Issue #15 Fort Bragg, California September, 2005
Hi kids....
Sorry for not putting out a Newsletter for the Month of August but...
hey, it was summer, I was sick. Plus Lolli and I are moving to a
new location. Pick one or all the above!! The important
thing is, I'm back, feeling better and mostly settled in.
As you may remember, I drove up to Seattle visiting model flying fields and attending weekend float fly's along my way. Once in Seattle I spent over a month visiting relatives and friends. For my return trip I again visited model airplane fields only this time I drove back down through middle Oregon.
I camped overnight and flew at the Bend Aero Modelers field near Bend, Oregon. I had the place to myself; no one else showed up!!
And I spent a warm
evening and night at the Ash Creek flying field near Red Bluff,
California.
It is quite interesting to plan your trip so you can camp and fly at
different flying fields while traveling! I highly recommend it.
Plus, you sometimes get to meet fellow fliers!
Once back home I was laid low for three weeks with the worst cold I have ever had! I tell you, no more kissing grandbabies for me!!! But, enough about me....
We have a new member in our club. Dennis Bailey. Ron Cowan agreed to take him under his wing and show him the ropes via a buddy cord.
Dennis in the left photo with his Nextstar trainer. Ron and Dennis have been flying various weekends this summer and by golly, Dennis is coming right along! At least he was until I tried to help him out one day and flew his trainer into a redwood tree! But hey, that's another story we don't need to get into right now!!
August brought combat to our field. Here is the usual cast of characters. Left to right; Dunlap, Weston, Murphy, Ross and, taking a crack at it for the first time, Cowan. That's me in the foreground with the air horn. I'm the timer and that's as close as I want to get to this nonsense! Not seen in this photograph are the, always late, inland contingent from Ukiah; the Kooyer Brothers and a couple of other ringers I didn't get the name of. All told we ended up with seven pilots taking to the air. The first heat Murphy and Dunlap had a spectacular midair! Dunlap's plane came down dead stick. Murphy's plane embedded itself in the ground in the parking lot!
Murphy showing off the remains!
Ross did quite well. Dunlap in the background wondering why. I didn't keep score, Dunlap does that stuff. So I don't know who is the point leader. I'm just the timer and the newsletter editor.
After four rounds of combat Steve Kooyer entertained us with his Magic.... For a short time!!
We had a good turnout of spectators and Club President Neil and his wife Dot showed up too. It was great to see Neil after his long bout with various ailments.
Dan Sciacco from Ukiah entertained us with his electric "flying witch". I happened to photograph a buzzard flying with the witch! Dan also flew his Four Stroke Decathlon. Man o man can he fly!! He did hair raising inverted passes, on the deck, across our wee field! Nerves of steel!!
Most weekends other odd birds come out. On the left is Dick Lucas with his French Flying Flea, circa 1960, and on the right is our resident gopher getter, a Great Blue Heron! Dick had a hard time flying the Flea and the Heron had a hard time getting gophers. But hey! At least they were there. Where were you? Most Saturday and Sunday mornings, 8:30 till noon we are out at our field flying and lying. Come join us!
Some of us Fog Busters are planning to attend the Corning Fun Fly September 30th, October 1st and 2nd. Corning is a great three day weekend of flying and camping. Head out highway 20 to Williams and turn north. If you need directions give Dick Lucas a call at 1-707-964-5724.
Hope to see you there,
Your humbled editor, Ron Bloomquist