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Aluminum Overcast poised for Midwest Return

EAA's living museum, the B-17 Aluminum Overcast, returns to the Midwest September 12-14 when it will appear at the Waukesha (Wisconsin) County Airport (UES). The following week (September 16-17 at Evansville (Indiana) Regional Airport (EVV). Then it's on to Millington, Tennessee's Municipal Airport (NQA) for three days of flights, September 19-21. Those wishing to reserve a flight should visit www.b17.org for complete tour information.

Q & A: Question of the Week
Question for EAA Aviation Information Services: I own an Aeronca Champ with two partners. In the winter we convert from wheels to skis. Installation is simple and we typically do this ourselves. Do we need an inspection and logbook entry from an FAA certified mechanic prior to operating after switching configurations?

Answer:
So long as no weight and balance computation is necessary, you are allowed to make this exchange under the "preventive maintenance" authorization in 14 CFR Part 43. Appendix A of Part 43 includes a listing of all preventive maintenance items that can be performed by the owner or operator of an aircraft being operated under Part 91. The following item is included in this listing of allowable operations:

(18) Replacing wheels and skis where no weight and balance computation is involved.

You would simply need to make a logbook entry in the aircraft's airframe log containing the following information (as per 43.9(a)):

(1) A description (or reference to data acceptable to the Administrator) of work performed.

(2) The date of completion of the work performed.

(3) The name of the person performing the work if other than the person specified in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.

(4) If the work performed on the aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part has been performed satisfactorily, the signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate held by the person approving the work. The signature constitutes the approval for return to service only for the work performed.

How can we help you?
To ask a question regarding government issues, e-mail govt@eaa.org. If you have a question about registration, airmen, aircraft and medical certification, safety records, performance, or any other matter, e-mail infoserv@eaa.org.

We are pleased to provide this info to EAA members as a membership benefit. To ensure that this service continues, renew your membership or join EAA today by calling 800/843-3612 or 920/426-5912.


Upcoming Workshops

September 12-14, Corona, CA
Topic: RV Assembly

September 20-21, Denver, CO
Topics: Sheet Metal Basics, Composite Construction, Fabric Covering, Electrical Systems and Avionics, Introduction to Aircraft Building and What's Involved in Kitbuilding?

September 26-28, Griffin (Atlanta area), GA
Topic: RV Assembly

September 2003
EAA Desktop Calendar


Jim Wright's Hughes H-1B replica was one of the most popular aircraft on display during the recent EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Convention. We pay tribute to Jim, who was tragically killed in an August 4 crash while piloting the aircraft home, with this month's calendar image. It's now available from the EAA website.

The Official Electronic Newsletter of EAA
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2004 July 27-August 2

September 5, 2003 Volume 3, Number 44

News You Can Use ---

Young Eagles Closing in on Goal

As of this week, the EAA Young Eagles program has registered approximately 965,000 kids, which means we’re about 36,000 shy of reaching our ultimate goal of 1 million. While 36,000 doesn’t sound like a huge number— especially in comparison to 964,000 kids already flown—time is growing short and we need to take advantage of the good weather we have left these last key weeks. "I'd like to encourage all Young Eagle pilots to take advantage of the fall flying season and take a few Young Eagles for a flight," remarked EAA Young Eagles Director Steve Buss.
(read more)

'Weekend Pilot' Frank Kingston Smith Dies

Frank Kingston Smith, noted aviation author, speaker, and a former Sport Aviation columnist, died on September 3, at a Florida medical facility. He was 84 and was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for the past three years. Frank, widely recognized as the man who helped get at least three generations of Americans flying, was known as the “Weekend Pilot,” a term he coined and the title of his first book in 1957.
(read more)

Learn to Build an RV at SportAir Workshops

Van’s Aircraft is the world’s most popular kit manufacturer, and EAA SportAir Workshops offer a course dedicated to RV builders, the RV Assembly Workshop. The two and-a-half day workshops provide hands-on experience in acquiring the skills necessary to assembly any of Van’s popular kits, all the way to the new four-place RV-10. Attendees learn sheet metal basics and riveting, using the acquired skills to build an actual airfoil based on the RV wing. Openings remain for several of the hands-on workshops in 2003, including September 26-28 at Griffin, Georgia, and October 10-12 at EAA headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin Other RV Assembly Workshops will be held October 24-26 and December 5-7 in Corona, California; and December 12-14 in Oshkosh. To sign up or learn more, call 800/967-5746, or visit www.sportair.com.

Hansen Attends Military Airspace Meeting
EAA Government Programs Director Randy Hansen attended the 19th annual Volk-FAA Airspace a& Range Issues meeting held Thursday at Volk Field, near Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. The meeting brings together FAA military airspace managers with military airspace managers and the Wisconsin D.O.T. Aviation Division to discuss how best to utilize the state’s airspace for the benefit of all aviation (GA, commercial and military). Hansen briefed attendees on the recently concluded EAA AirVenture Oshkosh event and requested that military airspace restricted areas be terminated immediately before, during and after the convention. Affected areas are listed annually in the EAA AirVenture NOTAM.

