NEWSLETTER EAA KITTYHAWKERS

Transcription

1 NEWSLETTER EAA KITTYHAWKERS VOLUME 47 AUGUST 2015 NUMBER 8 FROM MIDFIELD Over the past 24 years, I ve logged a modest 1300 hours flying ultralights and light singles in (mostly) VFR meteorological conditions. Lots of young eagles and $100 hamburgers, living the dream. Heck, I didn t perform my first loop until my late 40 s. Guess it took me a while to get my nerve up. Not the most daring flying career and unlike some of our stalwart military and commercial aviator/club members, I can t reminisce of carrier landings or nighttime Atlantic crossings. However, I have recently completed a most adventurous and rewarding flight and feel compelled to share a bit of it with you. I flew my homebuilt RV-8 to (and from) Oshkosh last week for Airventure The 1500 nautical mile round trip required ~12 hours flying time. What a great feeling it was to fly a selfconstructed asset to the place where such flying machines were made popular and achievable. And even though the weather was a bit sketchy, we made it there and back on schedule. And if you have never made the trip, OSHKOSH caters to homebuilders and is driven by volunteers. Case in point, Mike and Denny with the Welcome Wagon picked us up at the plane and took us on a guided tour of the grounds. These guys never miss an Airventure. If fact, Denny s father Randy Morris, who operates an airstrip in Kentucky, has attended 44 shows straight. While deployed as an Army 1st Sergeant, he took leave in 77 and 78 to come back to volunteer at OSHKOSH. These are the kind of people you meet there. And then there is Jack Pelton. I understand from his executive assistant that he is volunteering as EAA chairman. I wonder how many other chairpersons volunteer their time? Oshkosh 2015 was the best-attended since 2005 with a total attendance of around 550,000. There were 16,278 aircraft movements during the 7 day event with single-day arrivals exceeding 3000 aircraft. There were over 6000 aircraft on the ground when we landed on Tuesday afternoon. There were 5000 volunteers, 800 exhibitors and 970 media reps from 6 continents. And camping was up 4.3%. ATIS informed me on approach to OSH that General Aviation Camping was closed due to high volume. My co-pilot, Darrel Wolf and I camped in the homebuilt section which was as good as camping can get. Great facilities and welcoming hospitality at every turn. I plan to share a few photos and experiences with you at the meeting Saturday. So come on out for breakfast and good times at 297. And be sure to bring your own OSHKOSH or LAKELAND story. All things aviation, Drew

2 EAA CHAPTER AVIATOR LANE, BURGAW, NC PRESIDENT DREW HOLBROOK (910) VICE PRESIDENT DAVID MOORE (910) SECRETARY JERRY COLLINS (910) TREASURER PHIL SHARPE (910) NEWSLETTER MARK THOMAN (910) JULY HANGAR TOUR Our July meeting was short on formality and long on having fun. The meeting started with a delicious breakfast created by our Master Chef Ken McGee. It included; bacon, sausage, country ham, fried onions, and eggs, prepared any way you like them. (I suspect you are drooling a bit right now so make a note to come to the August meeting and have a southern country breakfast.) We were all enjoying our post breakfast conversations so much that it took an effort of leadership on our Presidents part to reconfigure the meeting hall and begin the more proper part of the day. Following our minimal meeting we began the much anticipated hangar tour. Tony s workmanship is exacting. Everything is completed in well thought out detail and his experience building aircraft is evident. He is not just focused on completing the kit, but also ensuring that he will be able to maintain and repair his aircraft in the future. He has added several access plates, which were not called for in the original plans, for this specific purpose. He is ready to paint both the wings and tail surfaces and is in line behind the Johnson RV-12 to share the Hughes Paint Booth and the expertise of Gary Abrigo. First on the tour was Tony Spicer. He has come a long way on his Panther. She is a beauty and looks fast even sitting unpainted and unassembled. He has the engine installed on the airframe and is working on the avionics shelf and the cockpit. I asked what color he was painting the Panther and he pointed to the wrinkled tail of his RV-4 that hangs on the wall. I responded, You mean that light green. I was politely corrected and informed that the color was 1956 Ford Thunderbird Blue. Tony continued with the story of owning a T-bird of that color as a young Lieutenant in the Air Force and driving, with the top down, to his first duty station. Sounded to me like both his favorite car and color. Using the local golf cart limousines we continued down the runway toward Billy and Jane s Hangar to look at their projects. Their son Glenn is in the last stages of completing his RV-12. The wings are on a stand in the hangar beautifully painted.

