Our July meeting was very productive, which is reflected in the attached Minutes. We had a nice group attend and, as usual, we enjoyed the lunch.
At the moment, we are out of "50 Years History" DVDs. We will burn more as we receive orders. We only ask for a $5 donation to the chapter. A few DVDs were sent as gifts. A "thank you" to Barbara Kurtz for her donation of pictures of herself and Vel Morgan. And a very special "thank you" to all who furnished pictures and combed through their own memoriabilia to help in making the DVD. And, again to Bobi and Jack for going through stacks of books, newspapers, scrapbooks, you-name-its to collect items and information.
South Central Section 99s Governor, Jan McKenzie, asked that we bring the DVD to the Section Meeting in September. We plan to set up laptops in the Hospitality Room for viewing at one's leisure. Patty Taylor kept two copies for distribution - one will go to 99s Headquarters.
Section Meeting - Amarillo - September 12-14. Since the San Antonio Chapter is in charge of the hospitality room, several members plan to go on Thursday, the 11th. We will then buy the items we need. Jo and Laura will be driving and taking supplies also. As was noted in the Minutes, it was decided that we will open the Hospitality Room for a continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 and 7:00 and have a light lunch available Saturday at 11:30. If you prefer, there is a full breakfast buffet available in the hotel and also a TGI Fridays which opens at 11:00 for lunch and/or dinner. Looks to be a really fun time. Plan to attend. Information and registration forms are available online or the "Approach".
Friday Females Flying For Food - next one planned for August 22 at Lockhart Airport. Plan to arrive between 11:00 and 11:30 AM.
NEXT MEETING- August 14, 6 PM at Winnie Clements' home. Address: 13518 Dutch Myrtle, San Antonio, 78232. Phone: 210.496.7612 - Directions: From 281 N, East on Bitters, left on Heimer, right on Perennial, left on Dutch Myrtle. House on right. - Bring a finger food to share (dip and chips, sandwiches, cookies, brownies, whatever). Winnie will furnish the drinks.
The meeting was originally planned at Grady's - however, the room was not available, so Winnie has graciously offered her home.
Just a reminder - Gloria Blank's new email: luv2fly@gvtc.com
Birthdays: Alice Foeh - 7th, Cheryl Casillas - 15th and Margaret Cosby - 23rd.
Anniversaries: Alice Foeh - 36 years and Sherry Walker - 7 years.
~ GloriaFollowing are: Stella's "Aeronautical Definitions" and Cheryl's safety articles. Thanks to Stella Leis for submitting the "Aeronautical Definitions" and to Cheryl Casillas for the safety articles.
From Stella: Aeronautical Definitions
- Airspeed - speed of an airplane. (Deduct 25% when listening to a retired Marine pilot .)
- Carburetor icing - a phenomenon reported to the FAA by pilots immediately after they run out of gas.
- Dead reckoning - you reckon correctly, or you are . . .
- Destination - geographical location 30 minutes beyond the pilot's bladder saturation point.
- Flight following - formation flying.
- Glide distance - half the distance from an airplane to the nearest emergency landing field.
- When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane, you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash.
- A smooth landing is mostly luck; two in a row is all luck; three in a row is an outright lie.
- Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you.
- What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies. If the ATC screws up, the pilot dies.
- Range - usually about 3 miles short of the destination.
- Roger - used when you're not sure what else to say.
- Spoilers - FAA inspectors.
- WAC chart - directions to the Army female barracks.
- Yankee - any pilot who has to ask New Orleans tower to "say again".
From Cheryl: Good news for many!
The FAA Extends Terms Of First, Third Class Medicals.
Changes Apply For Pilots Under 40. The new rule took effect on the 24th of July. Pilots under 40, who were previously required to get a third-class medical renewed every 36 months, now have 60 calendar months (woo hoo!), or five years. First-class medicals now last 12 calendar months, up from six months.
Younger pilots who got their last first-class medicals between six and 12 calendar months ago will find them back in effect. If the exam was between 12 and 60 months ago, the first-class automatically reverts to a third-class.
There is no change for pilots over 40 (doogh!). FMI: www.faa.gov
AOPA Safety Article: NUMBER TWO TO LAND
Poor spacing between landing aircraft causes many go-arounds, especially at nontowered airports. If an aircraft that has just landed is hotly pursued by the next arrival, the second aircraft is going to have to abort its landing. Sometimes spacing seems reasonable, but the safety margin evaporates. Failure of the following aircraft's pilot to allow enough time for the landing aircraft to clear the runway is often to blame. What if the aircraft that landed ahead of you couldn't slow down before the first taxiway? How far down is the next exit point? Chapter 4 of the Aeronautical Information Manual gives general procedures for exiting and clearing runways after landing at towered and nontowered airports. Are you sure your aircraft is clear? See the section's definition.
At some airports, it is impossible for the pilot of an aircraft waiting to depart to see the runway's far end. Not sure of the location of the aircraft that just landed? Request a position report before you take off. Give one after you land. Avoid tying up the frequency, as discussed by readers of the blog entry "Too much taxi talk" by Bruce Landsberg, executive director of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation.
If it is obvious upon your arrival in the traffic pattern that spacing is tight, extend your downwind leg or reduce airspeed. Learn more in the June 17, 2005, "Training Tip: Light it up, slow it down." Remember that the aircraft you are following has the right of way. A too-close-on-final conflict between a Cessna 172 and a following Cessna Cardinal was detailed in "Pilot Counsel" in the October 2006 AOPA Pilot: "The pilot of the Cardinal flew a longer downwind leg to allow the 172 to exit the runway. Even so, the Cardinal was on final approach while the 172 was still landing. Because the 172 took longer than normal to exit, the possibility that the Cardinal would have to do a go-around was growing." What happened nextÑthe Cardinal overflew the Cessna at low altitudeÑled to enforcement action and certificate suspensions. This is an incident worth studying; make special note of the applicable regulations and how their interpretation guided the case's resolution.