Keep up with all the EAA news at EAA.org  |  View this email online December 7, 2012   Volume 12, Number 56       T O P   S T O R Y AirVenture 2013 Tickets Now On Sale Advance purchase admission tickets and camping are now available for the 61st annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, scheduled for July 29-August 4 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. Daily and weekly admissions are available, as is the ability to join EAA and immediately receive the best possible admission prices available only to EAA members. Read more >>     M U L T I M E D I A Zenith 750 Project: Ahead of Schedule EAA's Zenith CH 750 staff building project continues to advance at a brisk pace. Team leader Chad Jensen's second video update includes not only a progress report but also a preview of what they expect to accomplish after the holiday season. Watch video >> Timeless Voices – Firman Balza, Pearl Harbor Survivor Hints for Homebuilders - Inspect 2-Stroke Engine for Carbon Deposits Photo Gallery - EAA Christmas in the Air 2012     MAC'S BLOG: How Certification Rules Are Hurting Us For as long as I can remember pilots have been blaming unnecessarily complicated FAA certification rules for the high cost of personal airplanes and for the slow pace of technological development. The FAA has formed a committee to study FAR Part 23 to search for ways to simplify approval of piston singles and other light airplanes. But I don't think there is a lot to be gained by overhauling the certification standards for basic airframe structural strength and flying qualities. The real benefits in cost savings and performance improvements can come from a new look at how electronics can be used in piston airplanes. Read more >>   |   Recent posts >> FM-2 Wildcat to Be Raised From Lake Michigan Friday A submerged World War II fighter is scheduled to be raised from Lake Michigan this Friday, December 7, at the Waukegan, Illinois, harbor. The plane, a Grumman (Eastern Aircraft) FM-2 Wildcat, had been sitting at the bottom of the lake off the Chicago shoreline for more than 65 years after crashing during a carrier operations training flight. Read more >> Donated C-172 to Carry On Legacy of EAA Member Dennis Yugo loved aviation, especially aerobatics. A member of EAA and the International Aerobatic Club (IAC), he frequently flew his Pitts Special to aerobatic competitions around his home state of California, often winning. Sadly, Dennis passed away in November 2011 after a battle with colon cancer. His longtime (34 years) companion, Alberta Knox, recently donated her prized 172 to EAA, and the red and white airplane is currently en route to its new Oshkosh home. Read more >> EAA SportAir Workshops to Implement New Model in 2013 Since first offering courses in the early 2000s, EAA's SportAir Workshops have been traveling around the country to help educate homebuilders in their journey. The workshops provide the guidance to increase confidence and skills for attendees to take home and put to use. In 2013, starting with the workshops slated for Oshkosh in January, EAA will begin implementing a new model as eight to 12 strategically located regional sites will be established around the country, allowing courses to be offered on a more regular basis. Read more >> New LODA Page Facilitates Easier Transition Training for Experimentals This week EAA debuted an online listing of Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA) holders for instruction in experimental aircraft. The list, categorized geographically by state, includes certificated flight instructors who are authorized by the FAA to offer certain types of instruction for hire in their experimental aircraft for the purposes of type-specific training. FARs otherwise prohibit flight instructors from receiving compensation for the operating costs of an experimental aircraft. Read more >> Charitable Giving: A Gift That Works for You in Two Ways If you haven't already taken full advantage of the current tax laws - laws that may change significantly in the coming year - you still have time. Charitable donations are expenditures that pay you back. The Plan by Age webpage provides a handy guide that explains what gift options can work best for you at your point in life. You can also consult a comparative view of giving options that can help you examine financial outcomes of various options to determine the gift type that makes most sense for your situation. Read more >> FAA Worried About GA Safety Stats The federal government's fiscal year began on October 1, so that's the date when the FAA begins counting fatal accidents for the year. And GA's safety record is off to a terrible start. In the first two months of the fiscal year - October and November - there were 55 fatal accidents in GA aircraft. In the first five days of December there were nine more fatal wrecks. No information is available as to the number of people killed in these accidents. Read more >> Only a Few Days Left to Bid in EAA Holiday Auction! Time is winding down for EAA's "Spirit of the Holidays" online auction - bidding for your favorite aviation items concludes on Monday, December 