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August
19, 2011 Volume 11,
Number 41 |
HAPPY
NATIONAL AVIATION DAY!
 Friday,
August 19, is National Aviation Day, as observed each year on Orville
Wright's birthday. The commemoration was first proclaimed by President
Franklin Roosevelt in 1939 in honor of the man who piloted the
"first self-powered flight in history," according to the
original proclamation. EAA members are encouraged to enjoy and promote
aviation on this day, and let others know about the wonderful world of
flight we enjoy!
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PIPISTREL
FLIES OVER OSHKOSH
 The
Pipistrel Taurus G4, the first four-seat electric aircraft in the world,
took off Friday morning August 12 from Wittman Field in Oshkosh after
making four test hops the day before. The twin-fuselage aircraft was a
clear Dead Grass Award winner during AirVenture 2011 and Pipistrel is
aiming this one-off design for NASA's Green Flight Challenge (GFC) that
will take place in September. American test pilot Dave Morss was at the
controls to satisfy FAA certification and GFC competition requirements.
The G4's experimental certification will continue in Oshkosh and one
other location in the United States before the competition. Read
more and watch the video |
HELP CELEBRATE PAUL'S 90TH BIRTHDAY
SEPTEMBER 11
 On
Sunday, September 11, EAA will honor its own living legend in a day-long
celebration of Founder Paul H. Poberezny's 90th birthday! EAA members
are invited to Oshkosh to help celebrate - we've even arranged for
ConocoPhillips Plaza to be open for aircraft wishing to fly in. Planned
activities include a pancake breakfast, AirVenture Museum open house
throughout the day, Founders' Wing tours (Paul and Audrey will greet
visitors in the Founders' Wing Library beginning at 1 p.m.), and much
more.
Be there at 3 p.m. for birthday cake and
to join in singing "Happy Birthday" to Paul. For more
information, call 800-236-1025. |
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WHEN A KIT AIRCRAFT IS NOT A
KIT AIRCRAFT
 Until
a few years ago the NTSB did not recognize kit aircraft as a “type”
and would not record them as a common type in accident
statistics. But the NTSB changed its position because kits are
the gigantic majority of all amateur-built airplanes and unless
accident data was recorded under the name of the kit, it was
impossible to analyze the data and look for trends in accident
rates and causes.
The fact is that the development
of high quality kits of well-designed airplanes that are
straightforward to build has transformed homebuilding. The only
part of GA that has shown growth over the past few years is
amateur-built, and virtually all of those airplanes are from
kits.
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LANCAIR COMPLETES FIRST U.S. EXPERIMENTAL
FLIGHT INTO RUSSIA
 A
Lancair Evolution flown by Lancair CEO Bob Wolstenholme, and HPAT test and
ferry pilot Pete Zaccagnino landed at Zhukovsky airport in Moscow
earlier this week and according to Cetus Aero flight center owner
Alexander Ratkin, it is the first flight into Russia by a
U.S.-registered experimental aircraft. The aircraft was in Moscow for
the MAKS 2011, which is considered an "Oshkosh"-type
crossroads event featuring GA, commercial aviation (including the Boeing
787), many international aerobatic teams, and the best Russian military
display teams. Read
more
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EAA
MEMBERS RESPOND TO EAA/NTSB AMATEUR-BUILT SAFETY STUDY
EAA has been working with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
to create a profile of amateur-built aircraft and their builders to use
as a guide for programs and activities to further advance and promote
safe building and flying practices. EAA is hosting the summer-long
survey that is open to all builders, owners, and operators of
