FromthePresident - Lancair Owners and Builders Organization
Transcription
FromthePresident - Lancair Owners and Builders Organization
news Jan 2011 Volume 3, Issue 1 From the President jeff edwards in this issue 1 3 6 8 14 15 16 17 from the president maintenance issues ramp check advocacy social occasions Happy belated New Year! LOBO is still going strong into our third year of operation—who would’ve thought it possible? LOBO continues to support its members through education, training and fellowship. We have some great social events planned for this year, including dinner events at both Sun ‘N Fun and AirVenture. Perhaps most exciting of all is our first combined Lancair/ LOBO Fly-In planned for October in Branson, Missouri! Be sure to read this entire issue for more information from Claudette, Mark, Bill and Bob on these and other events. Your Eyes, Ears and Voice upcoming events builder’s corner LOBO talk editor: mark sletten vice president, communications LOBO 18437 edison ave chesterfield, MO 63005 www.lancairowners.com A major part of LOBO’s charter is to represent your interests with government agencies in developing or modifying regulation that affects Lancair owners. 2010 was a blockbuster year for LOBO in that area as we participated in several government/industry conferences, some at the direct request of organizers—we are getting a reputation! I, along with Bob Pastusek and Bill Harrelson, participated in drafting a soon-to-be-released ExperimentalAmateur Built (EXP-AB) Advisory Circular (AC) over several months and many meetings. Beginning with a conference in Washington, DC last winter, and subsequent meetings in Oshkosh, WI, in June and Kansas City, MO in the fall, the effort to produce this AC included representatives from the FAA, EAA, major kit aircraft manufacturers (and other industry suppliers) as well as LOBO, who attended at the direct request of the FAA. In addition to assisting the FAA in the area of accident prevention, LOBO is looking at ways the FAA can remove obstacles to improving training quality and availability. Our newest board member, Bill Harrelson, attended a flight instructor conference at FAA HQ last month. During the meeting, the FAA announced new training initiatives, and sought input from attendees in their development. LOBO intends to continue representing your interests in the follow-on meetings scheduled through 2011. Be sure to read Bill’s report on what transpired at the first meeting. Finally, Bob, Claudette and I attended the EAA/FAA Joint Safety committee meeting at Oshkosh AirVenture in July where I presented information on LOBO’s efforts in flight training and accident reduction. The FAA is earnestly trying to reduce the General Aviation accident rate, and foremost on its agenda is the EXP–AB safety record. In a recent FAA White Paper on the subject stated, in part, “The experimental airplane community is an important part of the civil aviation industry in the United States. Amateur aircraft builders have produced some of aviation’s greatest technological achievements. The amateur builder community is foundational to general aviation in the US. However, recent trends in experimental airplane accidents have suggested a need for Jan 2011 increased effort in ensuring that pilots of experimental airplanes are prepared for the challenges of these airplanes.” Further, “…the FAA does have the authority, through rulemaking, to place additional conditions and limitations on pilots of amateur built airplanes forcing them into training programs. But this should be a last resort. Placing arbitrary training requirements may require some pilots to receive unnecessary training and other pilots to receive inadequate training depending on the pilot’s experience level. Training needs to be tailored to the pilot and the airplane in question. The only way to do this is to have the FAA and industry work together to develop the specific standards for both the pilot receiving the training and the instructor providing the training. This can be done targeting manufacturers, training providers, and industry groups (associations, type clubs, etc.) to news develop and promote appropriate training.” of significantly reducing the EXP-AB accident rate. Shortly after writing this I will be attending an FAA/ Industry meeting on This is an effort your LOBO leadership saw coming. We’ve been working Experimental Amateur Built safety during the Light-Sport Expo at Sebring, FL. In yet another indication of the new direction it is taking, Lancair Inc. requested I represent not only LOBO, but the interests of Lancair fliers in general. ahead of the curve in developing specific training and instructor qualification standards we believe appropriate and necessary for the safe operation of Lancair aircraft. Our efforts in this area have not gone unnoticed. The FAA has listed several goals for this meeting, including: The Lancair community has seen a reduction in its serious/fatal accident numbers for two years now. In 2008, Lancair fliers had 7 serious accidents with 19 fatalities. In 2009 we saw a reduction to four accidents with seven fatalities. The numbers dropped even farther in 2010, with only four serious accidents and two fatalities—our lowest numbers since 2000. 1. 2. 3. Analyzing EXP-AB accident data to determine accident risk factors. Developing a pilot flight and ground training program to address those risk factors. Training flight instructors in proper training methods to address the risk factors. The FAA is targeting five EXP-AB types, including Lancair, with the goal 2 Since the inception of LOBO, there has been only one serious accident involving a LOBO member. Jan 2011 Statistically, there is a strong correlation between type club membership and low accident rates. Our message to the FAA and industry is type clubs work; you are all proof of that! LOBO’s forward-thinking effort in focusing our community on safety is one of the primary reasons we are a sought-after attendee at meetings seeking new ideas to make our planes and operations safer. While that’s a gratifying development, it pales in comparison to knowing we are saving lives. Let’s Keep It Going! As many of you know, the most hazardous time for a new aircraft owner is the first 100 hours of operation. LOBO recommends pilots get type-specific training from an experienced Lancair instructor to get through that critical transition period safely. (You can find the names of halfa-dozen recommended instructors on our website.) Once you complete your Lancair training you should approach your first 100 hours of operation with the utmost caution. During that time, and depending on your personal flying history, LOBO advocates pilots observe personal limits above and beyond those required by the FAA. For many, this will mean limiting your flying to day VFR conditions. Major airlines call this Initial Operating Experience (IOE), and they place limits on crews in this phase of experience. You may have thousands of hours in your logbook, but until you acquire experience in that new-to-you Lancair you are at a substantially higher risk of having an accident. The chart below illustrates this concept and is taken from actual Lancair accident statistics. LOBO’s FITS-approved initial transition syllabus is designed to get a new Lancair pilot through that 0-10 hour high-risk hurdle. Combined with a ground school syllabus, pilots who complete LOBO-designed training will news improve their stick and rudder skills while flying real-world scenarios designed to facilitate the application of procedural, situational-awareness, decision-making and systems management skills appropriate to the aircraft, pilot and specific flight operation. Even if you have already completed transition training elsewhere, you should consider a recurrent session with a LOBO-qualified instructor. For a taste of training excellence, join us in Branson in October, where LOBO instructors will present ground training seminars based on our FITS-approved syllabus! The Phase I Catch 22 A