From: AVflash@avweb.com (AVweb's OSHflash) Sender: AVflash@avweb.com (AVweb's OSHflash) Errors-To: AVflash-errors@avweb.com Reply-To: AVflash@avweb.com (AVweb Support) To: OSHflash mailing list:; Precedence: Bulk Subject: OSHflash 01.1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OSHflash AirVenture 2001, Day 1 Tuesday, July 24, 2001 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *********************************************************************** * * * Welcome to Day One of AVweb's one-of-a-kind coverage of EAA's * * AirVenture 2001, direct from Oshkosh, Wis. Each day for seven * * days, AVweb will bring you all the latest news, our exclusive * * image galleries, live ATC from the OSH tower and the best shopping * * deals from our AirVenture sponsors, plus Rick Durden's OSHtalk. * * If you can't make it to Oshkosh, sit back, strap in and hold on! * * * *********************************************************************** _______________________________________________ AVweb's Top Stories From AirVenture 2001: THE STORM BEFORE THE COMMOTION... AirVenture 2001 in Oshkosh, Wis., doesn't start officially until today, but over the weekend the faithful started to gather, while lines of thunderstorms wandered through to soak the unwary. A few exhibitors who were attempting to set up tents on Sunday afternoon postponed their plans after nearly becoming airborne themselves. "At times, the weather is holding up arrivals a little bit," said EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski. "But as soon as the storms pass, they're coming in like mad." By late Sunday, despite the intermittent weather, some 70 "Bonanzas to Oshkosh" had arrived from Rockford, Ill., followed by a mass of Mooneys. The 2nd annual all-female "Chicks' Flight" came in a little light at eight airplanes, down almost half from last year's count, but the camaraderie was in full swing on the flight line. ...DOESN'T DAUNT THE DRIVE TO MAKE DEADLINE Yesterday morning, worker bees swarmed over the field, raising tents, stocking booths, selling burgers and striving to get ready in time for today's official opening, only to be stopped short by another drenching storm that hit just before noon. Over at the campgrounds, a few tents were blowing in the wind and some of the campers were soggy, but spirits were high in anticipation of today's kickoff. The front pushed through by late afternoon, leaving behind much-welcomed cooler temps that are forecast to continue through at least the next few days. VICKERS VIMY BATTLES TO OSH... The largest (some say) flying homebuilt replica biplane, the Vickers Vimy, arrived in Oshkosh last evening around 7 p.m., despite some tense moments along the way. The Vimy was grounded July 18 in Mesa, Ariz., while en route to AirVenture, when a California judge gave in to BMW Corporation, of Germany, which sought protection from those wacky U.S. liability laws. But, let the record show that neither corporation, nor legal wrangling, nor weather could keep the Vimy from living up to its "number one, primary goal" -- making it to AirVenture 2001 at Oshkosh. ...TO TAKE ITS PLACE AT AIRSHOW CENTRAL BMW lost its legal battle on appeal, and at sunset last night, when local skies had long since cleared of threatening weather, the huge plane could be found parked in Aeroshell Square. Freed of its legal tiedowns, the aircraft made it to Topeka, Kan., by Sunday, and riding those 360hp BMW engines, it blasted out of Cedar Rapids -- at about 65 knots -- Monday afternoon. Indeed, the can-do spirit of the homebuilder is alive and well here in Mecca ... er, Oshkosh. NOTE: Check out pictures of the Vickers Vimy at Oshkosh in AVweb's image gallery: . SPORT PILOT NPRM MERE DAYS AWAY?... The long-awaited and much-debated Sport Pilot/Sport Plane Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) is already a big topic at this year's show. Speculation is rampant that Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and FAA Administrator Jane Garvey would like to make a big splash when they visit Oshkosh for Friday's "Meet the Administrator" session -- and an announcement about the progress of the Sport Pilot proposal would certainly accomplish that. What the NPRM will contain, though, is still a mystery, Earl Lawrence, EAA's vice president of government relations, told AVweb. "We've submitted ideas and thoughts, had discussions and talked about ways to implement it, but what the final rule is, we don't know." ...ANNOUNCEMENT COULD COME FRIDAY AT OSH According to Lawrence and EAA Washington office director Doug Macnair, the devil will be in the details. Since the EAA and other organizations don't know