experimental/amateur-built category aircraft. According to Jim Sweeney,
EAA's director of market research, the response to date has been
outstanding with more than 5,000 surveys completed. Read
more
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EAA TO DEBUT YOUNG EAGLES FOR ADULTS NEXT
YEAR
 EAA
is set to launch in January 2012 a Young Eagles program for adults. The
upcoming program was announced by EAA President/CEO Rod Hightower during
an EAA AirVenture member forum. According to Hightower Young Eagles for
adults has been something that EAA members have been recommending for
years. The program will focus on the "one-on-one" flight
experience, will be driven by chapters, and will provide the same
insurance protections as Young Eagles. Read
more |
AIRPLANE FACTORY GUYS MAKING SECOND
'ROUND THE WORLD FLIGHT
 Two
years ago, Mike Blyth and James Pitman, owners of the Airplane Factory
in Johannesburg, South Africa, flew their prototype Sling LSA aircraft
around the world, making a pit stop in Oshkosh for AirVenture 2009. The
design duo is back in action, embarking on another around-the-world
adventure - this time in their new Sling 4 four-place airplane. Read
more
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PA LAW
LIMITING LIABILITY FOR PRIVATE AIRPORTS SET TO GO LIVE
About two weeks before AirVenture Oshkosh 2011, Pennsylvania Governor
Tom Corbett signed into law legislation that provides owners of private
recreational airstrips in the state the same reduced liability
protections as several other recreational activities. Effective
September 5, 2011, recreational noncommercial aircraft and ultralight
operations on private airstrips will be included under the Recreational
Use of Land and Water Act, putting recreation aviation in private
facilities on par with such activities as hunting, fishing, swimming,
boating, camping, cave exploring, and other activities. The unanimous
(50-0) vote in the legislature changed a law that stood since the 1960s.
Read more
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TRAGIC
DAY FOR SOUTH AFRICAN AVIATION COMMUNITY
 South
Africa's tightly knit aviation community suffered a devastating loss
last weekend when 13 people aboard two Piaggio P166 Albatross aircraft,
including two children, died when the aircraft crashed in mountainous
terrain on Sunday, August 14. According to a statement by the SA Civil
Aviation Authority, both aircraft took off from Tzaneen Airport at 10:30
a.m. after participating in the weekend's Tzaneen Air Show, bound for
Rand Airport in Johannesburg. Read
more
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DAHER-SOCATA TBM 850 BEATS P-51 AT
AIRVENTURE
 As
a part of its AirVenture celebration for 100 years of continuous
aircraft production, Daher-Socata staged a Reno-style race between one
of its TBM 850 turboprop aircraft and Jack Rousch's P-51 Mustang
Gentleman Jim. The race was held on Friday, July 29, with the TBM
crossing the finish line a few seconds ahead of the P-51.
Read more and watch the video |
OUR
FAVORITE AIRVENTURE PHOTOS
 This
week we feature images shot by EAA Staff Photographer "Photo
Steve" Cukierski during AirVenture 2011. Steve was consistently
seen above the grounds in lifts and several air-to-air missions. Like
all the others, Steve was in plenty of other odd places to capture the
best angles of AirVenture 2011. View
the photos
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GATHERING
AUCTION NETS LONG-SHOT DISCOVERY
Man makes top bid on nose art from grandfather's B-24
 When
Steve Sutton, of Slater, Iowa, wanted to make a replica of the nose art
adorning the B-24 Liberator on which his grandfather served as navigator
in World War II, he asked an Oshkosh-bound friend earlier this year to
look for a suitable piece of metal in the Aeromart at AirVenture 2011.
