The Official Newsletter for EAA Chapter 477, Charleston, South Carolina August 2008

Transcription

1 FLYPAPER The Official Newsletter for EAA Chapter 477, Charleston, South Carolina August 2008 The President's Corner Upcoming Events We had and outstanding meeting at DYB with the Cub Scouts as our honored guests. This included an unscheduled air show and a trip through several hangers to see those flying machines as arranged by our own John Disher. Bruce Huffines again fired up not only one grill, but two, to ensure we had plenty to eat. Thanks Bruce and John. Please read the day s report on page 3. Aug 10 - SCBC Aiken (AIK) We have a couple of members that have gone north to AirVenture in Oshkosh. Although I usually go, I did not attend this year because I have had a lot of time off already, and I really want to get the Cozy project done. We should have a good trip report from those that did get a chance to attend. Count on seeing that report in the next Flypaper. Aug 14 EAA Chapter 477 Meeting, 6:30 pm at the CAFB Aero Club. Nick Ugolini Will give a technical presentation on aircraft propellers (Part 1 of 2). I have heard that both Wicks and Aircraft Spruce intend to extend AirVenture discounts to customers that are not attending. So if you need some more widgets for your personal project, call them to find out the details. This month we will again be hosting the SCBA breakfast at Monks Corner, (Berkeley County 50J). Please mark this on your calendar. We will be putting out a call for help make this event as good as the ones in the past. So, if Earl Aug 24 - SCBC Berkeley Co. (MKS, Fisher requests your assistance, please help him make this event another success. formerly 50J) Chapter 477 is hosting As always, if you ever have any questions, go to our website, for the latest information. It also has contact info for all the chapter officers. My Cozy update: Honestly, I have struggled with meeting my personal goals. I guess that is because of to much time playing and the like. Nevertheless, I still intend to have the first engine start in September. To that end, I have carefully reduced the length of my table from 12 to 8 (see photo). I don't have any more long pieces to make! The garage and workspace has been rearranged to accommodate the engine installation. The PSRU is on the way! And the engine controller is due in August. -Glen Phelps, President this Breakfast Club and Earl Fisher is the point man. He's looking for volunteers to help set up, cook and clean up. Please Earl at earlfish@bellsouth.net Aug 29 - Sept 1 - The Great Southeast Balloon Fest 2008, Anderson Regional Airport (AND) Sept 11 EAA Chapter 477 Meeting, 6:30 pm at the CAFB Aero Club. Nick Ugolini Will give a technical presentation on aircraft propellers (Part 2 of 2). Page 1 of 6

2 Low Country Sport Aviation, Inc. EAA Chapter 477 P.O. Box North Charleston, SC Membership Application You must be a current EAA Member to join Chapter 477 Name EAA # Exp.Date / / Address City State Zip Phone; Cell Home Send you meeting notices, newsletters, etc. via your ? Yes [ ] No [ ] Today's Date Adult Membership [ ] Student Membership [ ] Annual dues: Adults $25.00 if paid by Dec. 31 or $20.00 if paid by Dec. 1. Students $12. New members after Dec 31 pay dues pro-rated at $2.00/month adults, $1.00/month students. EAA 477 membership dues paid; Cash [ ] Check [ ] Amount $ Date Paid Pilot Ratings (if applicable ) Types Total Hrs. PIC Experimental Last Biennial / / Hrs. since last Aircraft you have owned or own now Aircraft you have built or building now Aircraft you would seriously consider building/restoring Skills you would be willing to share/help other members in their homebuilt project Other skills/talents that can help our chapter Comments/suggestions, including membership in other EAA Chapters Thanks, and welcome to Chapter 477! Page 2 of 6

3 July Meeting Report Our July 12 meeting & cookout was held at the Summerville Airport (DYB). For those of you who couldn't make it, you missed some fun stuff! Cub Scouts A few of us arrived early to meet the Wolf Den of Summerville Cub Scout Pack 725. These 7 & 8-year old kids looked very sharp in their "dress blues" The project that morning was to build balsa & tissue "AMA Cub" model airplanes. The AMA Cub was designed for older kids so it was fortunate the Dads were there to help. We went through each assembly step until the planes ended up looking like the picture on the instructions. No Cub Scouts accidentally cut themselves or glued their fingers together, so it was a good morning. We set the planes aside to dry. Lee Graves Pitts By lucky coincidence aerobatic pilot Lee Graves was fueling up his beautiful red Pitts S2C, and he agreed to give an impromptu mini-airshow. It was quite a show, seeing what that overpowered Pitts could do in the hands of a talented pilot. After the demonstration Lee taxied up and gave the kids a talk on aerobatics and aircraft controls. He tried to get a Cub Scout to sit in the cockpit but they were too shy. So Tammy Dropp (Dylan's mom) volunteered. She's afraid of flying but the Pitts didn't leave the ground so she was OK. Hangar Visits Then John Disher lead the kids on hangar visits so they could meet some builders and see their "real" airplanes. They saw his RV-9A, a couple Kitfoxes, an ultralight amphibian and Buddy Wehman's Fleet biplane. They were also fascinated by "Otto" (as in "Otto-Pilot"), John's plastic robot. Pat Wechter - Marquart Charger We were treated another biplane visit - Pat Wechter's outstanding plans-built Marquart Charger. Based in Walterboro, Pat recently got the FAA sign-off on his Charger and has been flying off the hours. Luckily for us DYB was within his home field radius so the kids (and us big kids ) got to see this great-looking aircraft. I hope to write up a special report on Pat's Charger in a future FlyPaper newsletter. (continued on page 4) Page 3 of 6

