Experimenter

MAR 2015

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.

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4 Vol.4 No.3 / March 2015 HOMEBUILDER'S CORNER LAST YEAR AT EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, more than 2,500 volun- teers helped us build the One Week Wonder. In just seven days, we took a standard Zenith CH 750 Cruzer kit from its crate to an FAA-certifi cated aircraft. It was a tough challenge. At times dur- ing the week, I seriously doubted that we would complete the aircraft. But the response from everyone who witnessed the project was overwhelmingly positive, and that made all the hard work worthwhile. It put the spotlight squarely on homebuilding right at Show Center, and it introduced the concept of building your own aircraft to thousands of people. So what can we do to build on last year's success? How about building five sets of wings that will be given to five different chapters to jumpstart five different building projects that we hope will lead to the formation of five dif- ferent flying clubs? This summer at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015, we will be building on the success of the One Week Wonder project by constructing five sets of wings for various kit-built air- craft. By kicking this off at Oshkosh we will get to promote two of EAA's core activities—homebuilding and chapters— to tens of thousands of people. Plus we will get to promote the concept that flying clubs are a way to reduce the cost of learning to fly as well as the barriers to participation in aviation. Since Paul Poberezny founded EAA, affordable access to the "vast ocean of air" above us has been a part of EAA's goals. Volunteers will construct the wings on each of the seven days of the convention, and anyone who walks by may par- ticipate by pulling a rivet. The completed wings will then be shipped to five different EAA chapters to help them jump- start a chapter building project. The chapters will receive the completed wings for free, but they will be responsible for raising the funds to complete the aircraft. EAA is in the process of determining which kit manufacturers want to par- ticipate in the project. Some of you might be thinking, "But I thought chapters are not allowed to operate an aircraft?" That is true, but EAA chapters are allowed to build and restore aircraft. Plus, if a group of EAA members wants to get together and form a fly- ing club, that's not a problem. It just can't be done under the banner of an EAA chapter. Think of the impact that this whole project will ultimate- ly have on aviation. First, it will inspire a lot of chapters to consider taking on a building project. Second, it will provide countless hands-on learning opportunities for those chapters that end up building the rest of the aircraft. Third, it is an opportunity to highlight chapters all over the country. And, fourth, we hope the finished aircraft will give birth to five flying clubs that will ultimately provide countless flying ex- periences. Imagine all the Young Eagles flights and pancake breakfasts that these five aircraft will ultimately be a part of. Plus I'm going to throw out a further challenge to the chapters that ultimately receive these aircraft … why not bring them back to Oshkosh when they're completed to show them off and inspire other chapters to take on a homebuilt project. Imagine all five of the aircraft parked by the Brown Arch on the Oshkosh grounds in a few years! If your chapter is ready to take on a building project, contact me at cbecker@eaa.org . I'll be putting together the program requirements in the upcoming months. In the meantime, talk it up at your chapter and see what level of interest your chapter has to take on a building project. Give Flight Learn, build, fl y BY CHARLIE BECKER

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