The single-engine retract was put under contract as one of 10 Diamond aircraft sold at EAA AirVenture 2021 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Premier’s vice president of sales, Jeff Owen, projected the delivery to take place in the fourth quarter of 2022 after the FAA’s certification validation is completed. The DA50 RG has already been certificated under EASA.

The DA50 RG on display at the show was the first to make the North Atlantic crossing, which it did on July 9 when it landed at London, Ontario. From the Diamond factory there, it traveled to Oshkosh for AirVenture.

“The DA50 RG is the latest addition to the successful Diamond model line-up and fills the need for a large cabin high-performance single-engine aircraft that customers have been asking for in this category of aircraft,” Owen said in a press release.

The airplane is powered by a 300-hp Continental CDI-300, six-cylinder, turbo-diesel powerplant. According to the company, it also provides the most spacious cabin in its class with seating for five and generous baggage space and capacity.

The owner chose the DA50 RG for just those reasons, according to Premier, as well as its ability to operate on jet-A at a burn rate as low as 9 gph, positioning the airplane well in the sustainable aviation category.

Owen also noted the other sales that Diamond enjoyed at the show.

“During AirVenture 2021, we also took orders for ten new Diamond aircraft [3 DA20-C1s, 2 DA 40NGs, 2 DA42-VIs, and 3 DA 62s], making this one of Premier’s most successful shows in quite a few years,” he said.

“We’ve seen the overall interest in general aviation aircraft travel skyrocket since the COVID pandemic started in 2020 as more and more people are recognizing that you cannot beat the personal safety and convenience of traveling by private aircraft.”

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At Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, EAA AirVenture 2021 saw a total of 16,378 aircraft operations in the ten days spanning from July 22 to 31—an average of 116 takeoffs and landings each hour that the tower was open for business.

The total economic impact of the show on Winnebago County and four of its neighbors? Estimates say $170 million.

Here’s a look at the week in pictures.

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At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Swift Fuels announced the expansion of its high-performance UL94 Unleaded Avgas product into the US Pacific Coast corridor. The expansion will provide dozens of airfields across California with unleaded avgas. Airports in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties will receive this distribution, which builds on the six-year effort by Swift Fuels to provide UL94 unleaded avgas to piston aircraft pilots nationwide.

The company said that currently more than 130,000 aircraft are already FAA-authorized to use the Swift Fuel UL94 unleaded avgas as a “drop-in ready” fuel. Swift’s premium grade UL94 avgas meets ASTM International fuel specification D7547 and can be used in approximately 66 percent of the US piston fleet. Swift’s avgas team is also focused on efforts to finalize the FAA certification of their “100R” high-octane unleaded fuel for use in all piston airplanes currently FAA-approved to utilize 100LL.

Swift Fuels provides aircraft owners with an online search tool to find out if their make/model of aircraft can be flown using UL94 under a supplemental type certificate (STC) sold by Swift. Aircraft whose minimum approved fuel grade is listed as Grade 100LL, Grade 100/130, or Grade 91/96 cannot use Swift Fuels’ unleaded UL94 avgas without purchasing an appropriate STC, if available. For further clarification, please see the FAA’s Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) HQ-16-05 on UL94 aviation gasoline.

Statewide consideration in California continues to grow among municipal airports, the company said. Rayvon Williams, director of the Watsonville Municipal Airport, said, “We’ve conducted multiple surveys of our Watsonville-based owners and operators, along with pilots at surrounding airports, and there is demand for UL94 unleaded avgas in our area across a wide range of aircraft. Taking a leadership position by offering Swift Fuels’ UL94 to our tenants and itinerant visitors will be a ‘win-win’ on multiple fronts; both for the improved aircraft operation and the environment.”

“General aviation needs a piston fuel alternative that ensures a future that does not include leaded fuels,” said Dan DeMeo, CEO of Rabbit Aviation Services in San Mateo county. “Working with our airport management and elected county supervisors, we drafted the first agreement to supply a lead-free avgas alternative in the state of California, and it’s imperative that others support this critical effort. Our pilots and our community see a large positive benefit to using UL94.”

Chris D’Acosta, CEO of Swift Fuels said, “Swift Fuels’ UL94 is the only commercially available unleaded avgas in the US,” though it is soon to be joined by GAMI’s G100UL following the announcement at Oshkosh. “It’s sold nationwide, it’s commercially insured for aviation, and frankly, pilots who use it love it. Our multi-year initiative to educate the market on the benefits of unleaded avgas can only happen with the ongoing support of forward-thinking regulators, aircraft/engine OEMs, pilots, airports, municipalities, airport boards, and supply chain folks. Swift Fuels has been collaborating with hundreds of pilots in counties across California for months to make this expansion plan come about. We are extremely proud to have our UL94 avgas available for piston aircraft to serve customers and communities across the California marketplace.”

