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January
30, 2009 Volume 9,
Number 4 |
SEBRING EXPO SETS
ATTENDANCE RECORD
 "Sebring,"
the adopted moniker of the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo held each January in
Sebring, Florida, isn't like any other major aviation event in the
world. It's not an air show, nor a builder's forum, nor your typical
fly-in. It's best described as a trade show for the rapidly maturing
light-sport aircraft industry. The 2009 Expo was an excellent place for
potential LSA owners to "kick the tires," and it was clear
that many attendees came primarily to check out the offerings available.
Read
more of Kent Misegades' report.
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REPLICA GOLDEN AGE RACER
MAKES FIRST FLIGHT
 Thanks
to the vision and resources of EAA President's Council member Tom Wathen
and the talents of Mark Lightsey and his colleagues at Aerocraftsman,
Inc., on Flabob Airport in Riverside, California, one more incredible
replica of a Golden Age racer has taken to the skies; an Avions Caudron
C.460. The replica flew for the first time on Wednesday, January 28,
with Lightsey at the controls. "Obviously a plane with only 50
minutes on it is far from proven, but it flew fine," he reported.
"Not stable, but very solid and controllable. With the landing gear
down and the power at 27" and 2700 rpm, it was cruising around the
Flabob pattern at 165 mph." Read
more
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CONFUSED ABOUT THE ELT
TALK?
 On
February 1, 2009, the Search and Rescue (SAR) satellite system will
discontinue monitoring 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters (ELTs)
and only monitor the 406 MHz signal. 121.5 MHz ELTs will continue to be
monitored, but only by ground-based facilities and airborne aircraft
that happen to have their VHF receiver tuned to 121.5. The FAA has not
proposed any changes to FAR 91.207 (the regulation requiring ELTs in
most airplanes). This means that the 121.5 MHz ELTs will continue to
meet the requirements of the regulation, even after February 1,
2009. Read
more
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ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL
CHAPTER LEADERS ACADEMY
 Last
weekend's sixth EAA Chapter Leadership Academy brought 23 EAAers from 11
states to EAA Headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Participants met with
EAA staff to discuss chapter recruitment, programs and fundraising, as
well as the future plans of EAA's online offerings. Greg Starkel,
president of EAA Chapter 1479 of St. Joseph, Missouri, one of EAA newest
chapters, said the Chapter Leadership Academy provided him with
invaluable information that will help him expand and improve his
chapter. "I came here in hopes of meeting other chapter leaders to
hear how they have overcome obstacles," Starkel said. "This
program was perfect for that." Read
more
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CATCH EAA'S 'TWEETS'
 One
of the hottest instant messaging formats today is Twitter, a short (no
more than 140 characters) messaging system that is available through
your cell phone, iPhones, Blackberrys, computers, and other devices. EAA
is supplying regular updates on programs, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
activities, and more! It's easy to sign up and start receiving your
updates from EAA. Just go to http://twitter.com/EAAupdate.
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AIRVENTURE AIR SHOWS:
'ONE OF THE BEST EVER' LINEUPS
 This
will be Joe Schumacher's 15th year coordinating the daily air shows at
AirVenture, and so far, from the looks of things, 2009 is shaping up to
be one of the best ever. "That's right," he said this week, as
he was making the schedules. "What's really got me fired up is the
sheer variety we have this year. We have a great mix of aircraft, some
lesser-known (to Oshkosh) performers, three wing-walking acts, two
parachute teams - this is shaping up to be a real winner." Read
more
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LIMITED EDITION MUG
AVAILABLE WITH ONLINE AIRVENTURE ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE
 When
you buy AirVenture 2009 online advance tickets, you now have exclusive
access to a limited edition AirVenture 2009 mug. Purchasers of these
tickets also have exclusive access to an EAA AirVenture 2009 specially
designed cap and t-shirt. The mug, cap, and t-shirt all have matching
artwork. This merchandise will not be sold at the event, so this is the
only place where you can get these collectible items. Buying online is
the most convenient way to get AirVenture admission and it offers an
early-purchase discount. The dates for EAA AirVenture 2009 are July
27-August 2. Click
here to purchase your advance online tickets.
