 |
 |
 |
December
5, 2008 Volume 8,
Number 61 |
RECORD-SETTING FLYIN'
TIGER RETIRED FROM SERVICE
 With
30 world altitude and time-to-climb records under its cowl, Bruce
Bohannon's Flyin' Tiger is being retired from service. Builder
and pilot Bohannon, EAA 169040, first introduced the highly modified
RV-4 Exxon Flyin' Tiger at the 1999 Sun 'n Fun Fly-In at
Lakeland, Florida. Five months earlier Bohannon had donated his other
world record-setter, a Miller-Bohannon JM-2 named Pushy Galore, to EAA's
AirVenture Museum. Read
more
|
HOVERSTEN JOINS EAA STAFF
New Technical Aviation Specialist brings building, flying and EAA
Chapter experience
 Tim
Hoversten joined the EAA staff this week as a Technical Aviation
Specialist. Hoversten comes to EAA from Portage, Wisconsin, where he is
the former president of EAA Chapter 371. He is also an experienced
aircraft builder, having completed a Sonerai 2 LT and currently working
on a KR-1. Hoversten has also been an EAA AirVenture volunteer in the
Ultralight and Rotorcraft areas for the past decade, and has regularly
flown Young Eagles. Read
more
|
EAA INNOVATOR OFFERS
LIMITED-TIME SCOOTER OFFER TO MEMBERS
 Travis
Anderson, EAA 701584, has been flying airplanes since 1950. He's also
the founder and owner of Stealth Muffler Corporation, where he developed
an environmentally friendly, dial-in tunable exhaust system for
motorcycles. Recently, he donated four of his innovative Stealth
Scooters to EAA to assist in fundraising efforts to support EAA youth
initiatives. Anderson's story is a classic tale of an entrepreneurial
EAA member giving something back to support aviation's
future. Read
more
|
'EARNING HIS
WINGS' UPDATE:
Practicing Emergencies
 Flight
07 - "Practicing emergencies isn't as scary as thought it'd  be.
A real emergency might be a different story, but it's good to know that
if the engine loses power the plane isn't just going to fall out of the
sky. And thanks to some of your comments and suggestions, talking on the
radio was a lot easier this time. Not only did I make all the radio
calls, I was also mentally ahead of the plane, so I was able to do the
entire landing! Watch the video
on the blog." - BradyBrady Lane, EAA
multimedia journalist,
is taking flight lessons in pursuit of his sport pilot certificate, and
he's sharing the experience in real time on EAA's website, "Earning
My Wings: A Video Blog About Learning to Fly."
|
HOMEBUILDING HINT OF THE
WEEK
'Metal Propeller Repair'
 Sometimes
metal props can get nicked from a rock or other runway debris and
require a repair. Brian Carpenter of Rainbow Aviation Services
demonstrates how you can perform minor repairs to a metal propeller.
Brian is an A&P aircraft mechanic with an Inspection Authorization
rating (IA).
If you have a hint to share with your
fellow EAAers, we'd love to hear from you! Drop us a note at Info@EAA.org,
and please put "Hints" in the subject line.
|
CAREERS WITH EAA:
GOVERNMENT ADVOCACY SPECIALIST
EAA has an opportunity for an energetic individual excited about the
opportunity to serve the needs and interests of aviation enthusiasts by
supporting our grass-roots advocacy efforts. This position will be based
at EAA Headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and will be part of the team
that provides technical support related to government actions affecting
general aviation. Duties include monitoring government agency and
elected officials actions, analyzing the effect of the proposed actions,
coordinating legislative and political activities as directed, and
acting as a resource and liaison to government entities on behalf of the
EAA membership and the aviation community. Learn
more about this exciting career opportunity.
|
EAA-ORGANIZED FORUMS
SCHEDULE AVAILABLE FOR SEBRING
 EAA
is once again coordinating the forums during the fifth annual U.S. Sport
Aviation Expo set for January 22-25, 2009, in Sebring, Florida, so those
who plan to attend can get the complete schedule online at www.Sport-Aviation-Expo.com.
Ron Wagner, EAA manager of field operations and EAA forums coordinator,
has brought together many of sport pilot/light-sport aircraft's leading
authorities for the four-day event who will discuss the sport pilot
certificate; training programs; aircraft insurance and financing
programs; engines and maintenance; and more. Presenters include Phil
Lockwood, Carol and Brian Carpenter, Paul Hamilton, Mathieu and
Sebastion Heintz, "This event is the trade show for the light-sport
industry," explained Wagner, who will also be a Sebring forum
presenter. "The exclusive focus on sport pilot and LSA gives
manufacturers and enthusiasts a chance to interact on a more intimate
level."
|
APOLLO 8 COMMANDER FRANK
BORMAN TO SPEAK AT EAA WRIGHT BROTHERS BANQUET
 Speaking
of Frank Borman, the "Salute to Apollo" participant will be
the featured speaker at EAA's annual Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet on
Wednesday, December 17. The banquet, held in the EAA AirVenture Museum's
Eagle Hangar in Oshkosh, will commemorate the 105th anniversary of the
Wright Brothers' first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. as well as the
40th anniversary of Apollo 8, the first manned spacecraft to orbit the
moon. To make a banquet reservation, visit EAA's secure
website. Cocktails open at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7:00 and the
keynote to follow. Read
more
|
|
WHERE ARE YOU FLYING THIS
WEEKEND?
