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August
21, 2009 Volume 9,
Number 41 |
ULTRALIGHT
TRAINING CONCERNS BEING ADDRESSED
 When
the sport pilot/light sport aircraft (SP/LSA) regulations were
developed, it was envisioned that flight training for people who wanted
to fly ultralight or ultralight-like aircraft would be conducted in
aircraft certificated in the special light-sport (S-LSA) category. As a
bridge until sufficient S-LSA aircraft could be produced, the FAA
allowed the use of transitioned two-place ultralight trainers
certificated as experimental light-sport aircraft (E-LSA) to be used for
compensated flight training until January 31, 2010 [per FAR 91.319(e)].
The FAA envisioned this timeframe would allow time for aircraft
manufacturers to produce ultralight-like S-LSA in sufficient quantity to
satisfy the need for ultralight training aircraft. Read
more |
EAA'S
'HINTS FOR HOMEBUILDERS' HITS CENTURY MARK
Series marks 100 videos posted, closing in on 1 million downloads
This week EAA marked the 100th episode of Hints for Homebuilders, the
popular video series on the EAA website. The series, featuring short,
informative, helpful tips from experts on all aspects of amateur
aircraft building was launched in March of 2008 and became instantly
popular among EAA members and homebuilders - so much so that the total
number of downloads is approaching 1 million, according to Charlie
Becker, EAA director of member programs. Read
more |
ROCKY
MOUNTAIN FLY-IN OPENS AT DENVER SATURDAY
.gif) Rocky
Mountain Metropolitan Airport (formerly Jeffco) will host the Rocky
Mountain Regional Fly-In (RMRFI) this weekend, August 22-23, and pilots
who arrive early enough might qualify for what organizers are calling
the "2009 Special Pilot Stimulus Package." The first 250
attendees flying in (pilots and passengers) will receive a crisp $2 bill
upon completing on-site aircraft registration. In addition, the person
registering the aircraft will receive a Pilot Stimulus Package including
the current issue of GANews, locally published Pilot Mag, along with
some surprise items. Read
more |
EAA,
AOPA URGE RESTRAINT UNTIL OFFICIAL REPORTS ISSUED ON HUDSON MID-AIR
A letter from EAA and AOPA to FAA
Administrator Randy Babbitt discourages any rash reactions to the tragic
mid-air collision between a small airplane and a sightseeing helicopter
in New York City's Hudson River corridor August 8, which claimed nine
lives. "Acting precipitously, without all the facts, may have
unintended consequences while failing to improve safety or prevent
future problems," reads the letter signed by EAA President and
Chairman Tom Poberezny and AOPA President and CEO Craig Fuller. Read
more |
EXPERIENCE
AVIATION'S 'GOOD OL' DAYS' NEXT WEEKEND
 Aviation's
Golden Age of the 1920s and 1930s come back to life at EAA's Pioneer
Airport next weekend, August 29-30, as EAA presents the 9th annual
"Good Ol' Days." From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days, visitors can
see vintage airplanes, participate in activities from the period, and
experience what airports were like during the Golden Age of aviation.
Features include a large family activity center with games and
competitions, like a pie eating contest; up close inspection
opportunities with EAA's historical collection of aircraft; ride in one
of EAA's vintage airplanes like the 1929 Travel Air, a 1927 Swallow
biplane or a Bell 47 Helicopter, and other vehicles; musical
performances; and be on hand for the opening of a recently discovered
1930s time capsule. Staff members and volunteers will appear in period
dress throughout the weekend. All Good Ol' Days activities are included
with regular museum admission. As always, admission is free for EAA
members. |
SCARED
VS. INFORMED DECISIONS
Bob Mackey
Falcon Insurance Agency, Inc., Administrator of the EAA Aircraft
Insurance Plan
 There
are many different marketing approaches companies use to persuade
customers to make a purchase decision. One frequently used approach is
the scare tactic - something bad will happen if you don't buy, something
bad will happen if you buy the wrong thing, or something bad will happen
if you buy from the wrong seller. Bottom-line something bad will happen
if you don't buy this from me… Are you scared yet? Read
more |
OWN
AN AUTHENTIC, SIGNED 2009 AIRVENTURE PENNANT
 Want
to bring part of AirVenture 2009 home to you? Here is your chance. Order
an EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 Pennant, the very ones that flew during
The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration. These red and blue pennants,
yours for only $35, feature the 2009 AirVenture logo and
include Tom Poberezny's signature. Grab your ultimate souvenir from one
of the best conventions ever. Order
online or by calling toll-free, 800-564-6322. |
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Can you help?
