Wright gliders, flyers take shape in Dayton
Soon you'll be able to see six of the early test kites, gliders, and powered aircraft used by the Wright brothers to master flight. The Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company and the Museum of Pioneer Aviation in Dayton have built replicas of a kite and three gliders used in tests between 1899 and 1902, and will soon add the 1903 Wright Flyer 1 and the 1905 Wright Flyer 3 to the fleet.
The 1905 model was considered the first practical aircraft, said Nick Engler, the museum's director. The gliders will be featured in a PBS documentary titled Kitty Hawk scheduled to air in 2003. Engler plans to have all six aircraft on display in time for the Dayton Air Show in July 2003.
He describes the 1903 aircraft replica as "kidbuilt," because his nonprofit educational organization is encouraging schoolchildren to build ribs for it. So far, 40 ribs have been completed out of 74 needed. Volunteers lead workshops in which kids build and sign ribs while listening to the story of the Wright brothers. The 1903 aircraft will be flown in order to provide a photograph for the children, and will then be hung in the James M. Cox Dayton International Airport.
The 1905 aircraft replica will be flown repeatedly throughout 2003 at Waco Field, north of Dayton in Troy, Ohio. A portion of Waco Field, where historic Waco aircraft are kept, will be dubbed Huffman Prairie II, after the field where the Wright brothers conducted their research flights. Huffman Prairie Flying Field, located on the grounds of Wright Patterson Air Force Base, has been closed to the public recently because of security concerns, but may open later this summer or fall. It is one of four sites that make up the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.
The four aircraft now completed have been test-flown. The 1899 Wright Kite was used to test aircraft controls. The 1900 Wright Glider was the first attempt to build a manned aircraft. The 1901 Wright Glider convinced the brothers that they needed to conduct basic research in aerodynamics. The 1902 Wright Glider was the first aircraft with three-axis control and formed the basis of the Wrights' patent.
The Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company organization was founded in 1999, and grew out of efforts to organize a celebration in Dayton of the centennial of flight in 2003. Pilots who wanted to participate in the aeronautical aspects of the centennial were its founding members. The group, which now has 70 members, grew from another organization called Inventing Flight Dayton 2003 that plans an exposition in Dayton, a gas balloon race, and other events of interest to the general public. The dozen or so more active members of the organization have built four replicas of various Wright aircraft.
Engler expects the group to complete 10 flying Wright Gliders for the October Centennial of Controlled Flight. During the celebration, to be held October 5 through 8 at Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head, North Carolina, Engler will fly and display his kite and all three gliders. To learn more about the organization, visit the Web site ( www.wright-brothers.org) or telephone 937/698-3619. To learn more about Inventing Flight Dayton 2003, see the Web site ( www.inventingflight.com) or call 937/222-0065. — Alton K. Marsh
Lindbergh crosses Atlantic — again
On a crystal-blue high desert morning in late March, Erik Lindbergh, AOPA 4119407, took The New Spirit of St. Louis around the pattern and streaked past the Lancair factory near Bend, Oregon. The white and black Columbia 300, framed against the snow-covered peaks of the Cascade range, bore little resemblance to its famous namesake, which carried Lindbergh's grandfather to fame 75 years ago.
Yet, on May 2, 2002, they both had a lot more in common after Erik Lindbergh safely landed in Paris after a 17-hour flight. Backers of this flight hoped that it would reconnect the public with aviation the way Charles A. Lindbergh's May 20, 1927, flight to Paris did. But Erik Lindbergh, 37, wanted his journey to do more than draw attention to flight and honor the grandfather who died when he was 9. A victim of crippling rheumatoid arthritis, the younger Lindbergh came back to flying and to an active life through intense treatment and perseverance.
"It's about inspiring [people]," Lindbergh said. "If I reach one person who is struggling in life and inspire that person, it will be worth it." Lindbergh departed Republic Airport near Farmingdale, New York, for Paris on May 1. Roosevelt Field, from which his grandfather flew, no longer exists.
Lindbergh began planning the flight more than a year ago. A trustee and vice president of the St. Louis-based X Prize Foundation, the flight's biggest backer, he wanted to promote the $10 million prize that organization is offering to the first entrepreneur to put a manned rocket into space twice in two weeks.
The X Prize ( www.xprize.org) is designed after the Orteig Prize, the $25,000 purse that inspired Charles Lindbergh to make his epic journey. The foundation hopes it will spur private space travel the same way the Orteig Prize propelled aviation.
