Rain, rain, go away...

Transcription

1 Officers/Directors Rain, rain, go away... President, Murdo Cameron, (208) c Vice president, Tom Lewis (208) Treasurer, Allen Peterson (208) Secretary, Kassie Silvas (208) c Joan Lewis, (208) Mike Gossett, (208) Jim Thorpe, (208) Dean Haagenson,(208) Nina Eckberg, (208) c Joan Genter (208) Mac McCormack (208) Allen Peterson,Newsletter Ed. (208) , c Gene Soper, AB (208) c Phil Cummings, Airport advisor to the Cd'AAA Board(208) Cd A Airport Association c/o Treasurer P.O. Box 2124 Hayden, ID But it didn't go away, not on Monday, not on Tuesday and not on Wednesday, and the Collings planes could not leave Seattle. Finally, on Thursday afternoon the Collings B-24 and P-51 were able to make a short stop at KCOE. Meanwhile, Charlie Branch and Tim Beal were also stranded in Seattle. Their story is on page 4. Page 1 Calandar of Events Cd'AAA Board Meeting, July 17, Aug. 21, Sept. 18, 2013, at 4:30p.m. at Miles Coffee Cafe, 167 W. Miles, Hayden, ID Airport Advisory Board Meetings, July 10, Aug. 14, Sept. 11, 2013, at 5:30

2 On Monday, while waiting for the Collings planes to arrive, the stage, and tables and chairs were set up in Resort Aviation's LP hanger. As in the past, Gene Soper supplied his flat bed trailer for the stage. Tables and chairs were supplied by NIC and AARP TaxAide. While the weather was not too bad at KCOE, Boeing Field, KBFI, had rain showers and the planes could not leave Seattle. On Tuesday the weather was worse at KCOE and still bad at KBFI. CAP Cadets, who volunteered for Ground Ops, waited in vain in the rain for the planes. We got a grand total of 1 GA fly-in, 2 Cl Trucks and 3 Cars. The CdA Elks, one of our food vendors, had to pack up when threatened with heavy rain and wind. And, since our Duty Photographer, Tim Beal, was stranded in Seattle with Charlie (see page 4), we didn't get many pictures. But we did have good musical program directed by Jerry Spreen... Page 2

3 and a speaker program arranged by Nina Eckberg Mike Kincaid telling about his experiences flying for the movie Frozen Ground. Kassie Silvas describing NIC's new Composits Program. Burt Rutan gave a rundown on all of the planes he designed and a hint of a new sea plane. An estimated 65 folks were in attendance. John McGinnis, second from left, described the building of his new plane. Nick Guido (not pictured) from Tamarack Areospace described his Active Winglets. We had soft drinks... and Tricksters Brewing supplied the beer. Page 3 more pictures on page 6

4 Tuesday, 25 June, :30 a.m. Crew conference in front of Nine-O-Nine and Witchcraft at Boeing Field. Thursday, June 27, 2013 by Charlie Branch Tim and I had an actual itinerary that ran: Sunday: at 6 AM: Drive 4-1/2 hours from COE to Days Inn in S. Tukwila in a rental Toyota Camry LE, in rain showers Monday: Delivered to BFI by Camry driver at 7 AM, more rain showers, will reconvene Tuesday morning. Toured Museum of Flight on complimentary passes, EconoLodge shuttle back to the motel Tuesday: Cab to BFI, rain showers, confer to meet 9 AM tomorrow, shuttle back to the motel. Thunderstorms (4 sec. between flash and boom) all afternoon! Wednesday: Shuttle to BFI, conferences on the ramp (Mack, a B-17 pilot returns the rental car so it looks like we re leaving at last). We had been waiting for the weather to lift so we could fly through the Cascade Range passes since Monday morning, and this Wednesday morning things were looking better, so we gave it a try, Loaded up in B-24, warmed engines for takeoff about 10:30 AM for COE. The B-17, Nine-0-Nine, was going for a more southerly route but aborted their takeoff ahead of us due to water in some of the magnetos.. After takeoff and a series of easy turnings (while I was looking through the bomb sight cross hairs, pretending to toggle bombs on logging roads, or looking out from the nose turret), we found the ceilings too low, and we returned to BFI and landed with Betty Jane, the TP-51C Mustang. What a welcome sight, to see a little friend sliding in behind our right wing as Witchcraft brought us back to the home station. I d crawled back from the nose turret and bombardier s station on hands and knees to stand behind the cockpit, and walk sideways on the bomb bay catwalk to the ball turret, where those in the waist were watching Betty Jane on this long base leg over Seattle. I crawled forward into the bombardier s station twice, and the second time managed to elevate and slide, feet first, into the nose turret. As big as the B-24J looks from the outside, on the inside you begin to appreciate the lack of space for the human occupants, and the general lack of outside visibility. After filling the interior spaces with aircraft equipment, offensive and defensive armaments, there s little space remaining for crew comfort. The four of us passengers belted in for takeoff and landing on the bench behind the rear bomb bay bulkhead, and could stretch our legs to use a frame cross member ahead of the ball turret as a footrest. The turret opening provided a view though the bottom of the fuselage, and another source of outside air Damp, aircooled, cramped, and You develop an appreciation of what these guys (and gals) went through, and for the Indian Air Force operating their Liberator fleet until After this flight, Tim Beale and I conferred with Andrew, who suggested that since their tour stop in Bozeman was scheduled for 2 PM this Wednesday (today) and the schedule was continuing to slip, we consider our other options. We considered whether to spend one more night at EconoLodge and hope for a Thursday departure or take the big dog Greyhound home to end our support of Seattle s economy for the week. Since a Greyhound ticket cost about the same as another motel night, we took the bus downtown, purchased our fares on the big dog, and used the bus transfer for another round trip back to the Museum of Flight to pick up our gear from their coatroom. Since we spent so much time at the Museum, their complimentary passes were much appreciated, as was their storage room. Thus, Tim and I had the red-eye trip from Seattle at 11:30 PM Wednesday, arriving this morning at 6:30 AM. The bus was not photographed. Our driver is an air show fan, so we visited a bit while waiting around. I conclude that $425 for a half-hour local flight is well worth it, and cheaper than the free shuttle flights between tour stops. And so it was that we arrived at 6:30 this morning, with a ride to COE to pick up our vehicles at Resort Aviation. I had great thoughts of going out to the airport to watch the Collings Foundation airplanes land later this morning, but my forty winks multiplied! Tim and I met some new friends: A Somali with a bomb was our MoF Security friend, carrying an inert bomb casing out to the gate for the Museum s B-17F static tour donation drop box, cable locked to the fence. I met two of my daughter s college friends working the admissions counter, and we visited with several docents, in addition to our Somali college student friend. A Punjabi Boy was our EconoLodge shuttle driver, a Sikh adherent. Fun trip, despite the weather! Page 4

