APRIL 2009 OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB Two-Seat Tumbler: • RV Aerobatics • 2009 Sportsman Sequence Part II • Aerobatic Scholarships APRIL 2009 • VOLUME 38 • NUMBER 4 • IAC SPORT AEROBATICS CONTENTS FEATURES Jim Koepnick 6 Two-Seat Tumbler The Sbach 342 –Budd Davisson 12 RV’s, Aerobatics & You –Budd Davisson 18 2009 Sportsman Sequence: Part II –Gordon Penner COLUMNS 3 President’s Page – Vicki Cruse 6 26 CP Aviation’s EMT Scholarship – Eamonn Powers 28 Ask Allen – Allen Silver David Blundell David 32 Insurance – Ryan Birr DEPARTMENTS 2 Letter from the Editor 12 4 Newsbriefs 5 Introduction to Trish Deimer 30 Calendar Mike Steineke Mike 31 Fly Mart & Classifieds THE COVER Philipp Steinbach plies the skies over 18 Oshkosh in his two-seat Sbach 342 -Photo by Jim Koepnick LETTER from the EDITOR OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB by Reggie Paulk Publisher: Vicki Cruse Executive Director: Lisa Popp Editor: Reggie Paulk Art Director: Phil Norton Interim Dir. of Publications: Mary Jones Copy Editor: Colleen Walsh Contributing Authors: Ryan Birr Reggie Paulk Vicki Cruse Gordon Penner Budd Davisson Eamonn Powers Patricia Deimer Allen Silver Carl Pascaral IAC Correspondence International Aerobatic Club, P.O. Box 3086 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 Spring is Finally Here! Tel: 920.426.6574 • Fax: 920.426.6579 E-mail: [email protected] Advertising Director Katrina Bradshaw Tel: 920.426.6836 E-mail: [email protected] Representatives: inter has been brutal. From Budd Davisson and Carl Pascarell NORTHEAST: Ken Ross last fall until now, it has been cover the new Sbach 342—a two- Tel: 609.822.3750 Fax: 609.957.5650 W a long, dark and cold winter. place tumbler that promises to shake E-mail: [email protected] We’ve been subject to freezing temper- things up a bit. I had the opportunity SOUTHEAST: Chester Baumgartner Tel: 727.532.4630 Fax: 727.532.4630 atures and frigid stock markets. People to meet designer Philipp Steinbach E-mail: [email protected] everywhere are intimately familiar at Oshkosh last year, and he is an CENTRAL: Gary Worden with the inner workings of Congress, endless fountain of energy—just the Tel: 800.444.9932 Fax: 816.741.6458 the Treasury and banking industry. kind of guy you need to convince E-mail: [email protected] Some have Madoff with billions in you to buy his airplane after your MOUNTAIN & PACIFIC: John Gibson Tel: 916.784.9593 Fax: 510.217.3796 elaborate Ponzi schemes while others portfolio has taken a big drumming. E-mail: [email protected] have had their troubled assets bailed The fact that he designed such a EUROPE: Willi Tacke out on our dime. There’s not one per- unique aircraft is an amazing feat, Tel: +498841/487515 Fax: +498841/496012 son today who hasn’t been touched by but he’s also a very accomplished E-mail: [email protected] the happenings of the last few months, aerobat who can adeptly put his Mailing: Change of address, lost or but there is a ray of hope. design through its paces. damaged magazines, back issues. As you read this, spring is definitely Do you like RV’s? I’m not talk- EAA-IAC Membership Services beginning to emerge from its long ing about the ones with toilets. Tel: 800.843.3612 Fax: 920.426.6761 hibernation. Grass is growing, trees Budd Davisson gives us a glimpse E-mail: [email protected] are budding and blooming and, most into the world of RV aerobatics, The International Aerobatic Club is a division of the EAA. importantly, temperatures are increas- and provides a blueprint to safely ing. There’s nothing that says spring is pursue both competition and rec- here better than the wonderfully mild reational aerobatics in the ubiqui- temperatures of the season. No matter tous little metal birds. I was able WWW.IAC.ORG WWW.EAA.ORG how dismal the winter, spring always to beg some really nice shots of reassures us of the renewal RV-8’s going ballistic of life and the continua- off of David Blundell EAA® and SPORT AVIATION®, the EAA Logo® and Aeronautica™ are registered trademarks and tion of the cycle. from the U.K., and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these trademarks and We’re going to service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly With the competition want to personally prohibited. Copyright © 2009 by the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. All rights reserved. season well underway, thank him for add- The International Aerobatic Club, Inc. is a division of EAA and of the NAA. have a lot of A STATEMENT OF POLICY there is a lot of fun com- ing to the story. The International Aerobatic Club, Inc. cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy of the mate- ing in this and future fun in the warm Sure we had a cold rial presented by the authors