Museum Concludes Summer Season With Record Week

The EAA AirVenture Museum and Pioneer Airport wrapped up the summer season with what appears to be record attendance for a non-AirVenture week. Boosted by EAA’s designation as an official tour stop for the Harley-Davidson centennial celebration, along with the Good Ol' Days of Aviation weekend, nearly 12,000 people came through the doors from August 25-31. “It was definitely one of the greatest weeks we’ve ever had,” said EAA Museum Director Adam Smith. “Certainly the best in terms of attendance, outside AirVenture, since I’ve been here.”
(read more)

Copperstate Makes Fly-In Preparations

Phoenix Regional Airport (PRA) developers and event officials are hard at work preparing for the Copperstate Regional EAA Fly-in slated for October 9-12. Located 25 miles south of Phoenix, PRA (a privately owned, public use airport) is the permanent home of the fly-in, which celebrates 100 years of powered flight this year. This year, an extended 1600-foot grass runway will be in place for ultralights on the northwest side of the field, plus a new 300-foot by 300-foot grass area will accommodate powered parachutes. Ultralight Arrival Procedures:
Ultralights flying to the event should approach PRA from the west on the north side of the railroad tracks. Just before Anderson Road, turn north and enter the ultralight pattern at the northwest corner of the grass area, west of the paved runway. For trikes and fixed-wing ultralights, the pattern altitude is 400 feet AGL. For powered parachutes, it is 200 feet AGL. Ultralight pilots should avoid flying during the air show, scheduled for Friday at 1-3 p.m., Saturday at 1-4 p.m., and Sunday at 12-3 p.m. Visit www.copperstate.org for updates.

Attendance Growing For December Centennial Celebration

Nearly 100,000 tickets have been purchased for the six-day First Flight Centennial Celebration December 12-17 at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. National Park Service officials recommend those who plan to attend but have not yet purchased tickets to do so soon, as only 35,000 tickets will be sold per day. Already 24,595 tickets have been sold for Wednesday, December 17, the day EAA’s 1903 Wright Flyer commemorates the first flights on the very site where they occurred 100 years ago. The week celebration also marks the final stop for EAA’s Countdown to Kitty Hawk Pavilion presented by Ford Motor Company. Tickets are currently available online at www.wrightbrothers.reserveworld.com or by calling 800/973-7327, or 301/722-1257 outside of the United States. For more information, visit www.firstflightcentennial.org.

EAA Centennial Homebuilt of the Week

After more than 500 hours of building time, which included a lot of the learning process, Juan Miguel Parodi, EAA 592811, Miami Beach, Florida, made his first test flight in his new Rans S-10 Sakota at Tamiami Airport. N198PH is a two-place aerobatic kitplane powered by a Rotax 582, two-blade wooden Tennessee propeller, and is equipped with hydraulic brakes. Read more about the aircraft. To highlight the EAA Centennial Homebuilts' program, each week e-HOT LINE features one plane from the growing list submitted to EAA. Visit the EAA Centennial Homebuilts website for program details.

Timeless Voices: 'Voice of the Week'
Roy May, Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a survivor. A B-17 radio operator in the 367th Bomb Squadron of the 306th Bomb Group, Roy survived crashing into a mountainside; flak, enemy fighters, and 19 months as prisoner of war at the infamous Stalag 17B during WWII. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps one month after the Japanese attack on of Pearl Harbor. "Naturally, I had that feeling that I wanted to contribute, and that’s exactly what I did," he said. Read more about Roy's amazing story of courage and survival on the Timeless Voices website, www.timelessvoices.org.

On The Flight Line ---

National Air Tour Takes Flight On Monday
When Edsel B. Ford II waves the starter flag on Monday, September 8, twenty-five museum-quality, rare airplanes will take to the skies at Willow Run Airport in suburban Detroit, Michigan, commemorating a series of extended flight demonstrations that introduced America to safe, reliable air travel in the 1920s and ’30s. The 2003 National Air Tour, which displayed several of the vintage aircraft at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2003, is a 4,000-mile journey visiting 26 cities and running through September 24 (weather permitting). EAA's 1929 Ford Tri-Motor will take part in a portion of the tour. For more details, visit www.NationalAirTour.org.

Florida Aviation Museums Create ‘Flight Of Four’ Admission Package
Four Central Florida aviation museums in have “formed up” to offer a unique aviation experience. Fantasy of Flight, Polk City; Flying Tigers Warbird Restoration Museum, Kissimmee; Florida Air Museum at Sun ‘n Fun, Lakeland; and Valiant Air Command’s (VACs) Warbird Air Museum, Titusville, recently announced the Flight of Four group ticket, allowing aviation enthusiasts to visit each venue for one low $44. Beginning October 1, 2003, the new “Pastport” - a passport into aviations past – allows visitors to see hundreds of warbirds, aviation pioneers and cutting-edge experimental planes while saving 25 percent off the regular ticket price. Tickets can be purchased by phone, 863-984-3500, through the Fantasy of Flight website, or at any museum. All Pastport holders receive a free pin from each location as well as gift shop discounts. A special event to formally launch the Flight of Four Coalition is scheduled for December 6.

