CONGRATULATIONS to Mick Schumacher, our new club vice president. See details of the election in the report of the November meeting.  There were no hanging chads and no recount was needed.

ILLINOIS ULTRALIGHT SEMINAR is February 24th in Springfield.  More details next time.  Start planning now.

COME EARLY to the next meeting.  Mike Ostrander will be playing the EAA video from Oshkosh 2000.  One of our members is shown flying in the tape.

WHY PAY DUES?

It's time again for annual $25 membership dues to be paid.  We need your help because we are a small club and every member is important. Our mission is to promote safety, and ultralights. We send out newsletters to past members, guests, future members and contacts with other clubs.  Anyone interested is welcome to receive newsletters, attend meetings, and share our picnics.  Paid members get many unspecified benefits and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping our cause.  We need your help.  To be an "ILLINI SKYRIDER" bring $25 to a meeting or send a check to our treasurer, Lea Amdor 991 N. CR 1500E. Camargo, IL 61919

DO YOU HAVE E-MAIL?

The club now distributes 75% of our monthly newsletters via e-mail.  If you have e-mail capability and are willing to receive your newsletter via e-mail please contact Dan Grunloh at <grunloh@uiuc.edu>.  The printed version will always be available but the e-mail version saves considerable $$$.  It's a small plain text file, easy to download.

FIRST FLIGHT OF THE YEAR

Dave Patrick of Milford holds the claim for the earliest local ultralight flight in 2001.  He has installed a full wrap around windshield on his Kolb.  Thanks to the fact that the Paxton airport is kept clear with snow plows, he was able to fly on Sunday January 6th. Raymond and I watched in envy as he taxied out in a fairly light coat.  Dave reported success and a noticeable increase in speed.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER

All please welcome new member Dave Nicholson of Danville, Illinois. He is also the first to pay dues for 2001.  I would describe Dave as a "widely traveled adventurer" who is very enthusiastic about flying.  Still trying on planes, he seems to be interested in a roomy 2 place with cross country capability.

Thanks in part to Dave (and others) we have learned that the Danville airport is open to ultralights.  They have fuel on the weekends and several different runways including an east-west sod which is preferred for ultralights.  Be sure you know the layout before going there.  A radio is a good idea.

FRED LAMKEY DOING BETTER

Sorry I have no direct information, but rumor and third hand reports indicate that our trike friend, Fred Lamkey is recovering OK from his back injury.  There were complications from the surgery and he had to go back for more treatment but by now he is walking, and may already be back at work!  His spouse has ruled out any future flying escapades so Fred needs a new hobby. He will surely be missed at our fly-ins.

GRAPHIC ARTIST NEEDED

The club needs to locate an artist who can do a proper reproduction of our club logo.  We have the original in the form of a 4 color sew on patch.  A professional color drawing could be scanned and used for our club web site, and for making T-shirts and other club "regalia".  Suggestions are needed.

CONDOLENCES

Mike Ostrander's mother passed away about a week before our November meeting.  Richard Davis and Noami are in Italy because of a serious illness in her family.

REPORT OF NOVEMBER 2000 MEETING

Our November meeting began with a club sponsored Pizza party at the home of Dale and Lorretta Busboom. There was plenty of food and everyone had a great time.

The business meeting was called to order at 7:20 PM by president Mike Ostrander with 14 members present. Mike thanked Dale and Lorretta Busboom for hosting the meeting.  We also recognized newcomers Dave Nicholson of Danville and Gary Gustafson, of Bismark, ILL.  Gary bought Mick Schumachers' Challenger.

The first order of business was presentation of the annual EAA recognition certificates to chapter officers.  These awards now include very nice pins to go along with the certificate. Since there was a pin for both newsletter and secretary, I now have one for both ear lobes.

We discussed the requirements for our club to maintain it's incorporated status and to be current and in good standing with the EAA.  Lea Amdor and Mike Ostrander will see about the renewal of our papers and a new requirement that we obtain an IRS number for our not-for-profit club.  We agreed to pay the liability insurance premium which is required.

Mike Ostrander reported on his progress on our club web page and showed printed examples of his work.  Dan Grunloh confirmed that our club will celebrate it's 20th birthday next January 2002. We might try to celebrate the event later in the year during the prime flying season.

The final order of business for this meeting was the election of club officers for 2001. Leland Mcwhorter had stated he wanted to resign as VP but all other officers said they would be willing to continue.  A search of records showed that Mick Schumacher had never yet served in any club position so he was drafted to the Vice president position. The decision was unanimous.

THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE :

Saturday February 17th at the Red Wheel Restaurant 741 Broadmeadow Rd in Rantoul, IL.  The location is on the west edge of Rantoul on Rt. 136 about one block south of the Amoco station.  Please join us for dinner as early as 6:00 PM.  The meeting will start at 7:00.

MANY THANKSto president Mike Ostrander who has completed the setup of our own club website.  It has our club logo, pictures of ultralights, and back issues of the newsletter.  He has done a terrific job, and with member input, it will be fantastic.  See us on the internet at...... http://home1.gte.net/vzn05wvn/index.html

ILLINOIS ULTRALIGHT SEMINAR  is February 24th in Springfield.  More details inside.  This is the longest running and the largest state ultralight  seminar in the country.  It all started right here in Illinois thanks to Charlie Wells.  Don't miss it.  Make plans to car pool at this next meeting.

The January 20th 2001 meeting of Illini Skyriders was called to order at 7:14 PM by president Mike Ostrander with 19 members present. New members and guests included Dave Nicholson,  Richard Cummings, Greg Sellers, Debra Cassels, and Gary Gustafson. Gary bought Mick Schumacher's Challenger but then sold it to Gary Buck because he decided he would prefer a single seater.  George (Kiltman) Findley was there and even Gary Buck was present.  We forgot to ask Gary what he plans for his Phantom.

The president reported that our incorporation papers have returned and that we have applied for our nonprofit IRS number. We are now up to date and in good standing as an official EAA chapter.  Mike brought copies of our 1981 bylaws which he has typed into the computer. Also he gave a report on his efforts to setup a club website and brought printouts of the sample pages.

Dan Grunloh talked about the upcoming USUA convention in Indianapolis. Dave Nicholson said he plans to attend.  Also Mick Schumacher is working on getting our club sew-on patch reproduced.  There was a discussion about the Rantoul Airshow to be held August 4-5.

Pat Gallahue from Chapter 29 reported that he is now the Young Eagles coordinator for that group and talked about his plans for the coming season.  Also Pat has an extensive collection of photos from our fly-ins which could be useful for our website.  There was a discussion about the Sport Pilot proposal and NPRM which is expected in April.  Meeting adjourned at 8:00PM.

