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February
27, 2009 Volume 9,
Number 8 |
NOW OR NEVER: DEADLINE
FOR LASP COMMENT PERIOD IS TODAY
This is a final reminder to those
who wish to comment on the Transportation Security Administration's
controversial Large Aircraft Security Program. We're at the deadline -
Friday, February 27 - but you can still get in under the wire. To learn
how to register your comment and help defeat this
ill-conceived program, visit the
EAA website.
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NEW TSA AIRPORTS
INITIATIVE RAISES MAJOR CONCERNS
As more details of a Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
airport-security program come to light, a troubling picture begins to
emerge of yet another unnecessary threat to aviators' freedoms. A set of
airport-security directives that the TSA has been holding close to its
vest has provoked objections from EAA and other general aviation groups.
Although TSA and its parent organization, the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), have shared little information about these airport
security initiatives with general aviation operators, TSA evidently has
engaged in communications with the airports. From there, news of the
impending "reforms" has trickled into the general aviation
pilot community, and pilots have been alerting EAA to their
concerns. Read more
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DOOBIE BROTHERS TO PLAY
OPENING DAY AT AIRVENTURE 2009
 People
attending opening day at AirVenture this year will have an opportunity
to "Listen to the Music" of legendary recording artists The
Doobie Brothers, who will perform on AeroShell Square compliments of the
Ford Motor Company. The performance, free of charge to all AirVenture
guests that day, will be held immediately following the afternoon air
show adjacent to the Ford Hangar. Known the world over for their string
of Top 40 hits, the band is led by co-founding members Tom Johnston and
Patrick Simmons, the Doobies have accumulated Grammy awards, gold and
platinum records. Read
more
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SILVER DART MAKES COMMEMORATIVE FLIGHT
A DAY EARLY
 Sunday, February 22, was a cold, clear day with a chilling wind at Bras
d'Or Lake, in Baddeck on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. One hundred
meters from the shoreline, hundreds of people were all bundled up
awaiting any sign of activity at the temporary enclosure that housed the
replica of Canada's first airplane, the Silver Dart. Because the weather
forecast for Monday - the centennial day - called for awful
weather, officials moved the airplane's planned commemorative flight
back 24 hours. Read more
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CESSNA PRESIDENT VISITS
EAA
 EAA
welcomed Jack Pelton, Cessna president, CEO and Chairman, to its Oshkosh
headquarters this week for discussions on AirVenture 2009 and a tour of
the convention site. Pelton, EAA Lifetime Member 669229, met with EAA
President Tom Poberezny and other EAA officials to plan for this year's
Gathering of Eagles fundraiser, which Pelton has chaired since 2005. The
Gathering supports EAA's youth initiatives including the Young Eagle
program. Poberezny and Pelton also toured the EAA convention grounds,
which is undergoing significant site improvements; discussed the tough
state of the aviation industry; spoke about proactive measures to
increase new pilot starts; and discussed EAA's Oshkosh 365 initiative,
an ambitious plan to make available the excitement, variety, and
involvement of AirVenture throughout the year. Pelton also briefly
addressed attendees at the EAA/FAA meetings occurring this week.
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NOMINATION PERIOD OPEN
FOR YOUNG EAGLE AWARDS
 The
EAA Young Eagles program is successful because of the efforts of EAA
member volunteers who make significant contributions to its overall
success. EAA chapters and individual EAA members are encouraged to
nominate outstanding volunteers for the annual Young Eagle awards. The
following honors will be presented by program chairman Harrison Ford at
AirVenture this summer: Chapter Coordinator; Field Representative;
Ground Support Volunteer; Humanitarian (presented for efforts to reach
special needs Young Eagles); and the Young Eagles Horizon award,
recognizing efforts to go beyond the basic Young Eagles flight. The
nomination period is open through June 15, 2009, and the official
nomination form is available on the Young Eagles website.
