Smoke
Signals
The
Official Newsletter of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 175
Vandenberg
Airport VDF
The
next meeting will be Saturday, July 23, 2004
@
0900. Pancakes @ 0800.
Join
the campaign to save our airports!
Thomas F. Norton/GA News
7/8/2005
We are losing an average of two airports a month in the United States,
according to the most believable numbers.
At the same time, even the most conservative forecasters predict substantial
growth of general aviation during the next 10 years.
If you believe even part of their vision for the future of aviation, the
combination of new and existing GA airplanes with NASA's Small Aircraft
Transportation System, Light Sport Aircraft and Very Light Jets will bring
about a profound increase in our need for runways and FBOs. GA, they say, is
where aviation is expanding fastest.
Seldom mentioned as a vital part of that picture are the thousands of small
airports which that growth, along with the GA we already have, will need. If
the current loss rate continues, our Cessnas and Pipers, Mooneys and Maules,
Lancairs and Liberties, along with all those VLJs, will become less and less
able to fulfill their purpose.
We should be planning and building new airports for them, not covering existing
ones with houses, shopping malls and business parks.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce currently is recruiting state and local chambers
to support the renewal of Aviation Trust Fund legislation which expires in
2007. Their thrust is not only to have local chambers encourage Congress to
renew the law, but to add significantly more money for airport infrastructure
where there is national or regional airline service.
There is no mention of general aviation.
We ask our readers to pressure their local chambers of commerce to include the
needs of GA in their contacts with Congress.
Don't think there isn't any urgency just because the Trust Fund legislation
expires in 2007. The time to act is right now, while the chambers of commerce
and members of Congress are gearing up for the debate. We want to help form
their ideas, not react to decisions already made.
Pilots, FBO owners, airport managers, and others with stakes in GA, please take
this issue to your state and local chambers, directly and through service
organizations such as Rotary, Lions, Elks and Moose clubs, and business groups
such as realtors' associations. Realtors have more of a stake in small airports
than some realize. It has been our experience that, once they understand what
GA airports offer, they start using that knowledge as a sales tool.
We are developing guidelines to help you in this campaign. They will appear in
future issues of General Aviation News and, in more detail, on our website at
GeneralAviationNews.com.
With the help of airport managers and state aeronautics administrators, we will
show you how to summarize the impact your airport has on its local economy —
always impressive, in terms of what other businesses in the same community
generate, but usually overlooked. We will emphasize how your communities have
benefited from GA: Medevac services, for example, where aviation has saved the
lives of neighbors and friends. Donor organ deliveries are another life-saving
activity at GA airports, as are Angel Flight, Wings of Hope, the Corporate
Angel Network and, of course, the Civil Air Patrol. We will suggest ways by
which you can learn and then tell these stories to chamber of commerce members,
service clubs and local news media.
General aviation supports local economies in myriad ways, but is too often unrecognized
by the communities it serves. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has signed on 550
chambers so far, and hopes to have 1,000 by the end of this year. We wish them
success, but believe that GA should benefit from their initiative, not be left
out of it.
Join us as we campaign for more, not fewer, airports — and the future of
aviation.
Sebring
gears up for next Sport Aviation Expo
Jamie Beckett/GA News
7/8/2005
Florida's Sebring Regional Airport is positioning itself to become the
Sport Pilot capital.
The sprawling airfield is home to the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, which had its
maiden flight last year. This year the event promises to be even bigger, with
80% of exhibitor spaces already filled for the Oct. 27-30 event.
The Expo is as much a product show as it is a social and educational draw for
folks interested in Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), according to
Bob Wood, who serves as chairman of both the advisory board and the event.
The idea is to give the buying public an opportunity to kick the tires, talk to
builders, manufacturers and pilots, and even take demo rides.
How successful was that formula on the first go-around? "They sold
airplanes, which was the point," he says.
Expect even more airplanes to be sold this year, as each day news of another
LSA certification is announced.
But the Expo is more than a selling opportunity. There are workshops and
forums, special events, including a National Association of Flight Instructors
conference and a meeting of the ASTM International Technical Committee, as well
as a meeting of EAA chapter officers.
