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June
1, 2012 Volume 12,
Number 22 |
DRAGON
SPLASHDOWN CONCLUDES HISTORIC SPACEX MISSION
 SpaceX's
Dragon capsule completed its historic mission Thursday morning at 10:42
a.m. CDT as it splashed down about 500 miles west of Baja California in
the Pacific Ocean. It was the first commercial mission to resupply the
International Space Station, bringing more than a half-ton of
experiments, food, clothing, and technology to the orbiting outpost. The
unmanned mission launched last week from Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX
founder Elon Musk tweeted, "Splashdown successful!!" while the
official SpaceX Twitter feed exclaimed, "Splashdown! Welcome home
#Dragon!" Read
more
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COSMETIC
JAR THOUGHT TO BE AMELIA EARHART'S
 The
International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) has
recovered a small, broken cosmetic jar from the small atoll it believes
was Amelia Earhart's final resting place. According to a Discovery News
report, the jar's shape is almost identical the container used to
package Dr. C. H. Berry's Freckle Ointment in the early 20th century.
This ointment was marketed as a way to make freckles fade. Earhart was
known for having freckles and strongly disliking them. Read more
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EUROPEAN RULES COMING TO
HOMEBUILTS?
 The
NTSB recently completed a lengthy study of the safety of
experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft and issued 12
recommendations to the FAA to address the difference in safety
between E-AB and conventional certified airplanes. The Board was
lavish in its praise for EAA and for the vitality and innovation
of homebuilders, but if you read what they recommended, instead
of listening to what they said, there is reason for alarm.
Several of the 12 recommendations
urge the FAA to change the rules. Actually, the NTSB wants the
FAA to make new rules, because the regulations governing E-AB
have been very broad and accommodating. So far the FAA has taken
the term "experimental" seriously and builders have
been given wide latitude to design and build airplanes that
conform to generally accepted aircraft standards. There is no
long list of specific rules that a builder must satisfy as there
is for standard certified airplanes. And that's how it must be
if an E-AB is to be truly experimental.
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HOUSE
GA CAUCUS RESPONDS TO THREAT
The co-chairmen of the House General Aviation Caucus have forwarded a
letter to congressional leaders that opposes a transportation
bill provision that could greatly harm the nation's air tour
industry. Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) gathered
nearly 20 other co-signers for the letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
and Rep. John Mica (R-FL), whose committees will be considering the
"Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act." A
provision tucked into that highway reauthorization bill would hand over
unprecedented authority to the National Park Service for flights over
national parks and tribal lands, grabbing control of the nation's
airspace from the FAA and threatening jobs and companies of those
involved in the air tour industry. It would weaken a policy that
balanced protection of the national parks with a safe and viable air
tour industry, which allows thousands of people to enjoy the national
parks from the air each year. Read
more
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DOWNLOAD
THE AIRVENTURE 2012 POSTER!
 Show
off your Oshkosh pride and get amped for "The World's Greatest
Aviation Celebration" by downloading and printing the official
AirVenture 2012 poster! Three scaled-down versions are available:
They'll look great in your office,
hangar, FBO, workshop, home, and even at your favorite businesses. The
full-size versions will also be available to purchase at AirVenture.