5 PLANE OF THE MONTH Soper's Whatzit #5 CdAAA Meeting place Miles Coffee Company, 167 W. Miles Hayden, ID Welcome new members dues of $25 are payable to: Coeur d'alene Airport Association c/o Treasurer, P.O.Box 2124 Hayden, ID What is it? And who owned it? Find the answers somewhere in the newsletter. Picture and story from COE: The First Sixty Years by Gene Soper Airport security is everyone's responsibility The Cd'AAA would like to facilitate the hangar owners and renters in being pro active about preventing trouble at the airport. We encourage all hanger owners and renters to place the above Emergency Contact sign in a window visible from the street. This will provide a quick way to notify the hanger owner or renter if anything unusual is noted by airport personnel or other hanger owners. Signs can be obtained from Murdo Cameron, , or Mike Gossett, Page 5

6 Several folks had displays or booths: Ron Dalton, CdA Elks and Schwans, food vendors; Richard Rains' I/4 scale model of Bently Rotary Radial engine, Unitec, NIC and Synergy Aircraft. We also had visitors from the Life Care Center in Hayden. Dean Haagenson supplied the Porta-potties and Waste Management supplied the trash dumpster and 10 carts. (And my thanks to all of the Planning Committee members who worked hard on our event. Ed.) The P-51 and B-24 finally made it to KCOE on Thursday afternoon for a brief stop P-51C Baby Jane Looking aft in the B-24, not much room B-24J Witchcradt???? The Whatzit mystery plane is the Baby Stinson of 1940, and was owned by Gene Soper. The Great Depression of the thirties was taking a toll on all businesses and the aircraft manufacturers were really hard hit. Stinson thought they would test the waters of the light plane market for some business with the HW-75 in This airplane was to be powered with a new Lycoming GO-145. This was originally a 50 H.P. Engine that was geared to run at 3000 RPM, producing 75 H.P. Stinson built the airplanes faster than Lycoming did engines, and consequently the aircraft was test flown with the 50 horse engine. It performed amazingly well, so they switched to the Continental A-75 for production. Therefore, the Littlest Stinson came to life as the HW-75, (High Wing, 75 horsepower). It was so well received that for 1940 they added a third seat, (cross-ways, in the back), installed a Continental A-80, (80 HP), and designated it the Model 10, Voyager. The public liked it so well, that in 1941 it was repowered with the 90 H.P. Franklin engine, giving it an electrical system for a starter, lights, and a radio could be added. This was designated the 10-A, (also, they were known as the 105, as this was the cruising speed of them all), and produced for two years, until WW-II started and all production went to military needs. (This aircraft is now owned by Joanne Cochran, Ohio. Ed) Page 6

7 Member Classifieds NOTE: CdAAA members may post classified ads for any item or service, not just for airplanes. Welcome to Coeur d'alene Flyers! Located at the Coeur d'alene Airport. We offer flight instruction in a Piper J3 Cub and an IFR Cessna 172. We specialize in Tail Wheel Instruction and Instrument Ratings. Go to CDAflyers.com for information on rates and courses. For more information call Glenn Smith at For Sale: 1963, PA Comanche N8241P, $35,000, See this Piper in Jay Burdeaux s Northern Sky Air hangar (KCOE). Wayne Abbott (408) , (208) , (208) For Sale: 1967 Piper Twin Comanche PA-30 Always hangared, many upgrades, long TBOs, reputation for reliability. Infor: Jim Irving (208) Certified Flight Instructor Russell Frame offers training at Coeur For Sale: Four 7-acre residential lakeview homesites on 2000-foot turf airstrip (ID65) on scenic Hwy miles south of I-90. Price per lot is negotiable or entire 34-acre package $777,000. Information: Don Pischner (208) www.donpischner.com Aircraft Services and Maintenance (208) d'alene Airport and surrounding air ports. Cessna 150 Rental: $90/hour solo or $120/hour Dual. Flight instruction in your airplane: $40/hour Services: Designated Pilot Examiner for Light Sport Airplanes: Mike Kincaid (208) , seaplanes@roadrunner.com Editor s note: CdAAA members are invited to submit classified ads. them to: hapeterson.cda@gmail.com. Be sure to get them in before the last week of the month for the upcoming issue. Page 7

8 CdʼAAA 2013 dues reminder The Coeur d Alene Airport Association operates on a calendar-year cycle. That means everyone s membership of $25 for 2013 is due. Please pay your dues promptly and retain your voting rights at the May Annual Membership Meeting. Thanks, Allen Peterson CdAAA Treasurer Page 8