Did you ever wonder what it would be like to fly a homebuilt or other general aviation aircraft in Australia? More than anywhere on earth, because of the low population density, vast expanses and generally agreeable weather, Australia needs GA for general transportation. Although the Australian government is not nearly as GA-friendly as the FAA (did you think that you'd ever read that the FAA was friendly?), that area of the world has a thriving aviation community. Several airframe, engine and avionics manufacturers are based in Australia and New Zealand, supplying pilots in the region and exporting their products everywhere. Thousands of type certificated American-made aircraft, both new and used, have been exported to Australia over the years. And Australia has scores of homebuilders turning out some remarkable aircraft.
Recently, Chapter 1311 has had several new members join who have expressed an interest in learning to fly, building an aircraft, partnering in an existing aircraft, or were looking for a Tech Counselor or other aviation-related service or skill. While the newsletter editor knows most of you he doesn't know all about you. We'd like to offer to our members to opportunity for more of you to network with the new members and make your skills known.
Support Our Servicemen
SERVICEMAN UPDATE NEEDED: In December of 2002 Jim Griffin joined Chapter 1311. Shortly before the war with Iraq started Jim signed back up as a Major with the Marines and has been serving in Iraq. He had been receiving the newsletter via email but this past couple of months the emails to him have come back as undeliverable. If anyone knows how to contact Jim, or knows of his whereabouts or of any way to track him down, please contact the newsletter editor at michaelandkatie@insightbb.com.
Newsletter Publication Schedule
Get back editions of the newsletter at http://www.eaa1311.org. Click on the link "Members Only" at the left (no passwords required) then when the members Only page comes up click on the link "Newsletters."
Membership Roster Updates Needed
Boone County Airport News
Hangar Space: There are several hangar vacancies available. Anyone desiring to base an aircraft at the airport or use the maintenance hangar will be required to join the association. For more information contact Michael Mossman, association secretary, or see the website http://www.booneairport.org.
Young Eagles
EAA Young Eagles Update: By newsletter publication date more than 1,ooo,ooo Young Eagles have taken their first airplane ride.
Editorial Comments Sought
Calendar of Events
October 28 - Annual Chili Day Fly-in, Decatur IL Municipal Airport, (KDEC) - http://www.airnav.com/airport/KDEC - Information: Gary at 217 795 2393 or e-mail at gvanair65@aol.com
October 26-29 - Copperstate Regional EAA Fly-In, Casa Grande (AZ) Municipal Airport (CGZ). For more information see http://www.copperstate.org
January 11-14, 2007 - U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, Sebring Regional Airport (SEF), Sebring FL. For more information see http://www.Sport-Aviation-Expo.com
April 17-23, 2007 - Sun 'n Fun Fly-In, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland FL. For more information see http://www.Sun-N-Fun.org
June 1-2, 2007 - EAA Southwest Regional The Texas Fly-In, Hondo Municipal Airport (HDO), Hondo TX. For more information see http://www.SWRFI.org
June 8-10, 2007 - Golden West EAA Regional Fly-In Yuba County Airport (MYB), Marysville CA. For more information see http://www.GoldenWestFlyin.org
June 23-24, 2007 - Rocky Mountain EAA Regional Fly-In Front Range Airport (FTG), Watkins CO. For more information see http://www.RMRFI.org
July 11-15, 2007 - Northwest EAA Fly-In Arlington Municipal Airport (AWO), Arlington WA. For more information see http://www.NWEAA.org
July 23-29, 2007 - EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh WI. For more information see http://www.AirVenture.org
For details on EAA Chapter fly-ins and other local aviation events, visit http://www.eaa.org/events
Next Meeting
Directions from Indianapolis:
On the Radar:
Chapter 1311 Board of Directors for 2006
Newsletter editor: Michael Mossman, 1-765-483-9533, michaelandkatie@insightbb.com
Classified Ads
FOR SALE: Four sets of very nice Koss headphones. Contact Michael Mossman michaelandkatie@insightbb.com for details or to make offer. Proceeds benefit Chapter 1311.
FOR SALE: Three lighted and adjustable "flight desks" for aircraft installation. Contact Michael Mossman michaelandkatie@insightbb.com for details or to make offer. Proceeds benefit Chapter 1311.
FOR SALE: Stinson L-5 Landing gear Struts. Contact Kenny Shull 317-539-5542.
