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Vol.3 No.11 I November 2014 The Spirit of Homebuilt Aviation I www.eaa.org Vortices, VGs, and Fences What they are; what they do The Wings of Quicksilver Some history and current news GrandWilliam Ford’s Champion Lancair Legacy TOWER FREQUENCY Medicals and Hangars Our most critical issues BY JACK J. PELTON THE FUTURE OF THE third-class medical and a modifi ed FAA han- training course that we support, pilots would learn how to con- gar-use policy are being debated in Washington, and be assured sider a range of health issues that can impact fl ying safety, that EAA is going all out to protect and promote your interests. And including use of over-the-counter medications that can degrade we will be calling on you to make your voice heard in more than our piloting abilities. one forum. The FAA has agreed, at least in some fashion, with us and The hangar policy and third-class medical issues are unusually issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) just days before complex and potentially among the most far-reaching we have Oshkosh. But before that NPRM can be made public it must be faced. Changes in third-class medical standards for private fl ying approved by the federal Of ce of Management and Budget are opposed by entrenched groups determined to maintain the sta- (OMB) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), the FAA’s tus quo. And the hangar-use policy cuts both ways as protecting parent department in Washington. our interest, but if not properly written, it could possibly threaten So far the NPRM has disappeared into the maw of OMB, or valid aeronautical use of an airport hangar. DOT, or both. We just don’t know any details. But we do know The hangar issue is an FAA policy that requires hangars on air- that entrenched groups, particularly a few in the medical commu- ports receiving FAA funds to be used for aeronautical activities. In nity, are determined to resist any change opposing reform general, this is good because it prevents unscrupulous airport man- claiming there would be degradation in safety. There is absolutely agement from simply auctioning of hangar space to the highest no evidence that the third-class medical reform we favor would bidder to use for any purpose. The key is that some interpretations make fl ying less safe, but there is powerful history that education of “aeronautical use” do not include building an airplane, restoring can make improvements. an airplane, or even using a hangar for meetings of EAA chapters, In general the best route for aviation regulation reform is the Civil Air Patrol, or the many other groups that work hard to through the FAA, but it looks increasingly as though the FAA is promote aviation. handcuf ed by OMB and DOT, so only congressional action can The FAA can preserve hangar space exclusively for aviation force a change. A new third-class medical policy has broad sup- activity by creating a policy statement that includes homebuilding, port in both the House and Senate, and bills to force a change aircraft restoration and maintenance, aviation group meetings, and have been introduced. even storage of furniture or other items in the unused space around Washington is always an unpredictable place, but with mid- an airplane in the hangar. EAA has of cially insisted that be the term elections upon us, and a lame duck Congress in place for the new policy during the comment period that ended last month. rest of the year, it’s impossible to know what can happen to move Changing the third-class medical policy is both a safety issue medical policy changes forward. But we must try. and a cost issue. And allowing pilots to fl y for their own personal EAA maintains an online system that makes it quick and ef ective reasons using a driver’s license as evidence of medical fi tness has for you to contact your congressmen and senators. To contact your broad support. It also has more than 10 years of proven safety in representative and senators, go to www.EAA.org/rallycongress, sport pilot fl ying. where you will be guided through the easy steps to send an The improved safety would come from an aeromedical educa- ef ective comment. tion requirement that EAA and AOPA support as part of At this point the rulemaking system looks totally frozen, and third-class medical reform. Pilots who fl y for personal reasons no progress is being made. But if all of us in personal aviation join must make an assessment of their fi tness to fl y before each take- together, along with AOPA and other pilots groups, to make our of . But the third-class medical system doesn’t give us any tools to voice heard loud and clear to our legislators, I’m convinced we make a safe and conservative decision. Through a required online will see action sooner than later. 