www.PSFmagazine.com | October-November 2018 | 17 16 | October-November 2018 | Powered Sport Flying AirVenture 2018 by Paul Fiebich EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin is almost a living thing; constantly changing, evolving, and always better than the previous year. This year half a million people enjoyed what has become known as the world’s “Greatest Aviation Celebration.” eaa founder Paul Poberezny once described it as a huge family fly-in. My trip to AirVenture began at 4:00 am when I left Derby, Kansas for the 14-hour drive to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I was on the road before the sun rose and enjoyed seeing it rise in my windshield. I arrived at 6:00 pm at the eaa Chapter Picnic Shelter in Camp Scholler in time to enjoy the corn and bratwurst feed. Shortly after, eaa ceo Jack Pelton and Chapter Representative Charlie Becker made the building’s dedication. Monday was a new day. At 2:30 the daily afternoon air shows begin; Monday’s feature was Warbirds In Review. That evening Dustin Lynch and Maddie & Tae performed at the opening night concert adjacent to Boeing Plaza. Takeoffs and landing of light aircraft delighted others at the Fun Fly Zone. In full darkness, half a dozen lighter-than-air craft added illuminated color during the balloon glow. The week was off to a great start. Like the saying goes; “ya shudda been there!” Of all the interesting activities at AirVenture, I will address several airplane vendors and some related items of greatest interest. Most interesting was finding what was new in the light plane world; this of course meant perusing the Fun Fly Zone, formerly called the Ultralight Field. Team Aircraft’s side-by-side lsa, the Epic Sport, is nearing completion and Director of Operations, David Cooper, plans to have it flying this fall. Features incorporated since 2017 are a skylight, bench seat, four-point harnesses, and hinged engine cowl doors. Bubble side doors are planned for this prototype and likely will be an option on the kit production versions. Contact David.Cooper@teamminimax.com for more information. Fisher Flying Products had two planes on display, one a Dakota Hawk and their Classic biplane with serial #1 owned AirVenture Experience Support Our Advertisers by Doug and Judy Range of Kansas. Fisher Flying Products plans to use the D-motor in several of their planes. Visit www.d-motor.eu for more information. Just Aircraft’s “Just 103” was absent this year; I had hoped to do a follow-up after seeing only the welded tubular frame on display last year. Major changes were still underway and the plane wasn’t ready for AirVenture. Those changes include eliminating the singular tubular aft fuselage and replacing it with one made of built-up chrome-moly. A decision has been made to use the Polini 40-HP 2-stroker. Following a ruinous landing in Alaska during a demonstration tour this past year, James Wiebe, ceo of Belite aircraft, seized the opportunity to make several design changes on Chipper, his most recent design. He created a new plane identified as Chipper too which will be flying by the time you read this. It will be available both as a taildragger and with tricycle gear. The new Chipper too features leading edge slats, brakes on all four pedals, Radiant Technology instruments, Sensenich 3D carbon fiber propeller, 130 HP UL Power 350IS engine and was displayed with 22'' balloon tires. The plane is named “Spirit of Wichita” and displays a huge Wichita city flag on its flank.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUwNDI3MA==