G FE RUA VO L. 34, No. 2 2006 C ON TENTS 1 Straight and Level by Geoff Robison 2 VAA News 5 Aeromail 6 A Silver Eagle A biography of E.M. "Matty" Laird by Robert G. Elli ott and Ed Escallon 12 VAA Hall of Fame 200S Inductee Richard W. Knutson by H.G. Frautschy 14 Perfecting Perfection: Tony Smith's Ultimate Jungmeister by Budd Davisson 19 An Annual Gathering of Howards at Hayward, Wisconsin The beasts visit the Northwoods by Sparky Barnes Sargent 25 2005 Tulsa Fly-In September 16-1 7, 200S by Charlie Harris 30 Pass It to Buck More tooling around by Buck Hilbert 32 The Vintage Instructor Isn't this fun? by Doug Stewart STAFF EAA Publisher Tom Poberezny 34 Mystery Plane EAA Editor-in-Chief Scott Spangler by H.G. Frautschy Executive Director/Editor H.G. Frautschy Administrative Assistant Jennifer Lehl 38 Calendar Managing Ed itor Ka thleen Witman News Editor Ric Reynolds 39 Classified Ads Photography Jim Koepnick Bonnie Bartel Advertising Coordinator Sue Anderson COVERS Ed itorial Assistant Isabelle Wiske FRONT COVER: The Bucker Jungmeister has long been acknowledged as one of the premier Copy Editor Colleen Walsh aerobatic aircraft of all time. Englishman Tony Smith has restored this example, finished in the disconcerting markings of a pre-WW·II German "flying club." EAA photo by Jim Koepnick, Director of Advertising Ka trina Bradshaw EAA photo plane flown by Bruce Moore. Display Advertising Representa tives: BACK COVER: Santos-Dumont: The Beginning of Everything is the title of this oil painting by accom­ Northeast: Allen Murra y plished Brazilian artist Mauro Jose de Godoy Moreira. Santos-Dumont is considered by his country­ Ph one 609·265- 1666, FAX 609·265-166 1 e·mail : tlJ/elmll"rny(al llill'/sprillg.com man to be the father of modern aviation, and his accompl ishments in both lighter-than-air ba lloons Southeast: Ch ester Baumgartner Phone 727-573-0586, FAX 727-5 56-01 77 e-mail; cb(wlIllI I®lIillcisprillg.col1l and dirigibles, as well as his work with the heavier-than-air 14bis and Demoiselle airplanes are honored by aviators and historians world wide. Entries for the 2006 EM Sport Aviation Art Competition Central: Todd Reese Phone 800·444·9932, FA X 81 6·741 ·6458 e·mail : lodd"" pc·mag.wm are being accepted . Visit www. airventuremuseum.orgj artj, call the EAA Museum office at 92()' Mountain &. Paci fic Keith Knowlton &. Associ ates 426-6880, or e·mail [email protected] for information regarding this year's event. Phone 770-51 6-2743, e-mail: kkllowlrol1@-'t'atl.org GEOFF ROBISON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION To the past and to the future By now you have all had the rience (www.wrightexperience.com). excitement of that day in 2003, opportunity to read and enjoy I, and my friends, I'm sure, had and the emotion of that moment the January Vintage magazine. I prepared ourselves to hear about came rushing back to my mind. am excited about what the added Scott's long and exciting career Then, to hear Scott explain in content has done for this truly as a test pilot and his experiences great detail the challenges he and wonderful publication. Kudos to in flying the North American X­ the team of pilots faced in prep­ H.G. and all involved. As good as IS with NACA/NASA's hypersonic aration for that event over two I think this publication is, it re­ flight program from the 1960s. years ago proved to be not only mains critically important that we Be assured, there was not a entertaining, but also fundamen­ all appreciate the challenges be­ hint of disappointment amongst tal to understanding the real chal­ fore us to continue this initiative all of these friends when Scott lenges they faced that cold and and step forward to spoon-feed the began telling his tales about the rainy December day in 2003. Scott EAA Vintage movement with inter­ challenges he took on in engag­ showed the audience a number of esting ideas and technical articles ing himself in this once-in-a­ video clips that were shot during to make it even better. Be assured lifetime opportunity. I personally their training, and one of them that your Vintage Aircraft Associa­ will never forget sitting on that of particular interest showed the tion greatly appreciates whatever hill at Kitty Hawk, North Caro­ venerable test pilot at the controls efforts the membership may pro­ lina, on that rainy and cold De­ of the 1902 Wright Glider being vide to this important initiative. cember day in 2003, awaiting the towed by a van. More than a dozen of my good rollout of the 2003 Wright FLyer. When the aircraft suddenly friends and I were privileged to And then watching it fly for a mi­ pitched forward, it struck the attend the 3rd Annual Wright crosecond in time and then flop ground