3 Glenn pointed out some of the details of the removable wing design and construction. This aircraft is designed to be trailerable and the wings are relatively easy to remove. He showed us how the flight control and wing spar connections were designed for that purpose. All of the fuel is in the fuselage so there are no fuel connections to be concerned with. Many of the smaller parts, like the prop spinner and panels, had been painted and were displayed on a workbench awaiting final assembly. Billy also showed us his seaplane that is slowly progressing. He remarked that he had been over ten years in the building. But I was happy to remind him that during the same period he had also built a house, run a successful business, and constructed a large part of the RV-12. In reality he had accomplished a great deal, if not on his aircraft. We continued to the Hughes hangar to admire Master Painter Gary Abrigo s craftsmanship. The fuselage of the Johnson RV-12 is in the final stages of painting. Gary has completed the base coat of white and is creating the striping that will make this aircraft unique. He has an expanding blue streak that starts near the nose and curves up the tail. It will be trimmed in a dark grey. It is an elegant design that will match the aircraft well. While examining the RV-12 I noted a tube sticking out from the center of the propeller flange. I joked that it looked like a machine gun reminiscent of the cannon installation in the Bell P-39 Airacobra. Glenn explained that it was the pitot tube and that it extended completely through the propeller and engine installation. He noted that there was a hole in the center of the prop spinner that lined up with the tube. This ingenious design allows for an accurate air pressure measurement that is not behind the disturbed airflow of the propeller, and more importantly is not part of the wing assembly where it would have to be disconnected for wing removal. An ingenious design! The tour continued on to John Jefferys hangar where we inspected his Mini-Max project. This

4 aircraft will be John s fourteenth completion. It is the amalgamation of two Mini-Max aircraft. One suffered a rather hard landing and is being used for parts. The other was an incomplete project. While John was opening the canopy we disturbed a wasp nest that was rapidly dispatched. He showed us the details of his project and the engine that will be installed. The Mini-Max aircraft is an elegantly simple wooden design with a two stroke engine that allows a pilot to achieve the dream of flight with the minimum of cost. On the return trip we stopped and viewed two of the completed aircraft that are based at Stag Air Park. Of course we admired Drew s red RV-8 and got to examine Gary Abrigo s painting skills up close. Drew has just completed installing an autopilot in his aircraft. And then we hiked to Garry Brown s hangar and inspected his RV-4. As we discussed paint schemes Garry admitted that he flew his aircraft without any paint for several years. He grew tired of polishing aluminum, and about the same time a friend was bugging him about painting his aircraft. Garry finally relented and the aircraft was painted with its eye catching Blue Angel markings. Garry obviously takes good care of the paint, there was not a bug to be found. He also mentioned that he was not going to install an autopilot in his aircraft. There is something very reassuring about a steam gage cockpit. Behind the display of parts, and aircraft components, and engines, is the significant personal effort that goes into the construction of an aircraft. Patience and attention to detail were apparent in all the projects that we toured. We admire those qualities, and salute your adventurous spirit and determination. Thank you to all who shared your projects, you are an inspiration. AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE BROADCAST (ADS-B) The foundation of our current air traffic control system is ground based radar. With a single radar pulse an aircraft s range and bearing can be accurately measured. Several sweeps of the radar, and then additional computer calculation, are required to measure an aircrafts direction and velocity. Radar cannot measure an aircraft s altitude. That information is currently provided by a transponder signal from each aircraft. Because of these physical limitations, radar generated air traffic information cannot be considered real time data. To account for the inherent inaccuracy of our current system relatively wide air traffic separation standards have long been established. To accommodate for the continuing growth in air traffic, especially around our busiest airports, the NEXTGEN (Next Generation) air traffic control system has been designed and is being implemented. The foundation of this system is ADS- B. ADS-B is a communication network of aircraft and ground based systems. Equipped aircraft

