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News & Highlights
Warbirds Grounded By Misfueling Scare
The usual warbirds show didn't come off
on Thursday at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The reason — concerns about possibly contaminated
avgas. Apparently, an unidentified warbird pilot checked his fuel and alerted warbird
operations of a possible problem. "We were within 30 seconds of starting," said
one T-6 pilot.
According to Joe Schumacher, Director of Aircraft Maintenance for EAA, it was not
certain that the fuel was contaminated, but rather than take any chances, the warbirds
stood down and the show was scrubbed. A joint statement from Phillips Petroleum and Basler
Flight Service was issued late on Thursday saying that in response to "concern
expressed by several aircraft operators concerning coloration and aroma of fuel,"
samples were "collected from the aircraft in question and the trucks that serviced
these airplanes. Samples were sent to the Wisconsin Bureau of Retail Petroleum Services in
Fond du Lac, Wisc. Tests showed the fuel in question meets the specifications of Avgas and
proves that it is not contaminated with either Jet A or diesel fuel."
At least one warbird owner/pilot was initially convinced that the fuel was
contaminated. T-34 pilot Richard Russell told AVweb, "I'm sure it was
bad." Russell said that he had topped off with 31 gallons of fuel. He said that the
fuel smelled and felt suspicious.
AlliedSignal Unveils World's Priciest GPS Portable
Forget anything you've ever heard about Oshkosh, the
biggest reasons pilots come here are to "see" new toys and to "buy"
new toys, and the manufacturers never disappoint. Thursday AlliedSignal and recently
acquired Skyforce gave assembled reporters the skinny on the new Skyforce IIIC portable
GPS moving map display. With a list price of just under $2,500 dollars, it's going to be
the most expensive portable on the market, but AlliedSignal/Skyforce is convinced it will
be the best.
Using the Skyforce IIIC is a breeze. If you have one working finger, it can get you
where you want to go, and with an incredibly high quality 16-color moving map, all it will
take is one good eye to see it. According to Skyforce's John Prior, "There is simply
no competition." Big words, but the Skyforce IIIC may just live up to them. Move the
small joystick to a location on the map, hit a single "go to" button, and wait a
couple of seconds for the heading and distance to appear on the screen. There's no denying
it's a sweet set-up, but $2,500 dollars is an expensive option for something you unplug
from the cigarette lighter and stick in your flight bag. How will AlliedSignal/Skyforce
overcome that perception? Easy. Instead of thinking of it as an expensive portable GPS,
Allied/Signal will tell you to consider it an "inexpensive" panel-mount.
Skyforce Managing Director Mel White: "One of the benefits is being able to put it in
the panel, because people are willing to spend more for a panel. When you view it as a
panel- mounted GPS, it's outstanding product for the money…when you look at it as a
portable product, yes it's a top end product."
If you plan to panel mount the IIIC, be prepared to get a Form 337 STC, but once you
have it, mount away. You have the choice of four different mounting options depending on
where you want to place it and how much space your panel has left. For folks who claim
their current GPS systems are unreadable in direct sunlight, the Skyforce IIIC promises
clarity in all lighting situations, and will angle 45 degrees side to side for your
viewing pleasure. The Skyforce IIIC will go into production soon, and will be available
for purchase by the end of September.
Get Your Jepp NavData Via The Net
Internet-savvy Jeppesen NavData users can now get their GPS
database updates via their computer. Jeppesen customers will initially have to buy a
datawriter that will give them the power to download digital information and transfer that
data to a data card which can then be inserted into Garmin, Trimble, Magellan, and
Northstar GPS units. After the first year of service, Jeppesen is promising the
subscription price will be cut in half. Prices will vary depending on what type of GPS you
have, but with, say, the current annual upgrade price of $950 for a Garmin GNC 250, you
can figure on quite a savings. Since the datawriter will also lower the expenses involved
with sending NavData cards through the mail, Jeppesen says it will be able to reduce the
overall cost accordingly. Jeppesen expects to begin taking orders for the datawriter
during the last part of 1998.