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EAA B-17 TOUR COULD BE
COMING TO AN AIRPORT NEAR YOU
 Aluminum
Overcast, EAA's restored B-17 bomber, returns to the sky on Friday,
April 3 in Chino, Calif., the first stop of nearly 60 planned for the
2009 "Salute to Veterans" national tour. The first tour
segment includes 16 stops in five states between April 3 and June 3.
(See the tour schedule.) The yearlong tour continues into late fall,
with the airplane back "home" for the full week of EAA's
annual AirVenture fly-in on July 27-August 2 in Oshkosh, Wis. Read
more
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AUCTION FEATURES HARLEY,
AFRICAN SAFARI
 EAA
is conducting a one-time auction from February 5-20, 2009, to benefit
EAA's youth education programs and activities through a special EAA
secure website. You have the opportunity to cast the winning bid for a
great American motorcycle or an African hunting safari.
 Generously
donated by Harley-Davidson Motor Company, a 2008 limited edition, 105th
Anniversary Harley-Davidson V-Rod retailing at $17,000 will be up for
auction. The adventurous among us can also bid on a 10-day authentic
African hunting safari for two in the Limpopo Province of South Africa
donated by SS Pro Safaris and retails at $10,000. For all the details,
visit the EAA website.
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HOMEBUILDING HINT OF THE
WEEK
 Tools
for Electrical Wiring, and Nicropress Fittings - Fabrication
We offer two hints this week, the first featuring Kas Osterbuhr who
starts us down the path of wiring your aircraft by going over the more
common tools you'll need. Kas is an EAA SportAir Workshop instructor for
the Electrical Systems, Wiring and Avionics workshop. Watch
now.
A special bonus hint this week,
Nicropress Fittings-Fabrication, was featured in our sister
e-publication, Experimenter, which debuted last week. In the
video, EAA's Joe Norris demonstrates the proper way to fabricate a
nicropress fitting. Joe is the EAA Homebuilders Community Manager as
well as a DAR, A&P aircraft mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA), and an EAA Technical Counselor.
Watch
now.
If you would like to subscribe to Experimenter, click here. To
see a copy of the debut issue, click
here.
If you have a hint to share with your
fellow EAAers, we'd love to hear from you! Drop us a note at Info@EAA.org,
and please put "Hints" in the subject line.
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FAA PREPARES FOR SUPER
BOWL IN TAMPA
 The
FAA expects that as many as 1,000 additional general aviation aircraft
will use the area's airports during Super Bowl weekend and reports it is
prepared to handle the influx. Aircraft who anticipate operating in the
area should be well briefed about security restrictions in place for the
area. Affected pilots should read
the notice explaining air traffic changes they can expect to
encounter around Super Bowl weekend. Also be aware of three separate
Temporary Flight Restrictions around Raymond James Stadium on Super Bowl
Sunday. Private pilots will not be allowed to fly near the stadium for
several hours before, during and after the game. Details of the
restrictions are available on the FAA
website. For more information on preparations for the big game, see
the FAA's
Fact Sheet.
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2009 EAA AIR ACADEMY
DATES ANNOUNCED
For young people ages 12-18, the EAA Air Academy is a unique summer camp
that takes their interest in aviation to the next level. Participants
spend a week with expert aviation instructors at the purpose-built Air
Academy Lodge in Oshkosh, completely immersed in the thrilling world of
aviation Right now is a great time to begin planning for kids in your
chapters who will attend a camp this year. Sessions include Young Eagles
Camp (ages 12 -13); Basic Air Academy (ages 14-15); and the Advanced Air
Academy (16-18). For more information, call 888-322-3229 or visit www.airacademy.org.
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WHERE ARE YOU FLYING
THIS WEEKEND?