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CREW
PREPARING DIAMOND LIL FOR FERRY FLIGHT
The Commemorative Air Force's B-24 Diamond Lil is being prepared
for a ferry flight back to Addison, Texas, after a hydraulic malfunction
last Saturday that caused the vintage World War II bomber's nose gear to
collapse during a scheduled passenger flight at Charlotte Douglas
International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. CAF reported no
injuries to the 16 people (passengers and crew) on board and minimal
damage to the aircraft. The hydraulic malfunction was detected during
the flight, CAF stated, and the crew immediately began following safety
protocols to safely land the aircraft. Read
more
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ICON
HIGHLIGHTS SPIN-RESISTANT A-5
 ICON
Aircraft announced earlier this year that it successfully completed of
its A5 amphibious Light Sport Aircraft to FAA Part 23 standards. The
historic achievement will make the A5 the first conventional production
aircraft to be designed to and fully meet this standard once it enters
production, according to ICON. ICON just released a short educational
video showing an A5 flying alongside a conventional "spin
recoverable" Cessna 150, each applying the same control inputs in
an effort to initiate spins. Watch
video
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SAVVY
AVIATOR LAUNCHES ENGINE DATA ANALYSIS SERVICE
 Mike
Busch, author of the popular Savvy Aviator column in EAA Sport Aviation
magazine, has launched a new website to analyze data from digital engine
monitoring systems. SavvyAnalysis.com will be up and running on July 1
and is available free of charge. The popular engine electronic engine
analyzer systems from J.P. Instruments, Insight, Electronics
International, Garmin, Avidyne, and others record engine performance
data but each requires unique software to display or analyze the
recorded data. SavvyAnalysis.com can graph and analyze engine data
online without need of specific software. Read more
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'ULTIMATE'
AIRVENTURE EXPERIENCE AWAITS YOUNG AVIATORS
 Aspiring
young aviators have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and explore
aviation at a whole new level during EAA's Ultimate AirVenture Youth
Camp, which will be held July 22-29 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in
conjunction with EAA AirVenture 2012. Young people ages 16-18 will get
the "ultimate" AirVenture experience as they will be immersed
in the world of flight through aviation studies, hands-on
demonstrations, flight simulation, and many more exciting activities. Read
more
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FEW
SPOTS REMAIN IN THE 2012 EAA AIR ACADEMY 'YOUNG EAGLES' CAMP
 A
few open spots remain for EAA Young Eagles Camp Session #1, held from
July 5-9, 2012. This popular summer camp introduces young people ages
12-13 to the wonderful world of aviation. Presented in a "science
camp" format, campers will enjoy a unique combination of fun and
discovery as they participate in hands-on activities, flight simulation,
museum tours, and actual flights in a Cessna 162 SkyCatcher and Bell 47
helicopter. Registration fee includes all camping materials, meals, and
lodging in the EAA Air Academy Lodge located on the world-famous EAA
AirVenture Museum campus in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Enroll
now.
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DISCOVER
AVIATION DAYS 2012 THIS WEEKEND
 The
annual Discover Aviation Days air show is set for this weekend, June
2-3, at the Anoka County-Blaine Airport in the Minneapolis area. See
numerous aviation exhibits, GA aircraft on display - including
experimental/homebuilt, World War II fighters, trainers, and bombers -
along with vintage and modern military aircraft. Airplane and helicopter
rides, food booths, aviation education booths, flying demonstrations,
and kids' activities will be featured throughout the weekend. The
traveling 80 percent replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall will also be
on display. Both days begin with a pancake breakfast. For more
informaton, call 763-568-6072
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WOMEN
SOAR YOU SOAR SET TO INSPIRE YOUNG WOMEN AT AIRVENTURE 2012
 Young
women will be inspired to reach for their aviation dreams as Women Soar You
Soar, a four-day mentoring camp featuring inspirational female
aviators, returns for its eighth year in conjunction with EAA AirVenture
2012. Women Soar You Soar, scheduled for Thursday, July 26, through
Sunday, July 29, will introduce 100 young women to aviation-based
careers and a women-mentor network, providing encouragement and support
to a possible career in aviation. Read
more
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EAA'S
INTERNATIONAL YOUNG EAGLES DAY IS JUNE 9
 Thousands
of young people will take to the sky on Saturday, June 9, as EAA
volunteers continue an outstanding aviation tradition - International
Young Eagles Day. The 19th annual event brings together kids and pilots
as part of the EAA Young Eagles program, the largest youth aviation
education program ever created. Young Eagles was founded in 1992 and has
provided nearly 1.7 million free demonstration flights to young people
around the world through the efforts of 45,000 volunteer pilots and
50,000 ground volunteers. The program is a focal point within EAA's
mission of growing participation in aviation. Read
more
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CLASSIC
J-3 CUB, EAA 2012 AIRCRAFT SWEEPSTAKES GRAND PRIZE
Giveaway part of Cub's 75th anniversary celebration at AirVenture
 The
Piper J-3 Cub is one of the most recognizable and iconic airplanes ever
to grace the sky. Now, you could be the rightful owner of a beautifully
restored 1940 Piper J-3 Cub as the grand prize winner of EAA's 2012
"Win the Cub" Sweepstakes. The Cub even comes equipped with a
pair of TrickAir Snow Skis and an optional $2,500 worth of free flight
training. In addition to the grand prize, sweepstakes entrants will also
have the chance to win a bunch of other great prizes like a Sea-Doo
Watercraft, a Bose Home Entertainment System, 750 square feet of tile
hangar flooring, and more. Enter
now.