4 July Meeting Report (continued from page 3) stop them! The planes needed some weight & balance adjustments, then they flew pretty well. At the end of the flying session we presented 3 "Junior Aviator" award certificates: "Best Construction", "Longest Flight" and "Best Crash". A big thank you to Lee, Pat, & Nick for flying in, and to the Summerville builders who opened your hangars to the kids (and adults)! Nick Ugolini LongEZ Initially Nick drove to the airport but as the weather cleared we could see he was itchin' to fly so he drove back to get his LongEZ. It was obvious the kids had never seen a plane like that before and I think they especially liked the folding nose gear so they could look in and see all the neat gadgets in the cockpit. Cookout As usual Bruce volunteered to be the Chapter 477 chef and grilled up some delicious burgers and hot dogs. Chapter 477 treated the Cub Scouts and their Dads to lunch and no one went home hungry I think all participants would agree it was a great day. The kid's enthusiasm was infectious and I'm sure we'll be hosting other Scouts in the future. A few days later we received a very nice thank-you card. I posted a link to the card and photos of the day's events on our home page: Kevin Thorp, Secretary Treasurer s Report Bank balance, 6/30/08: $2, Accounts payable: 0 Petty cash: Postage: Income: Expenses: Undeposited or funds In Transit: 0 July deposits Bank balance, 7/31/08: $2, Total in bank, cash and other assets: $2, Flying Contest After the cookout the kids test-flew their models in less than ideal conditions. It was a little breezy for the lightweight balsa planes but of course that wasn't going to Our July meeting with the Cub Scouts cost the Chapter $40.06, including food, model airplanes & tools. Pretty reasonable considering the fun the kids (and some of us older kids) had. Rich Hassell, Treasurer Page 4 of 6

5 Flying Buddies In the August issue of Sport Aviation, there is an article named Flying Buddy written by Lauran Paine Jr. I encourage you to read this article, and if you don t get Sport Aviation because you are not a member of EAA, you might want to join so you can become part of the organization and receive the publication each month. I like the way this author writes, expressing his thoughts by really involving you in the subject. Another reason I like this guy - it is clear he has a passion for aviation. But this article really caught my attention. Many of us may have a flying buddy, but not all of us do. As Lauran Paine pointed out, that person will also be passionate about flying, or at least share the same ideals about flying as you. Not to take from my twin brother, or my instrument flying partner, because both are important to me. Especially my brother, for he has a keen interest in things of aviation and has taught me a lot, and I continue to learn from him. But a flying buddy is something else. My flying buddy is a special person that is passionate about flying, to a similar degree as I. My flying buddy is Larry White. But unlike Lauran Paine, I have never flown with Larry. Well, at least not in the physical sense. That opportunity has never presented itself. We did get to fly the C-17 simulator together, maybe that counts, (thanks Jim). because this is to be strictly flying. But, there is not a time we have not been together that flying has not been part of our discussion, passionately. Larry never brags about what he has done, or the people he knew or knows in aviation, he just talks about flying in away that can be seen in his eyes and felt from his heart. Somewhere along the line, I think he has said that he managed to accumulate around 3000 hours. He did have a logical explanation as to why he didn t go for an instrument rating. He is floatplane rated though. I don t know if Larry and I will get the opportunity to fly in an airplane together. You see, Larry has a bone marrow disease that is threatening his life. He has spent a lot of time in doctor s offices and time in the hospital. When I visited him one time in the hospital, the Bible was on one side of the bed, and several aviation magazines on the other side of the bed. He talked with passion of things of flying, not just aviation as he lay there. Before he became sick, he would come down to my garage to see my Cozy project and you could see the excitement when he talked about flying with me one day. When he heard that I was putting the major airframe together for our May meeting, he wanted to be there to help, even though he was very ill. But for four days preceding the May meeting, he did just that. Oh, how he enjoyed just being around this flying machine! Then he returned to help disassemble it and put it away for further work. This week, I will prepare the engine for mounting; he plans to be here. Larry has decided that he wants to be a part of EAA and Chapter 477. He wants to support those ideals, to say that he is a part of us. And, I am honored! I don t know what is in store for Larry in the weeks or months ahead as he fights this disease, but I do know that he is my flying buddy, a special guy like no other. I hope we do get a chance to fly in the Cozy together: that would be very special for me and him. But I have to say thank you Larry for being my flying buddy and friend. You have taught me a lot and continue to do so. -Glen Phelps, President I have known Larry for quite a few years. Our association has not been aviation, but as members of the same church. That association is not something to be shared here, Page 5 of 6

6 New Vice President At our July meeting we elected John Disher our new Vice president. Most of you know John, but here's a little info: Young Eagles Doug Shorter is our Young Eagles Chair. If you have an aircraft that can fly Young Eagles or know some kids who would like to fly please contact him at dougshorter@knology.net. For more information about EAA's Young Eagles program go to Aviation on the Brain? Are you a pilot? Building a project? Thinking about building a project? Or just interested in sport aviation? John owns J&L Body Shop in Summerville. He's been a long standing member of Chapter 477 and has built two aircraft; a beautiful pearl Kitfox and a Vans RV-9A that's 99% complete. He's expects to finish it soon; the FAA inspection is scheduled for early September. Check out our web site and drop in on one of our chapter meetings. See ya there! I think we all agree John is a great asset to the club and will help us fly in the right direction! LowCountry Sport Aviation, Inc. P.O. Box North Charleston, SC President: Glen Phelps Vice President: John Disher Secretary, Newsletter Editor, & Webmaster: Kevin Thorp Treasurer: Rich Hassell Young Eagles: Doug Shorter Web Site: Page 6 of 6