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December
4, 2009 Volume 9,
Number 56 |
VANDALS STRIKE OPERATION
MIGRATION HANGAR
 A
recent burglary and vandalism discovered at Operation Migration’s
hangar on the Necedah, Wisconsin, Airport has perplexed members of the
organization and its many followers around the world. The incident
occurred the week before Thanksgiving at which time the team members
were well into their southward journey with experimental light-sport
aircraft leading a group of 20 juvenile whooping cranes to their
wintering grounds in Florida. Read
more
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EAA TO CELEBRATE 75TH
ANNIVERSARY OF DOUGLAS DC-3 AT AIRVENTURE
 What
could be the largest Douglas DC-3/C-47 gathering in more than 60 years
will be a centerpiece of the aviation activities at EAA AirVenture 2010,
"The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration," July 26-August 1
at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. EAA is working with a large
group of owners and operators of the venerable aircraft, which
commemorates its 75th anniversary in 2010, to bring their airplanes and
join the reunion at Oshkosh. The event is being organized under the
theme "The Last Time…" as it likely will be the final time
that more than 25 of these airplanes will be seen together, including
formation flights. It will also mark the final major reunion for scores
of pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, crew chiefs and passengers that
flew, operated and traveled in these aircraft. Read
more
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EAA, NAFI SUBMIT COMMENTS
ON FLIGHT TRAINING CERTIFICATION NPRM
EAA is emphasizing that new FAA pilot proficiency rule proposals could
be harmful to the warbird community if adopted as currently written, as
EAA and NAFI each submitted comments to the FAA in the past week
regarding a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on pilot and flight
school certification rules. The deadline for those comments was Nov. 30.
EAA agreed with many of the proposals in the NPRM, but new
pilot-in-command rules that demanded proficiency checks for
single-piloted, turbojet aircraft could cause added financial burden
with no foreseeable increase in safety. Read
more
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SAVE ON B-17 FLIGHTS AT
AIRVENTURE 2010
Advance Tickets Now Available
 July
28, 2010, will mark the 75th anniversary of the Boeing B-17 bomber
prototype's first flight, a date that conveniently falls during
AirVenture week (July 26-August 1). To be sure, plans are under way to
celebrate that major milestone at The World's Greatest Aviation
Celebration this year, but you can finalize your plans to Fly the
Fortress at Oshkosh right now - and save - by reserving a flight on
EAA's Aluminum Overcast in advance online. Read
more
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VINTAGE
HAMILTON METALPLANE TO BE AUCTIONED AT BARRETT-JACKSON
 A
1929 Hamilton H-47 Metalplane will be on the auction block at the annual
Barrett-Jackson Car Auction scheduled January 18-24 in Scottsdale,
Arizona. It was one of 29 manufactured by the Hamilton Metalplane
Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a division of Boeing, and is the only
remaining airworthy example of the type. The airplane, powered by a
single 525hp Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine, was rebuilt and restored
by Jack Lysdale of Minneapolis between 1972 and 1975. It won the Antique
Airplane Association Grand National Champion award as well as Reserve
Grand Champion at Oshkosh. Read all about this one-of-a-kind aircraft at
the Barrett-Jackson
website.
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FUTURE
OF TTF AGREEMENTS AT CHRISTMAS VALLEY AIRPORT STILL UNCERTAIN
 In
a remote area of southern Oregon, Christmas Valley Airport began as a
private residential airpark with 38 homes along the airport boundary.
Decades ago a bankruptcy caused the airport to be given to the local
parks and recreation department, but the homes remained private and
their owners use the adjoining runway by way of a legal contracts known
as through-the-fence agreements. There is now some uncertainty as to the
future of these agreements, in light of the FAA's draft policy titled,
"Through-the-Fence
and On-Airport Residential Access to Federally Obligated Airports,"
and despite a letter EAA received from the FAA this week ensuring the
existing TTF operators agreements, it's still unclear as to what happens
once those agreements come up for renewal. EAA Radio's Fareed Guyot has
more in an
exclusive report.
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POBEREZNY TO ENTER ICAS
HALL OF FAME NEXT WEEK
 EAA
Chairman/President Tom Poberezny will be inducted into the International
Council of Airshows (ICAS) Hall Of Fame on Wednesday, December 9, during
the ICAS convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. He'll join other inductees of
the 2009 induction class, the late Bobby Younkin and Charlie "The
Flying Farmer" Kulp. Poberezny was part of the three-ship Eagle
Aerobatic Team along with Charlie Hillard and Gene Soucy, plus is the
longtime chairman of the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. "I'm proud
that my achievements in the air show industry are recognized by my
peers," Poberezny said. "I accept this honor with great
appreciation."
