In Flight USA September 2025 by In Flight USA

From Bright Shiny Jets to Aviation-Industry Disruptor

Calendar of Events

To list your group’s event on a space available basis, please send your event notice with date, time, place w/city and state, contact name, and phone number to: Calendar, In Flight USA, P.O. Box 5402, San Mateo, Calif. 94402, or email vickie@inflightusa.com.

Note: Calendar includes only information available by our press date. Confirm the status before attending.

SEPTEMBER

2-4: Commercial UAV Expo, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, NV, expouav.com

5-6: Thunder Over the Waves, Wildwood, NJ, NJ, wildwoodsnj.com/wildwoods-air-show

6-7: Sky High Aerospace Expo and FlyIn Maxton, NC, Quality Airshow Sound, skyhighexpo.com

6-7: CAF High Sky Wing Airsho, Midland, TX, facebook.com/airsho

6-7: Northern Illinois Airshow

Waukegan, IL, F-16 Viper Demo Team, www.northernillinoisairshow.com

6-7: Thunder Over New Hampshire 2025 Air Show, Portsmouth, NH U.S. Navy Blue Angels, F-35A Lightning I, Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Shows, Third Strike Wingwalking, thunderovernewhampshire.com

10-14: National Championship Air Races Roswell, NM, airrace.org

13-14: North Alabama Airfest, Decatur, AL, U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, Titan Aerobatic Team, flydcu. com/north-alabama-airfest

13-14: JB Andrews Air Show, JB Andrews, MD, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, F-35A Lightning I, Ladies for Liberty, www.jbandrewsairshow.com

13-14: Colorado Tribute to Aviation, Montrose, CO, montroseairport. com/212/Tribute-to-Aviation

19: Angel Flight West 2025 Golf Classic, Dana Point, CA angelflightwest.org/golf 19-20: U.S. Aircraft Expo Denver, CO, Sheltair Aviation, Scottsdale, AZ usaircraftexpo.com/denver2025

19-21: Fabric Piper Restoration Seminar, Aurora, CO. Univair Aircraft Corporation. www.univair.com.

20-21: The Great Colorado Air Show Loveland, CO, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, greatcoloradoairshow.com

20-21: NJ Air Show, West Milford, NJ, njairshow.com

21: Hayward Airport Open House, Hayward, CA, haywardairportopenhouse. com

26-28: MCAS Miramar Air Show, San Diego, CA, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, miramarairshow.com

27: Frederick Festival of Flight Frederick, MD, www.cityoffrederickmd. gov/1698/Frederick-Festival-of-Flight

27: Wings Over the Westside Coalinga, CA, www.coalingachamber.com/wingsover-the-westside-event

27-28: Pueblo Wings of Pride Airshow, Pueblo, CO U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, pueblowingsofpride.com

OCTOBER

Oct 3-5: Pacific Air Show Huntington Beach, pacificairshowusa.com

3-5: California International Airshow Salinas, CA, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, F-16 Viper Demo Team, www.salinasairshow.com

3:5: Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach, CA U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, pacificairshow.com

4: War Birds Over the Beach, Virginia Beach, VA, militaryaviationmuseum. org

4-5: Rose City Airfest, Tyler, TX Adam Baker Airshows, Commemorative Air Force, ExtremeFlight, www.rosecityairfest.com

10: U.S. Aircraft Expo San Diego, Carlsbad, CA, usaircraftexpo.com/sandiego2025

10-12: San Francisco Fleet Week, San Francisco, CA, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, fleetweeksf.org

11: Apple Valley Airshow and Car Show, Apple Valley, CA, www.applevalleyairshow.com

11: Culpeper Air Fest 2025, Culpeper, VA, Flying Circus Airshow, www. culpeperairfest.com

11-12: Air Dot Show Atlanta Peachtree City, GA U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, air.show/atlanta

11-12: Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow Hammond, LA F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, Titan Aerobatic Team, hammondairshow.com

14-16: NBAA-BACE, Las Vegas, NV, nbaa.org

17-19: Wings Over Houston Airshow, Houston, TX, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, wingsoverhouston.com

18-19: Wings Over North Georgia Rome, GA U.S. Navy Blue Angels, Ladies for Liberty, LLC, wingsovernorthgeorgia.com

25-26: Air Dot Show Orlando, Orlando (Sanford), FL, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, air.show/orlando

FLY HIGH

The Shining Star of ShinyJets takes Aircraft Detailing to a Whole New Level An Interview with Brett Berry

By Annamarie Buonocore

ShinyJets is a Southern California aircraft detailing company that has taken the art of making planes shiny and turned it into a business empire and aviation-industry disruptor. With online courses, a new line of detailing products, and SAAS (Software As a Service) in the making, there is a great deal of excitement happening at ShinyJets. They are opening career doors in the aviation industry, getting innovative with detailing, and most of all, keeping planes shiny all over the world. This month, we sat down with owner Brett Berry to discuss new developments at ShinyJets.

In Flight USA: My first question is, since we did our last interview, what is new at ShinyJets?

Brett Berry: We’ve started multiple

types of training such as online and hybrid courses, which involve the online course and then five days of hands-on training. We have private training where I come to your FBO or your repair station and do a private five-day training for your group of detailers. I have two-day bright work courses and then I have two-day one-on-one courses where they come to me. So, yes, there is a lot going on here, and we’re busy!

IFUSA: Wow! That’s exciting. I know we were talking about that last time. You teach people how to detail. Tell me more about the teaching process and what is great about it?

BB: Yes, I’m having a blast teaching people how to properly and safely detail aircraft. And then also on top

Attention West Coast Pilots!

of the training, I’ve come out with a whole detailing product line called Fly Shiny.

IFUSA: That’s new. Are these detailing products that you use on aircraft? Can they be purchased in stores or on your website?

BB: They’re not in stores yet, but they can be purchased on our website just like the training: www.flyshiny.com.

IFUSA: That’s great. Tell me more about how your online courses work? Are they self-paced or Zoom meetings?

BB: Yes, they are self-paced. You purchase the course through our website. Then you receive an email, and you can take the course from your couch in your spare time and take as much time as you need. Instead of having to

new developments at

company, including a new line of detailing products, training courses and soon-to-be-released software. (Photo courtesy ShinyJets)

Continued on Page 9

Brett Berry, owner of ShinyJets, reveals

his

Epic Aircraft Announces FAA Certification of E1000AX.. 12

Aerial Applicators Seeding Cover Crops for Early Fall 13

Sect. Duffy, FAA Celebrate 1,000th Commercial Space Op16 FAA Issues Accreditation Letters to NCAR 20

NCAR Reveals Full Competitor Lineup for 2025 20

Unlimited and Sport Classes Opt Out of NCAR 2025 21

RARA Offers Refunds After Two Classes Withdraw 21

NCAR Responds to Fans: “We Hear You” ......................... 22 EAA’s

T. Glessner, M.S.,

INSURING THE AVIATION COMMUNITY SINCE

For the past 35 years, Zanette Aviation Insurance Service has offered impeccable service to pilots and aviation-related businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond Contact us today for your aviation insurance needs

Cover Photo courtesy ShinyJets

Whirlybirds The Ups and Downs of Flight Training By Ed Downs

This month’s NASA CALLBACK publication hit home with this writer and reminded me that even experienced pilots can make basic errors. The topic in question was aborted take-offs. One account in particular caught my attention, as it incorporated an aborted takeoff that resulted from a simple pre-flight inspection error, failure to remove pitot tub covers.

It was the early 21st century and my company was manufacturing a very cute and capable ultralight airplane. Not like the typical “flying lawn chair,” this little plane was every bit a real airplane and a hoot to fly. Enormously popular, it could be purchased as a kit or ready to fly. As often happens, popularity can also lead to challenges, in this case, a backlog of orders and delayed deliveries.

Publisher/Editor

Managing Editor .............................................................Annamarie Buonocore

Production Editors ...................................................Matt DuBois, Steve Pastis

Associate Editors...... Nicholas A. Veronico, Sagar Pathak, Paul T. Glessner

Staff Contributors ..............S. Mark Rhodes, Larry Nazimek, Lea Buonocore

Columnists...Eric McCarthy, Ed Wischmeyer, Denise DeGregoire, Ed Downs

In Flight USA is published each month by In Flight Publishing. It is circulated throughout the continental United States. Business matters, advertising and editorial concerns should be addressed to In Flight USA, P.O. Box 5402, San Mateo, Calif. 94402 or by calling (650) 358-9908–fax (650) 358-9254. Copyright © 2008 In Flight Publishing.

In Flight USA is not responsible for any action taken by any person as a result of reading any part of any issue. The pieces are written for information, entertainment and suggestion – not recommendation. The pursuit of flight or any action reflected by this paper is the responsibility of the individual and not of this paper, its staff or contributors. Opinions expressed are those of the individual author, and not necessarily those of In Flight USA

All editorial and advertising matter in this edition is copyrighted. Reproduction in any way is strictly prohibited without written permission of the publisher.

In Flight USA is not liable or in any way responsible for the condition or airworthiness of any aircraft advertised for sale in any edition. By law the airworthiness of any aircraft sold is the responsiblity of the seller and buyer.

Such was the case when a righteously upset purchaser of a ready to fly version of the ultralight showed up at the plant, demanding immediate delivery of his plane. The delivery crew was in the final process of assembly, with only nuts and bolts to be tightened. But per policy, no airplane was delivered to a customer without me conducting a thorough pre-flight inspection and test flight. Is the reader adding up the potential for error? Angry customer, rush to completion and a needed test flight, all in compressed time… a recipe for trouble. We invited the customer to tour the plant and join one of our team members for breakfast at a fine eatery a few miles from the airport… yep… stalling for time. Grabbing the opportunity, the delivery team rushed into my office… the little bird was ready to be flown.

Now, let’s go back in time to the late1950’s. A good friend and mentor, Bill, was a highly-skilled helicopter pilot. Flying his Bell 47, Bill had been a MASH pilot in Korea and was working for the TV studios filming a helicopter adventure series called “Whirlybirds.” Bill offered me helicopter lessons, and I jumped at the chance. Bill taught a meticulous pre-flight. On take-off, Bill always brought the chopper to about a three-foot hover, paused, and gave the controls a very slight “wiggle” to give the machine a chance to “talk” to him. In other words, did he feel any-

thing that might not seem quite right?

The idea was, that if you did sense an anomaly, just lower the collective and settle harmlessly to the ground. Do not go airborne with a broken machine and try to solve the problem in flight. This kid latched on to that technique and from that point on always gave the controls on all the machines I flew for first flights or after major maintenance a little “wiggle” before the wheels left the ground.

Back to the 21st century. The customer’s plane looked great and was ready to go. Following an abbreviated walk-around (the customer would be back at any minute!) a quick engine start was followed by a run up and then power up for the five-second-ground roll. The slight “wiggle” was routinely applied, but the results were not routine. The left wing slammed down, and the plane veered to the left. Instantly realizing that the “wiggle” had caused the event, I let go of the stick and killed the engine, allowing the plane to gently depart the runway on to surrounding smooth grass. No damage, but a very concerned test pilot.

My crew raced over, and we carefully began to inspect the plane. To everyone’s astonishment, the ailerons had been hooked up in reverse. The “wiggle” had made things go the wrong way and I had instinctively tried to correct it, dropping the wing. By letting go, the natural stability of the plane took over and all ended well. Yes, I had checked the ailerons on the walk around and run-up but did not see that they were moving incorrectly. Quickly corrected before the customer returned, a very successful test flight followed, with the little plane in perfect rig. All good, except for the ego of an experienced and skilled test pilot who had just made a very dumb mistake. This writer does not know of a single instance in which an actual control reversal that got airborne survived.

It’s not hard to figure out the moral of this story, is it? FAR 91.3 and FAR 91.103 both deal with the responsibility of the pilot in command, which includes assuring that the aircraft to be flown is in airworthy condition. Fur-

Whirlybirds

Continued from Page 6

thermore, the pilot in command must have “all available information” about the aircraft in terms of performance and operation. Those responsibilities also include maintenance status (annual/100 hour inspection) and paperwork on board the plane… even if a rental. All of us were taught the importance of pre-flighting an airplane. But all too often, that pre-flight becomes a routine event, with items being looked at, but not actually checked for normal operation. Yes, I had moved the ailerons, both on the walk-around and run up pre-flight. They moved just fine, just the wrong way.

Once again, it was an early mentor that gave me good advice, which in this case, I had failed to follow. This gent, a highly skilled A&P mechanic, and FAA Aircraft Inspector (AI), advised, “It may be hard to think this way, but do not approach an airplane as if it your friend, expecting it to take care of you. Walk up to your plane and ask it the question… are your going to try and hurt me today?” My friend, who was a

big, tough guy, continued with surprising understanding and respect, “Be sure to keep your hand touching the plane as your walk around, let it talk to you.”

Interesting, airplanes can talk like helicopters. The advice went on, “go negative, look for what might be wrong. If you expect everything to always be good, it will be, even if not. Look for the bad things and you will find them.” Yes, this sounds like the “Zen” approach to dealing with a machine… but it works! Think of checking flight controls. Most will say they moved just fine. But did they move in the right direction? Did you perhaps hear a worn pully grinding away in the background, maybe a cable slapping? Did the control surface move fully to its stops?

While in the Air Force Reserves at March AFB, this writer was assigned to a Group flying old Korean War vintage C-119 transports, a huge twin boomed monster. The pilots were unable to see the control surfaces from the cockpit, so the standard pre-flight procedure had the flight engineer pop through a hatch in the top of the fuselage and call out

Continued on Page 33

Shining Star

Continued from Page 4

spend the time on travel with lodging, rental cars, and all that stuff, you can learn how to detail from the comfort of your own couch.

IFUSA: That’s great. Who is your target for the courses, private plane owners, FBOs, maintenance facilities?

BB: We seek MRO repair stations, FBO owners, detailing companies or auto detailers that want to break into the aviation industry, pilots who want a side gig… many different types of people who want to learn the art of details.

IFUSA: What are some good reasons to get into the detailing business?

BB: It has provided for my family and me for many years. One of the things I always tell my students is that when the economy takes a dive, people that own jets still have money. I don’t participate in recessions. It’s a somewhat recession-proof business. The jet owners will always have money.

IFUSA: I hope so. That brings me to my next question. What kind of airplanes do you usually work on? It’s not the small training aircraft, it’s more the jet line, right?

BB: Yes, we are more jet focused, but we work on all kinds of aircraft. Some of our current customers are Gulfstreams. We train detailers at Threshold Aviation in Chino, Calif. They’re a Gulfstream repair station, so we’ve got a plethora of heavy jets to work on.

IFUSA: Are Gulfstreams your favorite planes to work on?

BB: Yes, they are my favorite jets, but I also love detailing warbirds. The vintage ones are really fun. There’s a lot to learn there.

IFUSA: That sounds like a lot of fun! Do you have any special projects you’d like to tell us about?

BB: My students and I did the Lockheed Constellation. We were given a deadline so that the aircraft could make it to the Oshkosh airshow two years ago. I hired 15 of my previous students to come out and polish the bottom half of the fuselage on the “Connie” for six weeks.

IFUSA: Oh, how exciting! Was it a big rush to get it done? Did it go smoothly?

BB: It did. My students were very hard workers and understood how to bring a shine to the bare aluminum skin on the “Connie.” It was a lot of pressure meeting that deadline, but I am proud to say that we did it.

IFUSA: It sounds like you have some

With new software slated to be released in a year, ShinyJets is working to make the airplane detailing process seamless. (Photo courtesy ShinyJets)

great students! What are your plans going into 2026 for how to recruit more students or to expand your clientele and your detailing business?

BB: Our main focus is expanding the training, and we plan to take it to South America this year. That is our big project for 2026. We’re also revamping our online course. We’re doing a new online course. We’re also working on a SAAS software that companies can white label. It provides detailing price quotes and keeps track of detailing projects. It auto-generates the quote for them to approve, and then sends it to the customer. It saves time on quoting. Sometimes I have to spend time writing up price quotes after work. This software automates all of that. Detailers can embed this software on their websites and save a lot of time.

IFUSA: That sounds great. So, you developed the software yourself?

BB: Yes, I did. We plan to release it in about a year. It’s going to make the process so much more seamless.

IFUSA: Congratulations on that! That’s going to be really exciting.

BB: Then the most innovative thing that I’ve got going right now is we’re building AI software for aircraft detailing, so it’s going to be aircraftdetailing.ai. You’ll be able to purchase it on the app stores for Apple and Android. For a monthly subscription or buying tokens, it is like having me in your pocket. So, it’s AI software designed specifically for aircraft detailing training and advice.

IFUSA: That’s going to make it so much easier!

BB: Yes, you can take pictures of the aircraft to figure out what it needs. You can send out different options to customers, you can generate quotes, you can ask questions, and it’ll give you an

Goodbyes May Lead to New Beginnings Editorial By Ed Downs

As regular readers know, the editorial opinions expressed in In Flight USA Magazine are often qualified as those belonging to the author, not necessarily the In Flight USA team. The editorial liberties extended by In Flight USA management to this writer, and others, underscores this publication’s commitment to supporting a variety of opinions and subject material for more than 40 years. The result is a wide selection of articles and product offerings, in a “tabloid” format that is more a “news” magazine than just a collection of articles for reading entertainment. While industry, government, FAA, and other issues abound, this month’s comments are coming from the In Flight team, having learned that a much respected aviation publication, KITPLANES Magazine, has ceased publication. This has come as a surprise, a great loss to the family of publications that represent all aspects of aviation.

ered before. Submissions may be made to vickie@inflightusa.com, and additional details about In Flight USA obtained at www.inflightusa.com. Sure, advertising is welcome and appreciated. But of prime concern is that a movement started in the KITPLANE and amateur homebuilt community ¬– now reshaping the future of recreational and private flying – remain alive and well.

Our team recognizes that KITPLANES Magazine did much more than simply talk to “homebuilders” and kit plane enthusiasts. It represented the heart of sport, recreational and fun flying in planes that ranged from 40-mph ultralights to 300knot turboprops. KITPLANES allowed the voice of amateur-built aircraft fans and recreational pilots to be heard in a very public forum that does not need digital technology to enjoy. Most important, as an advertising vehicle, the recreational and fun side of flying learned of new products, services, and news via press releases and articles positioned by manufacturers. Indeed, a publication like In Flight USA could “rejoice” at the apparent demise of KITPLANES, as, to be quite frank, all publications of any subject compete for advertising dollars. But this time, there is a difference.

Really … “Reshaping the future of recreational and private flying?” Isn’t that taking “homebuilding” and “kit” airplanes just a bit far? In reading the preamble to MOSAIC, the thought is put forth that the FAA originated the original LSA and Sport Pilot rule to improve safety for folks flying planes that came out of the ultralight and homebuilt community. Now the FAA seeks the same credit for creating MOSAIC. Sure, the FAA played, and continues to play, an important role in the new regulations that will now cut pilot training cost in half and reduce the need for abusive Federal medical certificates, but the FAA adds little in the way of creativity. A read of the MOSIC preamble will, in fact, find the FAA most often supports their view with respect to answering comments with the position of “we have always done it that way in the past, and it has worked.” But even as these words are being keyed into this writer’s beat up old computer, it occurs to me that many of our present readers may not know of just how important the amateur built, and kit plane movements have been in support of recreational and private flying. Take just a moment to consider where the present MOSAIC rule came from.

The new MOSAIC rule will change the face of what has been traditional private pilot training, flying and the ownership of light aircraft. The new definition of a Light Sport Airplane (LSA) and Sport Pilot was created by aviation industry participants whose articles, advertisements and PR once filled the pages of KITPLANES In Flight USA recognizes the contributions made by the KITPLANES genre and formally extends an invitation to past KITPLANE contributors to submit news, stories, products, and services to In Flight USA, thereby staying in print and public view… at no charge. In Flight USA plans to hold dedicated space for the friends of KITPLANES, encouraging the contemporary In Flight USA readers to learn more about an entire side of aviation that they might not have consid-

The idea of “homebuilding” your own airplane is hardly new. I do not recall that the Wright Brothers purchased their plane from a factory! Virtually all airplanes up until WWI were the equivalent of “homebuilts.” By the time WWI ground to its tragic end, mass production had come into play, but private flying was for daredevils, usually flying surplus wartime trainers. Along came a guy in the early to mid-1920’s, named Ed Heath who figured it would be possible to sell a very light airplane that could be purchased ready to fly (about $500, big bucks in those days) or sold as plans with a material kit … a kit plane. Known as the “Heath Parasol,” this little single-seat airplane, powered by a converted motorcycle engine, became immediately popular. Shortly thereafter another gent, Orland Corben, introduced a similar, sin-

From Clipboard to Cloud: How Smarter Shop Tech is Changing GA Maintenance

By Lata Asnani

Walk into a hangar and it might seem like a choreographed dance of efficiency. Aircraft roll in, technicians dive into tasks, parts appear just in time, and inspections wrap up without a hitch. On the surface, everything hums.

But anyone who’s worked inside a shop knows that flow is fragile. Too often, it’s held together by a patchwork of handwritten notes, verbal updates, and legacy systems — each trying to keep pace with the real-time demands of modern maintenance.

