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President's Message Sam Evans Most likely, you have an affinity to aviation. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't be a member of our organization. No doubt you are then familiar with the aviation lover's annual "Mecca" to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. AirVenture, the EAA-sponsored event, is certainly an aviation experience. This year I made my second trip to Oshkosh. On my first trip in 2003, I got "hooked" into building a plane and have since started my RV project. This year was basically a scouting trip to get ideas from other builders and to checkout avionics and other airplane "goodies". If you've ever been to OSH, then you know what I mean when I say that it is overwhelming. You can't help from being inspired when you realize that you're in the midst of over 700,000 people that like the same thing you do. Although it may not seem like it, your Chapter 471 plays a big part in the whole scheme of things as far as the EAA organization is concerned. Just think about this: There are over 1000 EAA chapters. Your chapter was chartered before more than half of all the other chapters! 471 has a long legacy of contribution in the EAA organization. You have something to be proud of right here in Abilene, Texas. And a small contribution of your time would make your chapter better.
Hangar 3 Vote and Breakfast This Saturday As stated in the July newsletter, chapter members will meet to vote on the Hangar 3 project this Saturday, August 13. The monthly breakfast and vote will be held in Hangar 3 on the northwest side of the field at 9:00am. There will be an attendant at the gate to allow entry of those that do not have the gate code. A presentation of information relating to Hangar 3 will be given by the Chapter officers and Board of Directors. After the presentation and a brief question and answer session, Chapter members will have the opportunity to vote for or against proceeding with the Hangar 3 project. Only paid-up members will have voting privileges. A "light" breakfast will be served. Also, there will not be any chairs available. So, if you want to bring along a lawn chair, feel free to do so. *****
By Gray Bridwell After months of preparing for the Big Country Airfest, I must say that we have another great lineup that will make a great day in aviation for the residents of the Big Country. A media session Friday evening with air race time trials shot with a radar gun by the Abilene Police department, Young Eagle pilot lineup with their planes, TV shots of classroom formation clinics with pictures of their planes, and interviews with Airshow pilots should give the media something to show on TV and in the newspaper. Saturday will start off with Young Eagle rides based out of hangar #3. Star Dodge is a sponsor and will be giving T-shirts to the first 100 kids who become Young Eagles. Cars will be present on the ramp from Star Dodge. TSTC will be full of vendors with the aviation theme going strong. The food court will keep hunger at bay with plenty of delicious air show food. The morning will be full of antique, classic, and hot rod cars on the grass at TSTC. This year motorcycles are added to the category and will be welcomed. Class winners will be escorted to the flight line in the afternoon for display. Light sport aircraft manufacturers will display the latest rage in aircraft on the ramp as well as Van's Aircraft corporation's RV-10 in a trio display accompanied by two beautiful RV-10's from Colorado. A formation flying clinic will be held in TSTC with 30 anticipated participants Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They will conduct flying maneuvers north of lake Ft. Phantom during the day and have a graduation ceremony Sunday Morning with a massive group flyover. These participants will park in the designated "Front row parking" just off the grass on the way to our "T" hangars, from TSTC to the Saab bone yard and return to their designated parking spot after every practice session. A professional airshow "DJ" will keep the day alive with music and various announcements. The airshow portion of the day will begin at 12 noon with a prayer by Harrison Ford, and special recognition by Mayor Norm Archibald of some key Abilene individuals. The B-1b will flyover for two fast and low passes. Then our professional air racers will depart for a flying start down the start/finish line, off to Albany and Stamford for a thrilling return to Abilene. During their 20 minute air race, we will progress to an act by J.D. Daniel (Texas Twisters), welcome the air racers home, have "turn and burn" by Jim Greg, a demonstration from Falcon flight, a flyby from the 2005 Tony Binglis award winner Mel Asberry, an aerial demonstration of the C-130 Hercules by our very own "Capt. Andy", a harrier demonstration by the USMC, and conclude with the "turn and burn chief" Ron Cain. Then Saturday evening at 6:00pm, awards will be given for best of class in the aircraft judging, and air race winners. Crew rest will begin and the smells of Texas steak cooking at the airport will begin. Music will be by Tim Bosley and an evening of tall pilot tails told from other pilots, in other towns, and states will begin. A power point presentation of the day's highlights will be looped and displayed after dark. Other very special effects are also in store that evening. Much more is in the works, but this will give you an idea of what is in store for this spectacular day in aviation. Our chapter is small and your participation is greatly needed. DON'T MISS IT! ~ Gray ~
Keep the Breakfast Alive! By Charlotte Rhodes As most of you know, we will have only a light breakfast this Saturday due to the Hanger meeting. In September there will be no breakfast as most of us will be busy preparing for AirFest. I would like to thank everyone for hanging around after the previous breakfasts to help clean up, it sure makes the cooks' jobs easier and makes us feel appreciated. In October we will have breakfast and set-up the Friday evening before. We had only three people doing set-up for the last breakfast and quite frankly that is not enough considering our growing chapter. I know it seems a waste of time to come out on a Friday evening for a half hour or so to set-up but it is necessary if we want to continue having breakfasts. Believe me your efforts do not go unnoticed. ~ Charlotte ~