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Van’s Aircraft dropped a bomb at EAA’s AirVenture last week, announcing a—wait for it—high wing backcountry airplane. The company didn’t make a big deal of the major news and there was no official announcement. But Van’s vice president and COO Greg Hughes confirmed that the company is in the process of building an all-metal, high-wing airplane named the RV-15—the 15th design for the Aurora, Oregon-based company.

Hughes said Van’s made the decision to build a backcountry airplane because “it’s a segment of aviation that people are passionate about.” There are no images and few details to share for the RV-15. However, Hughes said that the airplane will emerge with a tailwheel configuration. A tricycle version will follow. Other than that, Van’s wants to wait to announce specs and performance capabilities publicly until they have been proven internally. But Hughes made one promise: “It will be a really fun airplane.” The RV-15 is expected to fly before Oshkosh 2022, in time for Van’s Aircraft’s 50th anniversary.

The RV-15 is a significant departure from Van’s Aircraft’s previous 14 designs. The company started offering its low-wing kit airplanes in 1972 and the current production line includes eight airplanes ranging in size from the single-seat RV-3 to the four-seat RV-10. The versatile product line offers airplanes specifically designed for speed, cross-country flights and aerobatics. Most of the airplanes are offered as kits; however, the RV12iS SLSA can be purchased as a complete build. The last design—the speedy, spacious, two-seat, side-by-side RV-14—was first introduced nearly a decade ago.

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In a series of announcements on Thursday, July 29, at EAA AirVenture, King Schools debuted a new feature for both existing and new customers of its online training courses, as well as modified courseware aimed at colleges and universities, and a Part 121 preparation course. The Kings also celebrated their 2020 and 2021 flight instructor scholarship winners, in cooperation with NAFI and Women in Aviation International.

The King Schools Flashcard Companion App can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play’s app store, to help those preparing for pilot exams polish their knowledge during the final stretch of study. King Schools CEO Barry Knuttila said in a press release: “Student pilots today have very high expectations for their written test results. They want to score a 100 percent or close to it. The Flashcard App is just one part of the King Study Method designed to achieve that high score.” Knuttila outlined the study method, put into a pithy acronym that is also a hallmark of the training provider’s style. The VIP method stands for “Video instruction, Interactive questions, and Practice and recall.” After launching the app and logging in to a King iLearn account, customers will have access to flashcards for the courses they have already loaded on that account. The questions are downloaded to the user’s device for study off-line.

King Schools outlined the newest version of the Cessna Pilot Training System—the Classroom Edition—which has been optimized for use by universities and colleges. The courseware was initially developed for use by Cessna Pilot Centers for sport and private pilot training. The curriculum provides a solution for those facilities to deliver a Part 141-approvable syllabus, and they can use it to liaise with a partner flight school through an online tracking system. Pamela Olson, business leader for colleges and universities at King Schools, said, “The Aviation Education team at King Schools has developed a suite of classroom materials around the Cessna Pilot Training System’s Sport/Private Pilot course. The Classroom Edition integrates pre-built classroom sessions with a flight training syllabus, and includes PDF presentations, student workbooks, home study assignments, and flight preview videos. This set of tools is designed to reduce the average flight training time and produce more knowledgeable, confident pilots. The system also gives both classroom and flight instructors the ability to identify and surmount challenges students may have with flight training.”

King Schools has also identified a gap in pilot training at a more advanced level: preparing a newly hired pilot for Part 121 airline training. The company engaged veteran instructor and airline pilot Joe Muñoz to create the Part 121 Airline Operations course to fill that gap. Muñoz, the CEO and co-founder of 1StepPrep said, “This is a program I wish I would have had when I started my career. Like many pilots, my first flying job was for Part 135 charter. Many future airline pilots will also be coming up from a charter, corporate, military, or even general aviation background. This course will give those new airline pilots the terminology and operational knowledge essential for Part 121 flying.” The course includes the following topics: Terminology, Key Personnel, Amendments, Example Amendments, Flight Plan Review, Alternates, Briefing a Jeppesen Chart, Inoperative Equipment, Pushback Sequence, and other examples of typical airline flying scenarios.