It's time again for annual $25 membership dues to be paid.  Next month, we will publish a preliminary membership list.  To be an "ILLINI SKYRIDER" bring $25 to a meeting or send a check to our treasurer, Lea Amdor 991 N. CR 1500E. Camargo, IL 61919

Already this year, the little airstrip at the Grunloh horse farm has had some visitors.  The first to land was Dave Patrick in his Kolb.  I expected a low pass because it was warm and the runway was thawed and a bit muddy.  Dave landed anyway and we had a great visit but he got lots of fresh mud on his Kolb. Takeoff a little later was even muddier.

Second visitor of the year was Raymund Theron out testing his cold weather gear and home made hooded face shield.  He said it works great.  I'm building one myself.  It's like a bib fastened to the bottom of a full face shield. It prevents air circulating up under the shield and keeps your neck and head warm.

Tinitus is a very high pitched ringing in the ears when there is no obvious source of the sound.  It can be caused by head aches, head or neck injuries, sinus trouble, various drugs, or exposure to noise.  The symptoms can be temporary or permanent.  There is no cure.  Tinitus is not uncommon among pilots, especially older pilots who have been flying a long time.   Ultralight pilots should always wear good earplugs or a tight fitting headset (or both) to prevent damage to the ears.

I mention this because of my own recent problems.  I always wore the earplugs, but with my new Comtronics headset, felt I didn't need them anymore.  Recently, during a cold spell, I flew with a heavy head covering or "balaclava" under my helmet and headset.  The ear cups of the headset did not fit tightly and after  60 minutes of flying, I noticed the engine seemed quite loud and irritating.  Now, three weeks later, my ears are still ringing.  Hopefully the sensation will go away with time, but you can be sure I will wear foam earplugs UNDER my headset from now on.

Anyone who experiences temporary ringing in the ears after exposure to high noise is at risk to develop permanent tinitus.  Please take precautions.  Us older folks are probably more susceptible. It's no fun.

Your trusty newsletter editor has built a small  prop tracking tool based on an article in the February 2000 Experimenter.  Two small laser pointers are affixed to a frame which is clamped to the prop blade. A small red dot is projected on the hangar wall. By comparing the location of the dot from each blade you can check both tracking and pitch of your prop. Adjustable props should be set first with a protractor or other tool and then the laser tracker is used to ensure all blades are set the same.  I will bring it to the next meeting.

The secret to a successful flying season is to do your maintenance and repairs in the winter, before the flying season begins.  Three of us up here in the Paxton area have had to replace tires recently.  At anywhere from 80 to 200 hours, there was cord showing on tires. Now is the time to replace fuel lines, balance props, paint mufflers and check your engine for carbon and ring sticking.  We're all going to be flying regular real soon, and practicing our bomb drops and spot landings.  Don't get left behind.  Consider attending the Ultralight seminar in Springfield on February 24th.  The  session on Rotax engines by Phil Lockwood is always terrific.

The Illinois Ultralight Advisory Council, The Illinois DOT and the FAA will present the annual ultralight safety seminar on February 24th, 2001 in Springfield, Illinois. The event will be held in the Illinois Building and Auditorium at the state fairgrounds in Springfield.  It's the first building on the left as you enter the fairgrounds. Ample parking is available. Attendance is FREE.

Registration is 8:00Am to 9:00AM with the seminars beginning promptly at 9:00AM.  You should arrive early to have time to view the exhibits of aircraft, engines and accessories before the seminars begin. Coffee and doughnuts will be available and a catered noon meal will be provided for a nominal charge.  Visit the IUAC website for more info at: www.safetyseminar.org.

Saturday, March 17th, at the Dixie Restaurant and truck stop in Tuscola.  The restaurant is located just west of Hwy 57 on Rt. 36.  Please join us for dinner as early as 6:00 PM.  The meeting will start at 7:00 PM.

MARCH MEETING has moved to Tuscola, instead of the Jolly Roger in Urbana, as planned.  We want to get back out to airport style meetings as early as possbile, so the choice is Tuscola.  See details below.

SUN-N-FUN FLY-IN  Lakeland Florida is only 3 weeks away.  It's time for some of us to start planning, and packing.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS is starting to fill up.  Those  willing to host a club meeting date at your airfield, should start thinking about which month you would prefer.

The February 17th, 2001 meeting of Illini Skyriders was called to order at 7:52 PM at the Red Wheel Restaurant in Rantoul by president Mike Ostrander. There were 15 members and guests present.  The annual state ultralight safety seminar is next weekend.  Some very excellent speakers are scheduled and about 7 of our members said they plan to attend.

Mike Ostrander gave a report on the status of our club website and showed printouts of some of the pages.  Mike also showed the completed version of our club logo.  Members should send him pictures of their planes so they can be included in our member profiles.

We discussed plans for future meetings and decided on the Jolly Roger for March and the Paxton airport for April.  Airports with paved runways are preferred for early spring fly-ins.  Dan Grunloh promised to host a meeting this year at his strip in Loda. It was announced that Pennzoil for air-cooled is now available at Farm and Fleet in Urbana. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20PM.

The annual safety seminar in Springfield was a great success.  As in the past, there was a record turnout and barely enough standing room in the lecture hall.  Exhibit aircraft included a Pegasus 912 trike (similar to the model which flew around the world),  A gyrocopter which had been flown on skis, a beautiful bare wood airframe of a Roger Mann design. a powered parachute, and others.

The guest speakers were excellent, starting with Sue Gardner of the FAA talking about the new proposed sport pilot license, and the new proposed light aircraft category.

Next was Phil Lockwood of Drifter and Air-Cam fame who came up from Sebring Florida to give a talk on the care of Rotax engines.  Phil's Rotax seminars are always packed whenever gives them.  You can't help but learn something from an expert like Phil.

The afternoon session began with Lucian Bartosik (Kentucky) giving a presentation on trike type aircraft.  The audience was mostly fixed wing pilots, many who got their first introduction to trikes.  Some now understand better why trikes are popular.

The last session was on aircraft design and was presented by Chuck Slusarczyk, a pioneer in ultralights for 25 years, and manufacturer of the CGS Hawk.  His talks are always very informative, and very intertaining.

We saw quite a few club members and friends at the seminar.  It was a very wet rainy day.  Mike Ostrander did not "clean up" as much on the raffle this year.  Your reporter, Dan Grunloh, however did win a case of 2-stroke oil.  Good for about 9 months of flying!

