Garmin has introduced redundancy for the pilot with its Electronic Stability and Protections System (ESP) that keeps hand-flying pilots from getting into trouble. The system operates when the GFC 700 autopilot has been disengaged. It operates in the background and if the pilot becomes distracted or incapacitated the system uses the autopilot servos and sensors to detect and correct unsafe flight conditions. It will also prevent overstressing the airframe during pullouts. After it senses things are back to normal it goes back into the background. "Until today, this type of stability augmentation system has only been available on fly-by-wire aircraft that cost millions of dollars," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's vice president of marketing. "We're thrilled to be the first to make this safety enhancing technology available to business and general aviation pilots.
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The FAA has asked the FCC to cancel proposed rules that would ban the use and manufacture of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters. As we reported in June, the FCC has said it plans to ban 121.5 ELTs because search and rescue satellites don't monitor that signal anymore. However, the FAA points out that the Coast Guard and Civil Air Patrol do monitor the frequency and that more than 38,000 (of 200,000) aircraft owners have voluntarily equipped with the replacement 406 MHz units. It also noted that manufacturers wouldn't be able to suddenly equip more than 160,000 aircraft. "The ability of the aviation industry to continue the manufacture, importation, sale and use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters is of utmost importance to the aviation community," the FAA wrote to the FCC. However, the Aircraft Electronics Association disagrees with a key point of the FAA's argument, saying manufacture of the old-style ELTs should be stopped.
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The modernized version of the venerable Twin Otter has received Transport Canada certification and launch customer Zimex Aviation has taken delivery of the first of the Series 400 aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow from manufacturer Viking Air of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Resumption of production and recertification took three years and Viking CEO Dave Curtis said the first delivery is a milestone in what will almost certainly be a long run of the legendary STOL twin. "We are writing the next chapter in the long history of de Havilland Aircraft in Canada, and thank our customers who have remained loyal even through one of the toughest economic environments in recent memory.
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There's been a change at the top of Flying magazine but the new editor-in-chief is a familiar name to longtime AVweb readers. Michael Maya Charles has replaced Mac McLellan at Flying. Maya Charles wrote more than 100 As the Beacon Turns columns for AVweb before he left us in 2006 to devote more time to his other writing exploits. According to a news release from Bonnier Publications, which bought Flying from Hatchett-Fillipacci a couple of years ago, Maya Charles also wrote for Flying and AOPA. The release did not mention McLellan's circumstances. McLellan was editor-in-chief of Flying for 20 years and had been with the magazine since 1980.
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