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October
30, 2009 Volume 9,
Number 51 |
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COPPERSTATE WRAPS UP 2009
REGIONAL FLY-IN SEASON WITH A BANG
 Last
weekend’s Copperstate Regional Fly-In at Casa Grande, Arizona, was
described as one of the most successful events in memory, and looking at
the numbers one can see why. Jim McChesney, fly-in manager, reports that
attendance at the gate was up more than 20 percent, the number of
aircraft increased about 12 percent - including a significant jump in
showplanes - and they even had to scramble to make more room for
aircraft and auto parking. Read
more
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45 MPG AT 207 MPH!
FUELVENTURE 400
A competition for the most fuel efficient
aircraft on the planet
 On
Saturday, October 24, Bruce Vinnola successfully completed the second of
what will most likely be an annual event at the Copperstate Regional
Fly-In, the Fuelventure 400. As the organizer, his workday started at
noon on Friday, where each entrant's plane was weighed in and impounded
until 7 a.m. the following morning, when the 400-mile efficiency run
began.
The concept is simple: Who can fly the
route, using the least amount of fuel? Each plane is weighed, as
ballasted for the flight. At the end of the flight, the planes are
weighed again, and the difference in weight is calculated to be fuel
burn. Read
more
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2008 NATIONAL CFI OF THE
YEAR COMMENTS ON DISTRACTED NORTHWEST PILOTS
The FAA Tuesday revoked the pilot
certificates of the Northwest flight 188 crew which last week flew an
estimated 150 miles past their destination at cruising altitude and did
not communicate with air traffic controllers or airline dispatchers for
over an hour. Capt. Timothy B. Cheney and first officer Richard I. Cole
told National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators that they
became distracted while using their personal laptops to learn new crew
scheduling software that was put into use as part of Northwest's merger
with Delta airlines.
"Regardless of what happened in that
cockpit - and we may never know for sure - what we do know is they lost
situational awareness, and that's probably the most critical thing for a
pilot to have," commented Max Trescott, 2008 National CFI of the
Year and author of several books on technology in the cockpit. Read
more Interview
with Max Trescott
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EAA
GETTING READY FOR NEXT WEEK'S AOPA SUMMIT
Poberezny, Lawrence among presenters
in Tampa
 EAA
is looking forward to its participation at the new AOPA Summit, which
will be held next week (Nov. 5-7) at Tampa, Fla. Along with EAA
Chairman/President Tom Poberezny’s appearance on the opening-day
keynote panel of aviation association leaders at 9 a.m. on Thursday,
Nov. 5, he will also join AOPA president Craig Fuller at the Summit’s
“Center Stage” at 1:30 p.m. that same day. Read
more |
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YOUR
CHANCE TO WIN EAA'S AVIAT HUSKY AT AOPA SUMMIT
Sweepstakes grand prize on display; entry
tickets available
 The
EAA “Share The Spirit” Sweepstakes grand prize Aviat Husky A-1C was
a magnet for aviators at this month’s NBAA convention, and this true,
fun-flying machine is sure to be an attraction during AOPA Summit, Nov.
5-7 at the Tampa Convention Center.
Sweepstakes entry forms will
be available to win the Husky, a true fun-flying machine that opens up
your favorite piece of the outdoors to air travel. Included with the
aircraft is:
-
180-hp Lycoming Engine
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Garmin G500 and GNS 430
Panel-Mount Avionics Suite
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Oregon Aero Seat Cushion
System
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Hartzell Scimitar
Composite Propeller
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Alaska 31" Bush
Wheels
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AmSafe 5-point Rotary
Buckle Inflatable Air Bag Restraint System
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Wipaire C2200 Hydraulic
Wheel Skis, offering peak performance on either snow or the runway
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Plus, receive a Chevron
Alliance charge card with a full year's worth of aviation fuel
credit and 50,000 points in the FlyBuys™ rewards program
The airplane will be given away on
Sunday, August 1, 2010 – the final day of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh next
summer. Proceeds of the EAA “Share The Spirit” Sweepstakes benefit
EAA’s education and preservation programs. For complete sweepstakes
rules and details, visit www.airventure.org/sweepstakes.