NBAA, EAA Join Vowels For AirVenture '98
What do a $46 million dollar Gulfstream bizjet and a $46,000
Piper Super Cub have in common? They'll both take wing and they'll both get you where
you're going — granted in different levels of style. But National Business Aviation
Association president John W. Olcott says they have more in common than just the obvious.
Olcott argues one type of flying supports the other. As proof of this "synergy",
EAA AirVenture '98 is saluting seven decades of corporate aviation. What role does
corporate/business aviation play in general aviation? Olcott's conversation is sprinkled
liberally with the word "continuum" as he talks about how many of his corporate
pilot members are also EAA members, and how what happens to business aviation is important
to G.A. as a whole.
If all of G.A. goes the way of business aviation, then all should go well. Corporate
numbers are good and getting better. Olcott rattles off the figures as if he's done it a
few times before: business aviation is growing at a rate of 5% each year, about 10,000
U.S. companies fly 17,000 turbine and 35,000 piston-engine aircraft. Olcott says business
owners are learning corporate airplanes and helicopters maximize their two most important
assets: people and time.
What's the benefit of corporate flying over airlines? Olcott says it becomes very
obvious when companies try to make travel plans. "Business jets can go to
approximately ten times the locations that have any type of commercial service and 100
times the locations that really have convenient service. Airlines serve 500 airports but
concentrate that service on only 50 locations. Business can go to 5,000." Unlike the
rest of G.A., the business of bizjets actually started trending "up" during the
recession of the late 80's and part of it was due to downsizing. What was bad for
employees was good for corporate flight departments. According to Olcott, "Downsizing
required employees to be more productive-one area that had to increase in productivity was
in travel." Despite what you might think, it's not just the Warren Buffets and Bill
Gates who fly corporate-a recent Lou Harris poll showed 50% of those flying biz are middle
managers, 20% are professional and technical people, 15% are senior management, and 15%
are top management.
Will the information age change that? It's too easy nowadays to fax, teleconference,
e-mail, and phone. Olcott argues we'll still need to fly. "Has using the fax machine
reduced your need to travel and meet face to face with customers?" To Olcott, the
future of biz is bright.
Feel The Need For Speed?
The Legend, a high performance, V-8
powered composite tandem aircraft that appeared on the market a short time ago now looks
even more like a miniature JPATS military trainer: it's got a new turboprop engine.
The Legend airframe was designed originally for up to 1000 horse power and 500 mph so
the engine swap wasn't a major feat of engineering. In the process of replacing the V-8
and it's associated water cooling system, the airframe lost 330 pounds. With the new
turboprop installation, the new empty weight is less than 2000 pounds.
The free-shaft Walter M601D turboprop engine, similar in design to the Pratt and
Whitney PT-6, is manufactured in the Czech Republic, and is rated at 657 horse power, 724
horses for takeoff. It is used mostly in an eastern European commuter aircraft called the
Let 410, which strongly resembles the Beech 1900. There is another model of the engine, a
different dash number actually, which is FAA certified for retrofit on Beech King Airs.
The prop is also from the Let 410 commuter aircraft, but was designed to operate in a
whole different performance environment than the speedy Legend.
As you would expect, the combination small airframe-big engine of the Legend performs
like a rocket. Though the Legend's turboprop engine was installed just this past April,
before Sun & Fun, there are still things that need to be optimized with the new
combination, especially the propeller. When cruising in the mid teens, arguably lower than
optimum altitude for the Legend, speeds of 300-335 knots are quite common. With some prop
tweaking, the company hopes to see normal cruise numbers in the 350 knot range.
Jeff Aukland, president of Legend Aircraft, told of
a recent takeoff from Legend Aircraft's home airport, Johnson County, near Kansas City:
"I've got a hobbs meter that works on the master switch in this aircraft. On a recent
flight, I jumped in, did my usual start and warm up, then taxied out and was cleared for
takeoff. From the time I turned the master switch on until I reached 17,500 feet was just
8 minutes! Fuel burn was only 6 gallons." Now that's a rocket ship.
What's the price of all this speed and performance? The complete kit less engine from
Legend is $79,850; the firewall forward package, including engine, prop, engine mount,
wire harness, engine gauges, and power levers is $45,000. The company estimates that a
builder could have a flying airplane for $160,000 to 170,000. Where would you like to go
for lunch?