I am happy to report I have obtained a windshield for my little Funracer trike.  I like the open air nature of the trike but when it gets really cold, you have to wear many layers to survive a long flight.  It was a kit from Mike Jacober of Artic Sparrow Aviation in Alaska.  He also manufactures snow skis for ultralights and has much experience with cold weather and high altitude flight.  He once flew his  trike over the top of Mt. McKinley.  The quality of products and service from the company is excellent.   The lexan windshield works extremely well at blocking the wind and increases the speed slightly.  I plan to use it only in the winter.  Windshields and pods on trikes tend to make breakdown and trailering more difficult and time consuming.

The first local deadstick contest of the year, (and the first of many), took place March 3rd at the Paxton airport.  It's a slightly different type than most of you are familiar with.  Raymund Theron and I took our trikes to 2500 AGL directly over the airport.  While flying side by side, we shut off our engines at exactly the same moment.  The last plane to land on the runway is the winner.

There was no thermal lift this day so it was a minimum sink contest.  It was 6-8 minute glide back to the runway.  I won the first round but Raymund found his best speed and beat me the second attempt.  We had radio contact all the time and could announce our movements on 122.8.  This will be even more fun when there is some thermal lift to be used.  Anyone who worries about hitting the runway, deadstick from 2500 ft. straight above, needs to practice more.  Also in future, anyone flying to Paxton will be given practice "bombs" to drop while you are there.  You can't win at the contests if you don't practice.

Dave Patrick and Raymund Theron reported they made a cross country flight to Fowler Ind. and then on down to the the Vermilion County airport near Danville.  As reported in earlier newsletters, ultralight type craft are permitted and welcome at this airport.  They have fuel and vending machines.  Raymund gave an intro ride to one of the FBO persons.  This airport is a terrific stopover for cross country flying into many interesting areas of Indiana.  It opens up a whole lot more possible destinations.  They have numerous runways so you must learn the layout.  A radio would be very good but of course is not required.

The March 17th, 2001 meeting of Illini Skyriders was called to order at 7:30 PM at the Dixie Restaurant in Tuscola by president Mike Ostrander. There were 15 members and guests present.

Under old business Mick Schumacher gave a report on the status of our project to have new sew-on patches made for our club.  It's been so long since we had any made that many members have never seen them.   The cost will be $3.25 each.  We will order 50 patches and they should be done in time for our next meeting.  There was also some discussion about the making of decals.

Treasurer Lea Amdor reported on the dues collection effort.  A total of 14 members have paid their $25 dues thus far.  A check of past records showed that Carl Bleichner forgot to pay his dues last year so we hit him up for double the amount.  We tried for triple but he wouldn't go for it.

There was a discussion about the Sport Pilot proposal.  Mick Schumacher and Dan Grunloh explained some of the details and summarized the changes that will occur with the current two seaters.  If the rule is adopted as planned, all 2-seat ultralights currently flown by BFI's for instruction will have to change their status within about four years.  The vehicles must get inspected and the pilots must become registered under the new Sport category.  The process will be easy for those who are already flying.

Sun-N-Fun Fly-in in Lakeland Florida is coming soon.  A show of hands indicate about 5 of our members will attend.  Dan Grunloh will work in judging and Mick Schumacher will be in the EAA booth all week.  MIke Ostrander and family are driving down and will include Sun-n-Fun as part of their Florida vacation.  Dave Nicholson is looking for a plane!

Dave Patrick told the story of his flight and his landing at the now closed Milford airport. It's not on the maps, but you can't help but notice a small airport and hangar on the north side of town.  There was no "X" marked on the runways so he landed.  The story that follows is an example of the interesting people you can meet while flying.

We discussed plans for the upcoming annual Balloon Classic in Danville in June.  Since the airport management has been so friendly and welcoming to ultralights, we should try to participate somehow.  At such an event it will be difficult to get permission to fly during the event.   We should arrange a group arrival for as l late in the morning as they will permit, so more people can see us fly.   Let's support this airport which has welcomed us.

This Illini Skyrider meeting continued with more great discussion especially person to person.  One purpose of our meetings is to bring enthusiast together so they can share information.  A lot of good info was shared at our March meeting........ Dan

Members with email would have received notice of a quick little fly-in to be held March 18th at the Paxton Airport.  Some trike friends from Fowler Indiana came for a visit so we made a fly-in out of it.  The weather was great.

We had a total of 8 ultralights flying there and 6 of them were trikes.  Raymund Theron once worked as a meet director in South Africa so he knew just how to organize a contest.  It's setup like a challenge.  The Fowler group versus the Paxton group.

Jeff Budreau and Lon Deno were good sports even though they had never done any contests before.  Another gentleman with very low time and in a new Pegasus trike also gave it a go.  For Paxton it was Grunloh and the two Kolbs, Dave Patrick and Rob Steiger.  Raymund flew last after everyone else was done.

Confident in my FunRacer, I charged right into the bomb drop and proved I was very consistent, but way off the target.  My bombs were more a threat to the observers including Don Loudermilk and club president Mike Ostrander.  My sandbag barely missed the president as he watched it get larger and larger in the viewfinder of his camera.  The winner was Lon Deno.  Rob Steiger also got real close.

The spot landing contests were more of a challenge to our visitors who had not tried anything like it before.  First phase was landing over a ribbon and we all pretty much went long.  There was a considerable cross wind which complicated the effort.  We all had good and bad landings.  The final landing was a power spot landing without a ribbon to hit a line on the runway.  I redeemed myself by hitting the line perfectly to win that part.

Some of the Indiana folks had to head back home.  We didn't have the time for a glide contest from 2500 AGL but some of the participants suspected the two slowest  trikes Raymund and myself would have a great advantage.

At the end we did try a little out and back race to a tree about 3 miles from the airport.  Raymund and I with our slow trikes made a good effort to minimize the time and make efficient turns.  Dave Patrick in his Kolb made us look like turtles.  At the end of the day, Ed Cooper (also from Indiana) showed up in his trike.  He just missed the others who had left.  All in all, it was a great day of flying.  Everybody learned and had fun.  We will do it again.  The Fly-in Challenge.

Mick Schumacher has invited us to hold our April meeting in conjunction with a visit to his home and workshop near Sidney Illinois. Mick has recently taken delivery of a new 2-place Challenger kit and construction will start shortly.  This will be a good opportunity to see a Challenger kit first hand.

This newsletter is being sent out 10 days early because your newsletter editor will not return from Sun-n-Fun until just a few days before our April meeting.  I'll have a good tan from all the sunshine and many stories to tell from "Paradise City" at the Lakeland Florida airport.

Saturday April 21st at Mick Schumacher's home 4.5 miles south of Sidney ILL on the Longview Road.  The house, on the west side of the road,  is surrounded by evergreen trees.  Mick says he has landed on the county road and taxied right up into his driveway.  Normally flight operations take place about a mile away at a neighbors farm.  Pilots who wish, may fly-in at their own risk.  Approach from the south and look out for cars, powerlines, and the county sheriff.  The GPS to 39-57.63N by 88-04.00W.  Contact Mick Schumacher at 217-688-2579.  Meeting to begin about 5:00 PM.