King Schools also promotes the advancement of future flight instructors with two scholarships each year. The Kings and Knuttila were joined on the press conference stage by Bob Meder, chairman of the National Association of Flight Instructors, and Dr. Peggy Chabrian, founder of Women in Aviation International, to help celebrate the 2020 and 2021 winners of the NAFI/King Schools Scholarship and the Martha King Scholarship for Female Flight Instructors. Seven pilots have won scholarships to further their flight instructor certification, with a cash award of $5,000 and lifetime access to King Schools courses—including FIRCs. Winner of the NAFI scholarship in 2021 is Allen Reenders, and of the Martha King scholarship is Sarah Tamar.

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Wednesday, July 28, at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was filled with inspiring activities highlighting women in various aviation roles. EAA WomenVenture is an annual event held in partnership with Women in Aviation International that aims to build camaraderie, celebrate the joy of aviation and help build mentor relationships.

Wednesday’s show kicked off with the WAI Connect breakfast at the EAA PHP tent. The event highlighted two women who work for the Orbis Flying Hospital: Cyndi Berwyn, a captain of the Orbis MD-10, and Valerie Suberg, senior manager of aircraft maintenance. Berwyn and Suberg are both former FedEx employees who now support Orbis, and they shared touching stories from around the world from patients who, thanks to the flying eye hospital, were able to see for the first time in their lives. If you can’t come to Boeing Plaza to see the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital for yourself, you can tour the massive airplane here.

The EAA WomenVenture Power Lunch, held at the Theatre in the Woods, was hosted by Heather “Lucky” Penney, whose exceptional tenure in the US Air Force includes a renowned flight during the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center. Penney introduced another extraordinary Air Force pilot—Colonel Allison Black of the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Black’s tenure included more than 2,000 combat hours in the AC-130H Spectre gunship and U-28A Draco. Black shared heart pumping stories from her time in Afghanistan, where she became known as the “Angel of Death.”

WomenVenture 2021 was scheduled to conclude with an evening panel discussion at the Theatre in the Woods themed Celebrating Those Who Break Boundaries. However, due to an extreme weather forecast, the event was canceled.

Traditionally, hundreds of women gather at the Boeing Plaza for a WomenVenture group picture. Special t-shirts are designed each year and handed out for free to those who want to participate. You might still be able to pick up a t-shirt at the WAI booth, B-2041. This year, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, WomenVenture created a different plan. Attendees in support of women in the aviation industry are encouraged to wear the t-shirt, take a selfie and send it to 920-282-2747. The image will be framed with a special WomenVenture 2021 frame. The framed image will be returned to the sender and used in a WomenVenture 2021 collage that can be downloaded after the show.

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Designed for use at FBOs or for larger airplanes than the company’s Alpha, Bravo, Echo and Romeo tugs can move, the Sierra is designed to prevent damage to aircraft during the tugging process and to help FBOs cover themselves for potential liability. The tug has two touchscreen displays on the main console to set up the machine for success.

On the left touchscreen, you can an employee ID. The tug is programmed to provide access only to the airplanes within the weight category that the ID’d employee has been trained for. “Now they have a selection of weight, class and category,” Patey said. There are six categories with corresponding images of associated airplanes that the tug operator can tap. The tug then programs the auto throttles, auto braking and traction control to provide the appropriate torque for the aircraft category you’re moving.

“Any tug strong enough to move a heavy airplane can rip the gear off of a smaller aircraft,” Patey said. And if the wheel doesn’t tear off, the damage can lead to nosewheel shimmies that most pilots have experienced at some point in their flying careers.

Like an airplane, the tug has “nav lights” on the sides of the control column. You might wonder why there are two lights on each side. The idea is to alert pilots and air traffic controllers which direction the airplane is going, since the nav lights are unlikely to be powered on the aircraft itself. Whether the red and green lights are on the right or left side depends on which direction the tug is moving.

A built in GPS enables operational tracking. When the employee ID and aircraft tail number are entered, the system logs where the aircraft is picked up and dropped off. Critical operational data are also logged in a cloud database. “So, if a pilot comes in – and this is quite common – they notice flat spots on the tires, it definitely wasn’t them,” Patey said as a fictional scenario. “They say: ‘I have a nose gear shimmy, you over torqued my nose gear,’ or ‘I have flat tires,.’” The Sierra tug allows the FBO to log in and see what actually happened during the tug process. Patey continued: “Actually, Jason, at 10:23, moved your aircraft from this location to this location and never exceeded a draw bar course of 322 pounds while towing your airplane. It’s actually impossible that they created any skid marks on your tires.”

