I really enjoy the new monthly meeting format with Pancake Breakfast, Young (and older!) Eagles flights, and more.  I hope everyone else does, too.

We had a great turnout.  I counted 75 in attendance, including at least 7 guests.  Plenty of folks showed up at 7:00 am to begin preparations.  It’s pretty awesome that so many just jump right in to set up tables and chairs, cook, mix batter, bring and serve snacks and drinks, brew coffee, and clean up.  Thanks!   We served something like 46 breakfasts, flew 2 Young Eagles (maybe more?), and followed up with some very interesting and informative discussions and presentations.

Safety – Geese Infestation – Everyone please be alert to the flock of 20 or so mostly Egyptian Geese that have taken up residence along the runway and north thru the Nutcracker driving range.  The Airport Committee has discussed this problem with the Airport Manager (Bobby White) and PPOA Maintenance Supervisor (Daniel Van Patten) who are looking into various options to take care of the problem.  Egyptian Geese are considered a pest and have become a serious problem throughout various parts of the world.

Projects – Please send me pictures and updates.  I would love to get a Projects Page restarted on our website.  Toby Pechanec, Doug Greene, and Dick Keyt offered updates on their current projects.  The rest of us with active build/restore projects were silent.

Dick Stultz and the F-106 – I’m sure I’ve got some of this wrong, but my takeaway was that while the Six was a very capable and formidable fighter, it could be a real handful to fly.  Proper management of the rather complex fuel system was critical.  While Air Force pilots were officially supposed to remain below 50,000 ft and Mach 1.8, Dick flew it up to Mach 2.21 and over 55,000 ft, and he knows of pilots who went even higher on occasion.  They were not equipped with pressure suits.  Skin temperature was a limiting factor at high speed, and in the event of a flameout, engine restart was possible only below 18,000 ft.

ADS-B – Look for more in a follow up posting.  Thanks to Dave Smith for stepping up to present due to Ed Askins unexpected travel.  Bottom line is that if you plan to fly anywhere a transponder is required (some details differ) after 31 December 2019, your airplane will have to be ADS-B OUT equipped.  Go to this ADS-B Airspace page on the AOPA website for a plain-english description.

Hal and Rita Gossett Hangar Party – Be sure to get there if you can on Saturday, 23 February, 2-10pm (Dang it –  we’ll be out of town.).  It’s BYOB and Potluck, and Hal is bringing in the Tommy Hooker Band for country and western dancing from 5-8 pm at 9304 King Air Dr, The Landings Airport (66TE).  Ought to be a lot of fun!

Our Facilities – Just keep getting better.  We have enlarged the concrete pad to make it easier to move airplanes around.  When the landscaping is finished, aircraft will be able to taxi on/off using the concrete ramp or directly via the turf east of the ramp where it will be relatively flatter.  Bob Butt fabricated a cover for the Griddle (reminder – don’t sit stuff on top of the griddle, since it cannot carry much weight).  Many thanks to the crew who mounted the TV to the wall.  And we have received donations that include an upright freezer and an air compressor.  Plans are to install some permanent pneumatic lines.  We also plan to install a hot water heater!

Please be sure to call or email Kliff Black whenever you need to borrow anything from the hangar – especially tables and chairs.  Also, please be sure to always access the hangar via Planeview Park (it’s looking great!!), since we the house driveway is reserved solely for use by our house tenant.  Our next meeting is Saturday, 9 March, with breakfast starting at 8am and the meeting at 10am.  Hope to see you there!