WV FUNFLYERS

March 2005

Club Meeting

If you missed the March meeting, held at Curtis Pack’s clinic across from the airport, you missed some great stories from several members. Curtis sponsored a story telling competition for aviation related tales. Mickey Watson, John Bolton, Ed Waggoner, Kevin Pauley, Chuck Lewis, and Tom Davis participated, and Curtis even added one of his own, but not to be included in the competition. Ed’s tale of his first cross-country flight to Mason County, having a Cessna land under him while he was on final in the Pterodactyl, barely edged out John’s rather tall tale of a World War II PBY shoot down of a German submarine at 2000 feet. All were very entertaining and well told stories. Thanks to all for participating.

The April meeting will be held Saturday, April 2^nd, at the Leon airport, with lunch at 1:00, and meeting to follow. Please bring a covered dish or dessert, and soft drinks.

Don’t forget the May meeting will be our Spring Fly-In / Camp-In, with the model airplane contest for the kids, with a $20.00 prize for the winner.

Leon Stuff

It is an ongoing experience keeping an eye on the hangars at Leon, as aircraft changes owners, hangar spaces, and even colors. Mark Payne sold his T-Bird II, to a buyer in New Philadelphia, Ohio, and has returned the Spad replica to the airfield, sporting a new orange paint job. Mark still has some minor rigging to complete before it goes back into the air, but, it is looking good. Look for it soon in a sky near you.

Kevin Pauley has one wing completed and mounted on his MiniMax, and is nearing completion on the second one. The slight damage to the fuselage has long since been repaired, all this from his rather serious excursion into the trees at the southern end of the runway, last year. Kevin, fortunately, came through unscathed, with the wings taking the brunt of the damage. Look for the yellow, red and blue MiniMax soon, in a sky near you.

The weather is finally breaking, after a long dreary winter, and we are beginning to see a few nice flying days (between the spring rain days). Activity is picking up considerably at Leon. Don’t forget to thoroughly inspect your aircraft, paying special attention to the fuel system, fuel lines, etc., and perform any needed maintenance. Don’t take a chance on a brittle hose, rotten belt or gummy carburetor making you land somewhere you really don’t want to land.

Doc’s Ballooning Article and Forum

Curtis Pack (Doc) will have an article in an upcoming issue (April or May) of the EAA’s Experimenter magazine, about his homebuilt (home sewn??) hot air ballooning experiences. He will, also, once again be conducting the experimental hot air balloon forum at Oshkosh this year. If you attend Oshkosh (Airventure), be sure to attend Doc’s forum (date and time to be announced).

Sun-N-Fun

It is once again time for the Fly-In season to begin, starting with one of the largest, the annual Sun-N-Fun, in Lakeland, Florida, April 12-18. Many of our group make the yearly trip for one of the largest air shows in the world. It is of special interest for those interested in ultralight and experimental aircraft, but is hardly limited in scope to those. It features many various seminars and workshops, including hands on experience in many topics, including fabric covering, welding etc. In addition to all the manufacturers and commercial venders displaying their aircraft, avionics, pilot supplies, etc., there is a large flea market style area of parts, hardware, anything you can think of related to aviation. Of course, there is the acres of planes to look at, many homebuilts, antiques, war birds, etc. And then there is the daily air show of aerobatics and war birds, and of course the morning and evening flights of the ultra lights and ppc’s.

Upcoming Local Fly-In’s

June 4 Hale’s Landing Picnic, Elizabeth, WV 39-07, 81-23.5

June 18 Wings and Wheels, Ashland, Ky (DWU)

Fly-In and Car Show

July 25-31 Oshkosh (Airventure)

If you know dates or details of any other local (or semi-local) events, please send me the information so we can pass it on. Especially the ones WVFF normally attends en masse, such as Vinton County, Ohio, and Carroll County (Total Eclipse), Ohio

Send any articles, events, classified ads, etc……….

Ken Skeen, P.O. Box 128, Evans, WV 25241 304-372-5252 kskeen2@citynet.net 

For Sale:

Nice Hurricane, with new 582 (9 hours total), Electric Start, 17 gal wing tanks,

$8000.…. Or with low time 532 (15 hours since major overhaul by Airscrew Performance, of Arizona, $5900

Also, Fullotus Floats, $1500. Terry Fields old Mirage, $1500

Set of Ultralight Wings, $1000. Kolb Tail Section, $800

New set of Matco Hydraulic Brakes, Props, Instruments and many more Ultralight parts.

Earl McCoy 304-586-3169 

Rotec Rally 2B mid 80’s model in great shape with 430 Cuyuna Engine, 10 gallon seat tank, egt, cht, tiny tach. Fabric in good condition. Included also is 90% of another Rotec Rally 2B which includes all tubing, landing gear and 430 Cuyuna engine. Get all for $3000

Raine Beller 304-586-2948 skeetf250@aol.com 

Fisher 303 Project $1500 Kevin Pauley 304-926-8429 

Infinity Powered Parachute with T trailer and training to solo. Includes Ram Mounts for radio and GPS. $13,200 Doran Mitchell 304-727-8983