Friends in "High" Places

     You've heard the song "I've Got Friends in Low Places"? Well, we have some friends in "high places" too ... literally. These guys are professionals. Notice the "Tree Top Flyers" caps. From left to right: Bob Cottom (MD88), Duncan Flett (Airbus A320), and Joe Baker (CRJ-900). Joe and Bob fly a Luscombe (Joe's and his dad's) out of Rock Hill, SC airport (KUZA) too. Duncan is based in California. Click the photos to enlarge. Thanks guys!

Perry R5N Sailplane Event

      
Eddie's Photos (171)                                  Don's Photos (370)

     For most of the year, Perry International Airport (SC95) is virtually deserted. However, for a week or two in mid-April each year, that airport becomes a veritable "camper city" filled with sailplanes and people from all over the USA, and even the world. The R5N sailplane event was held April 16-23, 2011. Don, Eddie and Randy visited that event on April 19th. 2011. About 65 sailplanes were taking part in the event. Click the thumbnails above for photos taken by Eddie Price and Don Schmotzer ... 541 photos in all.

Joe Grimaud - Guest Speaker

     Our April meeting was well attended. We were also happy to have several guests and planes to visit us. In fact, it turned out to be somewhat of a "mini fly-in", making up to a great extent for the bad weather at our spring fly-in the previous Sunday. We also gained new chapter member, Merritt Milano, who happens to be an A&P/IA. A meal of hamburgers and hotdogs with all the trimmings was served, along with Eddie's famous "PBA tea".

     Next, Mr. Joe Grimaud gave us an enthralling and lively presentation on his past flying experiences, which included his days back in the 1960's in OCS; flying F-100, F-105, A5, and other aircraft; being Top Gun at Nellis AFB; bombing runs during the Vietnam era, while having flack and missiles shot at him; a flameout over Hanoi; and having his wingman shot down behind him, who then spent 6 years as a POW. Joe worried for years that perhaps something he had done contributed to his wingman's fate, but some 30 years later, he located the wingman, who assured Joe that it was nothing that he had done. Some of his stories were rather humorous too. For example, he said he might have been shot down too, but he experienced the flameout, and the Viet Cong didn't expect an F-105 to come gliding silently over at 80 mph Joe also spoke about his past entrepreneurial ventures (e.g. 93 Precision Tune auto stores), an engine failure and resulting crash into the trees in a Seawind plane, running twice for public office, several books (some of which he gave to us), his furniture store ads, and other adventures. We thank Joe very much for spending his Sunday afternoon entertaining us, and his wife Gladys and family for allowing him to do so.

     We decided to postpone the business meeting. Treasurer Joe will give a full report at our May meeting, but he noted that donations from our fly-in last week and today's meeting well exceeded our costs for those events. Click the thumbnail above for photos.

Our Spring Fly-in Was Fun!

     Our chapter's spring fly-in was held on Saturday and Sunday, April 9-10, 2011 at Gaston Airport (2SC8). After a slow start on Saturday morning, we had about 15 airplanes in attendance by lunchtime. Several more arrived throughout the day. We had a great lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs with all of the trimmings, chips, tea, and soft drinks.  The weather became a bit threatening later in the afternoon, but all in all, Saturday was a very good day for us. We thought that Sunday would actually be the better day with regards to weather. However, the morning began with fog/mist, and weather conditions were mostly below minimums all morning. One pilot from Asheville called and had planned to come and bring others, but they could not get in due to weather. Not to be defeated, several members and attendees rode in on motorcycles or drove their cars. We cooked hamburgers and hotdogs again shortly after noon and had a great time just "hangar flying", laughing, and having a great time. The bad weather did not clear up until around 2:30pm. A few planes flew in later Sunday afternoon. Click the thumbnail above to see photos and videos from the event by Eddie Price, mostly taken on Saturday.

Jeff Skiles "Young Eagles" Tour

     Jeff Skiles visited Hamilton-Owens Airport (KCUB) in Columbia, SC on March 25-26, 2011 on his EAA Young Eagles tour.  EAA Chapter 242 hosted the event. As you may recall, Jeff was First Officer of the ill-fated US Airways Flight 1549 which lost  both engines when it collided with a flock of Canadian geese back in 2009 (click below for more). The A320 Airbus jetliner was forced to ditch in the Hudson River. Fortunately, all passengers and crew survived and were rescued, a few with only minor injuries. The event is often referred to as the "Miracle on the Hudson". Jeff was scheduled to give Young Eagle rides at the airport on Saturday, March 26, 2011 on his mission to fly at least 500 Young Eagles during the tour, along with other participating pilots. He had flown in from Tennessee on his way to Sun-n-Fun 2011 in Lakeland, Florida. I got my photo made with Jeff (click above thumbnail for photos) just after his arrival on Friday, March 25th. He is a very friendly and cordial guy ... fame has not changed him.

Click the icon below for more about the "Miracle on the Hudson"