what the NPRM will say, they can't gauge how it will impact pilots, manufacturers, and general aviation overall. "This is going to be big," says Lawrence. "It's going to mean a new group of pilots, mechanics, planes.... Our bump in the road will be answering questions and dealing with implementation issues." Says Macnair of the EAA's role, "If this doesn't succeed, shame on us." The new pilot certificate and aircraft category will be the biggest GA news in years, and EAA says it will make sport flying less regulated and as inexpensive as owning a motorcycle or boat. This is indeed a biggie, so stay tuned. NOTE: For more information on the Sport Pilot/Sport Plane proposal, go to . AIRVENTURE CUP TAKES A DETOUR... The fourth annual AirVenture Cup Race for experimental aircraft came with one extra stop this year for all the pilots, and a rather abrupt stop for one crew in particular. The race included Lancairs, Long-EZs, RVs, Glasairs, SX-300s and more, including some one-off designs like Bruce Bohannon's B-1 "Flyin' Tiger" and the "Polen Special." New this year was an added class that introduced four Reno air racers to the event. The competitors, about 30 altogether, were segregated into five classes; departed Kitty Hawk, N.C., for a mandatory stop in Dayton (home to the Wright brothers); then launched for the second and final leg, which rounded a "pylon" at Aurora before making the bee-line to OSH. ...BUT ULTIMATELY REACHES FINISH LINE At least, that was the plan. A nasty line of thunderstorms prompted race chairman Eric Whyte to meet the racers on the ground at Aurora. The competing Berkut came in with only its nosegear down and locked, resulting in substantial damage to the rear-engined aircraft, but none to its occupants. Once the weather rolled by, the rest of the racers took off for OSH, finishing later than expected, but well before dark. An awards ceremony will be held later in the week. NOTE: You can see the Reno racers at Oshkosh in AVweb's image gallery: . GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME, UH, LIBERTY... Hey, it was a long, wet Monday and we ran out of cute quips, okay? Though the weather was gloomy, enthusiasm was high at the Liberty Aerospace tent as workers rolled out the Liberty XL-2, a light airplane that they believe will hit the market with the same accolades and customer waiting list as Cirrus Design's SR20. Europa Aviation founder and Liberty Aerospace President Tony Tiarks told AVweb that 60 of the aircraft have been sold in the past three months, 13 the week of its Sun 'n Fun launch alone. Why the popularity? A lot has to do with the clean lines and look of the bird, but the biggest selling point is the AirVenture announcement that the XL-2 will be offered with a 125hp FADEC-equipped Teledyne Continental IOF-240 engine. ...AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, GIVE ME AUTHORITY, TOO The FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) is a single-lever engine-power control system. It provides computer-controlled electronic ignition and electronic fuel injection that monitors critical engine parameters and ensures that the engine operates at max efficiency during flight. The company predicts the U.S. touring and flight-school markets will go wild over a plane certified for both night and IFR flying behind an American engine with FADEC. The basic-equipped Liberty XL-2 lists at $105,000. Tiarks predicts certification and first deliveries in the first quarter of 2002. NOTE: See how the Liberty XL-2 looks in today's image gallery at . For more information on the aircraft, go to . HEADS UP AND TAILS, YOU WIN... Aviation buffs at EAA AirVenture are privy to a first in the United States ... a tailwheel version of the venerable Yak-52 trainer. The IAK-52TW, which we Westerners call the Yak, arrived in Vermont just last Wednesday in several wooden crates. One week of flying screwdrivers and mechanical wizardry later, the first Yak-52 tailwheel is making its debut at Oshkosh. East Coast distributor George Coy, the man who was able to work the magic of getting the pieces put together and the Yak certified in the Experimental Exhibition category, flew it to OSH on its first long shakedown cruise. Coy told AVweb the Yak-52TW should be a hit with warbird lovers, because the tailwheel and new rounded wingtips give it a distinctly warbird-ish look. And besides that, Coy said, "the Yak is also fully aerobatic and a lot of fun to fly." ...AS THE YAK-52 DRAGS INTO OSHKOSH Eleven of the $139,000 planes have already been sold in the states. The factory in Romania is promising that a plane ordered today will be delivered in 8 to 10 weeks. The