A number of members made the pilgrimage to EAA Oshkosh Airventure 2015 last month including Dr Dan Anderson and family, Greg Tabe,  Bob Scrymgour, Keith Bennet , John Heather, myself and others whom I may not have caught up with. Great so see so many of our members enjoying the aviation scene so far from home. For those not aware some 10,000 planes fly in and 500,000 people attend, airshows everyday for a week including F22 Raptor, Harrier and F35 military jets plus 100’s of warbirds from WW2 as well as the usual aerobatic performances day and night. Add to this about 2000 show planes and aviation stalls, workshops and seminars. It takes most of a week to absorb the atmosphere and get your way around the items you want to see.

While some of the builders were away at Oshkosh the Sonex polishing was put hold. Last Saturday and this week polishing has stepped up with the fuselage looking shiny after being polished with the medium grade of buffing compound (Three grades in all). We are planning a display day in Adelaide on Sunday 16 August before shifting to Murray Bridge for final assembly and flight testing. For those interested in helping we now have three buffing machines to rotate around.

I hope to see as many as possible at the meeting next Wednesday evening. Dr Manfred Zockel will speak on the  “Whyalla Air crash as it deals mainly with the engine failures as well as the rich and lean debate between car and aircraft people“. Dr Zockel is an honorary visiting research fellow at the University of Adelaide School of Mechanical engineering. He has a vast knowledge of internal combustion engines and is sure to give a fascinating perspective of what happened to the Whyalla airlines aircraft.

Don’t forget book your meal with Steve Biele next Wednesday and for those attending the Arkaroola flyin there will be more information next Wednesday evening.

Chris Moore    SAC President

“Pilots are a rare kind of human. They leave the ordinary surface of the world, to purify their soul in the sky, and they come down to earth, only after receiving the communion of the infinite.” ~Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra