EAA Chapter 430 Newsletter, December 2020
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Serving the Port Angeles & Sequim Area EAA 430 FLYER DECEMBER 2020 Dedicated to having fun with airplanes and promoting General Aviation Here we are in December. The time of year where there are many holidays. For some of us we say, Happy Hanukah, Merry Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas or the all-inclusive HOLIDAY GREETINGS. It matters not what we say but that we are wishing someone the very best at this time. Good will and peace on earth, the Golden Rule and love your neighbor like yourself are not mere sayings but rather a way of life. Let us go forward with a kind word for all those we meet, not for just this season but from now on. We have encountered too much strife, name-calling and bitterness about “my widget is better than yours” or “my candidate is xyz.” Time to come together and act differently. It is also time for the membership to join the chapter board of directors for the good of the chapter. We need each of you to pick up a piece of the chapter load in lifting this chapter to its full potential. I see this chapter as a beacon for young people and advancing aviation right here on the Peninsula. This coming year is going to be challenging as we continue to fight an invisible opponent while trying to maintain some semblance of social awareness. It is a challenge we will overcome. In the short-term, please be well and stay safe. Wishing you all a very Happy Hanukah / Merry Kwanzaa / Merry Christmas and HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
P a g e 2 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R IN THIS ISSUE Page Chapter Chatter (Ken Brown) 1 Calendar of Events 2 Update on RC Sim program 2 Aviation From My Rocking Chair 3-4 December Fly-out 5 End of the Year Dues Blues 6 Monthly Zoom Gathering Minutes 7-8 VMC Club (Ray Ballantyne) 9 Board & Directors 9 DECEMBER 2020 VMC Club Meeting December 9 2nd Wednesday of the Month ZOOM MEETING EAA Chapter 430 Board Meeting December 18 9:00 am ZOOM MEETING EAA Chapter 430 Chapter Gathering December 26 10:00 ZOOM MEETING AL with CJ on the SIM and flying the RC. Al’s comment: “He is a natural! “ UPDATE ON RC SIMULATOR PROGRAM CJ and Al CJ on the simulator CJ flying the RC The presentation at our December 26th Gathering will be a Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. This is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. It is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individ- uals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as “Master Pilots.”
P a g e 3 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R Aviation From My Rocking Chair By Rick Vaux SUMMER 1973 As can be seen by the heading I have chosen, I want this column to be a mixture of Aviation History, Aircraft Construction, Maintenance, and Musings from my favorite rocking chair. For this last month of a troubled year, I am proposing we tell stories of past and present experiences both flying and fixing we have had. I know full well how these Sea Stories usually go so…there should be some rules:
- An Air Vehicle must at least be mentioned in the story.
- Must be in First person (i.e. friends or relatives may be included, but the story is yours.)
- Must be based on a true story. However it need not be entirely accurate ( no fish will be weighed.)
- No Surnames allowed and all witnesses will be protected.
