EAA Chapter 42 EAA Chapter 42

Past Events / Info

Saturday, April 12th 2008 at 9:30 AM - Monthly Chapter Breakfast Get-Together at Piper's

Mar 2008

Tuesday April 8th - 6 PM - Chapter Seminar

Our April educational seminar will take place at E-Terra, LLC. That is where Lars Gleitsmann works. The space is not real large and the simulators can probably only handle a few people at a time. We would like to know how many people will show up for planning purposes and we will start at 6 PM rather than 7 PM to give more folks a chance for hands on.

If you plan to attend, please e-mail me your RSVP & number of people or call me on my 24 hour voice mail at 257-0134 and leave the info.

Pass the word on to non internet members.

It will be a hands-on-show-and-tell about our advanced digital Alaskan terrain models for flight simulations. We can show a lot of areas in high detail that look very realistic, to train pilots how to fly through mountain passes in low visibility and the dangers of marginal VFR conditions in passes and approaches in mountainous terrain. The weather simulation and clouds can be changed too, so one can look at the passes in good weather first and then in bad weather. We for example have Juneau, Skagway, Haines, Eagle River, Hatcher Pass, Various Passes through the Alaska Range.

Tuesday April 8th - 6 PM - Dimond Center, 6th Floor Suite 655, 6 PM

Tuesday, April 1st 2008 at 7 PM - Board Meeting - RE/MAX Properties - 110 W 38th, Suite 100

Jan 2008

Tuesday March 25th - 7 PM - Chapter Meeting

Ernie Walker from the FAA

Where: 301 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, (behind Schlotzsky's Deli on Dimond) Look for the signs, the door to the meeting room is on the WEST side of the building.

What: Ernie Walker from the FAA has a presentation on building/certifying experimental aircraft, the latest on certified aircraft parts and a bit on the FAA safety team. He says he has an all new power point program.

Many of us didn't know before the meeting that Ernie is a homebuilder too! He had pictures of his close to a PA-12 project, on floats.

FAA Advisory Circular AC 20-27F Certification and Operation of Amateur-Built Aircraft

Mar 2008

Tuesday March 11th - 7 PM - Chapter Seminar

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Filing a Master Flight Plan

Where: 301 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, (behind Schlotzsky's Deli on Dimond) Look for the signs, the door to the meeting room is on the WEST side of the building.

What: Kenai FSS that they will do a presentation for us on how to file a Master flight plan and related topics. Steve Denison(sp?) is driving up from Kenai just to do our gig and has a new power point presentation. His presentation should be about 30 minutes or less with Q & A and perhaps a mock flight plan or 2 filed.

Feb 2008

Tuesday February 26th - 7 PM - Chapter Meeting

Unfortunatley, Sal Provenzana from the Alaska Air National Guard 11th Rescue Coodination Center on Fort Richardson was ill and unable to attend out meeting. We will reschedule later in the year.

Where: UAA Aviation & Technology Building - Merrill Field

Saturday, March 8th 2008 at 9:30 AM - Monthly Chapter Breakfast Get-Together at Piper's

Feb 2008

January 30, 2008 - Mat-Su-Lobby group has Anti-Aviation Agenda, they just outlawed RC model Airplanes in the ENTIRE MAT-SU Area, despite heavy opposition!

Hi Friends,

The RC aiplane model community is the very most likely group of people where future pilots and EAA members come from, and we all suffered a major setback yesterday evening!

The "Friends of the Mat-Su" lobby group controlls the MAT-SU Bourough assembly, there are at least 5 of them in there, with 7 total members. The WHOLE MEETING was run by Michelle Church, and despite 80 pro flying people present and speaking up, and just one woman complaing about noise,- they just outlawed it all anyway. They are targeting RECREATIONAL NOISE, so we all know that big/real/mancarrying aircrafts and fields and owners are the next target !!!

I have information that 6 of the 7 members are "Friends of the Mat-Su", some claim to be former "Friends of the Mat-Su" only, so they are more credible. It was pathetic, only the one guy voted against it. This lobby group is very clever how it has control of things, and they will next target more of what-we-all-like . They have allready hindered Floatplane ops in the Mat-Su as much as they can and sued people left and right. Michelle Church is running the whole show, as soon as she said what she wants the others trailed behind...

