NEWSLETTER FOR OUR MEMBERS
By: Gary Vacin,
Publicity Director
December 1, 2008
The
next monthly meeting of SLAC
Monday
DECEMBER 15, 2008
Mirror ROOM AT THE SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB - PHASE I
We regret to inform
you of the death of member Michael Boylan’s wife, Erin, on Nov15th
Click on Erin Boylan Obituary Letter
of condolence from President Bob Walch
Programs
For information on Programs, contact Elton Dyal, Programs Director, at
480-895-1160 or email N9588Q@cox.net
·
Monday December 15th Speaker
Ron Gillespie, Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) with the United States Air Force,
USAF, will be featured speaker at the Sun Lakes Aero Club meeting Monday, Dec
15 in the Mirror Room at the Sun Lakes Country Club. The meeting will
begin with coffee fellowship at 6:30 p.m., followed by Ron’s presentation at
7:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
Gillespie will talk about his military and civilian aviation experiences,
including missions with B-58 aircraft and his involvement in the development of
the SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft.
Ron received
both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the
Arizona State University during his Air Force career. After graduating from
Aviation Cadets he put in a series of tours flying the RB-47, B-52, and then
the B-58 aircraft. He is the proud recipient of a Mach 2 certificate from his
B-58 experience.
Gillespie was assigned to the SR-71 Test Group at Beale AFB and Edwards AFB
where he headed up the Sensor Test Branch during Category Three testing. His
presentation will include discussion of the test phase and early operational
problems of the SR-71
·
Fly-in/Field Trip
ARIZONA SKYDIVING
ELOY,AZ
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2008
Seven
members of the Sun Lakes Aero club visited Eloy airport to see the Saturday
morning parachute jumping activities. Eloy is frequented by parachute enthusiasts
from all over the world as it is used for international sky diving competition.
Shortly
after arriving about twenty jumpers in their brightly colored attire boarded a
Dehaviland twin engine turbo prop for a fast climb to 15,000 feet where they
would leave the aircraft for their journey earthward. After free falling part way the chutes billow open and are
skillfully guide to a grass landing area about a 100 yards square at a location
on the airport away from the active runway.
Spectators gathered around the landing site to see the jumpers
arrive. Larger parachutes may carry 2
people and arrive relatively slow.
Smaller chutes are used by accomplished jumpers and arrive very fast
with the parachutist running at full stride as they spill air to collapse the
canopy.
Parachute
jumping is regulated by the FAA and controlled by Arizona Skydivers who
run the operation. Novices must participate in a number training jumps that
cost about $2000 before they can jump solo. The necessary equipment costs an
additional $2000 or more. A ride to 15,000 feet cost $24.50. An instructor once said: “I have never had an injured student – show
me a ski instructor with a record like that!”
For
the timid, Arizona Skydivers offers a virtual
parachute jump. Participants enter a vertical wind tunnel on a mesh
floor. The hi speed vertical air stream
will allow them to float horizontal above the floor.
After
touring the grounds that include a number of parachute packing areas, briefing
rooms and a general store the group met at the Bent Prop Café for an enjoyable
lunch before returning home.
Members in attendance:
Earl and Grace Cuyler, Tom Moeller, Ruth Pew, Al Galvi, Elton Dyal, Bob Walch
Click on photos for enlargements
|
|
|
|
||
|
Indoor skydiving |
Landing |
Elton Dyal, Al Galvi and N9588Q |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activities Schedule
Since many members can only participate on Saturdays, we have made most of the proposed activities on a Saturday.
Fly-Ins:
The second Saturday of each
month a
breakfast fly-in is arranged by the Scottsdale Breakfast Club. Several of
our SLAC pilots have attended these functions in the past. For details visit their
website: www.ScottsdaleBreakfastClub.org
Generally The third Saturday of
each month
Special SLAC fly-ins to select locations.
|
Tentative Fly-ins |
Payson, Arizona March 21st |
64 NM |
Field Trips
Generally the fourth
Saturday of each month
-
Field trips to points of interest to all members and pilots.
|
December 13th |
Turf Soaring School –
Near Lake Pleasant, AZ |
58 driving miles |
|
|
December 20th |
Challenger Space Center –
Peoria, AZ |
54 driving miles |
|
|
January 17, 2009 |
Phoenix Composites FalconField,AZ |
27 driving miles |
|
|
February 28, 2009 |
Luke Air Force Base tour
– Glendale, AZ |
49 driving miles |
|
|
Tentative Field-trips |
Rotorway Helicopter Plant
– Chandler AZ |
11 driving miles |
Please look these over,
mark your calendars and inform Earl Culyer if you have not yet signed up and
you intend to participate in any of these
480-895-5525 EarlSLAC@wbhsi.net
SUN LAKES AERO CLUB
POT LUCK (LUAU) DINNER
AT THE OASIS IN SUN LAKES I
NOVEMBER 17, 2008
This
great event attracted 30 members and guests.
Each party brought exotic food which was consumed with great relish.
Elton
Dyal brought a couple of large cooked fish which he picked up at a restaurant.
Earl
Cuyler supplied a Pork dish that he assured everyone was Kosher and therefore
was really chicken.
Earl
arranged this event with his usual diligence and even produced a large sign
using his computer. Unfortunately, we
did not get a photo of the sign.
|
|
|
|
|
Line up for luau
chow |
|
Dorothy and Gary Vacin
|
Publicity
For
information on SLAC Publicity, contact Gary Vacin, Publicity Director, at
480-802-2225 email Gvacin@hotmailcom
BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE
SECOND TUESDAY
OF EACH MONTH, October thru May
The next SLAC Board meeting is on Tuesday December 9, 2008
at the SLAC Country Club in Phase 1 at 9:30 a.m. in the Card Room in the
Recreation Center. You are cordially
invited to attend these meetings.
For information on the Sun Lakes Aero Club go to the
website: http://www.sunlakesaeroclub.org/
Vern Nelson, Webmaster
480-895-0572
Cell: 480-710-4124