- THE OSPREY HAS LANDED. Amarillo, Texas, will become the site of a Bell Helicopter manufacturing facility for the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor. This decision is a major step toward production of the much heralded, dual mode aircraft which has weathered development problems and political attempts to thwart its creation. The site will also serve to produce Bell’s Model 609 civilian tiltrotor, currently in development.
- THREE NAMED TO FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HALL OF FAME. The National Association of Flight Instructors recently announced that three well-known CFl’s have been nominated to the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame. The three, Bill Kershner, Marvin Easter and the late Joe Vorbeck, together have amassed nearly 40,000 hours of flight time. They will be officially inducted this fall.
- EAA VENTURE ’98 AT OSHKOSH ATTRACTED THE LARGEST CROWD EVER. Visitors topped the 1994 record attendance of 850,000. EAA states that 855,000 airplane enthusiasts viewed a record 2,743 showplanes. A total of 12,000 planes flew to AirVenture during its seven day run. EAA AirVenture ’99 will be held on July 28-Aug. 3.
- EAA VENTURE ’98 AT OSKHOSH HAD RECORD NUMBER OF SHOWPLANES. Led by nearly 700 aircraft, showplane registrations set a record at the event. A total of 2,743 showplanes were registered during the event, nearly 100 more than in 1997 and 28 more than in 1995, the previous record year. The totals included 682 Homebuilts; 125 Antiques; 583 Classics; 271 Contemporaries (Amphibian/Floatplanes/Seaplanes (another record total); 38 Aerobatics; 212 Ultralights; 56 Light Planes; 16 Specials; and eight Replicas.
- NEWEST INDUCTEES INTO HALLS OF FAME. Thirteen of aviation ‘s brightest have become the newest inductees into the EAA’s Halls of Fame. Included are some very recognizable names: Curtis Pitts, Pitts Special; Burt Rutan, designer extraordinaire; and Bill Warwick, known for the Tiny Champ and Hot Canary racer entered the EAA Homebuilders’ Hall of Fame. Rodney Jocelyn and EAA president Tom Poberezny, as well as posthumous inductees Harold Neumann, Tex Rankin and Bill Barber, became the newest members of the international Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame. John Ellis and Randy Sohn joined the EAA Warbirds of America Hall of Fame, while Bill Kershner, Marvin Easter and the late Joe Vorbeck were honored as inductees into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame.
Congratulations to all!