21 minute read
Honor Flight Returns
NEWS & INFO
YELLOW RIBBON HONOR FLIGHT BACK FOR AIRVENTURE 2022
organization has organized dozens of Honor Flights since 2009 with a dedicated group of volunteers. Those flights have included special flights to Pearl Harbor and to Vietnam.
“Each Old Glory Honor Flight mission is a special occasion, but the ability to be a part of EAA AirVenture for the first time since 2019 is a major part of this year’s activities,” said Diane MacDonald, the executive director of Old Glory Honor Flight. “Honoring our local Vietnam veterans out of EAA AirVenture is such a highlight; being witness to the enthusiasm, respect, and appreciation from the world’s aviation enthusiasts when the flight returns to Oshkosh is such an incredible sight to see, and it means the world to the men and women who get to experience it.”
Old Glory Honor Flight will be inviting veterans who are currently on its waitlist. If you’d like to learn more about Old Glory Honor Flight or donate to the organization, visit OldGloryHonorFlight.org.
PHOTO BY EMIL VAJGRT
THE YELLOW RIBBON Honor Flight is returning to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on Friday, July 29, as a way to honor veterans during EAA’s 2022 fly-in convention at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. EAA is collaborating with Old Glory Honor Flight and American Airlines to coordinate this event for the first time since 2019.
Veterans from the Vietnam War will be honored as they travel to Washington, D.C., to tour war memorials at no cost to them. The veterans will return to Oshkosh at the conclusion of the Friday afternoon air show, and thousands of people will welcome them back home and give them the recognition they deserve.
“The Honor Flight is traditionally one of the most emotional and poignant events of AirVenture week,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programming, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “We are proud to produce an event that honors what Vietnam veterans did for this country and be able to provide them an experience of a lifetime.”
American Airlines is donating the use of its Flagship Valor Airbus A321 aircraft for the flight, which is specially painted to recognize Medal of Honor recipients. The Honor Flight is flown by an all-volunteer crew of American Airlines pilots and cabin attendants.
“We’re tremendously proud to be a part of this very special mission by providing Flagship Valor to get these heroes to Washington, D.C.,” said Randy Stillinger, manager of military and veterans initiatives for American Airlines. “With the help of our crew members, who have volunteered to fly this mission, we will recognize the service and sacrifice of these veterans by bringing them to the monuments built in their honor. Their brave actions allow us to fly freely all around the world, so this is the least we could do for them.”
This is the eighth year that the Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight has originated at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh under the auspices of Old Glory Honor Flight of Appleton, Wisconsin. That nonprofit
OSHKOSH MOMENTS CONTEST WINNER EXPERIENCES AIRVENTURE IN STYLE
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ
AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
BRITTANY LOZIER MOON is going to have a hard time topping her first visit to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
As the grand prize winner in the EAA Pilot Your Own Adventure Contest, supported by Flight Outfitters, Brittany, EAA 1435726, received a once-in-a-lifetime camping experience at the fly-in convention, including a prime location in Camp Scholler, a weeklong pass, a decked-out camper, table and lawn chairs, a fully stocked cooler, yard games, and more.
She won the contest with her article “A Taperwing’s Tapestry,” a story about the love that is passed down through generations with their family plane, a 1929 Taperwing Waco named Cream Soda. Brittany’s winning story will be published in AirVenture Today on Saturday, July 30.
“We’ve had this plane for 30 years, which is before I was even born,” said Brittany. “It’s a sibling of mine, and we’ve been through a lot together, and I hope she’s around for future generations, including my boys.”
A student pilot who is waiting on her medical so she can solo and pass her checkride, Brittany said she started writing her story as soon as she heard about the contest. She knew it was a good story, so it wasn’t a big surprise to her that she won.
Naturally, it didn’t hurt that she is a middle school humanities teacher who teaches reading, writing, and other subjects.
From Noblesville, Indiana, Brittany said she planned to come to the 2022 convention for the first time and camp in a tent for just two nights. But now, her father, who introduced flying to her, his wife, and her A&P mechanic brother who helped rebuild Cream Soda, will be joining her for a few days at Camp Scholler.