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HOMEBUILDING HINT OF THE
WEEK:
 Cutting
tubing for a welded project can take a lot of time. In this episode,
from the February issue of the Experimenter
newsletter, Earl
Luce shows how to make quick work of cutting
steel tubing by using an ordinary table saw. Earl is an EAA SportAir
Workshop instructor and a volunteer EAA Technical Counselor. He also
offers plan sets for the Wittman Buttercup. Our second video this week
features Brian Carpenter of Rainbow Aviation Services demonstrating how
to install
and remove a CherryMAX rivet. Brian is an A&P aircraft mechanic
with an Inspection Authorization rating (IA), a DAR for light sport and
amateur built, a Sport Pilot Instructor Examiner, an FAA Certified
Flight Instructor, an EAA Technical Counselor and Flight Advisor.
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.
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INCLUDE YOUR LOVED ONE ON
EAA'S MEMORIAL WALL
 The
EAA Memorial Wall is one of the most cherished places on the AirVenture
grounds. Located on the edge of Pioneer Airport near the Fergus Chapel,
this solemn destination provides a place of dignity for EAA members to
honor departed loved ones whose support and passion for aviation
positively impacted not only their lives, but also the lives of others.
Its centerpiece: a monument made up of thousands of stones brought to
Oshkosh from EAA members' home states and countries. EAA honors new
inductees at the annual dedication service held during AirVenture. Each
submission also in entered with a special Memorial Wall designation in the
“Gone West”
online obituaries. If you would like to have your loved one included in
this year's ceremony (set for Sunday, August 2, at 11 a.m.), your order
must be received by Friday, April 10, 2009. To learn more, visit the EAA
website, e-mail development@eaa.org, or call toll-free,
800-236-1025.
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EARNING HIS WINGS
Under the wing of the B-17
 I
went over to the hangar yesterday to check on the plane and learned the
replacement windshield should be here next week. Which means soon I will
be back in the air!
While I was there I also was able to
watch EAA's B-17 make its first flight of 2009. In a little over a month
it will leave for its spring tour.
Often the Remos is tucked under the wing
of the B-17 at Weeks Hangar when I show up for a flight lesson. I've
never taken for granted how cool it is to do my preflight inspection in
the shadow of such a historic plane. If you get a chance to see it on
tour, don't miss it.
Brady 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."
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LIGHTNING BUG TYPE CLUB FORMING
A type club is being formed for the Lightning Bug, a small,
high-performance single seat kitplane designed by Howell C. (Nick) Jones
in the early 1990s. The intent is to share information and support for
the design, of which approximately 16 kits were produced, says organizer
Dave Limmer, EAA 383518. He's contacted owners/builders of approximately
seven kits, and asks that anyone with information on other Lightning Bug
aircraft or kit owners send him an e-mail at dtlimmer@gmail.com.
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AUCTION BOLSTERS EFFORTS
FOR EAA YOUTH PROGRAMS
 The
online auction that concluded February 21 resulted in more than $21,000
in proceeds for EAA's youth education programs and activities includ ing
the Young Eagles program. George Osborne, EAA 792394, of Libertyville,
Illinois, cast the winning bid of $15,002 for a 105th Anniversary
Harley-Davidson V-Rod motorcycle; and Jack Sellet, EAA 100674, of Winter
Haven, Florida, won an African hunting or photo safari package with a
high bid of $6,200. EAA thanks all who participated and for the
tremendous support shown for the future of aviation!
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WHERE ARE YOU FLYING
THIS WEEKEND?
 Duluth
One aviation Fest, Saturday, February 28, Sky Harbor Airport
General public is invited the first annual event to celebrate the first
flight of the Duluth One Rosto Monoplane, which occurred on
February 26, 1913. EAA Chapter 272 will provide Young Eagles flights.
Also available are helicopter rides, hangar tours and aircraft displays,
food, and live entertainment. The event is a fundraiser for the Duluth
Aviation Institute. For more information, visit www.duluthaviationinstitute.org,
or call Sandra Ettestad, 218-310-5643.