factor working against the Experimental community is you cannot legally receive flight training during Phase I flight testing of a newlycompleted experimental aircraft per the operational limitations section of your airworthiness certificate. Another Catch 22 is that the FAA process for obtaining a Letter of Deviation (LODA) to hire out your Lancair for training has been held up in the FAA bureaucracy. The FAA just released new guidance for LODA’s in September, so we may have some relief there. At least one LOBO member, Michael Newman, has succeeded in obtaining a LODA from the Boston FDSO. If you have a Lancair that you are willing to offer for training purposes please let us know. We need the assistance of all Lancair fliers to help train people that are just completing their kits. We especially need access to 320 and 360 airframes for training. Make a Commitment In keeping with the New Year theme, I would encourage all of you to make some resolutions with regards to making your Lancair flying safer. Here are a few suggestions: 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Obtain, read and make a personal commitment to abide by LOBO’s Code of Conduct. Book a recurrent training session with a LOBO instructor. Attend a LOBO sponsored maintenance clinic. Join LOBO in Branson in October (for some more great training tips). Attend the LOBO dinner at AirVenture. Attend a LOBO flight or maintenance seminar. Share your experience with your fellow members; tell us your safety story and we’ll publish it in the LOBO News. “Never again” stories are great, but we’d also like to hear about decisions you made that turned out well. I am sure there are many more things you can do to become a better pilot— let us know what your resolutions are. Safe Flying! For questions or comments contact Jeff at [email protected] Maintenance Issues bob pastusek About Our Clinics – So Far! LOBO has sponsored a total of five maintenance clinics for Lancair aircraft, and plans to conduct at least four during 2011 (see the current schedule below). We've had 20-30 active participants at each previous clinic, along with a few spouses, friends and interested others. A slight majority of attendees fly in, but a significant number drive to each of our seminars. We don’t have a rigid agenda or format for these events, but based on informal feedback, a couple of themes seemed to resonate with our Jan 2011 owner/flyers and we hope to build upon them. First of all, attendees considered the opportunity to meet fellow Lancair owners/operators to be their most valuable take-away. (I try not to reflect too much on what this implies about the technical content of our clinics while realizing that’s the answer I selected for myself.) Given this, we’ll continue to plan time at our clinics for informal discussion and walkabouts to admire the workmanship of our beautiful aircraft. Attendees also liked the mini presentations (typically a demonstration of specific tasks) of recognized experts. These events ranged from set up of the fuel system for the big Continentals to changing a tire/tube without pinching the tube during reassembly. Items somewhat unique to our aircraft, such as nose strut servicing, were well attended at each seminar. We’ll continue to emphasize and add these things as we have the expertise to do so. (This is both thanks, and a hint—we could use more experts!) With one exception, these first seminars were “home grown” events put on entirely by volunteers. Even so, some of the attendees at each were recognized experts in various aspects of aviation who unselfishly offered their knowledge through presentations, one-on-one discussion and active demonstrations. Some have suggested that we formally engage the recognized experts—those with experience building/flying multiple Lancairs of all series—in our clinics. We intend to try this during the coming year by providing a mix of builderhosted and expert-hosted seminars, but only if we can solicit hosts that are news willing to host a seminar at cost. LOBO does not intend to provide services for hire, nor will we sanction maintenance clinics as a for-profit engagements. We are trying to establish LOBO within the aviation community as an owner-level, grass roots support organization, and to provide information, services and support at no more than the direct cost of materials, using volunteer labor whenever possible. Most of our clinics are twoday events, the exception being the one-day Legacy clinic sponsored by Don Barnes. The consensus from attendees is to plan a 2-day event including general information applicable to all Lancairs on day one, and “breakout” sessions for the separate models on day two. We likewise had many opinions about covering general information (e.g. how to change tires/brakes), versus Lancairspecific information not easily available elsewhere (e.g. nose strut servicing). Based on the ability of every owner to work on his/her aircraft, we intend to have the clinics cover as much of both as possible. Our experience was that all were interested in general/common maintenance items; only a few were interested in gear retraction testing and similar model-specific items. All clinics to date have included a “chalk talk” session moderated by recognized expertes about standard maintenance practices (and the applicable FARs that cover them) for Lancair aircraft. In each case we’ve had volunteers to do this for us, and these have been great for team-building and bonding. Holding these at the start of each clinic/day allowed attendees to get acquainted, accommodated late 4 arrivals and tended to focus attention on the task at hand. Some of the popular items we’ve included in one or more of the clinics include: Brake/Bearing servicing Magneto Timing Spark Plug Cleaning Injector Cleaning Fuel System Calibration Tire/Wheel Changing Gear Retraction Test Structural Inspection Electrical System Tests Engine Inspection Cockpit Instruments Weight & Balance Flight Control Continuity Door/Canopy Ops Nose Strut Servicing Lubrication-general Please give us your input on additional topics and we’ll add them as we have the expertise and time to do so. We also coordinated with local licensed A&P’s to offer the following services at negotiated prices and by prior arrangement: Pitot/Static Testing Prop Balancing Magneto Timing Fuel Flow Calibration For 2011 we have scheduled four clinics—so far. We'll have details and sign-up lists on the LOBO web site in the coming months, but to get you started, Brad Simmons (Airframes Inc) will host an airframe finishing and painting seminar on March 19-20 at his Trenton Airport (KTGC) workshop. Brad has assisted a number of builders over the years, and is one of the true experts in this business. George Braly and Tim Roehl have agreed to host an engine performance/baffling/cooling seminar similar to the one George conducted for Lancair builders in 2006. George has been up to his eyeballs in Jan 2011 news developing G100UL fuel for our engines, and is pretty hard to pin down. And as if that weren’t enough, we've also put the strong arm on him to make a presentation at the LOBO/Lancair Fly-In this fall! For comments or questions contact Bob at [email protected] UUppccoom miinnggCClliinniiccss** Trenton Airport (KTGC) Milam, TN When: 19-20 March What Composite airframe construction Paint preparation Who: PRATT & WHITNEY IS A PROUD SPONSOR FOR THE 1ST ANNUAL LOBO/LANCAIR FLY-IN Brad Simmons 731-686-3610 [email protected] Manassas Muni (KHEF) Manassas, VA When: 11-12 June What Inspection/maintenance all models Who: Bob Pastusek 757-286-4802 [email protected] (Penny Bowman) 617-510-527 [email protected] What Taney County Apt (KPLK) Branson, MO Who: When: 7-9 October What When: 25-26 June What Inspection/maintenance Flying in the northeast US George Braly 580-436-4833 [email protected] * You can find the most up-to-date list on the Mini-Seminar at the Fly-In Nose gear strut servicing LOBO web site. Check back often as seminars might be added anytime! Details Who: Lawrence