Pilot Briefing

An Historic Airshow:  Hoover bows in as Eagles bow out

Donning his traditional straw hat and feeling "delightful," Bob Hoover made his first U.S. airshow appearance in two years at Daytona Skyfest '95 in Daytona Beach, Florida, on November 4. The FAA reinstated his medical certificate in October, clearing the way for his performance (see " Pilot Briefing," November Pilot).

On the day after Hoover's performance, the Avemco Eagles Aerobatic Team of Charlie Hillard, Tom Poberezny, and Gene Soucy touched down for the final time, capping a storied 25-year airshow career.

The 73-year-old Hoover was grounded after two FAA inspectors questioned his fitness to fly following a June 1992 performance in Oklahoma City. Hoover then surrendered his medical certificate voluntarily in 1993 and launched a legal battle for its reinstatement.

In Daytona Beach, Hoover flew a Shrike Commander co-owned by attorney F. Lee Bailey. He performed his traditional maneuver of shutting off both engines at 3,500 feet, gliding through a loop, a roll, a 360-degree turn, and then landing on one wheel. "It felt good to be performing in front of my countrymen again," Hoover said. "I'm just glad all that is behind me and that justice and fairness prevailed." During his hiatus in the United States, Hoover flew airshows in Australia.

"Once you get in that cockpit, it takes total concentration," the World War II ace and former test pilot said. "You can't think of anything else."

The Eagles took center stage on November 5 with their last performance. Following touchdown, they were greeted by family members near the runway and were serenaded to "Thanks for the Memories" at a post-show reception.

With Hillard living in Fort Worth, Texas, Poberezny in Milwaukee, and Soucy in Houston, it became increasingly difficult to maintain a performance schedule.

"It's time to move on," Soucy said. — Dan Ryan

Lasar ignition receives STC

Unison Industry's Limited Authority Spark Advance Regulator (Lasar) electronic ignition system has received supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for installation on 52 models of the Lycoming O-320 engine and numerous aircraft on which the engines are used.

"This is a significant accomplishment for general aviation," said Brad Mottier, vice president of Unison. Although the approval process was slow, Mottier expressed satisfaction with the FAA's cooperation on the effort. Unison is now awaiting parts manufacturer approval (PMA) from the FAA; but the company believes it will come in a relatively short time since it is already a PMA manufacturer of the Slick brand of magnetos.

Lasar uses two standard magnetos connected to a regulator box for optimal engine timing through the entire engine-operating spectrum. In turn, Lasar will make the engine run smoother, start more easily, and burn less fuel, while increasing the engine's performance across the board.

Initial airframe approval was limited to most O-320-powered airplanes with 12-volt electrical systems. The next step is to approve airplanes with 24-volt systems.

Cessna has plans to use the system on its new single-engine production line, and Mooney also hopes to offer the system on 1996 models of its MSE line. Mottier expects the $2,500 system to become available to the public by the first quarter of 1996.

A class-action suit by owners of Teledyne Continental -360, -470, - 520, and -550-series engines against Mobil Corporation, claiming damage from use of AV-1 synthetic oil, has reached a settlement. Under the agreement, Mobil is to reinstate its claim process which allows owners to enter into an inspection program if AV-1 was used for at least 150 hours. For information, call Mobil at 800/385-4322.

Cessna rules out unleaded Fuel for new 172 and 182

Cessna's new 172s and 182s will not be designed to burn a new 82- octane unleaded aviation fuel as originally intended.

According to Pat Boyarski, Cessna's general manager of single- engine aircraft business, delays by the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) in approval of specifications for the new fuel necessitated the change. Waiting for that approval would have slowed the development process of the revamped singles.

Cessna will still use Lycoming IO-360s in the 172s and IO- 540s in the 182s, as planned (see "Power for the New Cessnas," August Pilot). However, the engines will be fitted with higher- compression pistons to accommodate 100LL avgas. Horsepower output for the 172 will remain at 160. Cessna says it does not plan to abandon the 82UL program.

Meyers breaks ground in Florida

The New Meyers Aircraft Company recently broke ground for a production facility at the St. Lucie County International Airport in Fort Pierce, Florida.

At the new site, Meyers plans to produce its two-place SP-20 sportplane and the recently announced M200 four-place, 190-knot single based largely on the Meyers 200. The Meyers 200 was originally built between 1959 and 1967. Currently, the SP-20 is in the flight testing stage, while the M200 project should be under way by the first of the year, said Decki Kensey, Meyers' recently named marketing director.

The new 40,000-square-foot plant, to be completed in March, is designed to accommodate 120 workers at peak employment. For more information, contact Meyers at 800/647-9535.

Precise Flight, Inc. has received a supplemental type certificate to install spoilers on Piper PA-30 and PA-39 Twin Comanches. The electrically actuated spoilers will allow for rapid descents, while minimizing the risk of shock cooling the engines. Retail price is $3,295. For more information, contact Precise Flight at 800/547- 2558.

Two vice presidents of Tec-Air Services in East Northport, New York, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to test emergency equipment on board two presidential Boeing 747s. According to the Justice Department, the company failed to service properly the oxygen systems and other emergency systems on the aircraft. The two vice presidents will each pay $200,000 fines, while the company will pay a $100,000 fine under a plea-bargain agreement.

Lantis named Mooney CEO

Bing T. Lantis, owner of The Lantis Corporation in Salinas, California, which manufactures airline ground support equipment, has been named president and chief executive officer of Mooney Aircraft Corporation.

"I am in the process of extracting myself from retirement. How could you pass up an opportunity like this?" Lantis said. He took over at Mooney in mid-October after former CEO Jacques Esculier left to join AlliedSignal in Singapore.

The Lantis Corporation is the second-largest maker of airline container and pallet loaders in the world. Lantis has also been vice president of manufacturing for Bentley Laboratories, which makes heart/lung machines. Earlier in his career he worked for a year as a mechanical design engineer at Boeing Airplane Company.

Lantis received his pilot certificate in 1969, later earning instrument and multiengine ratings. He has 1,100 total flying hours.

Mooney board member Jean Bottard said Lantis has the experience to help the company grow in general aviation manufacturing and in the subcontract manufacturing business. Meanwhile, Jeffrey T. Dunbar, former vice president of sales, has been named chief operating officer at Mooney.

Western Michigan University has ordered three Mooney Ovations equipped with electronic flight instrumentation and IFR-approved GPS receivers for use as trainers in the School of Aviation Sciences.

Raytheon Aircraft wins lawsuit

The California Supreme Court has upheld a lower California court's decision to overturn a $57-million damages award against Raytheon Aircraft in the 1974 crash of a Beech Travel Air in Southern California.

The Travel Air crashed in San Bernardino County seven minutes after takeoff, killing four men on board. Evidence suggesting pilot error was presented during the trial.

However, relatives of the three passengers won a $1.8-million judgment against Raytheon Aircraft, and then filed a second lawsuit, claiming the company had acted in bad faith by going to trial rather than settling the original lawsuit. A San Mateo County jury had awarded $57 million in punitive damages to the relatives.

The verdict was overturned by the state's court of appeals, a decision that has now been upheld by the California Supreme Court.

An exhibit of photographs that capture scenes from the birth of aviation has opened at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The photos were taken from 1904 to 1922 by Jacques-Henri Lartigue of Paris. His first photo, showing a glider experiment, was taken when he was seven. The exhibition, located in the Flight and the Arts gallery, will run through March 3, 1996. For information, call 202/357-2627.

When your new pilot certificate arrives in the mail, don't be alarmed to see that you mysteriously lost all your ratings and limitations. Effective October 10, pilot certificates began listing ratings and limitations on the back of the card. This format will allow certificates to be printed on one card instead of two or more.

A recently restored Travel Air Mystery Model R that won the Thompson Trophy Race at Cleveland in 1929 crashed and was destroyed October 10. The pilot, retired TWA Captain Bob Van Ausdell, was killed. He flew a Lockheed 1011 while at TWA. The aircraft, which had completed a 20-year restoration in Youngstown, Ohio, apparently flipped on landing. It was to be featured at the Staggerwing Museum Foundation convention in Tullahoma, Tennessee, in October.

The FAA Southern Region Maintenance Technician of the Year Award has been presented to Richard D. Becker of Taylors, South Carolina. Becker is employed by the City of Spartanburg as the director of maintenance at Spartanburg Downtown Airport.

