 |
 |
 |
June
26, 2009 Volume 9,
Number 26 |
EAA'S CAMP SCHOLLER OPENS
FRIDAY
 A
sure sign of just how close we are to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009, EAA’s
Camp Scholler officially opens at 7 a.m. on Friday, June 26. In the days
leading up to the start of “The World’s Greatest Aviation
Celebration,” tens of thousands of people will create an “Aviation
City,” whose residents enjoy the unique camaraderie at EAA’s
drive-in campground. Early camper registration takes place off the
Forest Home Avenue entrance, just south of the main gate. For more
information on AirVenture camping, as well as all Oshkosh lodging
options, click
here.
|
WALK THROUGH AN AIRBUS
A380 AT AIRVENTURE
 For
the first time in North America, the general public will have a chance
to take walk-through tours of the interior of an Airbus A-380, the
largest passenger aircraft in the world, when the airplane visits EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh. AirVenture attendees will have the opportunity to walk through
both the main deck and the full-length upper deck. Information panels
along the circuit will provide insights into the aircraft's design,
engineering, and construction - and the international collaboration
required to build it. Read
more
|
LAST CHANCE TO GET YOUR
DISCOUNT
Savings on advance AirVenture purchases ends June 30
 The online discount for
advance purchase of admission to AirVenture ends on Tuesday, June 30,
2009. Purchases made by midnight receive $5 off every weekly adult ticket
and $2 off on every daily adult ticket.
After June 30, advance online purchase for AirVenture admissions will
continue to be available throughout the event. So take advantage of the
discount while it lasts by clicking
here.
|
EAA, AOPA SEEK EXTENDED
COMMENT PERIOD ON BURBANK AIRPORT NIGHT CURFEW
EAA and AOPA are asking the FAA to extend the public comment period from
30 to 60 days regarding a petition to impose a night flight curfew at
the Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank, California. The curfew, proposed
for 10 p.m.-6:59 am, would force all users to transfer night flight
operations to other regional airports, but since all airports in the
region are already saturated with traffic, the curfew could adversely
affect the national and local transportation system. Read more
|
EAA HELPS FINALIZE PART
23 CERTIFICATION PROCESS REVIEW REPORT
For the past year and a half EAA staff have
been a part of the FAA Small Aircraft Directorate's Part 23
Certification Process Review, the FAA's first step as it looks towards
revising the current regulations under which small aircraft (under
12,500 lbs) are produced. The report will present a variety of
suggestions including a thoughtful approach to rethinking the
methodology of how aircraft are defined within Part 23. It will also
serve as the base document for the next phase in the FAA's process to
revise the set of certification rules for Airworthiness Standards:
Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, and Commuter Category airplanes. Read
more
|
EARNING HIS WINGS
Lots of Traffic
 I
went flying on a Saturday for the first time to practice more solo
landings. I noticed on my last couple flights that the REMOS flies and
lands noticeably different without a passenger.
The weather was absolutely perfect so the
airport was busy with activity - quite a bit busier than it is during
the week when I normally fly. You can hear in the video  on
the blog how much traffic there was buzzing around. This was my
first time to fly in heavy traffic and despite the
"busy-ness," I felt completely comfortable with the workload.
Now I'm on the homestretch. Only one more
solo hour of flight, then all my requirements for sport pilot will be
met. Jason and I will then fly a few times to review and prepare me for
a checkride. Exciting times!
|
|
FIGHTER COVER:
Spectacular collection of classic warbirds at Oshkosh
 A
collection of warbird fighter aircraft not seen in one place for years
will highlight the huge annual reunion of warbirds and associated
activities at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 at Wittman Regional Airport in
Oshkosh. Among the legendary World War II fighter aircraft scheduled to
participate include restored Japanese Zero and German Messerschmitt 109,
as well as British Hurricane and Spitfire, plus Hellcat, Wildcat, P-38,
P-40, P-47, and always-popular P-51s from the American side. Read
more
|
AIRVENTURE DEBUT AVIATION
LEARNING CENTER TO DEBUT
 AirVenture
attendees can discover the latest innovations in aircraft fuels and ways
to fly affordably today at the new Aviation Learning Center, supported
by Chevron Global Aviation, at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009. The Center,
located right along the flight line just east of Forums Plaza, will
feature Affordable Flying, Fuel Education, and Electric Power for
Aircraft. The Center will have aircraft on display, forum presentations,
and hands-on demonstrations. Read more
|
STILL TIME TO SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
FOR NEW FAA ADMINISTRATOR
 We're
interested in learning what questions EAA members have for the newly
appointed FAA administrator, Randy Babbitt, for the traditional
"Meet the Administrator" Q&A session held annually at
AirVenture. Babbitt, confirmed by the Senate as FAA Administrator late
last month, has been invited to AirVenture and is expected to appear at
the on annual forum on Thursday, July 30, 11:30 a.m. at the Honda Pavilion.
