Issue #21 Fort Bragg, California April, May, June & July 2006
I've been asleep at the switch and far behind with this newsletter. Let's see if I can catch up.
Back last April when the grass was starting to grow really well there occurred a misunderstanding between our flying club and the land owner about liability insurance, the landowner thought we didn't have any and informed us that we could no longer mow our field. Weeks went by while our insurance policy (fifty two pages long) was downloaded and printed into booklets by Ron Cowan, studied by Ron, Dick Lucas, Club President Neil and other club member and forwarded to the land owner. It took some doing but we finally got the okay to mow and it was just in a nick of time. The photo above on the right shows how high the grass was at the flight tables while out on the field it was almost impossible to take off and land.
With the okay to resume mowing the troops turned out in force. We were a bunch of happy guys.
It took a couple of weekends and several re-cuts to get it back into shape. Late rains didn't help but finally we had our field up to snuff. In the upper left photo we discover the Kooyers long lost flying table. On the right Ron Cowan makes a final pass with the club mower.
And finally, "Back into the Air Junior Birdmen"! New club member Lee Welty brought out the plane his friends at work gave him. Dick Lucas tries it out while Paul Johnson cranks in some trim. Lee ready on the buddy box.
Gene Hollaway returned from San Diego with new planes and new skills. Here he is flying his sailplane amongst the buzzards!
Like Gene says, "Real pilots fly seated too."!
Club President Neil tries his hand at flying at our field for the first time in a long time. Paul Johnson giving moral support.
Unfortunately Neil's plane now resides in the top of some redwood trees. Hours have been spent looking but, no joy.
Meanwhile, Dick Lucas presses on. Here is his new seaplane in progress. He started building it from three views last February.
The photo on the right shows the almost completed plane with the mocked up "Isotta Fraschini" 6 cylinder engine. Hiding behind the mocked up engine is a Saito 72 four-stroke! Just beautiful!
Some of the guys went over to Lake Mendocino to observe the maiden voyage. It flies just fine and Dick took it to the Lake Selmac Float Fly in July.
Meanwhile, the fun and games continue at our fun little field. In the upper left photo Cory has climbed to the top of a cluster of redwoods to retrieve Lee Welty's electric biplane. And in the right photo Cory is bringing it back down!!
Speaking of biplanes, Cory has proven you can over load the wings of an electric biplane "foamy" and keep on flying!!
Our flying field is really great
for tuning up your flying skills. The recent addition of six foot and
smaller diameter culverts help keep things interesting.
Fortunately they are in temporary storage at the end of our runway and will soon
be gone.
Dick Lucas has Ron Cowan's visiting grandson flying the club trainer on the buddy box and a team of brothers, Scott and Steve showed up and are in the right photo. They are looking to join our club. Steve flew the first electric helicopter I have seen at our field. Almost all their fleet are electric.
Local hobby shop owner Chrissie try's her hand at flying one of Gene Hollaway's electric gliders. She too is talking about joining our club.
And, the photo on the right is of the plane that started our club!!
Club President Neil brought this Gentle Lady out to the field two weekends ago, fired up the little Cox .049 on the pylon and launched it. After a couple successful flights Neil told us the story.
He was given this plane twenty years ago (there abouts) and took to flying it on State Park land near the Little Valley turn-off. One day a park ranger stopped and walked up to him. Neil starts thinking, "Oh oh, this is it". But no, turns out the ranger was an RC enthusiast too. Soon Neil and the ranger joined forces with the owner of the old hobby shop that used to be on Franklin Street and they decided to form a club. Thinking up a name came easy when Neil pointed out how often they had to fly in the coastal fog. Fog Buster's was born and the plane that started it all still flies!!
So, here we are, "The Fog Busters". High grass and dry grass. Redwoods and culverts. Dirt pile and quarry.
Losing members and gaining members.
Let's fly!
Your humble editor, Ron Bloomquist