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June 3, 2010 Volume
11, Number 23
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JUNE
11 IS EAA INTERNATIONAL YOUNG EAGLES DAY
 Thousands
of young people will take to the sky on Saturday, June 11, as EAA
volunteers continue an outstanding aviation tradition - International
Young Eagles Day. The annual event brings together kids and pilots as
part of the EAA Young Eagles program, the largest youth aviation
education program ever created. Nearly 150 events are planned by local
EAA chapters during this weekend, not counting the many individual EAA
members who will fly Young Eagles independently. Read
more
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EAA
CO-CHAIRS WORKING GROUP STUDYING GA FATAL ACCIDENTS
The FAA and Industry Safety Analysis Team (SAT) has established its
first official working group to do a "deep dive" analysis of
GA accidents over the last 10 years, specifically those termed
"loss of control" fatal accidents occurring during the
approach and landing phase. The hope is to provide some commonalities
from which mitigation strategies can be developed to improve safety and
avert future accidents. David Oord, EAA government and advocacy
specialist, was selected to co-chair the working group during a meeting
of the SAT last week in Daytona Beach, Florida. Read
more
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WHAT
A CERTIFIED HOMEBUILT LOOKS LIKE
 I
flew down to Battle Creek to pick up my friend Randy Greene, who
had flown his Waco Classic in from New York. Randy was returning
his airplane to the Waco factory to have the 275-hp Jacobs
radial replaced by the relatively new 300-hp version. Waco's
factory looks more like a homebuilder's hangar than any other
airplane factory I have ever been in. But as usual, appearances
can be deceiving. The Waco factory is very different from a
homebuilder's shop because the Waco Classic YMF-5 is an
FAA-certified airplane.
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PARTNERSHIP
WITH FORD SAVES EAA MEMBERS MONEY
 As
an EAA member, you are eligible for special pricing on Ford
Motor Company vehicles through Ford's Partner Recognition
Program, a unique opportunity that has already meant substantial
savings for more than 30,000 EAA-member vehicle purchasers. This
exclusive opportunity also allows EAA members be among the first
to know about special deals and new product announcements, like
four vehicles that now have certified EPA ratings of 40 mpg or
higher. Read more |
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ANTARES 20E ENTERED
IN EAA ELECTRIC FLIGHT CHALLENGE
 One
of the more established aircraft entered in EAA's $60,000 Electric
Flight Prize during AirVenture is the Antares 20E, an
electric-powered motorglider from German manufacturer Lange
Aviation GmbH. It's the world's first certified production
electric aircraft, with a 20-meter (66-foot) wingspan and an empty
weight of 1,050 pounds. Power to get off the ground at about 866
feet per minute comes from the EM42, a brushless, fixed-shaft,
42-kilowatt electric motor made for Lange Aviation and currently
the only EASA-certified electric aircraft motor available. Read
more
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BUILDAPLANE
CONTINUES AIRVENTURE TEACHERS' DAY SPONSORSHIP
Teachers are invited to attend Teachers' Day at AirVenture 2011,
set for Tuesday, July 26. Sponsored by BuildAPlane, in
cooperation with EAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers
Association (GAMA), this special day is designed to assist
educators in bringing aviation into classrooms. Teachers at all
grade levels from across the United States are invited to
participate at no charge. Read
more
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PRE-AIRVENTURE
TICKET DISCOUNTS END JUNE 15
 You
can save $5 per weekly adult ticket and $2 per daily adult ticket
when you purchase your admission to AirVenture Oshkosh 2011 in
advance. But the deadline for the pre-purchase discount is June
15, so get your tickets today at the
AirVenture website.
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AIRVENTURE CUP
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE JUNE 15
 The
14th running of the AirVenture Cup Race is set to kick off the
weekend of July 23-24 in Dayton, Ohio, at Dayton Wright Brothers
airport (KMGY). The world's largest cross-country race is open to
all aircraft certified under the experimental category and all EAA
members who hold at least a private pilot certificate. An open
house will be held Saturday July 23 at KMGY, then the race will
begin Sunday morning July 24. Applications are due by June 15 and
include a fee of $250. Apply to
compete in the race
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MARTIN
JETPACK REACHES 5,000 FEET IN LATEST TEST FLIGHT
 Martin
Aircraft Company, maker of the Martin Jetpack, announced a
record-breaking test flight that occurred May 21 in New Zealand, where
the prototype unit rose to an altitude of 5,000 feet MSL,
remote-controlled, using a weighted dummy to simulate a pilot's weight.