Though Lindbergh had long contemplated it, the idea to retrace his grandfather's 3,610-mile flight became realistic only recently. He earned his private pilot certificate at 24, followed by his commercial certificate, instrument rating, and CFII the next year, and went to work instructing and flying charters. But the one-time gymnastics champion was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 21, and by 30 he could barely walk.
Since then he has had both knees replaced with artificial joints. About two years ago Lindbergh started taking a new drug called Enbrel that relieved most of the symptoms. Freed of the pain, he started to dream again. It was while working as a wood sculptor and furniture maker that he decided to honor, not duplicate, his grandfather's flight.
The Lancair Company became a partner in the project, modifying one of its production aircraft to carry more fuel and loaning it to Lindbergh for the flight. Company officials hope the flight will help rejuvenate the general aviation industry. The cockpit is where The New Spirit of St. Louis really departs from the production aircraft, not to mention from the historic Ryan Special flown by Charles Lindbergh. Where he crossed the ocean with two compasses and a handful of charts, his grandson's airplane has dual GPS systems as well as two satellite communication systems. One system transmits his GPS coordinates via satellite every five minutes to mission control at the St. Louis Science Center. It also allows pilot and mission control to exchange e-mail as well as for Lindbergh to see the latest graphical weather information in the cockpit. A second satellite system allows two-way voice communication throughout the flight.
"We'll be working with him to find the best winds aloft, for example," said Gregg Maryniak, X Prize Foundation executive director and mission control chief. And whereas Charles Lindbergh was on his own, mission control was set up to coordinate search and rescue throughout Erik Lindbergh's route. Lindbergh spent two days in March at Survival Systems Training Inc., in Groton, Connecticut, going through dunker training and open-water rescue procedures. "I recommend it to everyone," he said.
For flight training, the 1,000-hour pilot spent many weeks in Bend flying Lancair company airplanes loaded to simulate the mission plane. He also flew out over the Gulf of Mexico to get open-water experience. His first cross-country flight in The New Spirit of St. Louis was on April 4, when he flew from Bend to the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in St. Louis in seven hours. Far from detracting from the parallels to his grandfather's flight, Lindbergh believes all this planning, training, and technology are perfectly in keeping with the way the elder Lindbergh would have done it. And the process of preparing for his own flight has brought him a new appreciation for the young man who flew the primitive Ryan Special across the sea.
"I have come to understand that the odds of him surviving were not very good," Lindbergh said. "He did it through superior planning, hard work, and I know he hated the word lucky, but I can't help but think he was lucky." — Steve Lundgren
Museum of Flight acquires lost Wright archives
The Museum of Flight in Seattle has acquired an important collection of archival materials from the early days of the American aviation industry. The centerpiece of the collection is a set of business records from the Wright Company. There are original contracts, sales records, personnel records, and internal company memoranda. "These priceless records constitute nothing less than the birth certificate of the American aviation industry," said Ralph Bufano, museum president and CEO. The museum acquired the Wright papers from Joseph Gertler, a private collector in Florida. The archives were long thought to have been lost or destroyed.
PILOT HEADLINERS
Headlines pulled from the most recent edition of AOPA's e-mail newsletter
Cirrus 'troublechutes' problems
Cirrus Design Corporation continues to iron out problems with the emergency parachute system that is standard in its models. The company is currently planning to replace cables in the entire fleet of aircraft after a chute failed to pop during a flight near Lexington, Kentucky, in March. Cirrus said it found too much variability in the force required to set off the rocket that launches the chute even after owners complied with two service bulletins, one of which later became an AD.
Cessna to move prop plant
Cessna Aircraft Company said it will move its McCauley Propeller Systems plant out of Dayton. McCauley will be consolidated with Cessna's facility in Columbus, Georgia, which produces parts for its single-engine airplanes. Economic reasons were cited for the move. McCauley has been in Dayton for more than 60 years.
Diamond Star gets FAA certification
Diamond Aircraft has received FAA certification for the North American-built IFR four-seat DA40-180 Diamond Star. Deliveries to U.S. customers will begin immediately.
Mooney, Twin Commander take top spots in quality survey
Mooney, Vans, and Socata, respectively, were ranked as the top three aircraft manufacturers by owners based on quality in the recently released results of an online survey. Conducted by Pilotreports Inc., a general aviation market research firm, the company's first Web-based survey was modeled after similar studies in the auto industry. Opinions were measured in six areas: comfort, performance, reliability, manufacturer support, exterior, and overall appeal.