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DAUGHTER TAKES CONTROLS
WHEN PILOT-FATHER OVERCOME BY HYPOXIA
A father-daughter flight earlier this month turned harrowing as the
woman, a non-rated passenger, had to take over flying duties when her
father succumbed to hypoxia while cruising at 23,000 feet. The Oct. 7
flight from Omaha to Stafford, Va. in a Cessna Corvallis 400, was
routine until the plane entered Indianapolis Center's airspace and the
pilot, who has not been identified, stopped responding to radio calls,
the FAA's
Air Traffic Organization reported. After several minutes, the
pilot's daughter, who did not know anything about flying, came on the
radio. With patient coaching from controller Randy Smith and a nearby
King Air pilot Jimmy Foote, who was headed to Tupelo, Mississippi; she
was able to initiate a slow descent. The pilot revived himself as the
plane passed through 16,000 feet but was still slow to respond to
instructions. Controllers were able to convince him to divert to nearby
Zanesville, Ohio, where he landed safely. Listen
to audio of the controller/pilot conversation
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OPERATION MIGRATION NO
LONGER FLIES 'NAKED'
 Operation
Migration launched its ninth southward journey last week, its
experimental light-sport aircraft (E-LSA) leading 20 young whooping
cranes from Central Wisconsin to their wintering grounds in Florida.
This year, however, marks the first time the aircraft won’t be
“flying naked” – that is, without insurance protection – thanks
to the EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan. Read
more
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MORE
BENCHES ARRIVE FOR AIRVENTURE GROUNDS
 During
the long, event-filled days at AirVenture Oshkosh 2009, attendees were
grateful for the opportunity to stop and take a load off their feet,
thanks to the 100 new benches donated to EAA by members Craig and Connie
Willan. As
EAA wrote before last summer’s convention, the benches were
donated as a special tribute to Craig’s brother, Brent, who suffered
from brain cancer and needed to rest frequently during visits to Oshkosh
in the years before his untimely death. Read
more
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WISCONSIN MARKS
CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT
 One
hundred years ago next week (November 4th) Arthur Warner became the
first person to fly an airplane off Wisconsin soil. Warner accomplished
this feat after assembling his aircraft, which had arrived in crates
without instructions, on the Morgan farm in Beloit. In 1909, aircraft
were still as exotic as a Segway Human Transporter is today. Marketing
an aircraft was also an exotic concept as Glenn Curtiss, who met Warner
when the latter joined the Aero Club of America in 1906, arranged to
sell his aircraft through a car dealership in New York, which used the
display as a way to increase traffic in its showroom. Warner paid $6,000
for the plane and became the first private citizen in America to
purchase an aircraft. It is this moment and others that the Wisconsin
Aviation Hall of Fame is commemorating as part of its year-long
Wisconsin Centennial of Flight celebrations. Read
more
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CHAPTER LEADERS GATHER AT
OSHKOSH
 Last
weekend, EAA welcomed 24 chapter leaders representing 16 chapters to EAA
headquarters in Oshkosh for another Chapter Leaders Academy. The
sessions are a chance to share success stories, learn from others
experience and the EAA staff is provided a chance to learn more about
the needs and expectations of EAA chapters and members. Participants
arrived from British Columbia, Ontario, California, Mississippi,
Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Read
more
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LONG-IDLE WARNER AIRCRAFT
ENGINE COMES TO LIFE
 A
rarity occurred this week at EAA's Kermit Week's Maintenance Hangar in
Oshkosh as EAA's Ryan SCW, strictly a display airplane at Pioneer
Airport's Ryan Hanger, had its engine started for the first time in
about a quarter century. This is the prototype/Serial Number 1 of the
aircraft, which was built in 1937, the first of 12 that were
manufactured. The aircraft was receiving some recent TLC for continued
display at Pioneer alongside its more famous Ryan facsimile, EAA's Spirit
of St. Louis flying replica. Read
more
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VINTAGE 1974
AVIATION-THEMED PINBALL MACHINE FOR SALE
 Dreaming
about taking to the air and those halcyon days when you played pinball
at the bowling alley? Now dreams can come true. An EAA member is
offering the classic Bally pinball machine, "Air
Aces," which
is in very nice condition with little wear. A player's mission: Shoot
down as many enemy targets as possible. This limited production (3085
units) machine was just recently cleaned, waxed, and maintained by a
professional pinball expert. If interested, contact Justin at jbwhite@wi.rr.com
or 262-527-1915.
