A good friend of ANN happens to be Rotax dealer and service center operator, Phil Lockwood... who clued us in on an unusual occurence in the Rotax world. Phil tells us that the US importer for Rotax Aircraft Engines is offering some serious (never seen before) incentives on NEW ENGINES. It's something of a year-end clearance sale, somehting you see quite rarely at Rotax, and Phil notes this represents some substantial savings for those who can act quickly. What this means are price reductions of as much as $1,661.00 off (serious dollars!) on 912-914 series four stroke models and up to $393.00 off their two stroke models. This sale is available to US customers who purchase from available stock before December 24th, 2003.

The annual air-show confab got started under CAVU Texas skies on Sunday afternoon, as hundreds of air show promoters and performers met at the Wyndham-Anatole Hotel just outside downtown Dallas. In a change of scene from the traditional Las Vegas get-togethers, some attendees were seen wandering the hotel, looking for the casino, and wondering out loud where the Keeno girl was. This high dollar hostelry is the largest in Dallas, and as some were arriving on Saturday night, they walked into the cities largest single charity event, the black tie “Crystal Ball” that pulls in more than 4 million dollars in one night. It’s also the same hotel that hosted President Reagan for the 1984 GOP Convention. It really is “THE” gathering in the air show

The FAA tells ANN that the following kit has been added to the kit listing since Oct. 16, 2003: 1) The Avi-Pro Aircraft, Ltd, Model Bearhawk Quick-build Kit, Bear Tracks Assembly Manual, dtd June 2002, was evaluated by the Manufacturing Inspection Office and has been found to be eligible with respect to the "major portion" requirement of 14 CFR part 21, subpart H, section 21.191(g). NOTE: The kits are manufactured at the Avi-Pro Aircraft, Ltd, facility in Atlixco, Mexico.

The U.S. Army Parachute Demonstration Team, The Golden Knights, is coming off a “great 2003 season” and getting ready for new challenges in 2004. Their new commanding officer, LtCol. Paul McNamara says his two demonstration teams and three competition teams have their eyes firmly set on the mission, which will keep them as the winningest sports team in the history of the Department of Defense, and actively carrying the recruiting message to tens of thousands of potential soldiers across the country. The team will also be celebrating their 45th Anniversary, and in May will be opening their new headquarters at Fort Bragg. As the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels announced their schedules on Monday morning, the ‘Knights are still working out details and scheduling,

At the 2003 ICAS show in Dallas, 11 rows of displays, more than 200 exhibitors, ranging from the Thunderbirds to the Berlin Airlift Commemorative Flight to the Red Barron Pizza Squadron are holding forth on their teams and services. When you come through the doors, the first thing that catches your eye, and looks mighty threatening, is the “SHOCK WAVE JET TRUCK!” Gleaming in chrome and yellow and orange, inside and up close, it’s an awesome display. Just past the Peterbilt, there’s a replica carrier deck, and on the deck you’ll find a genuine World War II F4F/FM2 “Wildcat”. Cavanaugh Flight Museum hails from Addison, Texas, in the northern suburbs of Dallas, and Director Doug Jeanes realized last year at ICAS that he wouldn’t b