To learn more about calendar events, or
to find/submit others, visit www.EAAcalendar.org.
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PRE-PURCHASE YOUR
AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2009 TICKETS!
 Advanced
tickets are now available for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, "The World's
Greatest Aviation Celebration," which is coming July 27-August 2,
2009, at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The advance
purchase system allows EAA members and non-members to pre-purchase
AirVenture admission tickets via a secure website. Both daily and weekly
admissions are available, as is the ability to join EAA and immediately
receive the best possible admission prices available only to EAA
members. To access the advance ticketing area, click
here. Full instructions and answers to frequently asked questions
are available at that site. Advance AirVenture tickets are scanned and
redeemed for the appropriate wristband at AirVenture gates.
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EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': LOWELL
FARRAND
 Lowell
Farrand built his first Bensen gyrocopter in 1963 and brought it to the
EAA Fly-In and Convention in Rockford, Illinois that year. Disappointed
with the reception of his machine, he decided to build an improved gyro
and bring it back - a process that took nine years. In the interim,
Farrand met a Dr. Nicholidas of the University of Notre Dame through his
local EAA chapter in Indiana and volunteered to jump test a newly
developed ram air parachute. Successful jump tests led to the
development of powered flight tests using the new parachute and his own
Bensen gyrocopter - minus the rotors - as the pod. These tests would be
the first flights of a powered parachute, paving the way for a new class
of sport flying some 10 years later. In 1972, Farrand took his improved
gyrocopter to Oshkosh and won the “Man and Machine” award. He also
has served as test pilot for the Mini-Max line of homebuilt aircraft and
was one of the first FAA Amateur-Built Designated Airworthiness
Representatives (AB-DAR). Watch
the video.
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ONE WEEK ONLY! EAA
MEMBERS SAVE 20-30% ON ALL DVD BOX SETS
 EAA
members save from 20-30 percent this week when ordering DVD box sets,
including WWII: Air War. This box set features five documentary
films that use unedited footage from the National Archives. See Memphis
Belle and other Army Air Force aircraft in this 120-minute DVD
collection. EAA Members save 30% off the regular, non-member price if
purchased by March 4, while supplies last. Order
online or call toll-free, 800-564-6322.
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Q
& A:
Question of
the Week
For EAA
Information Services
I've recently
completed the phase 1 - 40-hour fly-off on my
Kitfox. I've been trying to find a template or
example on a proper aircraft log entry denoting the
phase-1 completion. Can you offer any assistance?
Answer:
The
proper logbook entry can be found in the Operating
Limitations document that was issued along with the
Airworthiness Certificate. You will also find
wording for entry of annual condition inspections,
and of course other important operational
information as well.
Remember,
you must carry these Operating Limitations in the
aircraft at all times, along with the Aircraft
Registration, Weight and Balance form, and the
Airworthiness Certificate, which must be displayed.
We also suggest making photocopies of your
documentation to keep in a safe place.
Now
would be a good time to get a cup of coffee and go
over the Operating Limitations, to be clear what you
can now do in phase 2 with your Kitfox.
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.
March
2009
EAA
Desktop Calendar
Dave Williams' reborn Dyke Delta is this month's
featured EAA calendar image. The airplane was the
subject of a
cover story in the December 2008 Sport
Aviation, and a video about the airplane can be
found on the EAA
video player. Photo by EAA
Chief Photographer Jim Koepnick.
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.
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ECLIPSE AVIATION HEADS
TOWARD LIQUIDATION
Eclipse Aviation will not
challenge a motion filed by senior noteholders in Delaware federal court
to convert the manufacturer's bankruptcy proceedings from Chapter 11
(reorganization) to Chapter 7 (liquidation) after the company's buyer,
Europe-based EclipseJet Aviation International Inc., could not secure
financing to close the deal. The company said in a news release it does
not plan to contest the motion at a hearing scheduled for March 4 in
U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. Furloughed Eclipse staff was informed
via e-mail from company officials Mark Borseth and Michael McConnell
that the furlough became a layoff effective Thursday, February 19, and
that the company would not meet the Thursday, March 5 payroll. The
e-mail concludes with, "All of the executive management team at
Eclipse gives you our most sincere and heartfelt thanks for your
tenacity and perseverance in trying to deliver this dream we know as the
Eclipse 500. We gave it one heck of a try. We are sorry that it came to
this today."
