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January 28, 2010 Volume
11, Number 4
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ZODIAC CH 601 XL FIX
MEETS 51 PERCENT RULE
 The
FAA says an upgrade kit (6-ZU) offered by Zenith Aircraft Company to
address concerns about the design of the Zodiac CH 601 XL meets the
requirements of the 51 percent rule. The kit was offered in 2009 after
several accidents involving structural failures in a number of aircraft.
Zenith noted in a statement that the string of accidents had no one root
cause but was a combination of design and operational factors. Read
more
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LANDMARK COURT RULING
EASES ACCESS TO ANTIQUE AIRCRAFT PLANS
Could lead to easier access to antique aircraft plans
 A
favorable ruling on a 9-year-old Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case
appears to clear the way for the Antique Aircraft Association (AAA) to
obtain original data from the Fairchild 45, an airplane designed and
built in the late 1930s. By unanimous decision, the United States
Supreme Court handed the case back to U.S. District Court for a ruling
after finding the main argument against release - trade secrets - was
not valid. Washington, D.C., District Court Judge Ricardo M. Urbina
ruled in AAA's favor on January 19. Read
more
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FEDERAL APPEALS COURT
SHOOTS DOWN SANTA MONICA AIRCRAFT BAN
Late last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
refused to review the City of Santa Monica, California's appeal of a
2009 FAA decision that struck down the city's ordinance banning Category
C and D jets from Santa Monica Airport (SMO). The city council had
passed the jet ban in March 2008 citing safety reasons because, it
contended, the airport lacks runway safety areas to act as buffer zones
from nearby homes in the event an aircraft would overrun the runway.
Category C includes aircraft with an approach speed of 121-141 knots;
Category D, 141-166 kts. Read
more
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MANEUVERING
SPEED AND BROKEN AIRPLANES
 In
2001 the vertical fin on an Airbus A300 operated by American
Airlines broke, causing the wide body jet to crash shortly after
takeoff from JFK Airport. All aboard were killed. It was
determined that rapid and repeated movement of the rudder pedals
in both directions overstressed the vertical fin, causing it to
snap off. The Airbus was flying slower than maneuvering speed (Va)
when the failure occurred.
As far back as I can remember, we
were told that our control inputs could not overload and break
the airplane if it were flying slower than Va. Generations of
flight instructors have taught that flying slower than Va
protects the airplane from overload either by the pilot or from
the gust loads of turbulence. And dozens, even hundreds of
magazine articles - yes, some written by me - have repeated the
same.
Read more and subscribe to Mac's Blog
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PETRI NAMED CHAIRMAN OF
AVIATION SUBCOMMITTEE
Calls FAA reauthorization 'top priority'
 Rep.
Thomas Petri (R-Wis.) has been named chairman of the House Subcommittee
on Aviation for the new Congress by Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.), chairman
of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mica also
named Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.) vice chairman. Previous chairman Jerry
Costello (D-Ill.) is the ranking member from the Democratic Party. Read
more
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PETRI, COSTELLO URGE
PRESIDENT: NO AVIATION USER FEES
Congressmen Tom Petri (R-Wis.) and Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) were joined
by 114 other House members in sending a letter to President Barack Obama
urging that aviation user fees not be imposed to fund the FAA and that
the current system of excise taxes has proven to be a stable and
efficient source of funding. Read
more
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TWO FIRST-TIME BUILDERS
LET OTHERS OBSERVE, CRITIQUE WITH LIVE VIDEO BLOG
 Most
days, Brady Lane and Caleb Ihrig are just two normal guys in their 20s:
They like sports, video games, music, and, of course, their families.
