Eagle's Lair
Members Roster

February 16, 2008

Ladies & Gentlemen:

Today Von Armstrong, Tim Finley, Bernard McVay, Omar Charmosta, Steve Wallace, Rich Pengelley, Slim Lawson and Keith Zanghi met at the hangar to work on the North American Eagle™ while Jon Higley and Ed Shadle were 15 miles North at the Puyallup Fair Grounds staffing a booth selling NAE™ Gear at a local automotive swap meet.

Slim Lawson is the oldest team member on the crew at age 87.  It was Slim who helped Ed install the rear stabilizer on the Eagle, and accompanied the team to our first venture on the lakebed at Edwards AFFTC in October 2005.  After handling day to day operations of Spanaway Airport to his son Gary, it gave Slim more time to go flying.  He still flies today and is inducted in the Washington State Aviation Hall of Fame.  Slim and Gary Lawson has helped the team in so many ways, and their generosity will never be forgotten.

At the hangar, Keith, Bernard and Von removed the rear axle assembly and replaced it with the much narrower travel axle.   Two weeks prior, FARO® Technologies and Verisurf Software were on hand to digitize the Eagle using the FARO® Laser Tracker.  Back then we had to have the car in complete running configuration with all the axles in place.  Now complete, the travel axle can be re-installed and the team can get ready for an upcoming engine and power systems test in a few weeks.  1000 miles to the south, Ernie Husted and his team at Verisurf Software are putting the final touches on the digital model.  When complete our aerodynamics team of Mike Thoe, Ron Doll and Rex Walter can use the dataset to complete the final design of the Eagle.  The Verisurf Software Model will also be used by team engineers John Mittleider and Don Mitchell using Dassault Systèmes CATIA V5 to do detail and assembly drawings.  These three companies along with INCAT® provide the design tools necessary to complete this important next step.

Rich finished up the new lower panel cover plates Keith and Tim worked on last week.  Rich had to do some “massaging” of the periphery and perform some double countersink riveting to finish off the panel.  Rich is a retired Boeing flight line and USAF mechanic and was in “his element” finishing the panel.

Steve and Tim continued work on the highly complex electrical and data acquisition system.  They also did some testing of the radio using the David Clark headsets.

Lots of things are happening next weekend.  The Northwest Aviation Conference will be taking place at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.  Team NAE™ will have a small booth at the show.  If you are in the area, stop by and say hello.  It was here in 2006 that Scott Crossfield saw 56-0763 in its present configuration.  Nearly five decades earlier, Scott told us how he flew 763 to over 70 dead stick landings to simulate the flying characteristics of the X-15.  Just like General Joe Engle, these guys with "The Right Stuff" never forget their former aircraft.  Scott had a lot of other things to say that day.  Tragically he was gone 6 weeks later, but the team will be forever grateful he decided to stop by and share his experiences with us. 

Later Saturday evening, Ed, Cam, Tim and Keith will be traveling to Portland for the Annual Bonneville Racers Northwest Reunion.  This year will be the 60th Anniversary of Speedweek, so there will be lots to talk about, plus a great presentation on, the Vesco Turbulator.

Speaking of presentations, look for an upcoming announcement as Keith, Steve and Ed will be hitting road for another large venue speaking engagement.   The team spoke to over 1360 people at the IBM / Dassault Systèmes PLM Summit in Las Vegas last April and equally excited group at the 2007 European CATIA Forum in Paris France in November.

Our calendar is filling up folks! In April two large car clubs: A Corvette Club and Lotus Club will be stopping by on separate weekends for shop tours.  We’ll have more information in an upcoming update.  From Model A Clubs to aircraft and helicopter fly-ins, the North American Eagle™ hangar is a popular spot.  Kids under age 99 admitted free, and if you don’t fit in that age group don’t worry…we never ask.

We invite you to add a comment, or remark, about our program or the site.

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