To get an idea of what's on the minds of EAAers, we're asking that
questions be pre-submitted via email to asktheadministrator@eaa.org.
(Questions will also be taken from the floor as time permits.) Please
submit your questions no later than July 10, 2009.
|
FLY FOR LIFE: PROFILES IN
CARING
 "Fly
For Life" at EAA AirVenture 2009 will recognize and celebrate the
breadth and depth of good works by those who offer aviation services for
the benefit of their fellow citizens of the world. Public Benefit
Aviation (PBA) - volunteer pilots and aviation enthusiasts who
dedicate their time, skills, and
resources to help people; and Mission
Aviation (MA) - Christians working to bring the transforming
message  of Jesus Christ to people living in remote, difficult-to-access
places; provide vital humanitarian and spiritual support that would
otherwise go unserved. For more information, visit www.Fly4Life.org.
This week we feature mission aviator Bo
Bowman, EAA 398367, director of the South Carolina Branch of Angel
Flight of Georgia. Bo, who flies one or two missions per month in his
1975 Piper Archer, calls his volunteer efforts "a wonderful way to
use what I love to do to give back and help others." Read
more
|
EARL LUCE TO RECEIVE
EAA'S 2009 TONY BINGELIS AWARD
 Earl
Luce of Brockport, New York, will receive EAA's 2009 Tony Bingelis Award
recognizing his many contributions to EAA and the homebuilt aviation
community. Luce, EAA 303169, has belonged to EAA Chapter 44 for more
than 30 years, helping his fellow members with aviation projects and
technical help. He established Luce Aeroplane, a workspace where
homebuilders can get advice and help on their airplane projects. Over
the years Luce has provided advice on more than 30 projects. Read
more
|
STRONG EARLY REPORTS FROM
INT'L YOUNG EAGLES DAY
 Steve
Buss reports that registrations are beginning to come in from
International Young Eagles Day last Saturday, with about 1,000
registrations already here, waiting to be entered. There were 125
announced, scheduled Young Eagles events throughout the country last
weekend, including one at Oshkosh, where 87 young people were flown by
seven pilots. This year, of course, there is the added benefit of the
Sporty's online pilot training course being offered free to all Young
Eagles. Steve notes that more than 100 of the new Young Eagles had
already registered for the course this week, following their
flights. Read
more
|
BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR
HONORS CANADA CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT
As part of EAA's effort to recognize 100 years of flight in Canada,
AirVenture 2009 visitors are invited to attend an exclusive performance
of the Canadian musical play, Billy Bishop Goes to War. This will take
place on the evening of Monday, July 27, in the fine surroundings of the
Eagle Hangar of the EAA AirVenture Museum.
Written by John MacLachlan Gray and Eric
Peterson, Billy Bishop Goes to War is one of the most famous and widely
produced plays in Canadian theatre, dramatizing the life of Canadian
World War I fighter pilot Billy Bishop. The one-night-only performance
will star David Cescarini of Milwaukee's Next Act Theater Company, who
performed the play to rave reviews at Oshkosh in 2002. Doors will open
at 7p.m. and the performance will begin at 8p.m. Tickets are available
at no charge, but seating is limited. To reserve your seat, please
e-mail Jane Smith at jsmith@eaa.org
and include how many seats you need.
|
HOMEBUILDING HINT OF THE
WEEK: REMOVING PLASTIC COATING FROM SHEET METAL
 Aluminum
sheet metal is typically delivered with a thin plastic coating that
protects the surface. In this segment, Doug Kelly demonstrates how to
use a soldering iron to remove the plastic coating in just the area that
must be riveted. Doug is a Technical Counselor for Chapter 524 in
Frederick, MD, and a member of the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council. Watch
the video.