 January
31 - Young Eagles Rally - Key West International Airport, Florida
Florida Keys EAA Chapter 1241 has had a very successful series of
Young Eagles rallies. We invite you to join us for this event in Key
West. For more information, visit http://eaa1241.com
or contact Ed Waldorf, 305-398-4336 (send
an e-mail).
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EAA 'TIMELESS VOICE OF
THE WEEK': DR. PEGGY CHABRIAN
 The
EAA Timeless Voices Program will be on the road in February, recording
interviews at the 2009 Women in Aviation Conference in Atlanta, Georgia,
February 26-28. If you are interested in scheduling an interview to
share your story at the conference, send an email to timelessvoices@eaa.org
with the subject line TVA – WAI Conference, and a staff member will
contact you to make arrangements. With that in mind, we present an
encore of the July 11, 2008, “Voice of the Week” – Dr. Peggy
Chabrian.
Dr. Peggy Chabrian is a long-time
aviation enthusiast and professional aviation educator. In 1990, she
held a conference for women seeking opportunities in aviation. Today,
that conference has grown into one of the largest women organizations in
all of aviation - Women In Aviation, International. As President and
Founder of the organization, Dr. Chabrian is heavily involved in the
advancement of women in all aviation career fields and interests. See
the video.
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HUGE SAVINGS ON NEW ITEMS
IN CLEARANCE & CLOSEOUTS
 Check
out our clearance and closeouts section for new great deals, like this
1/4 zip hooded sweatshirt sporting the EAA The Spirit of Aviation logo
on the left chest. This casual jersey fleece sweatshirt is 80% cotton
and 20% polyester. Details include a 1/4 zip neck with pewter metal
zipper, drawstring hood with contrasting inner hood, matching spandex
reinforced rib knit trim, twill tape in neck, and double-needle cover
stitching. Available in black or chili red, now on sale for $29.99 (2X
$32.99, 3X $35.99). Order
online or by calling toll-free, 800-564-6322.
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Q
& A:
Question of
the Week
For EAA
Government Relations
I weigh 330
lbs. Am I foolish to think I can fly a sport-pilot
type aircraft?
Answer:
330 lbs. is going to limit the number of light-sport
aircraft in which you will be able to fly. For
example, a Piper J3 Cub has a maximum allowable
gross weight of 1,220 lbs. Subtract from that the
average empty weight of 750 lbs. and you have an
useable weight of 470 lbs. Subtracting your weight
from that and you have only 140 lbs. with which to
cover the weight of your instructor, required fuel,
and oil. So a Cub is definitely out of the question.
You
will need to search for an airplane that has an
approximate 465 lb. or greater useful load to meet
the minimum requirements for flight. Visit EAA's
Sport Pilot website for a list of S-LSA and the
Standard Category aircraft.
Have a question?
To ask a question regarding government issues,
e-mail govt@eaa.org.
For questions about registration, airmen, aircraft
and medical certification, safety records,
performance, or any other matter, e-mail infoserv@eaa.org.
FEBRUARY
2009
EAA
Desktop Calendar
Evektor America's SportStar flies into the setting
sun. Shot during the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in
Sebring, Florida, in late January. Photo by EAA
Chief Photographer Jim Koepnick.
Download
this wallpaper image at the EAA
website, where you can choose among several different
resolutions to suit
your screen...or select an image from the archive.
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FISHER FLYING PRODUCTS IN
KIT PRODUCTION
Following the move of the company to its new factory in Woodbridge,
Ontario, Canada, Fisher Flying Products is now ready to begin kit
production for some of the company's aircraft. The initial two kits to
be offered are the light-sport eligible Dakota Hawk and the FP-202
Koala. The Dakota Hawk is a high wing two-seat aircraft that can be
powered by a wide variety of engines in the 80-120hp range. The FP-202
Koala is the most popular plane in the Fisher Flying Products line. Both
aircraft are constructed using Fisher's wood geodetic construction
technique that allows anyone with common woodworking tools the ability
to build an aircraft without investing in new equipment. The aircraft
are available as complete airframe kits or in three sub-kits that let a
builder spread the cost of construction out over the life of the
project. All wood and metal parts needed to complete the aircraft are
cut to size and shaped to allow for easy and quick construction.