AkroTech Aviation, which manufactures the Giles G-200 and G-202 aerobatic airplanes, was scheduled to move its operations on October 27 from Troutdale, Oregon, to Scappoose Industrial Airpark, Oregon. AkroTech's new address is 53774 Airport Road, Scappoose, Oregon 97056; telephone 503/543-7960, fax 503/543-7964.

Ben Kolotilin, AOPA 922639, of Roswell, Georgia, and his wife have opened Kolair, Inc., in the Atlanta area, for the import and sale of Russian aircraft. He currently has two Yakovlev Yak-18T aircraft and hopes to keep one as a personal aircraft. He expects them to sell for $60,000 each. For information, call 404/640-7177.

Decathalon crash investigated

A 1991 American Champion Aircraft Super Decathlon broke apart while performing aerobatics on June 20 near Frankfort, Illinois. American Champion officials say preliminary information indicates the airframe failed because of excessive speed.

The company estimates that the aircraft reached 260 mph or more following a split-S maneuver. Since the Decathlon builds speed rapidly in a descent, procedures require the pilot to slow the aircraft to 90 mph before performing the descending half-loop from inverted flight. The aircraft has a never-exceed speed of 200 mph. Following fuselage airframe failure, officials believe the right wing separated first, followed shortly by the left. The right wing showed little damage except for that caused by its impact with the ground, an American Champion official said.

One pilot was seriously injured after exiting through the cabin roof and opening his parachute at 400 feet, while the other pilot remained in the aircraft and was killed. The National Transportation Safety Board has not completed its investigation.

A new aviation- and space-oriented television network, The Air & Space Network, is set to debut in early 1996. The network will air programs over direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and C-band satellite television, with cable, wireless, and traditional broadcast to be added later. Programming will include aviation-related news, weather, entertainment, events, films, and historic documentaries. For more information, call 212/388-1400.

Former space shuttle pilot Guy S. Gardner has been named to head the FAA Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The center conducts research on new technology for aircraft and air traffic control.

Museum planned
Funds raised to preserve air show history

They were the Bob Hoovers of the 1930s. Clem Sohn was known as the Bat-Wing Parachutist for Chevrolet, and C.W. (Flash) Wittenbeck thrilled airshow crowds by flying inverted six feet above the ground. Many of the performers of the 1930s can still be seen in yellowing photos, crumbling newspapers, and deteriorating newsreel film collected by Jessie Woods — a wingwalker who, as a member of an aerial circus troupe, the Flying Aces, from 1928 to 1937, dangled from a rope ladder beneath an aircraft.

The International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) Foundation is raising funds to preserve the materials on CD-ROM or by other electronic means. As part of the fund-raising efforts, the ICAS Foundation is to auction off by early December aircraft rides with Patty Wagstaff, Sean D. Tucker, Gene Soucy, Julie Clark, Team America, and The French Connection. Eventually, the foundation hopes to build an airshow performers museum.

ICAS also has named airshow performer Bob Hoover to the ICAS Foundation Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame will one day be housed in the new museum, depending on the success of fund-raising efforts.

For information on the project, call ICAS in Jackson, Michigan, at 517/782-0098. You may also request information by E-mail directed to [email protected].

Frank P. Sperandeo, AOPA 909453, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was elected to the board of directors of the Piper Aviation Museum in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. Shown is Sperandeo's award-winning Piper Pacer, Miss Pearl.

Squawk sheet

A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) would require replacement of the landing-light support in Piper PA-28-140, -150, -160, and - 180 Cherokees. Two accidents in which the support seal broke apart and entered the carburetor prompted the NPRM. The FAA estimates that 16,440 airplanes are affected by the proposed airworthiness directive (AD) and that the cost of the fix will be $260 per airplane. Compliance would be required within 100 hours of the yet-to-be- determined effective date.

Grumman AA-5, -5A, -5B, and AG-5B Tigers are targeted in a new AD requiring inspection of the wing attach shoulder bolts for fretting, scoring, wear, or elongated mounting holes. The directive requires compliance within the next 100 hours time in service from the November 17 effective date. Some 3,700 airplanes are affected by the AD. The cost of compliance is estimated at $600 per airplane.