The jetpack lifted into the sky at a climb rate of 800 feet per minute,
eclipsing the previous best rate of 100 feet per minute, then deployed
its ballistic jetpack parachute and floated to the ground. At nine
minutes, 46 seconds, it was the longest flight so far. Read
more
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GA
AVGAS COALITION
Threatened Lawsuit Over Avgas Ignores
Extensive Efforts Underway or Already Completed
A threatened lawsuit by the environmental group Friends of the Earth
against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would pit the as-yet
unquantified hazards of lead from aviation gasoline (avgas) against the
known safety risk to pilots and passengers of removing lead used in
piston-powered (non-turbine) aircraft fuel. The threatened suit,
alleging inaction on the part of the agency, would ignore extensive work
underway or done by the EPA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
the GA industry, and the fuels industry. Read
more
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JUNE
7 SERVICE SET FOR AMANDA FRANKLIN
Mass flyover planned; select pilots
invited to participate
 Amanda
Franklin, who passed away May 27 after a courageous struggle to overcome
severe injuries suffered in a March 12 plane crash while performing with
her husband, Kyle, will be laid to rest next Tuesday, June 7, in
Fayetteville, Arkansas, according to a message posted to the both the
Younkin Air Shows and Franklin Flying Circus Facebook pages. Michelle
Younkin wrote that her husband, Amanda's brother Matt Younkin, had the
honor of piloting Amanda's final flight back to Siloam Springs,
Arkansas, on Tuesday, May 31. Read
more
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YOUNG
PILOT HAS A PLAN AND HIGH ASPIRATIONS
 Ever
since he can remember, Taylor De Ley, EAA 1058541, of Yorba Linda,
California, dreamed of being a professional pilot. The son of a private
pilot, Taylor has carefully devised an ambitious plan he hopes will land
him in the left seat of an airliner. He started flying gliders at age
13, soloing at 14. "I thought it was really cool that you could
solo in a glider at age 14," Taylor said. On his 16th birthday, he
earned both his glider pilot certificate and soloed in a Super Cub.
Earlier this year on his 17th birthday, he received his private pilot
certificate with 230 flight hours in his logbook. Read
more
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PASSENGER
TAKES OVER CIRRUS FOR INCAPACITATED PILOT
 The
pilot of a Cirrus SR-22 flying from California to Colorado last week
became incapacitated, causing his wife to take over the controls. As the
flight reached southwestern Colorado an en route controller noticed that
the pilot was having trouble communicating and responding to his
questions. In an ATC recording acquired by AvWeb the wife of the
70 year-old pilot can be heard on the frequency asking for help with the
autopilot. A passing airliner joins the controller in assisting the
woman who successfully descends the aircraft to an altitude where her
husband regains his faculties and resumes flying. Listen
to the audio
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GA
LEADERS WANT BETTER PRESIDENTIAL TFR SYSTEM
EAA President/CEO Rod Hightower
joined leaders of five other aviation organizations today in signing a
letter to TSA Administrator John Pistole regarding Temporary Flight
Restrictions (TFRs) involving presidential travel. The presidential TFRs
have been an ongoing issue for pilots because of the size of the
restricted areas and the short notice often given for the implantation
of those areas. Each TFR also means the loss of tens of thousands of
dollars of revenue, on average, for aviation businesses. Read
more
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WHERE
IN THE WORLD IS ROD?
 This
weekend, the EAA
Grassroots Pilot Tour heads to the Inland Northwest, where EAA
President/CEO Rod Hightower will speak to area pilots and aviation
enthusiasts in the EAA Chapter 79 hangar June 3 at Felts Field in
Spokane, Washington. It's a big weekend for Felts and the chapter as on
Saturday, June 4, the airport hosts the "Neighbor Day" open
house, which includes a "casual" visit by new local resident
Burt Rutan. Hightower will help dedicate EAA 79's new hangar on Saturday
as well. To top things off, EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast arrived
on June 1 and will stay until June 5.
Read more about the big weekend in a special edition of EAA 79's
newsletter.
