The Plane Newsletter

~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~ February 2009 ~

Important Dates -

Executive planning meeting: 5:30 pm on the first Thursday (February 5th) of the month in the clubhouse (Kelso hangar A7). All are welcome!!

Food will be ready at about 6:30 and the chapter meeting will follow at about 7:00.

The Grub
Sketty 'n meatballs is on the menu.

THE PROGRAM:
We have a double header this month!!! Greg the avionics guy and Robert the aerobatics guys are sure to give great presentations! Don't miss this one!!

Minutes From Last Month

We didn't have a January meeting since it landed on the first. Some of these notes are follow ups from December as well.

We continue to talk about how to solicit new members, especially those that have drifted away on the breezes.

The annual dinner was fantastic! A great meal, a great time, a great value.

The board met in December to go over some of our important papers we have to review and sign every year.

Dues are DUE!! Please take care of those earlier than later. The Chapter depends on it.

Thank you very much to Bianca for providing the great pictures of the banquet.

Jerry is proposing a work day on the old (North) hangar. Luckily, the snows did not tear it down. Upgrade work also needs to be done on the clubhouse proper in the 'form' of some concrete work out front. (I crack myself up!)

Jim and Mary Ann gave a great program of their recent trip across the country. Some spectaular pictures!! Thank you two.

Lee Dines' wife donated a picture of Lee in his old Aerocoupe. Stories ensued. :)

Minutes From Last Executive Meeting

Looking forward to the next presentation. Talking about avionics and aerobatics. What could be better??

We got the certificate of insurance - all is good.

Money matters: Checking has $912.67 and savings has $2143.82

Jerry paid for another three years of web service for about $214. A great deal!! I hope people find this web page helpful.

More talk of the snow on the North hangar. What a stress that was... in more ways than one. We had a few members out sweeping off the roof. We will really need to do a few critical improvements on that.

First the snow, then the floods. High waters caused some more anxieties. Fortunately, the river didn't crest the dike and all is good.

Decided we probably wouldn't do a Superbowl party. Too many people going in too many different directions.

Did I mention dues are due? We have five members paid up already. Let's keep it going.

Dick Woods has graciously volunteered to audit the books for 2007 and 2008. Thank you Dick!!

We have a new deadbolt on the front door. The locks are all keyed the same.

Bill Amons (Pacific Barber Shop) donated a really cool airplane clock which is hanging in the main room downstairs. Thank you Bill!!

Tech Counselor Minute- from Jerry Sorrell

FAA Regulations Require Address Change Notification

In my random reading of aviation periodicals, I always learn something new. From the recent AOPA, I learned that FAA requires they be notified within 30 days of an address change, or we may not fly. Here is what it says.

FAR Sec. 61.60 Change of address.
The holder of a pilot, flight instructor, or ground instructor certificate who has made a change in permanent mailing address may not, after 30 days from that date, exercise the privileges of the certificate unless the holder has notified in writing the FAA, Airman Certification Branch, P.O. Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125, of the new permanent mailing address, or if the permanent mailing address includes a post office box number, then the holder's current residential address.

Indexing Your Propeller

Wouldn't you think that if you had your prop statically balanced as close as possible, checked for tracking and then had it all dynamically balanced (engine running), it would be as smooth as possible. Lycoming says there is another step to take, and that is to index the prop to the crankshaft.

The maintenance manual says; bring #1 piston to top dead center and then place the prop in the 8 -2 O'clock position, when standing in the front of the plane. The reason is complex but the Lycoming people understand. It has to do with the power pulse accelerating the descending blade that in a climb, receives a greater angle of attack than the ascending blade. So there is a bit more "quick intermittent tug" coming from one blade than the other ("P" factor here). This sets up a pulsating asymmetrical thrust that translates into a vibration. Let's just assume the Lycoming engineers understand engine dynamics and we plan follow their instructions based on their experience.

Current Events - the top three news items from Google at the time this newsletter was created based on experimental aviation

Pilots: FAA taking too long on useful bird radar

New rules sought for news copters

Fuller tours Garmin's Kansas headquarters

Interesting Stuff

The January 2009 Flood
The first full week of January was a wet one. Some airports in the southwest part of the state qualified as seaplane bases. Here are a few photos of what the McClellan's saw, while on Jan 9, 2009, aerial recon with Sorrell.

Morton WA. This airport is quite close to the White Pass highway and downtown, within ¼ mile, there is a great Mexican food restaurant. A future flyout.

Chehalis Area. The north end of the airport was under water. By the time this photo was taken, the freeway had opened for traffic.

This private airport near Elma is under water. That is a DC-3 parked next to the barn!

Elma Airport. Not good..

EAA has started a new online magazine called the Experimenter. If you are a member, you are already signed up. If not, follow this link to find out more.

If no one has seen this video, you HAVE to check it out. These guys are CRAZY!!

This one really raises the pucker factor. A fully loaded Russian IL-76 cargo plane. payload 1 million pounds!!! Listen to the 'controllers' in the tower who are Australian:  Ya gotta love it. 'The Vodka Burner' as the Aussies call it, literally uses every inch of runway. WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO. (shot from the tower) They are incredulous it makes it.

Flights

Heard anything good lately? Been anywhere interesting? Let me know. Click here to send me an email!

On the Lighter Side

Here is the challenge- go to www.youtube.com, search on cool aviation or experimental aviation and let me know if you can spend less than a couple hours going from one clip to another.... betcha can't.. has anyone tried? Seen anything cool you would like to share?.

United Flight Attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!
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On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have. "
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"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane"
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An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane.
She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?"
The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
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As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella, WHOA!"
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After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because sure as hell everything has shifted after a landing like that."
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Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
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Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo , Texas on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo . Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
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"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
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"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses......except for that gentleman over there."
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Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City . The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."
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After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix , the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
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Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
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Heard on a Southwest Airline flight - "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing and if you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."
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A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport . After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles . The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax... OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!"

A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"

Editor's Comments

If you have any ideas or comments, please let me know. I want your feedback. The chapter and the newsletter are only as good as the input and the energy of the members. I want your pictures, your stories, your thoughts. Don't be shy!! If you get an interesting link or something funny via the web, please don't hesitate to share it with me.

I hope to make this newsletter a place our members look to for vital information, a thing prospective members appreciate and are motivated to join, a link our fellow EAA'ers around the country look at to keep in touch.

Officers and Committee Chairpersons