Their "Noise abatement Ordnance" has it that TV sets or music can be 32times as noisy as any Radio Controlled Powered Device, thus outlawing RC boats, cars, planes, you name it. They crafted it that RC stuff is illegal as soon as it raises the ambient noise level more than 5 db, and the common instrument for db has a 2 db accuracy !!!

I am very strongly believing that we need to try to help the RC airplane modellers and support their cause. We ourselves will be the next target of the "Friends of the Mat-Su" lobby group...

The real motivation behind all this seems to be a real estate deal out there...

Please lets think about what could be done...

If you are interested in helping, contact the Alaska Radio Control Society at: president@alaskarc.org

Best regards,

Lars Gleitsmann - www.flyingboxcar.com

Feb 2008

Willow Chamber of Commerce

Iditarod Restart Golf Tournament

March 8, 2007

 The Willow Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Golf Tournament, on the ice, on Willow Lake, on March 8th, 2007.   It is called the Iditarod restart Golf Tournament because it is on the ice we clear for the restart and just six days after the teams leave.

We would like the prestige of having a fly-in team from your club fly in and play golf.  There is a pancake feed fundraiser by the local Lions Club all morning.  It cost $25 per player and four to a teea.  We have golf clubs and balls for you.  We want to take pictures of planes in the backdrop of our golf course.  Please fly-in and have some golfing fun with us.  It is not necessary to know much golfing to have a great time.

Call Jim Huston, 495-9000 if you have any questions.  We can send you information and team entry forms.  If you’re on wheels we can pick you up and take you back across the street to Willow Airport.

Jan 2008

Tuesday January 22nd, 2008 - 7 PM - Chapter Meeting

Unusual Attitudes

Where: 301 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, (behind Schlotzsky's Deli on Dimond) Look for the signs, the door to the meeting room is on the WEST side of the building.

What: Marcus Paine has agreed to come and share Upset Attitude information with the group, and will talk about the Valdez May Day Fly-In. Paine is one of the organizers and performs low level aerobatics for the show.

http://www.unattitudes.com
Jan 2008

Tuesday February 12th - 7 PM - Chapter Class

Sectional Class

What: Come and join us for a refresher on reading sectionals.

Where: 301 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, (behind Schlotzsky's Deli on Dimond) Look for the signs, the door to the meeting room is on the WEST side of the building.

Please bring an Anchorage sectional and an Anchorage Terminal Area Chart, if you've got them. Current or expired will do.

Contact: Gale Partch callme3@gci.net

Online charts can be viewed at: http://skyvector.com/

Jan 2, 2008 - Wednesday - 7 PM - Board Meeting - RE/MAX Properties - 110 W 38th, Suite 100

Friday, December 28th 2007 at 7 PM - Holiday Party

Chuck May's House - 2811 Leeward Pl

Holiday Party at my home on Friday, December 28th at 7:00 p.m.

Food and wine, beer, and soft drinks will be provided. You may bring a dish to share only if you want to.

Thanks,

Chuck May

Driving directions to Chuck's House..

Dec 2007

Warning about gray plastic Kats heaters

Just a note to let you all know that 2 airplanes had fires using the gray plastic Kats heaters to preheat. One was a Rust 206 the other a 185 both times the heaters melted and caught on fire under the cowling. Both heaters were 110 and tripped the breaker only after they melted and were on fire. I have used this heater for 3 years with out any problem till yesterday. Mine was the 185. The heater was new this winter and used many times to preheat. If you are using one or know any one that is tell them to watch out.

Ron

I found out yesterday from Colin Rust that the heater that caught on fire was a Kat's model Little Buddy, (that is the name he called it) He said he bought it at Carquest and it is usually used for folks to heat the interior of their cars. It is made of plastic and has a small fan in it and is supposed to heat up and circulate air over some sort of glowing hot coils. The temperature is supposed to be controlled by some sort of a thermostatic switch.

Apparently the switch failed to shut off the electrical power to the unit and it over heated and caught on fire. The unit is made of plastic so it added fuel to the fire when it began burning.