So far she’s enjoyed watching people and arriving airplanes as she tries to take in the whole AirVenture experience. “I’m very grateful for EAA and Flight Outfitters for this opportunity,” she said.
With the fly-in convention just starting, Brittany already knows one thing: She’ll be back next year, and this time she’ll bring her oldest son, Vincent, who will then be 7, as she tries to keep the family tradition alive.
PHOTO BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ
THE ALL NEW CHARLIE RUDDER PEDALS
DESIGNED FOR XBOX* SERIES X | S, WINDOWS AND MAC
*Xbox compatibility only when connected to the Alpha Flight Controls XPC via the H HC Xbox Hub
Quality, realism and affordability are the core values of all our team members. Every product on our roadmap is chosen because we don’t believe that the sim community has to compromise between those three options. Our R&D team is located at Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport so they can go from prototype to aircraft and do a side by side comparison in real-time, to make sure that every new product lives up to our values. The benchmark for new products should not be to be slightly better than what is already o on the market. Evolution doesn’t cut it, it should be a revolution! The ALL NEW Alloy Charlie Rudder Pedals’ innovative, adjustable belt-drive, does something that no other rudder pedal has achieved before; actually feeling like they are connected to the aircraft. Say goodbye e to over corrections and hello to precision coordination in flight thanks to the latest generation of magnetic Hall Effect sensors. High friction surface strips and deployable carpet spikes makes unwanted slipping a thing of the past. Designed for the latest generation simulators like the NEW X-Plane 12 for PC/MAC and Microsoft Flight Simulator on both PC as well as Xbox Series X | S when connecting through the H Honeycomb Xbox Hub*
AirVenture Demo
Head over to Sporty’s booth 260 for a test flight and a chance to be the daily winner of an Alpha XPC
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Warbirds Adventure Tram Tour FREE at AirVenture 2022
BY ROBBIE CULVER
AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
FOR THE PAST 13 years, Warbirds Adventure Tram Tour Co-chairman Vic Krause has been working to share what he considers “one of the best-kept secrets at Oshkosh.” The Warbirds Adventure Tram Tour is a free tram ride that takes passengers on a serpentine tour of all 12 zones of the Warbirds area of AirVenture. Sponsors Hartzell Propeller, Covington Aircraft Engines, Tempest Aero Group, and Concorde Battery have helped Vic and Co-chairman Joe Gelhar improve an already incredible free experience each year.
New for 2022 are 20-foot-high alloy flagpoles with solar-powered lights and sponsored shade tents in the waiting area.
Vic works to “enhance the footprint, embellish the presentation, and ensure an experience with lots of goodwill.” What began as a small tour with a red Flyer wagon and a 6-by-6-foot tent has grown into an attraction that often draws hundreds per day, with participants lining up under the donated shade tents to avoid waiting in the Oshkosh sunshine. Today, a 20-by-50-foot staging tent allows participants to relax in the shade while a warbird pilot gives them a background speech about what they are about to see.
Free posters of warbirds and sponsors’ embroidered hats are passed out to the youths in the crowd until they run out each day.
Each tram ride lasts about 30 minutes, and with the help of over 40 volunteers, participants get to hear expert narration about the incredible warbird aircraft on the grounds. Supported by the Warbirds of America, the Warbirds Adventure Tram Tour has grown to three transport systems, with John Deere tractors pulling Milwaukee County Zoo tram cars.
The tour passes by examples of U.S. and Allied military aircraft from several eras, and includes trainers, fighters, attack aircraft, and bombers. Transport aircraft and liaison aircraft are also visible as part of the tour, each with a story to tell as explained by the narrator.
Each tram car is decorated with decals of military branches, units, and divisions. As the tour begins, veterans riding the tram are recognized for their service by the narrator, a nice touch given the subject of the tour.
VIP tours are available, typically for veterans groups and youth organizations, and in the past have included the family of Jimmy Doolittle, an active female general of the U.S. Air Force, the prime minister of Zimbabwe (“complete with armed guards festooned in their garb,” according to Vic), and World War II German ace Günther Rall.
Tours start at 7 a.m. every day, continuing until just before the start of the daily air show, typically about 2 p.m. The Warbirds Adventure Tram Tour is located at the north end of the grounds, close to Warbird Alley. The AirVenture Red Shuttle provides service to the area from just north of Exhibit Hangar A.