But that was before Sutton discovered a completed replica was already
available - and it was practically right under his nose. Read
more
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FCC
PROMISES TO KEEP GPS SAFE
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission pledged last week
to keep GPS safe from potential interference from LightSquared's
proposed broadband wireless system. At the agency's monthly meeting last
week, CC Chairman Julius Genachowski assured users of an estimated 500
million GPS-enabled devices and services that the commission will not
allow the proposed hybrid satellite/terrestrial broadband wireless
service to interfere with functioning GPS technology. FCC officials
indicate more testing of a modified LightSquared proposal is necessary
to address interference issues. Construction of the new system remains
on hold pending federal approval. Read
more
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HALF-BILLION
IN BIOFUEL SUBSIDIES ANNOUNCED
The Obama administration announced this week during its bus tour of the
Midwest it would spend up to $510 million during the next three years to
to produce advanced drop-in aviation and marine biofuels to power
military and commercial transportation. The Administration is also
asking the private sector to match dollar-for-dollar each federal dollar
received to cover the costs of constructing or retrofitting refineries
for so-called advanced biofuels, made from animal waste, algae, or other
materials. Read
more
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GRASSROOTS
PILOT TOUR STOPS AT COLUMBUS EAA CHAPTER 9
 The
first of two back-to-back Grassroots Pilot Tour stops by EAA
President/CEO Rod Hightower took place on Wednesday evening, August 17,
hosted by EAA Chapter 9 in Columbus, Ohio. At this initial
post-AirVenture 2011 GPT stop, 108 EAAers attended to hear Hightower
talk about the successful 2011 convention, plus future plans for EAA
including the expansion of the Young Eagles program to provide flights
to adults, establishing flying clubs nationwide, and key issues facing
aviation today. Hightower's presentation was followed by a Q&A
session, plus he was presented with an official Chapter 9 shirt. Read
more
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SIMCOM
EXPANDS SIMULATOR FLEET BY 14
SimCom, the Orlando-based simulator flight training center, has acquired
14 simulators and type-specific flight-training programs from
FlightSafety International. The simulators are popular propeller models
from Beech, Cessna, Piper, Twin Commander, and others. The simulators
range in sophistication from advanced flight-training devices for the
piston-powered airplanes to full-motion simulators for the turboprops. Read
more
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WEBINARS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OIL
Maintenance expert and Sport Aviation columnist Mike Busch,
A&P/IA, will present an informational webinar about oil on September
7. Learn about single versus multigrade, mineral versus synthetic, oil
additives, recommended oil level, oil consumption, air-oil separators,
oil change intervals, oil filter inspection, oil analysis, and more.
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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 When
we asked you to chime in on the reported presidential TFR violation
last week, we weren’t too surprised to see that 84% of you voted in
favor of leaving the pilot alone and using this case as an opportunity
to take another look at the rules.
THIS WEEK’S QUESTION is a bit
more “apples and oranges.” As you know, we’ve had two first
flights right here in Oshkosh this past week: the 4-seat electric
Pipistrel and the single-seat SubSonex jet. The question, then, is as
obvious as it is unfair:
If you could choose to fly only one of
these new and unusual aircraft, which would it be?
Vote
now!
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VIRGINIA,
THEN NEW JERSEY FOR EAA B-17 TOUR
 Aviation
and warbird enthusiasts are invited to come out to Leesburg, Virginia,
this weekend (August 19-21) for the EAA B-17 tour stop at Leesburg
Executive Airport (JYO), with EAA Chapter 186 serving as host. From
there, Aluminum Overcast will make the first of two stops in New
Jersey at Mercer Airport (TTN) with EAA Chapter 78 hosting from August
23-24. The second New Jersey tour stop is August 26-28 at Essex County
Airport (CDW), Caldwell, hosted by Chapter 73. For more information on
bookings and a full tour schedule, click
here.
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TRI-MOTOR
KICKS OFF TOUR NEXT WEEK
 EAA's
Ford Tri-Motor begins its late summer/fall tour next week at EAA's old
stomping grounds, Rockford, Illinois. Rockford hosted the EAA Convention
and Fly-In for 10 years in the 1960s before the event moved to Oshkosh
in 1970. This time around, EAA Chapter 22 will host the "Tin
Goose" August 25-28. The tour continues in Burlington, Iowa, August
29-31, and Iowa City, September 1-5. For more information and to book
your flight, click here.
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DEAL
OF THE WEEK: HUGE JEWELRY SALE!
Save up to 75 percent on select aviation jewelry
 Through
August 25, 2011, you can save on attractive, aviation-themed jewelry
designs through our online store. Click
here to find out how you can save on authentic EAA jewelry items.
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Monthly Photo Contest
Can You Help?