Now available - DVD, Hints for
Homebuilders - Sheet Metal - Volume 1 - now you can view 19 helpful
hints from experienced builders anywhere-on a big-screen TV, at chapter
meetings, or on a computer with a DVD drive. They're available for a
members' special price of $9.95 through
the EAA online store or by calling 800-564-6322.
|
STAY CONNECTED AT
AIRVENTURE WITH EXPANDED Wi-Fi SERVICE
 Another
one of the many site improvements EAA AirVenture Oshkosh visitors can
expect in 2009 is expanded Wi-Fi coverage on convention grounds. EAA has
invested significantly in the challenging task of providing wireless
connectivity to a much greater coverage area, allowing Internet access
for thousands of people using laptops and smart phones. That means
you'll be able to access the Internet or check e-mail whether you're in
the North 40, along the flight line, in Camp Scholler, the Ultralight
area…and virtually all points in between. Read
more
|
FLUSH TOILETS COMING TO
AIRVENTURE
 It
will surely be one of the most talked-about attractions at EAA
AirVenture 2009! Yep, it's flush toilets! To improve the visitor
experience, four mobile restroom facilities will be trucked in for
AirVenture and placed strategically around the grounds. Two units will
be located between each of the large indoor exhibit hangars, another
near the Forums & Workshops Plaza, and a fourth unit near Theater in
the Woods. In addition, several of the campground shower facilities have
been upgraded this year and include dozens of new flush toilets. For
more information about all the new amenities available in the updated
AirVenture 2009 site, click
here.
|
EAA NEEDS A PIPER LANCE
PHOTO PLANE FOR AIRVENTURE
 EAA
is looking for a Piper Lance for the week of AirVenture to use as a
photo plane for the air-to-air photography work. The photo plane is used
to carry the photographers on their award-winning photo missions,
supplying all the photos for the magazines and websites. The plane is
always operated with two pilots onboard, and carries up to three
photographers with cameras and video equipment.
If you own a Piper Lance and are
interested in making it available to EAA during the week of AirVenture,
please contact Sean Elliott, selliott@eaa.org,
or Jim Koepnick, jkoepnick@eaa.org,
or call 920-426-4800.
|
ENROLL NOW FOR EAA'S
WOMEN SOAR YOU SOAR 2009
 Young
women in grades 9-12 are eligible to enroll in EAA's Women Soar You
Soar, scheduled for July 26-28 in Oshkosh. Now in its fifth year, Women
Soar You Soar introduces enrollees to more than 20 outstanding female
mentors who work in the aviation and aerospace industries - everyone
from engineers to fighter pilots. The event will include flight
simulation, workshops, career exploration, and mentor sessions. Women
Soar You Soar's goal is to engage, inspire, and educate young women to
pursue their dreams in aviation and beyond. The enrollment deadline is
July 10, 2009, or until spaces are filled. Find out more about Women
Soar You Soar 2009 at www.airventure.org/womensoar,
or call 800-236-1025.
|
'FLY THE FORD'
TOUR HEADS FROM INDY TO BUCKEYE STATE
 EAA's
beautifully restored example of the world's first mass-produced
airliner, the Ford Tri-Motor, is in Indianapolis through the weekend in
the latest stop of the Fly the Ford mini tour. Following stops include
Akron, Ohio (Akron-Canton Regional Airport) June 30-July 1; and
Sandusky, Ohio (Griffing Sandusky Airport), July 2-6. Take advantage of
the chance to fly in an aircraft from aviation's "Golden Age."
To learn more, or to book a flight, visit www.FlytheFord.org.
|
'ALUMINUM OVERCAST' FLIES
OVER WAUSAU THIS WEEKEND
 EAA's
B-17 Aluminum Overcast will be at the Wausau (Wisconsin) Downtown
Airport this weekend for a tour-stop hosted by EAA Chapter 640. Here's
your opportunity to experience once-in-a-lifetime flight in one of
history's most important airplanes, the Flying Fortress. To book a
reservation, or to see the list of future tour destinations, visit
www.B17.org, or call 800-359-6217 for more information. Watch
video.
Become a fan of EAA's B-17 Aluminum
Overcast Facebook page!
|
FANTASY FLIGHT CAMP
EXPLORES EAA'S B-17
 It
may only be the end of June, but EAA is accepting reservations for its
B-17 Fantasy Flight Camp, scheduled for December 18-20, 2009, in Oshkosh.
The weekend ground school is led by experts at the EAA Aviation Center.
They'll fully explore one of America's most famous military airplanes
and immerse program participants in the history of the B-17. They'll
also meet B-17 veterans and receive a 20-minute flight experience in
EAA's Aluminum Overcast one of the world's few remaining flying
"Flying Fortresses." The flight allows participants to walk
about the aircraft and visit the various compartments experiencing what
it may have been like for the crew in WWII. To learn more about this and
other EAA's Fantasy Flight Camps, visit www.fantasyflightcamp.org.
|
GOULIAN TO RECEIVE BILL
BARBER AWARD
 Renowned
air show pilot Michael Goulian of Maynard, Mass., will receive the 2009
Bill Barber Award for Showmanship during EAA AirVenture 2009, July
27-August 2. The annual award is presented by World Airshow News.