The fire was located in the Left boot cowl and caused significant damage to the area it was located. The rest of the aircraft was not destroyed.

Mr. Rust recommends not using the plastic type of space heaters for preheating engines. I agree with that assessment.

Blue Skies,

Mike Ice

Tue November 27th 2007- 7 PM - Chapter Meeting

C-119 UAA Aviation Building - Auditorium - 2811 Merrill Field Dr

The meeting will feature Lars Gleitsman giving a presentation titled:

    "Aircraft Restoration: WHAT TO AVOID UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES",

focusing on my Lockheed 60 and our Do27-B3. My involvement in the restoration of two C119F FlyingBoxcar's equals 3 years full time work.
Lars has great a web site at www.flyingboxcar.com/.

 

Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2007 10:05 AM

Subject: Stolen Floats

    I also had a misfortunate event happen and I would like to have our members aware of it.   I had a set of EDO 89-2000 floats stolen from my tie down around 9:00 / 9:15 am Friday, the 19th. of October 2007.  Lake Hood Space #87  (2 spaces west of the Aviation Museum)

    A witness saw a white male, with a medium build, loading them onto a snow machine trailer hooked to a dark colored (green?) mini pick up (Ford Ranger / Nissan?). 

Another witness saw this (or similar) pickup with a set of Edo 2000 floats on a snow machine trailer turning left from Postmark Drive onto International Airport Road about the same time.  They were later spotted on the Glen Highway, northbound, north of the Knik River bridge.  I have a reward for the safe return of these floats - No questions asked!

    These floats are rigged for a Producer or a Pacer, so they are either going onto a shortwing, or someone may be trying to get rid of a set of struts for a shortwing, and looking for a set of float struts for something else.

Steve Bryant 907-242-9074, home # 243-6110

Thanks, Steve

Tuesday October 23rd - 7 PM - Chapter meeting

Where: T hanger "I" at 2021 Merrill Field Dr

Dick Reeve has invited us back to his hangar to see the progress he has made on his Lancair since our last visit in January 2007.

Dick's Lancair is in T hanger "I" at 2021 Merrill Field Dr. It is located on the south side of the runway and on the north side of Merrill Field Drive, right across from Aero Map. Dick says a sure way to spot the right place is to look for green dumpster #346. Please park in front of the T hangar and along the east end of the building.

The October meeting is in a rented T-hangar. One of the ways to get a reasonable rental rate is to waive any rights I or my insurance might have under a legal theory known as Hangar Keeper's Liability. My landlord and I have both been in the airline business. The waiver makes sense to both of us who have shared hangar space to help out a friend.

On this basis, we have agreed that each of you is my 'guest' and that I am solely responsible for anything that may cause you harm. There is no recourse through the hangar's owner...Period. Each of you is cordially invited if you agree that your presence as my guest is without recourse to the landlord. If you don't agree, you're not invited...Period. This is a crummy way to frame an invitation, but that's the way it is ...

Tuesday September 25th - 7 PM - Chapter meeting

Where: Northern Lights Avionics

The September meeting will be Tuesday, September 25th at 7pm at Northern Lights Avionics. One of the main topics will be hand-held radios and, most likely, GPSs. Of course there will be plenty of opportunity for other equipment and maintenance questions. Northern Lights Avionics is located at 940 Merrill Field Dr. at Merrill Field, just south of the old tower location.

Seminar on Aircraft Electrical Systems
Aero Electric Connection

EAA Chapter 42 invited Bob Nuckolls to put on one of his world famous Weekend Seminars on Electrical Systems for owner-built and maintained (OBAM) aircraft on the weekend of August 11-12 2007.

Bob is the publisher of the AeroElectric Connection: The definitive work in owner-built and maintained (OBAM) aircraft electrical systems. 20,000+ readers in 30 countries for 20 years.

We had a great time and learned a lot. Bob stuffed our heads with knowledge all day on Saturday even though he didn't get much sleep due to a late commercial flight the night before. We did some quick planning after the seminar, and Tim Rittal graciously opened his house for everyone to come over for Moose's Tooth pizza and good beer.