- No Politics! Since this is my idea, I guess I should be first up, so join me. It’s late July, 1973. GIB and I are parked on a small hill, next to a dirt crossroad, in rolling grasslands about 10 miles NE of Baker (now Baker City) Oregon. The North leg of the crossroad goes down our little hill and about half a mile away sits the only buildings I can see. They include a lopsided barn and what looks like an abandoned farmhouse except for an old pickup in front and a tended garden in back. Before I get further into my tale, I need to introduce you to my to my service truck I named GIB. He’s a big, white Ford 700 with a large steel box behind the cab for parts and tools. Aft of that is a 1200 gal. JET A fuel tank, and finally, there is a large cage for two 300 gal. water buckets. We have been chasing a Sikorsky S-55T (H-19 with a turbine conversion) all over Utah, Oregon, and Idaho on a USFS fire contract. As most of Y’all remember, there was no GPS, no Smart phones, no PCs, and the only radio communications I had was with the Forest Service ground grid. All of our ground and air navigation was done with Sectionals, USGS Contour maps, and Service station road maps. That’s probably why GIB was big, and white, as we were easily seen from the air. I had been sitting in the truck’s shadow, trying to stay out of the 89 degree sun for about 2 ½ hours when Rex (our pilot) found us. I refueled the helicopter, fixed a frayed wire on a bucket dump switch, and was released to the motel so we could leave for Thompson Falls, MT the next morning. I was feeling pretty uncomfortable, being soaked with sweat and now covered with dust from the aircraft land- ing and taking off, so as I rolled up the fuel hose and put away my tools, I was not a happy camper. I was just about to climb into GIB’s cockpit when I saw an old Chevy pickup come up the road and park in front of me. Out stepped twin 86-year-old farmers and introduced themselves as Tom and John. As we shook hands, John said, “You look like you could use some lemonade. Come on down to the house and rest a little.” I thanked them and climbed into the Chevy for a short ride to their farm. (continued on next page)
P a g e 4 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R (continued from previous page) Sitting under the grape arbor and drinking a tall glass of lemonade, the brothers asked me about the helicop- ter, and what we had been doing in the area, but soon, the conversation turned to stories of their youth. They were born in Cascade, MT in June of 1887, and loved to play along the banks of the Missouri River. They seemed to delight in each others company and finished each others sentences like an old, married couple. I had been with the brothers an hour, when I mentioned it was about time for me to return to the motel when Tom (I think) asked if I would like to see the inside of the house. As the sun was still quite high, and my packing wouldn’t take long, I said “sure” and followed them in. The house was very clean with faded white walls. It had two bedrooms, one bath, and a HUGE kitchen and parlor. They had electricity, but every room had at least one oil lamp. In the kitchen, there was a large, white, wood burning porcelain stove with pol- ished nickel trim which I mentioned was just beautiful. John said, “If you like that one, look at this.” He pulled a huge oilskin cover off of a brand new 1928 wood burning stove. It was 7 feet high, royal blue porcelain with polished nickle trim and legs. The grills were oiled and there wasn’t a spot of rust on it. It had been bought for their mother and she died before she could use it. The brothers simply put a cover over it and preserved it. After the amazing kitchen, the parlor was a lot more subdued. There were two armchairs, a couch, a couple side tables, and a large stone fireplace. It was clean and looked comfortable, but I think the brothers noticed I was getting a little restless…until Tom asked me if I had ever heard of Charlie Russell? Rather stunned I said, “You mean Charles Russell, the western painter?” John said, “Yep, that’s ole’ Charlie. When we were kids playing on the river bank, we would often see him painting there or at his studio in town. Sometimes he would give us sketches or drawings. He seemed to like kids. Don’t know if our mother was aware if how well known he was, but she made us save all those drawings.” John walked to a side table, lifted a rock and oilcloth cover off of a wooden box, and opened it. I have never been able to fully explain how I felt looking into that box. Inside were scraps of paper, sheets of paper, and a wood shingle, all with sketches, ink drawings, and 2 watercolors. There were studies of cowboys, native Americans, horses, bison and mountains that I was told surround Cascade, all given to twin, young brothers by Charles (Charlie) Russell. Some were signed, some not, but, there was no mistaking the artist. I was instantly aware of two things; that I was looking at a treasure, and if anyone found out about it, my new friends could be in grave danger. As gently as I could I asked the brothers if they had anyone looking in on them and to my relief they said that a nephew in town checked on them weekly. With that, the wonderful gentlemen took me back to GIB, said goodbye, and went back to their farm. What an amazing afternoon. The next morning I packed ol’ GIB, destroyed all my maps and notes from the day before, and headed out for Thompson Falls. That will need to be a story for another day. Rick
