Smoke Signals

The Official Newsletter of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 175

Vandenberg Airport  VDF

 

The next meeting will be Saturday, April 22, 2006

@ 0900. Breakfast @ 0800.

 

 

 

April meeting features:

Charlie Henwood

 

"You call; we haul"

 Flying the C-7 Caribou in Vietnam

Charlie Henwood will relate his experiences, accompanied by a

"home video"

prepared by a Caribou transport group

 

 

KITFOX HAS A NEW OWNER

John and Debra McBean, owners of Sports Plane LLC, purchased the tooling and intellectual assets for the Kitfox design from the former SkyStar during a bankruptcy sale in early April. As the new owners of the Kitfox design, Sport Plane LLC has no responsibility for obligations incurred by SkyStar.

John McBean, who brokered an arrangement between Rotax and several Kitfox owners who hadn't received their engines after SkyStar filed for bankruptcy last fall, said, "We're anxious to regroup and move on. This will allow us to continue the Kitfox line. Initially we'll focus on supporting existing Kitfox owners and we'll work toward production of full kits and more." For more information, call Sport Plane LLC at 208/888-1500 or visit <http://www.sportplanellc.com/>.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ECLIPSE BREAKS GROUND ON NEW

GAINESVILLE MAINTENANCE FACILITY

Eclipse Aviation and the Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority held a groundbreaking ceremony April 3 to begin construction of the Eclipse Aviation factory service center in Gainesville, Florida. The Gainesville facility will be part of a network of seven U.S. Factory Service Centers dedicated to Eclipse 500 maintenance and support.

This new 61,000 square-foot facility will be completed in early 2007 and will initially house 15 Eclipse employees, with the ability to expand to over 160. The factory service center will consist of 45,000 square-feet of hangar space that can hold up to 12 Eclipse 500 aircraft. Additional support areas include a 10,800 square-foot maintenance section and a 5,400 square-foot customer service area. The facility will accommodate multiple shift operations. Eclipse technicians at this facility will be able to accomplish all Eclipse 500 scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, including work on the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F engines. For more information visit <http://www.eclipseaviation.com/>.

 

 

 

AEROBATIC PILOT SEAN TUCKER

BAILS OUT DURING FLIGHT PRACTICE

 

 

April 5, 2006 - Legendary air show pilot Sean D. Tucker is OK after having to bail out of his Challenger aerobatic biplane on Tuesday morning, while practicing aerobatic maneuvers over Red River Parish, Louisiana. Tucker's spokesperson, Karl Koeppen told KSLA-TV, "Tucker noticed a mechanical failure shortly after takeoff, and just a short time before his 8,500 foot jump." Koeppen added that "it took Tucker 15 minutes to assess, when he realized it was unsafe to land, he flew until it was empty, and parachuted down."It's not known yet whether Tucker, one of the world's top air show performers with more than 30 years of aerobatic experience, will fly his scheduled air shows at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-in at Lakeland, Florida, this week.

 

OREGON AERO LAUNCHES EXPANDED WEBSITE

Oregon Aero has launched a completely redesigned website that is now easier to navigate and explore. New features include a product wizard to help customers identify the product that is best for them, an enhanced search function, a new quick order feature enabling customers to check out quickly, more product photos, and a new customer comment section. The new website is located at <http://www.oregonaero.com/>.

 

 

AOPA OBJECTS TO LYCOMING

CRANKSHAFT SERVICE BULLETIN

AOPA is objecting to Lycoming's proposal to "retire" more than 5,000 crankshafts, and the association is asking that the FAA not acquiesce to the company's plan. "To retire more than 5,000 crankshafts as outlined in Lycoming Service Bulletin 569 is unconscionable given that there is no engineering data or clearly defined safety concern to support such action," wrote AOPA's Luis Gutierrez, director of regulatory and certification policy, in comments to the FAA. "AOPA does not believe this action is in accordance with good risk management practices. The wholesale replacement of these crankshafts is unwarranted and an unacceptable expense to aircraft owners." Lycoming recently issued a service bulletin calling for crankshaft replacement in engines ranging from the O-360 to the IO-720. The company wants all hammer-forged crankshafts "retired" within three years. While a service bulletin is not mandatory for Part 91 owners who don't use their aircraft in commercial service, service bulletins frequently become airworthiness directives, which are, of course, mandatory for everyone. For more, see AOPA Online

( http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2006/060410lycoming.html ).

AOPA WORKS TO IMPROVE

GA ACCESS TO SARASOTA

AOPA is working to improve general aviation access at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Pilots there are suffering through long ground and air delays. And that's because some time ago Tampa Approach Control took over sequencing airport traffic from the tower controllers. Previously, pilots would fly underneath the Sarasota Class C airspace and call the tower directly. AOPA has formally requested that the FAA return VFR traffic control to the local Sarasota controllers. The FAA has begun an informal airspace review. Download AOPA's letter ( http://download.aopa.org/epilot/2006/060413fl-letter.pdf ).

 

 

 

Missing phone delays flight

 

Holidaymakers were stranded at an airport for four hours - because a pilot lost his mobile phone in the cockpit. The passengers were settled in their seats ready for take-off while the captain gave a running commentary on his search. He scrambled around the floor and finally called for "technical assistance".

