May 2004

2099 Smithtown Avenue, Ronkonkoma, NY 11776

Volume 7 Number 5

 

 

 

 

President

Alan Klug

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Vice Pres.

Rob Terano

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Secretary

Rich Raine

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Treasurer

Joe Leonard

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Administration

Doug Weston

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Membership

Mark Goodman

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Operations

John Blosser

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Training

John Vahey

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At Large

Mark Hervan

Club Meetings

Last month’s meeting was well attended.  We had a flurry of new members proposed.  One interesting prospect was Pam Caracciolo.  She is an actual Grumman employee.  She was there to join our club and propose her husband, Alan Caracciolo.  Pam and Alan learned of our club from John Pereira.   Both are interested in obtaining their pilot’s licenses.  Dave Ferarra brought Rusty McKenna for his second meeting.   Larry Rachman introduced Dave Lundquist to the club.   Dave has a Cessna 150 that he keeps at Bayport.  The prospective members and old members enjoyed as quick bit of conversation and everyone was on their way home.  Come out to the meetings to share some aviation experiences with our members.

 

The Left Seat                                  Alan Klug

With the onset of nice weather, I’ve noticed a lot more activity around the club. Also, more new faces. Karl Krage and Rusty McKenna joined the club in April and I’m sure we’ll all make them feel welcome. I also received another update from Theresa Albright, (Freddie’s mom). Freddie is currently finishing up his instrument rating at Embry Riddle and we can expect to see him flying our a/c soon. Mary Calabrese started her primary instruction. Her instructor (John Vahey) says she is doing great.

Our Skylane, N756PN has a broken rudder bar. It decided to break as we approached take off speed. With no right rudder, the take off was aborted and fortunately, the right brake still worked therefor enabling me to stay on the runway. Unfortunately, there is no replacement part to be located anywhere in the world. At least, not that we can find. The only solution was to order the part direct from Cessna which Bob & Ron have already taken care of. Because the part has to be manufactured, we are looking at a long down time. The airplane is blocked out for the entire month of May and it could even be longer. We hope not, but the possibility does exist. When it is back on line, we will email everybody, hopefully sooner rather than later. In the mean time, better to plan your flights using the other 3 planes.

The first plane wash of the year is scheduled for May 17th from 5-7 PM. We’ll have a barbecue afterwards. After I scheduled the plane wash, I received a flyer about a GPS seminar at Brookhaven Lab. If you desire to make both events, then do it. You will have plenty of time to wash a plane and then leave for the seminar. Or, fly to one of the other seminar locations on a different date.

N2112K was in for annual last month and Ron has advised me he worked on the door, hopefully sealing it. Anybody flying it in IMC, please let us know whether or not the leak is fixed.

 

 

 

 

Instructors

 

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) 799-8684

James Weisberg

(631) 689-1636

 

GACE Flying Cub

2099 Smithtown Ave.

Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

Phone:

(631) 737-6879

 

Secretary’s Corner                        Rich Raine

As you may know we hope to revise the constitution to bring it into currency with reality of the club today.  Things that are obviously out of date are requirements that members be employees of Grumman for example.  I would ask that members give some thought to anything they might wish to change in our constitution as we attempt to make these revisions for approval by the membership.

Lori and I discovered a blip in what would be an otherwise uneventful recent flight to BGM in 12K.  While flying over Queens we heard a loud alarm like sound.  I removed my headphones to figure out what it was.  Stall warning?  Marker Beacon?  It was the Carbon Monoxide detector.  I started to think about what speed to be at before opening the pilot’s window the door, …should I continue?  …Land?  I monitored the reading on the instrument and noticed it was starting to go down… In short order it was zero again... What happened?  I could only surmise we had flown over a smoke stack or other source of CO that set the unit off.  It shows the sensitivity of the unit and how well it works.  If you are startled by an unexplained alarm sound check the unit first.  Mark Goodman pursued the acquisition of these units.  They really do a great job.

Places

Tom Klemenko wanted to share this unusual picture. 

He writes, “Harbor seals sunning themselves on a sand bar next to Muskeget Island.  This is between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island. Donna Boylan, TK's sweet heart took the picture out the window of 6PN last month.”

“We thank Charlie Raymond very much for telling us about this wonderful sight of mother nature. Donna is still astonished over the flight.”

 

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

This month’s Meeting is on Monday, May 24th.