Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/339662
EAA Experimenter 7 A PAIR OF GROUNDBREAKING new categories of aircraft and pilot certifi cation are celebrating 10-year anniversaries at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this summer, as dedicated events focused on sport pilot and light-sport aircraft (LSA) will be highlighted through the week at Oshkosh. "After a decade it is still a work in progress," said Timm Bo- genhagen, EAA's ultralight and lightplane community manager, citing EAA's continuing ef orts to include training in low-mass, high-drag aircraft, and opening possibilities for electric aircraft. "This rule, however, has allowed more than 100 new ready- to-fl y aircraft designs to enter the market, representing one of the greatest bursts of aircraft introductions over the past half- century," he said. "The sport pilot/LSA approach to aircraft cer- tifi cation is also being used as the model for FAR Part 23 reform." More than 4,000 people have become new sport pilots, and thousands of existing pilots have chosen to fl y under the sport pilot rules, which allow use of a valid driver's license for medical certifi cation in lieu of a third-class medical certifi cate. EAA is working with the Light Aircraft Manufacturers As- sociation (LAMA) on 10th anniversary activities during AirVen- ture. Some of those include: • a display of LSA that highlights the history and contribu- tions of the sport pilot and light-sport aircraft rules • a forum with major players in the development and growth of the LSA community on Tuesday, July 29 • recognition for Oshkosh LSA arrivals and sport pilots • fl ying demonstrations from the ultralight airstrip. Celebrating 10 Years of Sport Pilot/ Light-Sport Aircraft at Oshkosh CAMPING IS ONE OF THE most popular ways to experience EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, and those who plan to do so this year—whether at Camp Scholler or under the wing of an airplane—can fi nd a multitude of resources in the recently released EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 Camping Guide. The eight-page guide includes in- formation essential for any AirVenture camper, including detailed maps, hours of operation, local weather resources, loca- tions of on-site Wi-Fi, a phone directory, and descriptions of every available ame- nity the event has to of er. It also shows ATM locations, provides information on bus and shuttle schedules and routes, as well as locations of all other facilities on the EAA AirVenture camping grounds, and much more. A three-day minimum is required to camp, and at least one person in each party must be an EAA member. Download the AirVenture Camping Guide today! AirVenture Camping Guide Now Available LEGISLATION TO ALTER the third-class medical certifi cate requirement for private pilots continues to work its way through Congress, while the aviation community awaits an announced rulemaking proposal from the FAA to reform aeromedical certifi cation. HR 3708, the House version of the General Aviation Pilot Pro- tection Act fi led by Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN), has so far garnered the co-sponsorship of over a quarter of the chamber and is cur- rently before the House Subcommittee on Aviation. The bill would allow pilots of aircraft less than 6,000 pounds gross takeof weight, with six seats or fewer, and fl ying VFR under 250 knots and under 14,000 feet MSL, to fl y with a valid driver's license in lieu of an FAA medical certifi cate. EAA, AOPA, and other associations continue to lobby vigorously for the measure on the GA community's behalf. At the same time, the FAA has announced a "rulemak- ing project" to modify third-class medical requirements. The specifi c language of this proposed rulemaking is not yet known, but a public announcement is expected in the near future. This follows the EAA/AOPA petition for exemption to the third-class rules for many pilots, which has been under evaluation by the FAA for more than two years. "We are eager to see what the FAA's proposed rulemaking of- fers the GA community," said Sean Elliott, EAA vice president of Advocacy and Safety. "That said, we are leaving open all options for bringing needed reform to aeromedical certifi cation, and we will diligently pursue all possible avenues for change until we have an acceptable end result." Aeromedical Legislation, Rulemaking Continues Photography by Craig VanderKolk E A A E X P _ J u l y 1 4 . i n d d 7 EAAEXP_July14.indd 7 7 / 1 / 1 4 9 : 5 2 A M 7/1/14 9:52 AM