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WORKING
ON BETTER WI-FI FOR AIRVENTURE 2010
Even with the best events, there's always room for improvement, and
that's the approach EAA headquarters is taking toward improving Wi-Fi
coverage on the grounds at next year's fly-in. During "the heat of
battle" at Oshkosh last summer, the wireless Internet availability
and connections were well below the high standards our members and
visitors expect at the event. That was confirmed in the comment cards
and post-event surveys. Your voices were heard and your feedback noted.
Those comments were exactly what EAA needed to take back to wireless
partners and suppliers to make things better in 2010. We'll continue to
survey EAA members and AirVenture attendees to determine the best way to
meet the demand next year. Look for updates as we make progress over the
winter, and use your ideas to make things better on the 'Net next
summer!
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN/COLORADO SPORT
INTERNATIONALAIR SHOW TO EXPAND IN 2010
 Colorado Sport Aviation, Inc. will add additional attractions to its
2010 air show and fly-in. The static display will include more warbirds
and vintage aircraft, and three air shows will take place on Saturday.
Following Saturday's twilight air show, activities will conclude with a
fireworks show celebrating Metro Airport's 50th anniversary. The
Colorado Sport International Air Show and Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In
will be held August 28 -29 at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC)
in Broomfield, Colorado. Visit www.COSportAviation.org
to learn more.
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EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': GARY AUSTIN
 Gary
Austin began his aviation career washing airplanes as a teenager. Over
the years he would earn an Airframe and Powerplant certification and
began working as an aircraft mechanic. In 1996 he joined Ezell Aviation,
a warbird restoration shop in Breckenridge, Texas, where he learned the
ropes of working on round-engined warbirds. In 2001 opened his own
restoration/maintenance shop called Retro Aviation. In 2004 Gary became
crew chief on the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29 “FIFI” and B-24
“Diamond Lil.” During his tenure with the CAF, Gary spearheaded the
transformation of “Diamond Lil” to its original B-24A configuration
and new nickname “Ol’ 927.” Sadly, Gary passed away on Monday,
October 26. He was truly one of the “good guys” in the warbirds
community, and will always be remembered for his easy grin and
willingness to go out of his way to help fellow warbird enthusiasts. Watch
the video.
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SAVE
ON EAA'S SHEET METAL BUILDING BASICS BOOK AND HINTS FOR
HOMEBUILDERS: SHEET METAL DVD COMBO
EAA’s continuing “how-to” series of educational materials for
building your own aircraft now includes Sheet Metal Building Basics,
written by longtime builder and SportAir instructor Jack Dueck. Jack is
a sheet metal construction expert and serves on the EAA Homebuilt
Council, the EAA Canadian Council, and is an EAA Technical Counselor for
his home Chapter 1410 in High River, Alberta, Canada. EAA’s how-to,
hands-on series of instructional videos for the airplane builder, Hints
for Homebuilders - Sheet Metal, is almost two hours of detailed
instruction and time-saving shortcuts, including sheet metal tools 101,
drilling sheet metal, cleco 101, rivets 101, drilling piano hinges, and
much more. Joe Norris, EAA homebuilders community manager, commented,
“We are making a long-term effort to revitalize our core building
materials for our members. This book and our recently released sheet
metal DVD are just the first examples of this plan.” Now through
December 31, EAA members can get the Sheet Metal book and DVD combo for
one low price of $28.95 - a savings of $6 off the regular, non-member
price. Order
online or call toll-free 800-564-6322.
