January 2008 Readback

Florida Institute of Technology's School of Aeronautics has taken delivery of its first Liberty XL2. It will be used for primary and instrument training and will be available to students as well as the general public. The school's dean, Dr. Ken Stackpoole, stated, "We welcome Liberty aircraft to our flight line and look forward to working with fellow airport residents to encourage community participation in aviation and Florida Tech's flying programs." Go to www.libertyaircraft.com for more info.

Shadin Avionics
Shadin Avionics announced the development of a new design on the Engine Trend Monitoring system. The new ETM XL will include features such as USB thumb-drive downloading, extended memory capability and minimal airframe installation time. "We have designed the ETM XL to mount to the aircraft engine, and it can spend its entire life with that engine for trending and performance measurements," said Executive Director of Sales & Marketing Robert Randall. Learn more at www.shadin.com.

AeroShell Donates
AeroShell made a charitable contribution of $5,500 to EAA Young Eagles and $2,000 to Able Flight, which allows people with disabilities to gain greater self-confidence through flight training. "To be able to help people with disabilities, especially our wounded American heroes, and to enjoy this feeling of independence and self-reliance is definitely something that AeroShell wanted to be a part of," said AeroShell's U.S. Sales Manager Jerry Toenjes. By auctioning rides, AeroShell raised an additional $40,000 that will go to the Young Eagles and other youth-outreach programs. Visit www.aeroshell.com.

Parachutes On Cessnas
Cessna announced that it will offer a BRS (ballistic recovery system) parachute as an option on its C-162 Skycatcher. The two-seat LSA will also feature a Garmin glass cockpit, gull-wing doors and a new-style control stick. The parachute will sit aft of the seats. BRS also announced that its parachute systems will be made available for the entire family of Cessna piston singles. Stay safe at www.brsparachutes.com.

In another announcement, Cessna stated that it will offer Thielert's turbodiesel engine in its Skyhawk 172S aircraft, with deliveries to begin in mid-2008. The twin-cam, in-line, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine develops 155 hp, is certified to operate on Jet-A fuel, is liquid-cooled and drives a composite, three-blade, constant-speed propeller. Cessna will also make the Garmin GFC 700 Automatic Flight Control and Flight Director System standard equipment on most Skyhawk models beginning in January 2008. "We now offer the same fully integrated, all-Garmin system, from the Skyhawk through the Citation Mustang," said Cessna VP of Propeller Aircraft Sales John Doman. "Having the consistency in avionics eases the transition for our pilot owners." For more, visit www.cessna.com.

Thermawing System
Kelly Aerospace Thermal Systems received the STC for its Thermawing system on the Columbia 300. The all-electric system uses graphite thermafoil technology to provide instantaneous temperature rise and cool for aircraft surfaces. New installations on the Columbia line are being completed in Willoughby, Ohio. Make a reservation at www.kellyaerospace.com.

Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum
Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum is hosting its annual Aviation Industry Career Expo on January 26 at Compton Airport in Southern California. Participants will include the Tuskegee Airmen, Boeing Corporation and the Organization of Black Airline Pilots. The organization uses aviation as a magnet to attract minorities from low-income families, providing tutoring and mentoring services. To provide a tax-deductible donation, visit www.tamusem.org.

Epic Partners Up
Epic Aircraft announced a new partnership with Indian billionaire Dr. Vijay Mallya, who owns India's premiere private carrier, Kingfisher Airlines. "Epic was really looking for a strategic partner, not just an investor," CEO Rick Schrameck explained. "Dr. Mallya now has a significant interest in our company, and we will immediately benefit from his relationships with a variety of companies, including Airbus and Pratt & Whitney." Learn more at www.epicaircraft.com.

Europe-American Aviation
Europe-American Aviation has launched Cleared Direct, an all-glass cockpit, ab-initio career pilot program, featuring Diamond Aircraft's technologically advanced aircraft and Diamond Simulation's Level 5 Flight-Training Device. "The bottom line for our customers is that they train with state-of-the-art equipment in a safe environment while enjoying very competitive prices," said Europe-American Aviation CEO Carsten Sturm. "Every airline recruiter we have talked to so far has shown great interest in the Cleared Direct program and its future graduates." Enroll at www.eaa-fly.com.

Galvin Flying Services
WR/QFS FBO Holdings, a new company formed by Quantem FBO Services and WR Capital Partners, has acquired Galvin Flying Services. Founded in 1930, Galvin has seen 77 years of success as a full-service FBO at Seattle's Boeing Field. "This new chapter for Galvin creates the opportunity for us to continue our service mission while affording us the chance to expand and grow our company's offerings," commented Galvin President Peter Anderson. "Our customers, employees and partners will be real winners in this exciting new venture." Visit www.galvinflying.com for more info.

10 Years In Corona
This September, Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Company celebrated 10 years of operation at its Corona, Calif., facility. Founded in 1965, the company was previously based in Fullerton, Calif. The new building at Corona provided the additional space necessary for Aircraft Spruce to handle a rapidly increasing order volume. Visit www.aircraftspruce.com.