Normally Bob only goes for half a day on Sunday, so that he can get back home on Sunday. Bob and his wife Dee were going to spend a few extra days in Alaska sightseeing, so we got an extra couple of hours after lunch.

Big thanks go to Gene Bjornstad for going above and beyond organizing the seminar and hosting Bob and Dee at his house. Rob Stapleton for getting us a place to have it happen, and Tim Rittal for the get together at his place on Saturday.

Shannon Gearry By Chuck May

This summer I had the pleasure of having lunch, on the deck at Piper's, with Shannon Gearry. Shannon is the youngest member of our EAA Chapter and by far the most radiant and beautiful member.

While growing up, Shannon's Dad would drive her around Lake Spenard and Hood where he would identify different aircraft to her. Out of high school she won a "Be A Pilot" scholarship and earned her private ticket. A highlight in Shannon's flying experience was to fly a plane from Florida to Alaska.

Shannon attended the University of Alaska at Merrill Field where she earned a BS in Aviation Management. She worked for a small fixed base operation on Lake Hood for a couple of years before going to work for Aero Recip of Alaska as a secretary. Shannon worked her way up to office manager then to parts sales representative. I think Shannon knows more about Lycoming and Continental engines than most of us. She says she has more useless part numbers running around in her head than she will ever need.

Shannon attends the Reno Air Races, Air Venture at Oshkosh and any other aviation events she can. She is a member of the "99's", Alaska Airman's Association and several other aviation organizations. Shannon's dream is to get into airport or airline management. She has been saving for several years in order to earn a Master of Business Administration in Aviation. Shannon recently won a $17,000 scholarship to Embry-Riddle University at Daytona Beach, Florida. Leaving Alaska on July 15th on her way to school Shannon will join family and friends at Oshkosh where they have front row seats for the air show. If you are attending Oshkosh or passing through Dayton Beach you may contact Shannon at her e-mail: sgearry@hotmail.com. She would love to hook up with you.

We will miss her enthusiasm and beautiful smile. We hope someday she will come back to Alaska and be a part of our Chapter again. Shannon asked me to let our members know if they are in Dayton Beach just look her up. She would love to get together.

Chuck May

Visit from EAA Chapter 288

Recently Chapter 42 was lucky to have visitors from Chapter 288, out of Spruce Creek Airpark, Florida stop in for a visit.

Our visitors from the south came in some very wonderful and FAST (cruise 240 Knots) aircraft. There were four SX-300's, and one Questair.

The planes and pilots were:

     SX-300 N53SX Keith Phillips
  SX-300 N350G Mike Smith
  SX-300 N58SX Tuck McAtee
  SX-300 N53SX Jim Vitale
  Questair Venture N94Y Tony Crawford

The folks from down south had a wonderful visit. Dick and Carol Reeve hosted a BBQ and one of the of  the King Salmon (Kathy's) was served as the main course. You can see Dick giving Kathy lessons on how to cook a King, sweetened with Dick's  with secret marinade.

On arrival to Merrill Field the aircraft pulled into Ace Hangars for fuel and one of the SX-300's throttle cable broke at that exact moment. What a wonderful time for a throttle cable to break, 10 minutes earlier and this plane was going 200 mph over the inlet. This SX-300, owned by Tuck McAtee, was pushed into one of Dick Armstrong's Ace Hangars to be repaired. Tuck's aircraft continued to have a problems as the left mag decided to quit performing. Thanks to Shannon Geary over at Aero Recip, another mag was located and the folks were on their way to Juneau.

The group from Spruce Creek were very happy to receive the assistance from Chapter 42 and I think we showed them some real Alaska hospitality.

Blue Skies,

Mike Ice

Saturday June 16th - 11:30am to 2pm - "Ten Years to Taxi" Celebration

You are all invited to attend our "Ten Years to Taxi" celebration June 16th from 11:30am to 2pm at Matt Freeman's Hangar on the Southeast Apron Road at Birchwood Airport. Follow the Tim Rittal signs. A Barbeque lunch from A.J.'s Rib A-Go-Go will be hosted. See you there!

