WV FUNFLYERS

September 2006

By Gretchen Watson

September 9^th - 2006 Meeting/Dinner

     It was getting late in the morning before the fog lifted but when it did several WVFF (Glen, Russell, Mickey, Gretchen) took off for the Jackson County Airport.  Our friends from Braxton County showed up and they went over with us to get breakfast.  Later on during the meeting  at Leon we discussed and put to a vote regarding where to go on the 16^th and 17^th, the Parkersburg air show or to Vinton County.  Apparently both places were expecting us.  Vinton won the vote. 

          Our Next meeting will be held on October 7^th.  It is our annual bean and cornbread dinner.  Also that day we will be having a poker run between the airports of Jackson, Mason, Gallia-Meigs and Leon, weather permitting of course.  If you are interested in participating, give Mickey a call at 304-545-8279.  We will be taking two cards from Leon and picking up one at the other airports.  There will be a $10.00 entry fee. Passengers can play also.  We will attempt to depart Leon at 9:00 a.m.

Leon Stuff

     On Monday, September 4^th, Mason County Airport held their Annual Labor Day Pancake Breakfast Fly-in.  Several WVFF showed up at Leon early that morning and prepared to fly over to Mason.  Those that attended from the WVFF were Glen(701), Captain (Hurricane), Russell (C150), Rick (Captain's Tiger Cub), Mickey (Trike), Steve (Trike), Gretchen (TBird).  Ed drove over.

*****

     Early in the afternoon on September 16^th, many of the WVFF began cleaning and preflighting their airplanes in anticipation of that day’s upcoming trip to Vinton County.  They planned on flying as a group and making one stop along the way at Mason for those who needed to add fuel for the rest of the trip as well as purchasing any in flight snacks as needed.  Captain, Ken, Ron, Gretchen and Mickey lifted off at Leon around 4:30 and the air was nice, a little hazy but nice. Gary Price flew from his home in Ohio and had already landed by the time the others got there.  Vinton County always looks forward to having the WVFF fly there to show off our airplanes.  Although the show is packed with a myriad of larger GA aircraft, many from the community come to the air show just to check out our flying machines.  They provided a very nice meal after we arrived as well as a campfire and hotdogs later that evening.  Several more of the WVFF drove with their campers.  A few stayed overnight in the lounge.  Kevin rode his scooter and tented.

     The next morning was foggy, thick as pea soup.  Curtis and Bret showed up with their latest hot air balloons that they built from scratch.  These are one person balloons and the pilot literally sits on the fuel tank.  They inflated them in the field next to the lounge and let any and all that wanted to take a short ride.  The balloons were tethered to around 50 feet.  This gave many people a really interesting and fun experience since they were able to make themselves fly by controlling the burner, with Curtis’ instruction of course.

     The fog just seemed to hang in there and hang in there.  We could barely see the runway at 10:30 a.m.  Normally there would be planes flying in and landing all morning.  We could hear them circling overhead for what seemed like forever, hoping that no one was having fuel issues.  Finally around 11:00 the fog dissipated and here they came from every direction.  Because of the late start the air show had to be delayed for an hour.  Steve Doll was already in route around 10:00 a.m. and became somewhat concerned when after entering Ohio he could no longer see the ground.  He kept listening to Vinton’s frequency and was relieved after hearing that they were finally landing.

     The show was nice but we typically spend more time talking with the public and answering their questions than we do watching the show.  Actually this is a good thing.  We as pilots know quite well what it means to have the dream of flight and it is easily recognized on the faces of many who walk by and speak with us.  I have no doubt that many have been inspired to become pilots because of this.  The WVFF are a uniquely friendly group of people with a very diverse range of aircraft - ultralights, sport planes, kit built, home built, balloons. 

     We left at 5:30, after the mass exodus of GA, which is a show in and of itself.  Again, we left as a group, this time including Gary and Steve.  Gary, however, turned shortly after takeoff and headed for home.  We went on to Mason County for refueling and then back to Leon. 

*****  

     On August 25^th, 26 and 27^th, Dave Purdin held his 5th Annual Powered Parachute Fly-In in Peebles, Ohio.  Mickey (Trike) and Gretchen (TBird) flew over Friday afternoon with a stop over at Portsmouth to refuel.  They arrived to find that there were several parachutes and paragliders already flying around the area.   Doran Mitchell trailered his parachute and also arrived on Friday.  Darian Fields was also there with his powered parachute as well as his paraglider.  Close to 50 pilots had registered for the event.

    Steve Doll flew his trike over on Saturday.  However, he was dodging storms the entire way and had to make an unplanned stop in a field to wait one out. 

    The fly-in was located in a field next to an oval dirt racetrack.  Races were held late into the night all weekend.  All registered pilots received a chance to win a used car provide by Dave Purdin.  Four tickets were drawn.  Those four people then went to the race track where they drove the car as fast as they could for one lap.  The person with the fastest lap time won the car.

    It began raining Sunday morning and it lasted about three hours.  At that time, Steve, Mickey and Gretchen departed for Leon which is normally a two hour plus trip for the trikes.  However, they enjoyed a 30 plus mile per hour tailwind and they arrived back at Leon in one hour and twenty minutes.

*****

     Congratulations to Linzy Hickman who took and passed his written sport pilot’s test.  He is now searching for an examiner for light sport aircraft.

     Chuck Lewis sold his two place challenger to Brian King who will be spending this winter rebuilding the airplane.  The hi-max is now for sale again.

     The Oktoberfest celebration will be on October 14^th across the road from the airport at the Marathon/Clinic area.  For those who would like to put their planes on static display, there will be a small, bumpy strip mowed in the field adjacent to the clinic.

     Mickey drove to Columbus and picked up his new faster, sleeker wing for the trike.  He can now cruise around 60 mph.

     Captain soloed his Tiger Cub and has been showing it off, rightfully so, at the all of the airports and the Vinton airshow.