Beneath the Surface: Cracks in the Workflow

• Job cards go missing, delayed, or misread

• Verbal updates get miscommunicated or forgotten

• Parts arrive too late — or not at all

• Labor hours logged after the fact — if at all

• Disconnected systems rely on manual reconciliation

These aren’t failures of effort —

they’re limitations of outdated infrastructure. And when the process relies on improvisation, the entire operation is at risk of missteps, delays, and lost productivity.

Building a Smarter Shop: The Digital Shift

So how do you move from that fragmented reality to something that actually works under pressure?

The answer lies in connected shop platforms. Already in use at many independent repair stations and fleet departments, these systems centralize everything from work orders to parts management to labor tracking — into a single, cloud-based environment, providing everyone with a unified view of the operations. And they’re only getting smarter, with real-time inputs from IoT-enabled tools and AI-driven insights helping techs and managers make faster, better-informed decisions.

These aren’t just management tools, they’re alignment tools. They improve how teams collaborate, how quickly

tasks move, and how proactively problems get resolved.

Work Orders: The Starting Point for Efficiency

Modern shop platforms bring structure to one of the most critical elements

of maintenance: the work order. By digitizing and centralizing task assignments, they eliminate paper trails and

Many independent repair stations and fleet departments use centralized systems for everything from work orders to parts management to labor tracking in a single, cloud-based environment, providing everyone with a unified view of maintenance operations.

Sept 7, 2025 | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

June 15, 2025 • 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Open Cockpit is when the museum’s visitors can view our famous aircraft including A-3 Skywarrior, A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair, Harrier jump-Jet T-39 Saberliner, Mustang P-51 ¾ scale, Cessna 0-2 and a Mig-15.

March 6, 2022 • Noon to 4 p.m.

Short Solent Flying Boat walk through tour for an additional fee.

Open Cockpit is when the museum’s visitors can view our famous aircraft including A-3 Skywarrior, A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair, Harrier jump-Jet, Hiller UH-12 E Helicopter,T-39 Saberliner, Mustang P-51 3⁄4 scale, Cessna 0-2, and Mig-15.

Short Solent Flying Boat walk through tour for an additional fee.

Short Solent Flying Boat walk-through tour for an additional fee.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

Short Solent Flying Boat walk through tour for an additional fee.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

Short Solent Flying Boat walk through tour for an additional fee.

• Color Guard.

Activities during Open Cockpit Day include:

• Color Guard

• Color Guard.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

Short Solent Flying Boat walk through tour for an additional fee.

• Color Guard.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

• Alfredo’s Catering will be offering refreshments for purchase.

Short Solent Flying Boat walk through tour for an additional fee.

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

• Color Guard.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

• Color Guard.

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

• European Train Enthusiasts exhibit.

• Color Guard.

• Oakland Airport Fire Department Display.

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

• Color Guard.

• European Train Enthusiasts exhibit.

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

• Southern Alameda County Radio Controllers RC aircraft display.

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

• European Train Enthusiasts Exhibit

• Southern Alameda County Radio Controllers RC aircraft display.

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

• Color Guard.

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

• Southern Alameda County Radio Controllers RC aircraft display.

• ORCA Ham Radio exhibit and demonstration.

• European Train Enthusiasts exhibit.

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

• Southern Alameda County Radio Controllers Model Aircraft Exhibit

• ORCA Ham Radio exhibit and demonstration.

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

• European Train Enthusiasts exhibit.

• Simulators available for an additional fee

• European Train Enthusiasts exhibit.

• ORCA Ham Radio exhibit and demonstration.

• Santa Clara Masonic Lodge will o er refreshments for purchase.

• Live music by The Friends of Ken Band.

• Southern Alameda County Radio Controllers RC aircraft display.

• ORCA Ham Radio exhibit and demonstration.

• Southern Alameda County Radio Controllers RC aircraft display.

Open Cockpit day is a GROUPON Blackout day

• European Train Enthusiasts exhibit.

• ORCA Ham Radio exhibit and demonstration.

• Simulators available for an additional fee

Open Cockpit day is a GROUPON Blackout day

• ORCA Ham Radio exhibit and demonstration.

Open Cockpit day is a GROUPON Blackout day

• Simulators available for an additional fee

• Southern Alameda County Radio Controllers RC aircraft display.

Earhart Road, Oakland, CA 94621 • oaklandaviationmuseum.org

Open Cockpit day is a GROUPON Blackout day

Open Cockpit day is a

• ORCA Ham Radio exhibit and demonstration.

• Simulators available for an additional fee

• Simulators available for an additional fee Open Cockpit day

8252 Earhart Road, Oakland, CA 94621 • oaklandaviationmuseum.org

(Photo courtesy Lata Asnani)

Coast Avionics, Inc. is the original FAA

Repair Station for Avionics at Treasure Coast International Airport (KFPR) in Fort Pierce, Florida. We have been serving pilots and aircraft owners in the Southeastern United States since 1990. Treasure Coast International Airport (KFPR), 3800 Saint Lucie Blvd., Fort Pierce, FL 34946 Phone: 772-464-3148 • Fax: 772-464-3197 • Se Habla Español tcavionics@gmail.com • www.treasurecoastavionics.com

Epic Aircraft Announced FAA Certification of E1000 AX

Next-generation model features Garmin Autothrottle and Autoland

Epic Aircraft on July 21announced FAA Type Certification (TC) of its latest high-performance, single-engine, turbine model, the E1000 AX. Delivering the same unparalleled performance as its predecessor and category-leading E1000 GX, the E1000 AX made its public debut April 1 to 6 at Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida.

“Aircraft deliveries will begin this week at factory headquarters in Bend, Oregon,” said Doug King, CEO of Epic Aircraft, LLC. “We just completed a record-breaking sales quarter, and July is already the best sales month in company history. All 2025 E1000 AX production positions are filled, and sales are brisk for 2026 deliveries.”

With a full fuel payload of 1,177 pounds and maximum cruise speed of 333 knots, the E1000 AX carries more and flies faster than any other single-engine turboprop. Additional performance highlights include a climb rate of 4,000 feet per minute, maximum range of 1,560 nautical miles, and 34,000 foot maximum altitude.

In addition to Garmin Autothrottle and Autoland — the latter to be activated upon final certification — the E1000 AX offers over 25 new features including the following:

• Automatic Yaw Damper – Engages automatically after takeoff and disengages before landing to maintain rudder coordination through the flight

• Electronic Brake Hold – Electronically applies the brakes to prevent aircraft movement

• Expansive Windscreen with CoolView Windows – Optimizes crew visibility, reduces glare, and provides UV protection

• Garmin GDL® 60 with PlaneSync™ Technology – Automates database updates, enables remote access to check the state of your airplane and simplifies flight plan entry

• GRA 5500 Radar Altimeter – Increases positional awareness with above-ground (AGL) radio altitude

• 3D SafeTaxi & Taxiway Routing (Optional) – Heightens positional awareness

• 8000 GWX 8000 StormOptix Weather Radar (Optional) – Increases safety with real-time depiction of thunderstorms

• True Blue Power Intelligent Lithium-Ion Batteries – Delivers longer life, higher voltage during engine starts and reduces maintenance costs

• CoolView Windows – Blocks over 73 percent of infrared or heat coming through cockpit and cabin windows

• Starlink High-Speed Internet (Optional) – Provides anytime, anywhere access

“I want to congratulate the Epic team on completing certification of the E1000 AX,” said Epic Aircraft, LLC owner and Silicon Valley resident, Tanya Eves. “This achievement demonstrates Epic’s dedication to ongoing innovation in general aviation.”

“Our owner is an accomplished pilot with a bold vision for transforming the aerospace industry through cutting-edge technology,“ said King. “The E1000 AX embodies that vision and is a testament to her passion for new aviation technology.”

For more information about Epic Aircraft, please visit epicaircraft.com.

Epic Aircraft on July 21, at AirVenture, announced FAA Type Certification (TC) of its latest high-performance, single-engine, turbine model, the E1000 AX. (Photo courtesy Epic Aircraft)

Aerial Applicators Seeding Cover Crops, Nourishing Soil This Late Summer and Early Fall

While farm fields will soon be harvested and the farm season begins to wind down, aerial applicators are still working by seeding cover crops via aircraft. You may continue to hear the hum of an aircraft’s engine this fall. One of the most promising conservation practices aerial applicators can assist farmers with is aerially applying cover crop seeds, which are grasses, legumes, small grains, and other low-maintenance crops planted specifically to improve soil health and biodiversity.

Growing cover crops increases soil carbon sequestration, which involves removing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Aerial applicators seed 3.8 million acres of cover crops annually, which means they are responsible for helping to sequester 1.9 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this would be the equivalent of removing approximately 412,000 cars with carbon-combustion engines from the roads each year.

“Fast-growing cover crops help anchor the soil, shielding it from erosion caused by wind, rain and melting snow,” said Andrew D. Moore, chief executive officer of NAAA. “By reducing soil loss and runoff, they contribute to cleaner water by limiting sediment in waterways.”

Cover crops are important to farmlands because they control erosion; nourish, retain and recycle soil nutrients; build organic matter and add hydration to improve soil health; improve water quality; and break disease and insect cycles. The roots of the cover crops

improve soil structure by creating passages that allow for increased moisture and aeration. Soil compaction is essentially eliminated when seeding is done aerially due to the application being made above the crop, not in the crop.

In addition, aerial applications enable the spread of cover crop seeds over the existing cash crop without disrupting the standing crop, allowing the cover crop to start growing before the cash crop is harvested. Using a terrestrial vehicle delays the grower from planting until their cash crop is out of the field. Ground seeding may not offer the best timing for establishing a larger, healthy cover crop, which can be less than ideal, especially in the northern regions of the U.S., where early frost can hinder cover crop growth if seeding is delayed. Aerial application can also be used when the soil is wet, allowing for the quick seeding of many acres. Farmers using climate-smart agricultural conservation practices, such as no-till and cover cropping, may be eligible for the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Conservation Technical Assistance producer-led grants and cost-share programs.

The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) represents the interests of the 1,560 small businesses in the U.S., whose owners and pilots are licensed as professional commercial aerial applicators that use aircraft to enhance food, fiber, and biofuel production, protect forestry and control health-threatening pests. For more information, visit AgAviation.org.

As the farm season begins to wind down, aerial applicators are still working by seeding cover crops via aircraft. (Photo courtesy The National Agricultural Aviation Association)

Bill “Tiger” Destefani – Enough Said?

By Paul T. Glessner, M.S., Assoc. Editor & Publisher

I recently connected with Bill “Tiger” Destefani in the last several months via Facebook and a friend of his. I hadn’t seen that smiling face of Bill’s since sitting across from him at the Reno Awards banquet in 2008. I was just another racing plane enthusiast since my first Reno Air Races in 1988. Meeting at Mojave Air & Spaceport Rutan Field’s “Plane Crazy Saturday (PCS)” on the 16th of August was a halfway point for us both and a no-brainer regarding airplanes.

Bill had some time on his hands that morning and got to the terminal a little while before me. He was taking advantage of Voyager Restaurant’s delicious food and view of the airport. I approached him, said our greetings, and my first thought was, as I see some 20 people enjoying the morning in the restaurant, “Has anyone come up to you and said ‘hello?’ “No one,” he replied and then added, “Nah, I don’t expect that when I am out and about at an airport.” We laughed about it.

Seven-time Reno Unlimited Air Race Champion! Wow. I was coming to attend PCS, see a good overview of flying the C-17 by USAF Capt. Warren Tichenor and see a good friend that I connected with as of late. I went into the conference room, briefly leaving Bill at his booth, to ensure we would have two seats. I apprised Mrs. Cathy Hansen, who is the airport’s treasurer and president of the Mojave Transportation Museum, who is present in the building – Tiger Destefani. She dropped what she was doing preparing for the talk and motivated herself over to the Voyager restaurant to rekindle a many decades-long aviation friendship with Tiger perpetuated by Al, her pilot-extraordinaire deceased husband. They talked, reminisced and laughed for 20 minutes and then we headed over for the presentation. Bill was pointed out at the presentation. I came prepared to capture a good overview of Bill and his life at 500 mph and here it is…

IFUSA PTG: Please tell us, Bill, how did you get started in aviation?

Tiger: Well, we’ve got to go back to when I was little. One of my uncles had a Luscombe and there are a few more farmers around in that close area of Bakersfield that all had Luscombes. So, they’d all go to Pismo Beach and land on the beach and climb the hills and such back in those days. So, that’s kind of how I got my first taste of aviation. And then, I always wanted to get a P-51 Mustang. But, you know, that is always just down the street; one of these days I’ll get one.

IFUSA PTG: How old were you, 10?

Tiger: Oh, I might have been 6-7 years old.

IFUSA PTG: And that’s what got you bitten?

Tiger: Super young. Yeah. Well, I remember flying around the ranch and my granny out there with a handkerchief

waving. Oh yeah, all of my family members right now and then and in those days had crop dusters. They were all doing all of their work with PT-17 Stearmans. And you know, there were no Turboprop Thrushes that had come along yet anyway. So, I’d hide out in the cotton field when they were coming, and you see those two wheels coming and they’d spray right over the top of my head. We didn’t give a darn about chemicals; it killed all the bugs that were in you.

I can’t remember the year; I think I was 34-years-old when I got spinal meningitis and I was in the hospital for 15 days. Damn near died and figured, ‘You know, when I get out of here, I’m going to buy a Mustang. Whatever it takes.’ So, I did and then got to flying it. As you know, the Reno deal, of course, had been going for a while. This was 1980. The first year went up there with Ron Hevli flying the Mustang. I didn’t have that much time, and I wasn’t going to do it till I was plenty proficient. At any rate, you know I got the bug.

IFUSA PTG: Was it your farming income that let you buy this?

Tiger: Yeah, actually, yeah. What happened was, when I found the airplane, it was $100,000. I did not have $100,000, but back in those days, there was a bank president in every bank. Right? Not like it is today. Okay. So, there was an aviation banker in our town, Bank of America. He financed guys with airplanes, so I went in there and talked to him. He was going to give me the money right then. I said, ‘Nah, let me bring you the paperwork first.’ Alright, well, he gave me the $100,000. So, every time I’d go in there, he’d jump on me and I’d bring him another $10,000 until I eventually got it paid

was a ‘pile.’ The biggest problem was – it was Russian made! What a pile of ****.

IFUSA PTG: So, all the while, you are moving to your desire to race planes, uh?

Tiger: Yeah, so, in 1980, I asked Hevle, ‘You want to go (racing)? You’re the pilot.’ So, we went up there and I think we finished about second or third. I think we won 15,000 bucks. I’m just the owner. I’m not flying yet. He flew my stuff up there three years before I ever got in the seat. I wanted plenty of time. I used to go flying every day in that Mustang, you know? And you’d go solo. It’s not a two-seater that you can take a friend in. Yeah, I had the seat in the back, but most of the time I was by myself. But I put a lot of time in that thing. I wanted to get so proficient before I ever went and did that (Reno).

IFUSA PTG: None of these Mustangs were tuned by taking out the OEM angles on the (flying) surfaces?

off.

IFUSA PTG: And what did you sell him on that you were going to use the plane for, that he thought this was a good business decision?

Tiger: I did not have to sell him on anything. He just liked Mustangs. (It was just another deal.) I remember his name; it was George Horst. When he retired from the bank, he became an undertaker for a few years. At any rate, the guy that took his spot, I had made a connection with. I had a P-40 that came out of Harrah’s Car Collection. To get it, I went to see that guy. I paid $135,000 for that thing; at that time, I needed to borrow about $100,000 and so at any rate, he wouldn’t give me the loan. But I’m sitting there and I had this belt buckle on with a $20 gold piece in it, Okay? The banker said, “I like that belt buckle.” I told him, “You give me that loan and you’ll have one.” What he didn’t know is that I had two of those belt buckles. So, I gave him the belt buckle, and I got the loan. Well, I have owned five Mustangs. Besides the P-40 and I think I had already had two or three Mustangs. You know, in fact, I had three of them flying. It was Ron Hevle in one, I’m in one and Delbert Williams in the third one. Two crop duster pilots and me. So, we’re flying formation out there at Shafter-Minter Field and I own them all.

I have really only flown World War II stuff: Mk 9 and 14 Spitfires and the Russian Yak 11. That other Yak 11, Czech Mate, that Sherman Smoot got killed in with the P&W 2800 in front, I flew it 17 times. Sherman was still flying for the airlines so he couldn’t do the test work. I was doing it. After the 17th time, I was never going to get in that aircraft again. I

TIGER: No, no, these were stockers. So, we went up there, we did pretty good and with the prize money, I bought us a race trailer. I don’t remember what they did with the rest [PTG: This reminds me of a W.C. Fields quote.], but it was $15,000 and in 1980 that wasn’t bad money. Then it just kept going well; thought we were doing really good till we got the **** beat out of us by the highly modifieds. We got to cut that sucker up. You know, we got to start cutting the plane up. We wanted to go fast.

IFUSA PTG: Who was beating you at the time?

Tiger: John Crocker in a Wiley Sanders Racing Team’s P-51D Mustang #69 “Jeannie” (N79111). The Sanders family had shown up with “Dreadnought,” but they hadn’t won anything. They were, you know, learning along the way, too. I ended up making a deal with Gordon Plaskett; he was a crop duster over on the coast; I can’t remember the name of the town. Anyway, I knew him pretty well; he had an original TF Mustang and then he got this other TF Mustang. It was a factory TF; North American made 10 of them. Anyway, I did a trade with him. I traded him for a Mercedes 350 and some of this and that and the other for one of his other non-TF Mustangs, but it was all apart. That’s what we Frankensteined to make – “Dago Red.” So, we took it up there. We won that first year; I think it was 1983. (**Seem to be finding some of the Reno Air Racing archived results not 100 percent correct regarding placement, per Tiger.) And then I sold it the next day because I had “Strega” coming out of Australia. I wanted to make one even better. They made 200 of them over there under license. We sent 300 of them over there. This was one of the 300, so it came back. It wasn’t Australian built. There is only one “Strega,” and it is currently being curated at the Planes of Fame

The Bill ‘Tiger’ Destefani - 7 Time Unlimited Reno Air Race Champion (Photo courtesy Paul T. Glessner)

U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy, FAA Celebrate Milestone of 1,000th Commercial Space Operation

U.S. Transportation Secretary and Acting NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy on Aug. 14 marked the Federal Aviation Administration’s 1,000th operation of a commercial space vehicle that the agency licensed or permitted. The United States is a leader in space exploration, and this milestone highlights more than 35 years of the FAA successfully

fulfilling its mission to protect safety and advance the future of our skies.

“The 1,000th FAA-licensed commercial space operation is a major milestone — one that showcases American innovation as we push the boundaries of what’s possible in the final frontier,” said Duffy. “Together, the FAA and NASA are working to build a safe and vibrant U.S. commercial space industry that cements America’s leadership on the global stage. That means more great paying jobs, new technological advancements, and economic opportunity.”

Last month, President Trump signed the “Enabling Competition in the Com-

mercial Space Industry” Executive Order to unleash American innovation. As the number of launches and reentries skyrockets, the FAA is moving forward with actions to maintain public safety while reducing regulatory burden to meet increasing industry demand.

“The FAA is dedicated to providing safe, efficient, and timely access to space, helping ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in space transportation, innovation, and safety,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “This milestone wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated commercial space team, whose work makes every launch and reentry possible. At this

pace, we’ll reach the next 1,000 missions in less than five years.”

Timely license approval by the FAA is key to getting U.S. rockets off the launch pad and into space. The FAA is implementing the Part 450 license rule to streamline the launch and reentry application process, authorize multiple operations with one license approval, and relieve administrative and cost burdens on industry, among other benefits. Seven operators have a Part 450 license with several others in the process.

To learn more, access the fact sheet athttps://www.faa.gov/newsroom/1000-space-operation-Fact-Sheet. pdf.

Starting The Journey

AOPA Editorial: There are many pathways to a lifetime of aviation

By Darren Pleasance / AOPA President and CEO

I’ve Been Traveling the country on my “President’s Tour” for the past several months, and it has been gratifying to speak with so many of you. In doing so, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: Most pilots don’t realize all that AOPA does to support our aviation community. I’ve then parsed that realization into framing the three key ways AOPA supports the growth and vibrancy of general aviation. Let’s start this month with the first of these areas of support: helping people begin or continue their aviation journey.

When I was a teenager starting to fly in Livermore, California (LVK), I was blessed to be surrounded by an amazing aviation community. I watched airshow pilots practice their skills, shared rides with welcoming pilots, saw then-new designs like the Christen Eagle, and admired

vintage aircraft and warbirds. Livermore was a vibrant hub and showcased the diversity of general aviation that I became so enamored with and made me want to be part of it. The flying experience at Livermore was fun, inspiring, and there was no shortage of learning opportunities.

Not everywhere is like Livermore. Some airports are fenced in, intimidating places where only hard-working trainers like the Cessna 172 are lined up waiting to be put through their paces. Students are simply marking time on their way to a career. In fact, I was recently at an airport where I asked the young pilots what they did for fun and where they flew for lunch, and they looked at me like I had three heads. “Fun?” they asked. “We’re just trying to prep for our next phase check, and we’re not allowed to take the airplanes anyplace if it’s not for training!”

aviation.