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MAKE
A PIECE OF THE AIRVENTURE GROUNDS YOUR OWN
Plant a tree in your name
 Over
the past several years, investments in the AirVenture convention
grounds, such as clearer signage, updated restrooms, and improved
drainage, have helped improve visitors' experiences. This year, we hope
to plant about 200 trees to bring much-needed shade to provide relief on
those long, hot summer days at the fly-in. We invite you to join us in
this effort! Read
more
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AVIATORS
CLUB: AN AIRVENTURE OASIS RETURNS
 Last
year's debut of the EAA Aviators Club at AirVenture was successful
beyond anyone's expectations! The flightline oasis that allowed EAA
members to add additional hospitality to their AirVenture experience was
sold out throughout the week, so it's coming back in an expanded way in
2012. The Aviators Club, again sponsored by Shell Aviation, is a place
to relax, cool down, and watch the air show from some of best seats on
the field. It is an additional opportunity beyond the basic AirVenture
admission for EAA members, located this year in a prime spot - on the
flightline adjacent to the Flightline Pavilion. Read
more
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WEBINARS: LEANING BASICS
Maintenance expert and EAA Sport Aviation
columnist Mike Busch, A&P/IA, presents an informational webinar
about the basics of leaning: leaning without fear, the Embry-Riddle
experience, a minimal leaning checklist, why full-rich is too rich, how
mixture affects power, interesting mixtures, and more.
All webinars begin at 7 p.m. CDT unless
otherwise noted, and they require registration. 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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EAA MERCHANDISE: LAST CHANCE FOR FREE
SHIPPING!
 Only
four days left to receive free shipping on orders of $25 or more. Use
coupon code MAY28 when you order before June 4, 2012. Some restrictions
apply. Offer not valid on wooden propellers. Orders must be $25 or more
before taxes. Offer valid on standard domestic shipping only.
International orders will receive 30 percent off shipping. Order
online or by calling toll-free, 800-564-6322.
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EAA'S OVERCAST
VISITS THE 'SUNNY SIDE' OF WASHINGTON STATE
 EAA’s
B-17 Aluminum Overcast is
traveling to Felts Field in Spokane, Washington, this weekend. The June
1-3 tour stop is hosted by EAA Chapter 79. Next week, June 7-10, the
Flying Fortress can be found in Denver, Colorado, at the Wings Over the
Rockies Museum. Warbird aircraft and World War II vehicle displays will
be on display, along with WWII mission reenactors and other activities
for the youth attendees.
Self-guided ground tours of the B-17 are
available daily from 2-5 p.m. Tours cost $10 per individual or $20 per
family (including children up to 17 years old), and active military or
veterans can tour for free. Visitors can also book a mission flight on
Aluminum Overcast; passengers can save by pre-booking, but walk-ups are
always welcome. For more information including the full tour schedule,
history of the aircraft, and to pre-book the flight of a lifetime, visit
the B-17 website.