Tim Rittal's GlaStar N55XP was issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate Apr 23, 2007 by our own John Davis, newly minted DAR. It had it's first flight on Thursday May 3rd. Yahoo!!

Valdez May Day Fly-In & Airshow - May 11-13

Thompson Pass looked like this at Noon on Saturday.

Cub Crafters brought their "Carbon Cub". It's a 220 HP super Cub that weighs 250-300 pounds less than any other Cub. The three pictures here show a 19 foot takeoff! They were also able to do a short field landing of 53 feet!

It was a good crowd. There were approximately 110 airplanes on the ramp.

There is a set of 36" bush wheels to the winner of the short field contest in the experimental class.

The Experimental class is creating a lot of attention and the rumor is that there is a special cub being built at several locations with special engines for the competition. The rumor is that ECi is providing an engine for our competition. This rumor not verified. Mike Olson our sponsor for the Experimental Bush class is building a new plane "EXPERIMENTAL" with a new engine and a spare to bring up for the bush class competition.

There is also a good possibility that we will have donated to us a Belly Pod for a cub to be given as one of the prizes for the bush classes of competition. The rules for the competition are published on our website at www.valdezalaska.org in the events folder.

We expect the top planes and pilots from the Northwest to be attending and competing at this years event and the demonstration of piloting and performance of bush planes will be unmatched anywhere in the United States.

Our new Chapter Flag

 Mike Ice over Anchorage,
or "How to get frostbite
while dead sticking with Photoshop"

June Board Meeting - June 6th at 7 PM - Location: Chuck May's house

Driving directions to Chuck's House..

Sat & Sun, May 5 & 6 - Alaska Airmen's State Aviation Trade Show & Conference

Left to right, Jim Moss, Chuck May, John Davis

Make up your own caption!
Tuesday Apr 24 - 7 PM - Chapter Meeting
[ Yahoo! Maps ]
Map of 301 Arctic Slope Ave
Anchorage, AK 99518-3036

We are on the http://www.ultraflightradio.com/ Calendar!

EAA, Experimental Light Sport Aircraft Registration Meeting

When: April 24, 2007

Where: 301 Arctic Slope Ave. Anchorage, (behind Schlotzsky's Deli on Dimond) Look for the signs, the door to the meeting room is on the WEST side of the building.

Who: John Davis, LSA DAR, Dan Billman, DAR, Tom Eldridge, DPE both with the local FSDO

What: Information and kits on how to transition from UL to ELSA

Why: FAA imposed Jan. 31, 2008 deadline for two-place ELSA

EAA Chapter 42 has agreed to make the April 2007 meeting about Sport Pilot information.

This meeting will be an informational workshop to get anyone who wants to register and get their UL air vehicles an airworthiness inspection and transition to the (Experimental) Light Sport Aircraft category.

The deadline is less than a year away to do this and the paperwork will slow down as you get closer to Jan. 2008.

EAA Transition to ELSA kits will be sold at the meeting. These are very helpful and contain all the required forms from the FAA, as well as stickers, and instructions on how to fill out all the forms correctly.

Weight and balance information for an Antares MA-33 R582, as well as the operation limitations and transition paperwork will be on hand for you to take with you.

FAA officials will be on hand to answer questions. Please attend as the deadline for accomplishing this is Jan. 31, 2008.

Don't wait until the last minute, or month to do this as the DAR, John Davis does not do inspections on a regular basis, he also works for JAL. John wants all paperwork complete before he will inspect your aircraft.

Refreshments will be served, and membership information about the Chapter and EAA will be on hand for you to join if you are not already a member. The folks at these meetings are both friendly and helpful and have been a fun group to get to know!

They want to help all of us to get back in the air.legally!

See you there. Keep flying!

Lake Hood - Sunday March 11, 2007
Cub Lake Hood 3/11/2007 Lake Hood
Capstone News

Latest Capstone news from the Alaska Journal of Commerce as of Feb 18th.