Municipal (KLWM) Lawrence, MA Engine baffling and cooling GAMI Injectors Bob Pastusek 757-286-4802 [email protected] Ada Municipal (KADH ) Ada, OK When: 14 May Who: Bruce Ryan & EAA Chapter 106 5 It is important that you register your intention to attend a clinic with LOBO at www.lancairowners.com so we can prepare facilities, handouts and amenities. There will be a nominal attendance charge for each participant ($25-50 depending on our material costs), and we reserve the right to cancel any clinic if the pre-registered attendance does not justify the expense and time to prepare and execute it. Jan 2011 Likewise, we need your early commitments—and money—to plan and execute these, so we'll accept your cancellation up to the day before and provide a full refund of your prepayment. We still need volunteers to host clinics in other parts of the country. Please lend a hand if you can; it's a rewarding and worthwhile experience, and you might even learn something… For more information or to volunteer to host a clinic contact Bob directly at [email protected]. SSyysstteem mssM Maaiinneennaannccee Chelton Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) In a fit of frustration with my otherwise excellent Chelton EFIS, I wrote to Brent Regan for help in keeping the electronic Jeppesen navigation data in my Cheltons up to date. No sooner had I posted my plea to Brent, than I received emails from two other LOBO members who were having the same news difficulty. Our Cheltons use Smart Media (SM) cards to transfer data from a computer to the unit. Jeppesen updates its data on a 28 day cycle, which Chelton users must copy to the SM card for transfer to the Cheltons. The cards are easily damaged (probably why this media never caught on?) and getting more and more difficult to replace. Originally, data cards from 8 to 64 MB capacity would work, but as the navigation database has expanded, only the larger 32 and 64 MB cards seem to work reliably. Larger capacity cards are reported not to work at all. For starters, I'd be interested in knowing the number of LOBO member airplanes with a Chelton EFIS installed. Please don't be surprised to see this question on the membership information update soon to be on its way to you. I hope to develop at least one alternative way to update the navigation and approach data for our Cheltons, and will advise directly to responding members about what I find. 6 Ramp Check! … …bbyytthheeBBoorrddeerrPPaattrrooll?? jeff edwards When you think about John and Martha King, the last word to come to mind is “criminal.” Yet that is exactly how these two stalwarts of General Aviation were treated by law enforcement officials during the now infamous incident at Santa Barbara last August. Do you think this was an isolated incident? Think again. The Customs and Border Patrol Agency has deemed you to be a national security threat and is watching you every time you fly, simply because you are a pilot. The CBP has established an “Air and Marine Operations Center” (AMOC), a facility much like similar facilities operated by the US military, at the March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, CA and is spying on our citizens lawfully going about their business. The CBP’s AMOC is linked Jan 2011 with governmental law enforcement and anti-terrorism databases and determine if you are a threat before you even get near your aircraft. Aside from this (and several other facilities), the CBP’s office of Air and Marine operates some 290 aircraft (including UAVs) and some 220 marine vessels. The government established the AMOC to monitor the borders and assist law enforcement with anti-terror and anti-narcotics operations, and CBP officials use those assets to track every aircraft and marine vessel movement in the United States, including yours. In fact, two LOBO members report having been detained and questioned by law enforcement officials, and neither was informed of the reason. In both cases, their aircraft were searched. One case occurred in 2008 after the pilot flew a VFR cross-country flight to St. Louis. The photos below depict what happened. (A person I spoke to involved with law enforcement informed me the King Air in the background of the picture to the right belongs to the FBI.) When the pilot involved demanded a reason for the detention, interrogation and search, he was given a phone number, which turned out to be news “Mike” with the CBP’s AMOC in Riverside, CA. Being unable to find any contraband or other evidence of illegal activity, government representatives allowed the pilot, who is a decorated veteran US Navy F-14 pilot, to leave. This is not the only such incident in St. Louis. Another case involved a LOBO member who filed a flight plan to depart the DC metro area for upstate NY. Prior to his departure the pilot was approached by a person who identified himself as a Customs agent. The pilot reports being asked if he had any “equipment” on his aircraft, in particular computers. Apparently not satisfied when the detainee responded the only computer he had was his personal laptop, the agent asked to search the aircraft. When the search confirmed his story, the pilot—a retired and decorated US Air Force veteran—was allowed to go. You have to wonder about the “intelligence” of our intelligence agencies involved in these searches. The two pilots are ex-military; the federal government maintains databases containing prodigious amounts of information on former military personnel—including DNA, fingerprints, security clearances, etc. Additionally, certified pilots voluntarily provide the FAA even more information about ourselves via flight physical exams, pilot certificate information, aircraft registration, and more. Through “Fusion Center” information databases, the federal 7 government has access to a massive amount of personal information such as credit card and cell phone records. And further erosions of our privacy are on the horizon with the coming ADS-B, triennial pilot and aircraft registration forms and eAPIS registration. Think about how much information the government gets about you when you simply file a DUATS flight plan. Given the amount of information available to it, either the CBP AMOC is completely out of control, or completely incompetent in targeting pilots such as the two LOBO members involved in these incidents. While I appreciate our government’s efforts to fight terrorism, I don’t believe GA pilots—especially those who appear so prominently in government databases—pose a serious threat to national security. A friend of mine who works in government says the situation would improve if all pilots would simply fill out a special security clearance form and submit to a government Jan 2011 background check. I’m afraid I disagree. If the data already available wasn’t sufficient to alert the government these two pilots posed the lowest possible threat, what would it do with even more information? If you don’t think this is a civil rights issue you should read the job descriptions for the people responsible for administering these programs. I read the following sentence in a job listing for a director position within the AMOC: As Director, Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC), you will direct and oversee the collection of information on non-cooperative aircraft and marine vessels across the Nation’s borders and its maritime approaches, and coordinate threat interdiction operations across all CBP air and marine operating units. Based on incidents happening across the US, it would seem the CBP now believes all GA pilots to be “noncooperative targets,” and views them to be potential threats to national security. In short, the Federal government is tracking, intercepting and conducting warrantless searches of aircraft without probable cause. So what can you do about this nonsense if you’re inclined to take a stand? Well, you can start by knowing your rights. What If You Are Detained? The government may lawfully detain you in the course of conducting an investigation if