Notable Quotes
"You haven't seen a tree until you've seen its shadow from the sky". Amelia Earhart
Oshkosh By-Gosh By Charlotte Rhodes
Being a new pilot, I would like to share a bit of my Oshkosh adventure with everyone. It is a bit long so please bear with me. Lew and I left out of here on Saturday morning in Don Bledsoe's Citabria. We planned to fly along with Tim and his nephew, Joseph, to Kirksville that day. We were all ready for departure at 17R on the east side and on the west side, Dave Martin called ready in Chris's Pacer, he was departing to the east. At Dave's request, he joined up for a three ship departure and off we went. Dave flew with us for a bit and then had to go on his way wishing us a safe trip and good time. We did miss you this year, Dave. I was flying the first leg to Bartlesville (BVO) and was learning to use a GPS on the way. Tim and Joseph were my wingmen. We called Wichita Falls for flight following thru their airspace and got to get a mighty good look at a Duchess as it passed, I swear, 40-50 feet off our left wing. Traffic was called to us and we saw it but the traffic was not doing what the controller said it was. I maneuvered to avoid traffic, or so I thought, but the Duchess countered my every move. I don't know if they ever saw us or not. We landed in BVO with a bounce or two or three, fueled up, did a little maintenance, ate lunch and off we go again. Lew got us safely to Kirksville where we met Gray, Sam, Steve and his daughter Amanda. After a good nights sleep, we all headed out non-stop to Oshkosh. This again was my leg. As we approached Ripon to start the arrival procedure, you begin seeing aircraft everywhere, I had a red/white Cessna below to my left and that is who I picked to follow. I remember Lew saying to Tim, "Tim you are on your own." I got over the railroad tracks following the Cessna and over the top of me come three aircraft. I tried to slow even more to put space between us but that caused me to lose altitude, I tried to get in front of them but that didn't work either. I told Lew this was not going to work and he said do a 360 (little did I know Tim was still behind us and followed us in the 360). I started a turn to the left, there were aircraft out to the right also, paralleled the arrival until I found a hole to tuck into and here we go again. This time I was following a bonanza. At Fisk we got our runway assignment and acknowledged by rocking the wings. On downwind/base to 27, I noticed the bonanza continuing out over the water and remember thinking I don't want to go out that far. The next thing I know the controller is telling me to turn base. I start the turn and descent thinking I am going to be too high now for the approach end. Then the controller told me to land on the green dot halfway down the runway and I thanked him all the way down. Another bounce landing but we made it safely. We all ended up parking pretty close together and after a hearty "yeah we made it", we proceeded to make camp. Everyone had a great time! White Knight and SpaceShipOne, GlobalFlyer, Glacier Girl, more aircraft, exhibits, airshows, flybys, thunderstorms, water in your tent, 50 degree nights, heat, humidity, you name it, it was there. The departure was my leg to fly. It was fairly uneventful, other than a long taxi to 36L due to a fuel spill on 27 and once at 36L both L and R briefly shut down due to an accident. Once airborne, we saw a bird dog with its nose and wing in the ground and tail high between the runways. Tim caught up with us right before Kirksville and we stopped for fuel and lunch. We had decided to stay overnight in BVO on this leg and on the taxi out we started having radio problems so Tim took lead. After we were airborne a few minutes Lew decided to turn the radio off, too much noise. He had a handheld which he plugged in and was able to talk to Tim. It was a quiet ride since the intercom was gone to. The next morning I followed Tim out, still with no radio winds light and variable. Tim departed and I started my roll when I thought there was a safe distance between us. Let me just say this, I now know what it is like to get caught in someone's prop wash, and remember no radio, no intercom and behind the airplane. I got my 8 second ride and I don't want to do another. This was a seeming long leg for me since I was brooding over that departure. We didn't want to stop again unless we absolutely had to and the forces just happened to be with us. We got back that following Friday afternoon, I had a much better landing and after shutting down, Lew and I had a debrief on the adventures of prop wash, cloud types and what to expect around them, mixture leaning and staying high on the approach just in case you do run out of fuel. Needless to say, I learned quite a bit on this trip and even with a few harrowing seconds here and there, I would do it again in a heartbeat hoping some of this trip added to my skills. Thanks to all for you for your patience, for looking out for me, your advice but most of all your friendship. Oshkosh 2007, you've got to be there!
Bob Couch Family Sends Thanks A couple of months ago, the family of Bob Couch sent a "thank you" card to Don Bledsoe. Don felt that the card should be shared with all the 471 members. Below is the text contained in the card: Don, On behalf of mom & all of us... Thank you for everything. Dad was so lucky to have you & the rest of the airport guys as friends. He was a grumpy old cuss, but ya'll took him with a grain of salt & he really loved you guys. He thought it was so funny when you said something about "that old son of a bitch, dragging his oxygen bottle around the table, still kicked my ass in pool."
You guys kept him active & alive all the way to the end, and for that, I sincerely thank you! Cherish the memories and know he worshipped you. Love, Karen **** August Breakfast Set for the 13th
Chapter 471 will hold its monthly breakfast at 9:00am on Saturday, August 13th in Hangar 3.
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Then, to top it all, there's Charlotte Rhodes in yet another picture. There she was, checking out the famed P-38, Glacier Girl.
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