Goulian will receive the award at EAA's Theater in the Woods on Monday,
July 27. He joins a list of honorees that reads like an air show hall of
fame listing of the past 20 years. Read
more
|
WHERE ARE YOU FLYING THIS
WEEKEND?
 VAA
Chapter 16 Fly-In, Gardner Municipal Airport, Gardner, Kansas
Join Vintage Aircraft Association Chapter 16 for their annual fly-in
this Friday and Saturday, June 26-27. There's an early arrival cookout
on Friday, the fly-in on Saturday, with food and a movie on Saturday
night. Also a fly market is planned. Come enjoy grass strips, good food,
and great people at an old-fashioned fly-in! Contact Kevin Pratt at
816-985-3248, or send
an e-mail.
To learn more about calendar events, or
to find/submit others, visit www.EAAcalendar.org.
|
EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': LAWRENCE ALLEY
 Lawrence
Alley grew up in the Wichita, Kansas, area watching Stearman biplanes
fly overhead. During World War II he enlisted in the Marine Corps and
was trained as a dive bomber pilot for Operation Olympic, which was the
planned Allied invasion of Japan that was to take place in November
1945. After flying a handful of submarine patrols off the Hawaiian
islands, the war ended and Lawrence went into the inactive reserves.
Recalled during the Korean War, Lawrence was retrained as an AD
Skyraider pilot and assigned to VMA-121 based at K-6 Airfield at
Pyongtaek, Republic of Korea. He flew 100 combat missions during his
six-month tour. Watch
the video.
|
EAA MEMBERS SAVE 20
PERCENT ON SELECT MANUALS, GUIDES, & LOG BOOKS
 Now
through June 30, EAA members can save 20 percent on a variety of
manuals, guides, and log books. Learn the tricks of the trade with the
complete set of five Flying and Glider Manuals (1929-1933),
available for only $23.96. Pick up a copy of the Complete Idiot's
Guide to Sport Flying, co-authored by EAA Sport Pilot &
Light-Sport Aircraft magazine contributor, Earl Downs, with many insider
tips on how to fly smart ($15.16), or the Complete Guide to Cessna
Aircraft, which includes information about older Cessna models and
newer models being offered today ($15.96). Visit the EAA Store for the
complete list of all the manuals, guides, and log books on sale. Order
online or by calling toll-free, 1-800-564-6322.
|
|
|
Q
& A:
Question of
the Week
For EAA
Information Services
My next plane will be a light-sport aircraft. If the
plane I am looking at (a Kappa KP 2u Sova) meets all
the criteria for LSA except it has retractable gear,
can I disable the retractable gear to make it
qualify as an LSA?
Answer:
For an aircraft to be qualify as an LSA, it must
meet all of the criteria as specified in the
definition found in FAR 1.1, which contains the
wording, "…since its original certification…"
This
means that if the aircraft was constructed with a
fixed gear and then received an airworthiness
certificate, it would qualify. But since the
aircraft was inspected and issued an airworthiness
certificate with the retractable gear, there is
nothing that can be done - it will never qualify as
an LSA.
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.
July
2009
EAA
Desktop Calendar
Jack
Tiffany's Pitcairn PT-18 Autogiro, photographed by EAA's
Bonnie Kratz, is the world's only flying example of
the aircraft. It was flown from Ohio to Oshkosh in
late June and will be on display during AirVenture
in the Vintage area.
Download
this wallpaper image at the EAA
website, where you can choose among several different
resolutions to suit
your screen - including three wide-screen
sizes...or select an image from the archive.
|
|
|
 |
TEENAGER TO FLY FROM 'SEA
TO SHINING SEA'
In tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, 15-year-old Kimberly Anyadike will
make history by piloting a single-engine red-tail airplane from Compton,
California, to Newport News, Virginia, and back to Compton. Kimberly is
believed to be youngest African-American female to pilot a
transcontinental flight. Departing from Compton-Woodley Airport (CPM) on
June 29 with an estimated arrival date in Newport News of July 4,
Anyadike will be accompanied by safety pilot Ronell Norman, as well as
Tuskegee Airman Levi Thornhill after whom the airplane was named. The
10-day trip is sponsored by Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum, which
provides scholarships and after school programs for young aspiring
pilots and at-risk youth. Learn more at www.TAMuseum.org.
