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ISSUE 1, DECEMBER 2009
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Welcome
to the Future
By
Dan Grunloh, Editor, Light
Plane World |
| Hello
and welcome to the first flight of
EAA's newest electronic
newsletter, Light Plane World.
If you are an ultralight pilot,
light sport pilot, or enthusiast;
you have come to the right place.
We want to be about low-cost
flying, minimal regulation, and
fun. If you are an established
pilot or builder from the
ultralight or light sport area,
you are in the right place. Our
articles will offer practical
advice you can use to get more out
of your flying.
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If
you are a veteran designer,
pioneer, manufacturer, or
professional, you are in the right
place. We need your expertise to
help keep us on track and to help
us remember our history. Light
Plane World will attempt to
keep you informed about the latest
trends in the industry.
Read
more
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Light
Plane World
By Paul Poberezny
 During
our 57 years since the founding of
EAA, we have seen many changes and
have met challenges ensuring the
organization's future. From the
early days of working with the
Department of Commerce (CAA) and
(now) the FAA, we have developed
an outstanding working
relationship that continues to
this day and has made possible the
freedom to design and build the
various flying machines that suit
one's dreams. They may be the
dreamers: the armchair pilot, the
history buff, the
designer/homebuilder-ultralight,
powered parachute, vintage,
warbird - and from this movement
so many craftsmen came through the
self-education process. Our
country is certainly richer for
it. Read
more |
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Buying
That First Ultralight
 In
years past, I've been asked to
visit ultralight fly-ins and
safety seminars to give a
presentation to folks who are just
getting into ultralight flying.
That presentation had seemed to go
by the wayside as interest and
focus shifted toward light-sport
aircraft, but now it appears that
a new interest in the virtues of
Part 103 privileges is indeed
beginning to emerge. It seems that
every month, a new Part 103
compliant ultralight is unveiled,
and the new technologies emerging
in the field of electric power are
making this an interesting time in
the sport. Read
more |
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Alcohol
Fuels in Ultralights and Light
Planes
 Alcohol-blended
fuels have been entering our
national fuel system for decades,
and their role is increasing. It's
happening for economic reasons, as
a feature of overall energy
policy, and for considerations of
national security. Read
more |
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Monsoon
Trike E-LSA Kit
 Curt
Shoaf knew he wanted a Monsoon
trike when he first flew one at
the 2007 Sun ’n Fun Fly-In at
Lakeland, Florida. It cruised 80
mph and had all the latest design
features. He already owned two
excellent trikes, an Airborne 582
with Profi wing and a Pegasus.
There was a problem, but it wasn’t
lack of hangar space. Read
more |
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Cranes
Outrun Ultralights on Southward
Migration
 A
group of 20 young whooping cranes,
four trikes, and a Cessna 206
chase plane had been on the ground
in Illinois for five days due to
rain and wind. The group known as
Operation Migration (OM) assists
the cranes on their yearly journey
south for the winter. With 1,000
miles to go on their migration
from Wisconsin to Florida, the
group parted company for a time on
Friday, November 20 - the cranes
struck out on their own!
Little
did the crew know that back home
in Necedah, Wisconsin, their home
hangar had been broken into and
extensively vandalized. Read
more
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Frederick
Scheffel to Manufacture Powerfin
Props
Many in our sport were sad to
hear the news earlier this year
when Stuart Goin announced he
would cease production of his
popular, lightweight, carbon fiber
Powerfin propellers. His products
filled an important niche in the
industry. Thankfully, Frederick
Scheffel, a respected leader in
the world of powered parachutes (PPC),
has announced he will begin
manufacturing Powerfin propellers
at his facility in Wharton, Texas.
All the originals molds and
production equipment will move to
the 10,000 square foot facility
already dedicated to the
manufacture of the Predator PPC.
Scheffel expects to be shipping
props by mid-January. All of the
popular models will be available
and he will introduce a new
curved-tip prop at Sun 'n Fun
2010. The new default color for
Powerfin props will be white; the
original black finish is still
available but must be ordered.
Listen to an interview with
Fredreick Scheffel on the
Ultraflight Radio archives for
November 24. Contact Powerfin and
order props at their
website. |
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Two-Step
Process Now Available for E-LSA
Trainers
There’s good news for
experimental light-sport aircraft
(E-LSA) owners and operators who
use their aircraft for primary
training. The FAA has provided a
method to Flight Standards
District Offices (FSDO) that will
allow them to issue a Letter of
Deviation Authority (LODA) for E-LSA
that have already had their
airworthiness certificates
amended. This two-step process
provides a way for E-LSA to
continue flying and for some
operators to continue offering
flight training if desired. Read
more |
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From
the EAA Light Plane Community
The
message forums at Oshkosh365 are
busy. Have a look at the list
below and follow the links to read
the actual questions and
discussion topics.
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Engines
Q. Over the winter I will not
be flying for a couple of months.
I have been told that every couple
of weeks I should start my
two-cycle engine, warm it up,
allow the oil to circulate over
the bearings, and then shut it
down. Some people say I should
also cover the intake and exhaust
openings to seal off the engine.
Read
the answer
Powered
Parachute
Q. What makes powered
parachutes a unique aircraft?
Read
the
answer
Weight
Shift Trikes
Q. What is trim speed as it
relates to a trike? Read
the answer
Fixed-Wing
Airplane
Q. What is wing washout?
Read
the answer
Powered
Paraglider
Q. What is a powered
paraglider? Read
the answer |
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| Twenty-five
years ago John Moody, the
acknowledged "father of
ultralights," wrote an
editorial that starts with a
question. Does anybody make
ultralights anymore? Most of it
could have been written yesterday.
His insights and thoughts about
ultralights are even more
inspiring now. Read "Since
You Asked" in the April
1984 issue of EAA Ultralight
magazine.
Moody
is still flying an Easy Riser
ultralight. See an example of his
trademark show routine in this
video.
Learn
more about John Moody's story at his
website.
Twenty
years ago a curly haired and
smiling pilot posed with his
Oshkosh showplane trophy in
"Challenging the Skies!"
in the April 1989 issue of EAA
Experimenter magazine. He had
already accumulated 4,000 hours in
ultralights when this article was
written.
Don
Zank is still smiling and still
challenging the skies. A leading
figure in light aviation, he is a
regular at the Challenger aircraft
forum tent at EAA AirVenture.
Catch up with him at his
website. |
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| Q.
What light plane do you fly?
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