Wood, the man behind the Expo, is a career military man who spent nearly three
decades in the Army, retiring as a Colonel. An enthusiastic general aviation
advocate since he earned his private pilot license in 1957, Wood, 68, has
thrown himself headlong into promoting the newest category of general aviation,
Light Sport Aircraft, and the most talked about certificate in recent memory,
the Sport Pilot license.
To help him design the Expo, he traveled to the Oshkosh and Copperstate annual
gatherings to learn as much as he could about the operation of successful
events. He also put together a powerful blend of industries and personalities.
The inclusion of such a well-known aviation name as Phil Lockwood, of Lockwood
Aviation Supply, was a no-brainer. As the founder of a progressive experimental
parts and maintenance business located at the Sebring airport, Lockwood is
tremendously knowledgeable about various facets of the new Sport Pilot rule and
the new LSA category. The same can be said of Mike Willingham, Sebring
Regional's hard-charging airport manager, who is always on the lookout for
opportunities to promote his airport. Including non-aviation leadership, such
as the head of the local chamber of commerce and the publisher of the most
widely distributed newspaper in the region, also was important to the
successful debut of the Expo.
It's worth keeping in mind that Sport Pilot and the accompanying LSA category
were brand new when the idea of the Expo was hatched. The ink was hardly dry on
the new rules when the crew at Sebring geared up for last year's Expo. Add to
that the challenges brought about by last year's hurricane season, which saw
three hurricanes pass close enough to Sebring to cause damage.
"The hurricanes caused us some heartburn," Wood admits. Display tents
at risk of being appropriated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are a
headache most organizers never face.
Fortunately, through determination and a little bit of luck, the Expo came out
on top. In the end, the skies cleared, the ground began drying out and the 2004
event went off without a hitch.
By all accounts attendance was good, both at the gate and on the ramp, where a
wide variety of exhibitors, from aircraft manufacturers and importers to
insurance companies, took the time to show their various products and services
to visitors who were honestly interested.
Many of those same exhibitors — joined by others — will be at this year's Expo.
Wood's focus this year is to draw new people — both to the Expo and to aviation
— to Sebring in October.
"The future of private flying depends on getting people involved who are
not currently involved," he says. "We need to broaden our appeal
beyond people who are already committed aviators."
Picking
the right LSA for you
Meg Godlewski/GA News
7/8/2005
Are you in the market for a Light Sport Aircraft? With so many options in both
the ready to fly and the build it yourself genres, there are lots to choose
from.
One of the first questions you need to ask is whether you want a ready-to-fly
model or a project? On the plus side, the build-it-yourself models tend to be
less expensive than the ready-to-fly models. You also have the luxury of
custom-building the aircraft to your desires in terms of avionics, engine and
propeller configuration, paint and upholstery. On the down side, even with help
from the factory through a builder assist center, so-called quick build kits
can take a fair number of hours to complete.
If your desire is to get flying quickly, you may not want to go the
build-it-yourself route. Several pilots in the market for LSAs noted they are
waiting for the ready-to-fly models to be certified because they don't have
time to build their own.
POINTS TO
PONDER
Some things to consider when buying a ready-to-fly model:
- Does it look like a "real" airplane? According to manufacturers and
importers of aircraft that are certified or soon to be certified as LSAs, some
potential buyers won't even consider the purchase unless the machine looks like
an airplane rather than a traditional ultralight. The reason? Their non-flying
spouses refuse to fly in an ultralight or anything remotely resembling one.
- Do you fit in the airplane? By definition, the maximum gross weight of an LSA
is 1,320 pounds for land aircraft, 1,430 for floatplanes. The weight of the
aircraft, your size and intended payload (your spouse or fishing buddy, a few
overnight bags, etc.) on an average mission should be considered.
- Can you easily get training in this aircraft? Does the company have a CFI who
provides training for new owners or must you find someone on your own? Does the
company have a training syllabus for new owners? Does your insurance carrier
require additional training beyond the factory check-out program?
- Can you get insurance for this aircraft? As the LSA rule is still less than a
year old, some insurance companies are taking a wait and see attitude toward
insurance, especially in the case of flight schools. If the design has been flying
for several years in another part of the world and has a track record, you may
find it easier to get insurance.