That means exposing people to a myriad of opportunities in aviation in addition to being an airline pilot. Not that I have anything against that admirable pursuit, but so many students today have no awareness of the breadth of aviation and often aren’t investing in their own development to maximize the opportunities (and enjoyment) that aviation can provide. There’s maintenance (we need A&Ps); there’s instruction (we need CFIs); there’s recreational flying (the backcountry is calling); there’s corporate flying, medevac flying, aerial firefighting, air traffic control, airport management, and so much more.

Sure, it’s important to get your stickand-rudder skills and to build hours if you’re hoping to head to the airlines, but my message — and AOPA’s mission — is to open the world of aviation and illustrate the remarkable opportunities available to everyone. There are many pathways to a lifetime of aviation.

My own first plan was, just like those young pilots I met, to go for an airline-flying job. That got derailed with an adverse color vision test, which knocked me out of contention for the airlines. While perhaps today airlines might be willing to overlook someone with my color deficiency, I am kind of grateful for the way my path had to change. I found out about all the other opportunities available in aviation and am proud that I fulfilled so many of my aviation dreams. That’s what I want AOPA’s foundational support to focus on: helping people embark on an inspiring journey in the diverse world of

AOPA offers helpful career guidance on its website, gives out millions in scholarships for all manner of aviation pursuits each year, offers a free four-year high school aviation curriculum, and promotes the many opportunities available in aviation. I call it a “landscape” of opportunity. One of my top three goals in the upcoming years as your president is to tell the story and ignite excitement around the many diverse opportunities in aviation. To open our world to everyone who looks to the sky and wonders “What if…” And, for the icing on the cake, to also remember the many of you who started in aviation but got derailed for time, money, and/or obligations, AOPA will support you in restarting your aviation journey and making it a part of a life well lived. Aviation is a melting pot of people, careers, avocations, and occupations. Let us help you find yours.

Darren Pleasance is a CFI and has flown more than 8,000 hours in more than 80 different aircraft. Reach him at darren@aopa.org.

Compelling content -

Professional Branding & Graphics

Powerful Web Sites & SEO

Social Media Management

Engaging Podcasts

Profitable Webinars

On-Site or Virtual Services

Studio Time Available in SLC

Sales Process Consulting & Tools articles, videos, and posts.

An aborted takeoff maneuver can encompass a complex series of decisions and actions, all of which may elevate the threat level to crew, passengers, and aircraft. At low speeds, many specific causes are observed. At

The Aborted Takeoff Decision

higher speeds, causes tend to fall into one of a few general categories: fires or fire warnings, engine failures, predictive windshear warnings, or aircraft that are unable or unsafe to fly. The pilot-in-command has the final authority for the decision.

During any takeoff, events occur

Trusted.

� Available in both Qref® Book, Card and new iPad editions

� Over 50 years of professional experience in every checklist

� Written by Master CFIs with workflow and ease of use in mind

� Professional design, rugged construction

Best-Selling Aircraft Checklists

Beechcraft Bonanza A36 285HP1968-1983

Beechcraft Bonanza C/D 35 1951-1953

Beechcraft Bonanza J/K/M 35 1958-1960

Beechcraft Bonanza N/P 35 1961-1963

Beechcraft Bonanza V35 A/B 1966-1982

Cessna 150 1959-1977

Cessna 152 1978-1986

Cessna 172 Universal Universal

Cessna 172M 1973-1976

Cessna 172N 1977-1980

Cessna 172P 1981-1986

Cessna 172R 1998-2006

Cessna 172RG 1980-1985

Cessna 172S 1998-2006

Cessna 172S G1000 2005+

Cessna 177RG 1971-1978

Cessna 182P 1972-1976

Cessna 182R 1981-1986

Cessna R182 Skylane RG 1978-1986

Cessna 182RG Turbo 1979-1986

Cessna 182T Analog Gauges 2001+

Cessna 182T/G1000 2004+

Cessna 210N Centurion 1979-1984

Cessna Turbo 182T 2001+

Cessna Turbo 182T/G1000 2006+

Cessna Turbo 206H 1998+

Cessna Turbo 210M Centurion1977-1978

Cirrus SR20 Analog Gauges 2000-2003

Cirrus SR20 G1-G2 2003-2007

Cirrus SR20 G3 2007+

Cirrus SR20 Perspective 2008+

Cirrus SR22 G1-G2 2003-2007

Cirrus SR22 G3 2007+

Cirrus SR22 Perspective 2008+

Cirrus SR22 G3 Turbo 2007+

Cirrus SR22 Turbo Perspective 2008+

Diamond DA20 C1 1998+

Diamond Star DA40 2001+

Piper Archer II PA-28-181 1976-1994

Piper Archer III PA-28-181 1995-2002

Piper Arrow 180 PA-28R-180 1967-1971

Piper Arrow II PA-28R-200 1969-1976

Piper Arrow III PA-28R-201 1977+

Piper Arrow III Turbo PA-28R-201T1977-1978

quickly. Situations can evolve fast, and decisions and actions must be precise, timely, and correct. Professional pilots and crews practice aborted takeoff procedures during recurrent simulator training to maintain proficiency for normal line operations.

This month, CALLBACK presents

a few of the many rich aborted takeoff incident reports that ASRS has recently received. Note their complexity, decisions that were made, follow-up consequences, further actions, and anything you might have done differently, were you in the pilot’s seat.

Part 135 – Blowin’ in the Wind

Piper Arrow IV PA-28RT-201 1979-1982

Piper Arrow IV Turbo PA-28RT-201T1979-1990

Piper Cherokee 140 PA-28-1401964-1977

Piper Cherokee 150 PA-28-1501961-1967

Piper Cherokee 160 PA-28-1601961-1967

Piper Cherokee 180 PA-28-1801963-1973

Piper Dakota PA-28-236 1979-1994

Piper Cherokee Lance PA-32R-3001976-1978

Piper Navajo PA-31-310 B/C 1972-1980

Piper Navajo Chieftain PA-31-3501973-1984

Piper Saratoga SP PA-32R-3011980-1992

Piper Saratoga SP Turbo PA-32R-301T1980-1987

Piper Tomahawk PA-38-112 1978-1982

Piper Warrior 151 PA-28-151 1973-1977

Piper Warrior II PA-28-161 1976-1986

Best-Selling Avionics Quick Reference

MANY MORE MODELS COMING SOON!

Avidyne Entegra

Garmin G1000 Non-WAAS

Garmin G1000

Garmin G1000 WAAS

Garmin G600/G500

Cirrus Perspective by Garmin

Bendix/King KLN 89

Bendix/King KLN 90B

Bendix/King KLN 94

Garmin GMX 200

Garmin GPS 400

Garmin GNS 430

Garmin GNS 480

Garmin GNS 530

Garmin GTN 750/650

Garmin GX Series

Garmin MX 20

Garmin 300XL/250XL

AnywhereMap ATC

AvMap EKP IV / IV Pro

AvMap EKP V (coming soon)

AvMap Geopilot II / II Plus

Bendix/King AV8OR

Bendix/King AV8OR Ace

Garmin GPSMAP 96

Garmin GPSMAP 195

Garmin GPSMAP 196

Garmin GPSMAP 295

Garmin GPSMAP 296

Garmin GPSMAP 396

Garmin GPSMAP 495

Garmin GPSMAP 496

Garmin GPSMAP 696/695

Garmin Aera Series

Lowrance Airmap 2000C/1000

Lowrance Airmap 500/600C

This air taxi regional jet Captain described an unexpected discrepancy while making a takeoff on a ferry flight. ■ We were to reposition [the aircraft]. I had flown 5 legs with this SIC (Second in Command) over the preceding three days. I performed a walkaround with him prior to our first leg to judge his level of knowledge of the aircraft. Having been typed on this aircraft and flown with another Captain prior to our pairing together, he knew the exterior well. On this day, the SIC was left to preflight the exterior while I coordinated with Company, loaded the FMS, and performed first flight checks. As time of departure approached, I asked if the preflight was done, chocks removed, and cones/carpets removed from about the aircraft. The SIC confirmed that all was complete and cleared from the aircraft for taxi. We finished all checklists, started, [and] taxied out to Runway XXL for takeoff. During the takeoff roll, thrust was set, callouts were made for thrust set, airspeed alive, and 80 kts cross checked. I looked at my airspeed to verify we had accelerated through 80 kts. My airspeed indicated 40 kts, the bottom and starting point of this aircraft’s airspeed indication. Just as trained, I applied maximum brakes, retarded thrust, applied maximum thrust reversers, alerted Tower of our rejected takeoff, and cleared the runway. After parking back at the FBO, it was discovered that the SIC had failed to remove both the standby and primary pitot tube covers during his walk-around. I had failed to do a final walk-around after him. I discussed with my SIC the importance of a thorough and detailed preflight and the potential consequences of anything less. I notified my Company Operations, Chief Pilot, and Maintenance of the occurrence. In this case, following up on the actions and responsibilities of my SIC could have prevented this. Had I stepped out of the aircraft prior to door closure, I might have seen the covers. Always follow behind each other. Verify each other’s work. Never let your guard down. Ask detailed questions like, “Are you sure?” [and] “Did

Continued on Page 33

Clipboard to Cloud

Continued from Page 11

status guesswork.

Technicians can log squawks, request parts, and update job progress in real-time. Supervisors get instant visibility into task status, technician workload, and delays—without chasing updates.

In contrast, legacy workflows relying on clipboards and post-job documentation create blind spots. Digital task management closes those gaps, improving accountability, visibility, and speed.

Inventory Intelligence: No More Ground Stops

Even with clear task assignments and smooth workflows, everything can grind to a halt if the right part isn’t available. That’s why next-gen platforms integrate parts inventory directly with the task workflow.

When inventory is tied directly to task workflows, the guesswork disappears. Shops know exactly what parts are on hand, what’s already been used, and what’s needed next.

This visibility helps avoid parts delays, reduces over-ordering, and sup-

ports smoother operations — across multi-aircraft or multi-location teams. It keeps jobs moving and reduces last-minute surprises that slow down

Engage your customers with

Gifts of short, attentiongrabbing Ebooks

(415) 320-9811 • botajet@gmail.com

Website & Blog: www.bertbotta.com https://www.facebook.com/BertBotta1 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertbotta/ NetJets Pilots & F/A Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447755025256768

turnaround.

Predictive Power: Data That Works for You

With tasks and inventory already connected, a larger picture begins to take shape. The system starts to behave less like a set of tools and more like an interconnected network. Over time, data reveals patterns: recurring squawks, components that consistently wear out at predictable intervals, and routine maintenance that tends to cluster together.

Add in real-time data from aircraft sensors, and platforms can flag emerging risks before they become costly delays. Paired with AI models, these insights can help spot trends faster — such as subtle wear patterns or emerging failure risks — pushing predictive maintenance even further.

This kind of visibility lays the groundwork for proactive planning. Instead of reacting to issues as they arise, shops begin to see connections forming between data points — turn times, squawks, component wear—and use those insights to anticipate what’s coming. They can group tasks ahead of time, staging parts, and scheduling work ensuring seamless operations — and that shift pays dividends in uptime, customer satisfaction, and bottom-line performance.

Agility on the Floor: Dynamic Scheduling in Real Time

Planning ahead is powerful — but plans rarely unfold exactly as expected. Priorities shift, urgent work appears out

of nowhere, and technician availability changes by the hour. Once forecasting becomes part of daily operations, the schedule must be just as agile.

That’s where connected systems prove essential. They don’t just track planned jobs — they actively manage the workload in real time. When things change, managers can reassign tasks, adjust coverage, and adapt on the fly. Updates are shared instantly — no more chasing whiteboards or repeating updates.

This level of adaptability helps shops respond to disruption without falling behind. It reduces idle time, prevents bottlenecks, and keeps teams focused even when the plan evolves by the hour.

Reclaiming Accuracy: Labor and Parts That Log Themselves

With the schedule now flexible, the next step is making sure that work — and its associated costs — are tracked just as smoothly. In a connected workflow, every task a technician completes, and every part used is logged automatically, eliminating the need for manual timecards or after-the-fact data entry.

Real-time capture makes billing faster and more accurate. Nothing is missed, and everything is traceable. That level of transparency reduces missed charges and builds confidence with both internal teams and customers. When labor and materials flow through the same system as task assignments and inventory, the financial picture becomes just as connected as the

Continued on Page 25

(Graphic courtesy Lata Asnani)

FAA Issues Official Accreditation Letters for National Championship Air Races

The National Championship Air Races (NCAR) announced on Aug. 15 that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially accredited NCAR to host multi-class Air Racing through Aug. 31, 2027, following a comprehensive review of its application, new racecourses, and performance observations from this year’s Pylon Racing Seminar (PRS), held in May. This milestone affirms the FAA’s continued confidence in NCAR’s safety, structure, and execution, and marks a critical step forward as they prepare for the return of the world’s premier air racing event.

Six of the seven race classes have received full FAA approval for participation in NCAR 2025. Many pilots completed their course certifications during PRS, and others will be granted participation after flying in a dedicated, consolidated additional PRS session to be held just prior to the main event. This

The National Championship Air Races (NCAR) received word from the FAA last month that it has officially accredited NCAR to host multi-class Air Racing through Aug. 31, 2027.

(Photo courtesy NCAR)

session will accommodate pilots who were unable to attend in May, ensuring consistent training and safety standards across all classes.

“This accreditation underscores the

strength of our long-standing partnerships with the race classes and the FAA who are committed to producing an event that meets and exceeds the highest standards of safety and performance,” said Fred Telling, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA). “We’re pleased to have received full FAA approval across our operations and look forward to showcasing the very best of air racing once again. I’d like to acknowledge the value of the hard work and leadership of the class presidents during this process.”

The Pylon Racing Seminar, often referred to as “Rookie School,” is a critical part of the NCAR safety ecosystem, providing pilots with the training and certification necessary to compete safely in the high-speed, low-altitude environment that defines pylon racing.

“This is a celebrated and meaningful development for the National Champi-

onship Air Races,” said Tony Logoteta, President and COO of RARA. “Our team’s diligence and the FAA’s cooperative approach have laid the foundation to carry on our legacy of hosting a safe and exciting event – the 2025 relaunch of the National Championship Air Races in Roswell. I am particularly pleased to acknowledge the return of the Biplane Class under the leadership of class president Scott Thomson to our September Family.”

The National Championship Air Races will return in 2025 with spectacular closed-course pylon air racing, STOL Drag, aerobatic performances, and a full slate of fan experiences and aviation attractions. Accreditation from the FAA affirms NCAR’s standing as one of the most professionally organized and safest motorsport events in the world.

For more information and updates, visit www.airrace.org.

National Championship Air Races Reveal Full Competitor Lineup for 2025

The National Championship Air Races (NCAR) unveiled the official field of competitors for the 2025 debut in Roswell, NM, taking flight Sept. 10–14. While the registration process took a little longer than expected, the anticipation has only fueled the excitement for this historic new chapter. For the first time ever, the world’s fastest motorsport will roar into Roswell, adding edge-of-your-seat aerial competition to the region’s proud aviation legacy. Fans can now look forward to the very best race pilots across multiple classes battling it out in a showdown of speed, skill, and daring unlike anything else on earth.

From the breathtaking, thundering velocity of the Jet Class and the classic roar of the T-6 Class to the nimble turns of Formula 1 and Biplanes, plus the daring ground-level fast turn skills of STOL Drag, fans can expect five days of unforgettable competition. Each aircraft and pilot carries with them the legacy of decades of racing tradition, now written into a bold new chapter in New Mexico, aptly named “the Land of Enchantment.”

“Unveiling our race field is one of the most exciting moments leading up to race week,” said Fred Telling, Chairman and CEO of the Reno Air Racing Association, producers of NCAR. “This lineup showcases the incredible dedication, passion, and spirit of our race teams, and we can’t wait to welcome fans from around the world to Roswell to witness history in the making.”

2025 Competitors by Class

Jet Class

PACE: Phillip Fogg / Rick Vandam (Alt.1) / Mike Steiger (Alt.2)

The Biplane Class will feature 10 racers this month in Roswell, NM. (Photo courtesy NCAR)

#1: Bob McCormack

#6: Bob McCormack

#8: David Sterling

#11: Jerry “Jive” Kerby

#16: Kevin Roll

#55: Nathan Harnagel

#61: Tammy Camilleri / Charles Camilleri (Alt.)

#84: Scott Gusakov

#90: Mark Davis

#100: Bill Culberson

Formula 1 Class

#00: Chet Harris

#10: Mark McIntyre

#31: Joshua Watson

#52: Trent Woodworth

#57: Carl Robinson

#72: Dominic Cacolici

#79: Justin Phillipson

#81: Drew Keenan

#82: Andrew Mack

#85: Eric Dienst

Biplane Class

#3: Sam Swift

The classic roar of the T-6s will thrill NCAR fans this month in Roswell, NM. (Photo courtesy NCAR)

#6: Jeffrey Lo / Rob Bennett (Alt.)

#8: Michael Langston

#13: Jeffrey Lo

#17: Andrew McVicker

#25: Tommy Suell

#66: Tom Marden

#314: Scott Prewitt

#411: Blake Prewitt

#831: Joshua Saddlemire

STOL Class

#11: Rod Hewitt

#11: David Kerley

#22: Jeffrey Whiteley

#27: Harry Beaupre

#40: Patrick McInteer

#44: Steve Henry

#48: Eddie Sanches

#62: Austin Clemens

#75: Tony Sanches

#84: Aaron Greear

#85: Cathy Page

#96: Doug Tolbert

T-6 Class

PACE / #21: Ben York

With its independent spirit, STOL racing is about who gets to the finish line and stops first… precision and perfect timing are crucial. (Photo courtesy NCAR)

#5: Joey “Gordo” Sanders

#18: Lee Oman

#19: Michael Sisk

#43: Christopher LeFave

#50: Vitaly Pecherskyy

#66: Vic McMann

#90: Greg McNeely

Fans can expect not only thrilling races, but also spectacular airshow acts, incredible military and civilian displays, and the inspiring STEM Discovery Zone powered by GRADD.

Airshow perforers include:

Phillip Steinbach – GB1 Gamebird

Jim Tobul – F4U Corsair “Korean War Hero”

Bob Carlton – FoxJet Sailplane

Palm Springs Air Museum – P-51 Mustand and P-63 King Cobra

Jim Peitz – F33C Bonanza

Bill Braack – Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car

More information about the races and tickets are available at airrace.org.

Unlimited Class and Sport Class Opt Out of Roswell Races

By Jonathan Welsh, AOPA

Unlimited Class racers, the fast, charismatic, and often highly modified World War II-era fighter aircraft that have highlighted the National Championship Air Races since the event began in 1964, will not be flown in this year’s competition in Roswell, New Mexico. The move raises questions regarding how the loss of the flagship contest might affect the races’ overall appeal.

The Reno Air Racing Association, longtime producer of the annual event, announced the withdrawal Aug. 15 in a joint statement with Unlimited Class racing teams. The popular Sport Class, which is made up of high-performance kitbuilt airplanes and made its debut at the Reno Air Races in 1998, announced on July 18 that it would pause its participation for 2025. The withdrawals leave the races with five classes: Formula 1, Jet, Biplane, T–6 and the short takeoff and landing drag race introduced as a competition class in 2021.

“The Unlimited Class is one of our most iconic, so we are obviously disappointed,” said Fred Telling, chairman and CEO of RARA. Telling, a longtime pilot, also raced in the T–6 Class from 2002 to 2012. “While they won’t be able to join us for our inaugural year in Roswell, we look forward to working closely with the class after this event to ensure their accreditation and return at NCAR 2026.”

Steven Hinton, a seven-time winner of the premier Unlimited Gold race at Reno and a spokesperson for the Un-

limited Class, echoed the sentiment that his group would return for the races next year.

“The decision not to participate in the 2025 National Championship Air Races was not made lightly,” Hinton said. “The Unlimiteds are deeply woven into the fabric of air racing, and though we’re unable to participate this year, we look forward to working with RARA toward our return to the races in 2026.”

Unlimited Class aircraft and their pilots, with big personalities and seemingly daredevil swagger, have defined air racing since competition resumed after World War II. Pilots initially revived the annual Cleveland National Air Races that began in 1929 and halted during the war. While exotic purpose-built racing prototype aircraft including the Granville GeeBee Model R Super Sportster and Laird-Turner Meteor LTR–14 dominated during aviation’s golden age between World War I and World War II, modified military fighter aircraft set speed records and became the main attractions during the postwar Cleveland events. Soon, though, increased residential development, safety concerns, and a major accident during the 1949 event marked the end of racing in Cleveland.

By 1964, enthusiasm for restarting the national races had gained significant momentum and organizers hosted the first Reno National Air Races at Sky Ranch Airport near Sparks, Nevada. After two years the races moved to Stead Air Force Base, known today as Reno-Stead Airport. The new site turned out to be the

Unlimited Class pilots and their aircraft have long been the rock stars of the National Championship Air Races, held for the final time in Reno, Nevada, in 2023. (Photo by Jonathan Welsh, courtesy AOPA)

ideal venue for the next several decades, mainly because the recently decommissioned base encompassed enough land to almost completely enclose the eight-mile racecourse that the Unlimited Class aircraft used. Race organizers could tailor the course to suit their needs.