CALL 800-564-6322 TO
RECEIVE OUR NEW FALL CATALOG OR DOWNLOAD
NOW.
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| EAA
Sport Aviation Magazine Photo Contest!
Can you help?
Join the Discussions
Post of the Week!
To those of us aviation nuts in a ...
certain age bracket, Halloween isn't about costumes or candy or any of
that … Check out our own Zach
Baughman's well-timed "blast from the past" to see the
real meaning of the season!
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If you have a suggestions and/or submission for EAA’s weekly AeroInnovations column, please send to
AeroInnovations editor Bob Waldron at aeroinnovations@eaa.org.
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Lotus
Leaf Lessons: Using Vibration to Keep Surfaces Dry
 Materials
scientists at Duke University have shown that vibration is an important
part of why lotus leaves stay dry. Researchers are working on
hydrophobic (water-repelling) coatings to keep vehicles and other
surfaces dry. Based on the new information from Duke, materials
scientists are trying to develop materials that use small amounts of
energy in their environment to keep surfaces dry.
Using
Magnets Instead of Mechanical Gears in Power Transmission
 Research
on magnetic transmission systems at the UK's University of Sheffield led
to the formation of a new company, Magnomatics. Their high-torque
magnetic gear claims advantages compared to standard mechanical gears
such as less maintenance, better reliability, higher efficiency and
lower noise. Eddy current dampers, which are closely related to magnetic
gears, are already used in some aircraft landing gear.
First
Commercial Passenger Flight on 50% Natural Gas Fuel
 Rolls-Royce
Trent 556 engines powered a Qatar Airways' Airbus A340-800 aircraft on
the first commercial passenger flight using a 50-50 blend of synthetic
Gas to Liquids (GTL) kerosene and standard kerosene fuel. Reduced
emissions is one reason for using this fuel, which gives lower
discharges of sulfur dioxide and particulates. Shell and Qatar Petroleum
are building a new GTL plant with an annual capacity of about one
million tons of kerosene from natural gas.
Using
Compressed Air 'Batteries' As Energy Storage Devices
 Pnu
Power is a pneumatic battery that provides an uninterruptible power
supply (UPS) solution and back-up power using compressed air. The
compressed air systems are reliable and can provide power at a moment's
notice - these units take less than 300 milliseconds to get from standby
to full power. The pneumatic battery life cycle is ten times longer than
lead-acid batteries and operate more reliably over a wide temperature
range.
MIT
Robotic Helicopter With Intelligent Navigation
 At
the 2009 AUVSI Aerial Robotics Competition, the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT) autonomous robotic helicopter flew itself through a
changing environment. The MIT helicopter used a laser scanner and
on-board cameras to map the terrain it was flying through.
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| AeroInnovations aims to highlight developments that have potential to impact the future of aviation. EAA does not necessarily endorse the ideas, products, services or views contained therein. |
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EAA
B-17 TOUR LANDS AT TULSA
 This
weekend EAA's Vintage Chapter 10 is hosting EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast
in Tulsa, Oklahoma, through Sunday, November 1. Don't miss this chance
to see one of the stories aircraft that helped preserve liberty during
World War II. Next up for the Flying Fortress: Enid, Oklahoma, November
3-4, hosted by EAA Chapter 455, then on to Arlington, Texas, for a
November 6-8 visit hosted by EAA Chapter 34. Book
a flight or get more tour information at www.B17.org,
or call 800-359-6217.
Visit EAA's
Fly the Fortress multimedia gallery.
Become a fan of EAA's B-17 Aluminum
Overcast Facebook
page!
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NOT
TOO LATE TO SIGN UP FOR B-17 FANTASY CAMP
At the weekend B-17 Fantasy Flight Camp (December 18-20),
you'll get up close and personal with one of the most famous airplanes
of World War II - including a 20-minute flight experience! Space is
limited, so secure your spot today at www.fantasyflightcamp.org.