Williams FJ33-4 Engine To Power Diamond D-Jet
Diamond Aircraft will power its new D-Jet with the Williams International FJ33-4 engine, a scaled derivative of the highly successful and reliable FJ44 engine family used today on a growing number of business jets. The FJ33-4 provides 1,400 lbs of thrust and incorporates a dual-channel FADEC, along with the latest technology materials and design. Diamond chose Williams over Pratt & Whitney, says CEO Christian Dries, “Because of its demonstrated outstanding performance, its advanced stage of development and because it will be both FAA and JAA certified in the timeframe needed to support our aggressive development program.” The D-Jet is Diamond's first entry-level personal jet, with a cruise speed of 315 knots, and maximum operating altitude of 25,000 feet. For more information, call 888/359-3220, or visit www.diamondair.com

Honeywell Pledges to Sun ’n Fun Capital Campaign
Sun ’n Fun announced this week that Honeywell, whose aviation history stretches from biplanes to space exploration, pledged $100,000 to the Sun ’n Fun Share the Spirit capital campaign. “Honeywell is an industry and technology leader with a rich aviation heritage,” said Sun ’n Fun President John Burton. “Its corporate history includes the efforts of aviation pioneer Elmer Sperry and his son, Lawrence, who invented and demonstrated the first autopilot in 1914.” Goals of the campaign include year-round programs for aviation safety, education, preservation and youth outreach through new educational facilities; creation of an aircraft restoration workshop; museum enhancements; increased endowment; and program support. In recognition of the donation, Sun ’n Fun “Hangar C” on its Lakeland, Florida, campus has been renamed the Honeywell Hangar. www.sun-n-fun.org

NASA Demonstrates ‘Muted’ Sonic Boom
NASA and several industry and government partners may have demonstrated a way to reduce the impact of sonic booms, thus paving the way for future overland supersonic travel. Northrop Grumman modified an F-5E fighter aircraft, designed and installed a specially shaped "nose glove" and added aluminum substructure and a composite skin to the underside of the fuselage. The modified aircraft flew at supersonic speeds on August 27 through a test range at Edwards Air Force Base, California, while ground and airborne sensors measured the shape and magnitude of the sonic boom. Then an unmodified F-5E flew through the same airspace, the sonic boom was measured and the results between the two were compared, confirming the modified shape of the test aircraft altered the sonic boom as expected. Repeated tests verified these results. The demonstration may lead to the creation of supersonic aircraft that do not disturb people on the ground. “It is but one of many frontiers in aeronautics that remain to be explored," said Richard Wlezien, Program Manager for Vehicle Systems in NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) program is a cooperative project supported by NASA's Langley Research and Dryden Flight Research centers and Northrop Grumman Corporation, along with other government and industry organizations.

New Hummingbird Unveiled by VAT
Vertical Aviation Technologies (VAT) redesigned the Hummingbird 260L, a four-place helicopter based on the Sikorsky S-52 that was first sold as a kit in 1991. The 260L has a new 250 hp Lycoming powerplant; a new horizontal and vertical tail stabilizer; on/off force gradient with electric cyclic trim; carbon fiber components throughout the design; and an improved main rotor blade for improved performance. Useful load is 950 lbs and the aircraft cruises at 100 mph with a 400-mile range. VAT hopes to achieve FAA Type Certification with the aircraft, but will maintain availability as a kit. A customer training program is being developed to help obtain hull and liability insurance coverage for builders. For aircraft pricing and other information, visit www.vertical-aviation.com or call 407/322-9488.

15th Women in Aviation Conference Set For Reno In March
The 15th annual Women in Aviation International Conference, “Aviation’s Changing Face: Celebrating 15 Years of Education and Promise,” will be held March 11-13, 2004, in Reno Nevada. Confirmed speakers include FAA Administrator Marion Blakey; US Representative to ICAO Ed Simpson; Humorist Rod Machado; and Motivational Speaker Donna Hartley. Attendance is expected to exceed 3,000 with more than 200 exhibitors. To register or find out more, visit www.wai.org or call 386/226-7996.
Regional Conference Right Around the Corner
“Women in the Aviation Heartland: Realizing Career Goals in a Changing Economy” is the theme of a WAI Regional Conference slated for October 17-18 in Wichita, Kansas. For information or to register, e-mail Gerri Schultz at gschultz@wai.org, or visit the website.
Scholarships Listed On-Line
WAI has scholarship opportunities available and you can check them out at the WAI website. The range in value from $500 to $25,000 and are open to members only visit www.wai.org for more information or to download an application form.

ERAU Again Tops Aerospace Program List
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s (ERAU) Daytona Beach campus was named the top aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical undergraduate engineering school in the nation for the fourth consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report magazine. ERAU’s Prescott, Arizona campus was third in the same category, while the U.S. Air Force Academy was No. 2. St. Louis University and the U.S. Naval Academy tied for fourth place.
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