Fighter jock show flames out
After only two episodes in a planned series of eight, the CBS reality show American Fighter Pilot is on "hiatus" because of low ratings. It may return this summer, according to a CBS spokesman. The show featured three men from different walks of life who were in training to become F-15 fighter pilots at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. An Air Force spokesman said that all three pilots passed their training and entered the Air Force fighter pilot roster.
To sign up for the free AOPA ePilot newsletter or to view the archive, see AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/epilot/).
Sun 'n Fun roundup
At the industry's first major trade show of the year there were some new aircraft, fancy new options on existing models, and at least a couple of things that, well, you usually don't see on a sunny April afternoon in Florida.
Aviat Aircraft Inc. introduced a new airplane at the 2002 Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In, a slimmed-down Husky with a lower price tag. The Husky Pup has a 160-horsepower engine (20 hp less than its older brother), a fixed-pitch prop instead of constant speed, and no flaps on the standard model. (They will be available as an option.) Cruise speed for the airplane is 122 knots, range is 1,000 miles with reserves, and useful load is 860 lb. The Sun 'n Fun show price was $110,000. Aviat expects to certify the airplane in July.
Meanwhile, in the composite world, big-aircraft technology continues to trickle down to general aviation. Cirrus Design Corporation and The Lancair Company are now offering all-electric airplanes eliminating vacuum systems altogether. Cirrus has introduced its next-generation entry-level SR20 Version 2.0 for the 2003 model year, while Lancair plans to deliver by late summer its first Columbia 350. The 350 all-electric system replaces the dual vacuum pumps now offered on the Columbia 300. "All-electric is the way the industry is headed," said Ron Wright, Lancair vice president. "It's been the standard in turbine aircraft for some time, and the technology is now within reach of the piston-aircraft market." The Cirrus SR22 also is all-electric.
OMF Aircraft plans to enhance the Symphony 160 by pursuing certification for IFR and night flight and seeking a useful-load increase of 10 percent. Company officials said that all of the engineering, including lightning tests, has been done and the paperwork has been filed with the FAA. The company hopes to have FAA approval this summer. The single-engine, two-place aircraft is geared toward the training market for its low operating and acquisition costs and easy flying characteristics.
Cessna Aircraft Company is now offering air conditioning as an option on Skyhawk and Skylane airplanes, boosting the prices by $19,850 and $22,850, respectively. Cessna is looking at adding the option to 206 Stationairs.
Bruce Bohannon was back again for a new Class C-1.b record attempt in the now-turbocharged Exxon Flyin' Tiger. Unofficially, calculations showed that he broke the record by reaching 37,536 feet. The results had yet to be verified at press time. Bohannon now has his eye on setting the 12,000-meter time-to-climb piston-engine record (39,370 ft) at Oshkosh this summer.
Bobby Younkin unveiled his latest aerobatic routine in a Learjet 23. The classic lines of the Learjet were unmistakable against the clouds as he looped and rolled his way through the Florida sky. The jet showed incredible vertical capability as he headed upstairs in short order. Younkin completed the performance without getting distracted when the space shuttle blasted off in the distance. For more Sun 'n Fun coverage, see AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/members/sunnfun02.html).
Oil analysis company passes the grease
Blackstone Laboratories, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, recently acquired Tulsa-based Engine Oil Analysis (EOA) when EOA's founder, Howard Fenton, retired after 35 years in the oil analysis business.
"I researched lots of other oil analysis companies for years and determined that [Blackstone] would be the best for my customers," said Fenton. EOA was unique among oil analysis companies in that it analyzed oil samples only from general aviation aircraft rather than all vehicle types such as trucks and heavy machinery. In addition to the spectrometer's raw-data report, Fenton, a pilot and military-trained mechanic, would give owners an expert opinion of any potential engine problems or spiked readings.
Blackstone Labs processes samples from all types of vehicles. However, company President Jim Stark says Blackstone takes special interest in samples from piston and turbine aircraft because he is a private pilot and A&P mechanic. Blackstone says it will provide a more detailed report of the data compared to EOA's, and will continue EOA's practice of adding an expert's opinion. In addition to faxed and mailed reports, Blackstone can send reports via e-mail. It also accepts credit card payments.