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CESSNA
NAMES NEW CEO
 Scott
A. Ernest, vice president and general manager of global services
operations for GE Aviation, was named as the new president and CEO of
Cessna Aircraft Company today by Textron CEO Scott Donnelly. Ernest is a
29-year veteran of GE Aviation whose global services operation accounted
for $6 billion of the company's $16 billion revenue. He replaces Jack
Pelton, who announced his retirement earlier this month after eight
years as president and CEO. Read
more
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MORE
THAN 20 WASPs SHOW FOR HOMECOMING AT AVENGER FIELD
 The
National WASP World War II Museum held its annual WASP (Women Airforce
Service Pilots) homecoming at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, to
honor more than 1,000 women who trained at the field during WWII. More
than 20 WASPs attended the May 28 event, the youngest being 88 years
old. Held on a windy and sweltering Texas day in one of the original
hangars built at Avenger Field, the heat did not affect the honored
pilots as they spent hours in the non-air-conditioned hangar happily
sharing stories and memories of their time in the service. Read
more
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AF
447: EARLY FLIGHT AND VOICE RECORDER ANALYSIS DEEPEN MYSTERY
 Last
week the French aviation investigatory body Bureau d'Enquetes et
d'Analyses (BEA) released basic facts gleaned from the flight and data
recorders of Air France 447, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in
June 2009. The flight had just entered an area of turbulence when the
autopilot disengaged and the pilots experienced extreme difficulty
regaining control as two separate airspeed displays contradicted each
other. The confusion resulted in the aircraft stalling and falling in a
nose-up attitude from 38,000 feet at a rate of 10,000 feet per minute.
Was it equipment failure, turbulence, or pilot error? Salon.com's
Patrick Smith surmises in his Ask the Pilot column that "it was a
combination of those things - an unlikely but deadly cascade." Read
the column
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GOLDEN
WEST FLY-IN IS JUNE 10-12
 The
2011 Golden West Regional Fly-In is next week, June 10-12, at the Yuba
County Airport (MYV) in California with the theme, "Keeping the
Spirit Alive - Commemorating America's entry to World War II."
Special events scheduled for this year's fly-in include pancake
breakfasts every day, Kid's Day on Friday, daily air shows, a rib
cook-off, and hangar dance Saturday night, plus the 8th annual Contact!
Magazine Alternative Engine Round-Up. For arrival and departure
procedures, forum and workshop schedules, and everything else you need
to know about Golden West, click
here.
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FROM
WARBIRDS BRIEFING: MY WORLD WAR II POW EXPERIENCE
 In
the May issue of EAA
Warbirds Briefing newsletter we began a six-part series
featuring the recollections of the late Walter J. Nachtwey, a World War
II veteran from North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Walter was a B-17 pilot who was
eventually shot down over Germany and spent nearly two years in Stalag
Luft III, a German prisoner of war camp made famous by the film The
Great Escape. A recent EAA AirVenture Museum Exhibit featuring some of
Walter's POW artifacts piqued the interest of Warbirds member Patrick
Gaffney, who looked further into Walter's story and found the following
narrative compiled by his family, based on recordings made by Walter in
2000. Read
Part 1
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FINAL
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR ENDEAVOUR
 "Welcome
home, Endeavour." With that greeting from mission control,
space shuttle Endeavour concluded its 25th and final mission
early Wednesday morning with a perfect landing at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida following the 6.5 million-mile, 16-day STS-134 mission
to the International Space Station. Endeavour - the youngest of
NASA's space shuttle fleet - flew a total of 122,883,151 miles since
1992, spent 299 days in space, and orbited Earth 4,671 times. Read
more
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 Last
week's poll told us we're nearly unanimous that the FAA should not be
able to publicize flight planning and route information without your
consent; 91 percent of you said that choice belonged to the individual.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION came to mind
after reading a couple of today's news items: If you had the opportunity
(and the training), which would you rather have the chance to pilot,
a Zeppelin NT or a Martin Jetpack? Vote
now!
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WEBINARS: SUMMER
IS COMING! IT'S A GREAT TIME TO START A CHAPTER!
Join EAA Chapter Administrator Brenda
Anderson as she walks you through the steps to starting an EAA chapter
at your airport. It is not as difficult as you think and EAA has
resources to help make the task easier.