From the beginning, Stead Field, as it was often known, was a major step up from Sky Ranch, which was a desolate, dusty, dirt strip with few comforts. “There was nothing there,” Telling told AOPA. “If you look at the old films you can see the spectators sitting in lawn chairs.” Stead may not have been luxurious either in the early days, but it had lots of room for improvement, and became increasingly accommodating, with vast grandstands, luxury boxes, and tents and booths for a range of vendors. Eventually everything from hot dogs and clothing to

aircraft and accessories was for sale at the Reno races.

Still, Stead’s most attractive feature was its location, which combined open space with proximity to numerous hotels, casinos, restaurants, and entertainment. “We had rooms aplenty,” Telling said, and spectators could shuttle quickly and conveniently between the racecourse and downtown Reno. Many of the top racers hail from California and other states west of the Rocky Mountains, and have been able to fly their speedy racing aircraft to Reno within an hour or so, making the logistics remarkably easy.

In some ways, Roswell Air Center is a return to the past. Some pilots have voiced concerns regarding alleged shortcomings of the field, from the lack of airport infrastructure, hotels, and restaurants to power lines near the courses and the longer distance between the race courses and the runway. There was no mention of specific issues in the joint statement from RARA and the Unlimited pilots, however, and Telling said Roswell was the best option among the three finalists, including Pueblo, Colorado, and Casper, Wyoming, vying to become the event’s new host city.

“In the end, we chose Roswell largely because it was the safest of the venues available,” Telling said, adding that while there are challenges to relocating the races, he believes the effort will succeed with the five remaining competition classes.

“We have a lot of lessons to learn and a lot of issues to work out, but we are still racing,” he said.

RARA Supports Fans with Refund Options After Two Race Classes Withdraw Official Statement from the National Championship Air Races

The National Championship Air Races have always been powered by passion — our fans, our pilots, and our volunteers. We know many of you share in our deep disappointment at the withdrawal of the Sport and Unlimited Classes for our 2025 debut in Roswell. These are iconic classes with a storied history, and their absence is felt by all of us.

We want to be clear: there has never been any intent to mislead or deceive. Organizing a world-class event of this magnitude is a complex process with many moving parts, and changes can occur despite everyone’s best efforts. What will not change is our commitment to you, our fans. To all fans who have purchased tickets and con-

tinue planning to attend, you have our thanks, and you will receive a 10 percent refund. To support those who feel impacted by these changes and wish to cancel, we will be offering refund options — including full refunds for 2025 or the ability to defer your purchase to 2026.

Detailed instructions will be sent to all purchasers via your ticketing email early (in September). Pricing now through race week will reflect the 10 percent price reduction for those who have yet to purchase. We request that purchasers be patient while the refund process is set up by staff who are also in the midst of preparing for the event launch. It is important to note that refund requests will only be managed via

the process sent in the upcoming notice, no requests will be taken via social media or any other method in order to properly track and issue the refunds. Even without Sport and Unlimited, this year’s event will be an amazing debut. We will showcase fierce compe-

tition between five thrilling race classes, dazzle with world-class airshow performers, educate with the STEM Discovery Zone, honor with military static displays, and much more. This is the beginning of a bold new chapter for the world’s fastest motorsport, and we ask for your patience and support as we build something extraordinary together. Air racing is not just an event — it’s the ultimate community — our September Family. Let’s carry this spirit forward into Roswell, united in our love for speed, aviation, and tradition. Together, we will make history.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a RACE!

(Logo Courtesy National Championship Air Races)

NCAR Responds to Fans: “We Hear You”

Editor’s note: This letter is from the National Championship Air Races team. NCAR is scheduled for Sept. 10-14 in Roswell, New Mexico. Learn more at airrace.org.

We know there is a fair amount of frustration as well as a lot of opinions and questions out there from our Air Racing family. First, we just want to acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their opinions, and we respect that. We hope to clear up some misunderstanding by giving a deeper dive into some of what the organization has been working through over the past couple of years, starting with the relocation process.

First and foremost, for anyone out there thinking RARA had any part in the decision to leave Reno, we did not. We were told in late 2022 we could have one more race in 2023…period. We tried hard to change minds and even reached out to leaders in the community, but there were not enough people in influential positions who were willing to go to bat in a meaningful way to get the decision reversed. We know this was heartbreaking for the fans, it was also heartbreaking for RARA and for the Reno community, particularly small businesses and non-profit organizations who benefited greatly from the event. We were presented with a decision…do we have one final event, then throw in the towel, or do we go for it and try to keep the event alive by searching for a new home, understanding that it would be a long, difficult, expensive process that may or may not yield any viable location? The RARA board met and discussed these options, ultimately deciding (unanimously, we should say) that the event is worth saving. Our next step was to speak to race class leadership and our volunteer department leadership to make sure there was sufficient support for RARA to seek a new home. We recognized that without the support of these two groups, there would be no point in starting a search. Thankfully, all classes were supportive, and an overwhelming majority of our volunteer leaders were willing to join us on this journey to get the Air Races established in a new home. Feeling encouraged and united we decided to move forward with the plan to search for a new location.

When we announced that 2023 would be the final race in Reno and that we would seek a new home, to our great surprise, we received 38 inquiries from different locations around the country expressing interest in becoming that home. Encouraged, we released an RFP in May of that year to give them and any other interested parties more information about what it would take to host the event. We established a site selection committee that consisted of RARA board members, operational personnel and race pilots, all with extensive experience at NCAR who could help determine the viability of all potential locations. From the initial 38

inquiries, eleven then took the next step and participated in two required bidders’ conferences in Reno that summer where we gave them a two-day deep dive into the event, expenses, logistical and operational needs, etc. In August, 2023 six of those eleven then submitted full proposals to become the next home of the National Championship Air Races. Those locations were: Buckeye, AZ, Roswell, NM, Casper, WY, Pueblo, CO, Thermal, CA and Wendover, UT.

Before we move on, we know there are some who think there were other options near Reno. While there were a couple places we considered as possibly viable, none of them submitted a response to the RFP, attended the bidders’ conferences, nor was there a willingness to make anywhere near the necessary investment or improvements in order to make a site ready to host our event. It is also important to point out that none of the potential new locations matched Reno from a combined operational and economic standpoint, and in fact, there are few, if any in the entire country that could have matched Reno. We knew that going in, and it was verified through the entire vetting process. Some locations had advantages economically but couldn’t host all classes or had safety issues that were insurmountable. Some had plenty of space, but insufficient safety, security or emergency services, and some were logistically and economically challenged but provided plenty of space and operational capabilities. However different the event might look in a new location, we were still confident that we would be able to operate and preserve it for the future.

We then embarked on a year-long journey to select the new home of the air races. The first step was to visit all six locations to assess the capabilities of the community, event site, operational, safety and emergency service capacities as well as other factors in order to determine whether all six could be fully viable options. These visits included various members of the site selection committee with decades of experience who were willing to lend their operational expertise to our evaluation process. After about six months of site visits, based on the information gathered, we narrowed the field to Casper, Pueblo and Roswell. These were the three locations that had the potential operational capacity to host all seven classes of aircraft that participate in NCAR.

The next step was to take an even deeper dive into the final three locations. These visits included many of the same people but added leadership from the race classes who had the opportunity to meet with the communities, be flown over the proposed racecourses and lend their advice and opinions to the process. We met extensively with community leaders from all three locations to get more specific details on how their city could handle the

event, including the fact that all of the locations would have required more than $10 million in investments from the local communities or states in order to prepare them for the air races. To their credit, all were willing to do what it took to get their airports ready.

Ultimately, when taking all factors into account including race class and operations input, economics, safety, security, emergency services, air space availability, threat of development encroachment, and many more, it was put to a final vote by the RARA board. It was a tough decision, but the location that checked the most boxes and would give us the opportunity to race all 7 classes in the first year was Roswell, and that is how the board voted.

We fully understood the challenges of moving a 60-year event from an area of more than 500k people to one of just under 50k people, but the commitment and investment from the State of New Mexico and the City of Roswell to preparing the site and helping us to market the event for future growth was significant. It’s important to note that what we had in Reno was developed and evolved over almost six decades. Trying to replicate every nuance in a new location in just a year’s time was never a realistic goal, but we felt Roswell gave us the best chance and the most significant head start. We won’t sugar coat it, the last year has been extremely challenging. For all the difficulties we knew we would face, there were so many more we couldn’t have predicted. RARA’s staff and board have worked tirelessly, but equally our volunteers have been incredible, taking time away from their families and jobs to help us prepare for our first event in the new home, training new volunteers, and sitting in on countless meetings. We are truly humbled by their dedication, and nothing has exemplified the true heart of the September Family like what we’ve all seen from our volunteers through this process.

In January 2025 we held a racecourse evaluation period for all the classes to assess the proposed courses and make any requested changes prior to our first Roswell Pylon Racing Seminar (PRS) in May. The courses were adjusted, the permanent pylons were fabricated and placed, and many requested changes were addressed. Then in late May we held PRS, after which we received even more input as to the necessities for the classes to participate in NCAR. Up through this point and into June, while there were a number of issues raised, we had every reason to believe they were solvable in the available time and that all seven race classes would participate in NCAR in September. Following PRS the Sport Class gave us their concerns in mid-June so RARA and the city set to work on resolving those issues. After working for nearly a month to address their concerns and preserve their participation, the Sport class ultimately

informed us of their withdrawal in July. This was very disappointing as we felt we could resolve enough issues for the class to participate, and our goal was always to host all seven race classes, but we worked with them to get a joint message on their withdrawal out to our fans.

During this time, we opened up the racer registration period, but after a short period of time we noted that there were no Unlimited registrations. So, we started reaching out and doing everything we could to ensure that they would participate in the event. This is a large part of the reason we extended the registration period longer than initially planned, which naturally delayed our ability to announce participants. Despite those efforts, the Unlimited class informed us on the evening of August 8th that they had held a meeting and decided to withdraw from participation in the 2025 NCAR. No specific reasons were given at that time, but they noted that they would share them at a later date. Obviously, we were again disappointed, but we worked with the class to get a joint release of the news to our fans as quickly as possible.

Regarding both Sport and Unlimited future participation, we will be meeting with both groups following this inaugural event to discuss all issues and work toward securing their participation in future events, starting in 2026. Initial conversations indicate that they share that desire, so we are hopeful that we will get it done. Through all this time RARA has been working with the FAA and the City of Roswell to ensure that all safety related racecourse concerns raised by the classes are addressed, and we have completed registration for the Formula 1, Biplane, T6, Jet and STOL Drag classes to compete at the event in September. We have worked hard to bring warbird demonstrations and displays to the event and are making announcements as those are confirmed. We know it’s not racing, but those aircraft are an integral part of our history and an incredibly important part of our event.

We are open to respond to anyone who has a question via our website, our social media outlets, and the Air Racing Fan Page on Facebook, a neutral site that has agreed to be a host for such questions. We hope you’ll continue to support us as we strive to bring you what we feel will be an excellent first showing in Roswell despite the absence of the Sport and Unlimited Classes and look forward to celebrating their return, and implementing what we are sure will be many lessons learned in this first year. We don’t expect it to be perfect, but with our September Family there, it can be a truly amazing start for this next era of air racing.

Sincerely, The National Championship Air Races

PRICE REDUCED! If a classic, big, brawny, powerful, roomy, impressive, easy to fly plane with convenient entry interests you, we've got one. Shows very well inside and

STEAL at 69.9K! Great performing 160 HP airplane with 884 lbs of useful load. Sharp interior and sporty exterior.

INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE! Super fast. Super high-flying in pressurized turbineengine comfort with 750 horses. What happens when you buy a jet? You have to sell your turbo-prop. Even a gorgeous one like this.

PRICE REDUCED! A breath-taking total restoration of a classic WWII era primary trainer. Fly solo from the front seat. An absolute hoot to fly. Comes with a spare overhauled pickled engine. Add $2,500 to price with electric start

Old White Men and Other Thoughts

The story goes that an applicant for teaching high school English was asked what her favorite Shakespeare plays were. She replied that her major was Women’s Studies, and that they never studied the works of old white men.

Nowadays, it seems that the vanishing breed of CFIs is old white men – the oral traditions, the breadth of knowledge, the experience. Fifty years ago, when I was learning to fly, those guys were always around, always worth listening to with some quip or anecdote. They’re long gone now, of course, and are missed. I don’t know who to ask any more…

This is not to disparage female CFIs, of course. I learned aerobatics and tailwheel at Amelia Reid Aviation – she quit flying with well over 50,000 flight hours – and Marge was an ex-WAAF who was really good. Barbara helped prepare me for ATP, and she was widely acknowledged as the best instrument instructor around. And the two CFIs I fly with now are women.

But the other day, I was sitting in the lounge of the local flight school, listening to the chatter of a half dozen CFIs in

the next room – all about how to build hours for the airlines.

I was the old white man, the only one. There were no others. I had nobody to ask about the old days. And nobody asked me…

* * * * * *

My first airplane was an RV-4, generally regarded as one of the best-handling homebuilts out there. No argument from me!

But Van’s Aircraft has announced that they’ll no longer be selling kits for the RV-4, the RV-6, roughly a side by side RV-4 that has been replaced by the RV-7, and the RV-3, the single-seater that started it all.

The RV-8 “replaced” the RV-4, with a bigger airframe, better handling with two people, and a more useful package all in all. I had an RV-8, liked it, but it wasn’t a sweetheart like the RV-4.

* * * * * *

A friend just passed her private pilot checkride, and I got to share in her excitement via cell phone. She had had

Clipboard to Cloud

Continued from Page 19

work on the floor. It’s not just about invoicing — it’s about having confidence in every number.

The Bigger Picture: A Connected, Scalable Workflow

This shift isn’t about adding complexity or replacing expertise. It’s about building a foundation where everyone — from technician to supervisor — has the tools to work with greater visibility, accuracy, and confidence.

When work orders, inventory, scheduling, and billing flow through a single system, everything changes. Time isn’t wasted tracking updates. Delays don’t pile up unnoticed. Costing doesn’t rely on guesswork. Planning, execution, and documentation become more predictable — and more precise.

And while the impact begins on the floor, the value compounds across the business: faster turnarounds, fewer

missed charges, smoother audits, and a team that spends less time managing the system and more time moving aircraft out the door.

The best part? You don’t have to go all in on day one. Most teams start with work orders and parts tracking, then expand over time. It’s a phased approach, with early gains that grow stronger as the system matures.

If your operation is still coordinating tasks manually or patching together systems that don’t quite talk to each other, it might be time to step back and rethink the workflow. Because smarter tools aren’t just improving maintenance — they’re transforming it. With AI, machine learning, and IoT continuing to advance, the potential for more predictive, connected, and intelligent shop operations is only growing. They’re changing the way great shops run.

to wait months for a DPE (designated pilot examiner) to be available to give her the checkride, and finally, her day came. Two hour oral plus the flight wiped her out, but she passed. Good show!

* * * * * *

Another friend is a survey pilot in Hawaii, flying an Aztec. On one recent landing, as she was rolling out, the nose gear collapsed, even though there were three green showing. She shut everything off and got out of the airplane.

The maintenance folks came out, lifted the nosewheel, and started to tow the plane in. At which point, the left main gear collapsed. They got a forklift, got the left wing up, and proceeded with the tow.

At which point, the right main gear collapsed.

This kerfuffle (the word of the week) was due to a hydraulic system component failure, and other Aztecs have had the same problem.

* * * * * *

How times have changed. One auction site has a Columbia 400 listed, current bid at $274,500. That plane, when it came out, was a competitor to the Cirrus SR-22 but got out-marketed. It’s turbocharged, low-time, and air-conditioned. Also up for bid is a Cessna T310Q with engines at 1454 hours, that is, getting up there. Current bid is $50,500, reserve met. Less than a fifth of the price of the Columbia.

I’ve always loved 310s, and I cry at the price of this one, and at how much it would cost to maintain it. I’d need a full time mechanic, a bank account ready for two engines, and…

* * * * * *

So with age gnawing away at how much longer I’ll be able to fly, this was a strange Oshkosh – and possibly my last. Somehow, what it would be like to own that sleek new plane over there won’t be in the realm of imagination. But I’ll cheer for everybody else, you bet!

Bill “Tiger” Destefani

Continued from Page 14

Museum.

Hevle flew it for a year or so, 1984/85. Damn good stick and rudder pilot but just didn’t have the ‘kill (attitude/mentality).’ So, I said, “You got to go” and I jumped in it in 1986 and raced it from then on. I didn’t win till 1987. It took me a handful of years of experience before I actually won having first flown in the races in 1982.

IFUSA PTG: What was the winning speed then?

Tiger: Oh, let’s see that particular year (1987), I broke every record that they had; qualifying record (466.7mph), race record every day and won the race (452.6mph). We were doing so good, “Dreadnought” was the big deal. So, I’ve got the pole. “Dreadnought” is next to me; we come down to shoot, you know? I got him by quite a ways; it’s like I’m having no fun. So, I backed that thing (“Strega”) down to 100 inches (of manifold pressure). Well, I let him go by me. Alright, so eventually I put it back up to 120 inches. Okay? And pretty quickly, I looked down and I’ve got 125 inches going and I haven’t touched the throttle anymore! We were getting ram air! Anyway, it took me a lap. I caught him, went around him and won the race. But it was fun having something for the crowd. My crew went bat-****. They couldn’t believe I did that, but I did it. And I already knew what I had.

It took me a couple of years before we got it, but we finally got that engine… I had so much incredible power. They didn’t know what I had. I mean, I broke the qualifying record like 466 miles an hour. The record before that was 450. The Merlin was a better engine than Allison because it had a two-stage blower. Then we learned a lot more. Remember the P-82? Well, they started out with Dash 20 and Dash 21 Merlins. They were the cats’ meow, the latest in evolution. Their blower was worth 10 more inches, so we found this one engine. It’s worth 10 more inches than what we had then, an A-9. Put A-21 blower on there, pick up 10 more inches. Most average we saw was

152 inches! That’s a lot. We used to run it at 34 turns, and it would make, with 420 gears in the nose, 132 inches. So we had what I call war emergency. That was an extra 100 RPM. Put that on. You’d go to 152 inches with airplane going no faster. Whatever more power it was making, it was eating it up in the blower just to run the damn thing. Yeah, so that didn’t work out. We were always modifying that engine, you know.

IFUSA PTG: What was done to the physical outer mold line of the airplane?

Tiger: We started off building a whole new underneath scoop. We tucked the radiator up as far as you could get it. It hung down. I think we ended up moving it up four or five inches. Okay. And then we built the scoop to fit that. Yeah, so that alone made us more aerodynamic. It would come up and you could put it in trail. So it cleaned up the area real nice. You could even close it more. But we would run it in trail. We had an indicator in the cockpit to tell us where it was all the time. After a couple of years, we extended it 15 inches, built a new one. We added 15 inches to it, just done to do test work.

In a stock Mustang, you can flip that ramp in auto and then it would do what it wanted depending on the coolant temp. Well, now you’ve lost all control. We did away with that and on our stick we had a Cooley hat; up and down on the ramp and if you pushed it to the left it washed the windshield. We had a little tube; it was just a quarter-inch aluminum tube kind of smashed flat at the end. We had it tied to a little tank with a pump from an 18-wheeler. We had that tank in behind the seat. At the speed you are going, it would go from zero visibility to clean in seconds. We put solvent in there. It did the job. Back to the ramp. We extended that ramp a total of 18 inches and we went up to 18 mph faster. Then once we did that, everybody seen that, so they had to do it. Everybody always copied.

We clipped our wings prior to our first race. On the get go, yeah, we cut the ailerons and took 33 inches off each side. There was a production break there. So, you undo those panels. Build a new wing tip, cut the aileron. Bingo, you got it.

We changed the angle of the engine; it was put in there like one or two degrees off center. We straightened that up, as I recall. Okay. The spinner up front, we made these close outs. You couldn’t see if they were located inside the spinner, but they kept the air from going in there. It was like a scoop, you know, grating cheese or something. Yeah, it was like an air pump. Okay. Yeah, well, that was wow. That worked great right off the bat. North American had the vertical offset; I think a half a degree to the right. We straighten that. Why would you want the SOB out a half-degree off dragging? I could never figure that one out. We changed the incidence of the horizontal. That’s about all we did back there. But when we took

that half a degree out of the vertical, you didn’t need trim anymore to take off. The stock Mustangs needed seven degrees right rudder on the vertical trim for takeoff to correct all. After that, we left the trim at zero. Only reason I left it on there and didn’t just get rid of it was because if we were going to Reno, we would be carrying spray bar water on the left-hand side, the main tank, and the outer tank was ADI. The right-hand side tanks were all fuel. So, we’d only put three or four gallons of ADI out there. That was all I needed for one take off. All right? The point is, if you filled the two outboards, by the time you get to Reno, the right side is not full anymore and if the left-hand tanks were needlessly over filled, you’d have one hell of a lateral imbalance. I left that rudder trim in there in case you had engine problems. I had to come back around and land. Now your caddy-wampus on the right, crank in a bunch of trim to help you keep that sucker level. Make sense?

