AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2019 - 35

HEADLINES THAT
AFFECT YOU

Recent news from the aviation world
HALL TAKES LAST RED BULL TITLE
Australian Matt Hall became the last pilot
to claim a Red Bull Air Race World
Championship title. It took a hard
weekend of flying to secure that spot in
history.

THE LARGE, BRIGHT, information-packed glass panel seems overwhelming at first.

But the big screens provide exceptional situational awareness in flight.

There were lots of questions about the Avidyne IFD550 that serves as the brain
for the avionics system, and visitors were impressed that it can act as an attitude
indicator showing detailed synthetic-vision depictions of terrain and runways.
A carbon fiber instrument panel and center console from Aerosport Products
had some observers asking whether the smooth, matte-black finish was real carbon fiber or simulated. (It's real!)
A gray leather interior had just been installed in the AOPA Sweepstakes RV-10
a week before the big show, and company owners (and Brazilian natives) Luis
Ferreira and Eliane Lignelli of South Florida Sport Aviation were there to talk to
visitors, along with their daughter, Beatrice.
"Ours is a family business so we're all deeply involved," Lignelli said. "I so enjoy
meeting customers, and potential customers, in person. They can see our products and our passion for all that we do."
There were lots of questions about the airplane's performance, and whether
it can go as high or as fast as Van's Aircraft claims. (It can. Top speed: 179 KTAS,
ceiling 20,000 feet.)
And there were a great deal of questions, observations, and suggestions about
the airplane's future paint job that, in broad strokes, went something like this:
"Are you going to paint it before you give it away?"
Yes.
"Is it still going to be yellow?"
We haven't decided, and artist Craig Barnett of Scheme Designers will have
lots to say about paint.
And finally-and we heard this a lot-"Take good care of my airplane for me!"
Will do.

DASSAULT FALCON JET ANNOUNCES
NEW CEO
Dassault Aviation has appointed Thierry
Betbeze as the new CEO of Dassault
Falcon Jet, its U.S. business aviation
subsidiary. He will replace Jean Rosanvallon, who is stepping down after a
44-year career with the French aircraft
manufacturer.
RECONNAISSANCE A KEY RELIEF
MISSION FOR GA
Gary Lickle has been flying general
aviation airplanes into and out of the
Bahamas since the 1970s, including relief
flights after two recent hurricanes, but
the devastation he saw from Hurricane
Dorian went beyond past disasters, he
said.
PATEY, PAX UNHURT IN CRASH THAT
DESTROYED 'DRACO'
"I made mistakes," said Mike Patey, a
few hours after he survived a horrendous
takeoff crash documented on social
media that "completely destroyed" the
popular short takeoff and landing aircraft
Draco at Reno/Stead Airport after the
Reno Air Races September 16.
WAGSTAFF WALKS AWAY FROM MISHAP
Legendary airshow pilot Patty Wagstaff
told fans on Twitter that a mechanical
problem caused the Bonanza she was
flying to flip over while taxiing after landing in St. Augustine, Florida. Local media
reported Wagstaff had just landed a 1958
Beechcraft Bonanza at Northeast Florida
Regional Airport and was taxiing when
the aircraft veered onto the grass and
rolled over on September 11.
aopa.org

EMAIL dave.hirschman@aopa.org

aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 35

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2019