- What about maintenance? One of the bonuses of LSA is that, with some
training, you can act as your own mechanic. That being said, you need to figure
out how easy it is to acquire parts, should you need them. If you don't want to
do your own maintenance, is there an appropriately qualified mechanic nearby?
What
qualifies as a Light Sport Aircraft?
- Maximum gross weight of 1,320 lbs. (1,430 lbs. for float planes);
- Two place;
- Non-turbine-powered;
- Maximum stall speed of 45 knots;
- Maximum airspeed of 120 knots;
- Fixed landing gear, fixed pitch propeller;
- Aircraft categories include airplanes land/sea, weight-shift-control aircraft
land/sea, powered parachutes land/sea, gyroplanes, balloons and airships. Due
to their complexity, helicopters and powered-lifts are not covered.
Sport
Pilot's potential hindered by insurance
In a letter in the May 20 issue, Jason Blair writes about his problems in
obtaining insurance to teach sport pilots in a Champ. I have had exactly the
same experience he has with insurance. Although I have never had an accident,
and I have given over 4,700 hours of dual instruction (nearly half of that in
tailwheel airplanes), I had a problem just getting liability insurance to teach
in my Aeronca Champ. No one, not AOPA insurance, not the EAA insurance company,
nor any one else, will insure my airplane for a student to solo the Champ to
earn his Sport Pilot or any other certificate. I have communicated with the
head of the EAA insurance company and was told "that is something that
will have to be worked out in the future." Actually, the EAA does not seem
to me to be overly concerned about it and I have not gotten the impression that
anyone is even working on the insurance issue.
Without the ability for flight instructors to teach new Sport Pilot students,
the promised potential of this new certificate will never be reached and much
of the work that was put into bringing it about will have been in vain.
Dale Byrom
Greenwood, Ind.
Should
I buy a Canadian engine on eBay for my 152?
Paul McBride/GA News
7/8/2005
QUESTION: I have a chance to buy an engine on eBay that is a good
deal for me. I have a Cessna 152 with a Lycoming O-235-L2C and am looking for a
replacement.
Problem is, the eBay engine was overhauled in Canada for installation in a
Canadian experiment aircraft. It's zero time since a major by a Canadian
company. There are no yellow tags as none of the parts were sent to the U.S. to
be certified under U.S. rules. Can this engine be installed in a U.S. standard
catagory aircraft?
Don Eikenberry
Spokane, Wash.
ANSWER: I guess you can buy just about anything on eBay these
days, but I never thought I'd receive a letter discussing an aircraft engine.
What I'm about to say is my personal opinion on this situation, so if there is
any feedback, it should come to me.
I cannot recommend strongly enough to avoid this opportunity. First of all,
since the engine was overhauled in Canada — and assuming it was done properly —
it must have proper paperwork to be installed in a certified aircraft here in
the U.S.
The only document that I can think of that would make this legal would be an
FAA Certificate of Airworthiness or its equivalent from Transport Canada.
You mentioned that there were no yellow tags, so I suspect there is no other
paper trail regarding the parts. If this is the situation, about the only use
for this engine would be in an experimental aircraft installation.
My advice is to just pass on this one and wait for one that has the proper
records. Remember, sometimes a "good deal" ends up costing you more
than going out and buying a new engine.
Seeking
information on an O-320 powered Cessna 150
Paul McBride/GA News
7/8/2005
QUESTION: I'm thinking of purchasing a C150 with an 0-320 engine,
serial number 4800-027. It may be a D2J.Do you have any knowledge of the
history of this engine and its serviceability? Or, could you direct me to
another source of information?
Arthur Dodd
Jacksonville, Fla.
ANSWER: From the engine serial number you provided, I'd say this
is a very old 0-320 engine that probably was built before Lycoming started to
put a suffix behind the series model. This is not a bad thing — it just means
it's an older engine. If this is the case, I can assure you it was not produced
as an O-320-D2J, which is a 160 hp engine. The engine you mentioned was
probably a 150 hp@2,700 rpm engine.
Regarding the history of this engine and its serviceability, I'd suggest you
contact Lycoming and request they do a search of the engine history. This may
only provide who the engine was originally shipped to, but it will give you
that date and possibly some additional information.
