Jan 2005

2099 Smithtown Avenue, Ronkonkoma, NY 11776-7324

Volume 8 Number 1

 

 

 

 

President

Alan Klug

---
Vice Pres.

Sonny Borowski

---
Secretary

Rich Raine

---
Treasurer

Joe Leonard

---
Administration

Doug Weston

---
Membership

Mark Goodman

---
Operations

John Blosser

---
Training

John Vahey

---
At Large

Chuck Calabrese

The Left Seat                                       Alan Klug

The entire Board of Directors wishes a happy, healthy and prosperous new year to all the members and their families. We look forward to seeing you at club events and meetings in 2005. There are items to be discussed at the next meeting relative to investor fees, and we would appreciate your input. The January meeting will be on the 24th. Mark your calendars.

I would like to thank everybody that came to the party at the Pine Grove Inn last month, for supporting your club. I believe Rich Raine is posting some photo’s on the web. It appeared that a good time was had by all and we hope to improve the attendance numbers in the future

The price of fuel has dropped substantially in the past month. (Approximately 45¢ per gallon) Therefore, the board finds no need for a rate increase at the present time. We do request, however, that when you land someplace and the fuel is cheaper, (which is almost everywhere) you top off the tanks. (Weight & Balance permitting of course) If you are not sure how to submit fuel slips, just ask. Any money you save the club is also a personal saving.

With winter here, we frequently need to use the pre-heaters. If you are not familiar with them, read the instructions. BE SURE THE BLOWER IS ON BEFORE IGNITING THE HEATER.  Failure to do so will result in the heat hose melting almost immediately. If you do forget, don’t just put the heater away, go to the ACE Hardware store on Vet’s Highway and purchase a new section of heat hose and then return to the airport and install it.  Also, when you are done with the pre-heater, return it to the wood shed and lock it. A few weeks ago, I found it by a tie down after somebody went flying. If you preheat properly, the engine will stay warm long enough to put away the equipment.

It has been almost 2 years since the office was painted. February and March are good months for doing the inside chores. The floor tiles in the rest room could also use some work. I’ll be looking for volunteers to do this work & I would like to see some of the new members offering their help. If you keep in mind that this is a club, not an FBO you should be able to find some time to donate.

One last note. Winter is the best time of year for flying. Don’t let yourself get rusty. Dress warmly, schedule a plane and enjoy. If you’re already a little rusty, schedule a plane and an instructor and enjoy.

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

GACE History                                Bernie Davidson

Soooooo….. what else happened “interumly” ? ? ? ? ?

Then somebody, or somebodies, said since we’re thinking about buying airplanes (and wondering if this idea would pay off in the long run?)  “how about getting a simulator for our instrument training?”  Then those wheels of “top men” in G.A.C.E. put their heads together and brought the idea up to the rest of our members; “natcherly”. Some of us balked since this was going to put us in the “red” financially (with dues and otherwise).  Then whadayaknow but yours truly was invited to fly out with some of those “top men” over to Teterboro, NJ to a simulator producing company (since yours truly was doing the ground instrument teaching at that time in our club); after all, yours truly should know a little (very little-at-the-time) more than the average pilot on what we all need to fly safer with an instrument rating.  I think the cost of this simulator was about $4,000.  (you sat inside a dark enclosure with instruments to guide you  and a screen in front of you with a little plane silhouette tracking your control inputs/this screen was duplicated on the outside of this enclosure for the instrument ground instructor to talk-teach “n” teach-talk to you via an electric mic interconnection);  pretty advanced for simulators at that time, huh?  NO altitude indication!!

Then, to make the “cheese more ginding” realistically, and to see if buying THIS “machine” would be worth it, we tried another type of vertgo-inducing simulator to compare sooo…. this guinea-pig (me) had to be subjected to testing it for comparison’s sake; I still get nauseous to this day every time I think back then…

 

 

 

 

Instructors

 

John Blosser

(631) 912-0290

Sonny Borowski

(631) 793-6980

John Brook

(631) 368-1901

Rich Clinton

(631) 368-1901

Bernie Davidson

(516 931-7699

Dave Ferrara

(631)874-8492

Frank Hayes

(516) 767-0391

Roy Mathews

(631) 968-0154

Jeff McArthur

(631) 288-6276

Bill Rudock

(631) 874-6155

Rob Terano

(631) 467-4159

John Vahey

(631) 835-6106

Bob VanSise

(516) 695-9001

 

 

GACE Flying Cub

2099 Smithtown Ave.

Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

Phone:

(631) 737-6879

 

Safety Tips                                        John Vahey

Taxi Techniques

1.  Don’t multitask.

Get your ATIS information and call for clearance on a handheld or aircraft radio while still at the tie‑down.  Don’t try to taxi and copy information at the same time.  It’s an accident waiting to happen.  The GACE ramp is a tight area to taxi and demands the pilot’s attention to maintain a safe distance from the aircraft on the left side and the hangar doors on the right.  Further, the gas pump and EFI areas are cluttered with parked aircraft and operating helicopters.  Keep your eyes outside.

2.  Test your brakes.

It was imprinted on your mind during primary training.  Roll forward, ease back on the throttle, tap your brakes.  Our brakes are hydraulic and susceptible to several failure modes, including mechanical breakage, hydraulic leaks, and rusting or seized components.  In winter, beware of ice.  I had an incident several years ago in 6PN where the brakes worked out of the tiedown, but the left brake became inoperative after going through a puddle of water.  The brakes checked out OK, it may be that splashed water froze in contact with cold metal.  Stay clear of puddles and slush in cold weather.

3.  Taxi no faster than a brisk walk.

My workplace gives me a perfect view of the Bravo/Whiskey intersection, and I am treated to the alarming sight of, yes, GACE aircraft turning the corner at flank speed on the way to the runway or to the ramp.  (Usually faster on the way to the ramp.)  Let’s be careful out there.

4.  Don’t ride the brakes.

Riding the brakes with the throttle at 1800 RPM while taxiing is analogous to flying an approach with 40 degrees of flaps and full throttle.  In controlling taxi speed, reduce the throttle first, and brake only when necessary to stop or turn.  If you do find yourself gaining speed with the throttle at idle, as you may with a tailwind or when taxiing downhill, tap the brakes momentarily to reduce the speed, and then get off the brakes.  This technique of tapping the brakes to slow the aircraft keeps the brakes cool and reduces wear.  Save the brakes for when they’re really needed - short field landings.

I would like to wish all of you in the GACE family fair skies and a happy and safe holiday season.

Remember, it’s the NEXT hour that counts!

Secretary’s Corner                             Rich Raine

At the last Board Meeting we discussed ways to raise additional revenue while keeping our hourly rentals as low as possible.  We surveyed a number of similar clubs in the area we noted most all required much higher initial equity purchase.  We agreed to propose to the membership the idea that future initial deposits by new members be increased to $750.  Additionally, when that member leaves the club he would be paid $250.  The club would benefit by the difference of $500.  Because this will involve a vote by the present membership we would ask that you come to our next meeting to discuss this new change.  All present members would be grandfathered in.  Members that join the club from this point on would have this new fee structure applied.  We would like to have everyone’s input on this so please try to attend our next meeting. 

Meetings

Board of Directors meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 7:00PM.  All members are welcome; however, please check with the President first in order to get on the agenda.

General Membership meetings are the fourth Monday of the month at 7:00PM.  There are no meetings for the summer months of July and August.  The next member’s meeting will be on Monday, January 24th.