By Felix Thomas

Gray has asked me to chair our chapter meeting for Feb. We have several very interesting events scheduled for this spring. We hope all planes will be ready to fly. Be sure to invite someone to ride with you. If you have friends who are interested in planes but are not chapter members, this would be a good time to get them interested. The common interest we share and the fellowship we enjoy may be just what they are looking for.

We hope you will receive this newsletter before Feb. 10, because that is the day we have our breakfast and fly-out to Pecan Plantation (Grandbury).

Jan. had some pretty bad weather and you didn't get to fly as much as you wanted. I was in Seattle for six weeks and didn't get to enjoy your weather, but it was on National News, so I heard about it.

Since I had two stents inserted in my heart last June, I haven't been doing much flying. The doctor told me I needed to take a qualified pilot with me when I fly and I have done this. I put Gray on my insurance and I must say he handles a 172 very smoothly. I am confident I will receive my medical again in April when it comes due.

I am excited about our poker run in March. Bobby Nichols and I manned

one of the airports several years ago and we really had a good time. We need to hand out flyers at various airports when we return from Grandbury.

We should all THANK Clyde Fletcher for his speech on aviation fuel at the last meeting. I understand it was very useful information and I heard some good compliments on the presentation.

Keep in mind that SWRFI has been changed to September for the year 2001.

KEEP-EM FLYING!

By Billy Tucker

I really look forward to our monthly breakfast! Whoever had that idea, it was a good one. The food is always good and the fellowship with fellow pilots and builders etc. is great. But I noticed something last month. Why I did not see it sooner, I don't know. I am at fault for the oversight where it concerns me. What did I notice?

I noticed that I was not helping. I was eating. I was enjoying. I was fellow-shipping.

But others were working. Don Bledsoe is always behind the grill or mixing batter. Charlie Screws or Richard Baxter is frying sausage (man I like that sausage!). Hobby Stevens is making up

plates to deliver to the tower. And what do I do? I eat. I enjoy. I fellowship. I leave.

Wonder who sets up all that equipment? How does it get to the pride hangar? Who sets up the tables and chairs? Who wipes them off and takes them down and puts them up? Who takes out the trash? Not me. I eat. I enjoy, and I fellowship. At least until last month.

For some reason I looked around. A few were working really hard and faithfully. The rest of us were eating, enjoying, and . . . I think you get the point. I won't pass the offering plate or offer an invitation to go with this sermonette. But I will offer a hand come Saturday. Those tables will be easier to wipe down and put away if you will join me. That is camaraderie too.

One other thought. We need a committee to set this up each month. Bledsoe and somebody moves the equipment and sets up tables and chairs, then cooks, then cleans up, then puts up. How about a volunteer to act as coordinator. You (Mr. or Ms. Volunteer) don't have to do all the work, but assign available members each month to get it done. That way we won't have to call Bledsoe "Grumpy" anymore! ( Well, maybe. )

By Billy Tucker

Last month Gray asked me to review the By-Laws and Hangar Rules for correctness and spelling etc. Since I can't spell, that may be a daunting task. I asked for a committee to assist me and so far, Tom Neeb has consented to help. I'm looking for another suspect (needs access to e-mail to make communi-cation easier). If I look at you twice next Saturday, you'd better run. I'm on the hunt for that other "volunteer."

Seriously, let me clarify our assignment. I have already looked for grammar and spelling. The committee now needs review the entire document for clarity of purpose and meaning. Any suggestions we might propose (if we find anything lacking or unclear) will come to the board and then be voted on by the entire club. I'll keep you updated on the progress as we eak along.

Compiled by Lisa Kary

The controller who was working a busy pattern told the 727 on downwind to make a three-sixty (do a complete circle, usually to provide spacing between aircraft).

The pilot of the 727 complained, "Do you know it costs us two thousand dollars to make a three-sixty in this airplane?

Without missing a beat the controller replied, "Roger, give me four thousand dollars worth!"

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It was a really nice day, right about dusk, and a Piper Malibu was being vectored into a long line of airliners in order to land at Kansas City.

KC Approach: "Malibu three-two-Charlie, you're following a 727, one o'clock and three miles."

Three-two-Charlie: "We've got him. We'll follow him."

KC Approach: "Delta 105, your traffic to follow is a Malibu, eleven o'clock and three miles. Do you have that traffic?"

Delta 105 (long pause and then in a thick southern drawl): "Well... I've got something down there. Can't quite tell if it's a Malibu or a Chevelle, though."

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Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on 124.7."

Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure ... by the way, after we lifted off, we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway."

Tower: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on 124.7; did you copy the report from Eastern?"

Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff... roger; and yes, we copied Eastern and we've already notified our caterers."

I need to get an approximate head count for the flight to Grandbury, (Pecan Plantation). If you have a plane, call another member who does not and get passengers.

I will have airport information at the breakfast this Saturday the 10^th IF you want more information look at www.eaa983.org

The EAA chapter there will be having their regular meeting and a man who flew a twin commander in Alaska this past summer will be speaking about his experience fighting fire in that country. After the speaker Hamburgers will be cooked for us. We will be able to view several of the chapter members projects as well.

Then on the way home we will all pick an airport to stop and post a flyer about our March Poker run.

Let me know, Plan to go--------

Gray

President Gray Bridwell

Vice-President Felix Thomas

Secretary Jim Snellgrove

Treasurer Hobby Stevens

Director Barry Cotner

Director Dennis Mathison

Director Hank Castle

Director Billy Tucker

Past President Carroll Bird

Hobby Stevens has completed a quarterly financial statement which will be available at the Sat. breakfast and at the regular meeting on Thursday. Please pick one up. We hit our mailing deadline and could not get it in the newsletter. Sorry!