 Thanks
to an effort begun by two EAA volunteers, this year's EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh aircraft judging process has received a major upgrade. Bob Reece
(EAA 82844), Chairman of EAA's Judging Standards and Homebuilt Judging,
and his son, Rob (EAA 799895), who provides programming services for the
EAA Aircraft Judging Program, proposed that EAA acquire new handheld
computers to upgrade the judging systems used during the annual
convention.
"Since the inception of EAA's
computerized registration program, we've used handheld computers in this
application with varying levels of success," said H.G. Frautschy,
executive director of EAA's Vintage Aircraft Association, who oversaw
the processes within EAA headquarters to purchase the new units.
Serendipitously, EAA member John Craparo,
a senior vice-president with Hewlett-Packard (H-P), mentioned his
willingness to help EAA in any way possible during conversations with
EAA's development department, and EAA President Tom Poberezny. Craparo
was able to introduce Jeff Kaufman, EAA's director of business
development, to the right folks at H-P, which resulted in EAA receiving
a considerable discount from H-P on the purchase of 150 of the company's
iPaq handheld computers. After Rob Reece programs the units, EAA
aircraft judges will use them to enter the scores of each judged
aircraft beginning this year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
Judges will examine aircraft, mark the
scores in the handhelds, and then take the units back to the judging
trailer of their particular area where the data will be loaded onto a
desktop computer, compiled, and automatically updated.
"We're very grateful for H-P's
generosity of and their willingness to make these new units available to
us," said Frautschy. "The new units will streamline the
judging process, and take what is already the world standard for
aircraft judging to even greater heights."
H-P is the new technology sponsor of the
EAA Aircraft Judging Program.
AeroShell Flight Jacket is the official
sponsor of EAA Aircraft Judging.
|