Crew Chief Kerchenfaut was with me for quite a while. Then I got rid of him, LD, Little Dave. Big Dave worked for me for quite a while. That was his dad. Well, he came to work for me on the farms. He started baling hay for me at 16. Well, eventually, you know, he’d come out to the hangar. We taught him a lot. And, you know, he really picked up on all that stuff. He became the best crew chief ever. He was very good and meticulous. I got him flying; he flew a Mustang two or three times and then, well, then he didn’t have the money for gasoline and that was the end of it. But he did do it. He was no race pilot. He was too cautious, too meticulous. We made a good offset to each other. But everything had to be perfect, because when that thing was on the ground, it was his airplane. It had to be perfect before he gave it to me.

Well, back to that ADI tank. I think it held 40 gallons of ADI. And so we’d do a six-lap race. We got no gauge on there. We don’t know how much there is. How much did it burn? I don’t know, so what we did, it’s got the line coming to the pump, sucking and blowing and going to the motor, right, blah, blah, blah in between. So, we put a T in there with a cap on it. So now, we are in the pits. We had a 5 gallon can. We had a short hose. Take that cap off and we’d pump that tank dry till it was out of ADI. Then we would

attempt to put 20 gallons back in…. now we knew what we burned and so forth and so on. When we’re racing, we’re full on both sides. So, we’re even on takeoff, right? If you have to come back and land, you’re still even.

So one of the guys was in charge of defueling. He got distracted and left the cap for the T on the tire. LD sees it. So, he waits a while, pretty soon he puts it in his pocket. LD asked the guy in charge of defueling if everything was good to go? “Everything’s good,” the guy replied. “What about this?” LD offered. “Yeah, you’re out of here.” You put the cap on first because if that cap got lost and you turn that pump on; it’s pumping ADI overboard. It isn’t going to that motor where it is needed, and you lose a race. Yeah, you’re out of here. But that’s the kind of guy LD was. It had to be perfect.

IFUSA PTG: Didn’t you have an IndyCar connection, per se, to better your plane’s speed?

Tiger: Yeah, I knew Paul Morgan of ILMOR Engines. He built me a special set of cams for “Strega.” Morgan liked WWII airplanes and bought himself a Sea Fury. Paul would be at the car races with Roger Penske. I attended the races, as well. That is how I met Paul Morgan. He was a good guy. He was just a old boy like the rest of us, right, but very smart. Anyway, ends up getting killed in that Sea Fury. Just a note about Paul, he built the cams for me. He gave me four of them and wouldn’t take a penny, all because of his love of WWII airplanes. And, I never even asked him to build them. He just designed them.

Fontana, Jack Roush, good friend of mine. Yeah, you know how they got the trailers parked? There’s an aisle in between Roush and Penske, so I’m sitting there on a chair. I see Penske over there and he’s talking to somebody. Nobody else around him, just that guy. Okay. I don’t know where Roush was… he was off somewhere. So I walked across there. I’m just waiting for that guy to finish up; I go over and I introduce myself to Roger and I tell him, ‘We had a mutual friend.’ He said, ‘Who’s that?’ I told him Paul Morgan. ‘Oh, my Gosh,’ Roger quips. So, I chatted for a bit and I said, ‘I’m leaving you alone. Just wanted to say, hi.’ Pretty cool. Well, that’s the only time. Yeah, and why would he know me? He wouldn’t. At the races, when I’d run across Paul Morgan, he was never with Penske, so I never got to be introduced, you know. And of course, I’m not that kind of guy anyway. I wanted to at least say hi. Well, on the way here I passed a Penske rental truck, haha. Well, you know, you know. I had some mini endplates on “Strega.” The only thing I could ever tell about was that on landing, it would give you a little more authority at slow speed other than that. I don’t think it did anything except look good.

Bill 'Tiger' Destefani and Cathy Hansen catching up in MHV's Voyager Restaurant. (Photo courtesy of Paul T. Glessner)

Photo courtesy of Mustangs Mustangs

The future of flight is here.

Skyfly’s Axe is a VCA (vertically capable aircraft) , able to take off and land vertically or depart conventionally using less than a 100ft. takeoff roll. Battery powered, it efficiently cruises like a fixed wing giving it extended range. It’s canard wing design gives it an extraordinary ability to glide while the ballistic recovery system adds an additional measure of safety.

Features include:

• Fully electric propulsion with zero CO2 emissions in flight

• Whisper quiet take-off and landing (Inaudible from 2000ft)

• Fully Electric a range of 100 miles (300+ miles with a hybrid option).

• Fully redundant propulsion and flight control system with mechanical aerodynamic surfaces

Pre-order now at:

www.skyfly.aero/order

Phone: +1 (615) 979-5559

Photo taken during piloted flight testing at Turweston Aerodrome, UK.

One of the truly great things about being an aviation buff is the number of “Goodies and Gadgets” available to play with. Here In Flight USA has collected a few new ones worthy of your consideration.

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. has been the supplier that aircraft builders, owners, pilots, and aviation businesses have depended on since 1965. They carry a wide selection of aircraft parts, building materials, avionics, and pilot supplies, all of which are offered on their website (www.aircraftspruce.com) and in the famous Aircraft Spruce catalog, now over 1,000-pages available for download or for free in print. You can depend on Aircraft Spruce for prompt shipping and competitive pricing on all orders.

Aircraft Spruce Readies for Autumn Flying and Maintenance

Some of the country’s best flying time comes in the fall and Aircraft Spruce is well-stocked with needed avionics and necessary gear to make flying safer and more fun! Of course, coming off the busy summer months leads to the need to clean up, upgrade and freshen up parts and maintenance. Aircraft Spruce has you covered in this department, as well. Here are some of the latest and greatest items featured by Aircraft Spruce.

Dynon Avionics D3 Pocket Panel

Portable EFIS

Meet the latest edition of Dynon’s popular portable EFIS line - the D3 Pocket Panel. Featuring improved brightness, a new intuitive touchscreen interface, new synthetic vision display, and an even lower price point, the D3 is the most advanced portable safety device Dynon has ever made.

D3 lets pilots supplement their unreliable legacy instrumentation with an affordable, portable electronic attitude indicator that works. The D3 features the same reliable, proven AHRS engine from Dynon’s best-selling panel-mounted products for experimental, light sport, and type certificated aircraft.

The D3 comes with a complete set of accessories, including home and airplane chargers, an optional external GPS antenna, and two unique mounting options. Both the included cockpit-mounting options require no tools, allowing the D3 to be deployed in any aircraft with no FAA approval. The first mount included is a RAM suction cup mount. The second is a 3-1/8-inch portable “pinch” mount that allows the D3 to be easily mounted in an empty existing instrument panel hole without any fasteners.

The D3 Pocket Panel is a portable situational awareness device, allowing

pilots to add a modern, affordable backup safety device to supplement their sometimes unreliable legacy certified instrumentation. The D3 comes with two portable mounting options, no tools required. Because it does not require modification to the aircraft’s design, no regulatory approval is required to use a D3 Pocket Panel in any aircraft. The first mount included is a RAM suction cup mount. The second is a 3-1/8-inch portable “pinch” mount that allows the D3 to be easily mounted in an empty existing instrument panel hole without any fasteners.

See Aircraft Spruce’s website (aircraftspruce.com) for details and a video presentation on the product. Each unit sells for $975.

Twistlock 20-Ounce Canteen

The TwistLock 20-ounce Canteen is your ultimate sidekick for your hydration needs. No more spills, no more fuss. Just twist and lock into any TwistLock Base, and you’re good to go.

Built to withstand whatever the day throws your way – from short flights, to navigating rapids to tackling rough forest trails in your UTV. And with its double-walled insulation, your beverage stays at the perfect temperature, whether it’s piping hot or ice-cold.

Select from Obsidian Black, Crater Lake Blue, Trailhead Green or Summit White. Each canteen sells for $29.99. (Note: Only Obsidian Black drinkware features the engraved ‘TwistLock Beverage Locking System’ logo, as shown. The other colors do not.) Aircraft Spruce carries other Twistlock products, including the 12-ounce can cooler and the 22-ounce tumbler (both for 29.99).

H3R Halotron

er Model B385TS

1 Fire Extinguish-

Halotron 1 (HCFC Blend B) expels as a rapidly evaporating liquid and leaves no residue. Model B385TS effectively extinguishes Class B and C fires by cooling and smothering and it will not conduct electricity back to the operator. Recommended for a 1-6 person aircraft, including the pilot.

Halotron 1 is the most widely tested and accepted Halon 1211-alternative agent for streaming applications.

Aircraft Spruce carries a variety of Halotron fire extinguishers, along with mounting brackets. See them all at aircraftspruce.com.

Goodyear Flight Special Tire II 600-6 4 PLY 606C41B1

Goodyear Flight Special:

Milwaukee M12 Fuel 3-Inch Compact Cut Off Tool Kit 2522-21XC

The M12 FUEL 3-inch Compact Cut Off Tool delivers multi-material cutting capability in an ergonomic package, optimized for one-handed use. Spinning at 20,000 RPM and featuring a POWERSTATE Brushless Motor, the 2522 delivers fast and accurate cutting performance in a wide range of materials.

A popular replacement aircraft tire for light aircraft, the Flight Special is an unsurpassed combination of value and performance. Designed for long tread life, this aircraft tire is built to last. Every strand of nylon cord in the casing has been triple tempered with time, tension and temperature to provide the ultimate in tire construction, uniformity and strength.

Features:

• Wide rib tread design and large footprint

• Tough-wearing tread rubber

• Triple-tempered nylon casing cord

Benefits:

• Enhanced traction

• Uniform wear and extended service life

• Quality construction

This tire sells for $184. Aircraft Spruce has a large variety of Goodyear tires to meet every aircraft need. Check out selections at aircraftspruce.com.

The unique reversible blade rotation feature provides users ultimate control over material removal, along with the ability to select their desired blade rotation for the direction they need to cut. For ultimate cutting versatility, the 2522 ships with three accessories: a metal cut off wheel, a diamond tile blade, and a carbide abrasive blade.

The M12 FUEL 3-inch Compact Cut Off Tool also includes a tool-free accessory guard and shoe that includes a vacuum adapter for dust mitigation, as well as cut depth adjustment. Lastly, the tool also features tool free guard adjustment and an LED light.

Each kit sells for $257.95.

Look for Aircraft Spruce at the following events:

• Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 – Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association Show, Scottsdale, AZ.

• Oct. 14-16 – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Convention, Las Vegas, NV.

• Nov. 17-20 – NAAA AG Aviation Expo, Reno, NV.

EAA Introduces 2025 Sport Aviation Halls of Fame Class

The EAA Sport Aviation Halls of Fame continue to grow as five new inductees will be honored as part of the 2025 class. The five inductees each represent a different area of aviation — homebuilders, ultralights, the International Aerobatic Club, the Vintage Aircraft Association, and EAA Warbirds of America.

The 2025 inductees include:

EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame: Vic Syracuse – Acclaimed writer and former chairman of the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council

International Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame: Rob Holland (posthumous) – 13-time national Unlimited aerobatic champion and top air show performer

Warbirds of America Hall of Fame: Darrel Berry – Owner of BMT Aviation, founding member of the Ridge Runner flight team

Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame: Mark Holliday – Chief pilot of the Vintage Aero Flying Museum

EAA Ultralights Hall of Fame: Dave Cronk –Renowned ultralight designer and 1975 hang gliding world champion

The EAA Sport Aviation Halls of Fame were established to honor the outstanding achievements of men and women in aviation who share the spirit of EAA and its community. Those inducted into the halls of fame are selected by their peers for myriad contributions made to their respective areas of aviation.

EAA will honor the new inductees at a dinner ceremony on November 12, 2025, in the Eagle Hangar of the EAA Aviation Museum.

More information on each inductee will be added to the EAA website, eaa.org.

Whirly-Girls Open 2026 Scholarship Season

The Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund, Inc. has announced the opening of the 2026 scholarship season. Over the last few years, the organization has been growing and expanding not only to provide deserving female aviators but also maintainers from across the globe with more than $550,000 worth of helicopter flight training, maintenance training and educational scholarships. These scholarships advance the helicopter industry by strengthening the talent pool and increasing diversity.

Applications are now open so get excited and start applying!

Scholarship applications are available at www.whirlygirls.org/scholarships/ and are due Oct. 1, 2025. Scholarships will be formally presented on March 8, 2026 at the Annual WhirlyGirls Gala at VERTICON in Atlanta, GA. For more information about attending the Gala, visit www.whirlygirls.org.

This year, Whirly-Girls will have numerous returning scholarship sponsors including Anastasia Mosquito Control District, Bristow, CAE, Coptersafety (with an exciting new opportunity!), FlightSafety International, Garmin, Leading Edge Flight Academy, Central Oregon Community College, Leonardo Helicopters (check out their adjusted flight training option), MD Helicopters (with added maintenance opportunities!), Oregon Aero, PHI Aviation, Robinson Helicopter Company, Survival Systems USA, Timberline (this year with great maintenance opportunities!) and many private individuals and donors.

New sponsors this year include Precision LLC & Pureflight Aviation Training LLC, Rogue Aviation, and for our members in the APAC region; stay tuned for a possible opportunity with PHI!

Scholarships are available for both experienced and newly certificated pi-

2025 Whirly-Girl scholarship winners at last year’s VERTICON event. (Photo courtesy Whirly-Girls)

lots, as well as those individuals who are seeking their initial helicopter ratings. Courses are offered for a variety of training objectives, including turbine transitions, software use, commercial flight training, airline transport licenses, and many more. In addition to this, Whirly-Girls now also have an extensive range of maintenance scholarships to offer for both certificate holders as well as women still working towards their licenses.

Although a lot has changed since the original 13 members of the Whirly-Girls founded this organization and the number of female pilots has been increasing over the past few decades, there are still relatively few women with Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPL) worldwide and females still comprise fewer than 6 percent of pilots. The Whirly-Girls organization provides a place where female pilots can find support and camaraderie and help one another succeed. With the support of sponsors who provide these career-building scholarships the organization strives to advance women and aid the growth of aviation. For any woman out there, who wants to start or advance her dream in aviation, there is no reason not to apply!

For more information on WhirlyGirls International and Whirly-Girls scholarships, visit www.whirlygirls.org or contact VP of Scholarships, Kitty Seerden, at scholarships@whirlygirls.org.

Vic Syracuse

Rob Holland

Darrel Berry

Mark Holliday

Dave Cronk

Bill “Tiger” Destefani

Continued on Page 26

Now let’s go to the wing change. North American put one-degree positive on that wing on a stock Mustang. Well, I wanted to take it to zero degrees. How did you do that? Well, here’s what I did. If we had, if this table was a wing, you could do it two ways. You could leave the leading edge where it is and you could change the trailing edge a whole bunch. Or, you could split it in half, per se. So that’s what we did, all right. That meant you had to change the front brackets and the rear brackets. We remade the brackets. The rear ones were a little bit longer out of aluminum, so we made them out of steel. I didn’t trust aluminum. I mean it’s good, but steel I trust. It’s only two pieces of steel. The wing’s cross-section stayed the same. All of that stayed the same. It just now had zero instead of one-degree positive. It’s now zero. Another thing I wanted to do was do the dihedral. Go back the early race planes when they had floats (pontoons) and they’d have no dihedral. Then we would have to change the landing gear, which we didn’t do but I thought about it.

Once we did the incidence change, the only thing you could tell is. The airplane wanted the three-point off, it just wanted to three-point off. Well, I don’t want it to three-point off because three-pointing off if anything happens, I’m barely flying. I’d roll in about four degrees nose down, all right. So, it would help me get that tail up because I wanted some more speed before I actually go flying. And then as I’m rotating, I could always pull the trim out of it a little bit. That’s what I would do. But, at speed with race power, the trim was running about zero degrees on the marker. We would check the trim marker to make sure the trim tabs are on zero degrees.

So, we were pretty much riding the wave. Everything’s been done to the plane. And now you’re just riding the wave. Our motto was – “If the red rocket is running, ain’t nobody beating us.”

IFUSA PTG: What did you think of “Rare Bear” piloted by Lyle Shelton and who was your biggest nemesis? Remember, Lyle’s team had a whiteboard with the magnetic cartoons of “Big, ugly thing” chasing “Little slender red thing” and cartoon of the “Speed Juice” container inside the mold lines of the “Bearcat.”

Tiger: Well, they were till we really got that thing going good and then the “Bearcat” couldn’t run with us no more. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lyle, you know, we come out of the pilot brief and he’d always be sitting over by himself. We’d come out there, make sure I’d get close to him and whisper, ‘Lyle, I’m going to thrash you today like a stepchild’ and keep on walking. Yeah, well, I loved whipping him. Oh, he’s a damn good pilot. Yeah, he’s a good pilot. No doubt about that, he is a good stick and rudder guy.

But there were 10 years there when

he won five and I won five. But then we started. Once I got this engine builder, Jose, that guy could build an engine. We started making that sumbitch live. Prior to that, I told you 10 years in a row – MAYDAY! It got so good we’d come down the shoot and there were some high-ranking RARA officials that had a motor home over there. We come this way. They’d be right there. One official’s wife was already pouring me a Jack Daniels on the rocks as I was coming down the shoot and it wasn’t very long, I was – MAYDAY’ing! I’d coast right up to the trailer and jump out and have a Jack Daniels! Oh, yeah. They had the radios going.

IFUSA PTG: What were some of your highs and lows? You may have already mentioned them earlier today, but what was scariest? What was the funniest?

TIGER: Never had scary. Never had fire in the cockpit. But we had a fire system and yeah, one time, I \ that engine up, man, I done blow that sucker up. It had coolant, oil and fire. And, yeah, that windshield solvent washer worked like champ. Worked off 24V and so it was always there for me. Worked perfect for us, right?

I never got scared and one thing that I did when I used to teach that MAYDAY class, I would tell these newbies, I said, ‘Here’s the deal. When you got the runway made, the MAYDAY is over. All you got to do now is land.’ So that’s a comforting fact, when you’re in that cockpit all alone, with altitude, even if she’s rattling and shaking and all that ****, you got the runway made. So once you got the runway made? The MAYDAY is over now. We just do what we do. What do you do? Land.

The funniest or best time for me was that 1987 year when I backed off to 100 inches and let ‘Dreadnought’ go around me and then I waited for a little while before I put the power back up. So caught his ***, went around him and won the race. He made it for three or four laps before I went around. That was fun. Racing. You know, if you just went out and got in front and you went there eight laps and you never seen anybody. How much fun is that? I did that a few times.

The only other time was 2008. My last race. That big Sea Fury (“September Fury”) with the 3350 on the front, he had the pole, “Dago Red” had second and I had third. Now remember, on Friday and Saturday, I didn’t run it too hard. I had blown up 10 years in a row prior to that. So, in the mean time, I’m watching these two ding dongs and how they fly. That Sea Fury would go around Pylon 6, and the airplane is so heavy, he’d slow up! He had to really go out there, you know, to unload the Gs, to get around there. Well, I’m over here on the inside of him. I got a G meter on board. I had it right in the center. OK, so we’d come down the chute and around, let’s say, Pylon 4 or 5 or 6, I see it and just pass him on the straight, all right. I lay into the turn now and I got “Diego Red” in front of me. I passed him; I passed them both within one lap and I’m leading. Well, that that was fun, beating both of them cats. I let them win on Friday and Saturday, so I’m sandbagging and watching them fly. Alright, figuring out how I’m going to do this on Sunday. Because Sunday I am not holding back, we’re going for it. Blow up or no blow up. Well, it didn’t blow up and I won. That’s the only two I really remember. The rest of them… I went for it and won. I won seven times, Okay. But of course, every time is a little different, you know, and I do remember this coming down the chute back in, let’s take 1987, …here’s Hoover (pace plane). We’re coming down to shoot, all right? And we’re all staying aligned but we’re heading down and we’re so clean and I got the power back and pretty soon I can’t see him (Hoover). I got to look back and he said, ‘That’s all I got boys. Gentleman, you have a race!’ He is way back there, right? Hoover was in a stock Mustang.

IFUSA PTG: What are you doing now with your life and how are you keeping involved with aviation and then we’ll end on the current state of Roswell.

Tiger: Here’s what I’m doing now on aviation, not a gosh darn thing. I sold all my parts. Sold all that ****; called up Stevo. Gave him my tug, APU, tow bars; whatever. You come get it all. Gave it to him. Well, it’s not even on loan there at the Planes of Fame Museum. It’s just there. It’s there, gentlemen’s agreement. It needs a carburetor. I think a carburetor, and I know it needs mags, so I don’t know if they’re turning it over. I frankly

don’t give a ****. I’m done with aviation unless I get me a jet. See, I just don’t want it cut up. I don’t want it changed. I want it to be kept as is. I want it to be in a museum. I told Stevo, ‘When I get the money, I’ll build an air race museum over there where you guys are at.’ We’ll put that in there. We will put the “Bearcat” side by side with “Strega.” Then we will have an actual air race museum.

IFUSA PTG: What’s your thoughts on their (R(oswell)ARA) decision making and what you know today that both the Sport Class and the Unlimiteds are not going and here we are August 16th? At the time of printing, “RARA remains committed to working with both classes for the 2026 races.”

