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EDITORIAL
Affordability and Fruit
Comparisons need to be apples to apples
I recently read an e-mail presented to a Yahoo! group that is
dedicated to high-horsepower V8 automobile conversions. The writer was
concerned that the cost of this alternative solution to expensive
certified engines was getting out of hand, reducing or eliminating the
sweetness of using the alternative engine. He potentially surmised
that he might as well just go with a certified engine. I'd like to
answer his letter in my editorial this month. Read more
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PAUL'S PICK
Passing the Torch: Looking Back at the 1989 EAA Presidential
Transition
In 1989 Paul Poberezny handed the reigns of EAA to his son Tom after
37 years leading the organization. During that transition both father
and son wrote side-by-side columns in Sport Aviation that
addressed the change at the top. Paul spoke of pride in his son Tom who
rose in EAA from the ground up (his first EAA job was grounds and
building maintenance) to carry the family business forward. Tom talked
about the character of EAA and how there may, overtime, be a change in
the style of leadership but not the content. With new EAA President Rod
Hightower the EAA board sought a new leader that, like in 1989,
possessed the EAA DNA.
Read
the story
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TALES FROM THE DAR SIDE
Certification Inspection: Preparedness Is Next to ...
Here in Wisconsin the designated airworthiness representative (DAR)
business had been pretty slow all summer. I performed a couple of
airworthiness inspections in the spring, then things got quiet on the
certification front. This isn't a bad thing for me, since summer is a
pretty busy time at EAA. But lately the applications have started coming
in again. I've performed three certifications in the past few weeks, and
I have three or four more coming up in the near future. All of these
recent inspections have gone quite well. The applicants were well
prepared and the aircraft were top quality, all of which makes the
inspection process simple and straightforward. That's not always the
case. Read
more
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Flying the Proteus
An afternoon with Mike Melvill
Marc J. Zeitlin is a well-known asset to the canard community, who built
from scratch and recently restored his own Cozy Mark IV. Marc is
one of the fortunate few who have found a home at Scaled Composites and
is humble enough to have recently said, "I had no expectations
coming out here [to work at Scaled.] Had I been put to work building
mundane pods for the rest of my career, I'd have been good with that.
The opportunity to help design aspects of SpaceShipTwo/WhiteKnightTwo
and head RM2 (RocketMotorTwo program, as well as the opportunities to
fly in WK2 and Proteus, have been unexpected surprises, and I view them
as gravy. I'm very thankful for the chances Scaled has afforded me in a
field I love, and the fact that they think that I'm making a useful
contribution in those areas."
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A Proteus aircraft flies over Southern California, September 30, 2006,
carrying the Global Hawk variant of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology
Insertion Program radar. Proteus is a high-altitude aircraft similar in
size to Global Hawk. (U.S. Air Force photo)
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Marc recently had the
unique opportunity to fly right-seat with Mike Melvill in Proteus,
either one being remarkable in itself. Marc shares this experience with
us. Read
more
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Facetmobile Designer
Barnaby Wainfan's "Eyeball" Helps Win $5M X Prize
Crossover technology is a wonderful thing. Far too often, various groups
of enthusiasts seem to work in a vacuum, only looking at the technology
or technologists at hand, in and around their own group.
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For example, you don't
normally see dirt bike riders looking through the Jeg's
catalog for performance-enhancing ideas, personal watercraft owners
taking tips from snowboard builders, or bicycle riders looking for the
next go-fast idea at the local bowling alley's pro shop. But odds are
really good that if one were to look outside the comfort of the
familiar, huge advancements can be made. One small example would be to
look where aviation has gone since someone took fiberglass boat building
techniques into design consideration.
The Progressive
Automotive X Prize is an automobile efficiency competition, and winning
the $5 million "Mainstream Class" took a cross between
automobile and aviation technologies, with our own Barnaby Wainfan's
aerodynamic skills making a huge impact. Read
more | Listen
to the interview
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Reno 2010: Relentless
Loses Prop in Flight
Is there something we can learn?
You might already have read EAA's Reno National Championship Air Races
report by Tim Kern, but if you didn't, you might want to read
it before continuing.
During a qualifying
session on Tuesday, September 14, the propeller departed Relentless
(Nemesis NXT, designed and developed by legendary air racer Jon Sharp)
with its builder, Kevin Eldredge, at the stick. A 400 mph pull-up
exchanged airspeed for altitude, and an uneventful, safe landing was
executed. That is if you consider a small fire from oil being spewed on a
hot turbo as being uneventful. The fire was quickly extinguished by the
ground crew at Reno. Read
more
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WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE
BUILDING
Corvair College #18 in Livermore,
CA - KLVK
Ten years ago, Corvair engine conversion guru William Wynne opened his
hangar doors to all who would come for a weekend of learning. Fellow
Corvair enthusiasts from around the United States and Canada made the
trek to Daytona Beach, Florida, to learn the nuances of disassembly and
reconstruction of this vintage automobile conversion. The event was dubbed "Corvair
College." To date, 17 such colleges have taken place, and in almost
every case, the highlight of the event was the running of a spankin' new
engine that was built during the event. Starting today, the 18th college will
take place in a little burg just east of San Francisco. Read
more
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The gang from Corvair College #13, January 2009.
