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April
2, 2010 Volume 10, Number 13 |
SPACESUIT
UNVEILED FOR HI-ALTITUDE FREEFALL RECORD ATTEMPT
 This
week the Red Bull Stratos science team has revealed the pressure helmet,
and suit that will serve as Felix Baumgartner's sole life-support system
when he steps off his capsule at 120,000 feet to attempt a
record-breaking freefall from the edge of space. The suit is custom made
by The David Clark company which has been making suits since 1941
including launch entry suits for Space Shuttle astronauts and the iconic
suit that United States Air Force Colonel (Ret.) Joe Kittinger wore on
his historic Excelsior III jump in 1960. Read
more | Watch
the video
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777 PILOT
SAYS 'WE NEED TO TALK' AFTER CLOSE CALL WITH CESSNA 182
 The
National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a near-collision
last Saturday, March 27, involving a Cessna 182 (N9870E) and a United
Airlines Boeing 777 (N216UA) near San Francisco International Airport.
United Airlines flight 889 was passing through 1,100 feet when the crew
was notified by air traffic control (ATC) of the location of the Cessna
182, followed immediately by an alert from the Boeing 777's onboard
traffic warning system. The flying pilot leveled the aircraft, and both
crew members observed the underside of the Cessna 182 as it passed 200
to 300 feet above them in a hard left turn. Read
more | Listen
to the story
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DISCOVER
OR SHARE THE WORLD OF FLIGHT ON INTERNATIONAL LEARN TO FLY DAY
Highlight your event or find an event at www.learntoflyday.org
 Saturday,
May 15 will be a day where dreams of flight will become reality as the
inaugural International Learn to Fly Day brings together aviators with
those who have always wanted to discover flight. International Learn To
Fly Day, first announced at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 last July, is an
aviation community-wide effort to help people take that “next step”
to discover the fun, freedom and accomplishment of flight. EAA is joined
by numerous other aviation organizations and businesses in this effort,
which features introductory flights, seminars and open houses at
airports and other locations throughout the nation and internationally. Learn
more | Watch
the video
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BALLOON
RIDE TOO TAME AS 93-YEAR-OLD EAAER MAKES TANDEM JUMP
 Fred
Leidel, EAA 420640, has led a full life with such activities as a
university professor, propeller engineer, and EAA volunteer. At 93, Fred
still felt unfulfilled after taking a balloon ride the year before, so
he decided to try skydiving. The path to that first jump started with a
balloon rally in New Mexico a year ago. Fred expressed his excitement at
the experience, and when challenged by a relative about what he would do
next, he said, “Maybe a parachute jump would be fun.” Read
more
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STANDING UP FOR FLIERS'
RIGHTS
With a keen focus on defending its members’ rights and affordable
access to public airports, EAA submitted official comments to the FAA’s
massive new Airport Compliance Manual (FAA Order 5190.6B) this week.
Randy Hansen, EAA government relations director, authored EAA’s
45-page response to the FAA’s 691-page Airport Compliance Manual. “Ensuring
affordability and reducing complexity and difficulty for our members to
participate in their passion - aviation - is the thrust behind our
official comments,” he said. Read
more
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CURTISS HELLDIVER FOUND
IN OREGON WOODS TWICE?
 The
discovery last month in the Oregon woods of the wreckage of a World War
II-era warplane has raised questions about whether this was the first
time someone has seen the wreckage. The origins of the Curtiss SB2C
Helldiver, a U.S. Navy dive bomber, are a mystery. While initial media
reports talked of this being a fresh discovery, a rather lengthy article
in the Tillamook
Headlight-Herald quotes extensively from longtime residents who
have seen the wreckage before or have heard of a crash in that area. Read
more
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DOWNED
AIRCRAFT RETRIEVED BY AIR PIRATES
From time to time, aircraft are discovered in remote regions, and a
museum or collector is interested in acquiring the wreckage. Enter the
world of remote aircraft salvage, which is populated by people like the
Air Pirates, a recovery business that was started by Gary Larkins in the
1970s.
