EAA e-Hotline Electronic Newsletter

EAA, Members’ Persistence Pays Off
Ohio Finally Rolls Back $100 Aircraft Registration Tax

EAA joins its members and Ohio aviation enthusiasts in celebrating the rollback of that state’s unfair aircraft registration tax from $100 per aircraft to $15 per seat. On June 30, Governor Bob Taft signed the fiscal year 2006-07 state budget that included the change. The state first raised the tax from $6 to $100 in 2003.

EAA first became aware of this issue in May 2003 when EAA Life Member Ben Gleason e-mailed the Chapter office warning of a proposal to sharply raise the state aircraft registration tax. The new amount essentially treated a two-place airplane the same as a 25-seat corporate jet.
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Northwest EAA Fly-In Runs Through Sunday

The 37th annual Northwest Regional EAA Fly-In (NWEAA) at Arlington Municipal Airport, Washington, is under way runs through Sunday, July 10. Organizers expect more than 1,600 aircraft and 60,000 participants in this year’s week of aerial demonstrations, hands-on workshops, educational forums and aircraft judging. Paul G. Allen's Flying Heritage Collection of rare World War I and World War II aircraft will highlight the event. NWEAA is now the largest EAA regional fly-in. EAA is on site with a membership services area and extensive merchandising tent, as well as leading several forums and workshops. Arlington also features more than 150 exhibitors, daily air shows, and military fly bys. For complete information, visit www.nweaa.org.

Eagle Flight Concludes Phase I

Boise, Idaho, pilot Jared Aicher successfully completed Phase I of “The Eagle Flight” last Friday, July 1. Aicher spent 33 days (May 28-July 1) flying around the country in a Cessna 172, giving free Young Eagle flights to kids along the way. His journey brought him to Oshkosh’s Wittman Regional Airport on May 30-June 1, where he and Dustin Berlin, a Utah Valley State College flight faculty member flying a DiamondStar, met with local EAA Chapter members and provided several Young Eagle flights.
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Vimy Replica Successfully Recreates Epic Flight

The Vickers Vimy World War I bomber replica that highlighted EAA AirVenture 2001 and landed at Oshkosh in May has successfully recreated history’s first transatlantic flight. EAA members Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholz flew the aircraft, NX71MY, from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Clifden, Ireland, July 2-3. The flight lasted a little over 18 hours with tail winds reported at 120 miles/100 kts per hour along the way.
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Cause of CarterCopter Emergency Landing Disclosed
Carter Aviation Technologies’ (CAT) released additional information this week on the June 17 emergency landing that occurred at Texas’ Olney Airport, damaging the prototype CarterCopter beyond repair. Anita Infante, CAT spokesperson explained that an initial investigation by Carter of the day’s second test flight shows that the aircraft was flying at 160 mph when the bolts holding the drive pulley to the propeller driveshaft broke.
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Seawind Logs 2000th Hour
The proof of concept Seawind, N46SW, logged its 2000th hour during a trip between Pennsylvania and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, Canada, where the aircraft nears certification. Dick Silva, president, has flown all but 60 of the 2000 hours. ‘‘We had always hoped that we would, some day, certify the Seawind,” said Silva. “We have reached another milestone. We have engaged a DAR test pilot, a back up pilot and a flight engineer who are preparing the flight test plans for approval by Transport Canada.”
With 1,308 water landings and over 1,800 land landings, the proof-of-concept Seawind is slated for a factory-remanufactured engine after EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005. For more information call 610/917-1120, or visit www.seawind.biz.

CZAW To Debut New LSA At EAA AirVenture
Czech Aircraft Works (CZAW) expects to debut its new light-sport Aircraft, the Parrot, at EAA AirVenture 2005 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 25-31. The all-metal Parrot was designed around the Sport Pilot rules and features a full-cantilever metal wing, a ‘glass’ shape in real metal, a forward-hinged canopy, and plenty of payload. Powered by a Rotax 912ULS, with full tanks the Parrot can carry two full-sized people and 30 pounds of baggage at well over 100 kts. The Parrot is the second original design from CZAW, which debuted its Mermaid amphibian at Sun ‘n Fun 2004. After AirVenture, the Parrot will complete its flight-testing before being offered as both a ready-to-fly airplane and a quick-build kit for homebuilders.
For more information visit www.sportaircraftworks.com.

Commercial Aviation Scholarship Available
Women in Corporate Aviation, Intl (WCA) and the Cessna Aircraft Company are offering another scholarship this year open to men and women interested in pursuing a career in business and corporate aviation. The scholarship winner will be announced at the 2005 National Business Aviation Association Conference November 15-17, 2005 in New Orleans. The award includes a Commercial Student Pilot Kit from Cessna and $500 from WCA to be paid to the recipient’s flight school to assist the candidate in completing their commercial license putting the scholarship value at $800. Guidelines can be found at online at www.wca-intl.org and applications must be postmarked by September 10, 2005. Applicants must have their Private Pilot License and Instrument Rating at the time of application as well as a second-class medical certificate.

Sporty’s Offers Battery-Free Flashlight
A flashlight that uses neither batteries nor bulbs is now being offered by Sporty’s as an essential addition to pilot emergency equipment. Shaking this flashlight for 30 seconds will provide 10 minutes of bright LED light through the Faraday Principle of Electromagnetic Energy, making this a perfect emergency or back-up flashlight. The tough, waterproof battery-free flashlight is available for $19.95 and can be ordered at www.sportys.com or by calling 800/SPORTYS.

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