you are believed to be involved in illegal activity, or if you are believed to have evidence or information about the illegal activity of others. Officials may detain you for as long as they deem necessary to complete their investigation. Detention is assumed to be voluntary unless you ask to leave the area. If you ask to leave and the official says you may go, then you should leave immediately. If you remain in the area after being told news you are free to go, the detention is automatically legal. While it’s true that not all detentions are legal, knowing that doesn’t make it wise to dispute a detention you believe to be illegal during the event. If you wish to challenge a detention after the fact, it will be up to you to prove you were detained illegally. Needless to say, your case won’t be well served if you are arrested for interfering with an official investigation. While government officials do not have to immediately tell you why, they are required to inform you if you are being detained or arrested—ask if they don’t tell you. Can They Search My Plane? According to the protection you enjoy under the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, you do not have to submit to a search of your aircraft. The government official involved may say something like, “Do you mind if I look in your plane?” You are perfectly within your rights to refuse such a request. Common tactics include such statements as “things might go easier for you if you cooperate,” or “you shouldn’t care about a search if you have nothing to hide.” These vaguely threatening ideas count on the fact that most people don’t want to antagonize the government or appear guilty. The goal, of course, is to get you to agree to a search—which eliminates the need for officials to obtain a warrant. If you choose not to allow a search of your aircraft during a detention you should understand investigators can detain you until they obtain a warrant if they feel they have a good reason. If you have someplace to be it might 8 easier to swallow your sense of justice and let them have a look. What you should also understand, however, is your refusal to permit a search is not a good enough reason for an investigator to obtain a warrant. That’s what they might like you to think, but it’s just not so. Who Ya Gonna Call? If you’re unhappy with the idea that you or your fellow aviators can be detained, questioned and searched for nothing more than exercising your right to travel freely, you should let your legislative representatives know how you feel. Click here to contact your Congressional representative. Click here to contact your Senators. LOBO Advocacy bill harrelson I attended a meeting in Washington, DC with the FAA this past December at Jeff’s request. The meeting was primarily for FIRC (Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic) providers and was attended by an impressive group of industry leaders. John and Martha King, Dr. Bryan Gliem, top folks from AOPA, Jeppesen and others were in attendance. Since LOBO does not offer or intend to offer an FIRC, I initially thought my presence unnecessary, but I quickly realized that was wrong as the true reason for the meeting became evident. The FAA people who presented were “10th floor folks,” meaning they were all high up the food chain—up to Assistant Administrator level. The Jan 2011 presentations all included detailed Q&A sessions with attendees. From these it became clear the FAA in general—and these top executives in particular—are under intense and direct pressure from Congress and the DOT to improve the GA fatal accident rate. Reading between the lines, it appeared to me top FAA leadership believes the best place to start in meeting such an ambitious goal is to speak directly to those teaching pilots how be flight instructors, the instructor instructors if you will. The resulting two days of FAA presentations, and the intelligent, well thought out and candid discussion with industry leaders they instigated, were highly educational and interesting. No matter how the plethora of statistics, charts and graphs were presented or interpreted, they served to hammer home the fact that GA safety— especially the fatal accident rate—is not improving. This fact served as the guidepost for the discussions, all of which held at their core the search for ideas to improve GA safety. I had a chance to speak with Mel Cintron on Tuesday morning. Mr. Cintron leads the FAA’s ASF-800 division, which governs ALL aspects of GA at FAA. He remembered meeting with LOBO at Sun ‘n Fun and was, I think, pleased we attended this meeting as well. The theme of Mr. Cintron’s presentation—which sparked some 2 ½ hours of discussion—is that FAA views GA as one of its last unresolved safety challenges. To meet that challenge, he listed the long-term goals of ASF-800, which include: 1. 2. 3. Transform GA and reduce the fatal accident rate to unprecedented low levels. Transform mindset and culture. Reduce accident rate to 1.0 per 100,000 hrs by 2018 (the 2010 rate was 1.14, or 268 accidents). news with the GA community within legal boundaries and without rulemaking. Obviously, this is an attitude LOBO fervently supports and hopes to foster with continued representation at future meetings! Meaningful Action Mr. Cintron’s stated approach to meeting AFS-800 goals included the following: Risk identification and mitigation Outreach and engagement Training Safety communication Mr. Cintron’s presentation included a chart listing what he views as the top 10 factors in fatal GA accidents. Holding the #1 spot was amateur built aircraft. He also presented numbers suggesting amateur-built aircraft, which represent 3% of total hours flown, account for a disproportionate 26% of fatal accidents. These are data with which many in the experimental community may not agree, but we absolutely cannot ignore the fact this is what the FAA’s GA division leadership believes. Mr. Cintron also presented some good news for LOBO members, chiefly that statistics show type clubs have a significant positive impact on safety. Indeed, his numbers suggest members of such clubs experience 50-60% fewer accidents compared to non-members. He says the FAA currently believes it can best meet these goals by working This brought up an interesting question: Someone from the audience asked “what’s a type club?” I was very glad to be there when Mr. Cintron pointed at me and said, “You know, like LOBO, Lancair Owners and Builders Organization”. It’s good to know after two years of work such an influential person is aware of our existence. What’s more, it’s gratifying that we have a two-year head start on meeting the goals Mr. Cintron outlined for the rest of GA! To demonstrate his commitment to the long-term improvement of GA safety, Mr. Cintron made it clear he understands there are statistical “tricks” and short term “fixes” that could skew safety statistics to give the appearance of improvement. He acknowledged such tactics would serve to improve his chances for a promotion, but would have little real meaning. To ensure he and his staff remain committed to real and meaningful long term progress he is including a two-year process review which will look at the following: Review the effectiveness of nonregulatory mitigations Share results with key stakeholders Adjust strategy as necessary Continue with a “rolling” review process Conclusions 1. 2. 3. 9 FAA management is under intense pressure to reduce the GA fatal accident rate (likely pushed, in part, by the recent death of Senator Stevens in a GA accident in Alaska). Like it or not, the head of GA at FAA sees amateur built aircraft as the largest single source of the bad accident rate, and we know from previous contact the he sees Lancairs at the top of the amateur built list. Mr. Cintron seems genuinely committed to an actual Jan 2011 4. 