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MYSTERY
PLANE
This month's unique Mystery Plane was submitted by Anthony J. Liberatore.
The aircraft is a two-place, side-by-side, plans-built experimental.
Designed around VW engine conversions, the plane utilizes a wood wing
with a steel-tube, fabric-covered fuselage. Getting in the cockpit takes
some forethought, but once seated, two full-sized adults fit rather
comfortably. This taildragger uses bungee cords under the seats much
like a Taylorcraft to reduce parasite drag. If you look at the
advertised specifications in this article, you'll notice that the Cygnet
potentially could be flown in the light-sport aircraft category. Read
more
Remember to send
your Mystery Plane submission to Pat
Panzera.
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EAA
Devotes Entire Newsletter to the Light Plane World
We thank you each month for clicking on the Experimenter survey
link and sharing your thoughts. Each month we get a few comments asking
for more coverage of ultralight and LSA aircraft. For almost a year, EAA
has been publishing the online newsletter Light Plane World,
which is dedicated to those passionate about ultralights and light-sport
aircraft. Experimenter has not stopped featuring ultralights and
LSAs, but we invite you to subscribe to this new publication that delves
deep into the aircraft, people, and culture of the Light Plane World. View
the latest issue
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New
Polish Aircraft Appears at Midwest LSA Expo
Sometimes, we just get lucky…though the second annual Midwest LSA Expo
and the first Mid-America Alternate Engine Fly-In were both scheduled
for the same weekend, they were each three-day events - and the dates
overlapped. So, since the events were just 70 miles apart (in Mt Vernon,
Illinois, and Paducah, Kentucky, respectively), attending both was
possible. Read
more
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Sonex's AeroVee
Turbo-Powered Waiex Makes First Flight
The Sonex's turbo-powered Waiex began flight testing last week
(September 3) with impressive early results according to Sonex's Mark
Schaible. Using its AeroVee engine, Sonex's Hornets' Nest Research and
Development (R&D) fitted a free-floating turbocharger with a fixed
wastegate to the engine with the goal of increasing output to 100 hp.
The initial test flights, flown by Sonex builder and R&D volunteer
Drew Waterworth, showed a significant increase in cruise and climb
performance. Schaible says they hope the new turbo system will provide a
comparable alternative to the more powerful 120-hp Jabiru engine while
staying sport pilot compliant. Read
more
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Electric
Four-Motor Cri-Cri Makes First Flight
The all-electric Cri-Cri, the first-ever four-motor aerobatic plane,
made its official maiden flight at Le Bourget airport near Paris last
week (September 3). The mid-morning flight went smoothly, all systems
performed well, and the pilot reported excellent maneuverability. While
it was a great flight, it was quite short as the Cri-Cri returned for
landing after seven minutes. The Cri-Cri is designed to cruise for 30
minutes at 59 knots, reach aerobatic speeds of 135 knots, and climb at
1,000 feet per minute. Read
more |
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Pilot
Reminder: Watch Out for Pop-Up TFRS
With the fall elections approaching in November, the likelihood of
temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) being issued for VIP appearances on
very short notice during the campaign season is on the rise. FAA and TSA
officials are urging general aviation pilots to be ever vigilant and
always aware of TFRs when they fly. EAA reminds pilots to check the
NOTAMs before takeoff and make sure all intended flight paths steer well
clear of all restricted airspace. You can check for TFRs on the EAA
Flight Planner as well as during FAA Flight Service and DUAT/DUATS
briefings. |
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Dick
Rutan Donates Bust to EAA Museum
National Aviation Hall of Famer Dick Rutan flew his Berkut N268DK into
Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport Thursday to drop off a special
donation for EAA's AirVenture Museum: a bronze bust of himself. It will
become a part of the museum's large Rutan exhibit. He arrived in the
early afternoon, with the 80-lb sculpture in tow, from the National
Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, where he gave a
speech the previous evening, "Recalling the MISTY Years,"
about his "Misty" combat tour in Vietnam. Read
more |
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McClellan
Eager to Begin
Longtime aviation writer and editor Mac McClellan, best known for his
years as editor at FLYING magazine, is eager to get started with his
contributions to EAA's publications and online communications. He'll
begin his online contributions in October, with his renowned "Left
Seat" column making its first appearance in November's Sport
Aviation. This week, McClellan talks with EAA's Dick Knapinski about
coming to EAA, what readers can expect from him, and the amazing
technology breakthroughs pilots have seen over the past decade. Listen
to the interview
Hightower Welcomes
McClellan to EAA Publications
In addition, EAA president/CEO Rod Hightower talks about welcoming
McClellan to EAA’s stable of talented aviation writers and what unique
perspectives he’ll bring to EAA members. Watch
the interview |
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Q&A
Got a
question? Send it to us at.
