Smoke Signals
The Official Newsletter of Experimental Aircraft
Association Chapter 175
Vandenberg Airport
VDF
The next meeting will be Saturday, December 2, 2006
@ 0900. Breakfast @ 0800.
Our program this month
Our program this month will be a short video segment, hosted by expert
pilot Barry Schiff, on "Rejected Takeoffs and Landings"---part of our
chapter's occasional, continuing education series.
After the video, we'll "turn to" and spend a little time on
housekeeping---mainly organizing and putting away the materials brought back
from our recent Wings 'n Things pancake breakfast---and a general clean-up of
the kitchen, pantry and adjacent storage area. If everyone pitches in, this shouldn't
take long.
You are invited to the EAA
Chapter 175 Annual Dinner
Saturday, January 6th,
2007
Hospitality Room of the
Florida Air Museum
Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In Site
Our guest of honor and speaker
for the evening is Dr. Dick Karl, regular contributor to Flying Magazine. You have probably read many of his monthly
columns. He is also Chairman of the
Surgery Department at the USF College of Medicine and on staff at the Moffitt
Cancer Center.
“Chef extraordinaire” and past
chapter member Bill Williams will again prepare dinner on site. The main course
is charcoal grilled steak, done to order, with garden salad, baked potato,
dinner rolls, ice tea and coffee and an assortment of pies for dessert. (Note: If you prefer chicken, inform Lyle
Flagg when you make your reservations.)
Social
hour will begin at 6:15, with dinner served at 7 o’clock. BYOB.
This is a wonderful opportunity to share an evening with chapter
members, family and friends while we look forward to 2007, as well as enjoying
our feature presentation by Dick Karl.
Price is $16 per person.
Please make your reservations by calling Lyle
Flagg at (813) 689-3393---the sooner the better---but no later than December
27th, so we can finalize plans.
Note: The chapter is responsible for all food
and facility costs, so any “no shows” will be charged to the individual member.
VERNE JOBST TO KEYNOTE ANNUAL EAA WRIGHT
DINNER
November 22, 2006 - Longtime EAA member, supporter, and 40,000-hour
pilot Verne Jobst will be the featured guest speaker at the 4th annual Wright
Brothers Memorial Banquet on Friday, December 15, at the EAA AirVenture
Museum’s Eagle Hangar. The gala event will commemorate the 103rd anniversary of
Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first successful powered flights at Kill Devil
Hills, North Carolina, December 17, 1903.
Renowned as an entertaining after-dinner speaker, Jobst will share his
memories from a 50-plus year flying career, focusing in particular on his role
as chief pilot for the EAA’s 1977 Lindbergh Commemorative Tour. He logged more
hours behind the controls of EAA’s Spirit of St. Louis replica than
Charles Lindbergh actually flew in the original aircraft!
Jobst, who soloed at age 16 in an Aeronca Chief, got his first airline
job in 1951 flying DC-3s with Capital Airlines. He went on to amass over 40,000
flight hours during his long and varied career, which also included flying for
United Airlines, U.S. Steel, and the C&O Railroad.
Jobst is very active in the sport aviation world, having served as
president of the International Aerobatic Club; air show director at EAA
AirVenture Oshkosh; and pilot for a wide variety of historic aircraft including
EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast.
Reservations for this special evening event are just $25 for EAA
members and $30 for nonmembers. Make your reservation online call 920-426-6880.
Social hour begins at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. followed by the keynote
address.
Here's a trivia item
Question: "Was
there an 'air corps' in the Civil War?"
Answer: Not
exactly, but both Union and Confederate forces experimented with observation
balloons.