5. improvement in safety, not just rearranging the numbers. He knows that the quickest number improvement action that he can take is regulatory, but seems to believe a non-regulatory approach is more effective in the long run. I believe that he recognizes LOBO specifically (and other organizations, of course) as partners and seeks our input and help. All in all, I believe this was a productive two days, and that LOBO’s attendance was noticed and appreciated. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or ideas you might like brought forward at future meetings. For questions or comments contact Bill at [email protected] LLO OBBO OFFAAAASSTTeeaam mW WhhiitteePPaappeerr The content below is copied from a White Paper presented to FAA Safety Team on behalf of LOBO at the Sebring Summit, Jan 20, 2011. The Lancair Owners and Builders Organization (LOBO) is pleased to participate with the FAA and industry in the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) Sebring Summit January 20, 2011. LOBO is an international type club for Lancair owners, builders, fliers and enthusiasts who support the Lancair kit aircraft fleet. LOBO was formed in the fall of 2008 in response to a need to news provide support to Lancair owners. There are approximately 250 LOBO members. There are nearly 1000 Lancairs issued an airworthiness certificate in the United States. Lancair was founded in 1981 and has sold over 2000 Lancair kits worldwide. Including the prototype Sentry there are eleven different models of the Lancair fleet: Lancair 200: 2-seat kit powered by Continental 0-200 engine, released in 1985 Lancair 235: 2-seat kit powered by Lycoming O-235 engine, released in 1986 Lancair 320: 2-seat kit powered by Lycoming O-320 engine, released in 1988 Lancair 360: 2-seat kit powered by Lycoming O-360 engine, released in 1988 Lancair ES: 4-seat fixed gear TCM IO 550 Lancair IV: 4-seat retract TCM IO 550 (non pressurized) Lancair IV-P: 4-seat retract TCM TSIO 550 (5 psid pressurized) Lancair Legacy: 2-seat retract and fixed gear versions TCM IO550 and a 360 version Lancair Propjet: 4-seat retract Walter 601 turboprop (5 psid pressurized) Lancair Sentry: 2-seat tandem Walter 601 turboprop Lancair Evolution: 4-seat retract 10 PWC PT6A-135A turboprop (6 psid pressurized) The graph at the bottom left of this page details the distribution of Lancair model specific information. LANCAIR SAFETY There are approximately 167 reported Lancair accidents in the LOBOmaintained database. The first serious accident in a Lancair occurred at Fond Du Lac, WI on 8/1/1989 during AirVenture and involved a fatal stall/ spin accident during a base turn to final. As more and more Lancairs receive airworthiness certificates, more accidents have occurred on an annual basis. 2008 has been the worst year thus far with 19 fatalities and seven destroyed aircraft. 2009 saw a large reduction in accidents and fatalities since 2008—over a 50% reduction. 2010 accident numbers declined to the best in ten years. LOBO has been working vigorously to reduce the Lancair accident rate. LOBO’s efforts will be discussed elsewhere in this paper. All models except the Sentry and Evolution have been involved in serious accidents. There have been no accidents involving pressurization. A significant risk factor associated with Lancair accidents is “low time in type” and “pilot certificate level”. Approximately 44% of all Lancair Jan 2011 news LOBO believes the private pilot flies fewer flight hours than the pro pilot and consequently has an accident rate skewed towards more accidents per hour than any other certificate level. This statistic must be confirmed analytically so scarce resources can be targeted properly. Better pilot training and testing in GA is required to correct the above deficiencies and some of this can be corrected with amendments to the Practical Test Standards by requiring more landings and more high alpha air work and stall demonstrations on check rides, etc. accidents have involved pilots with less than 100 hours in model. This figure closely follows the GA accident statistics where 46% of the private pilots involved in accidents have less than 100 hours in make/model (as reported by the 2008 Nall Report). While turbine aircraft over 12,500# require type specific training, anyone with a private pilot certificate can purchase and fly a Cessna 421, Beech King Air 90, Lancair IVP or Evolution with no additional training required. It is no surprise then that uninitiated, overconfident pilots contribute significantly to the GA accident statistics. THIS IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. 36% of all active U.S. pilots [211,000 of 595,000 pilots] but a larger share of those flying non-commercially, since they are ineligible to command commercial flights. For this reason, and because of the lack of reliable data on their risk exposure in terms of either number of flights or total flight hours, it is not clear whether private pilots are at excess risk compared to pilots at higher certification levels. Private pilots are less likely to have sought advanced training …” AOPA 2009 Nall Report Fifty-six percent of all Lancair accidents have involved private pilots. Again this follows GA numbers, but it is noteworthy that while private pilots account for about one-third of all pilot certificates they inflict over one half of the accidents. The AOPA addressed this in their 2009 Nall Report with the following comments: “Private pilots were involved in 50% of all accidents and 52% of those that were fatal (Figure 11). They make up 11 As explained elsewhere, the root cause of many of these accidents is a poor understanding of aerodynamics and aircraft performance and handling by the average GA pilot. Training at the student pilot level must be improved in order to have a long term positive effect throughout GA and EXP AB. Recurrent pilot training must improve and type training is strongly recommended. At the other end of the spectrum is that there are no serious accidents involving Lancair pilots with more than 1000 hours in model. The only LOBO Jan 2011 news LOBO has embraced a Code of Conduct for its members. Phase of flight accidents again mirror GA statistics with takeoff and landing accidents accounting for over one half of all Lancair accidents. Hard landings, bounced landings, loss of control on landing or takeoff, runway excursions, etc. comprise these accidents. Again, lack of skill that can be remedied with training at the entry point (GA private pilot flight training) and at the transition point (Lancair purchase). Some Lancair pilots eschew training but for the IV series and Evolution fliers insurance requirements mean annual training with a approved training provider. LOSS OF CONTROL (STALL/ SPIN) member accident to date occurred to a pilot who suffered a propeller loss in flight, made a successful engine out landing on a beach, only to hit a jogger. Pilot error leads Cause 1, mirroring General Aviation. Poor decision making, insufficient aeronautical skills, and other factors contribute to the pilot error accidents. Egregious and blatant acts of illegal flying have been a factor in more than one Lancair accident including flathatting, non rated pilots filing IFR flight plans, low altitude aerobatic flight in the traffic patterns, etc. A campaign urging pilots to “Fly Responsibly” is long overdue. turbulence encounter on takeoff, one involved a fuel starvation and one involved a thunderstorm penetration and loss of control. Two of the stall spin accidents have occurred with flight instructors aboard giving stall training. Three of the accidents involved flight testing in Phase I. Most Lancair aircraft do not have any stall strips to give a solid aerodynamic buffet pre-stall or encourage a Part 23 type stall response. Many later vintage Lancair aircraft are equipped with EFIS like Chelton that have internal “bitchin Betty” stall warning systems or the Proprietary Systems AOA system. The calibration of the stall warning systems is important for proper function on the aircraft. The Evolution, if it is equipped with stall strips is 14 CFR 23.49 and 14 CFR 23.201, 203 and 207 compliant. The Lancair IV series aircraft does not appear