May 2004
President's Message
By Chris Ulibarri
Hi everyone, I hope you all are having a great time as we enter the hot summer months of 2004. I have to apologize right off for the abrupt cancellation of our last monthly meeting. It was not my intent to do so but we have to understand and realize there are restrictions placed on us we have to accept for not having our own chapter meeting-place. I appreciate Lew for allowing us to meet at his hangar so when you get a chance let him know your appreciation also because he does bend over back wards to accommodate us for our chapter meetings and breakfasts.
On April 21, 2004 we had our first Board of Directors Meeting of the year, which I felt was very productive. We discussed the following topics: Chapter hangars lease agreement, webpage postings/newsletters, breakfasts, Airfest, Dyess Air Show, Young Eagles at Albany May 8th, Campout at Gray’s June 19th to coincide with Young Eagles at Snyder, and the Fredericksburg trip on April 30th. See the minutes from our meeting for more information.
Thanks to all of you for your support and keep up the good work.
Be Safe and Fly Safe.
~ Chris ~
(Board of Director Meeting Minutes at the end of this publication)
Country Airfest 2004 is off and running to another great year. Officers have been selected from the steering committee and we have a good group to make the year bigger and better than last year.
Abilene Aero has graciously given $6,000 with Avfuel donating 4,000 gallons of fuel. We will print our flyer and cards to initiate our marketing efforts. Steve Krazer of Krazer Marketing has been selected to target business that the steering committee selects as potential donors to the fly-in.
One of the steering committee members and Steve will make a personal visit to the business and present the package for purchase. We will be targeting sponsorships at the $2,500 level and tie that business to a certain acrobatic act. It is felt that that will generate a better revenue yield than any other way. Lon Beasley is working with the grocery stores to donate food for the party which is currently being scheduled for both Friday night September 24th and Saturday night September 25th. The band will play Saturday night with a special video feed cast on the hangar wall. All EAA members will have their food paid for Saturday night and we need to work hard to work on boosting the attendance.
TSTC is performing the same role as last year in the vendor fair with all of the same participants plus a whole lot more. I have spoken with the new Provost of TSTC and he was certainly impressed with the efforts last year. (cont’d.)
I will be publishing a list of who will be working in what area in the months to come. Remember Lew Jones has the 2004 Big Country Airfest Pins for sale for $5. He and Charlotte are checking into shirts which will be available soon. ~ Gray ~
Campout
At Teresa & Gray’s Farm Scheduled For June
Last year, the group that traveled to Oshkosh camped out to test equipment and see what we needed to take and what was not necessary or duplicated from another person. We learned that only one hammer was needed to drive tent stakes, but each needed to bring their own toothbrush.
This year Chris asked to hold another campout. It was penciled in for May, but our busy EAA schedule would not allow it, so June 19th is the day. Plan to fly in and camp out…I have a North/South 17/35, and a East/West 09/27 both about 2,500 feet long and both with power lines and trees at each end. There will be plenty of parking for planes and cars if you just have to drive. Bring chairs, tent, and bedding. I plan to ask our talented musicians, Lon, Audie, Ken Keef, with a solo by Gary Potter providing the evening entertainment. (RCA records will probably be hiding in the brush scouting talent)
The most important thing will be the food. I will be cooking mesquite-smoked hamburgers, with all the fixins’. Teresa will have the drink station set up like last time and we should have everything needed. Just look for it and it will not be far……And yes, the indoor plumbing will not be far from the campsite.
In review, Flying, Food, Fun, and Fellowship…..The keys to a successful EAA event! ~ Gray ~
By Sam Evans
Folks familiar with RV builders refers to people like Gray Bridwell as “second offenders”. When Gray told me last year that he was going to build an RV, I thought, yea, right…this guy already has an RV-6A…why in the world does he want to build a 10…can he be serious? Well, I got my answer at Oshkosh: Not too long after the group arrived at OSH, we were all “unwinding” at the near-by establishment taking-in sausage and refreshments. The constant flow of aircraft arriving had begun to dwindle as dusk fell on the calm, clear and cool evening. I heard a lone plane reducing power on final. I turned around in time to see the brand new, just-out-of-the-box Van’s RV-10 coming in for a landing. I nudged Gray and said, “Hey, look at that…”. Well, a few seconds later, we picked Gray up off of the ground and handed him a napkin so he could wipe the drool off of his face. We finally convinced him that the ‘10 would be on display at the Van’s booth the next day and that it wouldn’t be safe running across the active runway.
Needless to say, it didn’t take Gray long to get to the Van’s booth the next day and put down enough to get an empennage shipped and to convince us that he truly was going to build the plane.
Gray received the empennage kit last December and began work on the “clandestine” project. He has made excellent progress with the empennage and tail-cone nearing completion. Gray expects to receive the wing kit “any day.”
The RV-10 is Van’s newest addition to the RV family. It is set aside from the other RV’s because it is a four-seater. And that is the main reason Gray wanted to build the plane…so he could take his whole family on vacation. (Hey kids, if you’re reading this, I think dad’s exact words were “…we could be at Disney World in about six hours…”) Gray said he would like to have the “10” completed by November of 2005.
You can read more about the sleek beauty featured in the April Sport Aviation magazine. ~ Sam ~
EAA Big Country Chapter #471, Inc.
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting
April 21, 2004
Attendees:
Chris Ulibarri Charlotte Rhodes
Gray Bridwell Hobby Stevens
Bobby Nichols Larry Chapman
Dave Marten Gary Potter
1. Proposed Chapter Building
a. Discussed verbal proposal of Tiny Malm at Elmdale Airpark. Both advantages and disadvantages were discussed. Motion passed declining this proposal as presented.
b. Discussed previous talks with Tom Neeb at Elmdale regarding other land on Elmdale airport closer to runway and outside of city limits. Chris Ulibarri is to contact Mr. Neeb for further clarifications of proposal.
c. Discussed verbal proposal from Eddie Stash regarding gift of land at Executive Airpark (near Elmdale Airpark). Hobby Stevens to contact Mr. Stash for further clarification of proposal.
d. Discussed the proposal by Gray Bridwell regarding a runway to be built on his land near Lake Ft. Phantom dam.
e. Discussed verbal proposal by Warbird Squadron 5 that our Chapter co-occupy Hangar #3, in which they have already constructed restrooms. Board unanimously liked this proposal, and Hobby Stevens will meet with Warbird Squadron 5 leaders to further explore this option.
2. Current T-Hanger Lease
a. Discussed the status of the lease, as presented by the City of Abilene. This lease contains several significant changes from the lease negotiated by Gray Bridwell. City of Abilene personnel will be contacted to attempt to resolve these differences.
b. Hobby Stevens will research the cost of $3,000,000 in insurance coverage.
3. Monthly breakfast meeting
a. Discussed the need to have additional Chapter personnel trained in the mechanics of putting together our Chapter breakfasts. Currently, this responsibility is carried by just a few people, and when they are not available, the breakfasts currently cannot be held.
b. The Board agreed that if an agreement can be reached with Warbird Squadron 5 regarding Hangar #3, then we could move our monthly breakfasts there and that this would alleviate some of the personnel problems.