Everyone by now should have heard the news that Carl Bleichner was fatally injured in an accident at his concrete plant and passed away on April 15th.  Carl often said, we are welcome to have a fly-in at his place, even if he wasn't going to be there.  The latest news is that the business, and the house and property have been sold.  Also the GT-400 is sold.  Fortunately, we have time for one more fly-in at Carls.  Please come this Saturday.  Christy always enjoyed our fly-ins.  Bring food for a potluck and picnic in the afternoon.  Contact Leland Mcwhorter for any last minute planning.  217-598-2230

We cannot begin to express our heart felt thanks to all of you for your love, prayers,and support.  Carl has touched so many of your lives over the years and now you are giving back in so many loving and thoughtful ways.  All your help has eased the burden at this very difficult time.  Your friendship is a true blessing from above and is treasured.

Goodbye Carl.  It's very difficult for those of us down here to accept the fact that we will never see you again.  You've been a member of our flying club for over 15 years.  You are a part of us and you always will be, even if you're not here in person.  Your friendly smile and enthusiasm have had a permanent effect on all of us.

I remember the first time we learned about a young Quicksilver pilot in Tolono.  You parked your ultralight next to your house and taxied down the street to get to the edge of town so you could takeoff. We knew then we just had to have you as a member.  Soon you were joining us at mall shows and fly-ins.  Who could forget your flight to 10,000 feet above the Busboom airstrip in July, with only a light jacket?

Then you and Christy got your own place in the country with a hangar and an airstrip.  All those club meetings and fly-ins that followed stand as an example of your friendship and generosity.  We knew we were always welcome there. If we needed fuel, or tools, or any kind of help, you were there like a brother to us.

Now you are gone and no one can fill in the empty space left by your departure.  You are a unique person.  One-of-a-kind. If we learn anything, it's that friendship is the most important thing in our lives.  None of us knows how much time we have here  We must cherish every day we have with our friends and loved ones.  Our sadness today is tempered by the realization that surely you must soar high above us always.  You are well above 10,000 feet now my friend and I will remember your smile when I am cruising alone at altitude with a clear blue sky.

The April 21st meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at 5:00PM at the home of Mick Schumacher 4.5 miles south of Sidney ILL We had a chance to see Mick's new Challenger kit, fresh out of the box.  The turnout was low and no actual formal business meeting was called.  The mood was subdued because of our recent loss.

Mike Ostrander gave us an update on club  activity.  He had printed copies of his memoriam to Carl on the website.  The EAA sent the forms related to special recognition awards for newsletter and website editors.  Mike and I will nominate each other.  Mick Schumacher reported we will have our new club sew-on patches next month.  There was discussion of the  Danville balloon Classic coming up in June.  We heard that Don Loudermilk is getting new fabric for his Chinook.

We also talked about Sun-N-Fun and Dave Nicholson said he decided on which plane to build while he was there.  He has chosen an RV-7 as his next project.  I guess he won't be landing it at Dave Patricks 400 ft strip.

Margaret Mcwhorter discovered that we guys meeting in Mick's airplane shop had made no plans for food.  She soon returned with a feast of goodies, typical for a picnic or cookout.  We really felt spoiled.

There was a fatality in the ultralight area this year at Sun-N-Fun.  A two seat high performance ultralight from Canada called the Pelican, crashed on take off.  There was a strong direct crosswind switching to partially downwind at the time of the accident.  There may have been downwind gusts during the takeoff roll.

Witnesses said the plane lifted off,and then settled back to the runway a couple of times, but the pilot continued.  The plane continued well beyond the point where the takeoff should have been aborted.  It struck a deep ditch at the end of the runway.  A young passenger suffered fractured bones and lacerations and the elderly pilot died.

The pilot had 33 years experience flying and some prior time in this plane.  It had flown from this field earlier.  The big contributing factor was the downwind conditions.  The winds can be tricky at Paradise City, sometimes changing 90 degrees within a few minutes.  Flags at opposite ends of the runway sometimes blow in opposite directions.

Regardless of the cause, it's still the pilot who takes final responsibility for the decision to attempt flight.  We don't know why this pilot failed to abort.  He could have been tired or distracted or medically impaired.  It seems possible he did not realize the wind had switched directions.  But, it doesn't matter WHY the plane wouldn't fly, the takeoff should always be aborted if it does not fly at a certain point on the runway.

The secret is to be mentally prepared for the abort. On every takeoff tell yourself,  "This might be the one I have to abort", and be ready to cut power.  You could have 1000 good takeoffs before the one comes along that you must abort.  Be ready for it.  Make it part of your takeoff checklist.  Check fuel, check seat belt, check wind sock, and check brain.  Are you ready for an abort?

It's not only about a shortage of runway.  Many other problems can require an aborted takeoff and you have only one or two seconds to decide.  Is there a strange vibration?  Did you feel and hear a bump?  Do the controls feel normal?  With ultralights, the takeoff is so quick you hardly have time to decide.  It's best to keep the nose down, fly in ground effect a couple seconds, and allow speed to build before you climb.  This gives a little more time to check everything out.  You can more safely abort a takeoff in level flight while 4 feet off the ground than nose high in a climb at 20 feet.

Be aware that some planes react with a large pitch change when you cut power suddenly.  Aborted takeoffs are not something you need to practice like you would aborted landings.  Instead, you need to be mentally prepared for the possibility, EVERY TIME you begin a takeoff.  Pilots worry more about landings, but statistics show that more planes crash on takeoff than on landing.  The landing takes more skill, but the takeoff is more likely to kill you.  The smart pilot is not the one who always tries to save the plane.  The smart pilot is the one who saves himself.

The month of June gives us the best flying weather of the year and we have traditionally made June our fly-in to Busbooms.  For our newer members, this private airstrip has been host to ultralight fly-ins longer than any other in this  area.  Dale and Lorretta first allowed ultralights on their field almost 20 years ago. It was the first real home of our club.  Many first flights including my own were made there.  It will be an informal fly-in in the afternoon, nothing fancy, just a way of saying thanks to our long time friends, the Busbooms.

Saturday,  June 16th at 6:00 PM at the Busboom Airstrip which is about 2 miles west of St. Joseph, ILL on south side of  US Rt.150.  The runway is east-west 2200 ft sod.

Kentland Indiana Airport Fly-in July 14 has been added to the calendar.   It's a great little airport about 40 miles NE of Paxton that welcomes ultralights.  Hog Roast  11:00-3:00. Pilots are guests of the town of Kentland.  Runway is 09-27 paved and unicom is 122.8.

