September 3, 2008
Volume 47
Number 9
Board Meeting:
September 3, 2008 6:30pm
General Meeting:
September 3, 2008 7:30pm
WWW.EAA124.ORG
WWW.CAFEFOUNDATION.ORG
EAA Chapter 124, 5550 Windsor Road, Windsor, CA 95492
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
September 3, 2008 PROGRAM: To be announced at meeting.
Tehama County Red Bluff Airport
Fly-in and Swap meet on September 13
Reno Air Races – September 10th – 14th
OIL BUY…OIL BUY…OIL BUY
Bill Massey plans to have an oil buy this month. Please contact him at the September 3rd
meeting if you’d like to be part of this buy. Those who can’t attend the meeting can call
him at (877) 499-0671. All prices are per case, and are inclusive of all taxes and fees:
Aeroshell 15W-50
Aeroshell W100
Aeroshell W80
$93.68 per case
$56.72 per case
$56.72 per case
MESSAGE FROM THE FRONT DESK…
SEPTEMBER, 2008
Joe Lacchia, President
I missed our last meeting because of weather in Chicago and I mean WEATHER: thunder, lightening
and tornados. Chicago’s terminal was evacuated to the lower basement levels for a while because of
tornado warnings. In spite of the insanity I made it home in one piece, if not a bit late and frazzled.
A reminder: elections are coming up and we will be looking for a few good men and/or women to
serve over the coming years. In particular we will be electing a President, Treasurer and three Board
Members. Think about it…it can be a fun job.
Events coming up:
Aug30th
Sept 13th
Sept 10th – 14th
Nov 6th thru 8th
Napa County Airport Days
Tehama County Red Bluff Airport Fly-in and Swap Meet
Reno Air Races
AOPA Annual Convention, San Jose
Happy Flying,
Joe Lacchia
**********************************************
It was noted at the GAT Banquet that the Mt. St. John pylon crew were all nude. Any
volunteers for that pylon next year? Check with Ray and Cher Shipway…
**********************************************
I wanted to go higher than Rockefeller Center, which was being erected across the street from Saks
Fifth Avenue and was going to cut off my view of the sky. Flying got into my soul instantly but the
answer as to why must be found somewhere back in the mystic maze of my birth and childhood and
the circumstances of my earlier life. Whatever I am is elemental and the beginnings of it all have
their roots in Sawdust Road. I might have been born in a hovel, but I am determined to travel with
the wind and stars.
---Jacqueline Cochran, “The Stars at Noon,” 1954.
I may be flying a complicated airplane, rushing through space, but in this cabin I’m surrounded by
simplicity and thoughts set free of time. How detached the intimate things around me seem from the
great world down below. How strange is this combination of proximity and separation. That
ground – seconds away – thousands of miles away. This air, stirring mildly around me. That air,
rushing by with the speed of a tornado, an inch beyond. These minute details in my cockpit. The
grandeur of the world outside. The nearness of death. The longness of life.
---Charles A. Lindbergh, “The Spirit of St. Louis”.
2
FAIRBANKS to CALGARY
(Thanks, Paul Reinders)
After moving a Franklin-powered Maule from Fairbanks to Idaho the previous February, I had told my
friend that I was not moving another Franklin in cold weather...period.
“I need a C-177 Cardinal moved down to the Lower 48. Think you can do that for me?”
At least it did not have a cold-blooded Franklin. I can handle that for my good friend...even in February.
It is -35°F when we push the Cessna out of the heated hangar at Chena Marina. Jim has plowed the
runway and packed the remaining snow. Since the plane had not flown in several years I am going to
“test hop” it to the Anchorage area where I have access to maintenance, and I can wait at my home there
until the weather cooperates for the flight to Whitehorse (YXY).
The flight across the Tanana Valley to Windy Pass is made along the highway as I have promised on this
“test hop“. Turning into the pass, the ceiling comes down to 400’ and I call Fairbanks Radio at Healy
River. “The pass is closed. We just received a pilot report from a Cessna 172. He turned around about
halfway through the pass with less than a half-mile visibility. Recommend you do the same.”
“Okay. I’ll take a peek for myself and probably give you a call shortly when I come back out.”