AIRCRAFT WANTED: Sport Pilot aircraft. Contact Gus Gustafson at 317-293-4430 or dalefaye@msn.com
AIRCRAFT FOR SALE: Cessna 150, currently in Florida. Contact Gus Gustafson at 317-293-4430 or dalefaye@msn.com
WANTED TO BUY: Hirth 2702 engine with a 2.59 G-50 reduction unit. Contact Doug Moncreiff at 317-280-1621 or cmoncreiff@netzero.net
WANTED TO BUY: Used 4-foot brake and 4-foot shear. Contact Troy Grover, 317-919-6594 (cell phone), rv6grover@sbcglobal.net
WANTED TO BUY: Headsets and intercom. Contact Mark Rinehart, 317-745-2466, capt_riney@yahoo.com
AIRCRAFT FOR SALE: '57 C172 TT approx. 3700 hr. Engine approx. 700 hr since overhaul. Good paint, nice interior. VFR: Narco Mode C, Narco 720 channel comm.; Horton STOL kit w/gap seals. Last annual 6/06. Hangared at Franklin, IN. $30,500. Reason for selling: starting a project. Tom Chapman, cell 317-625-3126, home 317-888-6866, tschapman1@aol.com
2006 Membership Roster
Did we miss anybody? Please let us know; we'll get it updated right away.
Airplane Spotter
Aviation Humor
"Request Runway 27 Right."
"Unable."
"Approach, do you know the wind at six thousand is 270 at fifty?"
"Yeah, I do, and if we could jack the airport up to fifty-five hundred you could have that runway. Expect 14 Right."
Quote of the Month
October's Program
Moncreiff is a civil engineer by trade, working for the engineering firm Beam, Longest and Neff, doing environmental and water-related projects by day. In the evenings, he's amused himself with a vast array of diversions, including building his share of radio-controlled models, designing his own home, and building all of the woodwork trim within the home.
Home owners who've been dreaming of ways to build an airplane will scheme of all of the possible ways to convert their home into a live-in aircraft factory. Most of us have to work from rented space or shoehorn our project into a dusty corner of the garage. Not Moncreiff; he built his home with an oversize four-car garage, ready to take on an aircraft construction project. He's put a great deal of planning into his garage workshop, too, as every workbench, tool cabinet and table is on wheels, with the exception of one built-in workbench along one wall. With the shop on wheels, he can re-configure the shop in mere minutes for mass production of the thousands of tiny wooden parts that go into the built-up wing ribs of his aircraft. An additional benefit of having the shop on wheels is that it's easy to clean. Indeed, his garage was a neat as a showroom.
Moncreiff has also started to build the many wing ribs for the airplane on another template. The Hi-Max design uses rigid blocks for reference points for building the ribs. Once the parts are in place, an oversize dowel with an eccentric hole is screwed to the board, then rotated to lock the part into place.
To remove the wing rib from the template and forming block, he merely has to turn the eccentric dowels to loosen the component, then pull the rib free.
The airplane is designed for a small engine, like a two-stroke Rotax, and could be built to qualify for as a true Part 103 Ultralight, but Moncreiff has plans on flying it as an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft. He's now leaning very heavily towards a light-weight Volkswagen engine conversion, as he has studied several conversions and is impressed with the power to weight and wide-spread acceptance within the homebuilt community.
Being an engineer and used to looking for better ways to do things, Moncreiff is increasing the width and length of the aircraft by a few inches to better accommodate a full-sized adult pilot.
Once the aircraft is completed, the projected empty weight is 400 pounds; gross weight is 700 pounds. Height is 60 inches, length is 16 feet and wing span is 26.5 feet, with a wing area of 118 square feet. With an engine at the higher power range, it should climb at about 950 feet per minute and fly at a maximum speed of 110 miles per hour. Normal cruise speed is in the 75 miles per hour range. Take off roll should be less than 150 feet, and landing roll about 250 feet on a grass field. Moncreiff has not settled on an engine, yet.
For more information on Mini-Max series of aircraft, visit their web site at http://www.jdtmini-max.com.
Go back to October 2006 newsletter Section 1
Be sure let the newsletter editor know if any of our members or their families has someone in the service, especially if they have been called up for active duty. We'd like to recognize them and thank them for representing us so honorably.
In order to report on the monthly meetings and programs, and give adequate notice of the next month's schedule, the EAA Chapter 1311 newsletter is published by email notice on the 15th of each month. A PDF will be available on the chapter web site on or around the 20th of each month. Newsletter contributors: Please email your material to the newsletter editor by the 14th of the month.
If you change your email address or internet service provider, please be sure to let the newsletter editor know of the new address. We've recently starting getting some "Undeliverable" messages from our monthly newsletter email publications. If you don't notify us, we can't get the newsletter or other chapter information to you. If you have changed your email address lately, or if you know of a chapter member who's changed the email address or is no longer getting the newsletter, please let us know. Contact the newsletter editor at michaelandkatie@insightbb.com
On Saturday, September 16, the Boone County Airport Association hosted its first annual Dog Roast for members and guests. About 60 people turned out for the evening's hot dog and bratwurst festival. When the wind subsided just before sunset, the ultralights came out for the activities, joining several GA aircraft that were flying fun-loving passengers. Mike Jackson added to the evening's celebration with a solo vocal and guitar performance. After dark, with friends gathered around the bon fire, Chad Williams performed some aerobatic maneuvers with his radio-controlled LED illuminated model helicopter. Several families camped on the field, keeping the camaraderie alive until late Sunday afternoon.
