current past airport classified events links contact
Dec 2000/Jan 2001


Table of Contents
The Best of the Boneyard
Pima Air & Space Museum
The T-Cart
Taylorcraft Restored
A Family Blow Up
The 69th Battalion
The $100 Hamburger
Crosswinds Grill, Las Cruces, NM
Back To Basics
Operating at Icy Airports
Hangar Flying:
Midair Collision Avoidance
SWAV News Update



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SW Aviator Magazine
3909 Central NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
Phone: 505.256.7031
Fax: 505.256.3172
publisher@swaviator.com
SWAV News
Do you have news items of interest to the Southwest’s general aviation community? Submit them to: editor@swaviator.com or fax with cover sheet to (505) 256-3172. Submissions will be run as space permits and may be edited for length and style.

EXTRA AIRCRAFT USA ESTABLISHES DEALER NETWORK
Extra Aircraft USA, LLC, announced establishment of dealer network to market the newly US certified Extra E400 throughout North America.

The first United States deliveries of the new Extra 400 are scheduled for early November. Production rate will increase to 2 aircraft per month in the first half of 2001 to meet current orders.

In the Southwest, contact Mr. Bob Boudreau, (623) 587-6832, at Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, AZ.

NEW REPAIR SHOP OPENS AT EAGLE AIRPORT
Your Aircraft Maintenance, Inc., is now open for business at the Eagle Airport in Mohave Valley, AZ. Your Aircraft Maintenance is a full-service general aviation repair shop. It is easy to find, right across from Tookies Flying Service. Gary Erdman is the A&P and Director of Maintenance, with 25 years of experience in the aircraft maintenance field. He says, "Our goal is to provide good service the old fashioned way, at reasonable rates." Gary, a local resident, has been servicing general aviation customers in the Mohave Valley and in Kingman for over 10 years. Your Aircraft Maintenance, Inc., is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (520) 346-1190.

SANDEL AND MID-CONTINENT INTRODUCE SN3308-COMPATIBLE GYRO
Vista, California - Sandel Avionics, an industry leader in Primary Navigation Displays, has jointly announced with Mid-Continent Instruments the new Mid-Continent 4305-100 Remote Directional Gyro. The 4305-100 gyro is TSO Approved under TSO-C5c and provides the basic heading stabilization for the SN3308 Electronic HSI / Moving Map. In addition to directional output, the gyro provides a built-in solid state 400 Hz inverter signal for flux gate excitation. For more information contact Sandel Avionics at (760) 727-4900.

NEW KING SCHOOLS CATALOG KICKS OFF 2000 HOLIDAY SEASON
San Diego-King Schools announced that its Holiday 2000 Pilot Training Resource catalog is off the press and on its way to nearly all of the active pilot population in the United States.

For a copy of the new Fall/Winter 2000 Catalog, pilots should contact King Schools toll-free in the U.S. at 1-800-541-2201; or by writing to King Schools, Inc., 3840 Calle Fortunada, San Diego, CA 92123-1825. Pilots also can email King at info@kingschools.com, visit the King web site at www.kingschools.com to request this latest catalog, or even browse the entire product line right there.

CONGRESS PASSES AOPA-BACKED LEGISLATION TO PROTECT BACKCOUNTRY AIRSTRIPS
Frederick, MD-Congress has passed an AOPA-supported provision to protect backcountry airstrips on federal lands. The hard-won provision was included in the Interior appropriations bill (H.R. 4578) that received final Congressional approval October 4.

The provision requires that federal funds “shall not be used to permanently close aircraft landing strips, officially recognized by state or federal aviation officials, without public notice, consultation with cognizant state and federal aviation officials, and the consent of the Federal Aviation Administration.”

MOONEY LEADS "EAGLES AGAINST DIABETES" CAMPAIGN
Mooney Aircraft Corporation has joined the Mooney Aircraft Pilots Association (MAPA) and other leaders in aviation and diabetes treatment/research to launch a novel program-to raffle one of the fastest airplanes in general aviation to support what promises to be one of the fastest routes to curing diabetes.