new Yak-52TW will certainly be less intimidating to American pilots. Instead of air-powered brakes, the 52TW comes with Cleveland brakes, the panel is filled with American instruments instead of Russian ones, and the fuel tanks now hold a bladder-busting 70 gallons. The new 400hp M14PX-DK will also allow the much cleaner tailwheel version to cruise at considerably faster speeds than the dirtier 360hp Yak-52. All this should add up to an airplane that sells. "It's getting a lot of looks," says Coy. "People just can't believe it's really here." Coy hopes those stares translate into cash and a sky filled with warbird wanna-bes. NOTE: To see the new Yak-52TW, go to AVweb's image gallery at At , and for additional information on the Yak, check out . CHECK OUT AVWEB'S COMPLETE COVERAGE: OSHflash is AVweb's daily summary of the all the news and events at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2001. For more on the sights, sounds and goings-on, including AVweb's exclusive RealAudio programming, live ATC broadcasting and one-of-a-kind image galleries, be sure to check out AVweb's EAA AirVenture 2001 Web site: _______________________________________ New Articles and Features on AVweb _________________________ OSHTALK AUDIO PROGRAMMING "OSHtalk, Day One: Parking And Patty" AVweb's OSHtalk audio program returns to Oshkosh and its favorite spot -- under the wing of the Twin Beech -- the night before Opening Day. As the sun goes down, host Rick Durden chats with Garrett Nievin and Roger Smith of Flight Line Ops to learn how things look for pilots who are planning to fly to Wittmann Field in the next few days. Next, Rick speaks with aerobatic superstar Patty Wagstaff as she talks about the typical day in the life of an airshow pilot. Don't miss this first edition of OSHtalk! _______________________ OSHKOSH SPECIAL FEATURE "Rick Durden's Oshkosh Survival Guide, 2001" Thinking about making the pilgrimage to Oshkosh? You're a first- time visitor or you haven't been to AirVenture in a few years? Are you just looking for a refresher on what to expect? Look no further ... AVweb's Rick Durden has once again revised his "mandatory" AirVenture Survival Guide for this year's event. It's still chock-full of all the tips, traps and tricks Rick has picked up over the years, but now it's even better. Don't miss it! _______ COLUMNS "Pelican's Perch: Modern Flight Training ... Isn't" AVweb's John Deakin just received his Gulfstream IV type rating after three weeks of intensive ground school and sim training at Simuflite in Dallas. He'd long admired the G-IV and had looked forward to the training. Much to his chagrin, it turned out to be a miserable and frustrating experience -- one that left him feeling far less than well-trained. John details what happened, and pulls no punches in assigning blame. ____________ KLYDE MORRIS Anyone who builds a kitplane has to be in the proper frame of mind. So it is with Klyde, but he's finding that the cure may be worse than the disease... ___________________________________________________________________ Reader feedback on AVweb's news coverage and feature articles: Barry Schiff vents about the LAX Class B Shoreline Route, and "Free Flight" author James Fallows praises Pete Yost's review of his book on AVweb. Also, mail about the Tempe stadium at PHX, lack of radar at control towers, AVweb's coverage of ag aviation, the death of famed aviation photographer Judson Brohmer, Mike Busch's latest CO detector recommendation, and more. __________________________________________________ AirVenture Sponsor News and Special Offers AVweb has a small army of writers, editors and photographers in Oshkosh this week to bring you our exclusive coverage. We simply couldn't do it without the generous support of these fine companies: * GARMIN INTERNATIONAL * AEROBATICSOURCE.COM * AVIONICS WEST * FLIGHTCOM * PHILLIPS 66 * TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS * SIMCOM * OMF AIRCRAFT GARMIN HAS A WAAS UPGRADE FOR YOUR GARMIN GPSMAP 295 -- ONLINE! Just when you thought your GARMIN 295 was perfect, GARMIN goes and improves it. Go to , download GARMIN's software update, and in a matter of minutes (after you agree to the legal fine print) you'll have a GPSMAP 295 with WAAS, plus some other cool stuff. Or, bring your unit to GARMIN's booth, #1073-76 in Oshkosh, July 24-30, to have the download installed. If you don't already own a GARMIN (what have you been waiting for?), go to for all the GARMIN GPS models and a dealer in your area. PATTY WAGSTAFF'S AEROBATICSOURCE.COM -- THE BEST AEROBATICS SITE! Three-time U.S. national aerobatics champion Patty Wagstaff has created the