Tiger: First of all, they screwed up just selecting that place. All right? That’s the first screw up. Second of all, now the Unlimiteds aren’t going. There is not gonna be anybody there. Some 500 hotel rooms, no significant infrastructure; Yeah, people are driving like, an hour and a half to their hotel. I was talking to Matt Jackson and he says, ‘I have been there before. That wind blows hard in the afternoon. It’ll be 60 mph blowing dust and all that.’ Not fun. It blew enough at Reno. It’s like, you know… dumb. Whatever. They had six places. Out of those, there had to be one that was pretty good compared to where they’re at. I mean, you know, the airport there will do the air race just fine, I think. I’ve never been there and it’s like you got to go somewhere where you’ve got hotel rooms, people, a pretty good airport and space to do the racecourse. That’s what you got to have. And they got space to do the racecourse, but they got no people and no hotel rooms. They have already lost their *****.

IFUSA PTG: What can you say to your past fans?

Tiger: Hope you enjoyed me. I always tried to give them a hell of a race because you aren’t going to see it anymore. It’s history, and unless somebody comes along, a multimillionaire and wanted to start them up again someplace ideal. I figure Strega’s last trip is from Chino to the place they’re moving to. And do I care? I don’t care if I ever fly again. I just don’t care. I have flown so much. Regarding my logbook time you asked earlier, I guess I got about 3,000 hours in P-51s, but it might be less. It might be more. I never cared much about logbooks. I remember making this entry. It was before 2000. I entered in the book – ‘The year 2000’s coming, we may not be alive.’ And then after it comes and goes, I said. ‘We’re still alive. 2000 never materialized.’ It’s in my logbook. As far as the logbook, what do I give a ****? I don’t make a living doing that ****. I just do it because I like it. So, do I care about a logbook? Hell no. Only reason I ever got a pilot’s license was because I was going to Reno!

Note the author’s name on Rare Bear’s wheel pant. (Photo courtesy Paul T. Glessner)

The Aborted Takeoff Decision

Continued from Page 18

you count the number of covers?” even if they sound diminutive.

Part 121 – See Something, Do Something

A B737-800 Captain performed an aborted takeoff that resulted from subtle and direct threats. No injuries were sustained, lessons were learned, and a suggestion was shared.

■ Lining up on the runway centerline, I believe after being cleared for takeoff, I noticed a large bird land to the left side of the centerline, roughly 3000 ft. beyond our position. I pointed this out to the FO (First Officer) (pilot flying), and we continued with normal takeoff procedures. As we approached the bird’s position…the 80-kt call was not yet made (my attention was focused primarily outside the aircraft), and it did not relocate, as we’d both later discussed was our mutual expectation. Instead, it stayed where it had landed, and only attempted to move as we came within perhaps one or two hundred feet of it. As we passed its position, we heard and felt a significant impact on the left side, and we elected to abort the takeoff, expecting that damage had likely been done to the engine and/or aircraft at that point. With thousands of feet remaining, we rejected the takeoff by closing the thrust levers, using no reverse, having no autobrake actuation, and nominal/normal braking, and [then] cleared the runway at roughly a midpoint high-speed taxiway and returned to a gate, to learn that the Number One Engine had sustained damage. A large bird landed on the runway at or shortly after the time of our receipt of takeoff clearance. I do not recall being trained to consider the presence of non-fixed/mobile obstructions, animate

Whirlybirds

Continued from Page 7

the control positions as the pilot moved the controls. On one mission, my flight engineer buddy pulled me over to the hatch and said, “watch this.” The pilots moved the controls, and the FE called out the positions, but all in reverse. The pilots yelled “thanks” and went about their business, never realizing what had happened. They had moved something and heard words… close enough!

or otherwise, as a reason to decline, cancel, or reject takeoff clearance or a takeoff maneuver, but I do recommend this becoming a training scenario/lesson, as I realize now that simply delaying our takeoff until the trespassing bird could be seen to have evacuated the runway environment would have almost certainly…precluded this incident. I will, from now on, never again attempt a takeoff with any obstruction, living or not, fixed or mobile, within the takeoff flight path.

Part 121 – I Can See Clearly Now

This B777 crew described an aborted takeoff involving critical aircraft systems malfunctions. No injuries occurred, and the incident was successfully terminated.

From the First Officer’s report:

■ I began the takeoff and set the thrust. As we accelerated, smoke began to pour into the cockpit, hindering…visibility. The crew recognized the problem as smoke was identified. Shortly thereafter, reject was declared.… The Captain [took] control of the aircraft and rejected the takeoff roll.…

From the Captain’s report:

■ [We] had to reject the takeoff because of smoke in the cockpit pouring in between 70-80 KIAS. Rejection was around 80 KIAS. Masks were donned during [the] reject, and cockpit visibility was very low. Just enough visibility to see a taxiway turnoff as I was slowing on the rejected takeoff. Tower reported smoke coming out of the left side, then left engine, of [the] aircraft. As we cleared the runway, cockpit windows were opened to allow better visibility. I shut down the left engine as we cleared the runway and slowly brought the aircraft to a full stop and set the parking brake. Coordination was done between myself and onsite Fire Coordi-

nator on VHF1. The Fire Commander ensured me the engine was not on fire, although smoke continued for at least 10-15 minutes. I’m assuming now it was because…the oil in the engine was throughout the engine because of a blown seal or bearing. During all of this, the First Officer accomplished the Rejected Takeoff Checklist. [The] right engine was also shut down. No APU was started. Even though only the APU air was deferred, I was now not confident in the analysis done by local Contract Maintenance and thought it best practice to leave the aircraft shut down. Local Maintenance had said before departure that they prefer we not run the APU because of the oil/smoke situation of the previous flight. In hindsight, I should have insisted [that] either it was [inoperative] or operating, but not this in-between. We passed to the Company Chief Pilot and Ops via cell phone that we would be losing radios in 1015 minutes and needed a tug. ATC was also informed.… We were towed to site XXX. Two deadheading pilots in the back of the plane confirmed that during the incident, the back half of the cabin had almost no visibility because of smoke and the front half was also filled with smoke, but [had] better visibility. In the cockpit, most of the smoke entered under the feet of myself and the First Officer. It took no more than 5-7 seconds for [the] entire cockpit to be filled with smoke. [The] 3rd and 4th pilots reported they could barely see the backs [of] our heads,18 inches away, and the instruments were not visible because of smoke during [the] rejection.

Part 91 – A Rotation to Remember

A 6000-hour solo C172 Flight Instructor was about to lift off when aircraft control was lost. The incident highlights some sound wisdom regarding attention to detail in aviation.

■ I was cleared for takeoff on Runway XXL. At rotation, my seat slid to the rear. My feet were unable to reach the rudder pedals, and the airplane veered left. I pulled the throttle to idle. The plane was heading towards the VASI. I slid the seat forward, regained direction control, and steered left.… I stopped the plane just beyond the VASI and told …Tower what…happened and [that I] needed no assistance. I was cleared to exit Runway XXL at Taxiway 1, cross Runway XXR, and…contact Ground. Ground cleared me to taxi to the runup area for Runway XXR and phone…Tower, which I did.… Airport Security drove up, and I submitted my driver’s license and pilot certificate. I then restarted and taxied back to parking where I was met by our Maintenance crew. The Tower phoned me to verify there was no damage or injuries. Maintenance readjusted the seat. I testflew the plane once around the pattern on Runway XXR and then continued with my intended mission. I was fortunate with 2 things. First, the conditions were dry, so I had no issues with direction control and braking in the grass. Second, in choosing my departure on Runway XXL, I had the least likely chance of hitting people, vehicles, or aircraft…left of that runway. While I had maximum braking and significant rearward seat pressure during the magneto check, I will be more diligent in checking that my seat is locked in place.

The reports featured in CALLBACK are offered in the spirit of stimulating thought and discussion. While NASA ASRS does not verify or validate reports, we encourage you, our readers, to explore them and draw your own conclusions.

Of course, it is not just the flight controls that need to be treated with “what might be wrong with you today” approach. One issue that shows up frequently is cowlings or doors that pop open in flight, or oil or fuel caps that are not properly secured. A large percentage of these events have a common factor… the pre-flight was, at some point , interrupted. It might be a fuel truck driving up, a passenger asking a question or perhaps an ATC radio call

in the middle of an engine run-up. Such distractions are deadly.

If interrupted, start the checklist over from the beginning, or at the very least, back up to a known point of completion and start the process over. An ever-increasing pre-flight issue today is programming the navigation/auto flight system. Carefully and thoughtfully arranging your electronic gadgets is critical. While new-technology airplanes offer great enhancements and capabil-

ity, we acknowledge that each device has its own checklist. And critically important, don’t play with the gadgets while the plane is in motion on the ground, now showing up as a marked increase in runway incursions. Enough preaching, get the idea? As I learned the hard way, you are never too old or experienced to avoid making some bonehead mistake that gets people hurt.

National Aviation Hall of Fame Celebrates Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth and Kansas Representative Ron Estes with Leadership Awards

The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) has announced that U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has been selected to receive the prestigious 2025 National Aviation Hall of Fame Congressional Leadership Award, recognizing her exemplary dedication and unwavering support of America’s aviation and aerospace industry. Congressman Ron Estes (R-KS) has been selected to receive the 2025 Congressional Leadership Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) in recognition of his steadfast support of the aviation and aerospace industry.

Sen. Duckworth is currently serving her second term representing Illinois in the Senate. A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, she is a decorated combat veteran and former Army helicopter pilot. Her extraordinary resilience and courage as a wounded warrior stand as a testament to her character and commitment. Through her steadfast advocacy for veterans’ rights and her leadership as chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Security, Operations and Innovation, she has profoundly advanced the cause of innovation and security within the aviation sector.

Rep. Estes has consistently championed policies that strengthen the aerospace sector, promote technological advancement, and support workforce development. As a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means,

he has worked to foster a pro-growth economic environment that benefits aviation and ensures America’s continued leadership in global aerospace innovation.

“We owe our veterans the highest levels of honor and respect, and that’s why we are thrilled to present a Congressional Leadership Award to Sen. Duckworth,” said Doug Schwartz, Chair of the NAHF Board of Trustees.

“Sen. Duckworth embodies the highest ideals of public service. Her leadership has not only strengthened our nation’s defense but has also made a lasting impact on American aviation and aerospace. It is with great pride that we present her with this distinguished honor.

“Support from elected officials is critical to our industry,” continued Schwartz. “We are grateful that Rep. Estes understands the vital role aviation plays in our nation’s economy. We look forward to honoring him with this award as a symbol of our deep appreciation for his work.”

Sen. Duckworth expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Aviation has played a defining role in my life — from serving as a combat pilot to supporting innovation and safety in the industry. I’m proud to stand with those working to ensure that our nation

remains a global leader in aerospace.”

Rep. Estes, said, “I am humbled by this recognition. America is a global leader in aerospace, and I’m proud to help ensure we remain at the forefront.”

Representative Ron Estes will be honored alongside Senator Tammy Duckworth the other recipient of the 2025 NAHF’s Congressional Leadership Award. The National Aviation Hall of Fame will formally present the

National Aviation Hall of Fame Congressional Leader

ship Award.

Goodbyes May Lead to New Beginnings

Continued from Page 10

gle-place, parasol design, the “Baby Ace,” that could be purchased as plans or as a kit (more of a materials package). More on the Baby Ace in the next paragraph. Recognizing a growing market for light, basic and simple personal planes, names like Clarence Taylor started manufacturing ready-to-fly, light, two-place planes. The Taylor designs were acquired by a gent named William Piper, and the future of light, marginally affordable, simple planes (Piper J-3 Cub) was firmly entrenched in the American story of aviation history… all arising from homebuilt-designs. Sure, a lot of names and contributors have been left out, but you will see where this is going.

Let’s jump ahead to the early 1950’s. A flying enthusiast with an unusual last name, Paul Poberezny, had formed a club

for local homebuilding fans, the Experimental Aircraft Association… the EAA. As a means of promoting the EAA, Paul did an update of the Corben Bay Ace and plans were published in the very popular Mechanics Illustrated (Popular Mechanics) magazine. For some reason, this very cute little single-place parasol airplane took the flying (and non-flying) public by storm, and the EAA was off and running.

This writer, then about 13- or 14-years old, fell in love with the Baby Ace, swearing to one day build one, or at least fly one. Homebuilt and kit airplanes, which had been mostly banned with the federalization of aviation in 1939-40 (Civil Aeronautics Administration… CAA), were suddenly a topic of conversations and mainly through the efforts of the EAA (plus some other notables) brought back into existence. The EAA revitalized the popularity of flying simple airplanes

purely for fun and recreation.

Sophisticated, partially assembled kit airplanes hit the market in the early 1980s as the contemporary aircraft manufacturers succumbed to lawsuits and corporate takeovers. KITPLANES magazine was introduced in 1984, reenergizing this writer’s interest in building my own airplane. It was articles in KITPLANES that led to this writer becoming affiliated with Kitfox. By the late 1990s, the reigns of EAA had been turned over to Paul’s very capable son, Tom Poberezny. Coincidental to the change in leadership, Congress passed the FAA Research/Engineering and Development Reauthorization Act of 1998, which commanded the FAA to do something it had never considered before. Prior to passing rules, the FAA was told that “stakeholder” inputs must be obtained and that regulations by “industry consensus standards” must be

awards on stage during the 61st Enshrinement Dinner and Ceremony taking place on Sept. 19, 2025, in Wichita, Kansas. This distinguished event will gather more than 500 guests, including esteemed aviation leaders, enthusiasts, and returning enshrinees for a celebration of excellence.

For tickets or more information, visit nationalaviation.org or call 937-2560944 ext.16.

In 1923, Mr. Orland G. Corben began designing airplanes because he saw the need for an aircraft that was safe, easy to fly, and inexpensive for the average person to build and operate. (Photo courtesy Ace Aircraft, aceaircraft.com)

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has been selected to receive the prestigious 2025

(Photo courtesy NAHF)

Congressman Ron Estes (R-KS) has been selected to receive the 2025 Congressional Leadership Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame. (Photo courtesy NAHF)

Goodbyes May Lead to New Beginnings

Continued from Page 34

considered. Tom Poberezny figured that by utilizing an international standards organization such as ASTM, the kit and recreational flying community might be able to write a new set of rules for a pilot certificate and create a new category of airplane… yep … Sport Pilot and LSA.

A request was made by Tom for major participants in the recreational aviation community to meet with him at the 1999 Sun N’ Fun event to begin the process of creating the Sport Pilot/LSA concept. My company made a significant contribution to spark interest in the possibility of an ASTM process. Having been an aviation (airline industry) lobbyist in Washington

DC, years earlier, I had a good feel for how such a process could work.

On the personal side, this writer’s first meeting with Tom Poberezny was unexpected and spontaneous. Having just received an “airshow boss” briefing at the show site building at Sun ‘N Fun (I was going to be flying), an EAA volunteer grabbed me. Tom had just complet-

HMEWatch ATC Analog Flight Watch

HMEWatch is offering excellent prices on their long established Professional Flight Watch line.

They are offering an excellent clearance sale to make room on new models coming out later this year. Take advantage of these high-quality models while they last at really great pricing.

There are a number of different models and colors offering both, Metal Bracelet models starting at a low $139.95, as well as high-quality Rubber/Neoprene bands at only $119.95.

The ATP model is an all digital multi-function watch offering multiple alarms, stopwatch, as well as countdown time, multiple city “World-Time” covering every time zone on the planet, and a thermometer, as well as an altimeter/barometer. These popular full-featured models are newly priced, starting at $74.95!

There are four versions of the “ATP,” a larger all black plastic with either a regular LCD display or a reverse LCD display; the other, slightly smaller, offers a metal case and yellow rubber strap.

The HMEWatch A.T.C. (Aviator Timepiece-Chrono) Aviator watch is an all analog, high-quality aviator watch offered in multiple styles. This model features a 60- minute chronograph, date window and a second-hour indicator to show a constant display of a second time zone whether it be your home, destination or as most use it, G.M.T./Zulu Time. This second large hand is a 12hour hand teaming up with a 24-hour Subdial indicator.

There is also a simple, optional instant-reset for the Chrono, where an instant push of the lower right mode button resets the chrono; no more having to stop the chrono before resetting it if that is your wish. In addition, there is also a functional E6B calculator Bezel on each model.

The A.T.C. comes in either all-stainless with a stainless steel bracelet or a stainless steel body with a polyurethane strap. HME Watch offers all models, including the P.U. strap model with a deploy clasp instead of the lower price “Tang-Buckle” found on most watches. In keeping up with styles today, this is a fairly large watch, at 43mm diameter by 13mm thick. Weight is about normal for a stainless steel model.

Take advantage of these special prices while stock lasts. Also, they are offering prices well under retail on Citizen Eco-Drive Pilot watch models. Contact

ed flying an acro routine and was in the locker room changing into street clothes for the upcoming meet with other industry leaders. He wanted to get a head start with me. I quickly charged into the locker room, catching Tom in his underwear. Unfettered, we sat for about 15 minutes hashing over how the meeting should go later that day and confirming my company’s contribution. At the conclusion of our very informal meeting, Tom realized he was not dressed and commented, with great humor, “Nothing like beginning a new chapter in recreational flying in your underwear… that is about as grass roots as you can get!” I was later graced by having a relationship with the entire Poberezny family.

That Sun ‘N Fun meeting evolved into multiple committees, led by almost every recognizable name in the kit plane industry, including major vendors and component suppliers. Editorial space does not allow a proper list of credits but know that every “name” in recreational and kit plane aviation participated with enthusiasm. All aspects of recreational flying participated in aggressive ASTM-sponsored meetings over the next two-plus years. Although work was completed in early 2003, the plodding NPRM process took another 18 months.

LSA and Sport Pilot had been created to the chagrin of many FAA bureaucrats. It is through the success of efforts made by an industry that many contemporary pilots (and training schools) know nothing about, that MOSAIC exists today. Those of us who love fun, recreational, and private flying are finally getting a break from the old Private Pilot certificate that has become overburdened with requirements and rules that impede, not enhance safety. Now, do you see why In Flight USA feels so strongly about supporting the fans, writers, and advertisers of KITPLANES magazine. Tradition is not something one gives up simply because of financial or corporate issues. We, at In Flight USA, wish only the best for the team that created and managed KITPLANES, which so successfully represented fun, recreational flying, and the adventure of joining the Wright Brothers in building your own flying machine.

Oh yes, now for the rest of the story. No, this writer did not build a Corben Baby Ace. In 2017, a local homebuilder from a very active EAA chapter had just completed a Corben Baby Ace. My twin brother was asked to test fly the little single-place parasol and I was asked if the builder could take a needed FAA flight review in his little plane. Yes, it can be done legally, but I had to evaluate the plane before the procedure could begin. So, over 60 years after this writer fell in love with the Baby Ace, the dreams of a 13-year-old boy were fulfilled. And that little parasol did not disappoint. It flew just as beautifully as it looked in the Popular Mechanics magazine article. God bless that little plane and the Poberezny family.

AirVenture 2025: An interview with Dave McFarlane

By Cynthia Wheatley Glenn

Oshkosh! The overwhelming sight of literally thousands of airplanes, helicopters, and drones lined up in neat rows with their camper-owners and operators beneath the wings, or streaking across the sky showing off the high caliber skill levels of the pilots who operate them.

Celebrating history en masse as we all took turns marveling at the Goodyear blimp’s 100-hundredth anniversary pair of working airships gracing the skies. Their tie-down spots were pretty much at the entrance into the campus, and it was fascinating watching how they were maneuvered to ensure safe take-offs, en route flight, and landings.

Oshkosh! The crowds exceeded 700,000 and were kind and patient as we all occasionally waited to get from here to there, to make purchases, or to buy food. Personally, I totally leaned in to the midwestern cuisine of deep-fried cheese curds (delicious!), as well as typical fair food: hot dogs, tacos, ice cream bars, and frozen lemonade. The weather was pleas-

ant (for the most part; not a lot of rain this year) and not quite as humid as it has been in the past.

Oshkosh! Looking for old friends we only see at the show, and making new friends who will be added to the “find” list next year and after. I saw FAA employees in their building, as well as vendors who manage to stay in the same spot year after year in the four huge hangars that serve as giant aviation superstores. I always take a laundry list of items I need to pick up for my two C182Ps, and I always appreciate the show discounts that are given.

Oshkosh! Having the privilege of writing for In Flight USA, there are many, many people who are willing to share with me their story. This year was no exception. I was leaving the McFarlane Aviation Products booth and came across four gentlemen sitting off to the side and we struck up a conversation; they were very engaging and probably had close to 100 years of piloting and maintenance experience between them, something incredibly helpful to a relative newbie

such as myself who only has five years of flight training and flying under my belt. It turns out one of the men was Dave McFarlane, the founder of McFarlane Aviation Products. He was very generous in that he allowed me to interview him. Enjoy!

In Flight USA: I’m very interested in learning your story, and not just how you started McFarlane Aviation Products. What can you share?

Dave McFarlane: My brother and I built model airplanes when we were boys. Dad flew; he was a Private Pilot and kept a T-Craft in a field outside of town in NE Iowa. He owned a service station back then.

IFUSA: When did the aviation bug bite you?

