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News & Highlights
Throw Another Brat On The Barbie
Actually, throw another 254 brats on the barbie.
AirVenture Oshkosh 1998 was officially opened this afternoon when an Air New Zealand
747-400 landed at Wittman Field at 1341 local time. The flight carried 254 pax from six
countries who gathered in Sydney, Australia, stopped in Los Angeles, and then continued on
to Oshkosh — Nineteen hours flying time. Some people will go to incredible lengths to
avoid the Ripon arrival. The tour is organized by Dave Thomas, proud long-time EAA member
from down under. This is the fifth trip of its kind. Thomas threw down the gauntlet to
other countries to fill a 747 with passengers bound for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, just once.
So far, Australia is the only country that's been able to do it.
NOTE:
AVweb coverage includes additional details and
photos of the Aussie arrival.
Bose Introduces Revolutionary New ANR Headset
Bose, whose noise reduction headset technology set the
industry standard a decade ago, today announced the introduction of a revolutionary new
headset with holes in the ear cups. That's right, holes. Called the Headset X, it
incorporates "TriPort Technology" which includes three holes in each ear cup.
These holes seem at first to be an illogical approach to designing headsets for maximum
noise attenuation, since we've always "known" that any outside noise is a direct
result of leaks in and around the ear cups. Well, the Bose engineers have moved beyond the
"known" and the innovative new headset, almost half the size of their old
design, is the result. Yours for only $995.
NOTE:
AVweb includes the details that set this new
headset apart from the rest.
LightSPEED Introduces New 25K Headset, 20K Trade-In Program
LightSPEED Technologies introduced a new top-of-the-line ANR headset at EAA AirVenture
Wednesday. Priced at $595, the new model 25K features a digital automatic gain control
system that offers 30dB active noise reduction, fully 10dB more than any other aviation
headset. Other features include a battery-saving automatic shutoff circuit and a sheepskin
headpad. First shipments are scheduled for early October. LightSPEED also announced a
unique trade-in program for current owners of LightSPEED 20K headsets: for $200, owners
can trade in a 20K headset for a brand new 25K.
Jeppesen Introduces Instrument/Commercial Training System
At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh today Jeppesen introduced the Guided Flight Discovery (GFD)
Training System for the Instrument and Commercial ratings. The GFD features a four-color
instrument/commercial manual, as well as a syllabus for training under FAR Part 141 and
61. Also included are a set of videos which highlight the manual, exercise questions and
sophisticated instructor aids. Jeppesen claims it has now put out one of the most
comprehensive instrument/commercial manuals in history at 912 pages in length. The GFD
system of books, videos and support materials is expected to reach dealers the end of
August 1998.
Weather Tap
Steve Stone of Trade-A-Plane announced today the introduction of
"weatherTAP," an online weather Web site. In cooperation with Harris
Corporation, the new Web site http://www.weathertap.com
features the exact same images and information that Harris provides to the ARTCCs and FSS
weather briefers. Stone noted that this will be the first time the exact same weather
information provided to FAA will be available to the public. WeatherTAP is priced at $5.95
per month, $63 per year. The introductory price is $5.35 per month, $56.70 per year.
Cirrus Design SR-20 Closing In On Certification
Cirrus Design announced today that it has completed
the FAA-required airframe parachute deployment tests. These tests have proven that the
airplane is capable of being dropped safely to the earth at about 26 fps from low speeds,
high speeds and even spins. Cirrus president, Alan Klapmeier, told the packed crowd
outside Exhibit Building B that the company had hoped to have all FAA certification
testing done by now, but they are "down to the short list," including tests for
the 29G seat. With 195 non-refundable deposits in hand, the company is trying to finish
the conformity testing, then finish the required paperwork, and finally obtain a
production certificate. If these hurdles can be cleared, the customers would get their
airplanes by "the end of the year," according to Klapmeier.
NOTE:
AVweb coverage includes additional details of the
Cirrus Design press conference.
Air Academy Lodge Rededicated
Watching the faces of 39 new aviators provided the assembled
crowd of seasoned veteran flyers with new hope for the future. Youngsters and dignitaries
assembled today to rededicate the EAA Foundation Air Academy Lodge and acknowledge those
that have given of their time and finances to build it. The 10,600 square foot lodge will
house students year round with 53 beds and quarters for house parents. Overlooking the
EAA's Pioneer Airport, this impressive building was the dream of EAA member James Ray who
wanted to insure youngsters would have an opportunity to follow their dream of flight. The
entire $2 million cost was underwritten by Ray, the Ray Foundation, the Clay Lacy
Professional Pilot Endowement, 25 corporate sponsors, and private individuals.