Gary Rogers has passed his written test for his Private Pilot certificate and has complete all of his flying requirements. He just needs some followup work before he takes his flight test.
Gus Gustafson participated in a Young Eagles events at DeKalb County Airport on September 16. The group of kids getting the rides were some Boy Scouts working on merit badges. The DeKalb volunteers took Polaroid photos of the riders and attached them to the certificates, creating a document that Gus is certain that the kids will keep. Of the 21 kids that got rides, one was a little boy on crutches with a broken ankle. Because of the morning fog, the group ate lunch before the rides. In spite of the change of schedule, no one got sick during the rides.
If you have an opinion on any story that appears in the newsletter, or any other aviation-related issue, we want to read about it. We will make editorial space available for your responsible comment. Please contact the newsletter editor at michaelandkatie@tds.net then send it to the newsletter editor at michaelandkatie@tds.net. Or just write what you wish and send it as an email.
Chapter 1311 will try to list the aviation-related events in Indiana and surrounding states, plus the major events across the country. Do you know of an event that isn't listed? Please inform the newsletter editor to get it included.
October 28 - Brodhead, KY Fly-in, Field of Dreams Airpark, (95KY) - http://www.airnav.com/airport/95KY
The next meeting will be Wednesday, November 1, 6:30 p.m. at Hendricks County Airport (2R2) operations building. Chapter Elections. Program: TBA.
Take U.S. 36 (Rockville Road) west past Avon.
Turn left (south) on CR 300 E (84 Lumber is on the SW) corner of the intersection.
At about 1/2 mile turn right (west) into the airport.
The operations building is straight back from the road.
November 1 - Chapter elections. Program TBA
December 9 - Christmas Party at the Gustafsons
January 3, 2007 - Program: TBA
President: Dale "Gus" Gustafson, 1-317-293-4430, dalefaye@msn.com
Vice President: Dennis Crawley, 1-317-387-1737, Crawley27@comcast.net
Secretary: Michael Mossman, 1-765-483-9533, michaelandkatie@insightbb.com
Treasurer: Vern Sullenger, 1-317-839-8728, sullenger@iquest.net
Director: Dave Helton, 1-317-745-7916, dhelton@iquest.net
Director: Glen Matejcek, 1-317-839-5444, aerobubba@earthlink.net
Director: Paul Vogel, 1-317-272-2106, pvogel@indy.rr.com
FOR SALE: Custom composite 6.24"-wide panel flush-mount for Garmin GPS 296 or 396, $75 Contact Larry Rush k9hxt@sbcglobal.net
Current as of October 10, 2006
See our chapter roster online at http://www.eaa1311.org/memberroster.html
NAME EMAIL ADDRESS PROJECT(S) BEETHAM, John jabeetham@earthlink.net Fokker D VII, Piper Dakota BROYLES, John JohnC-DELTA@worldnet.att.net — BUDNY, Skip skbudny@tds.net Mini 500 helicopter BYRUM, Jon jbyrum@byrumarchitects.net RV-7A CHAPMAN, Jeff PoP6756@aol.com Piper Tri-Pacer CHAPMAN, Tom tschapman1@aol.com 1957 Cessna 172 CLARK, David davecpd@iquest.net 1946 Aeronca Chief CRAWLEY, Dennis Crawley27@comcast.net Grumman Tiger DAVIDSON, Ginger planecrazy13@att.net RV3 DAVIDSON, Rich ifitsoldillflyit@msn.com RV3 GRIFFIN, Jim jimg@netcapade.net Questar Venture GROVER, Troy rv6grover@sbcglobal.net RV10 GUSTAFSON, Dale DALEFAYE@msn.com Piper J-4 HELTON, Dave dhelton@iquest.net Piper Tri-Pacer HENDERSON, Robert robert_10215@msn.com Christavia MK2 HILL, Ken khill5@indy.rr.com RV-9A KOPESCHKA, Dave iedvk@iquest.net Little Wing Autogyro KOPESCHKA, Steve stephen.j.kopeschka@rolls-royce.com Little Wing Autogyro LeBARON, Tim tjlebaron@sbcglobal.net RV8, Breezy, Ercoupe LEWIS, Jimmy rudder4@aol.com RV-7A LONG, Chuck charles.long@GM.com Zenair 601 HDS MATEJCEK, Glen aerobubba@earthlink.net RV8 MATEJCEK, Robin aerobubba@earthlink.net RV8 MCCORD, PAUL pfmccord@gmail.com RV-4, Kolb FireStar LSA MELCHIOR, Dirk d-r-melchior@msn.com F1 Rocket MONCREIFF, Doug cdmoncreiff@sbcglobal.net JDT Hi-Max MOSSMAN, Michael mmossman@fujifilmgs.com Zenair 601 HDS NG, Bart bng@math.iupui.edu RV-7A NOLAN, Bill — — REYNOLDS, Gary n98gr@aol.com RV6A RINEHART, Mark capt_riney@yahoo.com Kolb Mark III Classic ROBBINS, Will werobbins@flightline.com — ROEVER, Doug dmroever@iquest.net RV-7 Tail kit ROLDAN, Erick Phone 765-482-7287 Ducted fan research ROTTLER, Mark mark@rottler.org — RUBERSON, Bryan bruberson@aol.com Aeronca Chief RUSH, Larry k9hxt@sbcglobal.net RV6A, RV-8 SHULL, Kenny Phone 317-539-5542 Helping Others SHUMAKER, Kim kkrv-9a@sbcglobal.net RV-9A STUCKER, David d.j.stucker@worldnet.att.net — SULLENGER, Vern sullenger@iquest.net Cherokee 140, RV-7A UTLEY, Ted ted.utley@in.ngb.army.mil — UTTERBACK, Tom Phone 317-839-2505 — VOGEL, Paul pvogel@indy.rr.com Sonex VONDERSAAR, Bob rvondersaar@austin.rr.com Steen Skybolt VONDERSAAR, Teresa tvondersaar@ausin.rr.com Steen Skybolt 