See attachedhttp://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=25170
Common Aspect of Weather Forecasting
Here's an article on an obscure but very common aspect
of weather forecasting. EnjoyJ
http://sptimes.com/2006/11/25/Hillsborough/Up_and_away_for_forec.shtml
FYI:
New Hondajet the "Best of What's New"
Popular Science magazine has named the new Hondajet the "Best of
What's New", for its innovative features, in the Aviation and Space
category for 2006. Details in the December issue.
|
Coming
Events at Sun ‘n Fun/Florida Air Museum (Effective 11/25/2006) The information provided below is from reliable
sources, but always verify dates and details before you go. Information on
Sun ‘n Fun activities is available at http://www.sun-n-fun.org/ or
call (863) 644-2431. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Heroes of the Sky---The Florida Air Museum is hosting a special exhibit on loan from the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan, celebrating the first exciting three decades of flight. October 21---Nov. 30 __________________________________________________________________________________________ High Flying Holidays---December 8, 9 and 16, 17, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Family-oriented Christmas displays, Santa arriving by Stearman, Gingerbread Village, tram rides, decorated trees, outdoor lighting displays, etc. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Aviation Expressions---January
19th “Chasing Lewis and Clark Across America”. Ron Lowery tells of
the low level, 14,000 mile, 3-month odyssey he and Mary Walker made in an Air
Cam, following the trail of Lewis and Clark in commemoration of the 200th
anniversary of that epic trek. Dramatic aerial photos accompany the talk at
the Florida Air Museum. Social hour at 6 p.m. followed by the program at 7. |
U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2007
January 11-14, 2007
At
Sebring Regional Airport, Florida
The Expo is the place
to see, try, buy and sell Light Sport Aircraft, and is the event at
which to establish new business relationships and learn about LSA and Sport
Pilot Certificate and other LSA related certifications. This was the
inaugural event and is the only US event of its size, totally focused on LSA
and Sport Pilot!
As in past years, the Expo will bring together manufacturers of LSA
aircraft and kits, providers of related components, firms providing training
and people with possible business interests in this exciting new field.
Exhibits highlight aircraft operating under the LSA rule and include
fixed-wing, trikes, powered parachutes, motor-gliders and gyroplanes in
addition to electronics and related products.
The daily schedule includes plenty of opportunity for flight
demonstrations of each aircraft on display.
Free EAA provided forums focusing on LSA, the Sport Pilot Certificate
and related topics such as training programs and insurance will be presented on
a daily basis.
Outside and inside displays are featured in addition to food booths and
rental cars. Special events are including an exhibitor reception, NAFI meeting
and others.
This is an exhibitor, visitor and press friendly event. We have worked
hard to produce the sort of event that exhibitors and visitors enjoy and have
tried to make it very convenient for all.
Pets are not permitted in the Expo Area. Individuals with pets will not
be permitted entry.
We have set aside January 10 –
13, 2008 for the 2008 event.
Media Sponsors
January Sandhill Cove 2003
A Christmas
Memory
by Linwood Lawrence
resident of Sandhill Cove
Even though I had
flown many missions as a Marine pilot during the war, I was shaken one winter
night by a frantic call from a father whose wife had phoned that their house
deep in the Maine woods was on fire. The phone went dead before she could tell
him their children were safe.
Fire at night in the
wintertime miles from help surely can sound the alarm button in the.
heart of a parent, especially. when the safety of a young family is
involved. The year was 1946 and I had
recently been placed on inactive duty With the Marines. Our country had
survived five long years of war where air power had been the deciding factor.
Everyone. Was very air-minded, especially in emergencies.
On this day, the
father had left-his camp on Bowlin Pond near Patten, Maine, early in the
morning to buy Christmas gifts. It was a long journey to and from the
nearest town as he had travel manyi'1Zmilesover rough woods roads behind a team
of horses. Now he wanted somebody
to reach his family quickly. His request was for me to fly to his camp.
Even now, nearly five
decades later, I remember agonizing over the decisions that had to be made. The
unknowns were many, the facts were few. The airplanes I had been used to flying
in the Marines are equipped with the latest flight instruments to guide a pilot
day or night
through any kind of weather. Civilian airplanes are not equipped for
night flying. Would the ice
of Bowlin Pond be covered with snow? Should the flight be attempted in
an airplane equipped
with wheels or skis? Could we even find the right pond? .