I Would like to thank Mick and Mary Schumacher and Leland and Margaret McWorter for all the work they did to help Christy with getting the things in the hanger in order and with the help of getting the GT400 sold.  I'd like to encourage everyone to keep spreading the word for the GT500 so we can get it sold as well.

The May 19th meeting of Illini Skyriders was a fly-in for one last time at the Bleichner Airstrip.   Attendance was very high showing again that Carl had many many friends.  Christy was there packing up and moving her things out of the house.  Hopefully the presence of so many friends and supporters have helped with the loss.

It was a good fly-in, Carl would have been proud.  Five ultralights were present and flying including his GT-500 which was still there.  Mike Ostrander trailered in his Quick, and sewed a black stripe onto his rudder for the occasion.  Dan Grunloh, Dave Patrick, and Richard Davis flew in to the gathering.   The weather was very nice all day.  Mike Ostrander presented Christy with framed color tribute of Memoriam to Carl on behalf of the club.

With enough aircraft present we decided that a "missing man flyby" was in order. It is a tradition at air shows when a pilot is no longer with us.  On the final low pass one plane pulls out of the formation and climbs off into the sky representing the missing man.  We used Carl's own GT500 flown by Mick Schumacher as the missing plane.  Everyone had a radio making it possible to coordinate the flyby very well.  It was very effective and moving to all of us, both on the ground and in the air.

After the flyby I had to head back for my 70 minute flight home.  It was one the nicest and prettiest evening flights of the year but a sad day as it would be our last fly-in at Carl's place.  It was great to see so many friends attended.  Those that stayed on until dark fired off the very large collection of fireworks Carl had saved up for July 4th celebrations. I'm sorry I missed it. It was an appropriate send off for a spectacular guy.  Thanks to everyone.

        
 

MORE LOCAL NEWS

First the good news is that Christy Bleichner gave birth to her new son, Andrew, on Sunday May 20th. It was the next morning after the fly-in.  Little Andrew weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and has black hair like his Dad.  Mother and baby are doing fine.

Some bad news is that Leland Mcwhorter took a fall on ladder and has broken a leg. The break is quite severe, just above the ankle, and about as bad as it can get.  The splintered bones are joined with rods and pins and they are not yet sure if it will heal properly.  He will be at Covenant Hospital in Champaign for a couple weeks and they expect that recovery could take at least a year.  Latest news indicates he may be going home by the time you read this but the recovery will be very long.

In other news it has been reported that Joe Taylor has purchased an Aerolight 103 ultralight.  He is still working on the Neuport but needed something to fly in the interim. Hooray!  We need more members in the air.  Mike and I flew over to Potomac and landed on his strip.  I'm sure this means he will keep it mowed better.

The Danville Balloon Classic was a complete success with the best weather they have had in five years.  Mike Ostrander trailered in on Thursday and displayed his Quicksilver through the entire event.  He was given an ideal spot and was able to set up his trailer which serves as a camper right next to the plane.  They camped there the whole weekend and had a great time.

Saturday morning, 3 ultralights flew in together from the Paxton Airport. It was my FunRacer, Dave Patrick in the Kolb, and Raymund Theron in his Aerotrike.  When we arrived there were 3 other ultralights already there, friends from the Fowler area, giving a total of 7 ultralights on the field.  At the time of our arrival Mike was flying a special close-in UL pattern he had setup with the management.  He was the star of the show when the balloons weren't flying.  He logged 1.5 hours there just on Friday.  The only other flying activity was an antique biplane (Sandy took a ride) and the helicopter giving rides.

I flew back to Danville a second time early enough Sunday morning to see the balloons in the air and also to fly with Mike and display for a while in the club display area.

With his bright blue Quicksilver, his bright red EAA hat and matching T-shirt, our hero battles injustice and ignorance about ultralights at the Danville Balloon Classic.  Along with his partner Wonder-Di and sidekick Little Marky, he does the work of 10 members, with one arm tied behind his back,.... literally!

Mike's Ostrander's club display was fantastic. He had our club banner and a table with materials and magazines from EAA.  He and Di talked to more people about ultralights than most of us do in a year.  They followed him back to his spot after every flying session.  Mike says the show management and the airport was delighted with our/his ultralight participation and will surely want us back next year.  We all owe Mike and Diane a big thanks for all their work on behalf of the club.  Thanks Super-Mike, you are the greatest!

This saturday at Paxton is our last chance to meet before we leave for Oshkosh.  If there is anything you want from the Flymarket, or any planes you want us to check out, please let us know.  At least three members will display aircraft at Oshkosh.  Quite a few more members will be attending.  President Mike Ostrander will leave early Sunday morning and probably not fly at the meeting because his ultralight is packed up for the trip.  Unfortunately Raymund Theron is in South Africa and will miss the Paxton meeting.   VP Mick Schumacher will be in Nebraska picking up a new plane.  I will be at Paxton with my trike as I don't  leave until Monday.  Dave Patrick will probably fly his Kolb to Oshkosh.  Come on out to Paxton this saturday. Other important club business includes the need to plan for our meeting dates and locations for August through November of this year.

Saturday,  July 21st at 6:00 PM at the Paxton Airport 1.5 miles west of Paxton on Rt.9.  After the meeting we will go to the nearby Monicals Restaurant or possibly send out for the pizza.  If the weather is bad, we WILL be at the restaurant.

The June 16th meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Busboom Airstrip, St. Joseph, ILL.  It was windy all day and flying was limited until late in the day.  I was determined to fly down there from Loda and waited as long as possible for my departure.  The wind was SW at 15 and gusty when I took off at 5:30.  By the time I arrived it had diminished enough to land without too much trouble.

The wind kept most away.  Mike Ostrander trailered in his MX but it was too windy to set up until there wasn't enough time. Lea Amdor and Shauna flew in with their Luscombe.  In all, there were 13 members and guests present at the meeting which began at 7:00.

Mike Ostrander has our new club patches and they look great.  We decided to sell them for $5 each.  We had 50 made but they are going fast.  Be sure to get a patch for your hat, jacket, or flight suit.

We have the NOTAM and arrival procedures for Oshkosh. If anyone new is thinking about flying there be sure to get the latest info.

Our chapter has received a generous gift from Rudy Frasca.  It is a signed hardbound copy of the Poberezny biography which he apparently sent to all chapters.  Mike will send a letter of thanks.

Mike had a display of photos taken at the last Bleichner Fly-in.  The GT500 has not yet been sold.  We had a report on feedback from the Danville balloon classic and discussed future plans for the event.  It was noted that the reason our club has had a low turn out of planes is because at least eight of our members currently involved in building or repairing their planes.  Once completed, we will have quite a group.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:27PM and I departed for home with my trike at 7:45.  The wind had died down and I had a nice flight.  Mike reports they stayed on until dark and he heard many good stories from the early days of our club.