   FAA Dec 22 Fact Sheet about Capstone

I take exception with the news about Capstone on the web site, but don’t know how to address my questions in regards to this. FAA officials in Washington could not tell me how many GBT (Ground Based Transceivers) were active in Alaska, and how this "transition" would affect personal, and the office. They did say that there would be a special MOA with the Industry Council but would not specify what it would cover as far as input for what pilots and the flying public could have. Therefore I question some details of the FAA release as not credible according to previous information.

Alaska Journal of Commerce Capstone Story

Rob Stapleton

Mar 27 2007 - 7 PM - Chapter Meeting at RE/MAX Properties 110 w. 38th Ave, Movie Night.

Feb 27 2007 - 7 PM - Chapter Meeting at Anchorage Center

Not a Picture

Thanks to Chuck May, got a tour of Anchorage Center, the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC).

We don't have any pictures because the rent-a-guard at the shack outside said that according to the TSA, out of Washington D.C., Alaskan pilots were not allowed to bring cameras into the Center because of "security".

In the Anchorage area, Center handles the high flight level traffic and hands it off to Approach. In the Sout-East, they handle IFR traffic down to the ground. We got the full Power Point breifing, and there must have been 50 acronyms for trans-oceanic and polar routes that most of us were not familiar with at all.

Their guess was that General Aviation was about 16 to 18 percent of their total traffic. I was surprised. I wouldn't have thought that it was that high. Center coordinates with Canada, Russia and Japan, and Oakland. The percentage of flights that get passed by computer is increasing, but they do spend a lot of time on the phone.

There was a rocket on a ten minute hold up at Poker Flats. They were keeping everyone away from that area. They said that they were disappointed because they could never see the rocket! Appparently the tower controllers at Fairbanks are the only ones from Air Traffic Control that actually get to see the rockets go up.

I had been to the Center 10 years ago. I didn't recognize anything except for the "paper strips" that they use as a backup in case all the radar and computers go down. It was brighter. No one was staring at a 19 inch in diameter cathode ray tube. Lots of flat panel displays.

Apparently it gets really interesting when it's busy. You'd be listening to two or more frequencies at once, talking on one. Entering flight information on the computer. Notating changes on the "paper strips", watching the display, keeping separation. Maybe looking up approach plates for a runway in the South-East that you haven't looked at in a couple of months. Accepting and handing off flights as they come and go.

It's more of a physical and mental challenge than being a tower controller, a tough a rewarding job, but they do miss looking out those big windows.

They are proud of their work in safety, noise control and paperwork reduction. (Do you know how much noise two jumbo jets make when they.... and how much paperwork that causes?)

Thanks Chuck!

Jan 23 2007 - Chapter Meeting

Location: Aero Recip Alaska (243-3133)
They are located near the southwest end of Lake Hood at 4451 Aircraft Dr #B

Our own Shannon Gearry works for the company and was on hand to give us the scoop on what they do. They overhaul light plane piston engines, mainly for Part 135 operators.

It was fascinating. There was a monorail hanging off of the ceiling. Engines are hung from the monorail so that they can be moved around the shop, and you can sweep the floor underneath them. The place was amazingly clean and well organized. Those of us with only one project could barely comprehend how you could have that many engines in various states of repair AND have it so organized.

We got the full tour, from the running cut-away engine to accessory bench, cylinder area, non-destructive testing, all the way out to the test cell.

These guys are good and really care about what they do. I spent over 45 minutes at the cylinder area, learning about testing and honing cylinders. Be sure to do a compression check on the engine before you remove a cylinder for refurbishment. When you compare the compression checks on and off the engine, you'll know whether it's the rings or the valves... In 45 minutes of talking, it was always "my cylinder". They weren't working on someone else's stuff. It was "I won't let my cylinder out the door unless it's right!".

Our thanks to Shannon and all the great people at Aero Recip who stayed at work on a cold, dark Tuesday to show us their business and share their knowledge with us.

Congratulations to Rick Henry for having one of his pictures selected for the Alaskan Airmen's Association calendar.

"Flight up the Tokositna Glacier, south of Mt. McKinley
Taken from a Mustang II N72RH"

Jan ?? 2007 - 7 PM - Board Meeting - RE/MAX Properties - 110 W 38th, Suite 100

2006 Events

Last updated: May 7, 2008