EAA Sport Aviation - September 2009

Proposed Warbird Operating
Limits, Inspection Standards
Coming Soon

Groups within the warbirds community, includ- ing EAA Warbirds of America (WOA), the Classic Jet Aircraft Association, the Commemorative Air Force, and others, are working with the FAA to rewrite the operating limits on warbirds. Bill Fischer, WOA executive director, said the group’s goal is to make the limits less restrictive without compromising flight safety. They want limitations to be based on known concerns or deficiencies in the warbird industry or in specific aircraft, not on speculative “what-ifs.” The warbird community also aims to make the regulations clearer and more concise.

The inspection program, Fischer said, needs to be standardized and clarified, so owners, mechanics, and inspectors know consistently what is required.

The warbird community has worked closely with the FAA’s Aircraft Certification, Flight Standards, and Aircraft Maintenance branches and its Small Airplane Directorate. It’s been a slow process, Fischer said, but a productive one. The FAA is expected to issue the new operating limitations and inspection standards for public comment sometime this fall.

Three New EAA Directors
Are Homebuilders

Three new directors, all homebuilders, were elected to serve three-year terms on the EAA board at the annual meeting during AirVenture. They are Eileen

Drake (building an RV- 8), Barry Davis (who formed the Big

Piet Builders Group), and Jim Phillips (an RV builder).

Also re-elected to three-year terms were Jack Harrington, David Lau, Dave Pasahow, Dan Schwinn, and Alan Shackleton.

ConocoPhillips Doubles
Young Eagles Fuel Rebate

Rod Palmer, general manager of Phillips 66 Aviation, announced the doubling of ConocoPhillips’ fuel rebate for Young Eagles volunteer pilots—to $2 per gallon, effective through December 31, 2009.

Phillips, presenting sponsor of Young Eagles, has been supporting the fuel rebate program since 1994. The rebate to volunteer pilots helped the program achieve its original goal of one million flights. More than 4,000 pilots have taken advantage, introducing more than 350,000 kids to the wonders of flight.