They also have embarked upon an ambitious project to build a four-place
Bearhawk from scratch. Caleb is an engineer and likes mechanical things;
Brady is a multimedia journalist for EAA. With just basic skills and
tools, the two friends are inviting the world to watch them build an
airplane through their Dream Build Fly blog, featuring weekly build
sessions streamed live from Caleb's basement. Read
more
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SAIB FOCUS ON ICING AND
STALL WARNINGS
Owners of Part 23 airplanes certificated before 2000 should know the
potential hazards associated with stall warning characteristics in icing
conditions, says a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB)
issued this week by the FAA. After studying icing-related, non-fatal
incidents over the past 25 years, the FAA found evidence of stall events
during flight in icing conditions in which either the pilot or passenger
explicitly stated the stall warning system did not activate. Read
more
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SKIPLANE PARADISE
Perfect conditions welcome 30 aircraft to Oshkosh
 An
early morning dusting of snow gave way to sunny skies over EAA’s
Pioneer Airport for the annual EAA Skiplane Fly-In. Light winds helped
kick up a bit of powder as each of the 30 aircraft touched down on a
runway in perfect conditions with 4 inches of snow pack. The crisp
January air that reached 10 degrees Fahrenheit gave the air an extra
bite, but it was countered by the warm enthusiasm of approximately 250
fly-in and drive-in attendees. Read
the story | View
the photos
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WORK
BEGINS ON PLAN TO LOWER A-B FATAL ACCIDENT RATE
EAA participates in ongoing work on GA safety and LSA standards
 EAA
Government & Advocacy Specialist David Oord was in Sebring, Florida,
last week meeting with several task forces and committees regarding
light-sport aircraft certification and GA safety initiatives. In these
ongoing collaborations with government and industry entities, EAA plays
a key role, evolving standards for light-sport aircraft and working with
the FAA to lower the experimental amateur-built aircraft accident
rate. Read
more
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LIVING
LEGENDS HONORS OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS
EAA Chairman Tom Poberezny participates in program
 EAA
Chairman of the Board Tom Poberezny and his wife Sharon were in
California last weekend to participate in the 8th Annual Living Legends
of Aviation Awards. There are 70 "Living Legends of Aviation,"
who have been recognized for their outstanding achievements to aviation.
Many, including Paul Poberezny, Burt and Dick Rutan, Kermit Weeks, Greg
Herrick, Cliff Robertson, Carroll Shelby, and Ed Swearingen, have strong
ties to EAA. The event is produced by Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a
nonprofit organization that introduces children ages 5 through 11 to
flight through the Kiddie Hawk Trainer, designed by EAA member Bill
Marcy. Read
more
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NATIONAL
THREAT ADVISORY TO BE REPLACED BY NATIONAL TERRORISM ALERT SYSTEM
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano
announced Thursday the end of the existing color-coded national
threat advisory system. This system will be completely phased out
over the next 90 days and be replaced with the "National Terrorism
Alert System" (NTAS). Read
more
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STUDENT A SPECIAL GUEST
AT STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
Mentored by members of EAA Chapter 57
 For
Mikayla Nelson, a freshman at Billings, Montana’s Central Catholic
High School, the past several days have been a whirlwind. She received a
call last week from the White House inviting her to attend tonight’s
State of the Union address as a guest of Michelle Obama. The invitation
wasn’t totally out of the blue. In April 2010 Mikayla and her
classmates entered their scratchbuilt carbon-fiber electric vehicle in
the National Science Bowl, which caught the attention of the U.S.
Department of Energy and led to Mikayla’s invitation to participate in
the White House Science Fair in October. There she met the President and
Mrs. Obama. Read
more
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 You
just can't beat the classics, or, technically, the antiques. We
asked you last week about which airplane you'd rather have for personal
use if you were to be given one, out of the blue, and more than 75
percent of you chose the venerable J-3 Cub over the Cessna 150.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION brings
us back to the future, as it were. One of Mac McClellan's recent blog
posts suggests that an emergency autoland system could be implemented in
GA aircraft using today's technology. This got us wondering - how many
of you would trust a piece of equipment like this?
If one were available, would you rely on
an automatic autoland system in your aircraft in an emergency? Vote
now!
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WEBINARS: FOLDING
WING ONEX CAN FIT IN YOUR GARAGE
Sonex Aircraft's Onex is an all-metal, single-place, kit aircraft with a
new feature: folding wings. The design will allow it to be trailered
with ease and fit in a garage as narrow as 7 feet. Join Sonex's Jeremy
Monnett to learn about the latest design from the Hornets' Nest R&D.