Engineers had to dismantle sections of the cockpit to search under the floor - but still couldn't find the phone. After an hour the 189 passengers were asked to collect their belongings and return to the terminal at Doncaster Robin Hood Airport. They finally took off with a different pilot reports The Sun. Thomsonfly apologised and insisted they had no choice but to delay the plane. A spokesman said: "The aircraft could not take off until the phone was recovered as it was still switched on. Phones have to be switched off during a flight for safety reasons. "A passenger said: "We just couldn't believe our ears. We thought we'd heard every excuse in the book for delays but this one took the biscuit. At least the pilot was honest right from the start."He told us over the tannoy that we couldn't take off until he found his mobile phone. Fifteen minutes later he said he was still looking for it. So we just waited and waited and he kept announcing they were still looking."Then he said the engineers had dismantled some of the panels in the cockpit but they still couldn't find the phone anywhere."

 

 

 

 

 

Flight held up by tea break

 

Passengers on a jet returning to Britain were told they could not land because an air traffic controller was having a tea break. The Thomson flight was forced to circle the airport, finally landing 25 minutes late, reports the Daily Mirror. Ken Jones, 70, said he and fellow passengers though the captain was pulling their legs when he made the announcement as they approached Cardiff Airport. Ken, coming home from a break in Tenerife, added: "He said sorry for not being able to land but explained that the duty controller at the airport wasn't authorised to land us and we'd have to wait until the other one came off his break.

"The captain added 'In all my time flying, I have never come across anything like it before'. Because it was April 1, I thought at first it might have been a practical joke. "A spokeswoman for the National Air Traffic Services said: "We regret the delay to the arriving Thomson flight. Staff at Cardiff are fully qualified. The cause of the delay is now being investigated

 

 

 

Coming Events at Sun ‘n Fun

Effective 04/20/2006)

The information provided below is from reliable sources, but always verify dates and details before you go. Information on Sun ‘n Fun activities is available at <http://www.sun-n-fun.org/> or call (863) 644-2431.

 

Top Gun Radio Control Model Aircraft Meet---April 26-30. This is not a SnF sponsored event, but is held in the campground on site. It is an invitational contest with the “best of the best” scale aircraft and flyers represented.

 

“Blast Off” traveling exhibit at Florida Air Museum---April 29th through July. Covering the early years of the NASA space program.

 

Canadian “Snowbirds” jet aerobatic demonstration team---May 3rd. Free admission.

 

“Destination: Aviation” and “Space Camp” Summer Camps during June and July---for ages 8 thru 15. Register by May 15th. Contact the Florida Air Museum at (863) 644-2431 ext. 0 for complete information on camp dates and fees or download the application form at www.flairmuseum.org <http://www.flairmuseum.org/> (Note: Chapter 175 is again sponsoring one or more disadvantaged kids. All donations via the chapter are appreciated.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For your flying and maintenance needs come visit:

 

 

Reliable Aviation, Inc.

Vandenberg Hangar Lane

Tampa, FL 33610

813-626-4884

 

                                                                                                  The Champ Club (Come Join)

                                                                                                   Call David Hansma 962-8229 or

Need a Flight Review                                                                Tom McLinskey 988-4540

Jim Piche Certified Flight Instructor                              

Single & Multiengine.                                                       Wing  Waxers

Call for more information                                                              Barry & Sylvia Ford

813-503-3926                                                                                         3434 Airfield Drive West Ste. #4

E-Mail pichejrbm@aol.com                                                           Lakeland Linder Regional Airport

                                                                                                     Lakeland, Florida 33811-1240

AEROMECH Inc.                                                                      www.wingwaxers@excite.com <http://www.wingwaxers@excite.com/>

Quality Aircraft Parts & Supplies                                               

3454 Airfield Drive West                                             

Lakeland, Florida 33811-1240                                             Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc.

863-619-8133                                                                                         Mark Moberg

www.aeromech-inc.com                                                               Vandenberg Airport

                                                                                                     6582 Eureka Springs Rd.

Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc.                                         Tampa, Florida 33610

Maintenance   813-623-6483                                                                  813-626-1515                                                                                                                                     www.leadingedgeaviation.com <http://www.leadingedgeaviation.com/>

 

 

Experimental Aircraft Association

Chapter 175

VDF

Vandenberg Airport, Tampa, Florida

 

                                        

     President                                            Vice President                                     Secretary             

  Alan “Bud” Yerly                                   Gordon Knapp                                   Steve Reisser             

BudYearly @ msn.com                      beep1 @ tampabay.rr.com                ITSC@tampabay.com

     813-681-6062                                    (813) 251-5282                               813-994-4898 (H)

                                                                                                                        813-973-7930 (W)

                      Newsletter Editor/                                                       

               Young Eagles Coordinator                                     Treasurer/Membership

                          Tom McLinskey                                                  Stan Sutterfield

                       MacPitts @ aol.com                                             speedy11 @ aol.com

                            813-988-4540           

 

 

This newsletter if for the use, education, and enjoyment of Chapter 175 members and others to whom it is provided. No claim is made for technical accuracy. Editorial content is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the position of Chapter 175 0r the EAA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experimental Aircraft Association

Chapter 175

c/o Tom McLinskey

5610 Kenny Drive

Tampa, Florida 33617-7711

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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