PHOTO BY ROBBIE CULVER
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
A BRAZILIAN’S OSHKOSH JOURNEY
From dream to reality
BY ERIN HENZE
AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
EVERY YEAR, AVIATION enthusiasts from all 50 states come to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Not only that, we get visitors from almost 100 countries. This year, Efraim Souza of Brazil has made the long trek over for his first Oshkosh.
“I started in Brazil to land in Panama,” Efraim said. “Then Panama to Chicago. From Chicago I took a bus to Milwaukee and another bus to Oshkosh. I was very well received here, very happy.”
Upon arrival, Efraim picked up a tent and signed up to volunteer right away. Living and volunteering in the South 40, Efraim has loved seeing all the different airplanes.
“The planes that I knew about before from magazines, I can see now,” Efraim said. “It’s very, very amazing.”
Aviation magazines are also how Efraim found out about Oshkosh. Having worked at the Brasília International Airport for 16 years, he’s had access to a wide variety of aviation content. Efraim also grew up with family support, as his uncle was a pilot.
“In Brazil, I am a pilot,” Efraim said. “My uncle was a pilot. I didn’t know my uncle. He died in an accident. My dream from when I was young, I wanted to become a pilot. I have a good passion for aviation. I dreamed to go here for a long time.”
Knowing that flight training was expensive, Efraim started saving money when he was 12 years old. He officially became a pilot five years ago and currently flies in a flying club. One day, Efraim hopes to return to Oshkosh in his own airplane.
2022 YOUNG EAGLES® RAFFLE 2022 Ford Mustang
$100 per ticket – Only 1,500 tickets available
Proceeds support the youth education activities of EAA, including EAA’s Young Eagles program, which has provided more than 2.2 million youths with a free first flight since 1992.
The 2022 Ford Mustang is provided with the support of Kocourek Ford, Wausau, Wisconsin.
PHOTO BY ERIN HENZE
*Tickets can be purchased: (1) at the EAA Aviation Museum™ between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm daily (excluding holidays when the Museum is closed) beginning on May 31, 2022; (2) throughout Wisconsin at certain events; and (3) on the EAA® AirVenture® Oshkosh™ grounds during normal operating hours from July 25, 2022 through July 31, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. All ticket sales will end on July 31, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. The drawing will be held at 3:00 p.m. on July 31, 2022 at the AirVenture Welcome Center, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, 3000 Poberezny Road, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902.
IT WAS BORN A PISTON ENGINE. BUT IT WAS RAISED ON JET JUICE.
It’s rather apropos that the first new aircraft piston engine design in half a century has been in development for nearly 16 years. But the wait is almost over.
This is no warmed-over, four-stroke piston engine. Unlike the automotive-derived, dieselburning aircraft engines of the past, the new DeltaHawk DH180 powerplant efficiently burns Jet-A without high maintenance costs or endlessly complex sensors and electronics. It’s turbocharged, supercharged, and liquid-cooled to produce significantly higher torque and thrust. It’s also been designed for ease of maintenance anywhere in the world.
But exceptional performance and capabilities are merely the beginning of its story. The DH180 is fed by a global supply of readily available Jet A, versus scarce, environmentally hazardous, lead-based aviation gasoline. And it burns fuel up to 70% more efficiently than turbines and 40% more efficiently than standard piston engines. In short, the DH180 sheds generations of dogma to generate more power, more efficiently, and with greater reliability, durability, and safety. All while reducing impact on the planet. Many were skeptical. Some said it couldn’t be done. We’re about to prove them all wrong. But then, what would you expect from a tempestuous 16-year-old?
The DeltaHawk DH180 is nearing FAA certification and we expect to begin deliveries in the first half of next year. You’ll no doubt have questions about specifications, pricing, and availability, and we’ll reveal the answers at certification. We think you’ll like what you hear.
For now, please visit deltahawk.com to learn more. Or simply scan the QR code to be notified of our latest updates as they happen.