Ongoing 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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Quietly Efficient Propulsion System from Germany |
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A
German patent has been granted to Bauhaus Luftfahrt for an
energy-efficient and reduced-noise propulsion system. This new
propulsion design has been incorporated into the “Claire Liner”
aircraft design concept. Aircraft noise heard on the ground is
minimized by locating the engines in the fuselage and by locating the
fans between the aircraft’s tails. Part of the fuel efficiency gain
comes from using heat exchangers for engine core energy recovery. |
‘Bloon’
Cruise Will Give You Hours in Near-Space |
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The
aerospace startup zero2infinity is betting lots of people will want to
spend several hours watching the “thin blue line” of the
atmosphere surrounding Earth and not be limited to a couple minutes
like passengers on SpaceShipTwo. The near-space vehicle, called a “bloon,”
has a two-pilot/four-passenger, 4.3-meter-diameter pod suspended from
a 129-meter-diameter helium high-altitude balloon. Passengers will
cruise 22 miles above Earth for two hours, with the entire flight
lasting five to six hours. |
Exploring
Ultracapacitors for Aviation |
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The
Alternair Amp electric LSA team is working with the founder of the
startup Extreme Capacitor to leverage the X-Cap ultracapacitor
technology for aviation uses. Both companies are in the early stages
and not yet manufacturing a finished product, but these
ultracapacitors are envisioned providing power for electric aircraft
and for electric vehicle charging infrastructures at airports. If
X-Cap technology can translate lab results into usable power
components, these ultracapacitors will have the same
Watt-hour/kilogram rating as today’s commercial Li-Po batteries. |
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Southampton
University engineering students are using a blend of high tech and low
tech to build a human-powered aircraft with which they hope to win the
two Kremer prizes and £150,000 from the Royal Aeronautical Society.
The high tech: a UAV autopilot developed by a former Southampton
student, which will be used to control ailerons and
vertical/horizontal stabilizers. The low tech: a standard road racing
bicycle bolted to the airframe is used to convert people power into
plane propulsion. |
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The
Samarai UAV from Lockheed Martin is an unusual aircraft – it only
has one wing. But it has VTOL capability, can be tossed into action
like a boomerang, can hover, and provides the opportunity to look at
aerodynamics with a unique perspective. Watch the video to see the
Samarai in action! |
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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: REMOVING A DAMAGED SCREW
 A
common occurrence in aircraft building is the damaged screw head. Jack
Dueck shares how he solves the problem. 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: SERGEI SIKORSKY
 Sergei
Sikorsky is the oldest son of legendary aerospace pioneer Igor Sikorsky.
He grew up in a home that was constantly filled with aviation’s most
famous names - Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, Roscoe Turner, Eddie
Rickenbacker, Howard Hughes, and many others were frequent visitors to
the Sikorsky home at Long Hill, Connecticut. At age 16, Sergei began
working for his father’s company as an apprentice mechanic. When he
turned 18 in 1943, Sergei enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard as a
helicopter mechanic based at Coast Guard Air Station Brooklyn, New York,
at Floyd Bennett Field. It was there that he worked with Captain Frank
Erickson in developing the powered hoist for helicopter rescue work.
After the war, Sergei used the G.I. Bill to study abroad in Europe,
earning an art degree. In 1951 he went to work for United Technologies
Corporation as a worldwide sales ambassador for Sikorsky Aircraft. He
retired from the company in 1992. Sergei generously shared his memories
with Timeless Voices during AirVenture 2011. Watch
the video
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Where
Are You Flying This Weekend?
There are 105
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 purchased a flying homebuilt that included
an annual condition inspection at the time of sale.
I know that since I am not the original builder I
cannot perform these inspections every year, but if
I change something on it do I need to have it signed
off by an A&P?
Answer: Since
your aircraft has an experimental amateur-built
airworthiness certificate, you - or anyone, for that
matter - can maintain, modify, repair, or alter the
aircraft in any way without needing a sign-off by
anyone else. You may do this at any time, but an
A&P or FAA Repair Station only has to inspect
the aircraft every 12 months to comply with the
operating limitations requirement for an annual
condition inspection. Simply record all work
performed in the aircraft maintenance records. If
you make a "major change," you must comply
with the instructions contained in the operating
limitations document regarding proper notification
to FAA and flight testing requirements.