NOTE:
AVweb coverage includes additional details and
photos of the rededication.
Old Crow Hobbles In On One Foot
It's a shame to see any airplane bend a wing, but it really
breaks your heart to see a P-51 lying on its side. Yesterday Connie Bowlin was flying Old
Crow into OSH around 1615 when the right main gear refused to come down. Emergency
extension procedures didn't work, so with just one main gear plus the tailwheel extended,
she guided the airplane to a skidding stop, doing surprisingly little damage. The prop is
bent, the flap is bent, there's a dent in the leading edge and some damage to the
underside of the right wing, but that appears to be all of it. This lady deserves a lot of
credit for wiggling out of a potentially fatal situation. Hats off, Connie!
Will OSH Vets Accept Rectangular Pins and Patches?
Oshkosh attendees shopping today for
the traditional EAA Oshkosh patches and pins came face to face with the new EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh logo, and a new patch and pin design for 1998. The old design is at least 20 years
old, and many long-time OSH vets can be spotted by the collections of annual EAA
convention patches on jackets or by the pins on their hats. The new official patch for EAA
AirVenture 1998 is rectangular, with the new logo that contains the date in smaller type
than the old-style patch. The pin is also rectangular and mimics the patch. Shoppers in
the official EAA merchandise stores were heard complaining that the date on the pin was
too small to be seen at any distance. Several salespeople said that it was too early to
tell if the new design was having an effect on the sales of patches and pins.
Trimble And All The Trimmings
Eyes aren't what they used to be? If you can't move far enough
across the cabin to get your frequencies in focus, Trimble Avionics is coming to your
rescue with a new large format color multi-function display. The TrimView 500 features a
5-inch diagonal active matrix color LCD display that is sunlight readable. The TrimView is
definitely a creation for the new Millennium; it was built as an expandable computer
featuring a Pentium 160 MHz processor with a 4-Gig hard disk drive. (Doesn't it turn you
on when we talk computer to you?) Trimble also introduced their new TN500 IFR GPS
receiver, a unit they promise reduces pilot workload at a time pilots need to be
concentrating on other things.
CORRECTION: Thanks to all of you that pointed out the math
error in Joe Godfrey's article about the controllers at Fisk. Sure we know that 149
airplanes an hour averages out to two and a half a minute, not two and a half a second! It
was late, we were tired...just the result of your intrepid AVweb staff trying to cram too
much work into a 29 hour day.
 AVweb's OSH '98 communications radios
provided courtesy of ICOM America. |
It is 1300 on Wednesday, July 29, and Wittman Field is
officially closed to Oshkosh-bound pilots who had intended on camping here. The inn is
full, and the "No Vacancy" sign has been hung out. The first day is nearing an
end and AVweb talks again to EAA president Tom Poberezny. First day numbers aren't yet in,
but advance arrivals are heavier than last years', and last year was up 12% from the year
before. See what EAA AirVenture's prime mover had to say as the day started to wind down.
Walter Atkinson sat under the wing of his Twin Beech, enjoying a constant flow of
aircraft landing in a seemingly unending stream on final approach to runway 27. A reporter
came by and asked what made him come to Oshkosh. The answer was somewhat elusive in that
moment of afternoon relaxation , but Walter has since cogitated on the subject and
considered the question, what *is* the essence of OSH? His answer may surprise and
enlighten you; at the least, it will give you something to think about.
Tom and Jerry do OSH. Yesterday Tom Gresham shared a first-timer's travelogue to OSH.
Now Tom and Jerry have their first full day of AirVenture Oshkosh under their belts. OSH
did not disappoint, dishing out a heaping helping of true Oshkosh experiences. Between
watching more planes, and more interesting planes, than they've ever seen, a one-legged
landing by a P-51, and fierce winds which made crosswind landings more than an adventure,
rearranging their camping area in the process, these newcomers got their money's worth.
Join Tom as his AirVenture adventure continues.
Jack Mark remembers the hot summer days when he was a kid in the working class
neighborhoods on the south side of Milwaukee. The depression of the '30s was in full
swing, hand-me-down shoes were a way of life, flying was something limited to the
super-wealthy. When he got a little older, his Uncle Sugar taught Jack how to fly and sent
him off to two wars to prove it. Mark did OK for himself and now he's giving a 140
youngsters from his old neighborhood on the south side of Milwaukee a special day at EAA
AirVenture Oshkosh 1998.
Dozens of new photos of the most
beautiful and interesting airplanes, products and people we encountered at EAA AirVenture
'98 today. It's the next best thing to being here yourself.
Our favorite sign-in-airplane-window spotted today in the EAA airplane camping area:
"Unattended children will sold as slaves."
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