Vintage Contemporary Category Extended Through 1970 This Year

EAA tells ANN that the presentation of their "Lindy" aircraft trophies and other aircraft awards will take on a different look in 2007.

EAA claims that the Lindys are regarded as the highest honor in aircraft construction and restoration, and are awarded each year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The 55th edition of the EAA fly-in convention will be held July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

In 2007, each of the individual aircraft category areas, such as homebuilt, vintage, warbirds, ultralight and seaplane, will hold individual award presentations. This will replace the combined program that traditionally took place on the evening before the last day of EAA AirVenture.

"When the Lindy awards were first developed, it was easy to have all the awards presented in one relatively brief ceremony. In recent years, however, the increasing numbers of showplanes and awards have made it more difficult to keep the program brief," said H.G. Frautschy, executive director of the Vintage Aircraft Association, who worked with all areas to develop the new schedule.

"In addition, we heard from many EAA members and aircraft owners who preferred to hold their category's awards presentation within their own peer group, where the program could be tailored to a group's specific needs."

The following individual awards presentations will be held on Saturday evening, July 28:

• Homebuilts: 6 p.m. at Remos Aircraft Forums pavilion No. 11
• Vintage: 7 p.m. at EAA Theater in the Woods 
• Warbirds: Eagle Hangar in conjunction with the Warbirds Award Banquet (tickets required)
• Ultralight: EAA Nature Center, in conjunction with the Ultralight Party (tickets required) 
• Seaplane: EAA Seaplane Base on Lake Winnebago, in conjunction with the group's Watermelon Social (tickets required) 

In addition, the Rotorcraft awards program will be held on Friday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Theater in the Woods.

The EAA AirVenture judging process, the most stringent and competitive in the recreational aviation community, will be assisted this year with new handheld computers. These new devices and upgraded software will allow the aircraft judges to complete their tasks in a more efficient fashion.

In a related note, Frautschy announced that the Vintage Aircraft Association board of directors has approved an expansion of the Contemporary category beginning at EAA AirVenture 2007. The category will be expanded by three years and will be open to aircraft built from January 1, 1956 through December 31, 1970.

"EAA and VAA members love to share their newly restored aircraft with their fellow members and the general public. This change will allow members with beautifully restored airplanes from the late 1960s to display their restorations in the Vintage parking and camping areas," said Frautschy.

The other two vintage aircraft categories will remain the same: Antique (aircraft built before September 1, 1945) and Classic (aircraft built from September 1, 1945 through December 31, 1955).

FMI: www.eaa.org