of the articles in the magazine. The pages of Sport Aerobatics are offered as a clearing house of information and a forum for the exchange of opinions and issues to keep you enter- winter, but it’s pretty ideas. The individual reader must evaluate this material for himself and use it as he sees fit. months ahead. Every effort is made to present materials of wide interest that will be of help to the majority. tained and informed. easy to see that we’re Likewise we cannot guarantee nor endorse any product offered through our advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through The new Sportsman going to have a lot our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. Sport Aerobatics (USPS 953-560) is owned by the International Aerobatic Club, Inc., and is published monthly at EAA Aviation sequence speaks to pilots of fun in the warm Center, Editorial Department, P.O. Box 3086, 3000 Poberezny Rd., Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. of low-powered aircraft—even Sport months ahead. I look forward to Periodical Postage is paid at Oshkosh Post Office, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and other post offices. Membership rate for the International Aerobatic Club, Inc., is $45.00 per 12-month Pilots! You’ll notice a blurb in the seeing you all at Sun ‘n Fun and period of which $18.00 is for the subscription to Sport Aerobatics. Manuscripts submitted for publication become the property of the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. Photographs will News Briefs section about that, but Oshkosh this year. If you’re there, be returned upon request of the author. High resolution images are requested to assure the best quality reproduction. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sport Aerobatics, P.O. look for a dedicated piece in an please look me up. I’m always up for Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. PM 40063731 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Pitney Bowes IMS, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5. upcoming issue. a good chat. Please submit news, comments, articles, or suggestions to: [email protected] 2 • APRIL 2009 PRESIDENT’S PAGE by Vicki Cruse • IAC 22968 E-mail: [email protected] What Does the IAC Want to Be? The need to diversify without losing our identity his issue is one of extremes— will likely tell you that the IAC is regiment made him realize how heJim Klick from the Unlimited-capable responsible for the air show; not had forgotten about the world of TSbach 342 to the recreation- exactly, but in a way they are right. recreational aerobatics. al, ubiquitous RV. In the past, the Most air show pilots today are former To fulfill its mission statement, International Aerobatic Club (IAC) IAC competitors. the IAC will need to diversify, hasn’t always been an organization The question, “What does IAC but not so much as to risk losing of extremes, at least not when look- want to be?” has faced every board its identity. Clearly the IAC is a ing at diversity within the organi- that has ever run this organization. competition organization, but zation. The IAC was founded by The IAC mission statement, revised it is also a recreational aerobatic competition pilots for competition a few years ago, states that the IAC organization. More importantly, the pilots. While competition may be will “Promote enjoyment, education, IAC needs to promote itself as an the founding father, it shouldn’t be and safety among aerobatic education and safety organization; the main focus. enthusiasts and competitors alike in here is where we could do a better Take a look at EAA, the their pursuit of greater job. In the Newsbriefs organization started by Paul and personal mastery section, you’ll see Audrey Poberezny. It began as an of flight.” Typically “No one can argue the expansion of organization devoted to homebuilt mission statements our relationship aircraft, and over time it became are somewhat vague that aerobatics with aerobatic more diverse with the addition in order to encompass doesn’t expand flight schools and of warbirds, vintage aircraft, the an expanded vision of instructors. Everyone IAC, ultralights, and the National an organization. To a your personal reading this column Association of Flight Instructors. competition pilot or flight envelope.” started flying at a In its own way, EAA AirVenture a recreational pilot, flight school and Oshkosh also became more diverse the statement would learned aerobatics with the addition of exhibitors be accurate, and no one can argue either from such a school or from outside these core groups, such as that aerobatics doesn’t expand your someone who had or yearns to do so certified aircraft manufacturers and personal flight envelope or, said in the future.