NEWS & INFO
Honoring Young Eagles Volunteers
BY ERIN HENZE
AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
WHILE THE WORK that volunteers do during this eventful week of July can be clearly seen each day, outside of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh hardworking volunteers around the world help to bring The Spirit of Aviation to local youths via events like Young Eagles rallies and youth workshops. On Tuesday, July 26, some of these volunteers were honored with a variety of awards. Kris Olson, Stephanie Schulko, and Tracy Miller were awarded the Young Eagles Chapter Coordinator of the Year Award; Chris St. Germain was awarded the Young Eagles Horizon Award; and Ken Jordan was awarded the Phillips 66 Young Eagles Leadership Award.
The Young Eagles Chapter Coordinator of the Year Award goes to the Young Eagles coordinators nominated for their special commitment to their chapters. Out of all the chapter coordinators, three were chosen, as mentioned above.
Kris Olson, EAA 9024095, started helping out at Young Eagles rallies at EAA Chapter 25 in Lakeville, Minnesota, in 2006. Eventually becoming the Young Eagles coordinator for her chapter, Kris has missed only one of the monthly rallies since then.
Some of Kris’ favorite memories involve sharing with the parents in the Young Eagles joy.
“Lots of the kids are really into aviation and looking at finding out more about it, more opportunities,” Kris said. “It’s just fun to help the parents have this opportunity for the kids.”
After 30 years of Young Eagles, Kris said that the aviation world continues to benefit from it.
“The airlines that are looking for people,” Kris explained, “they’ll find a lot of people that are interested in the technology and the fun of aviation.”
Stephanie “Steph” Schulko, EAA 719052, has been the Young Eagles chapter coordinator for EAA Chapter 18 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since 2005. Introduced to the chapter and Young Eagles program in 2001 by a coworker, it didn’t take long before Steph was hooked.
“We flew over 200 kids that weekend,” Steph explained. “The smiles on the kids’ faces make any struggles worth it.”
Steph has loved working with the Young Eagles program, both with the kids and other volunteers.
“I think one of the coolest things is, we had multiple pilots. I can think of two or three that were Young Eagles that came back and flew Young Eagles for me,” Steph said. “I love working with the Young Eagles. The friendships and connections made through the program are incredible. I’m lifelong friends with people because of it.”
Despite all her hard work, Steph said that the reason she has done so well is because of others.
“The reason I was successful,” Steph said, “was all of the amazing volunteers, ground [support] and pilots, that make every event fun!”
Tracy Miller, EAA 794015, was the final recipient of the Young Eagles Chapter Coordinator of the Year Award. Tracy has been working as the chapter coordinator for EAA Chapter 838 for around 15 years. Throughout her years of volunteering, Tracy’s admiration for the Young Eagles program and what it does for aviation has grown.
“It just brings people in,” Tracy said, “community members who never ever would have had a thought of aviation as a hobby or as a career.”
Winning this award was an exciting surprise.
“I was in shock,” Tracy said. “I got the email … and my mouth dropped. I went home and told my husband; he was excited.”
Chris St. Germain, EAA 443948, was awarded the Young Eagles Horizon Award, which recognizes the exceptional efforts that a volunteer provides in support of youth aviation. Chris got started in Young Eagles at the very beginning of the program, flying Young Eagles beginning in 1993 for his chapter, EAA Chapter 91. A few years into the program, Chris took over the position of Young Eagles chapter coordinator.
“I took it over from there and still have it as a coordinator,” Chris said. “I flew a lot of kids until the point where I needed to be on the ground doing all the managing full time. We had finally gotten to the point where the typical month was 50-80 kids, and it was a lot of chaos — I call it happy chaos.”
Chris said that the Young Eagles program has helped bring a lot of people into aviation, and not just kids.
“We’ve had a lot of parents that have come out and have caught the bug once they saw what it was all about,” Chris explained. “We had a young lady … looking into flight training, but the dad was so blown away by the program, he was immediately talking to me, ‘Where can I go for flight school? Should I buy an airplane?’ He was so far out in front of himself to get started.”
KRIS OLSON
TRACY MILLER
STEPH SCHULKO PHOTO COURTESY OF KRIS OLSON
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRACY MILLER
Chapter 91 is coming up on 13,000 Young Eagles flown, but Chris refuses to take all the credit.