I hope those of you who have something to fly were able to get out in June.  With so many of our club members grounded, Dave Patrick and I have tried to make up the slack.  I set all kinds of personal records the last 30 days.  There was just so much good flying weather and I had many opportunities.  The logbook indicates 36 flights in June with 25 hours total flying time.

I flew more this June than I did in some entire years.  The last 12 months added 86 hours and I have 250 hours now after three years of flying the trike.  Having the FunRacer right at home and the long days in June  have made the difference.  I often flew at dawn before work and then again in the evening before dark. I have lots of pictures of beautiful sunsets and sunrises.

As was reported last month, Joe Taylor picked up an Aerolite 103 kit at a good price and began construction immediately.  As of last week the plane was completed with dope and fabric covering and has been flown.  Presumably that was from his new Potomac airstrip.  Dave and Mike and I have dropped in there on a few occasions but only Dave has caught him the at the field.  Now completed, the Aerolite with Rotax 447 is to be sold.  Joe has the following ad on the internet at site......

AEROLITE 103 • FOR SALE!! Brand new Aerolite 103, Rotax 447, dope and fabric. Less than 3 hours TTAE (yes 3!) I was going to sell this for 10K but I  busted the nose wheel and bent a couple tubes in the nose on a rough field today! Everything else is fine! I am selling it cheap this week only because I want some $$$$ for Oshkosh!  It should take no more than a day to fix once you have the parts. Haven't checked with factory yet to get price for replacement parts but it is less than $100 bucks in metal from Aircraft Spruce. Can take  some pics tomorrow.  Contact Joe Taylor located Rantoul IL USA. Telephone:  217-987-6865. -- Posted 15 July 2001

Though he has a new 2-place Challenger kit in his shop ready to be built, Mick says he does not have the time and needs something to fly and teach in immediately.  Therefore he has bought a used long wing CH II in Nebraska and will go to get it before Oshkosh.

In this space I want to share some tips about airports I visited this month.  The airport at Morris, ILL is about 62 from Paxton and has fuel and a very popular restaurant.  They have an all you can eat breakfast buffet.  On a nice saturday morning there is lots of activity including a twin Otter dropping skydivers.

Just 10 miles NW of Morris is Cushing Field near Newark ILL.  A trike dealership is based there and dozens of ultralights of all kinds are stuffed in various hangars and buildings on the site.  They have fuel.

About 60 miles east of Paxton is White County Airport near Monticello Indiana.  Dave and I went to a wonderful fly-in there on June 30th.  It is the home of the Purdue glider club.

Kentland Indiana Airport is about 35 miles NE of Paxton and has a truck stop style restaurant a short walk from the airport.  They had a very nice fly-in on July 14th.

Illini Skyrider members, friends, and their guests are invited to a weekend of fun and flying at the Bachman farm airstrip by Emmet and Blanche Beherns.  Campers are welcome Friday or Saturday night.  The main activities are Saturday afternoon.  Fried chicken will be obtained from the Loda Lions and we ask that you bring a covered dish (with food) for a meal about 5-6 PM saturday.  The fun continues into the evening.

Sunday morning August 19th is usually a drive-out for breakfast but there is also a Fly-in Breakfast at the Pontiac airport sponsored by the local EAA chapter.  The airport is about 35 miles northwest of Loda and serving begins at 7:00AM.    For info call 815-842-2707

The July 21st meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Paxton Airport.  There were nine members and guests present and the meeting was called to order at 6:36PM by president Mike Ostrander.  The only fly-in ultralight was Dan Grunloh with Funracer trike.  Many other members were out of town, out of state, or out of country this weekend.  New attendees included Paul Harrington of White Heath and Wayne Carmin, Hoopston.

There will be three planes shown at Oshkosh by Chapter members.  Dan Grunloh and Mike Ostrander will trailer up and Dave Patrick plans to fly there in his Kolb.  Mike is already packed up to depart the next morning which is why he is not flying at this meeting.

Mike printed out the list of planes from the EAA website which will qualify for the new proposed Sport pilot license.  There will be seminars at Oshkosh on the proposal but the NPRM will not be released until later.  Carl's GT-500 has not yet been sold but we will have sale brochures to display at Oshkosh.

The Rantoul airshow is August 4-5 right after we return from Oshkosh.  It's doubtful if we can get organized in time to have a club display.  The August meeting will be on the 18th at the Beherns RLA.  It was suggested that the September meeting be held in Lincoln, ILL in conjunction with the annual Heart-of-Illinois Fly-in to be held there September 16th.  October is still open and November will be election of officers.

EAA headquarters has requested that we appoint a membership chairman for our chapter.  It is likely they have printed materials and other program items they want to send in order to help with the effort.  We will appoint someone to the job next month.  Also Mike reminded us that next year is our 20th anniversary and that we need to get going on plans for some kind of celebration.  We need someone to step forward and volunteer to be chairman for that event.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:65 PM.  Dan Grunloh gave a short trike flying demo and the group retired to the nearby Monicals Pizza for dinner.

Oshkosh was good this year, lots of planes, not too hot, and plenty of flying.  Mike and Di set up their camper/trailer in the UL campground and mounted our club sign on the end where it could be seen from the runway.  I was camped nearby and when Dave Patrick arrived, his Kolb was tied down a short way up the hill.  The Ostrander camp was a convenient meeting place all week for family and club members.

Mike set a personal record for flying at Oshkosh this year.  He logged a total of 7 hours flying time in the UL pattern.  For those that haven't flown up there, seven hours represents a LOT of flying considering it takes  only about 5 minutes to go around the triangle pattern.  Also there were many more takeoffs and landings than one would do in 7 hours of normal flying.  Mike was the first to takeoff in a number of the sessions.  His blue Quicksilver was a common sight there and it paid off.  The local newspaper used his photo to make a color poster which was distributed.  Thanks to Pat Gallahue for letting us know about it.  I also flew my FunRacer trike but only 1.5 hours as I was kept busy with my volunteer duties.

A number of other chapter members were also present at Oshkosh.  Mick Schumacher was there and said he did not buy the new Challenger in Nebraska even after driving all the way there it see it.  It just wasn't that nice.  Also we heard that Joe Taylor did sell his Aerolite.

It was a long week with many stores to share.  I spent some time with Dave Patrick visiting the indoor exhibits and the museum after the last day.  We had a good time even though I got my pickup truck towed when I parked it in the wrong place.  When Dave flew back home he ran into strong headwinds and had to stop for the night at the Morris airport.