Air Pirates have recovered
over 69 aircraft on every continent including a fully intact B-25 that
was on the bottom of the ocean off the Carolinas. In this video, a
part-time salvage diver with Air Pirates talks about the challenges of
removing aircraft from the deepest, darkest corners of the world. (Hat
Tip: TheKathrynreport.com)
View the video
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ACCIDENT INVESTIGATORS
VISIT EAA FOR EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT TRAINING
 Investigators
from several government agencies including Canada visited EAA this week
for a three-day course on experimental, light-sport aircraft, and
warbirds. EAA Vice President of Industry and Regulatory Affairs Earl
Lawrence and EAA Homebuilders Community Manager Joe Norris provided the
training to the investigators who will be encountering noncertified
aircraft in their work. Read
more
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EAA HITS THE CONTINENT AT
AERO NEXT WEEK
 EAA
will be well represented at the annual AERO general aviation show at
Friedrichshafen, Germany next week. The four-day (April 8-11) event is
one of Europe’s largest GA events and features many light-sport
aircraft designs and other aviation innovations, including several that
will be part of EAA AirVenture 2010. Kent Misgades will be filing
updates from the event, while EAA has a display at the exhibition that
will host exhibitors for a reception on Friday, April 9. In addition,
Earl Lawrence – EAA’s vice president of industry and regulatory
affairs – will host an EAA press event on Thursday morning, April 8,
and participate in a GAMA panel discussion on Europe’s most pressing
general aviation issues with AOPA president Craig Fuller and GAMA vice
president Ed Smith.
As part of the working
agreement between EAA and AERO, EAA members are admitted free to the
exhibit hall for the show throughout its run.
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AROUND-THE-WORLD
GYROCOPTER HEADING FOR EGYPT
 Norman
Surplus, an autogyro pilot from Larne, Northern Ireland, is poised at
the southern tip of Greece, just one week into his trip around the
world. He flew along the English coast in formation with four other
gyrocopters before crossing the English Channel. Next he flew across
France and Italy and arrived in Greece after a four-hour flight over the
Apennine Mountains. His next destinations are Egypt and Saudi Arabia
across the Mediterranean Sea. The plan is to cover at least 300 miles
per day and to be back home in Ireland by mid-July. Read
more
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TIG
WELDING WEBINAR NEXT WEEK
Join us next Thursday, April 8, 2010, for our next EAA Webinar featuring
Scott Skrjanc of Lincoln Electric Company. Scott will cover the basics
of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, safety, how to choose the right
tungsten, tungsten sharpening, and which polarity is right for a base
material.
Since EAA began its Webinar
series, viewers have been treated to a wide range of topics that cover
the diverse interests of EAA members. Presentations on the B-17,
diabetes, your medical certificate, the newest design from Sonex, and
improvements to the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh site have been quite popular.
Visit the EAA
Webinar page at Oshkosh365.org for more upcoming presentations.
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D.C.
AIRSPACE TO BE MODIFIED FOR NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT
A Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 12 and 13, 2010,
will bring modifications to the Washington Special Flight Rules Area,
including additional flight restrictions, during the hours of 0800-2200
local each day. The Washington Metropolitan Flight Restriction Zone will
be modified with additional flight restrictions during the period of
0800 local April 12 through 2200 local April 13. Full details can be
found in this FAA
Flight Advisory.
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AMAZING
AUTOGIRO COLOR FOOTAGE FROM 1939!
 Proving
that you really can find anything on the Internet, EAA's Zack Baughman
shared this amazing 6 1/2-minute film of a Kellett KD-1B autogiro, shot
in 16mm on July 6th, 1939. The film shows Captain Johnny Miller making
the first scheduled autogiro airmail flight in U.S. history. Operated by
Eastern Airlines, the route originated from the roof of a Philadelphia
post office and ended just 6 minutes later at Camden, NJ. Watch
the video.
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EAA CHAPTER 1364 HOLDING
JUNE BIPLANE FLY-IN
 For
the past 23 years, biplane owners from throughout the country descended
on Bartlesville, Oklahoma, during the first weekend of June for the
National Biplane Association (NBA) Biplane Expo. That was destined to
end last year when the NBA Board of Directors decided, for numerous
reasons, that 2009 would mark the last Expo. But a local Kansas EAA
chapter is continuing the tradition of holding a biplane-focused
aviation gathering on the first weekend of June in America's heartland. Read
more
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EAA
SPORTAIR WORKSHOPS TEAMS WITH MIAT FOR DETROIT WORKSHOP
 EAA
SportAir Workshops visits the Detroit area the weekend of April 17-18
offering its comprehensive and intensive two-day aircraft builders
programs. The sessions, hosted by the Michigan Institute of Aviation and
Technology (www.miat.edu) Belleville campus, include Sheet Metal Basics,
Composite Construction, Fabric Covering, and Electrical and Avionics.