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ZENITH UPGRADE PACKAGE
INSTALLATION GUIDE AVAILABLE ONLINE
Zenith Aircraft now features an excellent, step-by-step guide in blog
format illustrating installation of the Upgrade Package to its Zodiac XL
demonstrator aircraft. The multimedia guide provides excellent detail
and great discussion by builders regarding the modifications called for
by the FAA's
Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) and AMD's
Safety Alert/Directive issued on November 7, 2009. Click
here for details.
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HAVE YOU DONE EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE TO DECREASE YOUR TAX LIABILITY FOR 2009?
A preliminary look at your tax obligations this year may have you
scrambling for additional deductions. If you haven't already considered
them, charitable gifts are a great way to achieve two very important
goals-reducing the taxes you owe the government and positively impacting
on the world around you. Investing in your favorite charitable
organization is a great way to not only make a difference in the lives
of those who benefit from your gift, but also to lower your taxes.
Consider the following three steps that will ensure tax savings this
year. Read
more
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TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO
WIN THE ULTIMATE OSHKOSH EXPERIENCE
 What?!?
You haven't yet signed up for Oshkosh365? When you become part of the
world's largest aviation community-one of EAA's newest member
benefits-before December 31, 2009, you are automatically entered to win
the Ultimate Oshkosh Experience. One lucky winner will be flown to
Oshkosh to experience EAA AirVenture 2010 as a VIP - in addition to
airfare and weekly admission, the prize package includes exclusive
behind-the-scenes access, aircraft rides, and more! Offer ends December
31, 2009, so sign up now or find
out more about the Ultimate
Oshkosh Experience
here.
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EAA MOURNS PASSING OF
EDWARD STIMPSON
 Edward
Stimpson, one of general aviation staunchest advocates and a founder and
longtime president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA),
passed away this week at the age of 75 after a battle with cancer. He
was a major proponent of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994
signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 to prevent general aviation
companies from being named as defendants in lawsuits in crashes of small
planes 18 years old or older. Read
more
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EAA RADIO NOW 'ON THE
AIR' YEAR-ROUND WITH STREAMING, MOBILE APPS
 AirVenture's
EAA Radio came from humble beginnings: a trio of hosts at a desk in the
EAA Communications Center in 1996 huddled around a single microphone.
The group has grown considerably in the ensuing years, and this past
convention had an all-volunteer staff of over 40 people, including eight
interns from St. Cloud State University, Minnesota. With expanded
content offerings & technological capabilities, EAA Radio is now
broadcasting over the Internet 24/7, 365 days a year. Read
more
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EAA Sport Aviation Magazine Photo
Contest!
Can you help?
Join the Discussions
Post of the Week!
The Post of the Week this time is
really more like the "thread of the past month or so." It
started when Bradley Algra wrote looking for pictures of the Gee Bee
Zeta that's on display in a museum in Massachusetts. Paul Stuart, in
true EAA spirit, replied quickly with an additional photo, but the
thread really got going when Keith Lambert chimed in. It turns out
that Keith's grandfather was the one who donated the airplane to the
museum more than 30 years ago! This is another perfect example of why
we're building an online community in the first place - check
out the thread and see for yourself.
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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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Intercontinental Flight With a Jetpack? |
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Swiss extreme adventurer Yves Rossy attempted an intercontinental flight via jetpack in November, beginning over Morroco and heading toward Spain. Clouds and turbulence foiled his planned 23-mile flight, forcing him to let go of the jetpack wing and use his parachute to safely land in the sea south of Spain. |
Dude, Where’s My Jetpack? |
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If you want to fly a jetpack but don’t want to build your own, this article covers three working versions. One is the hydrogen peroxide model from Tecaeromex and Jetpack International; another is the Martin Jetpack ducted fan type; and the third is a JetLev-Flyer unit that tethers you to a floating platform while you fly about 30 feet above the lake. (A fourth working jetpack type is the jetwing Yves Rossy uses.)
