of time or viewed in the airplane on a laptop computer or tablet. Sporty’s Chart Viewer is simple to navigate with large menu buttons making it easy to use in the cockpit. Pilots can view the entire chart or zoom in for greater detail. Charts may be searched by state, city and type of approach. Sporty’s Chart Viewer along with all approach charts on DVD (D407A) is available for $9.95 and may be purchased on a subscription basis. Subscriptions will automatically ship to the pilot every 28-day cycle. Chart Viewer DVD requires a PC with a DVD drive and Adobe Acrobat reader.

Visit sportys.com to or call 800-SPORTYS for more information.

SILENT COPILOT FACILITATES FLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION

The Silent Copilot Flight Companion flight planning package combines all of the data you need for a safe, hassle-free flight.

The flight plan forms come in PDF format for easy use on a laptop or tablet, or they can be printed on a standard clip board size sheet for easy reference. Simple color coding makes finding information a snap, and standard information reminders help ensure you'll have all of the information each flight requires.

For more information, contact Silent Copilot at 432-837-7011.

EXCEL-JET ENTERS CERTIFIED LIGHT JET RACE

Following the success of the country's first kit-built jet aircraft, Maverick Jet designer Bob Bornhofen has announced his latest project, the Sport-Jet.

"Unlike some other microjet entries, we are currently assembling a flying pre-production prototype," said Bornhofen. The company, based near Colorado Springs, has been organized to see the new aircraft through development and into production.

Excel-Jet's new model is a single-pilot, 4+1 seat, single-engine, all-glass aircraft aimed at the general aviation market. The jet, which will sell for less than $1 million, will cruise at 340 knots at 25,000 feet, carrying four passengers over 1,000 nautical miles. The new aircraft will be equipped with a supplemental emergency landing system comprised of a multi-stage parachute capable of supporting the aircraft with all seats filled.

For more information, call Bob Bornhofen at 719-495-7221.