All webinars begin at 7 p.m. CDT unless
otherwise noted. 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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B-17 TOUR GOES
GRASSROOTS, HONORS VETERANS
 EAA's
B-17 Aluminum Overcast is touring the United States, offering
tours and flights throughout the country. Through June 5, the bomber
will be in Spokane, Washington, hosted by EAA Chapter 79. On June 3, EAA
President/CEO Rod Hightower will meet up with the bomber on a Grassroots
Pilot Tour stop, also hosted by Chapter 79, at Felts Field (KSFF). Come
out to tour the B-17 or even book a flight, and stick around for a fun,
informative evening with Rod. Social hour starts at 6:30 p.m.; the
presentation begins at 7:30.
Then it's on to Denver where Wings Over
the Rockies Air & Space Museum will host the Flying Fortress June
9-12. Along with B-17 tours and flights, visitors can attend a Hangar
Dance (June 10), view warbird static displays, participate in youth
activities, see military re-enactors, and more, all to honor our
veterans. Click here to learn more
about this tour stop.
For more information and tour dates and
to book flights, click here.
Aluminum Overcast Gets National
Profile on Memorial Day
EAA's "Salute to Veterans" Tour was in San Diego in April
and during its stop a local radio reporter from KPBS created an
"audio postcard," which was broadcast nationally on Memorial
Day by National Public Radio on its All Things Considered
program. Listen
to the postcard
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DEAL
OF THE WEEK: SAVE 30 PERCENT ON EAA FORD TRI-MOTOR SCALE
MODEL
 Add
the famous Tin Goose to your collection. Each hand-painted model is
finished with authentic markings of EAA's 1929 Ford Tri-Motor and is
protected with two coats of lacquer. The solid mahogany display stand
carries the specifications of the airplane. Regularly $174.99, this
model is now only $122.49, saving you $52.50. Offer good through June 9,
2011. Wingspan is 18-1/2 inches; length from nose to tail is 12 inches.
Weighs approximately 4 pounds. Click
here to find out how you can save 30 percent on this beautifully
crafted model.
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EAA MERCHANDISE: REMEMBER D-DAY - SAVE 20 PERCENT ON VINTAGE WWII
SIGNS
 These
collectible signs honor the legacy of the Greatest Generation as Allied
forces landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944, and turned the
tide of World War II. Remember D-Day with savings up to 20 percent on
select WWII vintage signs. Prices valid through June 8, 2011. When you
shop at the EAA online store, you support EAA programs that help grow
participation in aviation. Order
online or call 800-564-6322 toll free. |
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EAA Sport Aviation
Magazine
Can you help?
Join the Discussions!
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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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Take Your Volkswagen to the Beach, and Across the Water |
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This futuristic concept hovercraft would take you pretty much anywhere you wanted to go. The Volkswagen Aqua is designed to be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell with forward propulsion and directional control provided by multiple fans at the rear of the hovercraft. |
Hordes of Jet Decoys Launched From Cargo Plane |
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High-tech hordes of roboplane decoys can now be launched from low-tech cargo planes. Recently, Miniature Air-Launched Decoys (MALDs) were launched from a C-130 Hercules. The MALD aircraft present the radar profile of a full-size fighter jet and can fly up to 600 miles on a pre-programmed flight path. When the decoys cause the enemy to light up its radar, launch missiles at the decoys, or attack them with fighter jets, those defenses can be more safely neutralized than by initiating an attack with manned jets. |
NASA Airliner Seeks to Slash Fuel Burn 70 Percent |
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NASA’s N3-X isn’t expected to roll out for another 20 years, but the NX-3 concept airliner uses turboelectric distributed propulsion, a hybrid wing-body, and other aerodynamic design improvements to achieve the goal of “reducing fuel burn more than 70 percent from the 777-200LR.” |
First Steps Toward Thought-Controlled ‘Flight’ |
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Although aircraft takeoffs and landings may one day be thought-controlled, the brain wave “flight” at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is made possible with a theatrical flying harness, not a plane. This first step toward mind-managed flight uses an EEG (electroencephalograph) headset to send “up” or “down” signals from your brain to the equipment raising or lowering the flying harness. |
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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: SCAT,
SCEET, CAT, AND CEET HOSE WIRES
 Jack
Dueck shows how to deal with the pesky wire on Scat, Sceet, Cat, &
Ceet hoses. Jack is a Technical Counselor, a Sportair Workshop
Instructor and Chairman of the EAA Canadian Council. Watch
the video
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TIMELESS VOICES OF AVIATION: MONROE
"JOE" VELGUTH
 Monroe
“Joe” Velguth (1923-2009) enlisted in the Army Air Force and
graduated from flight training as a multi-engine pilot. He was sent to
Bergstrom Field in Austin, Texas and began transition into the Douglas
C-47. Sent overseas, Joe joined the 440th Troop Carrier Group in
England. Shortly after the group moved to Orléans, France. Joe flew
numerous supply missions in support of Patton’s Third Army, including
hauling wounded troops back to Allied hospitals. Some of the wounded
included German soldiers, which made for some tense situations on the
airplane at times. When the war ended in Europe in May 1945, Joe
remained in Europe as part of the occupational forces. He spent some
time assigned to a fighter group flying their C-47 and then joined a
liaison outfit that used light aircraft to transport VIPs throughout
Germany and France. Joe finally came home in May of 1946. Watch
the video
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Where
Are You Flying This Weekend?