"We're delighted to be at the MIAT campus," said Mark Forss,
Director of the SportAir Programs. "It's a great training facility,
located on the historic Willow Run Airport, 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 Polyfiber are major sponsors of the SportAir
workshop program, providing tools, materials, and special discounts for
workshop attendees. For more information visit www.sportair.com
or call 800-967-5746.
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SENIOR BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
EAA has a great opportunity for an experienced sales and marketing
professional to join our team. The Senior Business Relationship Manager
works in collaboration with the Director of Advertising and the Director
of Business Development to identify potential business partners and
maintain and enhance existing relationships. This position provides
business opportunities for partners through our organizational
offerings, and develops and delivers sales presentations which produce
positive results for the business partner and the EAA's annual revenue
goals. Organizational offerings include print/electronic advertising,
exhibits, sponsorship and philanthropy. Read
more
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B-17 TOUR
LAUNCHES FRIDAY
 EAA's
2010 B-17 tour featuring EAA's restored Flying Fortress Aluminum
Overcast begins this weekend, April 2- 4, at Deer Valley Airport (DVT)
near Phoenix, Arizona, with EAA Warbird Squadron 20 serving as host.
Next stop is Murrieta, California, April 6-7 hosted by EAA Chapter 1279,
followed by Torrance, California, April 9-11, hosted by Torrance Airfair
Association. Come out to these and the other tour stops this season to
help honor one of the airplane types that helped to secure liberty. For
complete tour information, or to make your reservation, visit www.b17.org.
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AVIATION CAMPS FOR THE
YOUNG AND YOUNG AT HEART!
EAA Young Eagles Camp
The EAA Young Eagles Camp introduces ages 12-13 to the wondrous
world of aviation. Small group activities and close counselor
relationships present aviation material through a unique combination of
fun and discovery in a science camp format. Session 1: June 14 - 18,
2010 and Session 2: June 20 - 24, 2010. Sign up now at www.airacademy.org.
EAA Military Trainer Fantasy Flight
Camp
Through the Military Trainer Fantasy Flight Camp, September 24-26,
2010, participants have a rare opportunity to fly in the only remaining
airworthy PT-3-plus take a second flight in the famed "pilot
maker," the North American T-6. Flights include a pre-flight
briefing on the aircraft and its controls. EAA's own pilots and
instructors will perform the take-off, demonstrate in the air how the
controls work-and then it's your turn! Sign-up now at www.fantasyflightcamp.org.
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REGISTER WITH EAA WEB
STORE AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GREAT PRIZE!
Free gift with all EAA merchandise orders through April 30 Visit EAA's web
store for a great selection new merchandise, including some
AirVenture 2010 items. Register now for your online account and be
automatically entered to win great prizes like a leather bomber jacket,
leather wheeled luggage, 6-inch propeller, and more.
 Save
44 percent on Alternative Engines book
Alternative
Engines is a collection of articles by Mick Myal's Contact Magazine and
others on various auto engine conversions and the successes and problems
encountered by those who have worked with them. Technical format and
highly illustrated with photos, drawings, and charts. For more great
deals, check out
EAA's online store, or call 800-564-6322. Offer good now through
April 30. Plus, all orders placed between now and April 30 will
receive a free gift!
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SAVE
$20 ON FROM THE GROUND UP DVD SET
 EAA,
in conjunction with Discovery Channel International, presents all 13
episodes of the television series From the Ground Up on three DVDs.
Enter the exciting world of airplane homebuilding and restoration with
behind-the-scenes tips and tricks of the trade using an RV-8 kit as an
example. Offer good only for EAA members through April 29, 2010. Click
here to find out how you can save $20 on this DVD set.
SAVE $25.99 ON LEATHER
BRIEFCASE
Briefcase Tough yet stylish, this briefcase
is perfect for office or casual everyday use. Made of deep buff cowhide
with a scratch and stain-resistant coating, and fully lined with
generous interior space and organization. Click
here to find out how you can save $25.99 on this leather briefcase.
Offer good only for EAA members through April 29, 2010, or while
supplies last!
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EAA Sport Aviation Magazine
Can you help?
Join the Discussions!
Post of the Week!
