EAA Chapter 211 has been working on the APM's American Eaglet project, and every week APM Director Gary van Farowe says there are four or five volunteers to help with the aircraft. These photos were taken today showing paint on the fuselage fabric, and the second wing almost ready to cover.

I’m sure a lot of our regular viewers were aware that AAA Founder/President Robert Taylor’s old Lockheed Vega has been undergoing an extensive restoration these last few years.

Well today (12-17-13) on the 110th Anniversary of Powered Flight, NC12288 returned to the skies under the capable hands of current owner/pilot John Magoffin.

John choose to have NC12288 (a DL-1B Special sn#161) painted in the markings of the Army Air Corps YIC-12 which was a DL-1 sn#158.

Congratulations go out to Rick Barter, whose hard work brought the Vega back to life, and to John Magoffin for the time, money and effort to make it all possible.

Somewhere up there, APM Founder Jack Lowe and brothers Lyle & Tom Hoselton are smiling.

The latest issue of the Antique Airfield Runway will be headed to the printers later this week. Look for it in your mailboxes around New Years!

Here's the latest issue of AAA Lifetime member Greg Herrick's (publisher) AircraftOwner online magazine.

On the cover of this issue is AAA member Robert "Buzz" Penny's one of a kind Pasped Skylark (the 2002 Grand Champion Antique at the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in). AAA Executive Director Brent Taylor's "View from the Cockpit" appears on page 6 of this issue and delivers some "authentically Brent Taylor" out of the hangar thinking.

Also check out AAA Lifetime member Dr. Brent Blue's thoughts on the FAA BMI/neck circumference issue on page 12.

EAA Chapter 431, in Brodhead, WI, has graciously allowed us to reprint this news:

Eric Berens of Stevens Point, Wis. celebrated a major milestone on the restoration of his 1929 Travel Air with the first flight on Friday, November 15, 2013. Eric sent the following information:

NC 666H is a 1929 Travel Air, Model 2000 with a Curtiss OXX-6 engine, dual ignition, liquid cooled, 102 hp, a 102" Ole Fahlin propeller, 30×5 inch wheels. Restored by Kent McMakin at the Brodhead Airport. Chad Willie helped with the engine. It is painted in its original colors "Travel Air Blue", with silver wings. Original period instruments are installed and the interior is duplicated from original fabric. Peter Bryn, a long time, well known Travel Air flyer and collector of Dazey, N.D. owned and soloed in this aircraft on October 24, 1936 and it remained with his family from whom I got it. Terry Bryn, Pete's son, reviewed his Dad's logbook noting that NC 666H's last flight was October 24, 1937. So last Friday's flight was its first flight in 76 years and 22 days.

Here are chapter newsletters for December from the Texas, Florida Cub Flyers, Northwest Missouri Chapter, and the Florida Antique Biplane Association. Chili Feeds, thrills from dust devils, sugar tours, and lots more - don't miss it.

The Florida Antique Biplane Association's article on Grass Roots Aviation summarizes why we fly very nicely:

Grass Roots Aviation

It all started this way. So, why not continue that tradition? We in the Florida Antique Biplane Association are attempting to keep the flame alive by continuing to fly at the grass roots level. We fly low and slow, enjoying the liberating sensation of flight, the smell of avgas exhaust, the wind blowing around you and sometimes depositing tiny droplets of oil on your goggles and windscreen, the sound of an antique round engine roaring, the whistling of the flying wires, grasping a man sized stick or ancient control wheel reminiscent of a boat wheel to control roll and pitch, understanding that attention to and input to the rudders pedals is absolutely mandatory, and the awe of seeing the ground from above. All at an altitude and speed where you can actually define detail. This is REAL flying, not sitting in a silver tube of one sort or another.

Photo by Gilles Auliard

It seems every day we read/hear about another out of touch federal bureaucracy run further amok. Such is the case with the news this week that the FAA plans to start requiring BMI and neck circumference checks on flight physicals. The official explanation is one of trying to diagnose that segment of pilots suffering from sleep apnea and require them to undergo expensive diagnosis and treatment. All under the guise of enhancing safety of course.

As would be expected, the various internet forums, facebook, and aviation's alphabet organizations websites have been giving extensive play to this latest of onerous proposals. However the question begs whether the aviation "community" as a whole is paying attention. More likely is the usual reaction of the pilot community: sit back and let the aforementioned alphabet groups handle it.

I’m certain that the "let George handle it" reaction is due to having to deal with more important matters in ones life like family & work, plus a weariness of being besieged almost weekly with yet another new FAA safety enhancing policy/regulation.

So what to do to get those most affected by such proposals to not simply "let George do it" but become personally engaged? Press releases, call to action emails and petition drives are important but something else is needed to help garner the attention of those most affected. That's were the following items come into play.