There are 195
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: Is
it possible to convert a certified airplane to the
experimental category, and if so, where can I get
information on the process, regulations, etc.?
Answer: It
depends on which of the nine experimental categories
you want to change the aircraft to, but we presume
you're asking about converting a standard
type-certificated airplane to an experimental
amateur-built. This definitely is not an
option because that is only open to aircraft
complying with the 51 percent rule, and clearly a
TC'd aircraft was built at a factory.
The other eight
experimental categories are much more restrictive
concerning the usage of the aircraft. For example,
Experimental Exhibition is the most common area that
TC'd aircraft are changed to, but to operate with
this certificate, you must submit a program letter
to your local FAA office detailing the particular
events where you would be exhibiting the aircraft,
and those are the only operations allowed, except
for proficiency/currency flights where you may take
off and land at your home airport only.
To find out about
more about all nine experimental airworthiness
certificate privileges and limitations and how to go
about obtaining them, click
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
June
2011
The Navy's premiere fighter during World War II, the
Corsair, will be among the aircraft celebrated this
year at AirVenture during Centennial of Naval
Aviation activities. This month's calendar image is
of a Goodyear FG-1D, shot by Lee Ann Abrams in 2003.
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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AIRCRAFT SUPPLY OVERHAULS WEBSITE
Aircraft Supply and Repair Inc. announced the launch of its redesigned website. The new site features direct ordering of aircraft parts and supplies, as well as product and application information via easier-to-navigate menus. The company is also introducing a new pre-paid shipping policy on qualifying orders. For more information, click here.
ABLE FLIGHT SETS RECORD
Able Flight, a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering people with disabilities a unique way to challenge themselves through flight training, has set an organizational record for the most number of people training at the same time. Eric Ingram, Korel Cudmore, Kevin Crombie, and Jermaine Strachan began their training at Purdue University on May 22. After joining Paul Lampasso, who is training in California, they made up the largest class of Able Flight students to date. For more information on Able Flight scholarships, click here.
NEW NAME FOR GA AFTERMARKET COMPANY
Engine Components International, a worldwide distributor of GA aftermarket parts, services, and engine kits (formerly operating as Engine Components Inc.), announced its new business structure and corporate name. “The Engine Components International name more accurately reflects the transformation of the business in recent years,” the company said. Tim Morland, general manager, said, "Our focus is customer-driven. Our priorities are safety, reliability, and cost-effective parts and services." For more information, click here.
FLIGHT GUIDE IEFB IPAD APP RECEIVES UPDATE
Airguide Publications now offers new data plans for the Flight Guide iEFB iPad app, which features Seattle Avionics ChartData geo-referenced instrument approaches and Flight Guide’s nearly 5,000 airport diagrams, as geo-referenced by Seattle Avionics. Flight Guide iEFB is available for free through the Apple App Store. Monthly data can be purchased through the Flight Guide iEFB app itself and range from $9.95 - $29.95 per month. For more information, click here.
RANS S-7LS RECEIVES NEW FEATURES FOR 2012
RANS Aircraft announced its demo S-7LS, featuring improvements for 2012, will take to the air soon. Those features include an increased fuel capacity allowing for five hours of flight time, one-piece stamped ribs that increase strength and reduce weight, aero servo ailerons, and the use of carbon-fiber parts throughout the plane. The 2012 S-7LS costs $87,000 (standard equipped), with production orders currently being accepted and delivery times running four to six months.
For more information, click here. |
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