10. You could win a 2012 Naval Centennial commemorative Breitling watch, week-long access to a golf cart at AirVenture Oshkosh 2013, or a once-in-a-lifetime AirVenture VIP package. Bid on a B-17 or Ford Tri-Motor type rating, the Dynon D1 Pocket Panel, and many other items. This unique selection makes it easy to find the perfect gift for that special pilot or aviation enthusiast in your life. Plus, when you bid and win, you'll be giving two ways, because revenue generated from the auction directly supports EAA's efforts in preserving our aviation heritage. Start bidding today >> EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council Urges: Ensure Proper Fuel Flow A recent tragic accident in Canada (Transportation Safety Board File # A12O0113-D1-A1) reminds us of the importance of ensuring proper fuel flow before the first flight of any experimental amateur-built aircraft and after any modification or addition to the fuel system. The aircraft in this accident was an experimental Quad City Challenger II equipped with a Rotax 582 engine. The engine failed after takeoff when insufficient fuel flowed to the carburetor. The cause of the engine failure was a fuel flow sensor with a restrictive orifice that was only 1 millimeter in diameter. A simple fuel flow test performed before the flight would have shown that the system was incapable of delivering the required fuel volume to the engine, and it could have saved the life of the pilot. Read more >> Read more news at EAA.org.     • Dynon ADS-B 'In' Weather and Traffic Receiver Shipping • Flight Design Announces First CTLSi U.S. Deliveries • Innovative Pre-Cooler in Reaction Engine's SABRE Marks True Breakthrough • First Flight for Kestral Now 2014 • First U.S.-Made Phenom 300 Flies • ASA Announces New Edition for Instrument Flying Handbook • NASA WISH Program Helps High School Girls Jump-Start Their Future • Handy Aviator Light Pen From Wicks     Let EAA Keep You Warm This Winter! For a limited time, we will be offering 25% off our super comfy men's EAA quarter-zip, dark green, JanSport sweatshirt and our men's EAA member full-zip jacket. Call 800-564-6322 or Shop online >>     A place to learn, share, and chat with other members. • Flight Training in a Homebuilt • Using One Circuit Breaker for Multiple Devices • Composite Construction Help in Palm Springs? • Load Consideration for Doors • GA Flying in Nicaragua? More forums >>     December 2012: 1940 Rearwin Cloudster This 1940 Rearwin Cloudster, now part of the EAA AirVenture Museum collection, was donated to EAA by Ed McKeown, EAA 212386/Vintage 32087, of Village of Lakewood, Illinois. Only 125 Cloudsters were built, and Ed said his (S/N 828) is one of only a few known airworthy examples. It took seven years for Ed and Roger Shadick, owner of Noble Aviation in Eagle River, Wisconsin, to restore the airplane. Get wallpaper >>     Win a Fully Restored Stearman Model 75! EAA's iconic Stearman prize plane, once owned by Curtis Pitts, has a long list of features, starting with the 300-hp Jacobs R755 A2M engine, 24-volt electric system, and dual basic instrumentation. Members who renew their membership receive 50 entries. Members who sign up for automatic renewal (AutoPilot) receive 100 entries, while those who join as Lifetime Members receive 250. Entry coupons are also available and will be included in select issues of EAA Sport Aviation. You may also make a donation with your entry, which supports EAA programs that educate and empowers people to take the next step in aviation. Read more >>     AirVenture Museum Special Events Dec. 14: Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet - Event honors the 109th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight at Kitty Hawk. Features Frank Christensen, innovative pioneer in the homebuilt movement, with a dedication of his Christen Eagle II. Learn more >> 2013 SportAir Workshops—Two-day aircraft building programs featuring: Composite Construction, Electrical Systems, Fabric Covering, Sheet Metal Basics, Gas Welding, Fundamentals of Aircraft Building, Repairman Inspection, Tig Welding, and What's Involved in Kit Building. (courses vary by location) Course details >> Jan. 26-27: Oshkosh, WI Feb. 9-10: Chesapeake, VA March 2-3: Griffin, GA (Tig Welding only) March 23-24: Watsonville, CA View complete schedule >> Register today or view details by location. You may also call 800-967-5746. Pre-registration is required for all workshops. Webinars: Free to all aviation enthusiasts Dec. 13: Flight Testing Safety Seminar: Chad Jensen, EAA Homebuilders Community Manager, explores best practices and decision making while flight testing homebuilt aircraft. View all Webinars. Webinars begin at 7 p.m. Central unless noted. Pre-registration required. Webinars posted online this week: • The Post-Maintenance Test Flight   We'd love to hear from you:     Facebook Twitter Email Forums       Events Calendar | Member Benefits | Renew Membership | Support EAA | Newsletters   To make sure you continue receiving our emails to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add membership@eaa.org to your address book or safe sender list.