All webinars begin at 7 p.m. CST. To find
out more about upcoming EAA Webinars and to register, visit the webinars
page.
EAA gratefully acknowledges the
support of Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co. for their generous
sponsorship of our webinar programs.
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2011
EAA AIR ACADEMY FILLING UP FAST
Still openings for Young
Eagles and Basic Camps
There's still time to sign up aspiring aviators for EAA's annual
aviation camp that explores the exciting world of aviation for all
experience levels. Participants spend a week at the EAA Air Academy
Lodge, completely immersed in aviation. There is simply no better place
to experience aviation than in Oshkosh, Wisconsin! Choose from:
EAA Young Eagles Camp - Ages 12 and 13
Session 1: June 13-17; Session 2: July 12-16
EAA Basic Air Academy - Ages 14 and 15
Session 1: June 19-24; Session 2: June 26-July 1; Session 3: July 5-10
Find
out more
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2011
B-17 TOUR SET TO TAKE OFF APRIL 1 IN ARIZONA
 EAA's
restored B-17 bomber Aluminum Overcast returns to the sky Friday, April
1, as EAA Warbird Squadron 20 hosts the first stop of the 2011 national
tour in Phoenix, Arizona. The tour's spring segment includes 20 stops in
seven states. Booking for flights is now available, along with the full
spring 2011 schedule. Special pre-book rates on flights are available
for EAA members and non-members, and group ground-tour rates are
available for schools or other large groups. Reserve
your spot online now or by calling EAA's B-17 Tour Office at
800-359-6217.
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VISIONS
OF OWNING YOUR OWN PLANE? ENTER EAA'S SHARE THE SPIRIT SWEEPSTAKES
No donation required to participate!
 By
entering the 2011 EAA Share the Spirit Sweepstakes, you'll have a chance
to win a Cessna 162 Skycatcher, plus enough fuel for an entire year
courtesy of Shell Aviation. Or you might win a 2011 Coleman Travel
Trailer, a HotSeat Flight Simulator, or other great prizes. Every
donation to the EAA Sweepstakes directly supports EAA programs, which
allow members to share the spirit of aviation among fellow enthusiasts
and the next generation of aviators. Click
here for more details.
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DEAL
OF THE WEEK: FREE EAA CHARM WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY CHARM BRACELET
 Pick
out your favorite (or her favorite) charm bracelet and receive an EAA
charm free. Choose from our Classic Starter Charm Bracelet, Military
Starter Charm Bracelet, or the Propeller Charm Bracelet with blue or
clear stones. A great gift idea just in time for Valentine's Day. Click
here to find out how you can get a free charm with any charm
bracelet.
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EAA MERCHANDISE: FREE SHIPPING ON SELECT ITEMS JUST IN TIME FOR
VALENTINE'S DAY
 Pick
out the perfect gift for your special someone and receive free shipping.
International orders receive 30% off shipping. Choose from select weathervanes, signs, jewelry, home and office
accessories, and t-shirts. But hurry, this offer only lasts through
January 31, 2011. Thanks for showing your EAA colors proudly, and
building the future of aviation. Because when you purchase anything from
the EAA online store, you're supporting EAA programs that help grow
participation in aviation. Shop online
now or by calling 800-564-6322.
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EAA Sport Aviation
Magazine
Can you help?
Join the Discussions!
Post of the Week!
How much are you worth? That's the
provocative question raised by Paul Dowgewicz in this week's post, in
which he looks at TFRs from a mathematical perspective. Following his
lead, if my math is correct, I'm worth 1/2,923,200th of the President
when it comes to restricting the airspace around me. Now that I'm
depressed, why don't you go give his
post a read.
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If you have suggestions or
submissions for EAA’s weekly AeroInnovations column, please send them to
AeroInnovations editor Bob Waldron.