A new AD requiring repetitive inspections of the main landing gear of Piper PA-24, PA-28R, PA-30, PA-32R, PA-34, and PA-39 series aircraft will affect approximately 13,200 airplanes. If inspection reveals that a main gear side brace stud is cracked, it must be replaced. Seven incidents in which the main gear collapsed prompted the AD. Estimated cost for the initial inspection is $300. Compliance is required within the next 100 hours from the November 17 effective date.

Piper PA-28, PA-32, PA-34, and PA-44s are the subject of a proposed AD that would require inspecting and modifying the flap lever assembly. Worn flap handle attach bolts could lead to a sudden flap retraction if the bolt fails while the flaps are extended. Some 30,000 airplanes would be affected by this NPRM, compliance with which is estimated to cost $136 per airplane.

Corpavia Club of Geneva, Switzerland, which operates a business jet sharing plan, has ordered two Beechjet 400A aircraft and taken options on 10 more. The total deal could be worth $80 million. European businesses joining the Corpavia Club will pay a one-time entrance fee and an annual subscription, plus a charge for the flying hours they use. The aircraft will be operated by Jet Aviation of West Palm Beach, Florida.

Alfa Kitplane goes international

HB Aviation International, based at Lelystad Airport in Holland, has begun international sales of its new two-seat HB-207 Alfa kitplane. Early sales have been to customers in Austria and Germany.

General Manager Enrico Evers said the aircraft uses a Porsche Austria 2.4-liter Volkswagen engine and a five-blade propeller geared to turn at only 1,700 rpm in cruise. The company claims the prototype achieved 140 knots at 75-percent power. Inside, the airflow noise is louder than the engine noise, Evers said.

The payload of the aircraft certified in Europe in the Normal category is 468 pounds, while in the Utility category it is 336 pounds. It has a 21-gallon tank and burns five gallons per hour with the Porsche VW engine. The kit sells for $18,500 at current exchange rates, while the HB-modified engine sells for $12,400. The airplane can be powered by a Rotax 912, Lycoming, Limbach, or other 110- horsepower engine if desired.

The firm hopes to bring the aircraft to the Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly- In in Lakeland, Florida, next year. Build time is estimated at 850 hours.

AOPA members in the news

Najeeb Halaby, AOPA 780649, of McLean, Virginia, was presented the 1995 National Air and Space Museum Trophy by Sen. John H. Glenn, AOPA 640064. Halaby's lifetime achievement in all facets of aviation — including military, airlines, and general aviation — earned him the award. Halaby was the FAA administrator from 1961 to 1965 and was responsible for the deregulation of all U.S. air terminals. Halaby, 79, is currently president of Halaby International Corporation and flies a Piper Malibu. He also serves as chairman of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's board of visitors.

Jimmy Buffett, AOPA 934950, a pilot, sailor, and internationally popular entertainer, has released his new album Barometer Soup.

Jerald Naylor, AOPA 1104774, of Warrenton, Virginia, was selected as the Air Traffic Control Association's ATC Specialist of the Year. Naylor is a controller at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C.

Mark C. Smith, AOPA 932790, of Indianapolis, won a new Harley- Davidson motorcycle in a drawing by the Million Air FBO chain.

John Beaudoin, AOPA 954238, of Wahiawa, Hawaii, a chief warrant officer with the U.S. Army's 68th Medical Detachment, hovered in a Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter a few feet from the cliffs of Mount Kaala in Hawaii recently to aid in the highly publicized rescue of a fallen hiker.

Jesse Stefanics, AOPA 127911, of Dayton, Ohio, received the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award from the FAA's Cincinnati Flight Standards District Office.

Bill Knowles, AOPA 210621, of Palestine, Texas, was recently appointed as an aviation advisor to the Texas Department of Transportation.

Bill Leff, AOPA 271402, who loads his AT-6 with pyrotechnics and gives night airshow performances, has become president of Commander Aero, an FBO and repair shop specializing in Aero Commander aircraft. Commander Aero is located at the Greene County Airport near Dayton, Ohio.