I drop down to 50’ above the trees where I have unlimited forward visibility, and continue into the pass.
A few minutes later I meet the C-172 northbound just below the cloud deck and about 300’ above me. I
do not anticipate a problem negotiating the pass. The Cessna pilot is obviously inexperienced. (In
Alaska, if he had any experience he would not be flying a C-172, and he would be hugging the treetops
in the clear rather than up near the clouds in the mist and moisture that is obscuring his windscreen.)
Windy Pass is about thirty miles long with four or five turns as it twists through the Alaska Range.
Denali (at 20,000 feet) is eighty miles to the right and large enough to make its own weather as the air
rises to flow over it. Windy Pass deserves its name, but it is the direct route from Fairbanks to
Anchorage.
I can see five miles ahead to the first turn and I move to the side of the pass as I peek around the corner
to make sure the next few miles are clear. At some points I am flying down the river below the level of
the highway on my left, but every turn reveals the next stretch to be clear. I am able to climb several
hundred feet by the time I pass the entrance to McKinley Park and the airfield there. I pass well above
the only power lines crossing my route and see the sun shining on a snowfield fifteen miles ahead near
Summit. I am through the pass having enjoyed unlimited forward visibility all the way at treetop level.
At low altitude Windy Pass is always wide enough for a quick one-eighty if the next turn reveals
unexpected weather ahead, and a low-level flight through the pass is quite often the only alternative.
Over Cantwell I call Kenai Radio and report the pass is open with unlimited visibility below 300’, but
socked in above 400’. I get a call from a DeHaviland Beaver thanking me for the report as we pass each
other in opposite directions.
3
FAIRBANKS to CALGARY (continued)
I spend the next few days waiting for “warmer” weather...something less than 40° below zero where
everything gets brittle. Although I have a cowling blanket and heaters in the Cessna, and it is -25° F at
Wasilla (PAWS), I will not fly until the airports along my route also warm up. Tok is -70° F so I am
hoping to avoid going near Northway and go direct Glenallen, direct Whitehorse. (If Tok warms up 100°
it will still be below freezing.) Finally, GKN and YXY forecast -38 and -32 respectively and I am on my
way.
The first fuel pump at GKN will not pump fuel at -40°, but the assistant helps me pump fuel at his
competitor’s pump and I am on my way within fifteen minutes, soon crossing the mountains and glaciers
over the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park...the prettiest area in all of Alaska. Crossing into Canada, I
pick up the Alaska Highway near Burwash and follow it into YXY passing a large herd of farmed
buffalo shortly before arrival. Although it has warmed up to -32° I do not use flaps on landing,
preferring not to move anything unnecessarily in these temperatures. I shut down, go to the phone booth,
call CANPASS, and clear into Canada. Returning to the plane, the starter refuses to activate when I hit
the key. Friday afternoon, 3 p. m…Not a good omen…
I check with the manager of the maintenance shop nearby with whom I have become acquainted on
previous trips. He will help if I can bring the C-177 over to his ramp. I enlist the help of two baggage
handlers to move the plane off the icy ramp to a snow bank where I can get some footing while I prop
the plane. The Good Lord smiles...the Lycoming starts on the second blade. Working outside is not fun
but the mechanic soon finds the starter solenoid is inop and replaces it. Still no action when using the
ignition key. However, a jumper wire directly to the solenoid will now start the plane. It is quitting time.
The manager says he will open the hangar on Monday morning. Not ready to throw in the towel, I call a
mechanic in AK to learn that the power to the ignition key comes through the circuit breaker to the boost
pump. Very shortly I have a Cessna that will start on command.
I borrow two more heaters to put on the engine and one inside to keep the radios warm. Then I wait two
days for the temperature to come up to -40° at Watson Lake, my next stop. The DC-3 used as a
windsock is unique (see end of article for picture), but the view is not worth the extra days sitting in
YXY. Finally YQH warms up and I am on my way before first light. At Watson Lake I leave the engine
running while I string out the hose and ground wire. When the fuel is ready to pump, I shut down, refuel,
and restart the engine before I stow everything and pay the bill. At -40, I am not taking any chances.
