FAI, NAA To Recognize New Category After March 1

Kris Maynard of Fishers, IN hopes to be the first person in the world to set a record for Aircraft Efficiency. Beginning March 1, 2008 the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), the governing bodies of world and United States national aviation records, will begin to recognize aircraft efficiency as a new category of world aviation records.

"Aircraft and aerospace companies around the world are realizing the need to increase fuel efficiency through advancements in aerodynamics, development of lightweight components and improvement in power plants along with the adaptation of alternative fuels and engines," said Maynard. "It is appropriate that the world aviation record governing bodies now facilitate efficiency performance to stand alongside those records for speed, distance and altitude."

Maynard has already received an Official Sanction approval from the NAA to attempt this record beginning March 1. For the record to be official, Maynard must use observers assigned by the NAA. Those officials will approve his course in advance, weigh the aircraft prior to and after the attempt and review the detailed data from a sealed flight recorder that will be placed on board his aircraft. The record will be stated in km/kg of fuel expended.

The course Maynard must fly will be a triangular course of at least 1190 km (740 sm) in length. The course must be flown non-stop, and non-refueled. The location for the record attempt has not yet been selected.

Maynard's aircraft is an Aviat Husky A-1A, equipped with a Lycoming 0-360 engine and a 76" Hartzell propeller. Low power settings used throughout the flight are expected to yield a fuel burn rate of around four gph.

"The Husky is truly a remarkable airplane," says Maynard. "Last summer, as a prelude to this upcoming record flight, I tested the endurance limits of my Husky during a non-stop flight that lasted 13 hours, 2 minutes and 15 seconds. That was done, as this attempt will be, on standard 52 gallon fuel tanks."

"To put this performance in perspective, I can tell you that in 1986 the Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, would have recorded an efficiency rating of about 13.84 km/kg. That is about 23.45 mpg. My Husky will, hopefully, post a record of about 12.2 km/kg. That converts to about 20.7 mpg and represents about 88% of the fuel efficiency of the Voyager. That's not bad for a production aircraft."

Maynard adds he's unaware of another production aircraft in the US that comes close to that level of efficiency. "A Cessna Skyhawk achieves about 16.5 mpg at economy cruise and a Bonanza might reach 16 mpg on a good day," Maynard asserts. "I hope to throw down the gauntlet. It will be interesting to watch as other pilots pick up the challenge of efficient flight."

Maynard's flight will be sponsored by Fastener Specialty, Inc., the Grand Prairie, TX manufacturer of aircraft fasteners that supplies fasteners to about 90% of the production airframes in America; AeroShell Oil, and ICE, an Indiana apparel service company.

"My goal is two-fold," says Maynard. "First, I want to post an efficiency mark that is respectable, and being the first person in the world to do so will be icing on the cake. My second goal is to draw attention to the record category itself and help focus competitive energy throughout the aeronautical industry towards improving airplane efficiency."

Maynard has posted 10 world and United States national aviation records in the past few years, including a United States Transcontinental Speed Record.

FMI: www.naa.aero, www.fastenerspecialty.com, www.aeroshell.com