After reading this part i of the book you will gain a firm grasp of the world of homebuilt aircraft and be ready to make a better [...]]]> The popular eBook Dreams to Flying Machines part one is now available as a free download. Part one is over 50 pages of information about building experimental homebuilt aircraft. 

After reading this part i of the book you will gain a firm grasp of the world of homebuilt aircraft and be ready to make a better choice in picking out your aircraft building project.

Also, when you download part one you are able to see the makeup of the entire contents of the book which is packed with over 250 pages and 250 images of everything about the world of buildling your own airplane.

Get started now learning about this fascinating topic and prime yourself to start building your own aircraft. Click the link to the left of the blog page or go to aircraftbooksomline.com

The EAA board decided to search for a new director to be the successor [...]]]> If you fly an ultralight, light sport, light aircraft or other aircraft you are likely to be an EAA member. Usually everything seems quite well run at the organization. But trouble have set it. And their reputation may have been tarnished a bit.

The EAA board decided to search for a new director to be the successor to Tom Poberezny, the current president. The plan was to have an announcement at the 2009 Air Venture fly-in in Osh Kosh this past summer. That never happened.

Political infighting over the picks for the new man have been ongoing and have resulted in a resignation with the possibility of more to come.

Vern Raburn the high profile aviation entrepreneur resigned a few weeks ago over the problems and the current board member who looks to be contemplating this also is David Pasahow,  a board member who is an executive search expert. Pasahow has been instrumental in finding Poberezny’s successor, only to be thwarted after the man found and allegedly approved is dismissed.

What has been transpiring is that after a person is found for the position and allegedly approved by the board, political infighting erupts. The latest was the pick of GAMA’s Pete Bunce. It is thought that he was voted on and approved but then dissent set in. This is not the first time.

I am a member of the EAA

Sometimes wildlife can effect aircraft and other times aircraft effect wildlife.

In the Zimbabwe, at the Harare airport a Chinese built MA60 crashed after hitting a bush pig on takeoff. The Bush pig did not have a clue what to do when it saw the plane coming at it [...]]]>

Whopping Cranes on ultralight led migration route

Sometimes wildlife can effect aircraft and other times aircraft effect wildlife.

In the Zimbabwe, at the Harare airport a Chinese built MA60 crashed after hitting a bush pig on takeoff. The Bush pig did not have a clue what to do when it saw the plane coming at it and the crew of the plane did not know what to do after the crash!  Crew” we did not have a clue” on how to handle the emergency after the crash. Luckily no one was killed.

On a brighter note. Whooping Cranes are raised from hatch-lings at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge by humans dressed in crane outfits to imprint the young. The Cranes migrate to winter grounds in Florida, but since the young birds have no parents to imprint this flight route the first time, Volunteers fly ultralight aircraft over the route while the Whopping cranes follow.

Flying your ultralight airplane !!  Yes you could do it, it not that hard [...]]]> How about shifting your paradigm and adding some excitement to your life.  You know your not getting any younger and you crave something more on the edge. Something that makes your friends eyes widen when you tell them about your new hobby.

Flying your ultralight airplane !!  Yes you could do it, it not that hard to take some lessons and you don’t need a pilot certificate to fly them.  You can buy them from about $5,000 on up.

The sensation of flying these is amazing and are they safe you ask?  Accidents are usually caused by carelessness like any other thing. Thousands are enjoying the sport of flying ultralight aircraft and it becomes a big part of their life.

Do you know that less than 10% of people set goals and that less than 10% of those that do set goals achieve them. Why?  Because you have to leave your comfort zone to do this.

Leave your comfort zone for awhile and learn to fly. You will feel so good and when you look down at the earth from the sky all your troubles will be out of mind and a big smile on your face

Developed in 2000 and first tested in 2001, the Predator is a long-endurance, high altitude, unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. [...]]]> The Predator B unmanned aircraft has landed at EAA AirVenture. This is the first time that the Air Force has landed this plane at a civilian airport. It will be on display at the main Aero Shell Square.

Developed in 2000 and first tested in 2001, the Predator is a long-endurance, high altitude, unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. It can do multiple mission including surveillance, targeting, weapons delivery and research. Its internal payload is 800 lbs. and the external on 6 wing hard-points is 3,000 lbs.

A typical mission might have the Predator flying off either remotely piloted or full autonomous. Its 66 ft wingspan could carry it to an altitude of up to 50,000 ft.  The aircraft can then survey the intended area and stay aloft for as long as 30+ hours. If a target is located the Predator could drop bombs or fire missiles.

The Predator is built by General Atomics Aeronautical, has a turboprop engine, weighs in at 10,000 lbs. and can fly at a slow 222 knots

Da Vinci 1452-1519

Leonardo Da Vinci is well known for being the Renascences man who mastered numerous arts during his lifetime. One of the more interesting Interests Leonardo pursued was studying the flight of birds and designing and [...]]]>          “If black boxes survive air crashes – why don’t they make the
           whole plane out of that stuff.”            – George Carlin

Da Vinci 1452-1519

Leonardo Da Vinci is well known for being the Renascences man who
mastered numerous arts during his lifetime. One of the more interesting
Interests Leonardo pursued was studying the flight of birds and designing
and building models from his studies. There is no evidence that Leonardo
flew, but there is proof that some of his designs would indeed work.

Leonardo had studied the wings of the bird in detail and sketched
studies of the structure of the bones and shapes of the feathers.
He discovered the important fingers of the birds wing, known as the
alulae. He was aware of center of gravity and stability. Leonardo
even diagramed the vortices of the ends of the wings. (Vortices
are turbulent swirls of air left behind a wing’s tip, created by the
wing’s lift. When flying, vortices are to be understood so that you
 may avoid them or are prepared for them, as they disrupt your wing’s airflow)