Transitioning From Sport Pilot To The Private Ticket
Until now, there hasn't been a systematic program for sport pilots who wish to transition to the private-pilot certificate. Knowledge requirements are abridged in the LSA world, and CFIs have had, so far, only two options in transitioning sport pilots to private pilots: start over (duplicating a lot of knowledge and effort in the process) or assume some level of training and move on from there (typically leaving gaps that won't be discovered for months). Paul Hamilton has produced the Sport & Private Pilot Airplane Training Syllabus, which is tailored to the needs of the student-CFI team wishing to move from LSA to the world of larger airplanes. The Hamilton Pilot Training System is a "flight and ground, scenario-based course for sport-pilot, private-pilot and instructor certification." To learn more, contact Adventure Productions at (775) 747-0175.

All About AOA
AlphaTrainer-3D, an add-on to the X-Plane PC flight simulator, shows aerodynamic forces and angle of attack interactively. A data window shows numeric values of these and other important information. This technology can be applied to any airplane and runs on Windows, Macintosh or Linux operating systems. For more information, contact Alpha Trainer at (814) 437-5599.

SuperHawk 180 Horses Conversion
Penn Yan Aero has released a new 180 hp STC engine option for Cessna 172 models I, K, L, M, N and P that allows you to replace your 150 or 160 hp O-320-E2D, O-320-D2J or O-320-H2AD engine and comes complete with a new Sensenich propeller and all of the hardware you need to complete the conversion. The exclusive type-certified, FAA-approved Penn Yan Aero SuperHawk O-360-A4M exchange engine is based on Superior Engine's advanced design, materials and Penn Yan's meticulous build and stringent quality standards. For more information, contact Penn Yan Aero at (800) 727-7230.

The Hangar Door, Redefined
HydroSwing is the world's largest manufacturer of one-piece hydraulic doors and walls, which are quickly becoming an aviation standard. The company's simple one-piece door has powerful hydraulic rams, and is more convenient and efficient than bifold doors with their cables, straps and pulleys. The HydroSwing is a natural successor to traditional hangar openings; it's a cost-effective solution for maximizing a hangar's effectiveness, reliability and value. By using no headroom when the door is open, HydroSwing provides maximum clearance and allows hangar owners to build smaller buildings and save on costs. In addition to extra headroom, HydroSwing offers more efficiency, more strength and security, lower building costs and fewer moving parts than bifold doors. For more, contact HydroSwing at (866) 60-HYDRO.

A Compact Survival Kit
Classicjet offers a revolutionary aviator survival mini-kit, the SquawkBox Micro Aviation Survival Kit. This unique kit stores 20 top-quality survival components. The 4x5-inch kit is watertight and airtight and comes in a Pelican Micro Case that can withstand impacts, solvents, fuel and heavy abuse. Among other things, the kit includes a military-spec glass signal mirror, 48-kilo break-strength wire saw, super-bright LED light and button compass. For more information, contact Classicjet at (949) 292-3481.

VFR/IFR Lap Desks
Sporty's Lap Desk is equipped with a storage compartment for keeping, among other things, extra charts, pencils, computers, plotters and checklists right at hand where you need them. In addition to the storage compartment, the Lap Desk offers an additional aluminum surface so that both your flight plan and your chart can be secured and you can flip from one to the other. The all-aluminum Lap Desk features a permanently mounted placard loaded with information relevant to VFR or IFR flight. For more, contact Sporty's at (800) SPORTYS.

Comfort In Seconds
The new Master Design Seatbelt Adjuster is a cost-effective plastic clip designed to allow a user to better position a seat belt to prevent it from chafing against the neck, which is especially annoying on long flights. The nonintrusive plastic clip takes a few seconds to snap permanently in place on the lap belt. The Seatbelt Adjuster has been crash-tested to meet U.S. government regulation and is appropriate for adults and children over 80 pounds. Learn more by calling (800) 667-4954.

Organize Your Cockpit
After searching to no avail for years for the ideal chart organizer, Sporty's staff of active pilots decided to design its own. Sporty's Chart Organizer conveniently holds charts, has pockets for other must-have cockpit items and is essential for single-pilot operations. The Chart Organizer has six chart pockets to hold Sectionals, WACs, TACs and en route charts. Each roomy pocket will hold up to three charts. In addition to charts, organizational pockets provide room for a manual E6B, a pilot certificate, pens and more. Elastic straps allow for expansion, and the durable design will take years of pilot abuse. For more, call Sporty's at (800) SPORTYS.

Pilot Safety
Even below altitudes where oxygen is required by FAA regulations, night vision can be affected by lower oxygen levels. The risk increases for older pilots, who by 60, require three times the amount of light to have the same vision as a 20-year-old. To improve safety for all pilots, AEROX offers a patented glow-in-the-dark Glow Gauge and Glow Meter, compatible with any oxygen system. The photoluminescent material increases safety by allowing pilots to more easily monitor their level of oxygen reserves and the flow necessary for a specific altitude. A several-minute light charge allows the Glow Gauge and Glow Meter to be readable in low-light conditions for well over four hours. For more, contact AEROX at (800) 237-6902.

IFR Glasses With Corrective Lenses
Most view-limiting devices share one flaw: The inability to accommodate pilots who require corrective lenses. To satisfy this need, IFR Glasses has developed Old Foggies, the first view-limiting device with custom-power reading lenses. Old Foggies were developed to balance the training value of view-limiting devices without further limiting pilots from being able to read charts. And if you're among the lucky few who do have perfect vision, you can opt for Cloud-eeze, which offers the same high-quality view-limiting device for pilots who don't need corrective lenses. For more, contact IFR Glasses at (317) 259-7788.