Aviation Insider - April 2011

Check Out the Young Eagles Tour on Facebook
Young Eagles Cochairman Jeff Skiles had his own great pre-Sun 'n Fun adventure and met EAA chapter members and Young Eagles on his way to Lakeland, Florida. Jeff spoke with the kids and flew several Young Eagles in a Cessna Skycatcher - the grand prize in this year's EAA Share the Spirit Sweepstakes. EAA President/CEO Rod Hightower also joined Jeff in St. Louis, Missouri, with his Stearman biplane. Visit the Young Eagles Facebook page to see photos and video updates of the tour.

Van Nuys B-17 Stop to Host the First EAA 'Aviation Experience 2011' Includes Grassroots Pilot Tour, Young Eagles flights, Sully Sullenberger appearance If you live in Southern California, check out the EAA Aviation Experience at Van Nuys Airport. If you can't stop by, visit us online.

NASA Website Encourages Women's Careers NASA debuted its new website that celebrates women's contributions to science and exploration. The Women@NASA website was developed to encourage more young women to reach for the stars and pursue careers in math, science, and technology. Read more	A screenshot of the new Women@NASA website

Students and NASA Work on Microgravity Experiments What's the effect of microgravity on air bubbles in water? Give up? But a group of high school students from Troy, Michigan, isn't giving up. Next week, they'll test their experiment - without having to go to space. Read more	Workers' experimental hardware being installed in a drop frame. Photo credit: NASA

Jet Skiing American builder working on a jet wing Troy Hartman, EAA 732927, is developing a pair of wings with jets that you strap to your back and fly. The professional stuntman, aerobatic instructor, and X Games and sky surfing champion, who hopes to one day fly with original Jetman Yves Rossy, tells EAA Radio’s Fareed Guyot he inadvertently invented a new sport recently when he tested the engines while on a pair of skis. Listen to the interview \| Watch the video

Flying House Lifted by Balloons On March 5, a cluster of balloons lifted a house into the sky over the Southern California High Desert, flew for about an hour, and then landed 10 miles to the east. Read more	House flies with help of balloon cluster.

Discovery Completes Final Shuttle Flight Space shuttle Discovery and its crew of six astronauts ended a 13-day journey of more than 5 million miles, concluding the spacecraft's 27-year career with an 11:57 a.m. EST landing March 9 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Read more Where will the shuttles end up when they're done flying?	Space shuttle Discovery rolls down the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, completing its 39th and final flight. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Fifi - World's Only Flying B-29 Superfortress Coming to AirVenture Flying again after a four-year renovation, the world's only airworthy Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Fifi, is planned for a much-anticipated appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2011, confirmed the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) last month. Part of CAF's B-29/B-24 Squadron based in Addison, Texas, Fifi will arrive at Wittman Regional Airport Tuesday, July 26, and stay for the duration, including flying in Friday's air show, July 29, as part of the daylong veterans salute. This will be Fifi's first appearance since 1995. Read more

Tornado Hits Sun ’n Fun Fly-in Last Thursday an EF1 Tornado touched down on the airport where the Sun ’n Fun Fly-In was being held in Lakeland, Florida. Almost 50 aircraft were damaged or destroyed but no one was seriously hurt. The weather was sunny over the weekend as heavy crowds watched the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, along with the rest of the aerobatic and warbirds air show performers. Read all of our coverage from Sun ’n Fun	A Pietenpol and two modified Pietenpols - aka 'Big Piets' - rolled into a ball. They were built by members of EAA Chapter 976 of Carrolton, Georgia (see the May 2009 issue of Sport Aviation, page 65).