Chapter Newsletter April 2009
NEXT MEETING – TUESDAY APRIL 14, Hugh’s Vintage Museum, Hollister Airport, 7 pm SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER Margaret Watt, an airline pilot flying for America West Airlines. She holds a CFII Rating and she has been the official photographer for the Dago Red Unlimited Racing Team for over ten years. She will be showing some of the outstanding video she produced of the 2008 Reno Event.
This is a program you will not want to miss so mark your calendar and note the change of location from the previous notice.
CHAPTER 1264 FLYOUT, April 4th to Half Moon Bay (KHAF) Depart Hollister at around 10 a.m. Rain date – April 11. This was suggested at our last meeting by Jay Skovbjerg. Great idea – let’s make it a fun day.
“JOKERS FLYING WILD” POKER RUN. EAA Chapter 90 located at Oakdale Airport (o27)will be having a poker run on April 11th. The event is sponsored by Wicks Aircraft and Aircraft Spruce with prizes awarded for best and worst hand, as well as door prizes, and a T-shirt will be included with the first hand purchased. Details can be found at WWW.eaa90.org or by calling Chapter Prez Kevin Benziger at 209-581-1791
LIGHT SPORT MATERIALS KIT Donated to Chapter. The Christavia Mk1 is a tube and fabric tandem two-seat that was designed for missionary work on unimproved strips. It can use 65 to 135 h.p. engines and has a gross wt. of 1300 lbs. The kit includes 6:00X6 tires, Cleveland wheels, brakes and master cylinders, and a Maule tail wheel. The kit was donated to the chapter by member Hans Erickson who has moved to Texas. Aircraft Spruce lists this materials kit at over $11,000.00 (with tax & shipping) and we are asking only $4,000.00. Starting at this low price a frugal builder could buy the fabric, paint, a good used engine and with some elbow grease and have a flying plane for around the retail price of the materials kit alone. Shipping wt. is 600 lbs. For more info check out our chapter website at http://www.eaahollister.org
HAA MEETING Thursday April 2nd 7 p.m. at the YMCA, 339 Fifth st.
Guest Speaker Andreas Hotea. Andreas is a Stearman pilot who will speak and show a DVD on formation flying in his bi-plane.
DAVIS OPEN HOUSE – The Friends of University Airport (EDU) will be holding their 7th annual Airport Open House on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. – 2p.m. with an array of planes and motor vehicles. To show your plane you are asked to arrive before 9 a.m.. A free lunch will be provided.
THIS FROM WATSONVILLE CHAPTER 119 – “We are trying this year to enhance the Fly-in part of the Watsonville Airshow. We have recognized the dissatisfaction many have expressed with the fly-in experience in the last few years. EAA 119 this year will be increasing our participation by having a free open hangar after we serve our pancake breakfast each morning. We are lining up some speakers and displays of interest to EAA members. We can’t change the prices charged to fly in but we can offer a free breakfast for those who stay over Saturday night, and we will have wi-fi and computer access for flight planning use. We have already lined up four or five speakers and are looking for more, and we welcome any suggestions. We will continue to have our hot dog stand, pancake breakfast, and aircraft judging as in the past. Also, in the past the airport has reduced the price for fuel pumped in the display area by $1 a gallon and we suspect that they will do so again. Please pass the word and send replies, suggestions and ideas to: Tom Hall, thail@sbcglobal.net or info@eaa119.org“
AIRPORT NEWS - As you can see by the equipment working on the airport, construction of the spray fields is well under way. But a new glitch has popped up – according to a newspaper article the impending rationing of agricultural water has farmers wanting this sewer plant water, and if the details can be worked out, the water intended for the airport would be diverted. On the plus side, the airport director reported that even if water is diverted from the airport and the Bermuda grass is periodically allowed to go brown, the city will still be paying the rent on the land.
CALFIRE LEASE – Looks like this will be on the April 7 City Council agenda. The proposed lease has some serious flaws and omissions that should be corrected, and the Advisory Commission has asked the airport director to make these objections know to the C C on the 7th. While the relationship between the airport and Calfire has always been very good, the same can’t be said of the Department of General Services that negotiates leases, and DGS or even the city may not want to negotiate any changes at this late date.
EARTHQUAKE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS – Director Mike Chambless has requested a list of volunteers from the EAA Chapter and the HAA who would be available to work at the airport in the event that our airport becomes a part of a major relief effort. These names would be part of the report going to the Office of Emergency Services. Members who have experience in ground operations at air shows and fly-in’s could provide valuable service in such emergencies. We will be sending out a registration form via email in the next week or two.
