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EAA Advocacy Results in
Drivers License Medical;
Now Check Your Eligibility
EAA work on sport pilot/light-sport aircraft
cleared the way for many pilots to use their valid state driver’s
license to satisfy the medical requirements. According to the final
rule published on July 27 in the Federal Register, only pilots whose
most recent medical application was not denied, revoked, or
suspended are allowed to use their driver’s license as proof of
medical certification. The effective date of the rule is September
1, 2004. Those who wish to verify what the FAA has on record
regarding their medicals can contact their Regional Medical Office
of the Aerospace Medical Certification Division. Pilot name, Social
Security number, and date of birth are required to run the check.
For a listing of the FAA regional offices, visit www.cami.jccbi.gov/AAM-300/rfs.html.
(read
more)
Potential Light-Sport Aircraft List
Updated
 An updated “Likely Candidates for
Light-Sport Aircraft” list is now available on EAA’s sport pilot
website, www.sportpilot.org. Click on
that title under the “Light Sport Aircraft” tab to access the list.
EAA staff has spent the past week updating the list based on the
latest information obtained from manufacturers, dealers, and
distributors during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2004. The combined list
includes fixed-wing aircraft, weight-shift trikes, and powered
parachutes. The three aircraft categories are listed separately, and
divided by those manufactured in the United States and those
manufactured in Canada or overseas. It includes aircraft that are
sold as plans, kits, or anticipated to be sold as ready-to-fly
aircraft. (A listing for gliders and gyroplanes will be prepared at
a later date.)
(read
more)
EAA Launches the Next Century of
Flight With Safe, Successful Seven-Day Event
 Preliminary figures from the
Experimental Aircraft Association’s 52nd annual EAA AirVenture
fly-in convention indicate that the world-renowned event launched
the “Next Century of Flight” with great success, as hundreds of
thousands of EAA members and aviation enthusiasts enjoyed a week
filled with glimpses of the future of flight along with celebrations
of aviation’s past and present. Although total estimated attendance
figures show a 10- to 12-percent decrease from the enormous 770,000
figure from 2003, due to weather, economic factors and other
reasons, EAA President Tom Poberezny found little over which to be
disappointed following this year’s event.
(read
more)
Looking Back on an Outstanding Week
 Another EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is
in the rearview mirror. Sunburned outlines of thousands of airplanes
parked in the North 40, North Fond du Lac, warbirds, homebuilts, and
elsewhere are already beginning to fade. But the memories of the
52nd annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts will last for a long,
long time. The following are some of the week's more unforgettable
moments.
Sport
Pilot Arrives Just in Time for AirVenture
 The sport pilot/light-sport aircraft
final rule, which was published in the Federal Register
on opening day, made for some very busy EAA staffers and FAA Sport
Pilot National Office representatives during EAA AirVenture 2004.
Daily discussions, questions and answers, forums, and presentations
on all aspects of the new rule took place, with the centrally
located Sport Pilot Center serving as home base. Administrator
Marion Blakey spent two full days at Oshkosh, with a significant
portion devoted to SP/LSA.
Read daily AirVenture Today
sport pilot page reports on the AirVenture
website.
Burt Rutan and Mike Melvill
 It's always a thrill when
Burt Rutan makes a presentation at AirVenture, but never so exciting
as his appearances last week with the country's first civilian
astronaut, pilot Mike Melvill. Both longtime EAAers; Rutan and
Melvill drew quite a crowd at their scheduled appearances as they
explained the SpaceShipOne program, especially Thursday's
overflowing evening program. Rutan announced on opening day that the
team would make its attempt for the $10 million Ansari X Prize on
September 29. Later in the week, X-Prize Foundation Founder Dr.
Peter Diamandis announced that, in his estimation, the prize was
about to be won. EAAers around the world will be rooting at the end
of September.
(read more)
Bohannon's Attempt Falls Short
 Bruce Bohannon, holder of some 28
world altitude and time-to-climb records, tried to set a U.S. record
on Saturday by surpassing 49,348 feet of altitude in his highly
modified RV-4, the Exxon Flyin' Tiger, but it was not to be. He
reached 45,500 before a having to give up, thanks to a problem the
crew later discovered was a busted wastegate bracket. “There’s a
parking lot at 45,500 feet, and I parked and couldn’t get out of
it,” a disappointed Bohannon said moments after stepping out of the
cockpit. “I just sat there.”
(read
more)
Awards,
Awards, and More Awards
 EAA's annual awards along with several
other industry honors, were handed out throughout the week. They
included Phil Lockwood, August
Raspet award; Dick VanGrunsven, Freedom
of Flight award; Paul Rosales, Bax
Seat Trophy award; Alex Sloan, Tony
Bingelis Homebuilders award; Bobby Younkin, World Airshow
News Bill
Barber Award for Showmanship; Young
Eagles awards for Richard and Ginny Largent, Sally Wilson, Linda
Carney, and EAA Chapter 272; Presidents Awards, Bob Hasson, Butch
Joyce, and Lloyd Richards, and the National
GA awards to Douglas “Doug” Stewart, Gary Goodpaster, Keith
Lewis, and Walt Schamel.
EAA Thanks Ray Fiset for 50 Years
 A lot has changed since EAA’s early
days. But there has been some constants, one being Ray Fiset, Quebec
City, Canada, who this year celebrates his 50th year as an EAA
convention volunteer. Ray got a special visit Monday from EAA
Founder and Chairman Paul Poberezny and EAA President Tom Poberezny,
who presented him with a special plaque in recognition of his
half-century of service.