Fenton will still be used as a consultant, analyzing data as well as filter/screen particle analysis at Second OilPinion in Tulsa (918/492-5844). Blackstone Labs can be reached at 219/744-2380, or visit the Web site ( www.blackstone-labs.com). — Peter A. Bedell
Avionics pioneer dies at 83
Paul Wulfsberg, founder of Wulfsberg Electronics and inventor of the Flitefone, died February 18 in Prairie Village, Kansas. He was 83.
Wulfsberg began his career at Collins Radio Company, where from 1940 to 1965 he developed a line of air transport navigation and communications equipment. From there, Wulfsberg went to King Radio (1965 to 1970) and played a critical part in creating the Gold Crown radio line. When he went solo, launching his own company, Wulfsberg Electronics, he created a unique air-to-ground radio telephone, the Flitefone. Additional products included a six-channel, two-way crystal FM radio for police and fire rescue personnel. The company was sold to Sundstrand Corporation upon Wulfsberg's retirement in 1984, and is now owned by Chelton Avionics. Wulfsberg Electronics employs more than 100 people and boasts annual sales of more than $20 million. — Julie K. Boatman
Members in the news
George Erickson, AOPA 1210826, has written True North: Exploring the Great Wilderness by Bush Plane, published by The Lyons Press. Erickson is a dentist-turned-bush-pilot who explored the Far North by PA-11 Piper Cub Special floatplane, and he recounts his adventures with bad weather, forest fires, polar bears, killer whales, musk oxen, and caribou. The book is available in most bookstores for $24.95, or by calling the publisher at 800/962-0973. For more information, visit the Web site ( www.zackcompany.com/titles/truenorth.htm).
Richard Chittick, AOPA 676172, has received the Army's Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service for his flights as a medevac pilot during the September 11 attack by terrorists on the Pentagon. Chittick, a pilot for the MedStar unit of the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., carried burn victims from the site on two flights.
Ian Marshall, AOPA 3212534, has written Flying Boats: The J-Class Yachts of Aviation, published by Howell Press. The 12-by-10-inch book includes 67 color paintings and 49 black-and-white pencil sketches. Since airfields were a rarity in the 1930s, a romantic age of flying boats resulted. The book captures these beautiful airplanes and their exotic ports of call. Available in most bookstores for $50.
Kirby Ortega, AOPA 1195127, has been named National Flight Instructor of the Year for 2002. Ortega of Wichita serves as the supervisor for training at Cessna Aircraft Company. He started flying in 1974 through the Cessna Employees Flying Club and is checked out in all Cessna aircraft from piston singles to jets. Ortega is also an AOPA Project Pilot Instructor and has been designated a Master CFI by the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). "I'm hoping that with this designation I can put it to use in a positive manner for the next year benefiting general aviation and AOPA," he said.
Earl Rogers, AOPA 1182609, has written the self-published Flying the Rim about prospecting for uranium in a Piper Super Cub in the 1950s. A pilot in the postwar propeller Navy, Rogers recounts his return to flying after a two-decade hiatus. The $12.95 book can be ordered on the Web ( www.flyingtherim.com), or the author may be contacted via e-mail ( [email protected]).
Jack Gatton, AOPA 500479, has published Ever the Eagle, a novel about a World War II fighter ace named Tommy Chandler who returns to the states and becomes a test pilot as the military transitions from propeller-driven to jet-propelled aircraft. The tensions developing between Soviet Russia and the West accelerate the design and testing of a series of critical fighters — the F-80, F-84, and F-86. He later flies a hundred combat missions over Korea and becomes an early jet ace while being shot down twice in the process. The book is available for $21.95 through PublishAmerica by calling 877/333-7422 or by mailing orders to PublishAmerica Inc., Post Office Box 151, Frederick, Maryland 21705.
Squawk Sheet
The FAA in early April issued an airworthiness directive (AD) mandating inspection and replacement of faulty horizontal stabilizer reinforcement brackets installed on various Cessna 206, 207, and 210 airplanes. An April 2001 AD addressed these airplanes, but Cessna pointed out that some airplanes affected by the 2001 AD may have received faulty reinforcement brackets as replacement parts. For the new AD, AOPA recommended that the FAA include a provision to allow owners to do a simple logbook inspection in lieu of a visual inspection to determine whether suspect parts were installed. The FAA incorporated the logbook inspection into the final AD. Aircraft owners with brackets shipped from Cessna between February 27, 1998, and March 17, 2000, must inspect them to confirm the presence of seam welds. Brackets without proper seam welds must be replaced.
Related Articles
