Benefits of EAA SportAir Workshops

As technology continues to advance and become more readily available, more and more people are taking to the air – many of them in aircraft that they have built themselves. A variety of weekend EAA SportAir Workshops are offered on a regular basis to help aviation enthusiasts build their own airplanes, as well as to qualify owners to maintain their aircraft within regulated FAA safety standards.

The hands-on maintenance programs, which are FAA approved, teach participants how to perform condition inspections and repairs of their airplanes. On completion of the course, participants obtain a Repairman/Inspection certificate in the ELSA (Experimental Light Sport Aircraft) category.

For those whose ambition it is to fly an aircraft they have made themselves, EAA SportAir Workshops are designed to assist aviation enthusiasts from the very beginning right up to the first take-off and beyond. The General Aviation Division of EAA diligently promotes safe practices by assisting in the selection of the aircraft design that will best suit the would-be aviator’s skills, abilities and needs, as well as aiding in the construction, testing, operation and the maintenance of the aircraft.

Anyone who is considering building an airplane will greatly benefit from the two-hour workshop, “What’s Involved in Kit Building?” During this workshop all aspects of building a homemade aircraft, including FAA rules, will be discussed by a staff member of EAA. Ample time will be allotted for questions and answers. The courses available include Composite Construction, Electrical Wiring, Fabric Covering, Finishing and Spray Painting, Gas Welding, Introduction to Aircraft Building, Repairman (LSA) Airplane Inspection, Repairman (LSA) Powered Parachute Inspection, RV Assembly, Sheet Metal Basics, Test Flying Your Project and TIG Welding.

EAA (Experimental Air Association) was founded in 1953 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A., by a group of people who wanted to build their own airplanes. Since then EAA has continued to grow in membership as well as in their scope and now includes antiques, warbirds, classics, aerobatic aircraft, helicopters, ultralights and contemporary manufactured aircraft. The spirit among EAA members is one of camaraderie, fueled by their passion for flying and their goal to promote an interest in aviation. They encourage anyone with the same interests to join them.