January Meeting
The next meeting will be held Wednesday, January 24th at 7:30 PM in McElmurry Hall.
 
The program for this month’s meeting will be the second half of the video on using the Garmin GNS430/530
 
 
From the Left Seat
The holidays have slowed everybody down, but it is time to get ramped back up. We continue to have a problem with Young Eagle pilots. For the last four months we have had me and sometimes one other. This is a great program, but if it won't be supported by the chapter I WILL kill the program. I will not have kids show up for what could be the most exciting event of their lives, and go home disappointed.
 
This month we will be showing the second half of the Garmin 430 video. The first half was very well received.
On the legal front, things are progressing with the Lakeland lawsuit. Expect a briefing from Frank at the meeting.
Next month the RV Florida Wing will be flying into VNC for lunch at the Hawaiian grill place. Feel free to join us.
 
See you at the Meeting.
Blaise
 
Chapter Dues Due
 
It’s that time again. Kindly send your dues to:
 
Frank Hurlburt,
3630 Beneva Oaks Dr.,
Sarasota, FL 34238
 
Or pay at this month’s meeting.
The dues this year are $25.00.
 
 
Minutes of the November/December Meeting
 
President Blaise Pierson opened the meeting at 7:34pm with the 'Pledge to the Flag'.  Eighteen members and guests were present.
 
Secretary's Report:  The minutes of the October meeting were accepted as published online with a correction.  It was incorrectly stated Dave Bothe's plane was a RV-6A when it is in fact a RV-8A.
 
Treasurer's Report:  Treasurer Frank Hurlburt reported Dave Bothe's plane, which was donated to the chapter, had recently sold for $22,500.  The chapter now has $36,797.05 with additional money in escrow.
 
Builder's Reports: Frank Hurlburt has finished the firewall forward and is wiring the instrument panel on his Lancair IV-P.  Jim Ellis is flying and fixing his RV-9A.  Brad Smith's RV-6A has the rear bulkhead in and the floor under the seats.  Ziggy Feurersanger did a 'first flight' report on his CH-601. The flight was cut short due to fuel problems that have since been corrected.  Rob Brooke has his Tiger Moth on wheels now.  Vance Noles reports his RV-9A now has 300 trouble free hours on it.  He is now building a RV-7A.  He is working on fairings for the gear legs, and expects to take the plane to the airport in about a month.  Wayne Schober announced he is moving to New Mexico.
 
Old Business:  Our chapter lawyer is responding to the complaint filed by Sun'n Fun about the 2002 Parts Mart.
The program for the evening was the first half of a video on using the Garmin GNS430/GNS530. The remainder of the video is scheduled to be shown at next month's meeting. Frank Hurlburt reminded the group of the opportunity our chapter has at this year's Mid-Atlantic Fly-In at Lumberton, North Carolina in May. Blaise closed the meeting at 9:13pm.
 
Respectfully submitted,
Rolf Bostrom, Secretary
 
 
PilotMall.com
Open House and Fly-In
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Albert Whitted Airport,
St. Petersburg, FL
By Dick Wilke
 
This was billed as the first annual PilotMall.com Open House. After calling several Chapter members, none of whom were free to go, I went on my own. However, I did run into Martin Sobel. The event started with a very nice breakfast buffet sponsored by the Albert Whitted Airport Preservation Society as a fundraiser. They also put on a nice lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs and all the trimmings. As you may know, Albert Whitted was saved by a vote of the residents of St. Pete, and now plans are underway for multi-million dollar improvements.
 
There were two forums in the morning, and four in the afternoon, all very worthwhile, I thought. Bill Cox, a ferry pilot who writes for Plane & Pilot, told some great stories about his experiences ferrying aircraft across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. He has made 195 trips, and some were pretty daring. Bill later talked about how to buy and referbish a used airplane, which he has done for quite a few overseas clients, before delivering the airplane.
 
Max Trescott is an engineer and CFI who has done a DVD and book on flying the Garmin G1000. He is very knowledgeable, and was able to field all the questions from the audience, many of whom had flown with the G1000. He also talked about the art of IFR with the G1000.
 
Max Tutton talked about tax matters involving aircraft ownership. Among many subjects, he discouraged the idea of forming a Delaware Corporation to own your airplane, because he said the state people will still catch up with you.
 
Amy Laboda writes the Family Matters column for Sport Aviation and has a long list of ratings and accomplishments for such a little woman. She is very perky and informative, and gave a comprehensive talk about preflighting for overwater flights, including the tale of her own splashdown after takeoff from Key West. Fortunately all on board survived. She also gave a talk called "Ramp Check Rule Book", where she counseled to remain calm and polite, and go along with the FAA inspector's requests, even if it means a check of the airplane at a maintenance shop. She cited a case where a student of hers pulled off the mixture control instead of the throttle before touchdown, and stopped the engine. They coasted to a taxiway and restarted, but the tower asked her what happened, and an FAA inspector came out. He told her he thought her idle was not set correctly, and instructed her to have it checked. She called her boss, who owned the airplane, and he said to do it. The mechanic, as suspected, found nothing amiss, but it only cost $20.00, and was less trouble than flying off and dealing with future problems with the FAA.
 
Between sessions there was time to wander through PilotMall and see all the good stuff they have in stock, while also looking at several new Cessna 172 and 182 TC's with G1000's. All in all, a rare opportunity to meet some interesting aviation personalities and learn something worthwhile.
 
 
EAA Chapter 180 Yahoo Group Formed
 
I've just started a Yahoo Group for EAA 180. This will allow any member to send a message to the entire group by just sending an email to:
 
We can attach the monthly newsletter to these e-mails. We can also post photographs and other informational notices.
 
This past weekend (ed: November) I attended an all day group of safety and informational seminars in St. Pete. I ran into one of our chapter members who made several calls to other EAA 180 members to find someone interested in sharing a ride. Had we had this list in operation, one short e-mail would have netted at least one other member, me. This month, with some confusion on our meeting date, a short message would get the word out in seconds. (I think) There is no requirement to have a yahoo e-mail address, although I have one myself that I use when I want to limit giving out the address I use for friends and business. It will also give you complete access to the group's web site.
 
I am sending invitations to join the group by e-mail using the address listed on the web membership page. Many of you do not have e-mail addresses listed. If things have changed, please let me know. If there are any new members not listed, please send me your information. My e-mail address is rv8vator@comcast.net. If you have any questions you may also contact me at 941-359-8693 (home), or 941-539-4806 (cell).
Martin Sobel EAA Flight Advisor