(read
more)
EAA AirVenture Cup Pilots Like New
Format
 Responding to the fact that
previous 1,000-mile, two-day EAA AirVenture Cup Races had run on
schedule only once, race organizers this year changed the course to
500 miles flown over a single day. The race ran Monday from Dayton,
Ohio, to a flying finish just south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. After
gathering at Fond du Lac the racers departed for EAA AirVenture,
arriving en masse at 3:00 p.m.
(read
more)
Seaplane Setting a World
Apart
 What sets the AirVenture
Seaplane Base apart from the main convention? There is the water, of
course. There is literally a forest of trees. There is almost no
concrete, and it is quiet, except the occasional run-up of an
airplane taking off from the water. Mostly, it's a more relaxed
atmosphere that draws up to 20,000 visitors from the main gig during
the week.
(read
more)
Record-Breaking World Trek Stops at
AirVenture
 Two South African pilots stopped in
Oshkosh in their already-record world flight in a weight-shift
trike. Ricky De Agrela and Alan Honeyborne embarked on a flying
journey on December 17, 2003, to celebrates the first century of
flight; the first decade of South African democracy; and awareness
for the Red Cross Children’s Hospital of South
Africa.
(read
more)
Ultralights: It’s All About Having
Fun
 More than 300 ultralights were
parked at the AirVenture Ultralight area this year at the south end
of convention grounds. There seems little doubt that this number
will grow substantially, given the fact that sport pilot/light-sport
aircraft does not affect FAR Part 103, the most accessible area of
aviation.
(read
more)
NASA Administrator Wowed by First
Oshkosh Visit
 NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe,
whose two sons are Young Eagles, paid his first visit to EAA
AirVenture Oshkosh on Tuesday and was impressed to say the least.
"It’s spectacular. This is beyond description. I’ve heard it’s an
overwhelming event, but this is times two at least!" The
Administrator
(read
more)
AeroShell Square Provides Center
Stage
 With aircraft ranging from a Husky bush plane to
vintage warbirds and current military aircraft like the huge C-5 and
the C-141 Starlifter known as the Hanoi Taxi, AeroShell Square again
lived up to its reputation as EAA AirVenture 2004's main showcase.
Starlifter number 66-0177 was the first to carry American POWs from
Hanoi to freedom in 1973.
AirVenture by the
Numbers:
-
More that 10,000 airplanes
from North America, Europe, South Africa, South America, and
Australia
-
2,500 showplanes eligible
for judging
-
A near-record 802 exhibitors
(807 in 2003)
-
More than 30,000 campers
(including Camp Scholler and aircraft camping)
-
More than 4,000 volunteers
contributing over 250,000 hours of service
-
1,429 international visitors
from 61 countries (Canada, 438; Germany 144; and Australia 117
were the top three)
Competition Heats up for Ansari X
Prize
Don't concede the $10 million Ansari X Prize to
Scaled Composites just yet. The Canadian da Vinci Project Team
became the second organization to give the required 60-day notice to
the Ansari X Prize that it intends to launch a spaceship -- its
rocket Wild Fire -- on October 2, 2004, marking its official entry
in the international, commercially-funded space race competition. On
July 27, Scaled Composites officially notified the Ansari X Prize it
would make its first launch for the prize in SpaceShipOne/White
Knight on September 29. At EAA AirVenture, Burt Rutan said the
second launch to secure the prize is planned for October 4. The X
Prize Foundation will award $10 million to the first privately
funded organization to launch a reusable space vehicle to 100
kilometers (62.5 mile) altitude with three passengers (or weight
equivalent) twice in two weeks.
“With two teams launching
within days of each other for the $10 million prize (U.S.), we truly
have a remarkable race for space,” said Dr. Peter H. Diamandis,
chairman and founder of the X Prize Foundation. Brian Feeney, who
plans to pilot Wild Fire approximately 110 kilometers into
suborbital space, said the team is finalizing construction of the
rocket as well as logistical details related to the event, which
will be held in Kindersley, Saskatchewan.
“We’re very close
to achieving our mission, thanks to the organizations and
individuals that understand the significance of this race,” said
Feeney. “The da Vinci Project is on the cusp of a new era of space
travel for humankind.”
For more information, visit www.davinciproject.com and
www.xprize.org.
Van's RV-9/9A Joins 1,000
Club
Van’s Aircraft reached
another milestone during EAA AirVenture 2004 with its 1,000th order
for an RV-9/9A kit, five years almost to the day after the first kit
was sold. It is Van’s fifth models to reach to 1,000 threshold,
including the RV-4, RV-6/6A, RV-7/7A and RV-8/8A. About 109 RV-9/9A
kits have been completed and flown. “It is just such an easy
airplane to fly, but the performance, even on low power, is
positively exciting,” said President Dick VanGrunsven “It is nice to
see the increasing numbers on the flight line at AirVenture.” Total
kit starts on all RV models exceeds 12,000. Over 3,700 RVs of all
types have been completed, and the company reports that first
flights are averaging more than one a day.
Embry-Riddle CAPT Chooses
Diamond
Students enrolled in Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University’s Commercial Airline Training Program (CAPT)
will fly Diamond DA40FPs and DA42 Twin Stars exclusively, reports
Diamond Aircraft. ERAU-CAPT has ordered 10 DA40FPs and three DA42
Twin Stars. All aircraft will be equipped with Garmin’s G1000 all
glass cockpit, offering cockpit commonality and making this the most
modern training fleet anywhere. CAPT is a fast-track
airline-specific training program for individuals who want to become
regional airline pilots. “CAPT cadets will find that using the Twin
Star’s advanced all-glass avionics and FADEC engine controls quickly
and thoroughly prepare them for the Boeing MD-90 EFD jetliner, which
uses similar systems,” said Paul Woessner, executive director of the
CAPT program. For more information, visit www.diamondair.com and www.captprogram.org.
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