The "Eagles Against Diabetes" program has a special focus on children and juvenile diabetes. Raffle tickets will be sold-$100 each-for 12 months or until a maximum of 5,000 tickets have been sold. Entrants are allowed to buy as many tickets as they wish. The raffle winner, who will be announced at the MAPA 2001 Convention, will receive a new Mooney Eagle—180 Knots worth of speed with unbeatable fuel economy.

A new website to promote "Eagles Against Diabetes," that provides program details, and facilitates raffle ticket purchases can be found at: www.EaglesAgainstDiabetes.com.

RICHARD KEYT WINS BIG IN COPPERSTATE DASH AIR RACE
Flying his 30-year-old Polen Special, Richard Keyt of Granberry, TX, smoked the competition in the Sixth Annual Copperstate Dash Air Race sponsored by Aircraft Spruce & Specialty. Keyt covered the 304 nm in 1:13:18, giving him a course record speed of 249 knots. He crossed the finish line 20 minutes ahead of the next competitor, and 50 knots faster in average speed. Second place in the Millennium Category was won by John Daniels in a Berkut, and Frank Donnelly was close behind in his RV3A. The other four entries in that group, which included aircraft with 180 hp or less, were all flying RVs.

MONTROSE, COLORADO FIRM GETS PLANE CONTRACT
In an agreement worth more than $60 million, Scaled Technology Works is contracted to build up to 400 single-engine airplanes a year. The contract calls for Scaled to assemble and manufacture the Liberty XL-2 for Liberty Aerospace. Liberty is currently based in North Yorkshire, England, but plans to move its office to Montrose. The XL-2 has a cruise speed of more than 120 knots and a range of more than 500 miles. For more information, call (970) 249-3598 or visit www.scaled-works.com.

SOUTHWEST JET AVIATION ANNOUNCES NEW ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
Scottsdale, AZ-Jim H. Houtz, Chairman for Southwest Jet Aviation announced today that Jeff Schlueter would assume the role of President at Southwest Jet Aviation effective November 1. Additionally, Rich Dawson is promoted to Executive Vice President in addition to his duties as Director of Operations. Schlueter previously was Vice President of Sales & Service and Dawson held the position of Vice President of Flight Services at Southwest Jet Aviation. For more information, visit www.southwestjet.com.

SPECIAL EVENT AT THE AIR MUSEUM "PLANES OF FAME"
Women in Aviation will be the featured subject of the monthly special event at The Air Museum "Planes of Fame" in Chino, California on February 3, 2001. For this event, The Air Museum will host a seminar on the role of women in aviation from its very inception, and conclude the program with a flight demonstration of the museum’s North American P-51D Mustang. The program will begin at 10 a.m.

For more information about The Air Museum "Planes of Fame" and its program of events throughout the year, please call (909) 597-3722 or visit the museum’s website at www.planesoffame.org.

FALCON INSURANCE AGENCY FINDS A SOLUTION FOR FLIGHT SCHOOLS AND FIXED BASE OPERATORS
Falcon Insurance Agency, with the help and influence from associations that Falcon represents, has reached an agreement with underwriters to provide insurance for small flight schools and FBOs.

With the aid of the American Bonanza Society, Cessna Pilots Association, Mooney Aircraft Pilots Association, and Piper Pilots Association, Falcon has been able to negotiate a plan for insurance which will provide at least $1,000,000 liability coverage (with Bodily Injury limited to $100,000 each person) for well-run flight schools and FBOs who have a good loss history.

For more information contact the nearest Falcon office:
Austin, TX (800) 880-4545
Scottsdale, AZ (800) 880-3597
Las Vegas, NV (888) 552-7270

LIGHTSPEED AVIATION PROVIDES SW AVIATOR PUBLISHER WITH INCOMPARABLE SERVICE
About two years ago, I bought a Lightspeed 20K ANR headset. After hundreds of hours of use and abuse, a short developed in the cable. I contacted Lightspeed and was amazed by the quick response and service I received. My headset was repaired free of charge and returned to me in less than a week. In a time when many companies have forgotten about the customer, it’s refreshing to deal with a company like Lightspeed. Visit www.anrheadsets.com to find out more.

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The material in this publication is for advisory information only and should not be relied upon for navigation, maintenance or flight techniques. SW Regional Publishing, Inc. and the staff neither assume any responsibilty for the accuracy of this publication's content nor any liability arising out of it. Fly safe.