to have a significant risk of stall accidents once the other factors are understood. There have been 73 loss of control accidents involving Lancair aircraft since 1989. Loss of Control (LOC) as defined by LOBO involves an accident whose cause can be attributed in part to the pilot’s inability to properly control the aircraft; i.e. the pilot stops flying the airplane and the airplane starts flying the pilot. This can be a classic stall or spin, a runway excursion, etc. The aircraft involved in the LOC accidents have been all Lancair models except Sentry and Evolution. Twenty five of those accidents involve a classic stall/ spin either as a primary cause 1 or secondary cause 2-5. Eleven of those accidents involved a Lancair IV series aircraft. In six IV series LOC accidents the LOC was the primary event. Five IV series accidents involved an initiating event (loss of power, thunderstorm penetration, etc.) before control was lost. One involved wake 12 RISK MITIGATION STRATEGIES In 2008, LOBO drafted a FITSendorsed training syllabus and completed its review by early 2009. Since its introduction in 2009, LOBO has worked with the insurance industry Jan 2011 news incorporated under the 8700.1 FSIMS system. Look what happened to our accident rate after the policy change in 2006. It went up! While the LODA process has been reinstated, time will tell if it is an effective program. Here is the current language from the 8700.1: 3-292 to gain its acceptance of the syllabus for transition and recurrent training. LOBO members and non-members can seek flight training from LOBO endorsed flight instructors who themselves have completed LOBO’s standardization and evaluation training program. Pilots must complete the entire FITS syllabus to receive a graduation certificate. LOBO is committed to raising the bar. Experimental AB aviation suffers from training issues not found in many other aspects of GA. These include regulations, lack of training aircraft availability, as well as a dearth of qualified instructors. As many of you know there is a prohibition on training while the aircraft is in Phase I (test) due to operating limitations restrictions. It seems we are taking a step backward with this rule. If we are going to train our way out of the current accident rate we need to revise the rules. Our members have a Catch 22 situation -they can't get training until they fly off their hours and they can’t fly until they train. No wonder the accidents are up. This topic was addressed at SNF with the FAA. We need to fix this. Additionally 14 CFR 91.319 prohibits commercial training in experimental aircraft. The current FAR Part 91.319 states: (e) No person may operate an aircraft that is issued an experimental certificate under §21.191(i) of this chapter for compensation or hire, except a person may operate an aircraft issued an experimental certificate under §21.191(i)(1) for compensation or hire to— (1) Tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle in accordance with §91.309; or (2) Conduct flight training in an aircraft which that person provides prior to January 21,2010. The FAA has recently reinstated the EXP-AB 319 waiver/LODA process for "flight instruction for hire" program. The EAA ran the program for many years and then in 2006 the FAA brought it in house under Notice N8700.47 with an expiration date of 8/10/2007 where it was supposed to be 13 A. Use of Aircraft for Instruction. An aircraft with an experimental airworthiness certificate may be used for crew training or flight instruction when no charges or remuneration for use of the aircraft are involved. A pilot or owner may use the services of an instructor to receive instruction in an experimental aircraft; however, a commercial operator may not provide such an aircraft for the purpose of flight instruction for hire. B. Flight Instructors. A person who is the owner or operator of an experimental aircraft may receive flight instruction in that aircraft and pay for the flight instructor’s services. However, this person must be the owner or operator of the aircraft in order for the flight instructor to receive compensation. One member reported 8900.15 might be the fix—here is what he wrote last spring. I am working with the Boston FSDO to get a Letter of Deviation as permitted by 91.319(h). My current principal point of contact is Thomas MacMurtry. He will likely not be the final contact person. Jan 2011 After some research on their side all indications are that they expect to be able to issue this letter using the (now expired) process in notice N 8900.15. I have passed Thomas a very simple proposal letter requesting the approval and the LOBO course materials. I asked him to review the letter and help me put it into final form. He is working with (as yet unidentified) OPS person in the Boston office to review this. In our phone conversations Thomas has indicated that he expects them to be able to issue a LODA with a long list of operational rules patterned after similar programs issued to the military and jet demo guys. He went through the list with me and the only special rule that seemed significant was a requirement for what amounts to 100 hour inspections by a certified mechanic or repair station. When I see the details on this it will probably require that the annual be signed off by an A and I rather than the A and P requirement for an experimental aircraft. I do not know if a signoff by the builder (with repair station/manufacturer authority) will qualify. In any case for me this is no hardship at all since my annuals are signed off in this way anyway. He reported on 1/13/2011 that he received his LODA – over a year after starting this process. This situation must be remedied if we are to improve flight safety. We must eliminate roadblocks to training. Training in a “similar” certified aircraft does not suffice in many cases. news best. What has LOBO contributed to this success? Encouraged by EAA’s Earl Lawrence, five Lancair owners formed LOBO in October 2008. It was no coincidence that LOBO was formed during the worst year for Lancair accidents. Type clubs work—people who belong to type clubs have a significantly lower accident rate than non-members. LOBO’s Board is filled with subject matter experts. We are reaching out to members and non members who build and fly these fast glass aircraft. LOBO encourages and fosters responsible flying through its newsletters, social events, bylaws, website and training events. In addition to flight training, LOBO has been educating Lancair owners with respect to maintenance of their aircraft. LOBO has hosted three maintenance clinics across the country and has four scheduled for 2011. The goal is to raise the level of knowledge of Lancair maintenance requirements and reduce EXP-AB maintenance related accidents. LOBO recommends fostering the growth of EXP-AB type clubs and subject matter experts across the EXP– AB world. We work at the grass roots level. LOBO appreciates the opportunity to contribute to this effort to improve EXP -AB safety. Social Occasions claudette colwell Let’s start off with the big news first: 1st Annual LOBO/Lancair Fly-In October 7—9, 2011 Taney County Arpt (KPLK) Branson, Missouri I’m sure all of you are as excited about this new joint venture and the venue as we are! Lancair International’s Lisa Williams (Events and Marketing) and I are working together to organize a stellar event for Lancair owners, pilots and builders. We’ve selected Branson, Missouri as the location for a number of reasons: First, it is a central location. Second, it boasts a huge variety of attractions and entertainment above and beyond meeting and getting to know your fellow LOBO members and Lancarians. Branson Landing has over 100 shops, dining of every variety, wine tasting, and a spectacular fountain water show with fire, light and music. It also features a scenic boardwalk spanning l.5 miles of shoreline on Lake Taneycomo. There are Branson Landing Cruises, a Payne Stewart Golf Course and many more activities. Of