 EAA
Chapter 614 Pancake Breakfast, Pineville (Louisiana) Municipal Airport
Best breakfast around. All you can eat - pancakes, sausage, biscuits,
gravy, eggs, grits, hash browns, coffee, milk or juice for just a $5.00
donation. For more information, visit www.eaa614.com,
or contact Nick Nicewarner, 318-452-0919. (Send
an e-mail.)
And for more information about these events,
or to find/submit others, visit www.EAAcalendar.org.
|
LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR
EAA B-17
FANTASY FLIGHT CAMP
 It's
a fantasy come true! At the B-17 Fantasy Flight Camp December 12-14, you will
get up close and personal with one of the most famous airplanes of World
War II. Immerse yourself in the stories of the aircraft's history as you
examine EAA's Aluminum Overcast, one of the few flying B-17s left in the
world. Top off the weekend with a once-in-a-lifetime, 20-minute flight
experience! Every effort is made to make this a true "fantasy"
experience for the aviation enthusiast - including privileged access to
various EAA facilities and specialists. Click
here for more information.
|
|
EAA CHAPTER TO HELP
WITH PEARL HARBOR COMMEMORATION
The Pearl Harbor Survivor Association holds
its 67th National Convention December 4-7, in Fredericksburg, Texas, and
the local EAA Chapter 1088 will provide ground support and meals for the
group of Warbirds flying in to participate. Several Warbirds are
scheduled to be on static display December 6 and participate in
commemorative flyovers on Sunday, December 7. Participating aircraft
include a P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair; P-38 Lightning (Glacier Girl)
PT-17; TBM Avenger; SB2C Hell Diver; two P-40 Warhawks; F4F Wildcat,
several T-6s, P-39, Zero, C-47, C-45, A-26, and Piper L-Bird.
|
|
EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': HANK HEIM
 Sunday, December 7, marks the 67th
anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Hank Heim was there
that day, serving as an armorer/gunner with a Douglas B-18 bomb crew of
the 31st Bomb Squadron based at Hickam Field bordering the harbor. That
morning Hank was in the barracks writing a letter to his brother when he
noticed the sound of a diving airplane engine, but shrugged it off as a
plane on an early morning training mission. When he heard the first
explosion he had thought the plane had crashed. Rushing to the window to
have a look, Hank was faced with a strafing Japanese plane. Watch the
video to learn the rest of Hank's story.
|
EAA MEMBERS SAVE $30 ON HISTORY
OF AVIATION DVD SET
 The
entire history of aviation is captured on film and preserved by the
National Archives of the United States. This DVD set is the largest
collection and rare footage of aviation history. Approximately 23 hours
of footage on 24 DVDs. With a retail value of $149.99, the History of
Aviation DVD set is available for $89.99 through EAA. But for a limited
time, EAA members can get the entire set for only $59.99 if ordered by
December 11. That’s a $30 savings off the regular, non-member price. Order
online or by calling our toll-free number, 800-564-6322.
FREE SHIPPING ON
ORDERS OF $25 OR MORE FOR EAA MEMBERS!
EAA members get free shipping on domestic
orders over $25. (International members receive 20 percent off quoted
shipping charges for orders over $25.) To ensure delivery before
Christmas, please note the following U.S. shipping deadlines:
- Final orders for ground shipping
must be placed on the web by December 14 or called in by noon on
December 15.
- Final orders for express delivery
must be in by December 18 to assure Christmas delivery.
- Final orders for express plus
delivery must be in by December 21 or called in by noon on
December 22.
|
|
|
Q
& A:
Question of
the Week
What is the proper
call sign in initial and recurring contact with ATC
for an experimental aircraft? Most of the time I
hear, "Experimental 123XX" however, the
AIM example is: "Breezy Six One Three Romeo
Experimental (omit "Experimental" after
initial contact).
Am I
missing something?
Answer:
The only time you are specifically required to
identify yourself as experimental is on the initial
call to a control tower. You are not required to use
the term "experimental" when talking on
the CTAF at a non-towered field (but many pilots do
so by force of habit).
The
example in the AIM will certainly work, or you can
say it as "experimental Breezy 123XX" and
drop the experimental after the first call.
Have a question?
To ask a question regarding government issues,
e-mail govt@eaa.org.
For questions about registration, airmen, aircraft
and medical certification, safety records,
performance, or any other matter, e-mail infoserv@eaa.org.
DECEMBER
2008
EAA
Desktop Calendar
The P-38 fighter Ruff Stuff shot from
above while parked in the Warbirds area at EAA AirVenture 2008.