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TIN
GOOSE TOURS EAST COAST
 EAA's
1929 Ford Tri-Motor is visiting Concord, North Carolina, this weekend
with a May 31-June 4 tour stop at Concord Regional Airport. Next week,
the flagship of EAA's Pioneer Airport will be in Ashville, North
Carolina, June 7-10. To see the full tour schedule and find out how you
can take a ride in this historic aircraft, visit the Fly the Ford website.
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Monthly Photo Contest
Enter your pictures now for the August 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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NASA
'Better Than Visual' Glasses Are Real |
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A
few years ago virtual reality helmets weighed 10 pounds and isolated
you in a world separate from your real-life surroundings. Today,
because of electronics miniaturization and computer power increases,
NASA has been able to develop synthetic vision glasses that do much
more than those virtual reality helmets. The glasses weigh only 5
ounces, show the flight path ahead of you and airspace around you with
synthetic vision, and simultaneously let you look around the flight
deck or out the aircraft windshield. |
GippsAero
GA10 Takes to the Air |
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The
maiden flight of the 10-seat GippsAero GA10 happened on May 1 in
Victoria, Australia. Powered by the 420-hp Rolls-Royce 250 turboprop
engine, the GA10 had an uneventful 20-minute first flight. The
multirole aircraft is intended for passengers, freight service, or
specialized uses such as air surveys. |
Volkswagen
Concept Car Hovers in Our Future |
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It's
not quite a Back to the Future DeLorean, but the Volkswagen concept
Hover Car still looks pretty cool. The two-seat electric vehicle
floats above tomorrow's electromagnetic streets. The German car
manufacturer sponsored a concept car website and received more than
100,000 design suggestions, one of which was this unique disk-shaped
vehicle. |
'Easy
Button' VP-400 Takes You Down Safely |
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When
your aircraft has a VP-400 emergency landing system, you've got an
electronic assistant always looking for the best place to land if you
run into problems. This autonomous landing package from Vertical Power
and Laminar Research takes into account terrain, aircraft altitude,
speed, and other factors to select the best option for a short notice
emergency descent. If the engine stops, the pilot becomes
incapacitated, or other critical scenarios happen, the VP-400
autolanding may simply involve pushing one button. |
SHERPA
in-Space Tug: Low-Cost Orbit Changes |
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Satellites
cost a lot of money to put into orbit, and some of them would operate
better or longer if they could change their location or speed. In the
same way that tugboats move other boats around on Earth, the SHERPA
"in-space tug" is designed to help change the location of
satellites that aren't able to reposition themselves. As the SpaceX
Dragon spacecraft showed this week, private aerospace companies have
an increasingly important role, and the Spaceflight SHERPA tug looks
to be one of the workhorses for Earth-orbiting payloads. |
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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. |
HINTS
FOR HOMEBUILDERS: ENGINE COMPARTMENT CLAMPING
 IIn
this video, Dick Koehler demonstrates how to clamp and safety wire a
control cable in the engine compartment. Dick is a technical counselor
for Chapter 186, an A&P aircraft mechanic with inspection
authorization (IA), and a SportAir Workshop instructor. Watch
the video
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TIMELESS
VOICES: MAURICE JOHNSON
 In
1940, the year he graduated from high school, Maurice Johnson and his
father took a $2 flight with famous racing pilot and aviation celebrity
Roscoe Turner in Indianapolis. Maurice was thrilled with the experience,
and before long was taking flying lessons. On June 8, 1942, he enlisted
in the Army Air Force. Maurice was accepted into the Aviation Cadets
program and was trained as a multiengine pilot. After transitioning into
B-24 Liberators, Maurice and his crew ferried a brand new Ford-built
B-24H to San Pancrazio, Italy, to join the 515th Bomb Squadron of the
376th Bomb Group on May 26, 1944. Three days later they were flying
their first mission. Maurice completed 50 combat missions by the end of
the war. Watch the video.
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Where
Are You Flying This Weekend?
There are 157
fly-ins and other
aviation events over
the next two weekends
listed in the EAA
Events Calendar. Find one near you or add your event! |
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Q&A:
I want to attend AirVenture this year, but the
guy I was going to fly in with (in his plane) had to
cancel. Is there a way to connect with others going
to Oshkosh who may have a spare seat?
