Winter Haven, Florida rwripper@verizon.net
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NEXT Board Meeting-this Fall
NEXT GENERAL MEETING
-Saturday 10/04/08 9amPresident--Tom Olson; Vice President -- Luke Bowman;
Treasurer--Warren Krabbe; Secretary----------Ray Mallette
Web Site--Earle Richardson
www.eaa229.org; Young Eagles & Tech Inspection----Mike Bauer (new phone 863-670-0385); Shop Foreman-----Dick Ripper; Membership Chairman--- OPEN----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsletter distribution is via email to each person, an electronic copy on the website and a paper copy on the hanger bulletin board. Target distribution is shortly before the monthly First Saturday meeting. The Newsletter is just
fact, fiction, rumor, a mistake or opinion <G>.Things at GIF appear pretty slow. Seems like fewer planes tied down out on the line. Probably the heat and fuel costs. Update: A FAA inspection said no broken down airplanes are allowed on the flight line. Walt Dix said his 1939 ride is pretty costly nowadays to just go for a lunch but the WHPA continues twice weekly flights. Sometime auto trips are substituted if wx prohibits. They have a very good club.. The new hangers out back are currently under construction and the new FBO is rapidly approaching completion now targeted for the end of July.
Kate Gilbert continues working on her project and recently downloaded a "flying" program for the Viggen on MS Flight Simulator.
Duke Bledsoe continues to work on his plane and is leaving for North Carolina very soon. Enjoy the cool <G>. Duke donated a canopy (which he was given by Grover Summers) to the 601 Project inside the hanger. Tommy Robinson identified the canopy as from a former GIF Q2. The 601 builders, Ray Mallette and Warren Krabbe, are on vacation in Alabama and the Keys. I met Walt Lachney and son inside the 229 hanger recently. He has an experimental Excaliber inside Gene Wooley's hanger. I finally got the Corvair engine mounted on my Mustang to fire. Hurrah <G>.
Thanks to the Airport committee, run up areas have been designated and marked by signs to eliminate long waits on the taxi ways. Derrell Brown apparently is undertaking another project. He had a Cessna 150 outside his hanger. His recently completed, military painted theme Cub had a "Lori B" honoring his wife on the fuselage.
Later in the month I saw it going out the gate on a trailer.. Derrell also advised it was Dennis Cochan that gave the spin ride to Ed Rice in the "Lori B" Cub. Think I misreported that in the last month or so…
Newly appointed GIF coordinator <G>, Jack Doke says "FRIDAY JUNE 13, I STOPPED IN TO SEE MS CONNORS , THE AIRPORT MANAGER AND TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR PAINT AND ETC TO REDO THE COMPASS ROSE. SHE SAID THAT SHE HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE CITY ABOUT HER REQUEST FOR THE PAINT AND SHE SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN SHE WOULD. THAT BEING SAID I TOLD HER THAT I THINK WE SHOULD HOLD OFF PAINTING THE ROSE TILL SOMETIME LATE SEPT. OR OCT. SINCE THE WEATHER NOW IS TURNING HOT, AND THE RAINEY SEASON IS UPON US.
SHE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AND GET THE PAINT AND SHE WILL LET JACK KNOW WHEN IT COMES IN".Another nail in the coffin <G>. Have been noticing that all local gas stations now have that "up to 30% Ethanol" sticker posted on the pumps. Being now more aware of the concerns regarding ethanol use in planes: vapor lock, fuel system corrosion, rubber/composite deterioration, water, sediment, etc; I tried to determine a course of action using mo-gas. Found that EAA recommends no more than 1% while Phil Lockwood states Rotax recommends no more than 5% if fresh, etc, etc, etc. If anyone is addressing this, I would really appreciate some conversation.
In the worst case, possibly the approach will be: continue preflight gascolator check for debris and water from header tank and sump the wing tanks; only use fresh mo-gas and check for ethanol content after thoroughly shaking/mixing the container/gas can ; increase gascolator filter inspection/cleaning frequency; determine if any filter exists inside the M-S carb that should be checked and how often; keep fuel tanks empty when plane is stored. Based on my use of the EAA Alcohol Tester Kit, I'll let any fuel added to the tanks set about 10 minutes before sumping so the water has time to separate I do wonder if a whole tank separates that quickly. For the certified folks, there was a lot of info on using ethanol and the effect on STC's for mo-gas. Apparently the STC doesn't allow ethanol as currently written.
Recently Mark Browns hanger lock was cut and all his tools, a fan and a small refrigerator stolen. BTW, news contributions are always welcome here.