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Halo Interseptor: James Bond Car With Attachments |
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A British designer has taken the “flying car” concept a step further and developed a super-car that combines with futuristic attachments to change its travel mode. The Halo Interseptor concept car transforms into a jet that can go as fast as Mach 2 or helicopter with a max speed of 185 knots, but it could also become a luxury yacht with a top speed of 63 knots. |
Blimp Brings Supercomputer to Battlefield |
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The United States Army’s Blue Devil blimp is longer than a football field, but its most innovative feature is a supercomputer, not its aerodynamic design or propulsion method. The supercomputer will allow quick integration and evaluation of data from hundreds of sensors in the battlefield. Commanders will use the battlefield supercomputer evaluations to make much quicker decisions about taking action against possible enemy targets located by blimp sensors. |
iPhone App Fights Pilot Fatigue |
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CrewAlert is a Jeppesen iPhone app that helps pilots and airliner crews manage alertness and fatigue by evaluating flight data specific to each person. An individual’s planned schedule, including departure/arrival times and time zone shifts, is evaluated and that person can see their schedule’s impact on future alertness. |
New Wiring Clamp Sensors Make Aircraft SMARTer |
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With the aid of FAA funding, a University of Dayton researcher developed SMART sensors (Status and Motion Activated Radiofrequency Tag) to make it easier for aircraft maintenance crews to find broken wiring clamps, which could cause in-flight accidents. Because an airliner could have hundreds of thousands of wiring bundle clamps, the quickest way to identify a failed clamp is to have an RFID tag on the clamp that announces it’s broken. That means maintenance crews don’t waste time checking the overwhelming plethora of clamps that are in good condition. |
Top 10 AeroInnovation Aftermarket Technologies for 2011 |
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The most exciting aviation innovations seem to be the ones used to build new aircraft, but there are lots of significant technology advances aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) companies can bring to completed planes. This article explains predictions for the top 10 MRO innovations in 2011; two that may be especially useful to GA are aircraft health monitoring and smartphone/tablet apps. |
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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: LAYING
A BEAD OF RESIN MICROSPHERES
 Mark
Forss of EAA’s SportAir Workshops demonstrates 3 simple techniques for
installing a bead of resin microsphere mixture for constructing joints
& fillets in composite work, and demonstrates how to construct a
"production bead layer." Watch
the video
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TIMELESS VOICES OF
AVIATION: CLIVE COOTE
 Clive
Coote comes from an aviation family. His father Max Coote was the
founder of Ripmax, one of the largest distributors of r/c modeling
supplies in the UK. Max was a private pilot and eventual owner of
British aviatrix Sheila Scott’s Piper Comanche Myth Too, which she
flew around the world in 1966. Clive worked for the company and
eventually ran it after his father passed away. During a business trip
to a toy fair he met Tian Yu, a designer of electric r/c aircraft in
China. Clive became Tian’s distributor in the UK and the two became
close friends. Clive decided to sell Ripmax in 2003, and together with
Tian founded Yuneec International Ltd. with the purpose of designing and
building full-size electric powered aircraft. They have accomplished
that goal with the e430, which they displayed at AirVenture in 2009.
They began taking orders for the new airplane during AirVenture 2010.
Today, Yuneec is one of the world leaders in producing electric powered
aircraft and motors. Watch
the video
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Where
Are You Flying This Weekend?
There are 20
fly-ins and events over
the next two weekends in the EAA
Events Calendar. Find one near you or add your event! |
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Q
& A: I
recently volunteered on the ground crew for a Young
Eagles event. Many adults there asked if they could
fly - not as Young Eagles but to see if this was
something they wanted to learn. Most were willing to
pay for the flight. Can I, on my own, give airplane
rides to adults without compensation at an open
house, fly-in, or Young Eagles event? (If I'm
reading the FARs correctly, I can as long as I am
not compensated.) Also, if I am at a Young Eagles
event, can I give rides as a separate event from the
YE, or is this prohibited? (I am a sport pilot with
my own E-LSA.) If the answer is no on both counts,
how can I promote, educate, and show non-aviation
people the education, recreation, enjoyment, etc., I
got from building and learning to fly my plane?