P a g e 5 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R Fly-out to Darrington December 2 was our group flyout to Darrington (1S2). The skies were clear, winds calm, and the mountains were beautiful. Thirteen people (seven airplanes) made this trip. Most of us walked to the Burger Barn. It was a ten minute walk with beautiful scenery. Thanks to all those who participated. Barry Halsted
P a g e 5 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R End of the Year Dues Blues By Ray Ballantyne As 2020 comes to a close (thank goodness), it is now time for the holidays (but we can’t get together), a time of gift giving (but we still can’t get together), and a time of year-end dues, taxes, subscriptions, registrations, charities, and the list goes on. So, I don’t think it is unusual for people to get a little tired of funding subscriptions/dues for multiple aviation organizations. My own renewals include AOPA, EAA, WPA, RAF, EAA 430, Port Townsend Aero Museum, and the GlaStar group (my type club). While there’s no question everyone gets a lot of requests for money this time of year, every one of those organizations that I support does something unique for aviation. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) does a great job representing General Aviation at the high- est national levels while still advocating for individual members. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) represents those building and flying experimental category aircraft. They support the local chapters where we interact with fellow members. The Washington Pilots Association (WPA) advocates for its members in the Washington state legislature. They are currently working on the Community Aviation Revitalization Board which would provide loans to certain public use airports. There is also a bill redirecting 1% of the aviation tax from the general fund to the WSDOT grant program. They have also secured significant savings for members at 13 businesses including Aircraft Spruce. Although the Clallam County Pilots Association is not actively meeting, the President, David Miller, regularly communicates with Port Angeles Fairchild International Airport (KCLM) management and offers suggestions and comments on proposals for change. The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to preserving and im- proving airfields. They are especially effective at preserving back country airfields by working collaboratively with state and federal policy makers of public lands. The Port Townsend Aero Museum/youth program conducts restoration of classic aircraft by teens interested in aviation. What’s not to like? I can get behind that. And lastly, aircraft type clubs are fun, educational, and can save you a lot of money. Frankly, there is some overlap between organizations. Every one of them offers aviation education. Is that a bad thing? But they also can work together: The FAA announced earlier this year that they were planning on removing from the charts all airfields that did not respond to their letter for an update. AOPA asked for the list of non-responsive airfields. RAF offered to make personal contact with all the non-responsive airports across the country. RAF volunteers made efforts to communicate with airport managers nationwide either by telephone or mail. Many airfields were kept on the charts by this effort. So, just because all the costs show up in one month, let’s not get weary of supporting organizations that work to keep us flying, and preserve the amazing freedom we have to fly in America. Truly, the amount of money involved to support these organizations is small, considering the many benefits they provide. Besides that, if you renew or join the WPA (CCPA) you will be entered in a drawing to win “the Best Damn Chocks on the Air- port.” These chocks are cast from aircraft pistons and feature your N-number on the front. Ray
