++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NEXT GENERAL MEETING-Saturday 1/03/09 9am

Earle Richardson--229 Web Site www.eaa229.org;

[[Although writing the Newsletter about members, projects and air stuff was very enjoyable, the constant criticism of the shop by a vocal minority coupled with a general volunteer apathy was exhausting , hence the need for new persons to step forward…]]

Shop stats as of 12.08.08: Income of both $112 profit from soda/coffee fund plus purchase of the old bandsaw for $50 went to Treasurer Krabbe. Shop maintenance expenses over last year: $28 welding gas, $14 sanding belts, $5 electric switch. Member Walter Lachney volunteered recently to clear up the remaining "open" shop discrepancy list items. Since few persons have complied with the reinstated, member-requested Hanger Sign-in sheet, it has been discontinued again. IMO it is hard to justify the last 12 months hanger electric/rent expense of nearly $4000 based on the limited usage by a few coffee drinkers and even less "builders". The only record remaining of "borrowed" tools being out are : M. Bauer has wing stands, K. Gilbert has engine hoist. The "loaned" video log shows some still out.

Moving on: Another year has passed and Thanks again to Earle Richardson for maintaining the 229 Website www.eaa229.org (at his own expense) and the few others that donated time, effort, etc. Persons are encouraged to check the Members Page to ensure their information is correct..

Recent news said "texting" surpassed cell phone conversations for the first time back in the third quarter of 2007. Now you know what all those heads-down-drivers are doing instead of paying attention to the road <G>. It was noted in FAA stats that in the 1980 to 2007 period, the number of pilots went down from 827,000 to 624,000, of which private pilots went from 357,000 to 228,000. EAA reports membership at 170,000 .

The Lakeland Ledger recently picked up a Los Angles Times article [Kids Learn How Cool It Is to Fly Airplanes] referencing the Young Eagles program (EAA reports 1.4 million todate) .Unfortunately it mentioned a "near vertical takeoff in a little acrobatic plane", being "momentarily weightless", "dives", and "low-level passes". Anyone wonder what message is being conveyed here? I was unaware that any Young Eagle flight deviated from the "flying your grandmother for her first" mode…

An interesting article in the Dec 2008 issue of EAA Sport Pilot & Light-Sport Aircraft titled "Flying for Pleasure in Spain" written by a Rans Coyote 2 builder follows….

[[Today in Spain, having a simple weekend flight with a friend is complicated. Let me tell you about a typical weekend flight. If I want to take someone for a flight, I have to gather his or her identification details, such as name and two surnames (in Spain we use the father's family name and the mother's) and the national identity number (or passport number for non-Spaniard). I must then fax that information to airport security, along with flight details, for screening by the Civil Guard (one of the police forces in Spain that is in charge of airport security). This has to be done at least 24 hours before the flight. The security office (where the fax arrives) closes between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning, so if you want to fly on a Sunday evening you might encounter problems. When you get to the airport gate, you show your id (I have a renewable one issued by airport security that expires every two years) and two types of guards screen you, a private airport contracted security force and the Civil Guards mentioned earlier. Civil guards can check your car and x-ray your belongings, although you can take tools inside. I am fortunate to be able to take my car inside the airport grounds because I belong to the local air club, which has 10 parking cards. After this checkpoint I can drive to the air club building and park there. To be able to get to the "air zone" you must wear reflective vest that must be carried in your car, to access that zone you need to clear a remotely operated gate by identifying yourself through an intercom and camera with your access card numbers (yours and passenger's temporary one). Once you are in the area of the planes, you need to make a flight plan, stating your aircraft type, instrumentation, departure time, alternatives, fuel on board, etc. This can be done via a computer terminal at some airports, but in our air club we need to do this by fax. Immediately after faxing, you have to confirm with operations that it was received, and this confirmation has to be made at least a half hour before departure. To get fuel you must telephone the fuel company to bring the truck to your plane, and sometimes this takes a long time. Many times we have to ask the ground controllers to call them because they don't answer at the office. In my case, I use a Rotax engine that prefers 95 octane fuel, so I take it the airport in my car. Apart from the air club hanger, there are no more available hangers. I have to leave the airplane in a slot on the tarmac, and I'm charged (about $1.24 U.S. at time of publication). Every flight has an operations tax; in my case it's $16.20 U.S. If you want to build a hanger, you must apply for permission, pay for it and then give it to the Spanish State company that owns all public airports (for no compensation) after five years! Fuel is more expensive. To give an example, our Cessna 182 rents to its member-owners for $180 per hour. Where I'm based a transponder isn't necessarily mandatory, but I had to install one anyway. You need one to enter the Madrid, Barcelona and Galicia terminal control areas, and the controllers get very nervous when they don't know exactly where you are. Apart from all this, the flight itself is like flying in any other part of the world, wonderful and magical.]]

Perhaps some time Peter Davis can tell about flying in England.

The new GIF Terminal building officially opened on 12/09/08. The Ledger Newspaper article said that the annual 80,000 landings (that's 219 per day <G>) were primarily due to corporate jets and the Flight School. No mention of General Aviation's contribution.. A couple of helicopters and the simulator from Lakeland airport have relocated their operations to GIF per 229 member Steve Alcorn. Unfortunately they do kick up a lot of dust by hanger row #50. Jim Beisner said 7-8 guys expressed interest in doing a flying club plane project in the 229 hanger and have agreed it would be electric start, 2 side by side, high wing and a LSA. Currently research is underway and they meet on Saturdays. The GIF branch <G> of Van's Air Forces continues to grow with new members Bob Gerber building a RV-7 and Bob McCarty of Lakeland building a RV-12 as well as a member wanting to remain anonymous while building a RV-12 at his nearby house. Purportedly, retiring President Tom Olson requested sending a letter to sole-owner Ray Mallette regarding his 601 project in 229. His lack of progress since seeking employment in the panhandle, dissolution of his agreement with his helper and the inability of 229 to determine a legal course of action and/or charges is one of the reasons for the long delay in resolving this issue. After having lunch at the new Terminal building with Earle Richardson, Luke Bowman, Warren Krabbe, Duke Bledsoe & Jim Beisner, I had forgotten how enjoyable conversation limited to airplanes and flying could be without sniping and bickering. Noteworthy: Ms CarolAnn Garrett took off from Orlando in mid-December for another "Around the World" flight for ALS. Remember she gave a speech at 229.