The shape of the Sierra is designed to prevent damage to turboprop propellers – an extremely expensive snafu. The sides of the tug contain weather proof containers with internal lighting in different colors to help protect the eyes from losing their adaption during night operations.

The price for the Sierra varies depending on the towing capacity. There will be a single motor version with options for 30,000, 60,000 and 90,000 pounds. A dual motor version, which has independent steering for the wheels, will have options for 33,000, 66,000 and 99,000 pounds. Patey expects the price point for the single motor version to be about $1.50 per pound, while the dual motor version will be about $1.70 per pound. Patey has already taken several deposits for the tug and he expects first deliveries in about eight months.

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Volocopter’s mission is simple: bring urban air mobility to life. A Volocopter 2X flight at EAA AirVenture on Tuesday, July 27, helped refine that mission. It represented the first ever publicly-crewed test flight of a fully electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi in the US. The aircraft took off at 2:45 pm and conducted a four-minute flight at an altitude of 160 feet at a blistering top speed of 18 mph. The company said, “This successful flight marks a key milestone in Volocopter’s plan to raise awareness of air taxis among populations around the globe and is critical to the long-term success of delivering advanced air mobility (AAM) and urban air mobility (UAM) solutions.” People attending the show were able to view the flight at Volocopter’s booth.

In a news release the company said, “Volocopter is the only eVTOL developer with a family of electric aircraft for passengers and goods. This aircraft family includes aircraft for both long and short distances within cities and beyond (VoloCity and VoloConnect air taxis and VoloDrone heavy-lift drone). Volocopter’s holistic approach to launching UAM services entails partnering with global industry leaders to offer the whole operating UAM ecosystem, including infrastructure and the digital backbone (VoloPort and VoloIQ) to integrate services into existing transport systems in cities.”

Rick Larsen, EAA vice president of communities and member programming commented, “Oshkosh is a haven for enthusiasts and experts to embrace the pioneering spirit of aviation, and today’s Volocopter flight is one for the history books. This is the spirit of Oshkosh giving our visitors the chance to experience real pioneers, who will change aviation for good, right here.”

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“Siemens’ Academic Program will be instrumental in helping EAA create clear career pathways into the world of engineering since top aerospace and defense manufacturers, as well as all agencies of the US Department of Defense, leverage and trust Siemens’ proven software and services to drive digital transformation.” Siemens’ said its “Xcelerator Portfolio, a comprehensive and integrated portfolio of software and services for electronic and mechanical design, system simulation, manufacturing, operations and lifecycle analytics, is driving digital transformation across the aviation industry.”

Dale Tutt, vice president of aerospace and defense, Siemens Digital Industries Software added, “There are challenges ahead as the aviation industry strives to fill roles for pilots, engineers and technicians over the next 10 to 20 years. This is why Siemens is proud to partner with EAA, a great organization that recognizes the importance of engaging students in STEM, to empower the next generation of aerospace talent.” EAA CEO and chairman of the board Jack Pelton said Siemens “will be demonstrating their technology through activities at KidVenture, which attracts about 25,000 children each year.”

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Fuller, the founder and CEO of transportation digital media provider FreightWaves, acquired Flying from Bonnier Corporation, a market leader among American outdoor enthusiasts, which has owned Flying for more than a decade. Flying is a 94-year-old lifestyle publication that focuses on pilots and aviation.

The acquisition was announced at the EAA’s annual AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the largest air show in the world.

“I have been flying since the age of 13, and Flying has been my guide through that journey over the past few decades,” Fuller said. “Today, I have the opportunity to blend two passions I have: aviation and media.

“As a pilot, the chance to own Flying is the equivalent to buying the Yankees. I have big plans for Flying and will continue to build on this treasured media brand that has been around since the year Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic.”

Flying is the media outlet of record for pilots of all levels. It provides the most extensive coverage of general aviation found anywhere.

Flying offers information that’s critical for pilots, including:

• Aviation news
• Stories around experiences and adventures from pilots
• Equipment reviews
• Safety and training information
• Regulatory updates

Fuller plans to expand the editorial and production staff and has an ambitious plan for digital media, including investments in the online and mobile platforms, with a bigger focus on aviation photography, podcasts and streaming video.

“Flying is an iconic brand, revered for generations for its steadfast commitment to great storytelling, informed opinions, insightful aircraft reviews, and skill development among general aviation enthusiasts,” said David Ritchie, CEO of Bonnier Corp. “This is a brand that will flourish under the leadership of a lifelong pilot like Craig Fuller, as we at Bonnier apply continued focus on deepening and broadening our outdoor enthusiast portfolio.”

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