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Great Britain’s Electric Aircraft |
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Great Britain’s first two electric aircraft to take flight were the Dragonfly hang glider and the Lazair ultralight. An interesting aspect of these unique units was that wherever possible, they used large model aircraft components. |
Bad Air Can Yield Good Power |
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Piezoelectric devices smaller than one-inch square can be attached to an airplane’s fuselage and then generate electricity from vibrations caused by airflow. Researchers at the City College of New York are optimizing these waste energy scavengers, which could be used for charging batteries that power control panels, cell phones, or other electronic devices. |
Ultracapacitors For Power Bursts and Quick Recharge |
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Ultracapacitors give more powerful surges of electricity for transportation vehicles than batteries can and recharge much more quickly than batteries. Manufacture and use of ultracapacitors is an emerging technology in which individual entrepreneurs and researchers have as many opportunities for innovative designs and improvement as large corporations. |
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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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SKILES TO SPEAK AT EAA
WRIGHT MEMORIAL BANQUET
 Jeff
Skiles, Young Eagles co-chairman and First Officer of US Airways Flight
1549, will be the keynote speaker at EAA's 7th Annual Wright Brothers
Memorial Banquet scheduled for Friday, December 18, at the EAA
AirVenture Museum's Eagle Hangar in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The dinner
celebrates the 106th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wright's first
successful powered flight on December 17, 1903. Read
more
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THREE LOCATIONS REMAINING
FOR 2009 EAA B-17 TOUR
The
successful 2009 B-17 tour is drawing to a close, with three more stops
before the venerable World War II bomber Aluminum Overcast
returns to its winter home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This weekend, December
4-6, EAA Chapter 12 welcomes the tour to Conroe, Texas, then it's off to
Louisiana for the final two stops; December 8-9 in Shreveport hosted by
Chapter 343; and the grand finale December 11-13 in New Orleans, hosted
by EAA Chapter 261. 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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CHRISTMAS IN THE AIR AT
MUSEUM NEXT WEEK
EAA's annual community open house, "Christmas in the Air,"
takes place next Tuesday, December 8, from 2:30-8 p.m., in the EAA
AirVenture Museum. This wonderful celebration is attended by thousands
of Oshkosh-area residents every year and features performances by local
musical groups, dance teams, and children's shows; Just Plane Chocolate,
featuring several vendors providing chocolate treats; performances by
"Those Funny Little People"; and Santa Claus arriving by
helicopter at 6 p.m. This marks the 26th year for the event.
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HOMEBUILDING HINT OF THE
WEEK: ADEL CLAMP BASICS
 Adel
clamps are used on almost every aircraft and In this week's segment,
Richard Koehler walks you thru the basics of sizing and installation.
"Dick" is a Technical Counselor for Chapter 186, A&P
aircraft mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA), and SportAir
Workshop instructor. Watch
the video.
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EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': HAL NEMER
 Hal
joined the U.S. Navy in 1945. He served for 25 years and flew numerous
aircraft, including the TBM with Sea Control Squadron VS-25, and the AD
Skyraider with Composite Squadron VC-35. Upon retirement in 1970, Hal
joined EAA Chapter 1 at Flabob Airport in Riverside, California. Over
the years he has served as both an officer in Chapter 1, and as Flabob’s
resident test pilot. Among the many unique aircraft he has flown are the
Stits Baby Bird that was once listed in the Guinness Book of World
Records as the smallest airplane in the world, and most of the replica
1930s racers that were built by Bill Turner. Watch
the video.
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HUGE MODEL SALE - THIS
WEEK ONLY!
 Check
out our Aeronautica online store for special deals on aircraft models
this week only, including a replicated B-17 model of EAA's very own B-17
Aluminum Overcast. It has all the markings, complete with the N
number and the famous pin-up girl nose art and includes a fact sheet
that gives you specifics on the B-17 with a picture of the airplane on
the back. It's on sale now for only $8 - the perfect holiday gift for
the aviation enthusiast on your list. Order
online or call toll-free, 800-564-6322.
EAA Photo Orders - Select prints,
frames, and digital displays of your favorite EAA official photographs.
EAA members receive a 10 percent holiday discount. Learn
more
Other holiday gift ideas from EAA:
The Brown Arch - leave your
mark permanently in Oshkosh by purchasing a "Brown Arch"
tribute brick.
Founders' Wing - place a
brick on the Founders' Wing Wall, recognizing your commitment to
preserving EAA's culture in a way that will make sure it won't be
forgotten.
EAA Memorial Wall
- honor the memory of that special someone by dedicating a plaque on
EAA's Memorial Wall.
EAA Sweepstakes - enter for a
chance to win a brand new Aviat Husky, or other great prizes in the 2010
Share the Spirit Sweepstakes.
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WHERE ARE YOU FLYING THIS
WEEKEND?
 Tom
Rebholz Memorial Chili Fly-In, Cottage Grove, Wisconsin
Saturday, December 5, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. - This year's annual chili fly-in
will also feature the first annual Chili Recipe Contest. For more
information, visit http://corben93.org.
EAA Chapter 59 Pancake Breakfast and
Information Exchange - McGregor Executive Airport, McGregor, Texas
Get together at the chapter hangar, with other pilots and other aviation
enthusiasts, 8-10:30 a.m. See a demonstration by the Curves Balloon team
and enjoy the best blueberry pancakes anywhere. See new and old
airplanes, projects and more. Come make yourself at home. For more
information, visit www.EAA59.org.