“I can’t do Young Eagles on my own,” Chris said. “[Winning the award] says a lot about our chapter, and that they are enablers.”
The final Young Eagles volunteer award winner was Ken Jordan, EAA 481552. Ken was awarded with the Phillips 66 Young Eagles Leadership Award, which recognized an outstanding volunteer who has made significant contributions to the Young Eagles program. Ken has been the Young Eagles chapter coordinator at a number of chapters throughout his life, most recently at EAA Chapter 1632, which he also founded and is the president of. However, Ken said that his chapter is a little different.
“We concentrate on the kids,” Ken said. “We do six Young Eagles rallies a year. My target is 300 kids a year.”
Ken has been pretty successful in encouraging kids to fly. Over the last 30 years, he has flown over 1,600 Young Eagles, and makes sure to allocate any funds his chapter gets from EAA to sending kids to the Air Academy. Besides flying kids and leading his chapter, Ken also had a big hand to play in the development of the Young Eagles online registration system.
Overall, the Young Eagles program has benefited from Ken’s hard work, so he was an obvious choice in winning the Phillips 66 Young Eagles Leadership Award. When he found out he won, Ken felt a variety of emotions.
“Proud. Humbled,” Ken said. “But also a little embarrassed, probably because, you know, there are probably a hundred other pilots that are just as deserving. I certainly appreciate it. It’s always nice to be recognized by your peers.”
Congratulations to these volunteers, and thanks to all who make Young Eagles the program it is today!
KEN JORDAN
CHRIS ST. GERMAIN (RIGHT)
PHOTO BY ERIN HENZE
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS ST. GERMAIN
NAVIGATE THE WORLD TOGETHER
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HELPING EAGLES TAKE FLIGHT
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and learn about our rebate program for EAA Young Eagle volunteer pilots.
Phillips 66® and the Phillips 66 Wings® logo are registered trademarks owned by Phillips 66 Company. © 2022 Phillips 66 Company. All rights reserved. AROUND THE GROUNDS
Side by Side
Father, sons fly into Oshkosh
BY ABBY OLENICZAK
AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
TALK ABOUT A father-sons adventure!
Father Mike Rath, of Spearfish, South Dakota, flew his Waco Classic biplane into EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on Saturday, alongside his two sons flying a Cessna 140, piloted by 17-year-old Josh.
“Just flying into Oshkosh is so cool!” said Josh, who is studying mechanical engineering as a sophomore at South Dakota School of Mines.
Josh learned how to fly in a tailwheel aircraft and finds the mechanical aspect most exciting. Luke, 14, who is a freshman in high school, plans to earn his private pilot certificate as soon as he turns 16. In South Dakota, you can earn your driver’s license at 14, which for Josh and Luke means that’s when they can start flying. Flying has been a passion of the two brothers from a young age. Josh now craves a challenge and has begun to recently seek them as he is starting to fly a biplane. He enjoys pushing himself to constant perfection, he said.
Mike has been a major influence in his sons’ lives due to his background flying multiple full-sized and remote-controlled airplanes. “[Dad] just loves it, and it rubs off on us so fast,” said Josh.
Although the flight would be seven hours in total, they decided to break the journey into two days. On Friday, the three Raths flew to their grandparents’ house to spend the night in northern South Dakota. At 4 a.m. Saturday, they took off and quickly were faced with a challenge. At 4,000 feet above sea level in South Dakota, the air density is significantly thinner, which creates a difficult environment to take off. Josh said, “With another person aboard and a full cockpit, the plane was heavy.” But they safely overcame it, and the last leg to Oshkosh was underway.
Josh said he plans to make aviation a part of his life and hopes to earn an internship at Garmin and eventually a master’s in aeronautical science. Luke is focused on continuing to practice his flying skills, earn his pilot’s certificate, and ultimately dreams to fly as a captain for FedEx.
The brothers also enjoy flying to their family’s ranch in Montana. Luke said, “What’s cool about going there is the amount of space there is for us to land the airplane.”
Josh and Luke are most excited to see Scrappy, the competition-winning STOL aircraft, the new RV-15, and all the air shows during the week.
PHOTO BY ABIGAIL OLENICZAK PHOTO BY MIKE RATH
