Winter Haven, Florida (rwripper@verizon.net)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NEXT Board Meeting-this Fall

President--Tom Olson; Vice President -- Luke Bowman;

Treasurer--Warren Krabbe; Secretary----------Ray Mallette

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Double WOW!! Saw Walt Dix's freshly striped Fairchild. The red now has a cream stripe on fuselage sides and nose ring. Looks very good. Karl Johnson was seen trying "wheelies" and blasting out music on his new scooter. The noise still has a way to go to match today's boom boxes <G>.

While in my initial solo flight training back in '66, I had a door pop open during a base to final turn in St. Louis. That memory has always stayed with me and I always check the canopy on the Zodiac. However a bright idea from several years ago was to remove the side canopy seals to get a little more cooling during the hot Florida days. Today it bit me as my long sleeved shirt, worn for skin cancer protection, was unbuttoned at the throttle wrist and got sucked out during final. Of course that was poor timing, and created a quick heart rate change and tearing the button off for my wife to re-sew later <G>.

Things appear to have slowed down at GIF and with going my kids cabin at Beech Mountain, the Newsletter lacks for items. Snowbird stories accepted <G>.

Ms. Conner of the City expects the new FBO to be open in September. Currently finding a restaurant operator. The new hangers out back are almost complete and curious of the rental costs and waiting list. That egg-shaped LSA on the flight line is not currently available for rent. I thought it might be fun for taking a BFR…

Questions for Thought: Who is willing to step up and volunteer this December for a position? Is it time for 229 to dissolve? Does 229 even have a mission anymore? Is 229 just for a few coffee drinkers?

What is the average age of members?

It appears non-Ethanol added mo-gas is no longer available off airport. Fortunately Richard Parrish may have ethanol-free available at a slightly higher price…

Steve Megil had an interesting story about his visit to Washington, DC for the WW2 Memorial and the big Aviation Museum . The trip involved staying 3 blocks from the Capitol for under $200/night, using public buses and taking an Amtrack roomette. Steve's son provided a gift certificate for a 172 flight at the FBO school. Steve invited "Joe" along.

As long as I'm asking <G>; since fuel/insurance/maintenance/hanger/etc and compliance with FAA are increasing costs and effort, I find myself thinking about the "simpler" days of the early ultra lights (pre-Sport Pilot and LSA).

Does anyone want to participate in a little email discussion regarding their early experiences and/or thoughts on cheaply/safely construction of whatever UL pops up?

In the mean time and to stimulate you, I was thinking of a low powered, foldable, bi-plane, Rigallo (sp) triangular wing with single glider-like center wheel and tip skids for launching/landing. Use of alternative materials might be considered even if not long time lasting. IE: An old Sport Aviation article talked of a string reinforced plastic sheet further strengthened with criss-crossed duct tape. Various cardboard or corrugated skins have been mentioned over the years. At SNF one year, I noticed that putting 2 of those yellow plastic signs at right angles resulted in a remarkably strong sheet very resistant to twisting…..