WV FUNFLYERS

October 2005

October Meeting / Chili Cookoff

At the October meeting, a chili cook off was held, a first for WVFF. Volunteer judges sampled all the entries, coming up with the following winners:

1st place…. Laura Jensen

2nd place… Curtis Pack

3rd place… Robin Shirley

4th place… Laura Jensen

Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks for everyone’s participation.

We were visited for the day by Tim O’leary, Bob Hospodar, and Rachael, from Herron Airport (7G1). Tim flew a Pitts S1-S, and Bob flew a J-3 Cub, both outstanding examples of the respective aircraft. Tim’s friend, Rachael, was a passenger in Bob’s Cub. They put on a “mini air show” as they departed for home in the afternoon.

November Meeting / Guys Feed the Gals

The next meeting, Saturday, November 5th, will be our annual “Guys Feed The Gals” lunch. The menu will be spaghetti and salad. Guys, bring your favorite sauce, bread, salad ingredients, etc., for the 1:00 p.m. lunch, with meeting to follow. The duty roster is as follows:

Hen House ….. Guys Bathrooms ….. Mickey

Tables ….. Guys Trash ….. Chuck

Visiting Florida ??

Ron and Marge Rife are again in Florida for the Winter (returning north after next Spring’s Sun-n-Fun), and have invited any club member who might be visiting the area to stop by and see them. Contact them at 941-575-1499, if you are going to be in the Punta Gorda area this Winter. Ron is President of the Charlotte County Airport flying club there.

Crop Circles ?? Prop Circles ??

A recently observed phenomenon, in a soy bean field near Buffalo, prompted an investigation by the LAA (Leon Aviation Administration). After receiving a tip from Mickey Watson, LAA Investigator Steve Doll surveyed the area, taking several aerial photographs of the site in question. The field had a distinctive pattern created in the crops, a long, straight, narrow pathway (about the width of a PPC), with a large crescent pattern perpendicular to the pathway, at each end (about the size of a PPC chute). It appeared from the evidence that a PPC had inadvertently flown too low over the field, with the crops hitting the landing gear and causing a forced landing. It seems the pilot then had to create a runway in the soy beans, including an area to lay out the chute for takeoff. (Apparently the reason the crescent shaped area appeared at each end was the fact that the first takeoff attempt was made downwind, necessitating another chute layout at the other end). The facts of the investigation, including aerial photos, were presented at the October WVFF meeting, whereupon noted PPC driver, Doran Mitchell confessed to the actions. Doran was presented the coveted “Rubber Chicken Award” for his activities.

Leon Stuff

Mark Payne has sold the Spad Bi-plane.

Mickey Watson has been working in the Morgantown area, and he took his trike to a Fairmont airport, where he has access to a hangar and can get some evening flying in while he is away from home.

Roger Boothe has returned his reincarnated Flightstar to the field. This is the plane that was damaged in the April accident. It has been thoroughly rebuilt, and now sports a nifty enclosed cockpit.

Blair Ellison has completed his Hipps Reliant, and has test flown it at Leon. He is using the 2 cylinder 4 stroke Teledyne engine, and he reports that it flies well, but needs a bit of streamlining, etc., due to the limits of the power plant.

Captain Rogers is having a new Tiger Cub built, incorporating his HKS 4 stroke engine that he has had for a while.

Steve Doll has fashioned a dandy roll up door for his hangar, using an electric winch, pipe, and some very big tarps. Be sure to get a demonstration of it in action when you are at the field.

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

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