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
How can a homebuilt project be licensed as an
experimental aircraft if it's purchased as a partial
project? Can one comply with the 51 percent rule if
you complete what is essentially someone else's
project? (not to mention trusting someone else's
construction techniques).
Answer: An
aircraft can still be granted an experimental
amateur-built airworthiness certificate after
passing through numerous hands before it is finally
completed, as long as 51 percent of the fabrication
and assembly work is done by amateurs. Obtaining the
repairman certificate, which allows you to
perform annual condition inspections, may be more
difficult to accomplish if you buy a project that is
nearly complete. The FAA grants this certificate to
the primary builder upon application and
documentation (builder's log) that satisfies them
that the applicant is capable of performing the
annual condition inspections. We recommend that you
always apply for the repairman certificate, if you
feel confident that you can do the inspections.
For more information,
FAA
Advisory Circular 20-27G: Certification and
Operation of Amateur-Built Aircraft and FAA
Order 8130.2F CHG 4 Section 9: Experimental
Amateur-Built Airworthiness Certifications.
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
2009
EAA
Desktop Calendar
We wrap up 2009
with the Sorensen BF9-2, Unfinished Business,
designed and built by Danny Sorensen of EAA Chapter
23, Salt Lake City, Utah. Construction began in
October 1995 and 13 years later, October 2008,
Sorensen received the airworthiness certificate for
his aerobatic biplane. Photo credit: Bonnie Kratz,
shot during AirVenture last summer in a Piper Lance
piloted by Walt Dorlac.
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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REGISTER
NOW FOR THE WAI CONFERENCE
The 21st Annual Women in Aviation (WAI) Conference is set for February
25 -27, 2010, at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Buena Vista,
Florida. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and National Transportation
Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman are among the list of confirmed
speakers. Educational seminars, side trips, scholarship presentations,
and the induction of five women into WAI's Pioneer Hall of Fame
highlight the event. Attendees can register at www.WAI.org.
POWER FLOW TUNES INTO
TOYS FOR TOTS
Power Flow Systems (PFS), manufacturer of tuned exhaust systems, has
created a December sales program that will assist the US Marine's Toys
for Tots Foundation. Purchase a Power Flow Tuned Exhaust System through
December 24, 2009, and receive savings based on the contribution amount
to the Toys for Tots Foundation. Power Flow will triple the donation
amount by way of an instant rebate. A $50 donation to Toys for Tots, for
example, entitles the donor to $150 off a PFS tuned exhaust. (Maximum
discount level is $600 off for a $200 donation.) For more information,
visit www.PowerFlowSystems.com
or call 386-253-8833.
WOLF AVIATION FUND
GRANT PROPOSALS DUE DECEMBER 15
The December 15 deadline is rapidly approaching for Wolf Aviation Fund
grant proposals. Each year, the fund provides help for innovative
projects that "promote and support general aviation." Projects
must fit into the foundation's seven program areas: Developing Public
Policy and Airports; Networking and Mutual Support; Development and
Alternative Resources; Communications, Media, and Community Relations;
General Aviation Technology, Safety, and Noise; Improving Public
Understanding and Perception; and Aviation and Space Education. Log on
to www.wolf-aviation.orgto
learn more.
FLIGHT DESIGN OBTAINS
CHINESE TYPE DESIGN APPROVAL
On November 16, 2009, Flight Design obtained the Type Design Approval
TDA-LSA-0001A for its light-sport aircraft, the CT. The approval was
received from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Flight Design
is now able to deliver the first LSA aircraft to the opening Chinese
general aviation market. To do this, it was also necessary to obtain a
Chinese Production Certificate. Flight Design is the first company to
obtain Chinese LSA approval, and the first company outside of China
holding a Chinese Type Design Approval and a Chinese Production
Certificate. Learn more at www.FlightDesign.com.
AERO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
FEATURES ALTERNATIVE A/C ENGINES
At AERO Friedrichshafen, to be held April 8-11, 2010, the international
air show will increasingly focus on environmentally-friendly engines.
Electric, hybrid, and fuel cell-driven aircraft have come of age in the
general aviation industry, planners say, so expect to see the latest
environmentally-friendly alternative engine technologies, many of which
have developed well beyond the prototype stage and are ready to go into
production. Additional information on AERO is available at: www.AERO-expo.de.
US AVIATION TEAMS WITH
AIRCRAFT PRECISION MAINTENANCE
Aircraft Precision Maintenance founder Wesley Pearce and associates have
moved all of the company's assets into a new 14,400-square-foot facility
adjacent to the US Aviation complex in Denton, Texas. With the expansion
of US Aviation's maintenance operations, the company will now have
mechanics on 24-hour call. Call 866-383-2400 or visit www.USFlightAcademy.com
to learn more.
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