SONEX AIRCRAFT TO HOLD 50TH BUILDER WORKSHOP
Sonex Aircraft LLC will hold its 50th Sonex Builder Workshop on the weekend of January 28-29. The milestone comes in the kit aircraft and engine company’s 14th year of business, holding three to four workshop events per year since 1998. The Sonex Workshop, held at the Sonex factory in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, gives current and prospective builders the opportunity to meet the Sonex staff, learn about the history of the Sonex design and its philosophy, and learn all of the ins and outs of Sonex construction. Builders gain confidence in their abilities as they build a sample piece of the Sonex wing to take home with them. For more information, click here.

SURECHECK AVIATION OFFERS NEW IPHONE APP
SureCheck Aviation has launched its new SureCheck Checklist app for the iPad and iPhone. The initial release comes pre-loaded with 50 model aircraft checklists with updates intended in the future. Users can request aircraft models for future updates; the more suggestions for a specific model, the higher the chance it will be included. For more information, click here.

DYNON OFFERS HANDS-ON SKYVIEW TRAINING AT SEBRING
Dynon Avionics will be offering free (for now) courses in the operation of its SkyView system at the US Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, January 19-22. The classes will last 3.5 hours and will be held in the mornings and afternoons Thursday-Saturday and in the morning only on Sunday. During the seminars, current and prospective owners of SkyView systems will work with real SkyView units, configuring them for various ground and flight operations. Class size will be restricted to the first 15 who sign up on the Dynon website.

ASA RELEASES NEW HELICOPTER MANEUVERS MANUAL
The latest book from ASA is a step-by-step illustrated guide to performing all helicopter flight operations. The Helicopter Maneuvers Manual helps pilots acquire a mental picture of each phase of flight. The information in this guide, written by Ryan Dale, helps pilots visualize concepts learned in flight training and incorporate the Practical Test Standards into every maneuver. The full-color illustrations and textual explanations work in conjunction with an instructor’s lessons and facilitate effective preflight and postflight briefings. For more information, click here.

SPORTY’S APP GETS YOU STARTED WITH HELICOPTERS
If being at the controls of a helicopter is one of your ambitions, Sporty’s has a convenient place to start. The So You Want to Fly Helicopters app for iPad and iPhone is a comprehensive training course to thoroughly prepare you for the thrills and challenges of helicopter flying. The app contains more than 90 minutes of engaging 3-D animations and in-flight video from the award-winning team at Sporty’s Academy. The app also includes the complete FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, the Helicopter Practical Test Standards, two advisory circulars, and a 30-question review quiz. The app is available for $69.99 and may be ordered here.

SPIDERTRACKS TRACKS SANTA ACROSS UNITED STATES
The Spidertracks team will be tracking Santa across the U.S. this holiday season, and if you can guess where Santa will be this time next week, you’ll get one month free on a data plan with the purchase of the Spider S3 Lite. Keep an eye on the Spidertracks Facebook page for a clue to find Santa. The Spider S3 Lite is available for $495, and the GPS tracking system is available for as little as $10 a month. For more information, click here.

K-STATE, UNIVERSAL HELICOPTERS PARTNER TO ENHANCE TRAINING
Helicopter flight training at Kansas State University is getting a boost through a partnership with Universal Helicopters. The partnership will initially bring in three helicopters, including two Robinson R22 Beta IIs and one Robinson R44 Raven II, and four full-time flight instructors. Students will start flying in the aircraft in January 2012 and will be able to earn all their ratings and certifications in a helicopter, if they so choose. For more information, click here.

AIR SHOW PILOT TESTS UNLEADED AVGAS IN RADIAL ENGINE
Rick Volker of Rick Volker Air says a high-octane, unleaded avgas provides power similar to conventional GA fuel and provides increased aircraft range. Volker compared the performance of Swift Enterprises Ltd.’s 100SF gasoline with conventional 100LL in separate flights of his Sukhoi Su-26M, including extensive use of full power and unusual attitudes. He said test results were supported by onboard engine monitoring. “These tests provide supportive evidence that 100SF will meet the performance needs of aircraft during the most severe use imaginable, without any equipment changes," Volker said. For more information on Volker, click here. For more on Swift Enterprises, click here.

LINCOLN ELECTRIC STARTS ULTIMATE FAB SHOP GIVEAWAY
Lincoln Electric is giving away many prizes in its Ultimate Fab Shop Giveaway, including a complete fab shop makeover valued at $12,000. Contest hopefuls can enter once daily from now until 11:59 p.m. (EST) on December 15 by liking both the Lincoln Electric and Torchmate CNC Cutting Systems Facebook pages, visiting the Enter Sweepstakes tab on Lincoln Electric’s Facebook page, and filling out the required information. Visitors can enter for the duration of the promotion and, upon submission, will be prompted to invite their Facebook friends to enter the contest, as well. For each friend referred, the original entrant will also be automatically entered for that day’s prize. For more information on Lincoln Electric’s Ultimate Fab Shop Giveaway, review the details and official rules on Lincoln Electric’s Facebook page.