February 1999  EAA Chapter 108   PO Box 1141     Shalimar, FL  32579-5141   http://members.xoom.com/eaa108/

We will also continue the Aviation Trivia Challenge.  Jerry Poltorak pulled a sneaky trick last meeting by asking us questions from the Private Pilot written test.  (Like we're supposed to know those!)  Come to the meeting to see what Jerry has in store this month.

History of the AC-130 Gunship
At the January meeting, Tom Johnson presented a very informative program on the history of the AC-130 gunships.  Tom also discussed briefly the calibration procedures for the fire control computers on the gunships.

Trip to National Museum of Naval Aviation

On January 23, 1999, the Chapter made a trip to the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL.  The Museum is located on Pensacola Naval Air Station on the south side of Pensacola.  About 20 people met at the museum's restoration building (#3221) at 10:00 a.m. for a guided tour. One of the volunteer restoration experts gave us a personal guided tour of the restoration facility.  We saw several planes in various stages of restoration including one plane that survived the Battle of Midway and another plane that was recently retrieved from the bottom of Lake Michigan. The plane in the photo below was used by Admiral Nimitz to carry his staff around the Pacific during World War II.  (If someone remembers what type of plane it is, please let me know.)

Following our tour of the restoration facility, we boarded the museum's bus for a tour of over 30 aircraft displayed on the flightline.  Chapter members then ate lunch in the O'Club restaurant and toured the main museum at their leisure.

If you have never been to the National Museum of Naval Aviation, you should visit sometime.  For detailed directions and a large map,  click here...
 



Membership Dues
See Sandy Bowen to pay your 1999 dues.

Treasurer's Report
In December, the chapter had an account balance of $879.41.

Eglin AFB Open House - March 27-28, 1999
A list of planes has been submitted to the base already, but volunteers are also needed to help out during the open house.  See Bob Sutherland to volunteer.

Logo Contest
The logo contest is still going on. Entries can be hand-drawn or designed on a computer.  Submit your ideas to any chapter officer.  A cash prize will be awarded.  Several designs have already been submitted.  Hurry and submit yours!
 

Forget Las Vegas! There's more fun at Reno. If gambling and/or nightlife is your bag, you'll find plenty in Reno. And there is a big plus for aviation fans, a solid week packed with aircraft of many variations.

Cliff had been to the Reno Air Races some years back with our late Chapter 108 member Jim Bowen. He kept wanting Joyce to see the spectacle. Joyce, despite enjoying cross-country trips in the RV6, kept thinking to herself, "Watching airplanes flying in circles way out over the desert sounds a bit boring, but what the heck, it's another nice trip and they have air shows every day." Lori Hamorski strongly suggested that we get to Reno the weekend prior to the races and take in the Balloon Races. Old friends from aviation cadet and Korea days were set to join us.

We departed Crestview, refueled at Longview, Texas, and spent the night at Lubbock. Next day was to be two hops to Reno. First leg to Holbrook, AZ, went fine, with a quick snack while the fuel flowed. But clouds were getting thick to the west, and after flying out a few miles to see if the weather could be skirted, we found a pretty solid wall  and turned back to Winslow.

The ramp was packed with planes, all waiting it out like us. There were six brand new Cessna 172s that Embry Riddle was having ferried to Utah, a Cessna 182 on its way home to California also from Wichita (wanna smell the new leather), an F-16 from , of all places, the Singapore Air Force, a new 182, and a P-51, Miss America, on its way to the races. The F-16 had two flight control computers fail, made an emergency landing, and repairs were just being completed. We waited about four hours, but the time passed quickly with the interesting people in the FBO, especially  when the P-51 crew gave us a close look at the plane and a lot of insight on what it takes to own and fly a bird that competitive. Some of it is spelled m-o-n-e-y.

Finally the weather cleared and radar showed the line of showers moving northeast. Miss America took off and radioed back that it was clear to the west. The F-16, with its US Air Force pilot and his Chinese student officer, took off  and impressed the locals with a low, high speed  pass,  afterburners on. We still had enough daylight  to make it to Reno, so we leapt off, taking a route to keep us a bit south of Vegas Class B, then heading north, staying clear of the Nellis restricted areas. Cliff called Flight Watch as we neared Beatty and got a Sigmet for the route between us and Reno. We bored on a little way and began to see the buildups.  Beatty is unattended except there is a sporting house there that rumor says will send someone out to pick you up.  Cliff didn't want to go there, and Joyce didn't want to sleep in the plane, so back to North Las Vegas. Nobody could hear us until we got past the mountain range. Closer than we wanted to be to Vegas air space, finally we raised Nellis and got clearance. Fuel and patience were getting short, but a good meal and hot shower restored the balance.

