UFO at Mentone

[rustynance]

Was really great to finally meet the UFO crew and see the aircraft up close. I'm thrilled the aircraft was able to fly at the convention. We had several guests fly in from out of the country just to see the UFO. Good luck to the entire crew and please let me know if I can help in any way next time you bring one in. Hope to get that flight at some point. We all were very busy at the convention this year.

Rusty

[Aussie_Paul]

Rusty, I noticed the NZ rego, and as a matter of interest was wondering what hoops had to be jumped through for the UFO team to fly it at Mentone.

Aussie Paul. :)

[rustynance]

It was a definate learning experience Paul. The UFO crew approached me and asked if I could help them get legal to fly. I admire them for that. They could have just as easily flown illegally but decided on their own to do it the right way. Of course any time someone asks me to help them get legal I'm all ears.
We worked together and got the needed information for the Local FSDO (Flight Standards District Office) , KUDOS to the South Bend FSDO for being so helpful. We had a New Zealand Microlight registered aircraft and a South African certificated pilot. Love new challenges.
We were able to get the pilot legal almost immediately with just a few phone calls. The aircraft took a bit longer but still had it done in 2 days. The South Bend FSDO sent an aircraft inspector down and issued a temporary letter of authorization for the UFO to fly at the PRA convention. Tom Milton did the aircraft log book endorsement as an AI/A&P.
Essentially anyone wishing to bring an aircraft from another country to the convention should just contact the local FSDO in advance so they can plan out the process better. They were very accommodating to us and did in a couple of days what would normally take many weeks.
Hope you are thinking of bringing the FireBird next year Paul.

Let me know if I can help.

Rusty

[Aussie_Paul]

Hope you are thinking of bringing the FireBird next year Paul.

Let me know if I can help.

Rusty

Thanks Rusty, that is the game plane at this stage.

I now have a couple of working financial partners to take Firebird to the production stage which begins on Sept 10th 2007, YES, next month!! :)

One is an A&P mechanic and the other a structural engineer, so with my meagre gyroplane experience we may have a good mix of skills.

Thanks again for the offer of help.

Aussie Paul. :)

[Brent Drake]

I'd like to see more of the firebird Paul