Full-sized plans will continue to be available for all fourteen designs
in the Fisher Flying Products fleet. Kits for other designs in the
Fisher line will be available in the future. For more information call
905-856-7050, visit www.fisherflying.com
or send an email to ffp@fisherflying.com.
CUBCRAFTERS BEGINS
SHIPPING CARBON CUB KIT
CubCrafters has shipped its first three Carbon Cub Wing Kits and the
first Carbon Cub Fuselage Kit. The company is currently producing the
kits at a rate of two per month. Custom shipping crates are meticulously
constructed and the kits carefully packed to ensure everything arrives
in pristine condition, according to a company news release. Each
container includes all of the parts and hardware necessary for assembly,
right down to the last cotter pin. Also included is a comprehensive
assembly manual that provides step-by-step instructions with pictures
and/or illustrations for every step from setup to completion. The
company also reported that its 2009 Carbon Cub demo airplane is nearing
completion. The signature flames scheme was painted recently and the Cub
should be moving into final assembly in the next few days. Learn more at
www.CubCrafters.com.
U. S. POWERED
PARAGLIDER TEAM INVITED TO WAG
The Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), which has served as
the world governing body for air sports and aeronautical world records
since 1905, has invited five American powered paraglider (PPG) pilots to
represent the United States in the World Air Games (WAG) this summer in
Torino, Italy. Pilots were selected by virtue of their performance in
eight different powered paraglider qualifying events held world-wide in
2008. Only the top 22 pilots and provisional alternates receive the
coveted invitations and will represent 11 different countries. Held
every four years, the WAG is regarded as the Olympics of air sports.
Games are comprised of multi-discipline events featuring up to 10 air
sports and up to 22 different events. Competitions are slated to begin
on June 6. To support the U. S. team, tax-deductible contributions are
being accepted. Visit the United States Powered Paraglider Association
website at www.USPPA.org for more
information.
AUSTRO ENGINE; DIAMOND
AIRCRAFT RECEIVE TURBO DIESEL TC
Diamond Aircraft Industries has received EASA Type Certificate
EASA.E.200 for the turbo-diesel airplane engine E4 (AE 300). The
certification of the E4 engine was achieved after 42 months of
development work and program costs of 48 million Euro. The company says
there are 27 Diamond DA42 NG with AE 300 engines on the production line,
whose type certification is also expected imminently. AE 300 powered
versions of the DA40 and the DA50 will follow. The AE 300 powered
version of the MPP will also be certified as soon as possible. For the
existing diesel engine powered Diamond fleet, a retrofit solution to
convert to AE 300 power will be developed and offered. Christian Dries,
CEO of Diamond Aircraft Industries, and Thomas Mueller, General Manager
of Austro Engine, are confident of a good future for the companies,
despite the current difficult times. For more information, visit www.diamond-air.at
or www.austroengine.at.
WISCONSIN LIGHT
AVIATION SAFETY SEMINAR
The 16th Annual Light Aviation Safety Seminar, hosted by the Wisconsin
Ultralight and Light Aviation Advisory Council, will be held on
Saturday, March 7. The free event takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and is an FAA "Wings"
qualifier. Learn more by calling 715-356-8828 or visit www.AV8Safe.org.
STEP UP AVIATION JOINS
CARBON NEUTRAL PLANE PROGRAM
Carbon Neutral Planes announced its partnership with Step Up Aviation
LLC, a flying club and flight school located in Austin, Texas. Step Up
Aviation provides aircraft and aviation training in a variety of
aircraft types. Now, through its membership in the Carbon Neutral Plane
program, it is also one of the most environmentally friendly providers
of aircraft and aircraft training in the country. Learn more at www.StepUpAviation.com.
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