Join the Discussions
Post of the Week!
Member Hue Gammill of South
Carolina gets the first and soon-to-be coveted "Post of the
Week" award! In a recent thread on Oshkosh365, Hue exemplified the
very best of EAA - ingenuity, efficiency, and generosity - in one
paragraph! Read
about how he built a towbar (with parts to spare) for $3!
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If you have a suggestions and/or submission for EAA’s weekly AeroInnovations column, please send to editor Bob Waldron at aeroinnovations@eaa.org.
The
Beginning of a New Era in Aviation?
This article suggests that electric aircraft will usher in a new stage
in aviation history. Upcoming months will bring continual progress for
electric aircraft, with flight testing of the Electraflyer-X expected in
September, Flightstar expecting to have the electric e-Spyder available
for sale in kit form by the end of the year and Yuneec targeting to have
an electric plane with in-flight solar recharging at AirVenture 2010.
Electric flight brings new capabilities to aviation. "One airshow
performer in Oshkosh was overheard talking about the possibilities for
new maneuvers an electric airplane may offer. The instant torque could
open new avenues for aerobatics much like it did for remote control
aircraft when electric became the standard several years back."
TR53
AeroTrain: VTOL For Commuters
 The
TR53 AeroTrain is a tiltrotor vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft
being designed by Karem
Aircraft. Abe Karem is the aeroinnovator who also designed the Gnat
750 UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) - the
Gnat 750-45 is the Predator drone, which was at AirVenture 2009.
Karem's TR53 is being designed to cruise at 400 mph with a 120 passenger
capacity, similar to an early Boeing 737.
Boeing
Hydroplane Flies on 100% Biofuel
 The
Boeing U-787 hydroplane did a demonstration test run on 100% biofuels in
August 2009. The U-787 helicopter turbine engine has the same fuel
requirements as a commercial airliner. The biofuel used was processed by
UOP LLC using
camelina oil supplied by Targeted
Growth Inc., a Seattle, Washington, USA based company, jotropha oil
and algae oil. This is the same biofuel that helped power a 747-300 test
flight earlier this year.
You
Already Talk to Your Airplane - Now it Listens!
 The
VoiceFlight Systems VFS101 has
received FAA certification for pilot speech recognition. You can use the
VFS101 to enter or make corrections to your flight plans. Scott Merritt,
the aeroinnovator who brought this to market, says the voice entry
system is "up to 10 times faster than loading a flight plan
manually."
Future
AeroInnovators Can Learn From Inventions of the Past
The Smithsonian Air & Space magazine gives us interesting insights
on how a bunch of past aviation innovations came to be. EAA
aeroinnovators may learn a thing or two about the value of perseverance,
about ways in which real life experience is needed to overcome
challenges that common design principles can't solve, and how the final
product of our innovation development can come from the simplest ideas.
Burt Rutan and the
VariEze, Leonard
Greene and the airflow sensor stall warning system, William
Dzus and his DFCI self-locking fasteners. They all seem so obvious…after
they've been developed and put into use.
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ENROLL TODAY IN EAA FORD
TRI-MOTOR FANTASY CAMP
 The
EAA Ford Tri-Motor Fantasy Flight Camp (October 23-25, 2009) gives
participants an insider look at air travel as it was in 1929 through a
fascinating weekend at EAA headquarters. This fantasy camp is
expert-led, and involves a detailed study of the "Tin Goose."