As far as serviceability, this engine is an old narrow deck crankcase version
of which new crankcases are no longer available, but things like new cylinders
and most other component parts are still available from several sources.
One other thing that you may want to do before making your final decision is to
check for any and all documents covering the conversion from a Continental
engine to the Lycoming O-320. The Cessna 150 was originally built using a
Continental engine, so there should be a paperwork trail covering the change in
powerplants.
I hope this information will get you started in the right direction before you
buy.
A
different view
Dave Sclair's editorial concerning the Cessna 150 violation of the DC ADIZ
(Lost pilots hurt us all, June 3 issue) implies that the pilot is a real
criminal and should be punished to the maximum. AOPA claims that this thinking
has been the popular response they have received also.
Well, I have a different view. I believe that the real criminals are those who
imposed the ADIZ in the first place and those who support that act like Mr.
Sclair seems to. Is our government so centralized that a single strike by a
Cessna 150 would decapitate it? If so, I would suggest that we decentralize the
government, making it a harder target, rather than create some silly
"security" departments and a silly ADIZ. Is this a nation of scared
rabbits? Watching them run out of the buildings in D.C., one might get that
impression.
I don't know the pilot of that aircraft, but I would be willing to bet that in
his 69 years, he held a job, maybe raised a family, paid taxes and in general
made a small but useful contribution to society. I would propose that he has a
right to fly over the nation's capitol and even sightsee if he wants. He helped
pay for it, after all.
Steve Phoenix
Olympia, Wash.
New
DVD on Sportsman 2+2 available
GA News7/8/2005
Glasair Aviation has developed a new DVD video presentation featuring its
Sportsman 2+2.
Filmed and edited by Scott Guyette and Robb McAllister of EAA's television
department, the 18-minute program features air-to-air footage, showing the
aircraft on floats, regular tires and tundra tires. Viewers get to see the
Sportsman taking off and landing as a trike, taildragger and floatplane.
Ted and Tom Setzer, who participated in the design of the Sportsman, provide
commentary. They also address the kinds of mission profiles that are possible
with the aircraft.
The video also shows how a buyer can take advantage of Glasair's Customer
Assembly Center and within three weeks have a near-complete airframe on its
main gear, with the engine and prop in place. Those who opt to use the CAC can
expect to have their aircraft completed and on the flight line within three
months.
The DVD is free.
For more information: 360-435-8533, ext. 232.
http://www.GlasairAviation.com
Aircraft
Spruce & Specialty becomes official sponsor of Phantom Racer
GA News
7/8/2005
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty, which was a part of the Phantom Air Racer from
the beginning as a source of parts and materials, has become an official
on-going sponsor of the new and radical biplane.
Tom Abele, who was part of the original design team, flew the aircraft in the
2003 Reno Air Races after a seven-month construction period, winning first in
his heat race. Propeller problems forced a withdrawal. He came back in 2004,
with a new prop and easily won his category with a 20 mph edge over the next
fastest competitor.
Powered by a hybrid Lycoming 360 cubic inch engine, the Phantom develops over
250 hp at 3,300 rpm. At 3,000 rpm, the engine develops 450 foot pounds of
torque for the unusual three blade propeller. In level cruise, at 3,000 feet
msl, the Phantom indicates 265 mph. It stalls just below 80 mph and has an
empty weight of 738 lbs., 250 of which is engine. The cockpit and engine
compartment feature 4130 steel tube, while the wings and aft fuselage are made
of composite materials. The wings were designed to carry loads up to 18Gs.
The Phantom will be back for the 2005 Reno Air Races and is anticipating
attempts for a number of world speed records.
For more information: 877-4-SPRUCE.
http://www.AircraftSpruce.com
Even if you only ride in airplanes and don't drive
them you'll enjoy these.
"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never
encountered automatic weapons."
- General MacArthur
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"You, you, and you ... Panic. The rest of you, come with me." -
U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt.
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"You've
never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3."
- Paul
F. Crickmore (test pilot)
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"The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire."
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"Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than
submarines in the sky." - From an old carrier sailor
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"If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a
helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe."
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"When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough
power left to get you to the scene of the crash."
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"Without
ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club."
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"What
is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws
up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up, .. the pilot dies."
. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Never trade luck for skill."
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The
three most common expressions (or famous last words) in aviation are: "Why
is it doing that?" "Where are we?" and "Oh S...!"
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"Weather forecasts are horoscopes with numbers."
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"Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully
complete the flight."
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"A
smooth landing is mostly luck; two in a row is all luck; three in a row is
prevarication."
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"Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up
there!"
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"Flashlights
are tubular metal containers kept in a flight bag for the
purpose of storing dead batteries."
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"When a flight is proceeding incredibly well, something was
forgotten."
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"Just remember, if you crash because of weather, your funeral will be held
on a sunny day."
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Advice given to RAF pilots during WWII: "When a prang (crash) seems
inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity
such as snow and do it as gently as possible."
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"The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely
kill you." - Attributed to Max Stanley (Northrop test pilot)
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"A pilot who doesn't have any fear probably isn't flying his plane to
its maximum." - Jon McBride, astronaut
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"If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the
crash as possible."
- Bob Hoover (renowned aerobatic and test pilot)
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"Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you."
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"There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime."
- Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ,1970
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"If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to."
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Basic
Flying Rules: "Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the
edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the
appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much
more difficult to fly there."
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"You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full
power to taxi to the terminal."
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As the
test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn
off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives, the
rescuer sees a bloodied pilot and asks "What happened?". The pilot's
reply; "I don't know, I just got here myself!
Coming
Events at Sun ‘n Fun
(Effective
7/21/2005)
Here
is a listing of events and activities of general interest scheduled for the Sun
‘n Fun site in the next several months. Check the Sun ‘n Fun Web Site at
www.sun-n-fun.org
or call the Sun ‘n Fun office at (863) 644-2431 for details and the latest
updates on any topic or event you plan to attend. The information provided
below is from qualified sources, but not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.
Always check before you go.
EAA RV
Assembly Workshop---September
10-11. Contact Sun ‘n Fun offices for information
Aviation
Expressions Lecture Series---October
21st. First program of the new series. Speaker TBA
Wings ‘n
Things Aviation Weekend---November
4-6. Exhibits and hands on activities oriented toward Scouts and young people,
but aviation enthusiasts of all ages are welcome.
Aviation
Expressions Lecture Series, cont’d---November 18th. 2nd program in the series.
Speaker TBA.
Vintage
Aircraft Fly-In---December
10th. Low key, “old-fashioned” event. Planes of all types welcome.
High Flying
Holidays---December 8-11.
Aviation themed event and activities.
Florida
Aviation Hall of Fame Annual Induction---December 15th at the Florida Air Museum
Check the Sun ‘n Fun
Web site www.sun-n-fun.org
frequently for the latest in activities.
For Sale Cozy Mk IV
Complete kit from Aircraft Spruce,
Includes: Front and main fiberglass gear, all Brock Metal parts, all wood, all
foam types and sizes, all fiberglass, and fiberglass release cloth, all bolts
and nuts and a/c hardware separated into cabinets (cabinets included.) tires,
tubes, wheels, brake lines, throttle, tubing, brakes, epoxy pump, electric
sander, table electric belt/disk sander, Campbell Hausfield rotary sander,
Craftsman straight-line sander, Rotary die-grinder, Roto-tool, misc “C” and
belt clamps, mixing sticks, epoxy brushes and fiberglass tools, some sandpaper.
Only chapter 4 partially completed no epoxy. Plans and early Long EZ
newsletters included I paid over $22,000. $15,000 FIRM. If you really want to
build this airplane, this kit is for you No expense was spared to compile this
kit. Yes, this is the best deal at Sun ‘n Fun on this amazing aircraft. You’ll
need a trailer from U-Haul or a Ryder Truck to take it back with you.. NO “TIRE
KICKER” CALLS Thank you 813-973-4949
Smoke Signals
Experimental
Aircraft Association
Chapter
175
Vandenberg Airport,
Florida
813-740-2821
President Vice President Secretary
Alan “Bud”
Yerly Gordon Knapp Jerry Dean
BudYearly @ aol.com beep1 @
tampabay.rr.com JRDean601
@aol.com
813-681-6062 813-653-3163
Newsletter Editor 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
Mail
To:
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
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