Very, Very Young Eagles
Circlemasters of Brookfield, Wisconsin are conducting
introductory u-control model airplane sessions at Oshkosh's Pioneer Field during EAA
AirVenture '98. Their whole purpose for conducting the dual sessions is to introduce more
kids to aviation, since many pilots were captivated by flying u-control or radio control
models when they were young. The group set up two 60 foot and one 40 foot flying ring near
the north edge of the beautiful grass runway at Pioneer Field, and would be glad to show
anyone how to fly a u-control model during the convention.
New Wittman Hanger
Also at Pioneer Field is the new Steve Wittman Hangar, a memorial to Wittman field's
namesake. The hangar resembles the FBO where Wittman once operated in his glory days. A
visit is like stepping back in time, with airplanes chronicling Wittman's years as a
mechanic, homebuilder and air racing legend. His tool bench is even a part of the display,
with tools scattered across the top as if the master craftsman will return after a short
test flight.
Several important airplanes occupy the hangar, including Steve's first homebuilt, the
Hardly Ableson. This crude airplane was scrapped together from parts and pieces at the
time, and included a Harley Davidson V-twin motorcycle engine which produced 12-14
horsepower. Wittman taught himself to fly in the simple craft.
The Pheasant H10 biplane, in which Steve made many transcontinental racing flights in
the late 20's also sits in the hangar doorway, beckoning visitors inside. Buttercup, the
predecesor of Wittman's Tailwind, and the prototype Tailwind is there, too, a reminder of
how visionary this man was back when his light, efficient designs were the talk of EAA
conventions in the sixties. Worth a visit.
Poberenzy, Schmoberezny...You Can't Park There!
Anyone who has driven to AirVenture
Oshkosh knows how serious the EAA's volunteers are about directing traffic. EAA founder
Paul Poberezny discovered today just how serious. Paul was demonstrating a couple of
non-standard items in his P-51 to Chuck Yeager, who was about to fire it up and go
formation flying with Connie Bowlin in Glamorous Glennis. As these two icons of aviation
leaned into the cockpit, a volunteer walked over and announced "Sir, I'm sorry but
you're gonna have to move that car." Someone in the stunned crowd said "Hey,
lady! Do you know who that is?" Paul and Chuck handled the interruption with aplomb,
finished the briefing, and Paul moved his car. Just goes to show you that PIC time doesn't
mean a thing when you're driving on the grounds at EAA AirVenture.
 AVweb's OSH '98 communications radios
provided courtesy of ICOM America. |
It's the world's most prestigious ATC job: working OSH
during EAA. From the ranks of Great Lakes Region, 168 of the most senior controllers
applied, but just 48 were chosen to wear the pink shirts, and those are the best of the
best. AVweb’s Rick Durden spent a few hours in the tower cab watching these talented
men and women doing their separation stuff. Whew! These folks sure as heck earn their pay
during AirVenture week!
Patty Wagstaff and Sean D. Tucker held their first
combined airshow at OSH Thursday. The ersatz competition provides AVweb contributor Bill
Scherer an opportunity to poke some good-natured (but wry) fun at the two close friends.
If this doesn’t tickle your funny-bone, we’re not sure what will. AVweb also
provides you with our review of this staged “competition,” probably not a
contest true-blue lovers of aerobatics will be enthused about, but those who enjoy
professional wrestling matches may well find it entertaining.
Tom Gresham concludes his first-timer’s adventure to
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh with more exploration and discoveries in the markets and buildings
that populated OSH. Along the way he earned his first painful OSH blister and emptied the
contents of his wallet into the cash registers of a few exhibitors. Tom’s insights
into what he learned this first time around give a good sense of why this place keeps
attracting enthusiasts year after year. Will Tom be back next year? What do you think?
Tons of great photos of
Thursday’s thrilling airshow, plus dozens of our staffers’ discoveries of the
unique, exotic, beautiful, weird and wonderful at EAA AirVenture ’98. The Photo
Gallery is proving to be one of the most popular portions of AVweb’s special Oshkosh
coverage. Truly the next best thing to being here yourself.
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