Each participant receives a 1-hour flight experience and can log 0.2
hours at the controls of EAA's Ford Tri-Motor. To learn more about this and other EAA
Fantasy Flight Camps, visit www.fantasyflightcamp.org. |
EAST
COAST SWING CONTINUES FOR ALUMINUM OVERCAST
 EAA
Chapter 78 welcomes Aluminum Overcast, EAA's B-17G bomber, to Trenton,
New Jersey, this weekend (August 21-23) at Mercer Field. Don't miss your
chance to fly in one of the only remaining Flying Fortresses still
flying. Next week the aircraft visits Reading, Pennsylvania, August
25-26, then flies to Leesburg, Virginia, the weekend of August 28-30. To
book a flight, or for more information, visit http://www.B17.org, or
call 800-359-6217. See videos, photos, articles and more at EAA's
Fly the Fortress multimedia gallery.
Become a fan of EAA's B-17 Aluminum
Overcast Facebook
page! |
EAA
FORD TRI-MOTOR IN IOWA THIS WEEKEND
 EAA's
Tri-Motor descends on Ankeny Regional Airport in Des Moines, Iowa, for a
tour stop running through Sunday, August 23. Come and see one of the
finest examples of the world's first mass-produced airliner. Folks in
the Lincoln, Nebraska, area can see the aircraft August 27-30. To learn
more about the airplane or to book a flight, visit www.FlytheFord.org. |
HOMEBUILDING HINT OF THE
WEEK: BOLT INSTALLATION
 Jack
Dueck, author of the new book Sheet Metal Basics, demonstrates the
preferred method of installing bolts on an aircraft. Jack is also a
Technical Counselor, SportAir Workshops instructor, and member of both
the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft and Canadian councils. Watch
the video.
Now available - DVD, Hints for
Homebuilders - Sheet Metal - Volume 1
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. |
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WHERE ARE YOU FLYING THIS
WEEKEND?
 EAA
Chapter 1455 3rd Annual Corn Roast BBQ, Southington, Ohio
The best place to be this day is Warren Airport (62D) for the best corn
around…barbecue with Lindyburgers and Bushpilot Beans…and our best,
sizzling hot Birddog Dogs. There will be a People's Choice trophy
awarded for the best plane! This all-day event (9 a.m.-6 p.m.) starts
with free coffee and donuts for the pilots in the morning, then a live
band starting at 11:30. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, relax and watch
the Skyhawks fly their RC aircraft at 2 p.m. Also featured is a spot
landing contest. So fly or drive over and have some fun. For more
information, contact William Kolovich at 330-872-1358.
To learn more about calendar events, or
to find/submit others, visit www.EAAcalendar.org. |
EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': LES SMITH
 Les
Smith enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in November 1941. After
graduation from Advanced Flight Training with Class 42-F at Kelly Field,
Texas, in July 1942, Les was assigned as one of the original pilots in
the 61st Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group. The entire group
shipped overseas to Scotland in January 1943, and soon moved to its
first base located at RAF Kings Cliffe, UK. Les flew on the group's
first combat mission - April 13, 1943 - and would go on to fly 138
combat missions over the course of two combat tours. By the end of the
war in Europe, Les was credited with seven aerial victories, meaning
he's an "Ace." Watch
the video.
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Q
& A:
Question of
the Week
For EAA
Information Services
What was the rationale for selecting light-sport
aircraft criteria for maximum gross weight (1,320
pounds) and maximum speed (138 mph)? What's
significant about those specific numbers?
Answer:
While there is nothing inherently
"special" about the numbers - other than
the fact that they are the ones chosen by the FAA to
define LSA - these numbers do force an LSA to have
certain design and flight characteristics that the
FAA considered desirable for operation by a sport
pilot.
The FAA determined
all of the criteria that define LSA as published in
FAR 1.1 during a normal rulemaking process, which
included years of consideration, proposal,
modification and public comment.