course, the heart of any flyin, especially for Lancair pilots, is the airport and the events occurring there. Taney County Airport (KPLK) will have a newly repaved runway and taxiways by the time of our arrival. Runway 11/29 is 3738’ x 100’ at an elevation of 940’. There is an AWOS on the field. LOBO—TYPE CLUBS WORK! LOBO is committed to reducing the Lancair accident rate. In two years the Lancair fleet has gone from the worst accident rate since 1989 to the 14 Jan 2011 news . We’ve negotiated a 50% rate cut on parking to $5.00 per night for Lancairs attending the fly-in. The airport’s capable staff is looking forward to our fly-in and assures me they plan to make our visit enjoyable. In addition to other airport facilities, we will have access to a 10,000 sq ft venue for fly-in exhibits, forums and activities. For meals, overnight accommodations and other event activities we’ve selected the beautiful Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing. This outstanding facility boasts first-class accommodations, and they’ve offered attendees a great price on rooms in exchange for booking a block of 50 per night. The fly-in special rate of $139 is not available after September 7, so book early! upcoming events MX Clinic attending the Lancair fly-in to get the special rate. Full event registration is $75.00 per person, and $50.00 for accompanying spouses. For those planning a Saturday arrival, registration will be $50.00 and $40.00 for an accompanying spouse. Your registration fee pays for: Friday night cocktail party Saturday night banquet Continental breakfast Sat. & Sun Sandwiches for lunch Fri. and Sat. Rooms for forums/vendor exhibits And a guaranteed great time! NationAir Insurance has already signed up at the Wing Level sponsorship and will be our Saturday night banquet cohost w/no-host bar. Lancair will co-host the Friday night cocktail party w/nohost bar. We are also planning a special optional event for the ladies who attend and are not interested in the pilot/airfield activities on Saturday. It will help tremendously if all who plan to attend—and we hope that’s everyone reading this!—will RSVP to Lisa by the requested date of March 1. Our agreement with the Hilton has dates that commit us to a percentage of the anticipated revenue (which is ordinary procedure), so early reservations on your part will help us know we can hit those targets on time. Make your room reservations directly with the Hilton, and mention you are In the coming weeks we will updating you with a schedule planned activities including a list vendors who have committed attend and/or sponsor the event. be of of to This is going to be an outstanding inaugural event. Look for this to be the first of many more. We’re already looking at locations for next year. Make it a New Year’s Resolution to Attend the LOBO/Lancair Fly-in, Oct. 7-9, Branson, Missouri, Taney County Airport and Hilton Promenade Hotel at Branson Landing. 15 When: Mar 19-20, 2010 Where: Trenton Airport (KTGC) Milan, TN Get construction and painting tips from expert Brad Simmons. RSVP ASAP! LOBO Sun ‘n Fun Social When: Mar 31, 2010 Where: Huntington Hills Country Club | Lakeland, FL Meet and greet fellow LOBO members in a ‘cocktail party’ atmosphere. RSVP ASAP! MX Clinic When: May 14, 2010 Where: Ada, OK (KADH) Learn about engine baffling and GAMI injectors with the master, George Braly! st 1 LOBO/Lancair Fly-in When: Oct 7-9, 2010 Where: Branson, MO (KPLK) Two full days of all things Lancair— food, forums, flying and fun! DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT!!! For the latest information check our website at www.lancairowners.com Put the dates on your calendar… RSVP and let us know you will attend… Make your reservations with the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing mentioning Lancair to get our special rate. Please RSVP via email to [email protected], and send your registration payment (check or credit card) to Lisa at Lancair as soon as possible. Jan 2011 Sun ‘n Fun LOBO Banquet Huntington Hills Country Club Lakeland, Florida Thursday, March 31, 2011 This is fast becoming the must-attend event for Lancairians at Sun ‘n Fun! NationAir Insurance has again agreed to host what will be our third annual LOBO Sun ‘n Fun banquet at the Huntington Hills Golf & Country Club (2626 Duff Road, Lakeland, Florida 33810). We’re planning the banquet for 6—9:30 pm. This was an outstanding evening last year; don’t miss it this year! Tickets are $25.00 per person payable on LOBO’s website link via PayPal, or you can mail a check payable to LOBO to: LOBO 18437 Edison Avenue Chesterfield, Mo. 63005 Checks must be mailed no later than Friday, March 18. Any late reservations that can be accommodated (no guarantees!) will cost $5.00 more per person. Dinner is buffet style with a complete delicious meal. We’ll publish the menu as soon as it’s finalized. news take a break from the helter skelter of AirVenture for a relaxing evening of fellowship, great food and an afterdinner speaker you’re sure to remember. We’ll post the buffet menu shortly, but based on past experience dinner is sure to be delicious! Please RSVP to Claudette Colwell, ([email protected]) with the number of attendees. Please include the names of those in your party, your Lancair aircraft type and N number if available for name badges. Because there is so much demand for banquet space during AirVenture, advance reservations are required. The $25 per person costs includes a buffetstyle dinner, a no-host bar, an update on LOBO business from President Jeff Edwards, an after-dinner speaker and more fellowship than you can possibly handle! Ask anyone who went last year and they’ll tell you this is a must attend event! Tickets are available now on our website. You pay there via PayPal or mail a check payable to LOBO our address in Chesterfield (see Sun ‘n Fun banquet announcement above) Again, payment by check must be postmarked no later than Thursday, PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY! Reservations are required no later than March 22. We again have to submit a guaranteed number of attendees and will be obligated to pay for that number. Please notify Jeff Edwards via email ([email protected]) with your reservation information. Please also let Jeff know if you need transportation to the Country Club. Save the Date LOBO Oshkosh Annual Banquet Hilton Garden Inn, Oshkosh Thursday, July 28 Get ready for another LOBO banquet— our third so far!—at Oshkosh AirVenture. Hosted again by NationAir Insurance, this will be a rare chance to 16 July 14, 2011 to meet the reservation deadline. Reservations made after Thursday July 14 can only be made via PayPal, and will cost $35.00 per person. Sorry – but that is the deadline to guarantee our number to the Hilton. For questions contact Claudette via email: [email protected] Builder’s Corner mark sletten After spending what seems to have been a lifetime building, my project is finally beginning to take shape into something actually resembling an aircraft! I took delivery of my Legacy FG kit in Oct 2004 after a week of Lancair’s builder’s assistance. Never having worked with fiberglass or composites, it was more like a week of drinking from a fire hose! I was lucky enough to have a couple of conscripts with me— Jan 2011 both my Dad and my Father-in-Law. Despite my relative lack of experience, I felt pretty confident we would get a lot done, especially as these two gents boasted over 50 years aerospace wrench-turning experience between them—Dad #1 with 20 years in the USAF, and Dad #2 with over 34+ years at Delta. During that week we got the wings, horizontal/vertical stabs and elevator closed out, cut the rudder from the vertical stab, bonded both the wing center section and horizontal stab to the fuselage and fitted/bonded the canopy frame. If only that dazzling burst of progress had lasted… Since then, the project has progressed in fits and starts. Between delays for parts, and changes in life/work situations, it sometimes seemed I would never see