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Click below for previous newsletters: July
2008 |
AUGUST 2008 “Greetings from Chapter 64”- The August minutes are as follows: The meeting was called to order at 6:30PM by our chapter president and our Program Director, Rick Rehg, introduced our presenter for the evening - John Murphy. John flew a radial powered KitFox to the meeting and shared his stories with us along with some pictures of some really neat aircraft he has owned over time. He started the St. Louis Helicopter company doing construction lifting and later got into medi-vac copters later. He sold the company after 20 years and retired. He also flies a heli-cycle. Click here to see a picture of John’s radial powered Kitfox. We also had the privilege of the first CGS Aviation SLSA Hawk flying in to the meeting. This light sport plane is owned by EAA64 member Bill Buchholz and was flown in by member Keith Smith. As dusk was approaching after John’s presentation the meeting was put on hold so members could step outside and watch the Radial powered Kitfox and the SLSA Hawk take off and head for home. Made for an interesting evening and meeting. The meeting was on hold for approximately forty minutes while we watched planes take off. We re-adjourned at 7:43PM. August 12, Hangar Two Secretary’s Report: A motion was made and
seconded to forego reading of the secretary’s report due
to mailing of the newsletter – motion passed unanimously. Bill Buchholz reports that the trip to Dayton will be October 18. He is looking to get a bus full of people to go and if not they will take vans and cars. Call Billy at (636) 447-5058 if you are interested in going on the trip. The Gateway Eagles of Missouri last year flew young eagles and want to do it again this year. They are not an EAA chapter but are members of EAA. Because they are not a chapter they do not get insurance coverage from EAA headquarters to fly Young Eagles unless they get an EAA chapter to sponsor them. We have been asked to sponsor the group. We have acquiesced to their request and we will sponsor them this time but feel we do not want to continue to do this. EAA64 will also have a pilot or two that will participate. Diane Earhardt is looking for a “Backyard Bubba”(read intelligent and skilled technician!!) that can do aluminum work to work on a wheel chair. She has one that has a caster that is bent or doesn’t trail right and would appreciate some help. Dian also said they are in the new tower and have new frequencies, however, the frequencies have been published incorrectly. New Business: Billy Buc Buchholz bought an MX2 and is going
to rebuild it over the winter. THE FOLLOWING FROM OUR IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, DENNIS D'ANGELO, WHO NOW RESIDES IN GERMANY The Frugal Flyer This article is written about my attempts to continue my passion for sport aviation while living in Germany. Flying private aircraft in Europe requires a medical and a minimum of a Private Pilot license, which is accepted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the ruling agency. Sport pilot and ultra light flying as it is know in the USA is not accepted in Europe; specifically, flying without some form of medical approval. While Micro Light (our ultra lights) and Sport aircraft abound in Europe, all powered and most soaring activities require the pilot be medically qualified. Hang and paragliding are the two aviation related sports that currently do no require a medical requirement in Europe. Part I To say I was a little tense would be an understatement. I could feel the beads of perspiration forming on my bald head as the two ropes pulled tight. I have a few hundred hours of sailplane soaring time most of which started behind a Piper Pawnee tow plane, but this launch would be different, way different. This launch would be my first using a ground winch to tow me aloft and I would be solo. That’s not the half of it, this flight would be my second in a paraglider!
Cost aside, the sport is easy to learn and is relatively safe. I say relatively, because like any flying activity there is an element of risk. You can make mistakes which may result in injury or worse; however, with the proper training the sport is pretty benign. Like flying “hard winged” aircraft, training varies with the instructor and age matters not. My instructor, Uli, has been flying for 14 years, yet he is only 30. He is a very good instructor and you can learn much from this professional. However, paragliding instruction is a little different than sitting one-on-one with your powered airplane instructor. Paragliding instruction compares more with learning to ski where the instructor gives group instruction and provides one-on-one techniques before you head down the hill. This may seem strange to pilots used to more personalized training; however, the technique works very well. Before you launch into the blue, you will spend a few hours in groups of two or three ground handling the paraglider wing. Kiting, as it is called, is where you really learn to “feel” the glider and the skills learned flying the glider wing like a kite will pay big dividends when you finally get airborne. I spent one training day (8 hours) learning how to properly hook the glider and the harness together, how to launch the glider and then how to deflate the glider after landing; I never left the ground for any of this training. Finally, at the end of training day one, we were allowed to perform a series of downhill ground launches from a mild slope. Once airborne you climb to an altitude of about 10-15 feet in the air and make a few steering turns before landing a few seconds after takeoff. Then it’s back up the hill for another launch. The rationale behind these short low hops is to get the feel for the glider before going higher. If the conditions are good and the group size small, you can get in 5 or 6 hill flights in the calm evening air. Our group size and wind conditions only allowed 3 short hops my first attempt; however, I was hooked. Next month I will fill you in on winch towing and how the aircraft handles in smooth and turbulent air. Until then… …keep ‘em (anything) flying. dd |
My
instructor, Uli (short for Ulreich), gave the signal and the
rope started to pull me forward. A quick pull of the A-risers
and the paraglider left the ground in with a rushing sound,
like a sheet being blown in the wind. I released the A-riser
as the wing passes 45 degrees behind me and then, with a slight
tug on the brake handles, it stops near the vertical overhead.