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HOMEBUILDING HINT OF THE
WEEK: TIRES AND TUBES
 Richard
Koehler walks you through the basics of tires and tubes. Dick is a
Technical Counselor for Chapter 186, an A&P aircraft mechanic with
Inspection Authorization (IA), and a SportAir Workshop instructor.
Watch
the video.
BONUS HINT: Firesleeve
- Installation and Removal
Brian Carpenter of Rainbow Aviation Services demonstrates the
installation and removal of firesleeve. 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. Watch
the video.
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EAA SPORTAIR WORKSHOPS
COMING TO ATLANTA
 EAA
SportAir Workshops travels to the Atlanta area the weekend of November
14-15 offering comprehensive and intensive two-day aircraft builders
programs. The sessions, hosted by the Aviation Institute of Maintenance,
Lawrenceville (Atlanta) campus, include Sheet Metal Basics, Composite
Construction, Fabric Covering, and Electrical and Avionics. "We're
delighted to be at the AIM campus," said Mark Forss, Director of
the SportAir Programs. "It's a great facility to learn about
aircraft construction and restoration." On Saturday evening, Forss
will present "What's Involved in Kitbuilding," a two-hour
seminar exploring the ins and outs of aircraft homebuilding, including a
pizza dinner. Pre-registration is required for all workshop programs,
which range in cost from $25 to $289 depending upon the course. Aircraft
Spruce and Specialty, and Poly-Fiber are major sponsors of EAA SportAir
Workshops programs, providing tools, materials, and special discounts
for workshop attendees. For more information visit www.sportair.com
or call 800-967-5746.
See
the courses in action on the EAA Video Player
Learn details on
each course
View the complete
SportAir Schedule
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WHERE ARE YOU FLYING THIS
WEEKEND?
 EAA
Chapter 1487 Fall Fly-In - Lumberton Regional Airport, North Carolina
Come and join a new EAA chapter, the Mid-Atlantic Aero Group EAA
Chapter 1487, for its first official event. They'll be serving
Carolina barbecue and plenty of hospitality. Young Eagle flights will
be held beginning at 10 a.m. Mark your calendars and fly in! For more
information, contact Danny Freeman, 910-740-6751.
To learn more about calendar events, or
to find/submit others, visit www.EAAcalendar.org. |
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Q
& A:
Question of
the Week
For EAA
Information Services
I need to get an emergency locator transmitter (ELT)
for my experimental light-sport aircraft (E-LSA). Do
I need to purchase the 406Mhz ELT or can I still use
the far less expensive 121.5/243 MHz type?
Answer: At
this time, there is no FAR requirement to use a 406
Mhz ELT for flights in the United States. However,
the 121.5/243 Mhz ELT signal is no longer monitored
by the satellite system - it is only monitored by
ground-based stations and any overflying aircraft
monitoring that frequency, so response time after an
activation will be longer than for an aircraft
equipped with a 406 Mhz ELT.
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.
November
2009
EAA
Desktop Calendar
The Gilmore Red Lion should look familiar to
many of you, especially readers of Sport Aviation.
The aircraft, a Marquart Charger built by Mark
Gilmore of Muncie, Indiana, won the Grand Champion
Plans Built - Gold Lindy award at AirVenture this
year and graced the cover of our October issue. The
air-to-air photo was taken by EAA's Bonnie Kratz.
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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SONEX
AIRCRAFT PLEASED WITH KIT EVALUATION TEAM PRACTICE
From October 20-22, Sonex Aircraft, LLC, hosted nine members of the
newly-formed FAA National Kit Evaluation Team (NKET) for a practice
evaluation of its Sonex Aircraft Complete Kit, which was selected to be
the first in a series of experimental-amateur built aircraft kits
evaluated under the new Amateur-Built Orders and Advisory Circular.