Tom Frasca, AOPA 1187484, president of the Illinois Aviation Trades Association, has presented the $1,000 Brian C. Klotz Memorial Scholarship to Gavin Klaus, a University of Illinois junior. A student in the school's Champaign/Urbana Aviation Department, Klaus received the award for academic performance and personal achievement.

Charles R. LeMenager, AOPA 927254, has completed a new book, Flying After 50: You're Not Too Old to Start, published by Iowa State University Press in Ames, Iowa. It is available for $19.95 by calling 800/862-6657.

Dr. Jay Merten, AOPA 1067468, an ophthalmologist in Dallas, completed a four-month, around-the-world "Flight for Sight" last September. Merten and partner Sandi Smith flew Merten's Piper Malibu to 19 countries, including Kenya and Nepal. While Merten was examining eyes or performing surgery, Smith, a certified public accountant with a Master of Business Administration degree in computers, taught computer classes.

Klaus Savier, AOPA 1253210, won the Aircraft Spruce Copperstate Dash Air Race from Apple Valley Airport, California, to Coolidge Municipal Airport, Arizona. His VariEze averaged a speed of 188.53 knots over the 305-nautical-mile course.

New Wolf competition announced

The Alfred L. and Constance Wolf Aviation Fund will award $10,000 to persons offering the best ideas for advancing general aviation.

The award will be made in April. Entries must be received by February 9. The Wolf Aviation Fund is seeking ideas for the creation and dissemination of information about general aviation through meetings or the broadcast, print, or electronic media; and for archival projects to preserve records and documents of enduring interest that help to increase the use and acceptance of general aviation.

For an application form, write Sandra L. Cadwalader, 200 Wawa Road, Media, Pennsylvania 19063.

Rep. Norman Y. Mineta (D-CA) has resigned from the House of Representatives to head the Lockheed Martin IMS transportation division. The division, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is developing transponders that will allow trucks and cars to pass toll gates and weigh stations at normal highway speeds while still reporting required information and debiting previously established toll accounts. Mineta chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure aviation subcommittee from 1981 to 1988.

Swiss watchmaker Breitling continues to increase its presence in sport aviation. Already the sponsor of the Breitling World Cup of Aerobatics, won this year by 38-year-old Roland Dominique of France flying a Cap 231EX, the company has announced intentions to establish aerobatics schools in Europe, Japan, and the United States. They will be headed by French world aerobatic champ Xavier de Lapparent. De Lapparent is helping to train five members of the U.S. Aerobatic Team that will compete against 20 countries in Oklahoma City in August. In addition, Breitling will sponsor in 1996 the first nonstop around-the-world balloon flight, with Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard and Belgian pilot Wim Verstraeten. The two will use a pressurized capsule, the Breitling Orbiter, and travel at 33,000 feet.

Michael Short, AOPA 1150120, has released "Above and Beyond," a signed and numbered print featuring the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spyplane. Each print is signed by eight SR-71 pilots. To order, call Tangmere Aviation Art at 800/349-8130.

Two Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird surveillance aircraft have been taken out of storage and restored by the U.S. Air Force to flight status for spy missions. The Air Force literally had to search aircraft salvage yards to find parts and equipment that had been discarded when the SR-71 program closed in 1989. Defensive systems have been restored and upgraded to deal with new threats found in today's operational environment. The two restored aircraft had been used by NASA for high-altitude research.

Michael Terry, AOPA 798701, has published a 1996 calendar featuring color photos of a 1944 Beechcraft D-17S Staggerwing, a 1929 Curtis Robin, a 1934 Bucker BU-131 Jungmann, and others. To order, call 800/266-1995 or 805/525-2387.

King Air AvSupport maintenance program announced

Stevens Aviation and Jet Support Services, Inc., have introduced a comprehensive maintenance support program for Beech King Air 200 and B200 aircraft. Under the Aviation Support Assurance Program or AvSupport, after a one-time enrollment fee and a mandatory pre- enrollment inspection, operators pay a fixed amount per flight hour for maintenance. The program covers scheduled maintenance checks and overhauls, unscheduled maintenance and repairs, mandatory service bulletins, and airworthiness directives.

AvSupport expects to expand the program to C90, 300, and 350-series King Airs; Beechjets; and other turbine aircraft. — Michael P. Collins