2 Vol.3 No.11 / November 2014 Vol.3 No.11 I November 2014 CONTENTS Features EAA PUBLICATIONS Founder: Paul H. Poberezny Publisher: Jack J. Pelton, EAA Chairman of the Board Vice President of Communities and Member Programs: Rick Larsen 10 An Eye For Detail 18 Vortices, VGs, and Editor-in-Chief: J. Mac McClellan A different kind of Ford-built airplane Fences…Oh, My! Homebuilding Community Manager: BY BUDD DAVISSON What they are, what they do Charlie Becker BY LYNNE WAINFAN Editor: Mary Jones/EditEtc. LLC Senior Graphic Designer: Chris Livieri 28 The Wings of Quicksilver News Editor: Ric Reynolds BY JAMES LAWRENCE Copy Editor: Colleen Walsh Multimedia Journalist: Brady Lane Visual Properties Administrator: Jason Toney Contributing Writers: Charlie Departments Becker, Marino Boric, Budd Davisson, James Lawrence, John Mangold, 02 Tower Frequency 06 News from HQ and Lynne Wainfan BY JACK J. PELTON NEWS FROM EAA 04 Homebuilder’s Corner 08 Flightline BY CHARLIE BECKER INDUSTRY NEWS ADVERTISING Display Sue Anderson Columns Mailing Address: 34 What Our Members Are Building P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 2014 Perseverance Awards Phone: 920-426-4800 BY JOHN MANGOLD Fax: 920-426-4828 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.EAA.org 36 Under the Cowl Pipistrel Launches An All-Electric Need to change your address or have Light-Sport Aircraft other membership questions? BY MARINO BORIC Call 800-564-6322 (800-JOIN EAA). EAA® and SPORT AVIATION®, the EAA Logo® and AERONAUTICATM are registered trade- marks, trademarks, and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these trademarks and service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft As- sociation, Inc. is strictly prohibited. On the cover: William Ford’s Lancair Legacy. (Photography by Tyson V. Rininger) EAA Experimenter 3 HOMEBUILDER’S CORNER Chapter Build Projects A good idea? BY CHARLIE BECKER FOR SOME TIME NOW, your EAA staff has been discussing the it, even if it is by a chapter, will result in EAA being named idea of promoting chapter build projects and teen build proj- in the lawsuit if anything goes wrong. It doesn’t matter if ects. We feel that this is an area in which a program that EAA headquarters had nothing to do with the project, there provides a bit of structure might generate a sound payback in would still be the need to defend EAA and get released from terms of educational opportunities, fellowship, personal the lawsuit. It doesn’t take too many hours of legal time to accomplishment, fun, and the promotion of homebuilding burn up $8,000. I for one only want EAA involved in areas and aviation. that can make aviation easier and more affordable, not more We don’t have any hard data, but it seems like there is expensive and costly. So we have to recognize that chapters renewed interest in this group-build concept. In many ways, owning and operating aircraft is off the table. this is just the original idea of chapters coming full circle. The good news is that the aircraft could be owned, either Chapters started out in the early days of EAA with a much from the start or later, by a group of local EAA members. heavier focus on homebuilding. Over the years, they have Wouldn’t it be satisfying to know that the aircraft your chap- evolved, just as EAA has, to offer a wider variety of activities, ter built gave birth to a flying club made up of EAA mem- such as Young Eagles rallies and pancake breakfasts. For- bers in your local area? This is exactly how Chapter 1279 tunately, homebuilding has stayed at the forefront of most at French Valley Airport, California, handled its Pietenpol EAA members’ interests. I believe the success of group-build build. Steve Williamson, the chapter president, and a few projects like the One Week Wonder at EAA AirVenture other members funded the project and owned the aircraft, Oshkosh 2014 and EAA Chapter 640’s completion of Paul’s yet every Saturday was an open building session for anyone Mechanix Illustrated Baby Ace replica has caused many EAA in the chapter who was interested in learning to build. In members to reconsider the idea for their chapter. Nothing fact, Steve even cataloged the build in a book, Starting With like watching an aircraft be built in a week to inspire you! Nothing: The Building of Pietenpol Air Camper NX1279Z. The By way of background, chapters are allowed to build aircraft project generated a lot of activity for the chapter and aircraft. However, a chapter is not allowed to operate an now is its mascot.