"Overall, Sonex Aircraft could not
have been more pleased with the way the FAA conducted this simulated kit
evaluation," said Jeremy Monnett, Sonex Aircraft, LLC General
Manager and CEO. "The new National Kit Evaluation Team arrived well
prepared and organized and conducted themselves with a high degree of
professionalism and consistency. All items that the ARC recommended
during our series of meetings over the past few years were addressed by
this visit."
Although the Sonex, Waiex, and Xenos
Aircraft Kits are grandfathered into the FAA Approved Kit list under the
previous kit evaluation system, Sonex Aircraft offered to participate in
this evaluation exercise to continue its ongoing leadership role in the
formation and refinement of the rules governing Experimental-Amateur
Built Aircraft construction. "We want to state with absolute
certainty that all Sonex, Waiex, and Xenos Aircraft Kits will remain
safely in the 51% Experimental Amateur-Built Kit category for builders
using all available components and upgrades from Sonex Aircraft,
LLC," Monnett added.
This practice evaluation helped prepare
the NKET for all future kit evaluations, now that the temporary
moratorium on new kit evaluations has been lifted. See photos and learn
more at www.eaa.org/news/2009/2009-10-23_sonex.asp.
SAN DIEGO A&S MUSEUM HOF NAMES
2009 INDUCTEES
On November 21, the San Diego Air & Space Museum will honor
national and international air and space legends at its 46th Hall of
Fame Induction and Gala. Each honoree was selected for their
contributions to aviation, space, or aviation technology.
The "Distinguished Class of
2009" includes Sally Ride, first woman in space; Sean Tucker, air
show performer; Clay Lacy, founder of Clay Lacy aviation; Lockheed
Brothers & Skunk Works, Lockheed Martin Aircraft Company; The Blue
Angels, Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron; Cliff Robertson, pilot,
Academy Award-winning screen star as well as founder of the Cliff
Robertson Work Experience; WASP, Women Airforce Service Pilots; and
Frank Robinson, founder of Robinson Helicopter Company. For more
information call 619-234-8291 or visit www.SanDiegoAirAndSpace.org.
HAMMER WINS SPORT AIR RACING LEAGUE'S
PUMPKIN DASH Eleven racers competed in the first annual
International Pumpkin Dash and Cross Country Air Race held in Courtland,
Alabama, on October 17, as part of the Sport Air Racing League 2009
series. Bruce Hammer set a course record in the Speed Dash at a
blistering average speed of 286.15 mph. He also set the pace in the
cross country race with his brother Steve, with Larry Reeves close
behind.
Chris Brooks led the RV classes at a
speed of 210.69 mph over the 147 statute mile course. Jim Porter
finished with a speed of 177.75 in his Cirrus SR20 to lead the factory
classes.
The last race of the season, The Rocket
100, will be held in Taylor, Texas, on November 21. For more details,
visit www.SportAirRace.org.
JET AVIATION CONTINUES ABLE FLIGHT
SPONSORSHIP
A recent donation by Jet Aviation Business Jets will fund 2010 Able
Flight scholarships. The donation was presented to Charles Stites,
Executive Director of Able Flight, on October 20 at the National
Business Aviation Association Convention by Jet Aviation's Robert
Seidel. Jet Aviation is a founding partner of Able Flight, which, since
its founding in 2006, has awarded 25 flight training scholarships. For
more information, visit www.AbleFlight.org.
TBM OWNER'S CONFERENCE SETS ATTENDANCE
RECORD
The TBM Owners and Pilot Association (TBMOPA), the user's
organization for DAHER-SOCATA's TBM 700 and TBM 850 turboprops, reported
an increased attendance for the sixth annual TBMOPA Convention held from
October 14-18 at La Paloma in Tucson, Arizona. This year's gathering set
another attendance record, with more than 225 attendees taking part in
the event, and more than 75 aircraft. Academic sessions, vendor
displays, and keynote speaker Craig Fuller, AOPA president and CEO were
among the conference highlights. For more information, visit www.TBMOwners.org.
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