Even with the victory in the battle to save St. Petersburg's Albert Whitted Airport safely under its belt, AOPA continues to fight for embattled airports in the Sunshine State. In Pompano Beach, in Naples, and in Stuart, AOPA is actively working to counter efforts by anti-airport activists to close or restrict local airports. At Pompano Beach, AOPA is drafting a formal complaint to be filed with the FAA, after the city commissioners there voted unanimously to expand restrictions on flight training and helicopter operations at Pompano Beach Airpark (PMP). "The city attorney told them not to do it. The outside experts hired by the commissioners themselves strongly advised against it. They did it anyway," said AOPA Vice President of Airports Bill Dunn.

High Performance Aircraft Training has announced an annual recurrent training program, for Lancairs and other high performance aircraft, to be conducted January 17th and 18th, 2004 in Sebring, Florida. High Performance Aircraft Training, Inc. tells ANN that their annual recurrent training programs are specifically designed for the fast, high flying, performance pilots and their aircraft. The topics covered offer a theoretical perspective while connecting it with everyday, real world, safe flying.

The people of Everglades City (FL) spoke and, apparently, Collier County Commissioners were listening. They had threatened to shut down the airport and sell it to developers. But at a Tuesday night commission meeting, they got both barrels from residents who support the airpark and don't want it to be turned into condos. "The airport is extremely important to Everglades City," resident Claudia Davenport said. She was quoted in the Naples Daily News. "People fly in and buy stone crabs. They fly in and stay two or three days. The economy would suffer greatly without it."

We're Going To Be Seeing More and More of These... NOTAM: 3/1480 Issued: 12/03/2003 20:25 Effective: 12/05/2003 15:50 - 12/05/2003 19:50 State: MD Facility: ZDC - WASHINGTON (ARTCC),DC. Type: VIP Description: BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, DECEMBER 5, 2003 LOCAL.

P-40 Strikes Again! NOTAM: 3/1481 Issued: 12/03/2003 20:31 Effective: 12/06/2003 14:00 - 12/07/2003 18:00 State: MD Facility: ZDC - WASHINGTON (ARTCC),DC. Type: VIP Description: HAGERSTOWN/THURMONT, MARYLAND, DECEMBER 6-7, 2003 LOCAL.

Bottom Line: Rotax (Including New V-6 Project) Has Been Sold Bombardier Inc. has announced that it has signed a sale and purchase agreement for its recreational products segment with Bombardier Recreational Products Inc., a corporation formed by Bain Capital, members of the Bombardier family and the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec. On Aug. 27, 2003, Bombardier announced that it had reached an agreement in principle to sell its recreational products business for an aggregate purchase price of $1,225 million, subject to certain price adjustments, for a net purchase price of $1,075 million. Bombardier Recreational Products designs, develops, builds, distributes and markets... Rotax(TM) engines and karts, as well as utility vehicles.

AWB 27-4 Issue 1, 5 December 2003: Cessna 172, 180 and 185 Primary Flight Control Yoke Inspection Effectivity: Cessna Aircraft Company and Reims Aviation (Cessna) 172, 180, and 185 series aircraft as listed in the current revision of Cessna Service Bulletin SEB01-3. Purpose: To alert operators and maintainers to the potential failure of the welded steel tube yoke assembly, which can result in loss of primary pitch control of the aircraft, and to strongly recommend compliance with Cessna Service Bulletin SEB01-3. This SB describes an inspection procedure to detect corrosion, and determine the serviceability of a yoke that has suffered corrosion pitting.

AD NUMBER: 2003-24-07 MANUFACTURER: New Piper SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2003-24-07 SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Models PA-31, PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, PA-31P, PA-31T, PA-31T1, PA-31T2, PA-31T3, and PA-31P-350 airplanes. This AD requires you to install an inspection hole (or use for inspection the tooling hole in the rudder bottom rib), conduct a detailed visual inspection of the rudder torque tube and associated ribs for corrosion, and, if corrosion is found, replace or repair the rib/rudder torque tube assembly.