premier 'net venue for aerobatics and airshow information. You'll find the most comprehensive listing of airshows, competitions and events on the Web; an aerobatics news page updated daily; an e-store featuring Patty's favorite aviation books and videos; collectible airshow performer apparel and links to the best aerobatics Web sites. Also an extensive message-board area, including "Ask the Expert" forums. Visit Booth 3002 in Hangar C at Oshkosh, or click . LOOK HERE EACH AIRVENTURE DAY FOR AVIONICS WEST'S ONE-DAY-ONLY SPECIALS That's right! Every day during AirVenture 2001 Avionics West will have a ONE-DAY-ONLY special that will be the lowest of the year for that product. For day one: Order the Lowrance Avionics AirMap 300 GPS featuring Lowrance's exclusive obstructions database, extended runway centerline capability with field-upgradeable Jeppesen database, movable present position and map center, rechargeable battery, an exceptionally accurate Rockwell 12-parallel channel receiver, remote antenna, yoke mount, cigarette-lighter adapter, and much more! Avionics West is also offering a FREE Air Map 300 GPS CD kit including map-create CD, 1-meg memory card and PC cable. To check out Avionics West's too-low-to- advertise price for the Lowrance Airmap 300 GPS, send an email to . To order, phone 1-805-934-9777 or click . FLIGHTCOM DOESN'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR "HEADSET HAIR"... But they do have award-winning headsets in various models, with one that's just right for your flying needs and budget. For details and to order, go to . OSHKOSH ATTENDEE ALERT! FREE Mic Muff Giveaway at Flightcom's booth, #2110 in Hangar B. Only 400! No purchase necessary. Limit one per person, while they last! While there, check out all the Flightcom models. PHILLIPS 66 IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR ALL YOUR AVIATION OIL NEEDS Phillips 66 has made it easier for you to find high-quality aviation oils by visiting their new Web site! Stop by the Phillips 66 booth, #104, during AirVenture with any questions about your aircraft's lubrication. Purchase Phillips 66 Aviation Oil online today at . TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS PROVIDES AVIATOR SERVICES PROGRAM TCM is now providing the Aviator Services program FREE to owners and pilots of Continental-powered aircraft. Aviator Services is the owner's/pilot's direct link to TCM. This Internet service provides engine-specific parts listings, TCM engine and ignition service bulletins, FAA Airworthiness Directives, scheduled maintenance checklists, and a troubleshooting guide. Membership includes an oil sample trend analysis and other services to help operate and maintain your Continental powerplant. Go by TCM's display at the West Main Aircraft display area 99-102 and talk to TCM's technical staff. Or, go to TCM's Web site at . SIMCOM TRAINING TAILORED FOR PILOTS' NEEDS! No more large classes with little or no one-on-one interaction with instructors. SIMCOM Training Centers, a division of Pan Am International Flight Academy, offers value-priced training programs using advanced teaching techniques and state-of-the-art simulators to ensure each client receives the most for their training dollar. Recognized for outstanding customer service, SIMCOM offers initial and recurrent training programs for business and general aviation pilots. Discounts available when more than one person attends a specific program, for returning clients, and for our Pinch Hitter program. For details, visit Booth #4080-81 during AirVenture or go to . Also, check out AVweb's article on recurrent training at . OMF AIRCRAFT'S "SYMPHONY" IS A PILOT'S CONCERTO The OMF-160 Symphony is a two-seat, high-wing aircraft from German manufacturer OMF Aircraft. The Symphony is fully certified to JAR-23 regulations and is a reliable, tough and versatile aircraft for private pilots, flight schools, and commercial users. Powered by a 160-hp Lycoming O-320 engine, this energetic aircraft offers a cruise speed of 131 knots but is docile enough for any pilot. Order now -- delivery in only three months! See this beauty in person during AirVenture at Booth 422 or go online to . ________________________________________ We Welcome Your Feedback! Comments on AVweb's daily EAA AirVenture 2001 coverage should be sent to . AVweb's AirVenture 2001 News Team: Want to subscribe or unsubscribe? Change/update your email address? Forgot your AVweb password? No problem! Simply go to our Member Services menu: . AVweb, the Internet's Aviation Magazine and News Service. ________________________________________ Copyright (C) 2001, The AVweb Group. All rights reserved.