5 automatically send out data bursts that include; aircraft identification, position, altitude, and airspeed information. The ground based system collates the data, displays it to air traffic controllers, and broadcasts it to equipped aircraft. Because of the negligible time delays this air traffic data is considered real time. Due to the significant increase in accuracy, air traffic separation standards could be safely reduced, and an increase in air traffic could be accommodated. ADS-B Out. Is the aircraft system that measure and transmit aircraft identification, position, altitude, and airspeed. Three components comprise the aircraft system; an approved WAAS enabled GPS, an ADS-B datalink transceiver (transponder), and an altitude encoder. ADS-B In. Is a separate receiver able to read and display the data from other aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out. ADS-B In data from ground based stations will be available only to aircraft with ADS-B Out installed. ADS-B In data from ground based systems can also include weather information, weather radar data, NOTAM data, and Special Use Airspace status, without a monthly subscription. FAA ADS-B Out Requirements. A certified ADS-B Out system will be required, after January 1, 2020, in all aircraft that intend to fly in most airspace where a Mode C Transponder is required today. That includes Class A, B, and C airspace; within the 30-nm Mode C ring around a Class B primary airport; and most Class E airspace at or above 10,000 feet MSL but not below 2,500 feet AGL. If you do not intend to fly your aircraft into these airspaces then there is no requirement for the installation of this equipment. There will never be a requirement to install ADS-B In equipment. ADS-B Misconceptions. Many pilots have purchased portable ADS-B In systems and are enjoying the data that is available. It must be noted that these portable ADS-B In systems do not meet the FAA requirement for ADS-B Out capability. ADS-B Cost. Initial ADSB-Out purchase costs have dropped significantly in the last several years. There are systems available for less than $2000. Installation costs will vary with the aircraft and its current equipment. SOUTH CAROLINA MIDAIR The following is reprinted from the AOPA website: The NTSB has released a detailed factual account of the accident that brings the circumstances into focus, though the investigation will take months to complete. The collision destroyed the Cessna in flight, killing pilot Joseph Johnson and his father, Michael Johnson, who had just departed on a flight to Myrtle Beach. U.S. Air Force Maj. Aaron Johnson flew his damaged F-16 for three minutes after the collision before ejecting safely. According to the NTSB account (which remains preliminary, and subject to revision), Johnson completed two practice approaches at Myrtle Beach before heading southwest to Charleston Air Force Base/International Airport for another practice approach to Charleston s Runway 15. Approaching Charleston just before 11 a.m., the F-16 pilot was advised fly 260 degrees to intercept the final approach. Five minutes before the deadly encounter, controllers instructed Johnson to descend from 6,000 to 1,600 feet. Less than three minutes passed before Charleston controllers spotted the first radar signature of the Cessna departing Berkeley County Airport s Runway 23, about 16 nautical miles north and outside of Charleston s Class C airspace. The Cessna tracked southeast for about three minutes, climbing. The Cessna was bound for Myrtle Beach. Just after 11 a.m., controllers advised the F-16 pilot of traffic at 12 o clock, two miles, traveling in the opposite direction. Johnson replied that he was looking, the NTSB report states. Eight seconds later, the controller advised the F-16 to turn left heading 180 if you don t have that traffic in sight. The fighter pilot responded by asking controllers to confirm the distance, the NTSB reported. The F-16 began turning south. Radar data showed the F-16 within a half-mile of the Cessna about 20 seconds later, heading 215 degrees at 1,500 feet. The Cessna s transponder reported an altitude of 1,400 feet, having turned to a course of 110 degrees. The controller advised the F- 16, traffic passing below you at 1,400 feet, two

6 seconds before the radar track of the Cessna disappeared. The F-16 transmitted a distress call 25 seconds later, the final transmission from either flight. Details of the wreckage condition and location reported by the NTSB were consistent with witness statements reported by the media soon after the July 7 crash. People watching from the ground saw the F-16 strike the Cessna 150 broadside. Air Safety Institute Senior Vice President George Perry noted at the time that collisions between military and civilian aircraft are extremely rare, and general aviation pilots can benefit from both longestablished procedures such as flight following and new technology such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast receivers to increase their situational awareness. He also renewed a call to the FAA to make ADS-B traffic information available to pilots of aircraft not broadcasting ADS-B Out. FUTURE EVENTS August Saturday 1 st Chapter Meeting 10:00 AM in the Chapter Clubhouse Sunday 2 nd South Carolina Breakfast Club, Lee County-Butters Field (52J) Sunday 16 th South Carolina Breakfast Club, Greenville Downtown (KGMU) Sunday 30 th South Carolina Breakfast Club, Anderson Regional (KAND) September Saturday 5 th Chapter Meeting 10:00 AM in the Chapter Clubhouse Sunday 6 th South Carolina Breakfast Club, Berkeley County, (KMKS) Wednesday 16 th EAA Chapter 297 Board Meeting, 7:00 PM, in the Chapter Clubhouse Saturday 19 th Jetport Big Toy Day at the Cape Fear Sunday 20 th South Carolina Breakfast Club, Laurens County, (KLUX) October Saturday 3 rd Chapter Meeting 10:00 AM in the Chapter Clubhouse Sunday 4 th South Carolina Breakfast Club, Woodward Field, (KCDN) Sunday 11 th South Carolina Breakfast Club, Columbia Metro, (KCAE) Sunday 25 th South Carolina Breakfast Club, Sumter County, (KSMS) NOTICES AND CLASSIFIED ADS LOCAL FLIGHT INFORMATION Cape Fear Regional/Franklin Airport (KSUT) has had a new CTAF frequency since last year. The new frequency is It was noted by the airport manager in the recent EAA Chapter 939 newsletter that many pilots are still using the old frequency of while in the traffic pattern. He also noted that pilots are back taxiing on the runway rather than using the new parallel taxi way. AIRCRAFT FOR SALE 1978 Mooney M20J/201 - Contact Eddie A. Smith EAA Chapter Phone Number (803) CHAPTER HISTORY NEEDED John Jeffrey is continuing the effort of capturing EAA Chapter 297 s history. He is looking for historical information from the year 2000 until the present. If you have any information, photos, or documents that detail chapter meetings, activities, or member projects please share them with John. PARTNER WANTED I am looking into the possibility that an aircraft owner based a Stag Air Park might be interested taking on a partner. Name: Duane Leach FAA licenses: ATP, Turbojet Flight Engineer, Total Flight time: 12,000hrs+ Address: 818 Indigo Village Court, Southport, NC brotherbede@yahoo.com Phone: (808)