DMcF: I started flying at age 16, and soloed that same year, in 1968. I worked the service station and painted cars at night to earn money for lessons. I earned my private pilot certificate at age 17, when it was still easy to get a DPE – we only had to call a week in advance back then to book a checkride. I remember I had to do a short-soft field landing. I’d never done a combined short and soft field. I had done short field and soft field but not together and the DPE showed me how, then I just did it.

IFUSA: What else can you tell me about your teenage years?

DMcF: When I was in high school, Dad sold the service station and became an excavator. The new owner didn’t pay his mortgage, so my dad repossessed the service station and pretty much gave it to me and my brother to run. He taught me at age 16! – and my brother how to run the business. This was in NE Iowa in a small farm town called Arlington. We would run the shop early before school, then we hired a retired mechanic to come into work while we were at school. After school, my brother and I would go back to the service station, taking turns deciding who would go home for dinner each night during the week. I used many of those business skills that I learned to create McFarlane Aviation.

IFUSA: That is incredible! Did you continue flying?

DMcF: Yes, I painted airplanes at night and went to college during the day. I was offered a job in Mississippi to run an aircraft repaint shop and I learned how to be an ag pilot. The problem was, I needed my commercial pilot certificate. My boss told the DPE I had a government contract job beginning the following Monday and asked that he please take me up for my checkride over the weekend. I was not fully prepared but barely passed, then moved to South Mississippi and worked for the USDA spraying for fire control. Eventually, I worked as a CFI in Arkansas during the winter, and worked in the Mississippi and Arkansas Delta spraying during the summer.

IFUSA: How long did you do this?

DMcF: For about six or seven years. After that, I bought the spray service company. I was married by now and my wife and I were building our family, a son and a daughter. I flew and maintained airplanes in Des Moines, Iowa, focusing more on aviation maintenance where I leased a shop. In 1979 my wife and I bought Vinland Aerodrome (K64), a private grass strip with 25 hangars, an aerial spray business, and a repair and rebuilding shop. Phyllis, my wife, helped run the airport. I remember she would mow the grass runways and keep the books.

IFUSA: I love how varied and interesting your story is. How did you become McFarlane Aviation Products? Why parts manufacturing?

DMcF: I have been very involved in aviation in some capacity for most of my life. We kept getting complaints from clients that parts they ordered from other companies broke and were expensive. Our solution was to provide better products at a cheaper price.

IFUSA: What about your kids? Are either of them pilots?

DMcF: My son learned to fly after high school and was a member of the Boeing Flying Club, but his passion is designing software code. He earned his Master’s degree in aerospace engineering and works at McFarlane. My daughter earned her MBA and also works for the company; she is not a pilot. We still own K64, but the spray business closed in 1994. We added a 40-acre industrial park and a 120,000 square-foot office/industrial space for McFarlane Aviation Products that employs 150 people. The kids didn’t want to run the company, so I sold the majority four years ago to a private equity firm. I’m still very involved in the company, though, with the major goal being (to) keep moving forward making better airplane parts. I want to help where I can to make the business grow and continue helping people.

IFUSA: Do you have retirement plans?

DMcF: I have no retirement plans. I’ll probably do this until I die. It’s been a good life.

Dave McFarlane, founder of McFarlane Aviation. (Photo courtesy McFarline Aviation)

By Ed Wischmeyer

Oshkosh 2025: Tidbits and Potpourri – Part 2

Oshkosh is big announcements and such, but there are also numerous tidbits along the way, and some clarifications that become clear after the fact. Potpourri is the nicest name for this literary conglomeration…

How to Become (in)Famous

The well documented, factual story is of a 75-year-old flight instructor, recipient of the Wright Brothers for 50 years of flight (same as me on all counts), who got royally confused flying into Oshkosh.

The pilot is clearly heard saying on the radio, “I don’t think I am ready for this,”

To top it off, on departure he decided to take off from a taxiway, in the

wrong direction. There is a YouTube video of this. Flightaware.com shows that this plane has made more flights back in North Dakota.

I’m wondering how long I should continue flying, both physically and cognitively. Hopefully I’m nowhere near this level of confusion.

Patty Wagstaff flew her “last performance” at AirVenture, aged 74, a year younger than I. Her skills and physiology were far superior to mine, of course, but another data point in my decision.

* * * * * * *

The AirVenture NOTAM is the source of information for flying into Oshkosh, and it also describes flying into Fond du Lac and Appleton, the two

closest other airports. But what’s new this year is that IFR reservations were required for a zillion airports within, say, 30 miles. My guess is that this was required to keep the traffic load for Milwaukee Approach under control.

I just happened to read the NOTAM when I was still thinking I might fly myself, and that was entirely by chance. I would have appreciated it if that expanded scope was more widely publicized. I don’t like coming across crucial information by chance.

* * * * * * *

For the past 28 years, I’ve stayed at the same farmhouse, five miles south of the field. Driving in to the airport one morning at 6:30 a.m., the departures were headed south, towards me, in the

dim dawn light. Their landing lights made them look like fireflies.

Here’s a thought: with all those planes headed the same direction, those landing lights would not have been visible by the rest of the cohort, as they would only have been visible to planes headed the opposite direction.

Another morning, I was shadow bombed by a plane flying north towards Oshkosh. When it got out of the sun, I saw that it was one of the T-6 aerobatic team. And on another morning, I saw a group of six Sandhill cranes, maybe practicing to fly south for the winter. * * * * * * *

Van’s Aircraft announced upgrades to the RV-12is, including a new paint

California Pilot Wins AOPA Sweepstakes Cessna 182 at EAA AirVenture

Jennifer Hortman of Murrieta, Calif., a certificated flight instructor who recently earned her airline transport pilot certificate, won AOPA’s Cessna 182 Sweepstakes, and was given the keys to her new aircraft in front of a crowd of attendees at EAA AirVenture. (Photo courtesy AOPA)

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) announced that Jennifer Hortman of Murrieta, Calif., is the winner of AOPA’s Cessna 182 Sweepstakes, and was given the keys to her new aircraft in front of a crowd of attendees at EAA AirVenture.

Hortman, who became a private pilot and joined AOPA 30 years ago, recently got back into aviation after a long time away. She earned her Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate earlier this year and recently earned a type rating to fly the Cessna Citation Excel, XLS, and XLS+, which she paid for herself.

Hortman’s new airplane, a 1958 Cessna 182A, balances modern technology with mid-century character. Prior to its transformation, it started as a bare aluminum shell with a yellow velveteen interior. The paint scheme and interior pay homage to the Cessna 182 that graced the cover of the first issue of AOPA Pilot in March 1958.

AOPA Western Pacific Regional Manager Niki Britton and Features Editor Alicia Herron oversaw the restoration and created the ruse to make sure

Hortman came to AirVenture.

“This airplane has come such a long way,” said Herron. “We wanted to honor the aircraft’s roots while making it something a modern pilot would be proud to own.”

Britton added: “It’s always exciting to hand over the keys. The build-up creates a lot of buzz and sharing that moment with the winner is a joy.”

“Every pilot dreams of winning an airplane, and this sweepstakes aircraft was particularly special,” said AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance.

“Jennifer’s story represents the kind of passion, dedication, and love of flying that defines our community. We couldn’t be more thrilled for her.”

The AOPA sweepstakes giveaway is a long-running tradition and a member favorite. Since 1993, AOPA has given away 27 aircraft to lucky members as part of its mission to inspire and engage pilots across the country.

The next sweepstakes began late in July — AOPA will be giving away a beautifully repaired 2024 Aviat Husky in the summer of 2026.

AOPA Unveils Aviat Husky as Next Sweepstakes Aircraft

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is proud to unveil its next AOPA Sweepstakes aircraft — a 2024 Aviat Husky A-1C-200, a versatile, two-seat tailwheel airplane known for its impressive handling and performance.

“The sweepstakes Husky reflects the best of general aviation — freedom, versatility, and the pure joy of flying,” said AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance. “Throughout the next year, we’ll showcase its exceptional flying qualities and the many ways it connects pilots to memorable experiences — no matter where they fly.”

With its 200-horsepower, fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360 engine and constant-speed Hartzell Trailblazer composite propeller, the Husky offers short takeoff and landing performance, taking off in just 442 feet and climbing at more than 1,100 feet per minute. Its robust design and massive 31inch Alaskan Bushwheel tundra tires open up endless possible adventures from grass strips and sandbars to frozen lakes and more.

The AOPA Sweepstakes Husky features a full Garmin glass cockpit, including:

G500 TXi touchscreen primary flight display/multifunction flight display with Engine Indication System

• GTN 750Xi GPS Navigator with Nav/Com

• GFC 500 3-axis digital autopilot

• G5 backup attitude indicator

• GTX 345R ADS-B In/Out transponder

The Husky was on display at the AOPA campus at EAA AirVenture, along with AOPA’s most recent Sweepstakes Cessna 182, which was given away at the event.

“We’re grateful to Aviat Aircraft for helping make this sweepstakes possible, and for producing an aircraft that pilots love to fly,” Pleasance said. “We also appreciate the Recreational Aviation Foundation for all they do to protect special backcountry airstrips and keep them open and accessible for pilots and their families.”

AOPA members are automatically entered to win the Husky, and entries will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 30, 2026. The full list of rules and ways to earn additional entries can be found at aopa.org/sweeps.

unveiled its next AOPA Sweepstakes aircraft — a 2024 Aviat Husky A-1C-200, a versatile, two-seat tailwheel airplane known for its impressive handling and performance. (Photo courtesy AOPA)

AOPA

Historic Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Trusts Schweiss Doors to help protect aircraft from the Golden Age of Aviation

A visit to the old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, N.Y., on a summer weekend will take one back in time, to the founding decades of aviation, where names like Wright, Lindberg, Earhart, Hughes and many more ruled, not only the skies, but the imaginations of flight enthusiasts the world over.

Founded in 1958 by Cole Panel, the Old Rhinebeck is billed as the first flying museum of antique aircraft in the United States, and it brings the history of flight alive with an impressive collection of original and reproduction aircraft dating to the early 1900s to the days of World War II. The museum’s mission is to preserve, restore and fly those aircraft and while doing so, honoring the achievements of aviation pioneers from all over the world.

To help further that mission, the museum has undergone a bit of restoration, building new hangars to better preserve and protect the historic collection. Schweiss Doors was happy to assist, designing and building five liftstrap bifold doors for three different hangars on the grounds.

“The place has been around since 1958 and so have the buildings,” says Tara Grieb, director of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. “They didn’t have doors or fronts, they weren’t weatherproof. They just needed to be replaced so that we can better protect the collection. It is a huge improvement for us and hopefully, there will be more to come down the road.”

The museum’s first Schweiss bifold door dates back almost 20 years and predates most of the renovations that have been taking place. It was installed on a Quonset hut, now identified as Number 1 Hangar. That door, measuring 48 feet wide by 12 feet tall, nearly opens the entire front of the hangar. It allows for easy movement of airplanes, ground vehicles and other exhibits and equipment.

To obtain the needed opening and to accommodate the hut’s curved silhouette, the bifold door was mounted on a free-standing header, with the corners of the three-piece frame sticking out slightly from the roofline. A free-standing header creates a flat, straight and level surface to mount a door and is a great option for curved buildings,

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, a living museum in Red Hook, N.Y., keeps the early days of flight alive with its collection of vintage aircraft, vehicles and museum grounds that harken back to the 1920s and 1930s. Recently the museum has built two new hangars, completed with Schweiss Doors bifold doors, to store some of its aviation collection. (Photo courtesy Schweiss Doors)

Quonsets or when more height is needed to obtain the clear opening. The header provides existing buildings with additional strength to support a door the building was not initially designed for.

More recently, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome turned to Schweiss Doors when it began planning for significant renovation of its hangars. Grieb says word of mouth and proven reliability led the museum to purchase more doors from Schweiss.

The two new hangars were built to store its active collection of antique airplanes. These aircraft are flown regularly during the summer and fall as part of weekly airshows and they need to stay in tiptop condition. The new hangars provide more space and protection for dedicated staff and volunteers who maintain, repair and preserve the collection.

“Disosway Foundation has funded these infrastructure improvements for us, including the doors,” Grieb says. “We’re really grateful for their support.”

Both new hangars have two Schweiss bifold doors. The larger doors on both hangars measure 50 feet wide and 12 feet, six inches tall. The smaller doors are 40 feet wide and 12 feet, six inches tall on the Roosevelt Field Hangar and 30 feet wide by 12 feet, six inches on the AVRO Hangar. All four doors have four-inch blanket insulation and a liner flashing. Interior sheeting was installed for both doors on the

AVRO Hangar.

The bifold doors blend seamlessly into the vintage design of the hangars. It was a priority that any new construction fit into the vintage look of the Old Rhinebeck grounds, which looks and feels like visiting the early 20th century. The AVRO Hangar is clad in the metal sheeting from the old structure it replaced and the bifold doors are covered to mimic old hangar doors.

“You want the newer structures that can protect the collection, but you also don’t want to disrupt the vintage vibe,” Grieb says. “You still want people to feel like it’s 1920-something when they walk in.”

Grieb says installation of the doors went well and the construction crew was able to work with the doors seamlessly.

“We like the reliability of the Schweiss doors, we’ve not had a single mechanical issue with them at all, no malfunctions, no problems, no nothing,” Grieb says. “And it is very hard to find a product that you can say that about. The Schweiss doors have been great; they’ve been absolutely fabulous.”

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome purchased its first Schweiss Doors bifold door over 20 years ago and it is hung on the Number 1 Hangar, a Quonset hut. The door is mounted on a free-standing header that is attached to the structure. (Photo courtesy Schweiss Doors)

One man who played a big role in the overall masterplan for renovating the museum and airfield was Brian Coughlin. A longtime pilot and plane restorer at Old Rhinebeck, he also served as a board trustee and the museum’s site manager. It was Coughlin who really pushed to use Schweiss doors for the hangar project, knowing from his own experience and speaking to other aviators and restorers that Sch-

The new hangars with their sturdy Schweiss doors, provide much needed protection for these aircraft, some which are over 100 years old. (Photo courtesy Schweiss Doors)

weiss was the best option.

“He really was the one who said Schweiss Doors is the way to go,” Grieb says. “He was the one making those selections. It was really his choice and we all said, ‘Yep, absolutely.’”

Tragically, Coughlin was killed in a plane crash during one of the museum’s air shows since the completion of those hangars. The museum, hangars and the planes they protect, stand as a memorial to all the work Coughlin did for the Old Rhinebeck.

Going forward, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is facing ongoing renovation work to bring the museum into the future while still preserving the history of flight.

“Like all history, it is important to see where things came from and how many of those principles still exist,” Grieb says. “You don’t want it to be lost forever and have all the hard work of those pioneers to not exist in a way that it can be experienced.”

Grieb says there is no doubt the organization will be calling Schweiss Doors again.

“A million percent, we will be using Schweiss Doors again, when we get to more buildings,” she said. “We’ll be calling again.

About Schweiss Doors Schweiss Doors manufactures hydraulic and bifold liftstrap doors. Doors are custom made to any size for any type of new or existing building for architects and builders determined to do amazing things with their buildings, including the doors. Schweiss also offers a cable to liftstrap conversion package. For more information, visit www.bifold.com.

Oshkosh 2025 – Part 2

Continued from Page 37

scheme. “Among the changes are updates to the interior with new leather seats, comfortable elbow rests, and refined controls, including new stick grips. Functional improvements include additional electrical capacity, a revised cooling system, and a new pitot-static system with an under-wing heated pitot head to prepare the RV-12iS for flight into actual instrument conditions.”

No airplane can fly in all conditions, with lighter airplanes (like my RV-9A) more limited than most. The very light weight RV-12is will be even more limited, particularly for IFR. The heated pitot will, of course, help expand the conditions in which it can be safely flown.

In my career, with not that much “real” IFR, I’ve used the heated pitot tube a handful of times for prevention, but I think I’ve only used it once remedially, to make the airspeed indicator work again.

At the Van’s tent, and the surrounding airplanes, the team of 20 was plenty busy.

* * * * * * *

ChatGPT helped me find FREDA, an inflight check done every 15 minutes and taught in England: Fuel, Radios, Engine, Direction Indicator (or DG, as we call it, reset as required for precession), Altitude. Neat!

* * * * * * *

MOSAIC was the big news, finally announced, all 717 pages of it. At the low end of the spectrum, if you don’t have any disqualifying effects, you can fly day/VFR and carry only one passenger with but a driver’s license.

* * * * * * *

Mike Dennis is the founder of Oregon Aero and always great to talk to. He gave me copies of his two books, and The Doughnut Boy (look for Michael R. Dennis) tells in small part of how in WWII, his father was sent to Germany where he delivered pastries to Hitler’s bunker every day – and reported back the latest. Full details will be unsealed in 2045. The other book describes two years working on the railroad in the Pacific Northwest. Both are recommended.

* * * * * * *

A welcome addition to the EAA App this year was that you could put in your own appointments.

* * * * * * *

Both Garmin and Foreflight/Jeppesen have new chart formats to help the instrument pilot get the correct information displayed, and irrelevant information suppressed. There’s always a

caution with such ideas that the complexity of the information (the charts) is replaced with the complexity of navigating the software. And the cost of the new subscription may be a factor.

Here’s the widely ignored gotcha – navigating a user interface is a separate task and extra workload beyond just entering the correct data. There’s tradeoffs in running the app vs. keeping information in your head, similar to entering data on a flight control system and doing everything manually.

Here’s two usability tests. First, when one instrument approach is loaded and activated, how hard is it to switch to another approach? Or does that mean starting the whole process over? Second, if you want to load an approach before ATC assigns it, so that you can study the approach and avoid peak workload later, can you do that easily, or do you have to load the approach plate (a separate task) to determine which Initial Approach Fix is the more likely? Similarly, how does a pilot do what-if analysis to compare approaches, and just as important, how often is that task useful?

I only looked at one vendor’s offering at Oshkosh, and did not take time to learn it, but it gave me reservations about supposed usability improvement. When I was a systems designer earlier in my career, there were two approaches: user-centric, also known as day in the life, and system-centric, which focused on the data and the implementation. The trick, and it was never easy, was to balance the two.

I watched a webinar on the other vendor’s offering, and personally, I was unimpressed with usability and readability, as if a graphic artist should have been consulted. I hope I’m wrong, but I’ll have a few months for a free evaluation to reassess. Then again, I’ve had the experience as a system designer of running headlong into users who found my solution complex and hard to use. Been there, done that, got bruises and not a T-shirt.

* * * * * * *

One of my quiet (so I don’t embarrass myself) points of pride is my low EAA number, below 19,000. At the Tech Counselor / Flight Advisor breakfast, the man across the breakfast table from me had a number 500 lower than mine. Grrr. And an employee of LaSeur’s, the catering company, said that they were all working double shifts during the show.

His volunteer job is driving the tug that moves the heavy iron around Boeing Square.

* * * * * * *

There’s a video out of one of those

A 75-year-old flight instructor, recipient of the Wright Brothers for 50 years of flight (same as me on all counts), got royally confused flying into Oshkosh. Now, I’m wondering how long I should continue flying, both physically and cognitively. (Image courtesy Ed Wischmeyer)

excessively cute single seat SE-1 aircraft landing at the ultralight field, maybe with a little extra speed. It seemed to skip over the grass, and then was hidden behind trailers and such before in the last frames, it was up on its nose.

In a video, the founder of the company said that if you were proficient in a Luscombe, you’d have no problem. Encouraging – I had no problems when I did a BFR (as it was called then) in a Luscombe, but that was who knows how many decades ago.

For the hard core theorists, there was a talk by two Australian ladies based on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. I’m not sure I got all of it, but the big idea is that learning, such as flying, should incorporate senses and feeling and everything. A terrible summation, sorry. Kristy How and her mum, a CFI, presented on new paradigms for teaching flying did say in private conversation that my Expanded Envelope Exercises® were the first application of that theory to aviation –without me knowing it!

* * * * * * *

Aileronics, manufacturers of Sentinel, was showing a nice prototype of their airborne visual hazard detec-

tion system. To grossly oversimplify, it’s a few cameras looking outside the airplane, some computers, and a screen which shows the out the cockpit view on a small screen with other airplanes, birds, etc., depicted with a box around them to enable eyeball tracking. V-TCAS is not a TCAS system which by nature is cooperative – after all, how do you get a bird to cooperate? But it does incorporate an ADS-B receiver, along with a CO detector.

What was most impressive was that the young man who discussed the system with me was still in high school! He said that there was AI in the system, but… decades ago, my job involved fooling around with graphics algorithms and, at that time, classified characterization systems that are now commercially available. But whether the system has “real” AI or just algorithms, it looks pretty sweet for locating and hopefully avoiding other planes, drones, and birds.

* * * *

There was lots more going on, of course, but lots more than can be reported in less than 16 volumes of an encyclopedia, especially if you include the personal stories that make Oshkosh so much more than just presentations and press releases.

Icon Aircraft Cofounder Kirk Hawkins Dies In Wingsuit Crash

By Jim Moore, AOPA

Kirk Hawkins, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who cofounded Icon Aircraft in 2006 to build a light sport seaplane, died August 19 during a wingsuit jump in the Swiss Alps, according to his longtime friend and former business partner.