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
August
2011
This
Curtiss-Ely Pusher replica, built by Bob Coolbaugh
(EAA 307903/Vintage 15150) of New Market, Va., with
assistance from Andrew King (EAA 275985/Vintage
10739) of Vienna, Va., resembles the one that made
the first carrier landing on the deck of the U.S.
Navy’s USS Pennsylvania in the San Francisco Bay
on January 18, 1911 - beginning the era of naval
aviation. It was on
display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
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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TOUR
MARKS FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHT CENTENNIAL
Great American Aerial Adventures commemorates the 100th anniversary
of the first flight across the United States September 17-20 with the
Rodgers Cup. The event will begin in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, as a
caravan of planes takes off on a four-day flight to Long Beach,
California. "The Rodgers Cup is designed for adventure and
enjoyment with an average daily flight time between four and five hours
and an average pace of 125 knots," the company said.
Night festivities reflect the culture of
each of the stops along the way, including Lafayette, Tennessee; Ponca
City, Oklahoma; St. Johns, Arizona, and Long Beach. Registration is $750
per adult and $350 per child 12 years and under and includes camping,
meals, entertainment, and campfire sessions. For more information, click
here.
HATE SHIPPING COSTS? SPORTY'S HAS A
SOLUTION
Sporty's new service is designed with repeat customers in mind; For
an annual membership fee of $49, customers can join the "Sporty's
Free and Fast Shipping Club," eliminating shipping costs on every
order for a year. "If you're an active pilot, it only takes a few
orders for you to recoup your investment," said Sporty's Vice
President John Zimmerman. Free shipping applies to any product available
whether the package is going to you or to another address to a friend as
a gift. In addition, joining the club guarantees same-day shipping for
orders that are in stock if the order is received by 5 p.m. (Eastern
Time), and each order will be shipped via two-day express delivery. For
more information, click here.
SAVAGE ROLLS OUT LOWER CUB PRICES
Sportair USA announced price reductions on the entire Zlin Savage
line of aircraft. The Savage Cub is now available in America for
$78,790, ready-to-fly including shipping, fees, and registration. The
new, lower prices on other Savage aircraft are $71,090 for the Classic,
$74,490 for the Cruiser, and $87,610 for the iCub. For more information,
click here.
YOUNG ARTIST CONTEST CELEBRATES THE
WORLD OF SILENT FLIGHT The theme of the 2012 Fédération
Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Young Artist Contest for youths
between the ages of 6 and 17, will be "Silent Flight."
Examples include kites, gliders, paragliders, and hot-air balloons.
Contestants are encouraged to think about ways that people travel
through the sky with the power of the wind alone. Posters celebrating
the wonder of "Silent Flight" can be made with colored pens,
pencils, or paint. Contact
Bernard Smith for information on deadlines and how to submit
artwork. To learn more about the Young Artist contest, click
here.
2012 ASA KNOWLEDGE EXAM PRODUCTS NOW
AVAILABLE
ASA's 2012 Test Preps (books for pilots), Fast-Track Test
Guides (books for mechanics), Prepware (software for pilots
and mechanics), and Virtual Test Preps (DVD video ground schools
for pilots) are now available. For more information on each of these
study materials, click here.
NEW GAMERA RECORD CERTIFIED
The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) has certified the new
record flight set July 13, 2011, by the human-powered helicopter, Gamera.
Designed and built by graduate and undergraduate students at the
University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering and
piloted by biology student Judy Wexler, the quad-rotored aircraft
achieved lift-off and hovered for 11.4 seconds, NAA verified. The team
is evaluating the vehicle and next steps towards competing for the
$250,000 Sikorsky Prize, which requires a hover time of 60 seconds at a
height of 3 meters in a 10-square-meter area. For more information on
the project, click
here.
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2011
Experimental Aircraft
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