the project to fruition. But I’ve kept doggedly at it, and even though progress has been slow, it has been steady. I’ve taken on a bit more risk than the average Lancair kit builder in that I’ve chosen to use an “alternative” (ahem, automotive) engine to power my magic carpet. Subaru has earned an unmatched reputation for designing and building durable (some say indestructible) and long-lived engines. Its latest masterpiece is a 3.6 liter, port injected, horizontally-opposed 260 hp six cylinder. Instead of the dual, news independent ignition systems of a traditional aviation engine it sports a coil-on-plug ignition design incorporating a separate ignition coil for each cylinder. Another aspect of my building experience that’s added considerably to the build time is my desire to do as much of the actual work as possible myself. This is supposed to be learning experience, after all, and boy have I learned some things! As such, I’ve not farmed out the engine installation, nor the panel/ electrical system design and installation. The electrical system is particularly critical since the Subaru is electrically dependent (loss of electrical power results in engine shut down). Because both the fuel injection and the ignition require an uninterrupted supply of electrical power through the Electronic Control Unit (ECU)—the brains for the Electronic Fuel Injection and Ignition (EFII) system, I’ve designed—with the help and advice of the good folks over at the Aeroelectric Connection—a triple-redundant electrical system which includes the engine-driven alternator and two batteries. Each battery is capable of powering the EFII system for 30 minutes independently from the other. I’m rapidly approaching the point where I need to start thinking about getting some primer on the fiberglass, as fuel system and engine testing is the next major step. Assuming I find no major anomalies requiring a rethink/redesign (yeah right!) I hope to be taxi testing and looking toward FAA inspection and Phase I testing by the end of summer. Hey— 17 hope never dies, right? Anyone know a good test pilot who wants to fly behind a Subaru? What’s Your Story? What are you building or flying? We are looking for great articles for each issue about Lancairs. Tell us what you are building or flying, include some pictures and tell us a story about your project and adventures. Authors selected for publication will receive a LOBO polo shirt. For questions or comments contact Mark via email: [email protected] LOBO Talk bob pastusek [email protected] LOBO is now more than two years old, and as noted elsewhere in this newsletter, your Council, as well as a few pro-active members, has been very active in promoting and protecting our interests with the FAA, EAA and insurance underwriters during the past two years. Likewise, some of you have contributed newsletter articles, maintenance and ground instruction at our gatherings, and all have helped us make these beautiful aircraft safer to operate during the past two years. At the end of 2010 we had 230 active members, with a couple of new members pending. 143 of you have registered, flying airplanes; most Jan 2011 others are still building, and we have a few Lancairian wannabes and other interested parties. For those of you still working on, or contemplating building, I can assure you that although it's a long and tedious journey to a flight-worthy Lancair, the results are well worth the effort! For all, and especially those now flying, we believe we'll achieve improved insurability and at least a small reduction in insurance rates for LOBO members during 2011. Please appreciate that LOBO membership won't guarantee that you'll be insurable, and it certainly won't get you Cessna 172 rates, but as Jeff pointed out at the start of this newsletter, we now have good statistical evidence to demonstrate that we are an insuranceworthy risk; an idea that was universally rejected at the end of 2008. To further our training, safety and specifically our outreach objectives, we're now undertaking a major membership drive. The 143 actively flying LOBO members represent about 17% of the 862 FAA-registered Lancair aircraft, and although the FAA registration data is not very accurate, it is one basis for recruiting members. (I could write a lot about what I've discovered in trying to develop a reasonable mailing list from the FAA data. My conclusion is that like it or not, the FAA needs to "re-register" aircraft in the US. What they have now is at least 20% in error with respect to fundamental information, and likely much more.) Noting that almost half our current LOBO members aren't actively flying Lancairs yet (at least according to the FAA), we sought, and received from Lancair, a current customer list for use in seeking new members. This speaks for itself in demonstrating the significant interest on the part of Lancair Companies in building a better relationship with its customers; LOBO is very pleased to be an active part of this new approach! news Lancair International's assistance almost doubles the number of potential LOBO members we can contact directly, and most of them will have an interest in both the social and educational benefits of membership. You can help by referring potential members to our web site at www.lancairowners.com. and add any missing data so that we can develop and portray an accurate "picture" of LOBO members who operate a Lancair to the FAA and insurance industry. As Bill Harrelson noted, FAA data is sketchy, and we want to ensure any action on its part is based on the most up-to-date information. Given the above, plus the favorable publicity LOBO received in recent FAA and EAA publications for our involvement with safety and training, I believe we can double our membership during 2011. This would give us a substantially better distribution of members around the country and more skilled people to call upon to work issues both internal and external to LOBO. If you do not wish to provide this information, please so indicate in your returned form, but I encourage you to do so. Your information will be safeguarded in accordance with our policy below, and will be used only for the purposes indicated. As I noted in the last newsletter, we've not actively collected membership dues since you first applied for membership (although some have voluntarily sent money anyway). To provide needed funds for both professional and social activities, we propose to set 1 January as the beginning of each dues year, and to collect $40 in dues from all members who did not pay during 2010. Those of you who joined last year (and those who sent money for renewal in 2010) are considered fully paid for 2011. You should have received both a letter and an email soliciting both a membership information update and (if appropriate according to our records), a dues payment by the time you read this. We're trying this multi-media contact because we've lost touch with a couple of members, and unless you let us know, we have almost no way of knowing when this happens. You may complete the information update and dues payment by regular mail or electronically through email and PayPal (accessible at www.lancairowners.com). It is both URGENT and TIME CRITICAL that you update your membership information 18 "LOBO uses this information [collected on our Membership Application Form, and during annual membership updates] for administrative purposes, to track membership statistics and to identify individuals with talents who might contribute to our goal in making LOBO the best type-club in General Aviation. Although LOBO shares aggregate data about our members and aircraft with the EAA, FAA and insurance agencies to facilitate safety initiatives and insurability, your personal contact information will not be shared without your express consent."
Similar documents
FromthePresident - Lancair Owners and Builders Organization
Lawrence Municipal (KLWM) Lawrence, MA When: 25-26 June What Inspection/maintenance Flying in the northeast US Who:
More information