Mike Ostrander and Dan Grunloh attended the Rantoul airshow.  Mike trailered in and I flew in with my FunRacer trike on Sunday August 5th.  Dave Patrick flew in briefly on Saturday.  We had not made any formal plans to participate and their tight schedule made flying limited.  Next year we have to do better.  There was interest in the ultralights even early in the morning but we just couldn't work into the schedule.  Mike and I flew together in the vicinity of the airport but with model rockets and RC planes and arriving aircraft it was VERY busy.  Both of us pulled out by late morning.  It's possible for the ultralights to fly a short time during the main airshow activities, if we can get started planning sooner.  The hang glider towing team volunteered to let us work into their time slot if we wanted to participate with them next year.  That might work as we could take off and fly around as they are doing their truck towing of the hang gliders.  Rantoul is a large airshow in the heart of our area and we need to make an effort to be part of it.

Club member, friend, and trike instructor Raymund Theron has returned from South Africa and is back teaching students at the Paxton Airport.  He has had plenty of business but complains his students are getting little practice in winds or crosswinds!  Winds have been light to calm the last couple of weeks with perfect flying weather every day. I can confirm this as I have logged 12 flights since returning from Oshkosh.........  Dan Grunloh.

Skyrider  members will have their regular monthly fly-in meeting at the Heart-of-Illinois Fun Fly at the Lincoln ILL airport this Saturday, September 15th.  Look for our large club sign near Mike's camper/trailer about 4:30PM or whenever the contests are ended.  This is the largest and longest running ultralight fly-in in Illinois.  Lets' show our support.  The Logan County airport has multiple runways, sod and paved.  The GPS coordinates are 40-09.51N by 89-20.10W.   Radio at 122.8.

An executive board meeting of Illini Skyriders will be held the following saturday September 22nd at 7:30PM at the Red Wheel Restuarant in Rantoul (west side).   We have so much fun at our fly-in meetings we don't get any business done.  The board meeting is for all officers and  members and will be a planning session related to our 20th anniversary birthday party for our club early next year.  It will also serve as a rain date for our September meeting if Lincoln is rained out.

Joe Taylor Fall Celebration in Potomac is set for October 6th.  See the full details and invitation inside.  Don't miss it. It's sure to be a good day of fun at the river.

The August 18th 2001 meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Beherns Airstrip near Loda, Illinois.  Rain and thunderstorms reduced attendance but it cleared up nicely in the afternoon for an enjoyable fly-in.  About 15-20 persons attended.  Members from the south were especially held back by severe storms and hail.

President Mike Ostrander trailered in about midday and by 3:00PM it was clearing up and flyable.  I took off with my Funracer from my home strip north of Loda and could see Mike already in the air when I arrived.  Along the way I heard Dave Patrick in his Kolb on the radio announce he was about 9 miles out and inbound.  Dave was above the scattered clouds which were about 1000 AGL so I climbed up above to meet him. It was absolutely beautiful in the clear dry air above the clouds.  We didn't want to come down and land for the food.

After socializing and good food supplied by Beherns and others we took off again to fly around and try some practice bomb drops.  We were practicing for the upcoming contest at Lincoln.  With all of us on the radio and announcing our positions it was much safer than in the "old days" when no one had radios and you just had to watch out.

We had a great time flying but did not have a formal business meeting because of bad weather which was approaching.  Dave and I left before the weather got bad and I drove back there in my truck (6 miles) to find Mike hurriedly breaking down his Quicksilver for the trailer ride.  It began to rain as he was carrying the rudder into the trailer.

This day proved you have to watch the weather closely and be ready to fly when the time comes. We had a great afternoon of flying at the Beherns'.  Thanks from all of us to Emmet and Blanche!

A new personal and club altitude record has been set by Dave Patrick on September 1.  He flew his Kolb Firestar II to the heights of 12,050 feet MSL  at 3:30 PM above the Milford/Goodwine area.  He reported the Rotax 503 ran fine all the way up without any mixture changes and still had power and climb available when he stopped.  The service ceiling is probably about 14-15,000.   The entire flight took 34 minutes.

I was in the air at the time flying towards his house in my Funracer.  I could not see him but we talked on the radio the whole time.  Once I landed at his place and got out I could look straight up and see him.  It helped that Sandy was there watching and could point him out.

After landing Dave down played the piloting aspect of the flight.  It's no special skill and ultralights aren't much fun that high anyway.  However it's one more milestone and after all the whole sky up to 18,000 feet is available to us.  We might as well use it once in a while.  More important the flight brings up the subject of "fear of altitude" and kind of acrophobia.

Some ultralight pilots are uncomfortable above 500 feet.  They feel safer down low, which isn't true of course.  A  pilot who cannot go up to 2-3000 feet to take advantage of tailwinds without getting uncomfortable is  somewhat impaired.   Altitude is something you must get used to.

The above statement has been made recently by members Raymund Theron, Dave Patrick, and myself Dan Grunloh.   It was always after or during a flight in our ultralight.  We are so lucky to have access to a flying machine and the knowledge of how to fly so we can enjoy this great experience, to fly through the air at will.

We are lucky to have been born when the knowledge is available.  We are lucky to have the resources and the freedom to do it.  To enjoy the beautiful sunsets (and sunrises) and clouds and sky in our own airplane.  Dave and I are especially lucky to have our ultrlaights hangared next to our home so we can fly conveniently, and often on short notice.  Every time I walk down to the hangar I think about it.  We are so lucky!!

Hey Kids!  It's that time of year again!  There's a chill in the air and the persimmons are ripe for eatin'.   It's time for you to get back  to nature and find your primitive self.  That's right, it's time for the second annual Freak In The Creek!  F.I.T.C. 2001 will be held on Saturday of October 6th at our property near Potomac, IL.  There will be food, fun, friends, fire, fall foliage, fish, flying, faineancy, falsified facts and fairy tales, fauna and flora, folklore, foolishness, flannel, forest and facilities. (for the ladies)   Your are welcome to camp out for the weekend if you like - there is plenty of room.  There will be scary stories told around the campfire saturday night, so have one ready, you might win a "major award"! "The Property" is just about 1/4 mile southwest of the town of Potomac as the crow flies.  To get there  "as the car drives" just go south from Potomac for about 1/2 mile, over the bridge, and take the first right.  This road takes you back  to the north.  Just go another 1/2 mile and you will be there.  I'll have some signs up along the way.  For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm talking about, let me know and I'll send you a map (e-mail me or call at 217-987-6865).  If you want to fly in just be warned that the airstrip is short (900'), bumpy and there are trees off the ends. I hope everyone can make it.  The fall color should be in it's prime and it should be a great time of the year to be outside.  See you there!  JoeTaylor <joetaylor@net66.com>

P.S., the east-west strip is on the south side of the river in a slight valley and located at  40-18.05 North by 87-48.85 West.  It's fine for Quicksilvers, trikes and other ultralights. Many of us have landed there already when Joe wasn't around!    Use 123.45.