Answer: As a
matter of fact, EAA has a service called RideShare,
and it helps connect people like you who are looking
for a ride to Oshkosh with those who have room in
the airplane or ground vehicle. It's a great way to
help defray your travel costs and you just might
meet a new aviation friend. Just click on the above
link and you'll be on your way.
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 2012
Gary
Austen, EAA 503953, took this photo of Bob Carlton
performing in his jet sailplane during the afternoon
air show at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2011. To capture
the image, Gary used a Sony a330 with a 75-300mm
lens set at 200mm. Bob will be flying at AirVenture
again this year.
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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SPORTY'S TO AWARD LEGEND CUB FOR 2013
SWEEPSTAKES
For more than 20 years, Sporty's
has awarded a brand new airplane to a lucky customer; this year, that
lucky customer will win a Legend Cub. The Cub, which features a complete
Garmin panel, including an aera 796 GPS, SL40 comm radio, and GTX 330
transponder, will be awarded during Sporty's Annual Fly-In, scheduled
for May 18, 2013. All Sporty's Pilot Shop customers are automatically
entered to win the Legend Cub every time they order.
FIRST AMERICAN FEMALE ZEPPELIN PILOT
TAKES TO THE SKY
Andrea Deyling, who has been training on the world's largest passenger
airship, Airship Ventures'
Eureka, since November 2011, has been qualified to fly the Zeppelin NT,
making her the first American female to do so. She is only the second
woman in the world and the 22nd pilot overall to earn the qualification.
Deyling brings more than 2,500 hours in airships to her role as pilot at
Airship Ventures. Prior to piloting the Zeppelin NT, she flew a variety
of blimps and most notably served as chief airship pilot at High Degree
Operations.
MANDATORY ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN ON
ROTAX 912 ENGINES
Rotax has released
Mandatory Alert Service Bulletin ASB-912-061 covering specific part
number and serial number ranges of fuel pumps that were manufactured
since late 2011 and supplied on new engines or as spare parts. The
actual affected component is the pressure fuel hose assembly attached to
these specific fuel pumps (see Alert
Service Bulletin for list of specific engines, fuel pumps, or fuel
hoses affected, or watch
the video for more explanation).
Engines affected will require replacement
of the fuel pressure hose as well as an inspection and cleaning of the
pressure side of the fuel system including carburetors before next
flight.
PIPER SEMINOLES GET AIR CONDITIONING
UPGRADES
Piper Aircraft is adding the Kelly
Aerospace ThermaCool air conditioning system as an option for new
2012 twin-engine Piper Seminoles, as well as making the system available
via retrofit for the Seminole fleet. With engines running, air
conditioning power is supplied from a new lightweight 28-volt alternator
mounted on the left engine. The system uses less than 45 amps at peak
load and has a total weight of approximately 60 pounds including the
alternator.
DAHER-SOCATA LAUNCHES UK TBM 850 DEMO
TOUR IN UK
DAHER-SOCATA's TBM 850 is
making an extensive demonstration tour in the UK and Ireland,
demonstrating the very fast turboprop aircraft's capabilities for
potential customers while also highlighting DAHER-SOCATA's
new sales and support organization. The presence began with a TBM 850
appearance at this month's AeroExpo UK 2012 - a dedicated general
aviation exhibition held annually at Sywell Aerodrome in
Northamptonshire.
TEMPEST'S NEW T556 SPARK PLUG THREAD
LUBE ANTI-SEIZE
After seeing aircraft owners having difficulty applying spark plug
thread lube anti-seize, Tempest
created the newly formulated T556 anti-seize. Tempest T556 comes
packaged with a brush that applies the lubricant with a smooth, even
flow; the lubricant won't drip or inadvertently run down on the firing
end of the spark plug. Tempest T556 is now available at authorized
Tempest distributors.
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Experimental Aircraft
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