Though not as large as the Albuquerque Fest, the Balloon Race at Reno was well worth getting up at 4:00 AM to see. Balloons in the dark? Absolutely beautiful to watch the Dawn Patrol ascend with envelopes glowing, and as the sun edged the horizon, over one hundred balloons followed suit, led by a seven story tall Bald Eagle clutching an American flag.

Airplanes and balloons aren't the only things racing. We journeyed up the mountain to Virginia City, site of the Comstock Lode gold and silver mines, for their festival days. Camels were imported in early days to haul salt to the mines, and were soon found to be inefficient. However, Virginia City celebrates with camel races, and for good measure ostrich and water buffalo races. All obstinate beasts, which makes for clouds of dust and upside down jockeys.

We even absorbed some local color and culture. We cruised Lake Tahoe at sunset, and took a side trip to Donner Pass, learning the tragic story of a band of eighty-seven settlers heading for golden California in 1846. Caught by early winter snows while struggling up the mountains, starving and ill, some resorted to cannibalism. Almost half the number perished, but incredibly the others survived until a rescue party reached them.

Then one of the casinos presented a stage show along the "River Dance" theme. Another memorable evening was spent at an outdoor concert by the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, the finale of the 1812 Overture punctuated by fireworks blazing from nearby rooftops.

The first couple of days of the Air Races, one can wander around the pits and see the planes up close. The crew from Miss America remembered us and invited us to watch the qualification heat that day from atop their semi-trailer. Cliff got to meet Jim Miller, designer of Pushy Cat, whose nephew lives in Fort Walton and used to be Cliff's barber. Eglin was represented in the air shows by the F-16 demonstrator team. The spectator stands are only several hundred yards from the finish line of the race course, so the planes scream by well within viewing range. It's easy to get caught up in the races and pick a plane to cheer in each heat. Of course, Miss America was our favorite, and she obliged us by winning first place in the Silver Race. Joyce revised her opinion; airplanes going around in circles can be VERY exciting.
 

Representative - Florida, District 1
Joe Scarborough
348 S.W. Miracle Strip Highway
Suite 21
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Phone: (850) 664-1266
http://www.house.gov/scarborough/

Senator Connie Mack
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Phone (202) 224-5274
http://www.senate.gov/~mack/

Senator Bob Graham
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone 202-224-3041
http://www.senate.gov/~graham/
 

Al Brandon is building a Sputzy biplane designed by the late Jack Hickey of Chapter 108.  Al acquired the partially completed fuselage and wings several years ago from Don Hawley who had bought the project from Jack Hickey.

The Sputzie was designed to be a single place biplane similar in appearance to a Great Lakes Trainer.  One item that closely resembles the Great Lakes is the unusual landing gear configuration.
 

Al says he'll eventually cover the plane with something similar to the Stits process and install about a 125 hp engine.  The plane will have ailerons on both wings that will be linked by pushrods.  The end of the lower wing has a handhold built into it for ground handling.

When asked when the plane will be done, Al replied, "It'll fly Wednesday..."
 

All items below are for sale by: Dave Kingman
862-2864, DKing608@aol.com

ELT:  ACK Technologies Model E-01-01.  Meets TSO-C91a requirements, uses standard Duracell alkaline "D" cell batteries (not included).  Never used. $100 (Aircraft Spruce's price is $209.).

33 lb of new and used AN nuts and bolts (3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8") and 3 lb of plumbing fittings (mostly aluminum).  $15 for all.

Goodyear 6.00-6 (Cessna 140?) wheel deal:  2 wheels with tires, tubes and bearings mounted.  Brake parts.  2 more wheels.  All are used except new tubes.  $45 for all.

FREE magazines: 133 copies Kitplanes, 88 copies Homebuilt Aircraft.  Take 'em all.

Folding aluminum "Step-Chek" pre-flight step.  $20. (Sporty's price $78).
 

March 6, 1999 - Trip to the Alabama Aviation Technology Campus.
March 16, 1999 - Monthly Chapter Meeting - 7 p.m.  Program by Ed Armburster on "Flying in Panama."
March 20-21, 1999 - Fly-in at Saint Elmo, AL - EAA Chapter 1209
March 27-28, 1999 - Eglin AFB Open House
March 27-28, 1999 - 2nd Annual Seafood Fly-in, Marathon Airport (MTH), Marathon, Florida - EAA Chapter 1241

April 11-17, 1999 - Sun 'n Fun Fly-in at Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, FL