Local police did not immediately release the name of the 58-year-old U.S. national who jumped from a helicopter with three other wingsuit skydivers, flew along the east ridge of the iconic Eiger, and collided with trees. Hawkins was eulogized in a LinkedIn post by Steen Strand, who cofounded Icon Aircraft with Hawkins to build the amphibious A5 light sport aircraft in 2006. While local police said the accident would be investigated, Strand, who met Hawkins at Stanford University, shared the “devastating news” that his longtime friend had died.

“Kirk was the most extraordinary person I’ve ever known, or ever will know. He started life with nothing and climbed to the top–Clemson, Stanford, the Air Force (F-16’s), then Stanford again for business school. At ICON, he led the charge to create the most badass recreational aircraft in history. His new startup was poised to transform the world again,” Strand wrote.

Information about Hawkins’s surviving family was not immediately available.

Hawkins was the hard-driving, enthusiastic face of Icon from the moment the company first announced its forthcoming seaplane at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2008 until he was forced out of his job as CEO in November 2018.

Litigation ensued, including claims by Hawkins against his former company that eventually became part of a bankruptcy case, which began in Delaware in 2024, when Icon Aircraft filed for Chapter 11. While the court approved the sale of the company’s assets within months, and subsequently various settlement agreements among creditors and other parties — including agreements with other plaintiffs who had joined Hawkins in claims related to the company’s intellectual property, as well as the owner of the factory facility the company leased in Tijuana, Mexico — Hawkins was specifically excluded from those settlements. He remained a party in the still-open bankruptcy case, according to court records, at the time

Icon Aircraft cofounder Kirk Hawkins took center stage at the AOPA Aviation Summit in Tampa, Florida, in 2009. (Photo by Mike Fizer, courtesy AOPA)

of his death.

Hawkins marshaled the A5 to market after earning an FAA exemption to the LSA weight limit in 2013, justified in part by the aircraft’s spin-resistant design. Deliveries began in 2016, though Icon raised the price of the twoseat A5 to $389,000 in 2017.

The A5 was not in service for long before accidents began to accumulate, including a high-profile crash less than a week after Icon announced the price increase.

The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Roy Halladay posthumously in 2019, the retired allstar pitcher having died when his A5 slammed into the water on November 7, 2017, less than a month after Halladay took delivery. That and other accidents raised questions about the A5’s safety, though investigations consistently attributed the accidents to pilot error. No investigations to date have attributed an A5 accident to any mechanical or design fault.

The common theme — pilots taking risks including flying low over the water at high speed, or mistakenly into the wrong canyon — was one that Hawkins himself embodied, according to Strand:

“Kirk devoured life experiences most of us would never touch. He was damn good at assessing risks, probably because he took so many. He’d get you into tricky situations, but he’s also the one you wanted beside you when things got dicey… He used to laugh about a test pilot who, realizing he was seconds from dying, had the coolness to radio: ‘This will be a full stop.’ I imagine Kirk, in his final moments, knew what was coming, thought that line, and laughed one last time before the exit.”

AIRCRAFT FOR SALE

American Aircraft Sales, Livermore Airport, CA, americanaircraft.net, cell (510) 783-2711, (925) 449-5151. 3/13

From Trade-ins to Aircraft Management, financing and appraisals. T.J. Aircraft Sales, Novato, CA, (415) 898-5151, tjair.com. 3/13

AirplanesUSA Aircraft Sales, San Carlos, CA, Airport, (650) 394-7610, airplanesusa.com. 1/16

Quality aircraft since 1948. Volare Air, a TECNAM dealership, (940) 800-8020, volareair.aero. 1/23

Historically significant 1950s-era aircraft for sale or trade. All in restorable condition with minimum corrosion. Inventory includes a Piasecki XHJP-1 and a Sikorsky S-55. American Helicopter Museum, West Chester, PA. Contact info@ americanhelicopter.museum for more information. 231000.TFN

1968 Nanchang CJ-6 Chinese warbird. Reliable Day/VFR, light weight. Apollo GX-65 nav/com, Digital Xpndr., intercom, Delco alternator. New seat cushions and canopy glass. Includes all support equipment, wing jacks, manu- als, spare parts. Much more! $70,000. Located N. Calif., text/cell (530) 957-9760, dennis@nickson.biz. 24900:11

1966 Piper PA30 Twin Camanche for sale near Oceanside, CA. Call for pricing. Andrew Wignot, (760) 717-0640. 241100:12

JETS

Small Manned Aerial Radar Target, Model 1. Tiny jet aircraft, long-range tank. SMART-1, Tucson, AZ, (202) 2132400, smart-1.us. 5/21

SPORT/ULTRALIGHTS

RV12i5. Total performance perfected. Easy to build, fly and own. Van’s Aircraft www.vansaircraft.com. 11/18 Bristell LSA 915 Turbo, 180 mph @18,000. Bristell Aircraft, (516) 658-1847. bristellaircraft.com. 2/24

STOL

The STOL Super Breezy with fully covered fuselage. Yakima Aerosport, (509) 453-3412, superbreezy.com. 5/23

AIRCRAFT SALES AIDS

Aviation Sales & Marketing by ABCI. Ideal for a startup or side hustle in the aviation industry. (702) 987-1679 or aviationsalestraining.com/startup. 1/21

FLIGHT INSTRUCTION

Sunshine Flyers. Flight & tailwheel instruction, rentals, mountain flying, and aerobatics., Auburn, CA, (530) 820-3442, sunshineflyersaviation@gmail.com. 3/20

Arizona Type Ratings

CE-500/CE-525 type ratings or recurrent. Insurance approved, staff examiner. arizonatyperatings.com, (602) 614-7994. 9309:TFN

Recurrent pilot training and services. L/D Aerospace, Grace Passmore, (916) 790-0501, ldaerospace.com. 1/22

Fly for fun or career. Discovery flights, pilot training, AOPA Distinguished Flight School & Cessna Pilot Center. Smith Aviation, Napa County Airport, (707) 3456526, mikesmithaviation.com. 4/22

Come fly with us! CFIs encouraged to apply. For more information, call Sue Clark/RV to the Rescue at 925-997-4778

IN FLIGHT USA CLASSIFIEDS

MAINTENANCE/INSPECTIONS

XL Aviation - Aircraft Maintenance.

Custom-tailored programs for all aircraft. Livermore, CA, (925) 961-6135, xlaviationtailwheel.com. 8/20

RESTORATIONS

Iconic Aircraft Restoration. Repairs, refurbishments, parts fabricated, consulting at reasonable rates. The Wright Experience, (540) 379-9092. 8/21

Custom aircraft & high-quality composite parts. Aviation Composites, Sandersville, GA, (937) 243-7303. 1/22

FBOS

Serving the GA Community since 1981. Wisconsin Aviation, Watertown Municipal Airport, WI, (920) 261-4567, WisconsinAviation.com. 3/13

World’s largest network of FBOs with over 200 locations offering consistent, exceptional service. Signature Flight Support, signatureflight.com. 4/23

Full-service center. Vista Aviation, Whiteman Airport, Pacoima, CA, (818) 896-5224, vistaair.com 9/23

AVIONICS

Avionics for Every Mission. All major brands. Airtronics, Calaveras County Airport, CA, airtronicsavionics.com, (209) 736-9400. 11/14

Basic installs to complete panel and glass retrofits. Pacific Coast Avionics, (800) 353-0370, PCA.aero. 7/15

Update your avionics. FAA-Certified repair station. Treasure Coast Avionics, Ft. Pierce, FL, (772) 464-3148, treasurecoastavionics.com. 2/23

AIRCRAFT PARTS

Keeping “classic” aircraft flying since 1946. Univair Aircraft Corp., Aurora, CO, (888) 433-5433, univair.com. 3/21

Iconic Aircraft Restoration for all the classics. Reasonable rates. The Wright Experience, (540) 347-1909. 2/23

SAVAGE Magneto Service since 1946. Hayward, CA, (510) 782-7081, 2/23

Wingtips with total lighting solutions, aveoengineering.com. 9/23

PROPELLERS

Aviation wood, composite or metal propellers. Sensenich, (813) 752-3711, (717) 569-0435 or sensenich.com. 4/21

OXYGEN SUPPLIES

Cannula or Mask? For aircraft service ceil- ings to FL180 & FL250. Ask “The Oxygen Lady,” info@aviationoxygen.com 4720:TFN 2/23

Innovative aviation safety solutions and Parachute Recovery Systems for a variety of aircraft, including for sport, UAVs, more. AviationSafetyResources.com. 2/22

Get ahead of your daily in-flight risks with SAFETYLINQ flight risk assessment. argus.aero/safetylinq. 1/22

Get Top Retail Value for Your Aircraft! Sell now! Find your dream aircraft! Shop now! Become an area broker with one of the largest networks in the U.S.! Visit our USA Aircraft Brokers page on Facebook or visit usaaircraft.com. 9/23

INSURANCE

Specializing in personal, business and charter aircraft. Best price, coverage & customer service. Zanette Aircraft Insurance Center, (650) 593-3030, (888) 7233358. 10/06

Insurance solutions for all aviation-related services. Business Aviation Insurance, bizavins.com, (925) 825-1900. 7/20

AVIATION CONSULTANTS

Informed, accurate aircraft appraisals. jetvaluesjeremy.com, (636) 751-3987. 7/20

Complete Aviation Sales & Marketing Services. Use Promo Code “INFLIGHT” to save 10%. AviationBusinessConsultants.com/Lab, (702) 987-1679. 4/23

PILOT SUPPLIES

No cheap imitation watches at HME! Special pricing on ATP series multi- functional watches with Altimeter. To order or for information, (323) 464-6660 or hmewatch.com. 11/16

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty. Free 700page catalog, Corona, CA, & Peachtree City, GA, aircraftspruce.com. 10/06

Protective covers for every make and model. Bruce’s Custom Covers, Morgan Hill, CA, (800) 777-6405, (408) 738-3959, aircraftcovers.com.10/19

Apparel as unique as your journey. Discounts to members. AOPA Pilot Gear, aopapilotgear.com. 9/21

Mountain Bike, Full-size, pilot-friendly, rugged. FLATBIKE, flatbike.com. 10/18

AVIATION RESOURCES

Emergency services, group trips, consulting services. BizAvJets, Inc., Business Aviation Services, bizavjets.com, (702) 465-2027. 10/20

Wherever business takes you. Navigate It. (575) 615-2091, vatit.com. 10/21

Scheduling Software that connects to your flight department. Simple, affordable. airplanemanager.com. 9/22

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Aero & Marine Tax Pros

Legally avoid sales tax on your aircraft purchase. In El Grove, CA, (916) 691-9192, aeromarinetaxpros.com. 18500:TFN

Left Seat Pilot Medical Solutions. A confidential solution for pilot medical certification. Free FAA medical consultations. Left Seat, (800) 699-4457. 1/21 Global Aircraft Group. USPAP bank values for all aircraft, aircraft management, insurance claims & certified aircraft appraisals. Mark Parry, (855) 6GBL- AIR, (413) 335-7507. 4/22

At Thirty1 Hybrid, we help aviation companies, including flight schools, manufacturers, mechanics, brokers, and more, build a cohesive website that positively impacts their bottomline. And it’s not just a website — it’s an Experience. We’ll take your prospects on a journey they’ll love (and you’ll love, too — because the final destination is a new client and more money in your pocket). It’s a win-win for everyone! Contact us today at hello@thirty1hybrid. com or by visiting thirty1hybrid.com. 24500:6

HANGARS/TIEDOWNS

One-piece doors. Hydraulic or bifold. Schweissdoors.com,(800)746-8273. 1/15

Aviation Building Systems, custom designed hangars. R&M Steel Co., Caldwell, ID, (208) 454-1800, aviationbuildingsystem.com, (866) 454-1800 51217:TFN

HOMES/AIRPARKS

New Runway & Taxiway Homesites Available in amentity-rich community, Granbury, TX. From $179,900. Pecan Plantation, AviationHomesites. com, (833) 273-2159. 2/24

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Become an Aircraft Broker — #1 Largest USA Network of Aircraft Start with USA’s proved system for listing and selling everything from high-performance single-engine airplanes, cabin class through jets, and helicopters & jet fractional shares. Includes multi-million-dollar inventory to start. Complete turnkey proved system. No experience necessary. Will train. Licensed USA Aircraft brokerage. Call (504) 723-5566 or visit Business Opportunity Section at usaaircraft.com. 4208:TFN

Free avgas 100LL and free tie-down parking in exchange for help with projects for an airport in Southern California. Email: wignot@hotmail.com. 23600:TFN

ART/VIDEOS/GIFTS

Specializing in aviation photography. horizontalrain.com. 1/15

Need a gift? Give a ride in an open cockpit biplane. WACO Air Museum, Troy, Ohio, wacoairmuseum.org, (937) 3359226. 20601:TFN

Fly By Wire Air, a one-stop site for aviators.flybywireair.com. 4/21

Aces High Aviation & Military Art. (800) 528-0887, aceshighgallery.com. 10/21

Shirts Made to Fly. Unique, original fabrics embedded with your sectional chart. Save 20% with “INFLIGHT20” code. PilotQuarters.com. 2/24

PUBLICATIONS

Avionics Checklists & Quick Reference guides. Available in book, card & new iPad editions. qref.com. 8/14

SEAK, Expert Witness Directory, by Bert Botta for aviation accidents and incidents. (415) 320-9811, bert@bertbotta. com, bertbotta.com. 4/22

“Ghosts,” Phil Makanna’s legendary warbird calendars are back! Visit ghosts. com, (800) 331-8231. 2/23

New Pocket guide to avoid pain & stiffness during travel by a leading pain expert. “Pain-Free Vacation/Travel,” (980) 785-8128, goptfirst@gmail.com. 2/4

PILOT POSITION WANTED

SoCal pilot desires Turbine/Jet SIC time. Comm/Instru/Multi-Eng with SIC for Gulfstream G-IV and scores of hours in the Citation V560. Many years of aircraft design/ flight test/aerospace industry experience. Willing to travel as needed (and for repositioning). Contact Paul at (562) 714-6686 or ptglessner@ aol.com. 23700:TFN

IN FLIGHT USA, the leading source of general aviation news, seeks writers and photographers to cover all aspects of aviation. Send an SASE for writer’s guidelines to: In Flight USA, P.O. Box 5402, San Mateo, CA 94402. TFN

Oakland Aviation Museum recruiting volunteers. Oakland, CA, (510) 638-7100, oaklandaviationmuseum.org. 12/23

MUSEUMS

Registration for the 2025 ARC Air Derby Opened Sept. 1: Design Your Route, Choose Your Day, Test Your Precision

The Air Race Classic (ARC) announces that registration for the 2025 ARC Air Derby opened on Sept. 1. The “Derby is a distinctive one-day aviation event designed to challenge pilots on precision, planning, and navigation. The event offers pilots the unique opportunity to select their own route and flight day, providing flexibility to work around their schedules and weather conditions. Flights for this year’s Derby may take place from Oct. 1-14. Winners will be announced a few days later at a virtual banquet.

Unlike traditional races, the ARC Air Derby focuses on accuracy rather than speed. Pilots and copilots team up to create personalized cross-country routes that follow the ARC Air Derby rules. These routes have five unique legs, each at least 65 nautical miles long, including a mandatory “must land” airport that adds strategic complexity. Teams estimate the time for each leg and aim to complete the course as close to those estimates as possible, flying entirely under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

To participate, pilots must register

Shining Star

Continued from Page 9

answer. It’s like having an expert, me, in your pocket.

IFUSA: That’s really convenient. I love that. So, are you still in San Diego or are you based in Chino full-time now?

BB: Our headquarters is in San Diego at Crown Air on Montgomery Field, but I do all of the training in Chino.

IFUSA: What advice would you give to pilots who want to have a beautiful aircraft?

BB: Hire a ShinyJets student or take my online course, and we’ll give you all the knowledge to be able to help maintain your aircraft and keep up with the cosmetics. We’ll provide the ongoing support in case you’re running into issues. We have plenty of resources with our private Facebook group, online courses, and new AI software coming out.

IFUSA: When somebody finishes your course, do they get some kind of

as part of a team of at least two people, including a pilot and co-pilot. The pilot or copilot must be female, but male pilots and additional team members are welcome if they meet registration requirements. Pilots need at least a sport pilot certificate or higher and must have a minimum of 50 hours of Pilot-in-Command (PIC) time in the category and class of the airplane they plan to fly. Student pilots can also take part and may act as pilot-in-command if they have the necessary endorsements and are under the direct supervision of a certified flight Instructor.

Eligible airplanes must weigh less than 12,500 pounds and have the range to complete the minimum 65-nautical-mile legs without refueling. Both certified and experimental airplanes are allowed. Required documentation for airplanes includes current registration, proof of annual or condition inspection, and liability insurance listing Air Race Classic, Inc. as an additional insured. Airplane substitutions are permitted only until Sept. 26, 2025.

Registration fees for the Derby are $200 per team, covering both pilot and

co-pilot, with an additional $50 for each extra team member. All registrations, fees, and supporting documents must be submitted and accepted by 12 p.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. The event limits participation to 99 teams,

so register early! Detailed rules, registration forms, and FAQs are available on the official Derby website at https://derby.airraceclassic.org.

a certificate or badge to put on their website?

BB: Yes, we send them their very own ShinyJet certificate to post on their site or in their literature.

IFUSA: If you don’t mind sharing, how much does it cost to go through your program

BB: The online course is $2,000. Our five-day hybrid course is $7,500, which includes the online course. We cover your lodging, light lunches, and beverages for five days.

Our private course for up to five students where we come to your facility is $15,000. If they don’t have aircraft to work on, they’re more than welcome to come here and do the training.

IFUSA: What is the farthest you’ve gone to conduct a training?

BB: We have traveled all over the world and have had students come to us from all over the world. I’ve been down to Brazil once, and they’re very welcoming and very excited to have me down there whenever I’ve gone

and trained. We’re going to Mexico and Costa Rica to expand the training down there. I am going to be traveling for a while next year.

IFUSA: Have you worked with any other countries on other continents like Canada or Europe?

BB: No, I have not conducted trainings in those countries, but I have had students from there come to me for the training.

IFUSA: Do you have any other plans for tradeshows or anything else you’re going to do this year?

BB: We’re not really planning any events. We’re going to be focused on training and expanding our detailing product line. We’ve got some more products coming out. We have a dry wash that comes in a 32-ounce bottle that makes 80 gallons of dry wash, so it’s highly concentrated and highly cost effective for cleaning your aircraft and keeping it smudge free. Then we’ve got a product called Bug Blitz, which is great for removing bugs safely. It

reduces the chances of the cleaner etching your paint. A lot of people will just use car bug cleaners, and they tend to etch the aircraft paint, so we really work hard to get this product to not etch aircraft paint.

Aircraft are very unique, and they require special kinds of care. Just using car products probably isn’t the best solution.

IFUSA: Is there anything that I missed or that you would like to add to the story?

BB: Be sure to check out our upcoming training on shinyjets.com. We have some openings, and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us on shinyjets.com or flyshiny.com. We will also help you search for local aircraft detailers as well as book cleaning and detailings with them right on the website. That will be out in late fall. It will be a public directory for all aircraft detailers.

IFUSA: That’s great. Thank you very much!

Registration for the 2025 ARC Air Derby is open. (ARC Derby logo courtesy ARC)

Unlike FAA Medical Examiners or other pilot groups, Pilot Medical Solutions activates our exceptional team of experts to confidentially support and resolve your FAA Medical certifications challenges.

Pilot Medical Solutions is the only service which collaborates with private physicians to produce documentation required by the FAA. Other services typically only list FAA requirements, Pilot Medical Solutions helps you comply with them.

"The professionals at Pilot Medical Solutions provide superior, pilot-focused services and help during your time of need. I would, without hesitation, recommend their services to an airman in need."

– Anthony Ison, Aviation Attorney

"Because they assist you in getting your records properly prepared and walking the information through the FAA, they can often accomplish in days what may take months for other sources, including your AME, to do."

– Erwin L. Samuelson, M.D

"I can strongly recommend Pilot Medical Solutions for consideration because they are sympathetic to pilots with medical certification problems. Pilot Medical Solutions also organizes the records which supports the FAA’s requirements."

– Bob Hoover

“They do all the

while we get the

and the

from the

They are

and make

F l i g h t s d e p a r t f r o m o u r C h i n o A i r p o r t

l o c a t i o n f o r a 2 0 - m i n u t e f l i g h t t h a t y o u ’ l l

r e m e m b e r f o r y e a r s t o c o m e . F o r c o m p l e t e i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e t o d a y .

We are located on the west side of KAUN.

AND Aviation Services takes pride as a family-owned and operated business providing a more personal service with the highest level of standards for aircraft owners and operators. AND Aviation Services was created due to customer demand. Our expectation is to get you back in the air safely, quickly and on time. When you rely on AND Aviation Services for the mantenance of your aircraft, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re working with the most trusted and experienced professionals in the business.

We pride ourselves in exceeding all FAA stadards. Combined, we have over 50 years of experience in aviation maintenance.

We are conveniently located close to Sacramento and Bay Area airports. Above the fog and belove the snow. We offer “valet” services if you want to be picked up and dropped off at your home airport.