Whether you're building, restoring, or just an
enthusiast. we want to know what has you
stumped.
Q. I own a homebuilt airplane
that I didn't build. A friend who is an airframe and powerplant
(A&P) mechanic is performing the condition inspection for me, and he
asked for the equipment list. I told him that I'm not required to have
one. He thinks I'm supposed to have an equipment list, though. Who is
correct?
A. There's no regulatory
requirement for an equipment list on an experimental aircraft. In fact,
there's no requirement for a flight manual or any other document other
than the FAA-issued operating limitations. The FAA (and the EAA)
recommends that builders/owners of experimental aircraft develop flight
manuals and equipment lists for their aircraft as a "best
practice," but they aren't required documents. Read
more |
Read more Q&As
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AVIATION GLOSSARY
Confused
by a strange aeronautical term? EAA's online
Aviation Glossary can help.
FRISE AILERON - A type of
aileron that has a beveled or contoured leading edge projecting beyond
its inset hinges. When the trailing edge is lowered, it forms an
extension of the wing surface; when raised, its nose protrudes below the
wing surface, protruding into the airflow increasing drag. More
glossary terms |
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
Experimenter,
March 1957
The Mong Sport
By Ralph E. Mong
One of the featured articles in this month's Experimenter
casually mentions the Mong Sport biplane, one which has been highly
modified for competition. For race or fun, the Mong is perhaps one of
the least expensive biplanes that can be built, if only because of its
lack of expensive flying wires. Mong chose to use a single lift strut
rather than the traditional cross of wires to complete the structural
truss of the wings. There's nothing in the airplane that can't be built
by the average builder with a bench grinder and a welding torch,
according to Budd Davisson's 2000 report, "Biplanes
You Can Build." Read
the 1957 article
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AROUND THE WEB
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 Southwest
Airlines: The Making of Florida One
If
only building a homebuilt were this easy. Watch
a time-lapse video of the making of Southwest Airlines newest
specialty 737, Florida One. |
 Designing
and Flying the Rutan Defiant
Here's some historic footage of Burt Rutan designing his Defiant,
including Dick Rutan flying it in, around, and through the Tehachapi
Mountains in California (near Mojave), with a few loops, rolls, and
wingovers tossed in for good measure. Watch
video |
 Sailplane
Disintegrates During Routine
At Coupe Icare 2010,
a sailplane disintegrates in flight with one of its departed wings
passing within a few hundred meters of a powered parachute. Thank
goodness for the ballistic chute. Watch
video |
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WEBINARS
Encore for Popular Webinar on 2-stroke Engines
Brian Carpenter gave his talk on 2-stroke engines last month; however,
due to its popularity, we are bringing him back to give it again, just
in case you missed it. Brian teaches the Repairman inspection and
maintenance courses for airplane, weight shift, and powered parachute.
Brian is a Sport Pilot Examiner, a CFII, an A & P mechanic with an
inspection authorization, and an EAA Technical Counselor. He has built
many experimental and ultralight aircraft and is the designer and
builder of the Ranger.
All
webinars begin at 7 p.m. CDT. To find out more about upcoming EAA
Webinars and to register, visit the webinars
page.
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HOMEBUILDER GALLERY OF
THE MONTH
Mazda and Jabiru Engine Installations Break Convention
When it comes to homebuilts and LSAs, it's not a just a Rotax and
Lycoming world anymore. Tim Kern found examples of four- and
six-cylinder Jabiru installations in a Rans S-19 and a Rainbow Aircraft
"Cheetah" LSA at the Midwest LSA Fly-in in Mount Vernon,
Illinois, last month. Not too far away in Paducah, Kentucky, at the
Alternative Engine Fly-in, Kern discovered Sam Hodges' wonderful
installation of a Mazda conversion in an RV-7A. If you want to know more
about Mazda conversions, see Tim's
article in the October issue of Sport Aviation. View
the gallery
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FROM
THE EAA HOMEBUILDING COMMUNITY
The
Homebuilders Corner message forum at Oshkosh365
is as active as ever. Have a look at the list
below and follow the links to read the actual
questions and discussion topics.
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Can
You Help?
Interesting
Discussions
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POLL
Experimental Aircraft Transition Training
Recently the FAA began circulating a draft Advisory Circular that
offers guidance for pilots who have never flown an experimental aircraft
or a specific type of experimental aircraft.
Q.
Whether you have recently purchased an
experimental category aircraft or are in the process of building one,
are you planning to receive some transition training for that aircraft?
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The
members of EAA invite YOU to become part of the
EAA community.
Join :: Renew
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Benefits :: About
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