My next leg through the northern tip of the Rocky Mountains takes me along the highway where I see an
18-wheeler stopped at a pull off with the same number of caribou checking out the truck while the driver
sleeps. I bypass Fort Nelson and continue directly to Fort St. John (YXJ). The weather goes down and
soon I am scud-running along the highway at low altitude as the windshield begins to ice over. I climb
through a small hole and top out in the warmer temperatures at altitude. As the defroster begins to win
the battle, I see the cloud deck ends fifteen miles to my right. I move over there since VFR-on Top is not
legal in Canada. I do not have enough fuel to go beyond YXJ, but the weather at John always clears a
few miles northwest in these conditions. At twenty miles I am able to make contact and learn that John
is VFR.
4
FAIRBANKS to CALGARY (continued)
I only have one heater, and the price of a warm hangar is $175 per nite. Irritated, I refuel and push on.
No night VFR allowed, I check and find I can make Edmonton with fifteen minutes to spare. I land at
City Center (YXD), pay $75 for the warm hangar, and walk a block to the hotel...much better than the
international airport ten miles out of town. I learn that a pilot near Calgary is interested in the plane and I
depart the next day in balmy -10° temperatures, fly nearly two hours to Drumheller (EG4), and sell the
Cessna.
I board the airline flight direct to SFO making only one resolve...I AM NOT GOING TO DELIVER
ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ACROSS CANADA IN FEBRUARY...unless it is something really unique.
DC-3 used as a windsock
****************************************************************
NEW AOPA COURSE ADDRESSES STALLS, SPINS:
Just how much do you know about stalls and spins? A basic understanding of how wings work can help you
avoid the maneuvering mistakes that cause so many accidents. That's why the AOPA Air Safety Foundation
has developed a new interactive course, "Essential Aerodynamics: Stalls, Spins, and Safety"
( http://www.aopa.org/epilot/redir.cfm?adid=16251 ). It covers the basics of why airplanes fly, how weight
and G forces affect the wing, why stalls and spins happen, and how to recover from them, among other
topics. The course also qualifies for AOPA Accident Forgiveness
http://www.aopa.org/asf/accidentforgiveness/ ) and the FAA Wings program.
5
THE FLYING MARKET
THE FLYING MARKET (continued)
HANGAR 254 FOR RENT: $295/ month at
STS Gun Club. Includes electric service.
Call Larry Ford (707) 829-1955 or
Otis Holt (707) 953-3946
For Sale: Honda Mini Trail Motorcycle: 70cc, 1970,
CT70 E22 76 70. Has new license and insurance.
1,630 miles. Remove 1 bolt and motorcycle comes
apart in 2 pieces. Street legal for 2 with factory
installed rear pegs. We carried it in baggage
compartment of our Cessna Skyhawk. Other Club
members had same bikes. We would take them to flyins and have ground transportation. $1,500.00
Call Jack Hurt 707-544-1026
Beautiful “Sea Hawker” Amphibian: 2 Place
Pusher Biplane: Total rebuilt Lycoming O-360 --150 HP engine with 40 Hrs. Airframe 40 Hrs.
TT, wired for a KX 175 B transceiver, wired for a
loran, King Transponder, Two-place Intercom,
Tricycle Retractable
Landing gear, Dual Tired main gear for soft
ground.
Call Chris Ketelsen 707-703-5019 or 707-4907688 or
email trowbridge04@earthlink.net $30,000
Avid Magnum project. S/N 117M: Only firewall
forward including SS firewall install, boot cowl final
lay-up and covering remain plus a few "tweaks". A&P
/ E-Tech built. 2,900+ documented hours. All factory
parts. Many improvements. No airframe mods.
Enlarged Custom IFR/GPS Instrument Panel with
Apollo S/L series stack and MX20 MFD. UBG-16
engine analyzer. Redesigned door latches. Bubble
windows. Alum. cargo bay. Strobes. One-piece gear.
Larger tires. SS braid brake lines. Scott 3200 tail
wheel. Custom center console w/ Andair L-R-Both-Off
Fuel Selector. Tip tanks. Custom "Essential" & "Hot"
Buss" electrical systems. Includes two certified at TBO
O-320-H2AD 160HP Lycs with logs & some
accessories. Over $50k invested, would like around
$40K. Maybe willing to complete for buyer. Call
Mike Butler at 707.942.9126 or 707.942.5532 or email
mikelbx01@aol.com for pics & details.