I saw this airplane at Lee Bottom Field on September 30 and thought that it merited a place in my photo album, even though I didn't know what it was. Doug Moncreiff immediately identified it as a Spartan Executive, which he says was technologically advanced far beyond many of its contemporaries. For more information on this beautiful aircraft model, see http://www.spartan.edu/history/planesproduced.html.
A some humorous exchanges between Chicago (O'Hare) Approach and an airliner in the area.
Thanks to Larry Bothe
"But with the idea of Angle of Attack once clearly understood, flying is simple, common sense, logical, not trying to the nerves; it is easy. The Wright brothers knew all this. Their approach to the art of flying was much more sophisticated than ours is today. And the only flight instrument they ever designed was an Angle of Attack indicator! It was merely a piece of string tied to the nose of their airplane …" From Stick and Rudder (1944), by Wolfgang Langewiesche.
Chapter 1311 member Doug Moncreiff made the decision in March to scratch build a JDT Hi-Max aircraft, and purchased the plans just prior to the April meeting. He's studied the plans and has come up with system for mass producing the thousands of parts required for the light weight, all-wood aircraft.
One of the great advantages of designing your own home is that you can incorporate features that you never get with "off-the-shelf" home designs. He's designed the home in such a way that it can accommodate a multi-generational family with plenty of privacy for each group, yet each room is rapidly accessible from the center of home. He's tucked away architectural features such as a spiral staircase, large bathrooms, library and reading room, storage spaces and even a multi-level closet that ready to convert to an elevator.
Moncreiff has used his engineering and drafting skills to lay out full-size paper templates on which he will build his components. The templates are stretched out flat on the workbenches. He's started to build the elevator and horizontal stabilizer on the template, just as if the Hi-Max were a scaled up Guillow's model. Of course, he's using genuine aircraft-grade spruce for all of the wood components.
The Hi-Max is assembled using a two-part glue that needs to be mixed in small batches. Once the rib parts are glued, butted together and locked into position, Doug plans on reinforcing the joints with tiny gussets made from extremely thin plywood. Because the wood pieces are so small, he won't be able to use nails while the glue is drying, so the gussets are held with staples — from an office stapler! Once the glue has cured he'll pull out the staples, saving a tiny amount of weight, but also reducing the prospect of rust.
The original Mini-Max, from which the Hi-Max is derived, was designed with a rigid landing gear; the entire shock absorbing was handled entirely by the tires. Obviously, that airplane was designed as an ultralight and intended for the slowest possible landing speeds and lightest weights. Moncreiff is working on an alternative landing gear, most likely a spring gear for better rough field handling. Although he will be flying the airplane strictly as a sport pilot, he plans on equipping it with a full nav light and strobe package. To reduce the weight and power requirements, his lighting will be 100% LED based, if possible. He's also got a few other modifications and enhancements under consideration, and may implement them once he's had the opportunity to evaluate them.
As noted in Gus's "From the Chapter President," Doug and Susan Moncreiff and her mother prepared a great buffet with all kinds of foods for building sandwiches, plus vegetables, fruits, chips, drinks, and many bowls of cashews to occupy our palates during the meeting. They easily had enough food for perhaps two to three times as many members. And every bit of it was fantastic. Many, many thanks to them for their great hospitality.