Answer: The
answer to both questions is yes. Under the FARs you
certainly can do that as a sport pilot, provided
there is no compensation. If at a Young Eagles
event, the flight would have to be separate from
Young Eagles and no additional insurance would be in
place. EAA does currently have an Adult Orientation
ride program that can be hosted by chapters, similar
to a Young Eagles event, in case the chapter wants
to make this a larger experience. You can read
more here. Also, on May 21, 2011, you might want
to get involved in the International Learn to Fly
Day, designed to bring aviators together with those
who have the dream of flight to show and encourage
them to take that next step toward becoming a pilot.
Read
more about it here.
Have a question?
To ask a question regarding government issues,
e-mail EAA Government Relations.
For questions about registration, airmen, aircraft
and medical certification, safety records,
performance, or any other matter, e-mail EAA
Member Services.
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EAA
Desktop Calendar
February
2011
Using a mounted, remote control camera, EAA Chief
Photographer Jim Koepnick captured an in-flight shot
of Dave Scott in his Pitts S-1S over the Shawano
Airport, Wisconsin. Read about Scott, who runs the
country’s only full-time R/C aircraft flight
school, in the February edition of Sport
Aviation.
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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CMC ELECTRONICS,
STAR NAVIGATION SIGN AGREEMENT
CMC Electronics signed a memorandum of agreement with Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. that states each company will cooperate in the establishment of an integrated, turn-key aircraft data monitoring and reporting system for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). This solution is based on CMC’s PilotView Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) system capabilities and Star’s STAR-ISMS In-Flight Safety Monitoring System software, coupled with applications and aircraft integration services. For more information, click here.
AERONCA FLY-IN SET FOR FLABOB MAY 20-22
The Aeronca Aviators Club will stage its annual Southwest Fly-In at Flabob Airport in Riverside, California, on May 20-22. Initial arrivals are expected to begin on Friday with an informal dinner planned for the evening. On Saturday there will be a pancake breakfast sponsored by Flabob Express, the DC-3 group in that area, as well as Flabob’s open hangar and historic display event. Jim Spee will be discussing the Aeronca designs with EAA Chapter One’s active design group and another speaker will be addressing the Aeronca owners on Saturday afternoon. For further information
e-mail or click here.
NEW FAR/AIM SERIES E-BUNDLES FROM ASA
ASA now offers their FAR/AIM series in an e-Bundle that includes both the physical book and eBook PDF version. Each FAR/AIM series e-Bundle book includes an activation code with instructions on downloading the eBook PDF. The PDF format is widely compatible, so pilots will be able to view their eBook on numerous computing platforms, including both PC and Mac computers; iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch; eBook readers; and other mobile computing devices. For more information, click here.
AEROGRAPHS IPHONE APP NOW AVAILABLE
(Last week we included the wrong link to John Slemp’s website. The correct link is now included.)
Aviation photographer John Slemp announced the release of his free Aerographs iPhone app, which is now available in the
Apple App Store. The app was developed to share John’s aviation artwork with potential clients, fans, and photography aficionados. The app features blog and news updates, speaking engagements (with built-in links to Google Maps), and automatic updates with new images. For more information, click here.
BACKCOUNTRY SUPER CUBS ADDED TO FAA’S ELIGIBLE
KIT LIST
Backcountry Super Cubs LLC received FAA approval on four of its kits to meet the requirements of the 51 percent rule. The Super Cub Replica, Super Cruiser, Mackey SQ2, and Mackey SQ4 were officially added to the FAA’s listing of amateur-built aircraft that comply with the major portion requirements. The company says it now has almost 200 of its kits flying. To learn more about Backcountry Super Cubs, click here.
GLASAIR BUILDER PROGRAM ADDS AMPHIB
SPORTSMAN 2+2
Glasair Aviation expanded its unique “Two Weeks to Taxi” program to include an amphibious Sportsman 2+2. The amphib has a useful load of 950 pounds and a full fuel payload of 650 pounds. Sea level water takeoffs at gross weight can take as little as 15 seconds. It has a 42-knot stall speed, and with a cruise speed of 110 knots, range is 600 miles. Its performance is achieved with a four-cylinder Lycoming engine. For more information, click here. |
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