'HITLER'S
STEALTH FIGHTER' FEATURED ON NAT GEO
National Geographic Channel and Northrop Grumman Corporation teamed up
to build a Horten 229 flying wing replica for Hitler's Stealth
Fighter,
a new documentary premiering June 28 at 9 p.m. eastern. The
top-secret Nazi stealth fighter was reconstructed to determine if
Hitler's military had stealth capabilities three decades before the
United States. The Horten 229 is scheduled to be unveiled as part of the
San Diego Air and Space Museum's World War II Gallery on Wednesday, June
24, 2009. Learn more at www.NatGeoTV.com/stealth
and www.SanDiegoAirAndSpace.org.
PRATT & WHITNEY
ENDORSES BIOFUEL TESTING
Pratt & Whitney signed an executive summary released this week by
Boeing highlighting the positive results of an industry flight test and
research program that should lead to future certification of sustainable
biojet fuels. The results indicate sustainable sources of bio-derived
oils and processing methods can produce a Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene
(Bio-SPK) jet fuel. Bio-SPK fuel was tested in current commercial
aircraft at a blend ratio of up to 50 percent with normal jet fuel (Jet
A or Jet A-1). Pratt & Whitney, Japan Airlines, and Boeing completed
a successful flight test of a second-generation biojet fuel on a Pratt
& Whitney-powered 747 aircraft. The flight test used a biofuel
primarily refined from the sustainable crop camelina. For more
information, visit www.pw.utc.com.
FORWARD VISION GETS
CESSNA STC FOR 100/200 SERIES
Forward Vision Systems, Inc announced the issuance of a Supplemental
Type Certificate (STC) for installation of its Enhanced Vision Systems
on most single-engine Cessna model aircraft. The company anticipates STC
kit availability to be imminent, and noted that installation can be done
by virtually any qualified aircraft maintenance facility in
approximately one day. EVS systems, commonly known as infrared or
thermal imaging cameras, turn night into day for the pilot and help to
penetrate haze, fog, smoke, and precipitation 8 to 10 times farther than
the human eye. Learn more at www.Forward-Vision.net.
LETSFLY OFFERS
COOPERATIVE OWNERSHIP OF LEGEND CUB
American Legend Aircraft Company now offers a Legend Cub cooperative
ownership program, available through LetsFly.org. Under the LetsFly
Cooperative Ownership Program, customers can be flying a new Legend Cub
for as little as a $2900 down payment based on a one-quarter-share
interest in ownership. Monthly payments will vary depending on loan
interest rate, but range from $365 to $430. Hourly operational costs are
estimated at $28 per hour, variable based on fuel and routine
maintenance costs. To learn more, call Eldon Corry at 208-523-3073 or
visit www.LetsFly.org.
CROSSFIELD WORKSHOP
FOR TEACHERS DEBUTS IN DAYTON
The first ever Crossfield Workshop for Teachers, "Take It to The
Top: From Wright to Mars" will be held on July 15 - July 17, 2009
as part of the National Aviation Hall of Fame's enshrinement weekend in
Dayton, Ohio. Teachers will participate in a variety of concurrent
sessions provided by previous recipients of the A. Scott Crossfield
Aerospace Educator of the Year Award. Smithsonian author Tom Crouch, who
has done extensive research on the Wright brothers, is a featured
speaker. For more information or to register, contact Barbara
Walters-Phillips at flypatbarb@aol.com
or call 407-497-1236.
CONTINENTAL W670
MAINTENANCE VIDEO
Radial Engines, Ltd. has released the second in its series of radial
engine maintenance videos, "Maintaining the Continental W670
Engine." In this 2 1/2 hour video, Steve Curry of Radial Engines
Ltd. takes you through such subjects as timing magnetos, engine
improvements, cylinder replacement, and five other chapters; each
devoted to a specific area of engine maintenance and repair. Visit www.RadialEngines.com
to learn more or call 405-433-2263.
WICKS EXPANDS AIRCRAFT
GRADE SITKA SPRUCE INVENTORY
Wicks Aircraft Supply has received a fresh shipment of aircraft grade
Sitka spruce, suitable for spars, cap strips, and T-stringers. Wicks now
offers spars up to 1.5 inches thick by 9 inches wide with lengths up to
25 feet. Most common spar orders can be shipped in a week or less. For
more information call 800-221-9425 or visit www.WicksAircraft.com.
|
|
|
