The Plane Newsletter

April 2006 NEWSLETTER

EXEC MEETING March 29th AT 6 P. M. At Our New Clubhouse! 

NEXT CHAPTER MEETING April 6th (Thursday)

7:00P.M., April 6th, 2006 AT THE KELSO AIRPORT FBO

GUEST SPEAKER

The program people intend to invite a guest speaker who has had the experience of managing eight engines at once for flight operations. And you thought one was enough to handle. (No, it is not Howard Hughes telling about the one and only flight of the Goose.)

Who can identify a regular production military plane that had ten engines? The word was six turning and four burning.

WHAT DID ROD SAY?

Recall that Rod Machado writes for AOPA and lectures on flight safety. Here is an interesting proverb. “Don’t drop the airplane while trying to fly the microphone.”  Have you ever been so focused on talking on the mic that some part of the flight management slipped up a bit? How about landing on the wrong runway? Ask the newsletter secretary since the statute of limitations should have expired by now.

NEXT WORK DAY AT CLUBHOUSE SATURDAY APRIL 8

Great progress was made at the last work day, but we still have more to accomplish in preparation for the improvements. At our Thursday, April 6^th, EAA meeting,. Steve Stienhoff will be looking for those volunteers to come out this Saturday, April 8^th, beginning at 9 a.m. and closing up around 4 p.m. There still remains some 2 x 4 removal and insulation recycling to do.  Some trash and bird’s nests still remains in those hidden corners.

TABLES AND CHAIRS FOR THE CLUBHOUSE

While it would be possible for all of us to come up with various table and chair odds and ends, we do want to have our new clubhouse look inviting and organized. The building committee and exec board will present to the membership a request for the purchase of 4 folding tables and 35 folding chairs (padded). This cost not to  exceed $800.

WINDOWS AND MISCELLANEOUS HARDWARE FOR A-7.

The existing windows in the clubhouse are single pane with little insulating quality.  The upstairs, if it to be used as an office lounge area has no fire escape. Windows upstairs  will serve the purpose of the necessary emergency exit. The building committee and exec board will present to the membership a request to purchase 4 replacement double pane white vinyl windows; 2 to replace the downstairs and two directly above in the second floor for the emergency exit and added light. There will be some additional material such as sheetrock and a support beam that we will inevitably need. This combined cost will not exceed $1,000.

KELSO EAA CHAPTER 1111 MINUTES MARCH 2, 2006

7 P.M. KELSO FLIGHT SERVICE FBO

The meeting began at 7 p.m.

Web Site Information:

Charlie asked the members to look at the web site membership list  to be sure the information was correct.

Old Business Hangar Rates, Insurance, Hold Harmless:

Charlie discussed how the insurance and utility costs had risen since the chapter had added hangar-6 and clubhouse A-7 to our list of leased facilities. In prior times, we had only hangars 44 and 45, currently leased by the Archers and Mark Edwards.

The executive board proposed the following to the chapter for consideration. In order to cover the chapter costs of hangar lease to the city, insurance and utilities, the executive board proposes that:

• Hangers 44 and 45 rates be increased from $110 per month to $150 per month.
• Hangar A-6 rate be increased from $204 per moth to $230 per month.
• Tenants have $1 million liability insurance naming EAA 1111 and the city of Kelso as additional insured.
• Tenants of 44, 45 and A-6   agree to sign a hold harmless agreement releasing the chapter members from any liability should a tenants property be damaged. (The hold harmless agreement  is offered as an option to the Hangar Keepers insurance, which would cost the chapter nearly $800 per hangar per year ( Being 3 x $800 = $2,400 we don’t have)

The discussion included the following. Sam and Sandy are paid up through June, but we anticipate they may vacate, as they have moved to Independence OR and Sam has indicated he is selling the Murphy Elite. However, should they need to extend the lease, there should be opportunity for this. Jim McClellan will vacate A-6 as soon as he can establish the grass on the runway he re-graded last year. Lee Dines said we need to build up the membership to help keep the dues down and to have a good supply of hangar tenants.

There are pros and cons to keeping a plane in A-6.

Pro:  Immediate access to A-7 facilities. However, all members will have access to A-7.

The hangar is a good place to hold chapter events such as breakfast,  fly in visitation area, project tools or aircraft component storage.    Con: Security and potential damage to aircraft associated with access to chapter materials and tools that may be stored in A-6. Aircraft removed for chapter events that require hangar space. Higher rate for hangar due to EAA insurance requirement.

Other discussion: Consider the hangar is costing us too much and it may be better to let it go. Consider that the A-7 space may be needed to store tables, chairs and other supplies if we have chapter events.  What are our future needs for hangars for EAA members, projects? Jerry Sorrell stated that EAA has a hangar policy paper and that EAA promotes the use of floor space being leased on a square foot basis of need. Jerry pointed out that the chapter is now using about 200 SF of A-6 but we are asking the tenant to pay the full price when not all the space is available. Based on $0.18 per square foot per month, the chapter should consider about $30 per month for the chapter space and rent the balance for $200. This chapter space can be for our tables, chairs, cabinets, tools or for members to use part of the space and help pay the monthly cost based on the needed floor space.  Jim McClellan noted that A-6 is actually too big a hangar for most experimentals, and that it is likely members would seek a city hangar at $185 per month which would be sufficient. Mark Edwards thought that hangars 44 and 45 at $150 each were still a fair bargain.  He said our hangars should be self supporting. Phil Phillips said that since we are not in a cash crunch right now, we could table this for next month, as it doe not appear the members are ready to vote on the hangar rent  increase or the insurance requirement issues yet. Gary Trenner said that A-6 could have a floor space marked out for the chapter use and further leasing of storage of project components. Action item: Table until next month

Clubhouse A-7

Work day this Saturday. Steve Steinhoff is in charge. Start demo at 9 a.m. This is demo work to remove interior walls and insulation so we know what we have to work with in the remodel. Also the fire marshal wants to see what the basic conditions are. (Note, Jerry has asked for the city to research the records of inspection or permits for the work done about 20+ years ago. There is nothing found on file. Jerry is also trying to find the plans at the City hall for the “A” row hangars, but nothing found yet. Future work dates will be pout on the web site.

Membership Drive

Eric Hoppe and Mark Edwards are working on this.

Mexico Fly Out

Jim McClellan intends to fly to the Baja area this May, by joining a flight with at least one other pilot who has done this before. Anyone else going? More details next meeting.

Break for coffee and snacks.

Thanks Bob Taylor for the goodies!

Program: Angel Flight West:

Mr. Rob Breitbarth   presented us with a remarkable program of how we may participate in a volunteer program to offer air transportation to people in need of medical care which requires  lengthy transportation. There is even an opportunity to allow experimentals for the transportation of medical supplies. Certified production aircraft must be used for the transportation of people. See the web site www.angelflight.org

Once again, our next chapter meeting is on Thursday, April 6th at 7:00p.m. at the Kelso FBO.

Officers and Committee Chairpersons