with such force that Scott Memorial Dinner at Oshkosh on into that mud-covered field at was physically pitched out of the December 17th for the celebration the base of the Wright Brothers front of the machine into the of the 102nd anniversary of flight. National Memorial monument. grass and on his back side. Now, With well more than 200 avia­ As disappointing as that sounds, Scott was 82 years old when this tion enthusiasts in attendance, we you really had to be there to feel happened, and it was amazing to were all enthralled with the pre­ the excitement in the air among watch him jump right up, dust sentation made by Scott Cross­ the many thousands of aviation himself off, and then immediately field that evening. enthusiasts in attendance. begin to assess the damage to the I had completely forgotten that Yes, everyone was a little disap­ glider. Now, I got to tell you, this Scott was previously charged with pOinted, but for a myriad of rea­ old boy took a real tumble. the responsibility of evaluating sons. The conditions existing on Most guys his age would have the flight characteristics of the that day were far from ideal for taken an ambulance ride over EAA 2003 Wright Flyer and then a more successful end to such a an incident that severe. What's instructing the carefully selected momentous event. Remember, the your secret, Scott? You must be pilots in how to fly the machine Wrights got to pick their day; we still enjoying your Cheerios or as reproduced by Ken Hyde and didn't! Listening to Scott this past Wheaties each and every morn- his able staff at The Wright Expe­ December only reminded us of the continued on page 38 EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2006, THE WORLD'S GREATEST AVIATION CELEBRATION-JULY 24-30 VAA IS ABOUT PARTICIPATION: BE A MEMBER! BE A VOLUNTEER! BE THERE! VINTAGE AIRPLANE CALLING ALL WAYPOINTS Get noticed on the Sport Pilot Q&A EAA AirVenture website Every year, many facilities pro­ .I am flying with a special issuance of my third class medical vide special offers to EAA mem­ under Title 14 of the CFRs, Section 67.401. I desire to transi­ bers on their flights to and from tion to sport pilot status. What is required of me to do this? EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. We col­ Q lect listings of these valuable of­ :Your transition is simple! Simply let your FAA medical certificate fers and place them together on expire, at which time you automatically switch to sport pilot op­ the EAA AirVenture website as a A erations using your valid U.S. state driver'S license in lieu of the convenience to those planning a medical certificate. Remember that you need to restrict yourself to exer­ flight to the World's Greatest Avia­ Cising only sport pilot privileges and limitations while using your driver's tion Celebration. license in lieu of a medical certificate, and you are allowed to fly only air­ If you'd like your facility to be craft that fit within the definition of a light-sport aircraft (LSA). You also among the waypoints, FBOs, and need to continue to keep your flight review current. others listed on the EAA AirVen­ ture website, please send us your For more information about operating an aircraft that information, including name of qualifies as an LSA, please visit www.sportpilot.org/faq. business, airport, phone number, e-mail address, and any special of­ active aeromedical examiners and tions addressing all phases of the fers you'd like to announce. Send to volunteer their time to advise and as­ process, including enhancing the [email protected], and then watch sist on medical issues affecting pilots. quality of data input, minimizing for it on www.airventure.org. "These highly qualified individu­ or eliminating delays in the mul­ als, who are well recognized within tiple steps in the certification path­ EAA AIRVENTURE RIDESHARE the aeromedical field, have the ex­ way, reducing the input burden to Looking for a ride, or have a pertise and experience to address the [FAA's] Aerospace Medical Cer­ spare right seat for Oshkosh? Visit the issues and develop practical tification Division through the del­ www.airventure.org/rideshare. recommendations and solutions," egation of authority to aeromedical Poberezny said. examiners [AMEs], and pursuing CUTTING MEDICAL­ Poberezny noted that, during EAA other measures. CERTIFICATE BACKLOG AirVenture Oshkosh 200S last July, EAA cites a survey that indicates Pilots would see improved re­ the medical-certification backlog 94 percent of AMEs are willing to sponse times to their medical­ was the most commonly mentioned take on additional training and re­ certification and special-issuance topic by pilots during the annual sponSibility to address the problem.