EAA's offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 25-26.
The EAA AirVenture Museum will be open Friday, November 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  

Sport Pilot News . . .  FAA Communicates SP Student Certificate Procedures to Flight Standards Staff Several EAA members called EAA headquarters this week to report being denied sport pilot student pilot certificates after FAA announced last week that the certificates were available. EAA’s government relations staff immediately notified FAA headquarters of the situation. On Tuesday, November 23, FAA placed a teleconference call to U.S. flight standards managers and briefed them on the new procedures. They also asked the managers to let their staffs know that they are allowed to issue sport pilot student pilot certificates through their facilities. FAA will follow up the conference call with a written directive/notice to all flight standards staff early next week. Those wishing to obtain a student pilot certificate, based on the standard student pilot information contained in FAA Order 8710.0, may now do so by completing form 8710-1, which is available on the FAA website. Once completed, prospective student pilots can submit the application to a local FSDO inspector or to a designated pilot examiner (DPE).

EAA to Fight GAO Proposal for Extra Fees on FAA Designee Programs

EAA is coming out strongly against a recommendation from the federal General Accounting Office (GAO), which proposes that FAA charge fees to participants in its designee programs—some of whom volunteer their service for the betterment of recreational aviation. The GAO made the recommendation as a way to pay for broader oversight of those programs, such as designated airworthiness representatives (DARs) and designated pilot examiners (DPEs).
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EAA Congratulates Rutan, Scaled Composites Team
SpaceShipOne is Time’s ‘Coolest Invention’ of 2004 
EAA President Tom Poberezny congratulated Burt Rutan and the Scaled Composites team for the outstanding recognition received this week as Time magazine’s “Coolest Invention of 2004.” Burt is featured on the cover of the news magazine’s current (November 29) issue, in which Time justifies its choice with the following words: “For solving the problems of suborbital flight and re-entry with ingenious deign, for boldly going where NASA now fears to tread and returning without a scratch, but most of all for reigniting the moon-shot-era dream of zero gravity for everyone, SpaceShipOne is Time’s Coolest Invention of 2004.”

“EAAers the world over are extremely proud of the accomplishments of their fellow members, Burt, Mike (Melvill), and the entire Scaled Composites Team,” Poberezny said. “We’re also very pleased to host EAA member and first civilian astronaut Mike Melvill at our annual Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet on December 17.” For more information on the event, or to make a reservation, visit the EAA AirVenture Museum website. 

EAA Offers B-17 Flights in Oshkosh on December 5 
EAA is offering a rare opportunity for local residents to fly in a historic World War II bomber on Sunday, December 5, when the Boeing B-17 Fuddy Duddy will host flight experiences from Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. The flights, held in conjunction with EAA’s annual B-17 Fantasy Flight Camp, are the only local opportunities for B-17 missions this year outside of the annual EAA AirVenture fly-in. These opportunities are the same as those offered during EAA’s national B-17 tours each year, where thousands of people have experienced air travel in this aircraft, one of only about a dozen of the more than 12,000 B-17s built that are still airworthy.
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Remember Pearl Harbor: Was Admiral Kimmel To Blame?
More than 60 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor that started U.S. involvement in World War II, a free evening program at the EAA AirVenture Museum on Tuesday, Dec. 7, will explore some of the unanswered questions and mysteries surrounding that tragic day. The program, titled “Remember Pearl Harbor: Was Admiral Kimmel to Blame?” will be held in the museum at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, in association with EAA’s annual Pearl Harbor Day anniversary observance. Thomas Kimmel, a retired FBI special agent and grandson of Adm. H.E. Kimmel, will talk about his family’s efforts to clear Adm. Kimmel’s name.
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Aviation Science Comes Alive Through EAA’s AeroScholars Online Courses
Registrations for 2005 spring semester accepted through January 30 
High-school age aviation enthusiasts can discover the world of flight more easily than ever through the EAA, as they can access a whole new learning system at home or in the classroom through the EAA’s AeroScholars online courses. These courses, available at the AeroScholars website (www.aeroscholars.org), provide in-depth learning and college credit in an easy-to-use format.
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Mooney GX Models to Carry Garmin G1000 Avionics Suite
The Mooney Airplane Company announced that it will carry the recently FAA certified Garmin G1000 avionics in its Ovation GX and Bravo GX aircraft. Avionics for these aircraft include the Attitude Heading & Reference System (AHRS) with rapid alignment for the ground or the air; dual integrated GPS modules that provide IFR oceanic-approved navigation; dual VHF navigation with ILS; VHF communication with 16-watt transceivers and 8.33 kHz channel spacing capability; a Mode S Transponder with Traffic Information System (TIS); worldwide VFR terrain database; EICAS interface for engine/airframe information; and an XM Satellite Radio receiver with graphical weather information via digital data link and 130 channels of audio.

Mooney's Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Copeland noted, "The G1000 avionics suite integrates an impressive array of functions that will enhance safety by easing the pilot's workload. The displays are easy to read, even in bright sunlight, and the presentation is similar to that of a business jet." For more information, visit www.mooney.com.

Noborex Provides CoPilot For PocketPC 
Portable Electric CoPilot from Niborex works on the Pocket PC platform allowing pilots to create, organize, and view flight information necessary for a safe and successful flight. It incorporates custom checklists, text (for NOTAMS, TFRs, etc.), graphics (for weather images, runway diagrams, etc.), video (for educational information, videos, etc.), customized HTML applets allowing the user or others to create custom functions), and much more.
Your Pocket PC can remind you to change fuel tanks, check engine parameters, and even alert the pilot to a possible low fuel situation. Every message is custom defined by the pilot and can be scheduled to occur at a designated interval, after a specific length of time in flight, or even the time of day.

Pilots can download a free, 14-day evaluation version www.niborex.com, or order directly through the website or by calling 813/880-0440. The software installs on any Windows PC and works with Pocket PC 2002 or greater devices.

Chelton Flight Systems to Install EFIS in Several Rotorcraft 
FAA has given Chelton Flight Systems an STC approval to install Chelton FlightLogic synthetic vision EFIS systems in the Eurocopter AS 350/355 and the Bell 407. The AS 350 models include the C, D, D1, B, B1, B2, B3 and BA; AS 355 models include the E, F, F1, F2 and N. The EFIS units couple to the Sagem AP85 autopilot for all LNAV procedures, including complete approaches. Installations have already begun or been scheduled for most models of these rotorcraft.

The compact, lightweight systems feature the Chelton primary flight display with forward-looking synthetic vision, a multifunction moving map display, GPS WAAS, full FMS, helicopter TAWS, air data computer with fuel totalizer option, solid-state strap-down AHRS, master caution voice warning system, and NVG compatibility. The Litef fiber-optic AHRS replaces the original mechanical gyros for autopilot control. For more details, contact Chelton Flight Systems at 208/389-9959 or visit www.cheltonflightsystems.com.

Powrachute Introduces PPC Enclosure
The Powrachute Corporation is near completion of its powered powrachute (PPC) enclosure, called the Eclectic Star. This enclosure, which will also adapt to the Pegasus, is believed to be the first true full enclosure for a PPC. Besides the obvious benefit of warmth on chilly days, the aerodynamic shapes on the Eclectic Star will help the fuselage achieve its angles of attack more smoothly, reduce drag, and add in-flight stability. Beginning in December, the company will start taking orders for deliveries in January, to allow pilots to enjoy winter flying in comfort. For more information, visit www.powrachute.com.