January 2006 Edition Chapter #407

                                                             www.eaa407.org

South East Idaho Officers:

    Austin Moses, President

    Jerry Phillips, Vice President

    John Bakken, Treasurer

    Pete Stewart, Secretary

    Harold Mothersill, Website

    Dale Cresap, Newsletter

------------------------------------------------------------------------

President's Message:

Thanks to all who attended the Chapter Christmas Party on December 10, 2005.  We had a nice group with great food contributed.  There was no formal program, but a lot of hangar flying. Nolan Getsinger did a good job in the gift exchange and we appreciate his help each year. A good time was had by all.

2006 Schedule:

The officers met on January 4, 2006 in a planning meeting and considered a number of suggestions.  Among them were technical programs, fly-ins, meals and entertaining speakers. 

To start with, there was some question as to the best meeting time.  Some felt that earlier in the morning was better so as not to take up the entire day.  Some felt that for non-flying activities, evenings were better.  So we will take a vote at the January meeting to determine what you would like to see.

Next Meetings:

January 21, 2006 at Pocatello , 10:00 a.m.

Art Lazarini from the Hailey area will be our guest speaker and entertain and educate us with a number of subjects ranging from back country flying to building and flying the Long-Eze.  Come join with us as we listen to this accomplished CFI, pilot and writer.

February 18, 2006 at Idaho Falls , Time open.

Ken McCuen will be our guest speaker relating his exploits flying in South America in the distant past and his current activities.

March 18, 2006 at Blackfoot, Time open.

Builder's tour.

Other items on the schedule are a fly-in breakfast at Dell, Mt, Lancair staff presentation, technical builder's workshop and a number of speakers yet to be determined.  Dale Cresap is putting together some Young Eagles flights and we will have our annual Christmas Party on December 9, 2006.

One thing we felt is to have fewer fly-ins as the regular meetings.   We want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate in the monthly meetings whether or not you have a completed airplane.  We will try to arrange some fun flights outside of the normal meetings.

Editor’s Column:

As Young Eagle coordinator, I am making arrangements for a special rally with the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind in Gooding. The school is only in session Monday through Thursday, so it will be on a weekday unless I am able to make special arrangements with the school. Please let me know at dcresap@inel.gov if you would be able to fly students in this special event, the number of seats in your plane, and whether the weekday constraint would be a deal-breaker. At this point there is no date set on the calendar, so I am looking for expressions of interest rather than firm commitments.

P-51 Lust

I am going to donate blood after work and hear a roar overhead a few minutes before departing – what could that be? On a hunch I go to Pacific Fighters. There is a skinny kid on the ramp, and one of the Mustangs is gone. The kid says one of his friends is getting a ride. I see the Mustang approach, land, and taxi in. NL251MX.

A kid gets out of the back seat, and the one on the ground is eligible for the next ride. His friends try to convince him to go. Dude go! It’s cool! Loops and rolls and 4 G’s! He hesitates and calls his mom. While this is taking place I tell pilot and proprietor John that my mom would give me permission. He finds this amusing, but the kid is convinced to go. They strap him in, put on his helmet and mask, and provide him with sickness bags. John tells me the plan is for aerobatics over the farm, involving rolls, and wingovers at 4 gs, at altitudes from 7000 to 13000.  He fires it up and swings around for taxi, then takes off right in front of us on 17 – wow. I talk to his wife while he is gone. ‘Do these kids have any idea of what they are getting in on?’ ‘No’. How sad. I can only imagine what my fellow aviators would give for a ride like this. They are back in a few minutes and the kid is a little wobbly but the sick bags are unused.

John invites me to get up on the wing for a better look in the cockpit. I nudge the stick – it is almost as easy to move as the RV9. Of course I pretend to be bearing down on a Nazi Messerschmit. This is a real stretch with me standing on the wing.

DUES ARE DO AGAIN!!! The 2006 Chapter 407 dues are $24.00 a year. Note: We have a new Treasurer this year, John Bakken. Good luke John!!!