- Flying over water … some of us are
comfortable with it, some of us aren't. Member Paul Anderson of
Wheaton, Illinois, was taught to avoid it when flying single engine
airplanes, but in this week's highlighted post he suggests that it
"… is no more hazardous than crossing forested or mountainous
terrain." It's no surprise that this sparked a discussion, and
that opinions differ quite a bit. Read
the comments for yourself and let us know what you think!
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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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Spiroid Winglets Reduce Noise and Carbon Emissions |
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Spiroid wing tips will be tested on a Dassault Falcon 50 to decrease the FAR 36 (Federal Aviation Regulations) carbon emissions and noise levels. These are second generation spiroids, improving upon the design used a few years ago on a Gulfstream G-II. |
Two-stroke Powered Killer Bee and Golden Eye UAVs |
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As a boy, Andy Allen disassembled engines from crashed military drone aircraft. After college, he worked on a project for developing Supersonic Transport (SST) engines. Andy is now designing lightweight engines at his own company, XRDi, for use on UAVs like the Killer Bee, Golden Eye, and Shadow. |
‘Repelling’ Technology For Flight Suits |
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Multifunction flameproof flight suits may soon be available thanks to microwave technology developed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratories. The new clothing treatment method can also protect against coffee stains and the sweaty gym locker smell if you have to fly around the world non-stop. |
ATC Software Could Reduce Delays 20 Percent |
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NASA and Oregon State University researchers have developed a system to reduce air traffic congestion by 20 percent. Nationwide data about weather delays, maintenance delays, and other factors affecting arrivals and departures allows air traffic controllers to schedule more efficient flight paths. |
| Take A VASIMR Flight To Mars |
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A trip to Mars could take just 39 days with a vehicle powered by a Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR). Franklin Chang Diaz, who flew in space seven times, is developing the VASIMR technology at Ad Astra Rocket Company and expects orbital deployment in 2013 of a spacecraft with 200-kilowatt prototype engine. |
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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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HINTS FOR HOMEBUILDERS: TIG
WELDING GRINDING TUNGSTEN
 Scott
Skrjanc of Lincoln Electric, demonstrates how to hold a TIG torch and
grind the tungsten electrode. Scott teaches TIG Welding Workshops at
AirVenture every year. Watch
the video.
Join Scott at 7 p.m. CDT on April 8 as
he hosts a live EAA Webinar, "TIG Welding Basics."
Learn more and sign
up here.
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EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': KENNETH CHILSTROM
 Kenneth
Chilstrom flew a P-40 off of the USS Ranger before becoming an A-36
pilot with the 27th Fighter Bomber Squadron during WWII. After his
combat tour of 80 missions he returned to the U.S. to became one of the
Air Corps' first test pilots. Based at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio,
Kenneth tested a number of P-47 Thunderbolt variants, as well as over
twenty different models of captured German and Japanese aircraft. He
graduated with the first group of pilots to attend the newly formed
Flight Performance School in 1945 (now known as the USAF Test Pilot
School), and would eventually become the school’s commandant. Watch
the video.
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WHERE ARE YOU FLYING THIS
WEEKEND?
 EAA
Chapter 1252 Chili Cook Off - Columbia Station VFW Hall, Ohio
Come Join EAA Chapter 1252 on Saturday, April 3, 6-11 p.m. for
their annual Chili Cook Off, which has grown so big we had to change
locations! The three top Chili recipes win totally tacky prizes. All
proceeds go to sending this year's candidate to the EAA Air Academy.
Learn more at www.eaa1252.org, or
contact Paul Koziol, 440-236-6594.
EAA Chapter 21 Fly-in Lunch -
Henderson Kentucky City-County Airport (KEHR), Indiana
If KEHR is VFR on Saturday, April 3, then we are grilling the best
gourmet hamburgers, brats, and hot dogs this side of Sporty's for all
who fly or drive in. Serving from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information,
visit www.eaa21.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
If I acquire a homebuilt aircraft that needs
extensive rebuilding (originally certificated in
2003) and then dismantle and perform all the tasks
to rebuild it, can I obtain the repairman
certificate for the aircraft? If not, could the
aircraft be dismantled for parts to support building
another aircraft?
Answer: The
repairman certificate for an experimental
amateur-built aircraft is issued only once for that
aircraft, and to only one individual - the primary
builder of the aircraft. Re-building and restoration
efforts do not qualify as original construction, and
the FAA does not issue multiple repairman
certificates for one plane, so you will not be able
to obtain the repairman certificate in this case.
