AEROLEDS NAV/STROBE/POSITION LIGHTS EARN TSO
AeroLEDs Pulsar NSP, NS, and Suntail all-LED position and anti-collision lights have received TSO approval from the FAA. Previously only available to experimental and light-sport aircraft, the Pulsar NSP (nav/strobe/position), Pulsar NS (nav/strobe), and Suntail (tail strobe) are now qualified for installation on all certified aircraft.

The LED technology incorporated in AeroLEDs lights has a 50,000-hour life expectancy, allowing pilots to fly with their lights on at all times for enhanced visibility. Each of the lighting systems is able to function without the requirement of an external power supply, saving weight and expense. For more information, click here.

FLIGHTSTAR PURCHASES ASSETS OF BLOOMINGTON AVIONICS
The Flightstar Corporation of Savoy, Illinois, recently purchased the assets of Bloomington Avionics of Bloomington, Illinois. The staff at Bloomington Avionics, as well as its complete line of overhead and services, will transfer and now operate from Flightstar’s FBO at Champaign-Urbana’s University of Illinois-Willard Airport (KCMI).

Bloomington Avionics provided service and installation for more than 30 years at Central Illinois Regional Airport. It operated as an FAA Class I and II full-service avionics repair station, specializing in high-performance single- and twin-engine aircraft. For more information, click here.

ARTISTS RE-ANIMATE MILITARY AIRCRAFT AT PIMA MUSEUM
Starting January 28 at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, visitors can see the “Round Trip: Art From the Boneyard Project,” which resurrects disused aircraft from United States military history, taking entire airplanes out of their resting spots in the desert and putting them in the hands of artists. With a nod to airplane graffiti and nose art that became popular during World War II, the project takes to the air through some of the most prominent and acclaimed artists working today. For more information, click here.

DAHER SOCATA TBM 850 DELIVERIES STEADY IN 2011
According to DAHER-SOCATA, 38 TBM 850s were delivered in 2011, bringing the total number of deliveries since the 2006 introduction to 260. It was the fourth-best year for the TBM aircraft family, whose 600th aircraft rolled out of the factory last October. As of January 1, the combined fleet’s flight time reached a total of 909,921 flight hours. The majority of TBM 850s purchased in 2011 were acquired by U.S. customers (84 percent), followed by Latin America with 10 percent and Asia-Pacific and Europe with 5 percent. For more information, click here.

ROTAX CLASSES OFFERED BEFORE AND AFTER SEBRING
Aero Technical Institute is offering training classes for Rotax engines just before the Sebring LSA Expo (January 19-22). Classes include service training, maintenance, and heavy maintenance. There is also a class for two-stroke Rotax engines scheduled for the two days immediately after Sebring. For more information, click here.

NEW REGIONAL SERVICE CENTER FOR FLIGHT DESIGN USA
Flight Design has appointed US Aviation of Denton, Texas, to provide factory authorized service for the CT series of light-sport aircraft. The company has been a Rotax service center for several years and has more than 20 A&P mechanics on staff. Besides providing routine services such as oil changes and conditional inspections, US Aviation can perform major repairs. For more information on Flight Design services, click here.

AIRCRAFT SPRUCE STOCKS RAIN B GON
Aircraft Spruce now sells a rain repellent, Rain B Gon, which improves wet weather flying, riding, or driving visibility, whether in rain, sleet, or snow. Rain B Gon is a hydrophobic coating technology that forms a chemical bond and causes raindrops to bead up and blow away from the windshield. The new technology is designed especially for plastic acrylic and Lexan windshields and has no alcohol, which can harm plastic. It is also safe to use on glass windshields, such as for cars, RVs, boats, and trucks. It can be applied on painted surfaces, and aids in easy removal of salt, ice, frost, insects, and mud. For more information, click here.

UPS FOUNDATION PROVIDES FUNDING FOR WAI ‘BRING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE CONFERENCE DAY’
Two hundred girls ages 10 to 17 will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the career opportunities in aviation thanks to a $15,000 grant from the UPS Foundation to fund Women in Aviation International’s “Bring Your Daughter to the Conference Day,” scheduled for March 10. The grant will purchase tools and supplies, including laptop computers the girls will use with a flight simulation program. Further, the grant keeps the fee down to $10 per girl, including lunch. Parents and chaperones may attend at no charge.

The Women in Aviation conference is scheduled for March 8-12 in Dallas, Texas. For more information and to register for Bring Your Daughter to the Conference Day, click here.