By: Grant Smith
If an Experimenter enthusiast were asked to describe EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2012 in one word, that word would have to be "electric." Electric airplanes, electric weather, and an energized, highly charged, and stimulating "electric" atmosphere were all present in abundance.
The electric atmosphere is easily explained; it is present for most attendees at every AirVenture, or for that matter, any large aviation event. The overall size of the AirVenture exhibit area and the accumulation of diverse ideas from the EAA membership and participating companies expand the horizon of the experience and contribute to the excitement of the event.
The electric weather consisted of typical Midwest thunderstorms that, except for a sizeable Wednesday afternoon downpour, were largely confi ned to the evening hours when most individuals were tucked snugly into their beds.
Electric aircraft ranged from Dale Kramer's 28-year-old Lazair ultralight with two newly fi tted 20-hp Joby 50-volt DC motors to Chris Yates' record-setting, 258-hp, 200-mph, LongESA. Numerous other electric vehicles fi lled in the gap between those two extremes.
Photo by Jim Lawrence
The Aero Innovation Hangar celebrated its fourth consecutive year with "Startup Aviation Day," Wednesday, July 25. The event was associated with the Sikorsky Entrepreneurial Challenge and featured several programs and speakers focused on facilitating startup projects in need of funding to bring new technology and products to the market. The hangar was home to several nascent concepts and housed stimulating displays that helped maintain the excitement of new technology being developed. Projects featured included John McGinnis's low-drag Synergy project, the e-volo electric volocopter VTOL machine, Makerplane open source aircraft design and aviation manufacturing services, Smartplane fl ight planning and fl ight execution, Open Airplane aircraft rental options, Makani Power tethered kite airborne wind turbine technology, Engineered Propulsion Systems general aviation diesel engine, Swift Fuels, the Seymour Jet Vest and small jet engines, Sonex electric fl ight project, the Samson Switchblade, Joe Caravella's roadable aircraft projects, Pat Peebles' unique high-lift fan-wing powered aircraft project, and other fl ying platform or vertical takeoff projects.
Several activities were held down on the farm in the Ultralight/Light Plane area to highlight the 30th anniversary of "offi cial" ultralight fl ight that began with the adoption of FAR 103 in 1982. Prior to 1982 all fl ight in noncertifi cated aircraft was banned by the Civil Aviation Act. The popularity of hang gliding
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