AIRCRAFT SPRUCE
ACQUIRES SKYSPORTS
Aircraft Spruce
& Specialty has acquired SkySports International, producer of single
and dual fuel systems and fuel probes in Linden, Michigan. SkySports,
founded in 1979 by Marshall MacFarlane, also carries a complete line of
products including instruments, radios, GPS, strobes, Comtronics
helmet/intercom systems, winter instruments, and hardware for the
ultralight market. All SkySports products are now available from the
Aircraft Spruce West and East warehouses Aircraft Spruce is a leading
supplier of experimental and certificated aircraft parts since 1965. For
more information, call 877-4SPRUCE or visit www.aircraftspruce.com.
NEW AIRCRAFT INTERIOR
SHOP OPENS FOR HOMEBUILTS
Leo's Upholstery
of Billings, Montana, has been installing interiors for certified
aircraft, automotive, marine, and home markets for the past 17 years.
Bob Lang, EAA 859217, president of the company, recently announced
Aerointeriors, a new company catering to the experimental aircraft
market. Located on the Billings International Airport, Aerointeriors
will work with both new aircraft as well as retrofits. Special package
discounts are available for a limited time, so contact Bob at bob@aerointeriors.com
or visit www.aerointeriors.com.
EASA TYPE
CERTIFICATION FOR CESSNA 400 CORVALIS
Cessna Aircraft
Company has gained full type certification from the European Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) for its 400 Corvalis TT (twin turbo), which the
company claims is the world's fastest fixed-gear single-engine piston
aircraft. "This is a significant milestone for Cessna, opening a
market that has been clamoring for a new, high-performance
aircraft," said John Doman, vice president, Worldwide Propeller
Aircraft Sales. The 400 has a range of 1,250 nautical miles, a top speed
of 235 knots and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet. Cessna produces the
aircraft, along with the 350 Corvalis at its facility in Bend, Oregon,
formerly the Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Co. For more information,
visit www.cessna.com.
MOONEY CLAIMS NEW
WORLD SPEED RECORD
Mooney Airplane
Company, Kerrville, Texas, reported that an Acclaim Type S set a new
world speed record on a recent flight from Minneapolis to New Orleans.
The company reports the airplane, flown by owner Dr. Dave Craddock, a
dentist from Kewanee, Illinois, averaged 333 knots with a max ground
speed of 357 knots to make the 904-nm flight in 2 hours and 43 minutes.
The flight was submitted to the National Aeronautics Association (NAA)
for review and certification in the C-1.c category. Learn more at www.mooney.com.
ROTORWAY INT'L
ACQUIRES PMC, ADDS FORWARD VISION
Chandler,
Arizona-based RotorWay International announced the acquisition of PMC,
Inc. of Phoenix, significantly enhancing the company's plans to build a
FAA-certified, two-seat turbine helicopter. PMC offers a wide variety of
manufacturing solutions for aerospace and other commercial applications
and is a manufacturer of helicopter parts. PMC is AS 9100 Rev. B/ISO
9001:2000 certified. RotorWay's CEO Grant Norwitz commented that the
acquisition fits with the company's plan to produce the first certified,
high-performance turbine trainer. "We want to make turbine training
competitive to piston in cost per hour with the cockpit environment of
established small and medium helicopters already available," he
said.
An A600 helicopter kit
courtesy of RotorWay is the second prize in this year's annual EAA
Aircraft Sweepstakes. (Click
here to enter.)
In another announcement,
RotorWay International will offer Forward Vision Systems' EVS-100, on
its current line of helicopters. Learn more at www.rotorway.com.
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