I keep running though my feet have long since left the ground
and all too soon I am higher than the tall Spruce trees lining
the flying area. Uli’s broken English is barking commands
in my right ear to hold the right brake until I am headed toward
the winch. I dutifully oblige, but nothing seems to happen.
I pull the right brake further and Uli demands; “that
is enough brake, just wait a second.” Sure enough the
glider slowly turns to align itself with the towline and winch
below. Uli softly commands; “Peeerfeect, now look around
at the scenery!” I obey, only to be amazed at the beauty
of the German Black Forest a thousand feet below and stretching
for a few hundred miles. My amazement was short lived as the
towline goes slack and it is time for me to begin the free-flight
portion of my training.
Off
tow, I clear in the direction of turn, pull the left brake handle
down a few inches and roll my body in the same direction. This
time the glider responds more quickly, equally happy to be separated
from that pesky towline. Uli has me perform a series of left
and right 90 degree turns in anticipation for my upcoming landing
pattern. My goal, from day one, is to hit a predetermined 100
foot square target. German licensing requires the pilot be able
to hit a 60 meter (200 foot) square area, but Uli is a little
more demanding; OK by me. While I am used to slipping my Champ
in for a short landing, the paraglider requires more judgment
of the glide angle. I begin my landing pattern much the same
as I do in the Champ, with a 45 degree entry to downwind. My
turn to base is a little wide and Uli has me cut the base leg
short and aim for the center of the target, but the move is
a little too late to help. As I turn into the wind, the paraglider
and its fledgling student begin to sink and the intended landing
point begins to run ahead of me. I quickly realize I will not
make the touchdown location, so I forget the 100 foot square
target (200 square too) and prepare for landing. A little right
brake aligns me with the wind and as I pass 30 feet altitude
I lower the landing gear, my legs, from the harness seat. In
the vertical position I become a human speed brake and the paraglider
sinks a little faster. At 10 feet above the ground I pull both
brake handles smoothly to shoulder height as Uli instructed
before my departure. Uli’s; “very good,” confirms
the move was timed as he had hoped. I focus on my adjusted landing
spot and as my feet are within feet of the ground I begin to
pull the brake handles all the way down; just like I’d
seen skydivers do when they land. The paraglider comes to a
smooth stop and I touchdown in a slight trot. Holding the brake
handles full down the paraglider collapses behind me. Total
time aloft 7 minutes 32 seconds. I spend more time collecting
the paraglider and walking back to the launch line for my next
instructional sortie. Man that was way too much fun, but way
too short. I definitely need to get good at this so I can stay
up longer, and the saga begins…I’m hooked.
In
Germany where the cost of aviation fuel exceeds 10Euro/gallon
(~$15.67/gallon), hangar rents are on the high side of $500-1500/month
and insurance is very costly, paragliding is one way for the
common person to fly. Paragliding is one of the least expensive
flying sports I know of. A paraglider, harness, reserve parachute,
helmet, and radio can be purchased for approximately $4000-4500.
While there are some ultra light aircraft that can be purchased
for this amount, few (if any) offer the easy of storage and
transportation. Remember, once you purchase all the paragliding
equipment you have very little additional cost--no hangar fees
(store the wing in the closet), no fuel fees (unless you purchase
the motorized option…more on this later) and no insurance.
In my estimation it is an aviation activity you could do well
into your senior years as long as you stayed reasonably fit.
Unlike hang gliding where there is a certain level of physical
strength required, paragliding is a little less demanding physically.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a sport and you do need to
have some physical stamina. Heck, most of the launch zones in
Germany are on ski slopes, so you have to hike uphill to the
launch area while carrying your equipment (about 25-35 lbs of
the stuff). Sounds easy until you launch site is at 1100 meters
(3500 feet) up slope!