It is said; 1. That you often have to use absurdity to demonstrate the absurd and 2. "Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful" – Molly Ivins. In the vein of number one we offer AAA Lifetime member Greg Herrick's "Airman's Phrenology Exam Chart" and for number two, AAA national Director Paul Berge's FAA's BMI Explained.

We hope these sarcastic examples might spur our readers into more proactive participation to independently begin contacting your local flight surgeon, voicing your displeasure at this onerous change and encouraging them to join with the aviation community in seeing this proposed change to flight medical standards end up in the annuals of unnecessary medical testing/procedures... like "Bloodletting"

Brent Taylor

Addison Pemberton updated us on the progress on his Goose project:

Like Cortez sinking all his ships to ensure exploration success in the new world, the Center Section install now means the only way the Goose will leave Felts is under its own power as a flying airplane. We are now fully committed to success. Of course if Cortez had a Grumman Goose he could done his exploration efforts much more efficiently than in 6 knot sailing ships with a bunch of stinky moody men active with scurvy.

We are now 1 year into the Goose project and have now finished the mammoth job on the Center Section repair and sealing efforts. Like all old airplane projects quick sand quickly showed us that the CS repair and sealing efforts were going to be a major 1000 man-hour effort. We now fell like we have unveiled all the sins that the airplane has to show us. The Center Section in now in plumb/square and fits perfectly.

We are now onto the fuse repair which will go faster, and we will have the airframe ready for acid etch, Alodine, epoxy prime and final color by spring time. Then all the now-overhauled subassemblies we are putting on shelves as we complete them will start to be installed including all new systems. On the positive side we now have all of our paper work in line and have FAA approval to install the Hydromatic props and feather pumps we want to install for safety and performance.

After shooting -6 rivets all year it's a wonder any of us can still hear any more. The 2X 15 second hits really make for noisy hanger nights.

More to come what a great year with a great stream of talented volunteers so far on the project. We still feel like a 1st flight is very possible the summer of 2015.

Goose project Facebook

Rich Aldredge updated us on Jim Moss' QED reproduction:

QED Team,

I apologize it has been quite a while since I put out an update. Flight testing has continued despite some really uncooperative weather. We have completed almost all the flight test conditions. The last set we did were climb performance runs.

For these tests we set the power at a rather moderate 35 inches of manifold pressure and 2500 RPM. Somewhere near a 60% power setting. Didn't go to the full continuous power setting knowing that our pitch angles to hold desired airspeeds were going to get rather severe and time to climb was going to be rather short for the ceilings we had. Test results showed Vy to be between 90 & 95 Kts with climb performance around 2000 feet per minute at that power setting. Not bad for a little ole distance racing machine.

The next and final set of tests we had planned were flutter. Knowing we wanted to take the Big, Beautiful Beast (3B) down this winter for some modifications it was decided to forego the flutter test until these mods were complete. Our attentions then shifted to making sure we were able/ready to take 3B back home for the winter. Yesterday we succeeded in doing just that.

Wednesday dawned crisp, bright and sunny here in the Puget Sound. Carter was locked in the sim until mid morning but by 1100 we were on our way to KOLM to roll 3B out and get it ready for its trip back home. Things were also make ready at South Prairie airport, all potential obstacles were removed for an approach from the north over the road and landing to the south. Arrangements were made to block traffic so Carter could use the road as a threshold for touchdown. At around 1400 the QED arrived in the area and Carter made a low pass from each direction. Winds were light and out of the North but it was decided to land to the south with a light tailwind rather than try to drop over the trees on the south end for a north landing.

Carter did a beautiful job of getting the mains on the ground about 200 feet past the road. Touchdown speed was around 95 Kts. As the attached video (taken by neighbors Mark & Jane Carino) shows 3B was determined to take a good look at the entire length of the runway. Not that it was ever in doubt but I suspect a number of spectators held their breaths for the entire rollout. I know I did.

Now that 3B is back home we can get started on the planned modifications. Among other things we will be moving the fuel farther forward to put its moment arm closer to the wings center of lift (somewhere nearer 25% MAC) This will allow us to load full fuel and have someone in the aft cockpit and stay within a safe CG limit. If all goes well mods should be finished and 3B will be ready to complete the final few hours of Phase 1 flight testing early next spring. After that it is off to the makeup studio for touchups and jewelry and then out to share with the rest of the aviation world another one of Jim Moss' beautiful creations, his QED.

Will try to keep the team informed as to progress during the winter. I will also be sending out a separate email within the next couple of days with some of the photos taken during the photo shoot a few weeks back. Lyle Jansma got some really great photos he wants to share with the team.

More later,
Rich

November issues for the Florida Cub Flyers and the Florida Antique Biplane Association. Grass Roots fly-in, more scuzz running, and more.