Photo by Phil High.
Download
this wallpaper image at the EAA
website, where you can choose among several different
resolutions to suit
your screen...or select an image from the archive.
|
|
|
 |
CIRRUS PROVIDES UPDATE ON
VISION JET
Cirrus Design CEO Alan Klapmeier and Mike Van Staagen, vice president of
the company's Advanced Development Group, provided an update on the
Cirrus Vision single engine jet program on Wednesday. The pair also
provided specs and performance numbers that had been left blank since
the Vision's debut before the general public at EAA AirVenture
2008. Read
more
LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE
AWARENESS FLIGHT BEGINS
CarolAnn Garrat and Carol Foy, the two pilots who made it their mission
to circumnavigate the world in seven days to raise money and awareness
for ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), departed Orlando International Airport (MCO)
on Tuesday (December 2) and made their first stop at Brown Field Airport
(SDM) in San Diego on Wednesday. The two-person team arrived in Hawaii
Thursday, after spending 33 hours in the air. You can follow CarolAnn
and Carol's path around the world by visiting their SPOT
tracking page. To read their flight log, click
here.
PILLAR POINT AVIONICS
TO CLOSE
Pillar Point Avionics (PPAv), manufacturer of fuel sensing products for
experimental aircraft, will cease business operations effective December
31, 2008. Located in Bend, Oregon, the firm manufactures and sells low
fuel sensors for experimental aircraft builders. The present economic
downturn has led to reduced sales to the point where it is no longer
viable to continue operations. PPAv attempted to find an electronics
manufacturer to take over the remaining inventory, tooling, designs, and
software and continue manufacturing and sales, but no offers have come
forward. For more information, contact Dennis Douglas at ddouglas@coastside.net
or call 541-350-2683.
STC HORSEPOWER UPGRADE
FOR TAYLORCRAFT D-SERIES
Certified Aeronautical Products has secured STC approval to upgrade from
65 horsepower to 85 hp, 90 hp, or 100 hp on Taylorcraft models DC-65
(Army L-2) and DCO-65 (Army L-2A, L-2B, & L-2M). The modification
improves safety by increasing takeoff and climb performance, and
hand-propping can now be eliminated. There are no structural
modifications required and the alteration allows various options for
propellers and starters. The upgrade is LSA eligible with Continental
engine models C85, C90, or O-200. For more information, call
254-715-4773 or email: barnstmr@aol.com.
NINETY-NINES
NAME NEW PRESIDENT
Susan J. Larson of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the 41st president of the
Ninety-Nines, it was announced recently. She is a 30-year member of the
organization, previously serving as Southwest Section Governor, International
Treasurer, and International Vice President. She began flying in 1978
and holds a Rotorcraft Helicopter Commercial certificate with Airplane
SEL privileges and an Airplane Instrument rating. For more information
on the Ninety-Nines, visit www.ninety-nines.org.
$14,000 PRICE
REDUCTION ON AIRGYRO
Nate Oldham, president of Airgyro Aviation, announced a $14,000 price
cut on the Outback 2, an Australian-built light-sport airplane that
received its American special light-sport aircraft certification at
AirVenture Oshkosh 2008. "The worth of the U.S. dollar has risen
significantly on the world market, while other currencies have lost
value," Oldham said. "This means imported products should cost
a lot less. Most businesses simply put the extra profits in their
pockets, but Airgyro is taking a different and perhaps risky
approach." What's the bottom line? With a base price formerly at
$103,995, the basic Outback 2 can now be purchased for $89,995. In
addition to the lower base price, flight displays and avionics are being
discounted and financing is available. Learn more at www.airgyro.com.
ROTAX 912 SEMINAR IN
LAKELAND
A free seminar covering the operation and maintenance of the Rotax
912-series engines, hosted at the FAA's Lakeland, Florida, studio, will
take on January 3, 2009. Speakers Phil Lockwood, Jay Kurtz, and Ben
Coleman will address topics of interest to pilots and mechanics,
including the qualifications and training required to legally perform
non-owner maintenance on S-LSA, oil choices, mishap prevention
strategies, and compliance with light-sport regulations. For more
information or to reserve your seat visit www.faasafety.gov
or contact Terri Kurtz at 863-602-1032.
GET SPOT AT AIRCRAFT
SPRUCE
The personal emergency locator transmitter SPOT allows people to check
in with friends and provide them with tracking progress whether in the
air, mountains, or on the sea. It is equipped for sending messages for
simple assistance or for emergency situations. All that's needed is a
clear view of the sky. The compact, lightweight unit will alert 911
facilities if needed, sending GPS coordinates along with a distress
message to a GEOS International Emergency Response Center. It will
continue to send updated coordinates every five minutes for one full
week with a fresh set of batteries. The unit works around the world and
operates on two AA batteries. Learn more at www.AircraftSpruce.com
or call 877-477-7823.
|
|
|
Progress
on EAA's Bleriot