Jerry Bradbury, a
former Air Force pilot and friend, offered to accompany me. I happily accepted
his offer. Team work, another pair of eyes and sharing the unknowns with a
friend
always are welcome, especially at night.
As we approached the
general area, the glowing fire of the burning cabin .identified the
pond. We circled and touched down on bare ice. Fortunately, the strong
wind following a recent
snowstorm had blown the pond clean. We congratulated each 'other for
having selected wheels
instead of skis, which would have made landing on the ice more treacherous
After a short walk
through the woods ;we came-upon a "hovel" (a log enclosure for horses) In the dim glow after timeworn
barn lantern, we found a frightened mother anxiously clinging to her two small
children. She was understandably nervous as two men she never seen before
approached out of the darkness. Her
uneasiness vanished when she realized we had come to help. She asked how we
knew about the fire and was relieved to learn that her message had reached her
husband before the fire cut off the telephone.
All five of us became
fast friends. The mother expressed her concern and appreciation for the risks
we had taken as she thanked us repeatedly for flying to their rescue. We
assured. her we would stay with them until her husband
returned.
It was long after
midnight when her husband finally arrived. His anxiety melted into
sheer happiness at finding his family safe. It was a joy to be present
for that reunion.
Our return flight was
uneventful, but it was hard to concentrate on anything but the events we had
just witnessed. Our anticipation of warm beds awaiting at home was interwoven
with admiration for the strength of this loving family and how they would pull
together to overcome the tragedy of losing their home at Christmas time.
When the media learned
about the fire, the hazardous night flight and a family living in a stable, the
Christmas spirit touched many hearts. Gifts poured in to be flown to the
family. It was a flight I was eager to make. There was only room for one pilot with all the gifts!
When I returned in
daylight, to my horror, I found this small pond was surrounded by high ridges.
My first thought: How had we made that circling approach to the landing without
dragging our wheels through those tall trees?
All pilots know,
"Night approaches over unlighted obstructions are disaster in
waiting."
Perhaps like the first Christmas, the stars were extra bright for us
and the huddled family.
For your flying and maintenance needs
come visit:
Reliable Aviation, Inc.
Vandenberg Hangar Lane
Tampa, FL 33610
813-626-4884
The
Champ Club (Come Join)
Call David Hansma 962-8229 or
Need a Flight Review Tom McLinskey 988-4540
Jim Piche Certified Flight Instructor
Single & Multiengine. Wing
Waxers
Call for more information Barry & Sylvia Ford
813-503-3926 3434 Airfield Drive West Ste.
#4
E-Mail pichejrbm@aol.com Lakeland Linder Regional
Airport
Lakeland, Florida 33811-1240
AEROMECH Inc. www.wingwaxers@excite.com
Quality Aircraft Parts & Supplies
3454 Airfield Drive West
Lakeland, Florida 33811-1240 Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc.
863-619-8133 Mark Moberg
www.aeromech-inc.com Vandenberg Airport
6582 Eureka Springs Rd.
Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc. Tampa, Florida 33610
Maintenance 813-623-6483 813-626-1515 www.leadingedgeaviation.com
Experimental Aircraft Association
Chapter 175
VDF
Vandenberg Airport, Tampa, Florida
President Vice
President Secretary
Alan “Bud” Yerly Gordon Knapp Steve
Reisser
BudYearly @ msn.com beep1 @ tampabay.rr.com ITSC@tampabay.com
813-681-6062 (813) 251-5282 813-994-4898 (H)
813-973-7930
(W)
Newsletter Editor/
Young Eagles Coordinator Treasurer/Membership
Tom McLinskey Stan Sutterfield
MacPitts @ aol.com speedy11 @ aol.com
813-988-4540
This newsletter
if for the use, education, and enjoyment of Chapter 175 members and others to
whom it is provided. No claim is made for technical accuracy. Editorial content
is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the position of
Chapter 175 0r the EAA.
Experimental
Aircraft Association
Chapter 175
c/o Tom
McLinskey
5610 Kenny Drive
Tampa, Florida
33617-7711
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