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Testifying Today at NTSB
Vice President of Industry and Regulatory Affairs Sean Elliott and I are in Washington, D.C., today to testify before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during its air show and air racing safety hearing. Also on the aviation event organization panel testifying before the board at that time will be representatives from the Reno Air Race Association and Air Boss Inc. This is a rare opportunity for EAA before the entire NTSB board, although board chairman Deborah Hersman and others have been at AirVenture in past years. Sean and I will be highlighting the continually enhanced safety measures at Oshkosh each year, as well as the coordinated effort that goes into making AirVenture the safe event it is for pilots and attendees. Others slated to appear before the NTSB include air show star Sean D. Tucker, as well as representatives from the International Council of Air Shows, Commemorative Air Force, and Red Bull Air Racing. The hearing will be streamed live through the NTSB website.
Reno Air Races Will Attempt to Return in 2012
Today's NTSB hearing was scheduled, in part, in the aftermath of last September's tragic accident at the Reno National Championship Air Races that killed EAA director Jimmy Leeward and 10 spectators. Last Wednesday, air race organizers announced that are aiming to bring back the races next September. As plans for the 2012 races begin, a group that includes former FAA and NTSB officials, as well as renowned air racers Steve Hinton and Jon Sharp, will be thoroughly reviewing all aspects of the event to determine ways to enhance safety.
Need Snow for January 21 Skiplane Fly-In
The date for the annual EAA skiplane fly-in at Pioneer Airport has been set for Saturday, January 21, but we're waiting for Mother Nature to cooperate as at this point, there is barely any snow cover in the Oshkosh area. If we get some significant snow just before the fly-in – an event that has occurred in past years – we hope to welcome more than 20 skiplanes to Pioneer Airport that day to celebrate that unique facet of flying. The skiplane fly-in has also been the traditional observance of Audrey Poberezny's birthday, which is on January 24.
Winter Aviation Event Season Gets Busy
It seems as if the fall schedule of major aviation events just winds down for the holidays and we're quickly propelled into the new year of events. Along with today's NTSB hearing, the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, will take place on January 19-22 and I will be speaking to the Light Aircraft Manufacturers (LAMA) dinner there on January 19. Also on the schedule in the coming weeks will be such events as the annual Helicopter Association International (HAI) convention, the Women in Aviation International convention, South Carolina Aviation Association, and others, all before Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland in late March.
Webinar Attracts Record Audience
Director of Member Programs Charlie Becker reports that last Thursday's "All About Magnetos" webinar with Savvy Aviator's Mike Busch set a record for live attendance at a single session of the online webinar series, as 692 people checked in for the seminar. Even more aviators will access the webinar online through the EAA video archives. Other new videos this week include new Hints for Homebuilders segments on landing gear bungee cords and corrosion proofing, plus a Timeless Voices interview with "Red" Baron Tayler, who made a historic coast-to-coast powered parachute flight in 2006.
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