Wanted: Super Cub or Husky rental/trade, plus
instructor. I am preparing for volunteer
watershed science work in Kenya, where a Super
Cub will be available, and need tail wheel
transition training to
backcountry proficiency. Contact Brian Cluer
(707) 479-9161 or email:
brian1821x@yahoo.com
Sonoma Skypark
EAA 1268
Vintage and Classic aircraft
fans...
Sonoma Skypark EAA 1268 meets at 7pm on
the 2nd Tuesday night of each month at the
Chapter 1268 clubhouse in Hangar B-5. Dinner
is served ($5) and business meeting/program
follows. Provides “Historical Aircraft Display”
Days. Contact Darrel Jones 707-996-4494 for
info.
Now posted at the newly revised
"Unofficial Schellville Antique
Aerodrome Homepage"...
http://www.napanet.net/~arbeau/usaah/
6
August 6, 2008 Board Meeting:
Vice President Joe Wiegand substituted for President Joe Lacchia who was unable to attend and called the
Board Meeting to order at 6:30 P.M.
Joe Lacchia, Pres
Joe Wiegand, VP
Steve Fredericks, Sec
John Whitehouse, Treas.
Larry Rengstorf, Facilities
Donna Turrentine, Newsletter
A
P
P
P
P
P
Charles Nelson, Board
Dennis McGuire, Board
Brian Cluer, Board
Ray Shipway, Board
Mike Tovani, Board
Steve Barnes, Board
P
P
A
P
A
P
Treasurer’s Report: John Whitehouse delivered a report on the usual numbers for last month and this
month. John is also wondering if our property tax bill needs to be re-examined in light of our new lease.
We no longer lease the ground, only the buildings. Thus John supposes that the Chapter has a lessor
possesory interest, which he reasons should result in a lower property tax bill.
Minutes: Minutes from prior meeting are approved.
Facilities: Larry reports that the CAFÉ Foundation is currently using the site for the PAV Challenge. The
waste oil barrel is scheduled to be emptied August 7.
Young Eagles: Ray Shipway reported on the trouble he is having recruiting pilots for events, especially
with fuel costs being as high as they are now. Ray introduced the following motion.
The Chapter treasury shall reimburse pilots $1.00 per gallon, up to $50.00 for fuel used in conjunction with
the pilots flying Young Eagles at a Chapter sponsored Young Eagles event.
The motion passed by a unanimous vote. Ray also proposed not holding a fall event.
New business: The issue of CAFÉ not requiring its members to be members of EAA or the Chapter was
brought up. To be continued at a future meeting.
There were concerns raised about members who are not tenants using the main hangar for aircraft
maintenance due to liability insurance issues. To be continued at a future meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
Steve Fredericks, Secretary
7
August 6, 2008 General Meeting:
Vice-President Joe Wiegand called the meeting to order at 7:40 P.M.. President Joe Lacchia was unable to
attend.
Minutes: Minutes from the prior meeting are approved.
Treasurer’s Report: John Whitehouse delivered reports for last month and this month. The reports were
approved.
Anouncements: The 2008 AOPA Expo will be in San Jose, dates are November 6-8.
“Wings Over Wine Country Airshow” will be held here at STS, August 16 and 17.
Facilities: Larry Rengstorf reports that the waste oil drum will be emptied tomorrow.
CAFÉ: Brien Seeley introduced many of the NASA Officials here for the PAV Challenge. He also
introduced each team and had them describe their aircraft and detail its capabilities relative to the tasks that
were to be flown for the Challenge. The CAFÉ report was the program for the August meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
Steve Fredericks, Secretary
********************************
Pilot Philosophy:
(Thanks, David Heal)
The difference between a duck and a co-pilot?
The duck can fly.
A check ride ought to be like a skirt.
Short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover everything.
Speed is life. Altitude is life insurance.
New FAA motto: 'We're not happy, till you're not happy.'
If it's ugly, it's British.
If it's weird, it's French.
If it's ugly and weird, it's Russian.
8