Initially, both the
gross weight and maximum full-power level flight
speed numbers were considerably lower than what was
finally published, and as a result the higher
numbers that currently define a light-sport aircraft
allow a much wider range of aircraft to qualify.
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.
August
2009
EAA
Desktop Calendar
WhiteKnightTwo
made its spectacular world public debut Opening Day at
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009. EAA Chief Photographer
Jim Koepnick got this shot while the airplane
circled above the convention grounds just before
landing.
Download
this wallpaper image from 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. |
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SHARK
AERO LSA MAKES FIRST TEST FLIGHT
Shark Aero of Slovakia announced the first
flight of its new Shark light-sport aircraft on Wednesday, August 19.
The fixed gear model is produced by Shark.Aero sro of Senica, Slovakia,
which also intends to produce a retractable gear version. The
company plans to have the airplane certificated under Czech LAA, Germany
LTF, and the U.S. special light-sport category. To learn more, visit www.shark.aero.
BELITE AIRCRAFT DOES
STRESS TESTS ON CARBON FIBER WING
Belite Aircraft has completed a series of tests that statically
demonstrated the structural integrity and durability of the aircraft's
carbon fiber wing under loads of up to 4gs. Conducted at the firm's
Wichita, Kansas, facilities, the tests subjected a carbon fiber wing to
progressively increasing g loads to verify that the carbon fiber wing
exceeded the stated specifications of +3.8/-1.5gs in static testing. The
wing, which weighs less than 14 pounds, exceeded the stated limits,
remaining intact under a 4g load of 1134 pounds. Visit www.BeliteAircraft.com
or call 316-253-6746 to learn more.
WICKS AIRCRAFT SUPPLY
EXPANDS METAL INVENTORY
As a part of its planned expansion in aircraft construction materials,
Wicks Aircraft Supply has increased its offerings in metal products,
including inventory in 4130 steel round and square tubing, strut tubing,
steel sheet, and aluminum tubes and sheet. "Aluminum and steel are
basic ingredients in many homebuilt projects," said Scott Wick,
president of Wicks Aircraft Supply. "We have seen an increase in
demand for these products and have, in turn, sought to expand the range
of sizes that we offer." View the online catalog at www.WicksAircraft.com.
CHARTIS ANNOUNCES NEW
INSURANCE BENEFIT FOR PILOTS
Chartis Light Aviation Division (LAD) has announced the waiver of the
in-motion deductible up to a maximum of $1,000 on light aviation
insurance policies for damage to aircraft resulting from an emergency
in-flight deployment of the recovery parachute. Prior to this deductible
waiver, aircraft owners who deployed the parachute system were
responsible for 100 percent of their deductible. This new waiver applies
to all general aviation aircraft equipped with an aircraft recovery
parachute system, including the Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft.
Cirrus Aircraft Co-Founder Dale Klapmeier
noted the significance of this announcement as further validation of a
safety system fundamental to Cirrus Aircraft. Contact the Light Aviation
Division at 800-523-5266 or lad-e@ChartisInsurance.com
to learn more.
EAA AIR ACADEMY KEEPS
REMOS AIRCRAFT BUSY
For the second year, REMOS GX aircraft were flown by the EAA Air
Academies and Spread Your Wings programs to introduce students to Young
Eagles while providing their first flying lesson. According to Bob
Campbell, manager of museum operations and resident education, 292
students from seven Air Academies and one Spread Your Wings Camp had
their first flying experience in a REMOS GX. To learn more about
the REMOS GX visit www.Remos.com.
MEDICAL HANDBOOK
EXPLORES HUMAN FACTORS IN FLYING
A new book by ASA helps pilots develop an awareness of the physiological
aspects of flying, as well as those that influence workload and fatigue,
decision making, and situational awareness. Pilots can use the
information in this handbook to help them make consistent, informed
go/no-go and in-flight decisions. The soft cover, 100-page book is
available at www.ASA2Fly.com.
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