You are allowed to
use parts from this aircraft in the construction of
a new aircraft, however those parts/assemblies,
combined with any commercial assistance, may not
exceed 49% of the total fabrication and assembly of
the aircraft because there are no builder's records
available and the FAA will assume that they were not
built by an amateur. FAA
Advisory Circular 20-27G - Certification and
Operation of Experimental Amateur-Built Aircraft has
a checklist in Appendix 8 you should use as a guide
to determine the feasibility of going this route.
EAA
Desktop Calendar
CheVelocity
This month's featured calendar photo features
Bill Mulrooney's and Dan Horvath's CheVelocity - a
Velocity powered by a Chevrolet engine. Read Budd
Davisson's feature story about the airplane in the
April edition of Sport Aviation and see more
of Jim Koepnick's photos of this unique aircraft in
a photo
gallery on the EAA website.
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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ECLIPSE
AEROSPACE ANNOUNCES TOTAL ECLIPSE
Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. rolled out "Total Eclipse" this week,
a new factory refurbishment program for new customers of the company's
EA500 aircraft. Since acquisition of the company in September 2009,
Eclipse has been investing in, and completing the design and
certification of, the original EA500 jet, which now includes FIKI
(Flight Into Known Icing) and GPS coupled autopilot. "In their rush
to deliver the aircraft, the former manufacturer of the EA500 (Eclipse
Aviation Corporation) delivered to owners an aircraft that was only
about 85 percent complete," commented Mason Holland, Eclipse
Aerospace chairman and president. "These aircraft were great
performers, but still lacked several important features. We now have
completed the design and engineering of the EA500." There is also a
trade-in program for current Eclipse owners, so visit www.eclipseaerospace.net
for more information or call 877-375-7978.
EFHA NEEDS YOUR
SUPPORT
The European Federation Historic Aviation (EFHA) is committed to
ensuring that operating historic aircraft will be possible in Europe in
the years ahead. The board of EFHA wants to ensure that a set of
"sensible and reasonable rules regarding the operation of historic
aircraft" will be in force. To that end, EFHA is looking for
support from voters in the EU, believing in strength in numbers as it
works with members of the European Parliament. Register at no charge and
free of obligation at www.EFHA.eu. Your
registration on the website is only your statement that you agree that
historic aviation in Europe needs to be preserved.
SPORTY'S OFFERS
MAINTENANCE TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS
The Sporty's Foundations now offers a scholarship program for students
enrolled in Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development.
Scholarships will be awarded to the top three students completing the
Airframe portion of the training curriculum. The scholarships, in the
amounts of $3,000, $1,500, and $750, will be awarded and used for their
second year of study, Powerplants. For more information or to donate
online, visit SportysFoundation.org.
ASPEN AVIONICS AND
SEATTLE AVIONICS PARTNER ON CHARTS
Aspen Avionics, Inc., and Seattle Avionics Software, developer of
aviation software and data solutions, have partnered to develop a
certified chart application for Aspen's Evolution Flight Display System.
The new
chart and geo-referenced airport diagram capabilities will be a
standard feature in Aspen's Multi-Function Display (MFD) products, and
available via upgrade for Evolution displays already installed in
customers' airplanes.
POE'S 'ELEVATE YOUR
LIFE' AIMS TO REACH 10,000 KIDS IN 2010
Greg Poe's Elevate Your Life program got off to a roaring start in
Tucson, Arizona, last month, with Greg making presentations to more than
670 students at two schools during the week of the Davis-Monthan
Aerospace & AZ Days air show. Two students, winners of an essay
contest put on by the program, got rides in Poe's air show plane and
chase plane. Poe's Elevate Your Life program, the action arm of the Ryan
J. Poe Foundation, is a youth outreach program designed to share his
story of hard work and accomplishment with middle school students
throughout North America. Please call Greg Gibson at (208) 473-0923 or GGibson@gregpoe.com,
or visit www.GregPoe.com and www.RyanJPoeFoundation.org.
NASA, NOAA MARK 50
YEARS OF WEATHER-WATCHING FROM SPACE
Fifty years ago, the world's first weather satellite lifted off from
Cape Canaveral, Florida, opening a new and exciting dimension in weather
forecasting. Leaders from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), hailed the milestone as an example of a strong
agency partnership and commitment to flying the best Earth observation
satellites today and in the future. Today, NOAA and NASA also are
working to launch the next generation GOES-R series of satellites,
beginning in 2015. Read more at http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/tiros.
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