P a g e 7 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R EAA Chapter 430 Monthly Zoom Gathering Minutes November 28, 2020 Date: November 28, 2020 ZOOM meeting. At 1007 President Ken Brown called the meeting of 14 zoomers to order. Ken mentioned that on Nov. 9, 1972 our chapter was established and has thrived for 48 years. Approved Minutes: The minutes of October 31,2020 were approved. Financial Status: Total funds $9,955 Scholarship: 6,328 General Funds: $2432 Correspondence: WA Covid-19 Phase II continues Board of Directors Report: Ken said the chapter is solvent and the scholarship fund had several donations from Donna and Trent’s mini plane sale, Costco, Denny Donovan, and the Clallam County Pilot’s Association. Election Results: 38 ballots which constitutes a quorum. The Vice President was a write in as Rick Vaux. No programs Chair volunteers were found. No nominations from the floor, so the officers and directors were ap- proved as presented: President: Ken Brown, Vice President: Rick Vaux, Secretary: Ray Ballantyne, Treasurer: Skip Brown. Class II directors- Build’n’fly: Al Gross, Flyout: Barry Halsted, Membership: Madeline Patterson, Newsletter: Skip Brown, Scholarship: Dave Miller, Tool Crib: Ted Smith, VMC: Ray Ballantyne, Web wrangler: Andy Sallee, Young Eagles: Bud Davies. Chapter Projects: Build-n-Fly: Al Gross is excited to report the R/C simulator and flight instruction program is going great. Each one-on-one session takes two hours and is split between flying the simulator and flying the RC airplane with Al on a buddy box. He walks both the parent and Young Eagle through both sessions. There have been great reviews by the first two YE’s and another is waiting to be scheduled. He is waiting for good conditions for the next student. He is working on “next steps” for the students to continue RC flying which will go on our FaceBook page (which is managed by Tracy Boulton-thanks!). Projects: Ernie Hansen reports the experimental Cub is finished! Yea! Finished after 5 years. Ray Ballantyne reported he is sending his O-320 to LyCon to get an overhaul and power boost. Ernie and Barry helped him take the engine off. Young Eagles has purchased a VHF Handheld with YE year end credits which Ken demonstrated the new radio. (Continued on next page)
Presentation: Captain Chrystal Stout presented Micro Meteorology on the Olympic Peninsula. She recently went to LAS to provide hot air balloon rides to Veterans and children with disabilities. She then entered and won the Ms Sen- ior United States pageant! She is in her 36th year of being an Aviatrix. She then described how she forecasts the local weather. Ublastvalve.com, airnet.com, Storm Radar app, deep weather app, forecast.weather.gov, Aeroweather app, and Windy app are sone of her tools. She also discussed upslope/downslope conditions, cloud types, turbulence/windshear, frontal activity, and fog. She then described how to do “contour” flying. Her stories were very entertaining, and her presentation was highly informative. Last informal fly-out for the year is scheduled for Wednesday December 2 at Darrington, WA. The meeting concluded at 11:13 a.m. Respectfully Submitted, Ray Ballantyne, Secretary P a g e 8 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R What is AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that Ama- zonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. You can choose from over one million organizations to support. How do I activate AmazonSmile on my Amazon Shopping app? AmazonSmile customers on Android devices with version 5.0+ or iOS devices with version 12+, who have up- graded to the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app can find “AmazonSmile” listed in the Settings menu. From there, you can follow onboarding instructions to activate AmazonSmile on your device. Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations? Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible. Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile? Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile.
P a g e 9 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R 2020 BOARD AND OFFICERS Chapter Phone Toll free 877-EAA-0430 (877-322-0430) Position Name Phone Ext Email Address President Ken Brown 1 president@eaa430.org Vice-President Rick Vaux 2 vicepresident@eaa430.org Secretary Ray Ballantyne 3 secretary@eaa430.org Treasurer Skip Brown 4 treasurer@eaa430.org Class II Directors Build-n-Fly Al Gross build-n-fly@eaa430.org Programs No Candidate 5 programs@eaa430.org Membership Madelaine Patterson 6 membership@eaa430.org Newsletter Skip Brown 7 newsletter@eaa430.org Scholarship David Miller 8 scholarship@eaa430.org Tool Crib Ted Smith toolcrib@eaa430.org Young Eagles Bud Davies 9 youngeagles@eaa430.org Web Editor Andy Sallee webeditor@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Harry Cook techhc@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Barry Halstead techbh@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Ernie Hansen techeh@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Rick Vaux techrv@eaa430.org WHAT: VMC - Visual Meteorological Conditions (flying VFR - visual flight rules) Discussions involving flying airplanes visually led by Ray Ballantyne WHERE: ZOOM Meeting WHEN: 2nd Wednesday of the month starting at 7:00 pm. WHO: Anyone interested in flying is welcome to attend. It is a great place to meet new people and have some fun! WHY: The one hour meetings use real-world scenarios to engage members and allow a free exchange of information that improves awareness and skills. Designed to provide organized “hangar flying” focused on building proficiency in VFR flying. We hope to create a community of aviators willing to share practical knowledge, nurture communication, improve safety and build proficiency.
EAA Chapter 430