Skyrider members and friends have been invited to have our last fly-in and meeting of the year at the airstrip of Dave and Sandy Patrick 1811 East 400 Rd North, Milford, ILL.  We will have a short business meeting starting about 4:00PM so those flying in will have time to return home.

Please come and join us for one more fly-in before the winter weather moves us indoors.  Also, we have asked Dave to give us a short demo with one of the world famous RC aircraft which he designs and produces.

Location: N 40- 32.714 W 087- 46.901 About  6 miles NORTH and 5 miles WEST of Hoopeston, 1 mile South of Goodwine.  >From Paxton ILL.  take route # 9 East for about 10 miles to Route # 49.  Take route # 49 NORTH.  After about 6 miles, ROUTE # 49 will make a right 90 degree to go east, and then left 90 degree to go back north.  Do not go back North, go straight EAST.  That becomes 400.  Stay on 400 east bound for about 5 or six miles and you will see the house on the right,  just past the stop sign.  Home phone  815- 457- 3140.

Two sod runways are north-south and east-west of 485 ft. and the powerlines have all been buried.   Set radio to 123.45.

The September 22, 2001 meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Red Wheel Restaurant in Rantoul ILL.  The meeting was called to order at 8:00PM by president Mike Ostrander with 11 members present.

Dan Grunloh gave a summary of the current airspace situation as a result of the terrorist attack in new York and Washington DC.  We learned that the gounding of all aircraft in the US  includes ultralights.  There have been reported intercepts of ultralights by military helicopters and also visits to airports by local law enforcement.

Ultralight pilots must check for NOTAMS (notice to airman) the same as regular aircraft pilots.  The new requirements will be spelled out in an addendum to FAR103.  Especially during these troubled times the airspace could be closed on short notice.  Call 1-800-wx-brief or check for statements on the EAA website www.eaa.org.

President Mike Ostrander reported on details of a leadership conference to be held at Oshkosh and we also discussed insurance requirements associated with our chapter.  Though we have always purchased the required liability insurance, we are also supposed to notify them in advance about the details of fly-ins.  We haven't done that in the past but Mike is taking care of that now.

Next subject was the appointment of a membership chairman.  This person will be responsible for efforts to reach out for new members.  EAA can supply us with lists of new and current national members in our area whowm we could contact.  No decision was made on who should fill this position.  Pat Gallahue from Chapter 29 suggested we have a meeting and program committee, as well as a membership committee.  Their expereince was that this takes some of the load off of the chapter officers.

Illini Skyriders 20th anniversary will take place next year. Plans for that celebration were begun at this meeting.  We have been invited to schedule the event in conjuntion with a fly-in at Busbooms airstrip in St. Joseph, IL.  Our club began as a small group flying out of their airstrip 20 years ago.  We discussed inviting EAA official guest(s) such as Paul Poberenzy, Bob Mackey, Timm Bogenhagen or other ultralight dignitaries.  We must first set a date, probably in June which gives us the best weather.  Mike will identify a date which does not conflict with other events and is suitable for Busbooms.

We envision a saturday fly-in followed by a catered evening meal in the hangar or in tent.  We would like to keep everything at one location.  Pat Gallahue suggested we need to start collecting photographs for "picture boards" which will show the planes and pilots of our club through the first 20 years.  Dan Grunloh will begin an effort to locate as many of our first charter members as possible.  We want them to come back and tell us about their experiences.

In other news, we haven't seen him for a while but Mick Schumacher reports that Leland Mcwhorter is still in a long recovery from his severely broken leg.  There is some healing taking place so it is hoped he will regain the full use of his leg.  Our prayers are with you Leland!

President Mike Ostrander has brought to our attention something we could do as a club to provide a permanent memorial to our departed member and friend Carl Bleichner.  The EAA Memorial Wall behind the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh, WI provides a way to leave an everlasting tribute to departed aviators.

Each person memorialized is remembered with a small bronze plaque and a page of archived biographical information.  Carl was a great friend of the club and a strong advocate for aviation.  We think it would be great if he could be remembered and listed forever with all the other aviators on that wall.  It's an outdoor park like setting in the vicinity of Pioneer Airport, Compass Hill, Fergus Chapel etc.

The cost for the entire package is $350.  We could do this easily with donations from our members.  Suggested contributions would be in the $20-40 range.  It's an inexpensive way we as indivuduals can provide a permanent recognition for our lost friend.  A dedication ceremony is held each year during Oshosh for the new honorees.  Please think about it and contact Dan Grunloh or Mike Ostrander with your pledge.

Sorry I do not have a report from Joe Taylor Fall celebration in Potomac on October 6th.  I was not able to attend and the weather wasn't too favorable.  Someone please give us a report at the next meeting.  Also we would like to hear news about Joe's latest new ultralight.  According to Dave Patrick, Joe is now flying a Skyraider ultralight (which he bought completed). The Skyraider is an enclosed high wing tail dragger. The plane is said to be hangared at the Danville.

Are you ready for a forced landing?  While flying locally with Raymund Theron in our trikes I suddenly heard him announce on the radio he had an engine out.  Fortunately there was a soybean field below and the landing was uneventful.  The 503 engine restarted fine and the problem has not been repeated.  A few days later I had an engine miss for a few seconds which may have been due to carb ice.  Weather conditions were perfect for it.  Be careful out there.

---Dan Grunloh

Somehow, your newsletter editor almost lost track of the calendar days and almost forgot to send out this newsletter. It should have been sent 2-3 days earlier.

Illini Skyriders will have their regular monthly meeting THIS Saturday, November 17th starting about 6:00PM at the Red Wheel Restaurant, 741 Broadmeadow Rd in Rantoul ILL.  The location is on the west edge of Rantoul on Rt. 136 about one block south of the Amoco station.

Important business includes the election of officers for the next year and our insurance and status report.  Also we will be discussing plans for our 20th anniversary Fly-in to be held next year, probably in June.

A program for this saturday will be viewing of the recent "Junkyard Wars" TV episode in which ultralight style gliders were built and flown.  The team leaders were Chuck Sluzarczyk designer of the CGS Hawk, and aero engineer Barnaby Wainfan (Facetmobile, Kolbra and others).  If you missed it, come and see the fun.  They really did build these planes in one day!  Also many interesting details were revealed in recent Internet discussions.

The October 20th meeting and Fly-in at Dave Patrick's was a success though turnout was light due to windy conditions.  Forecast winds were 15-25 mph and I waited until 3:30 PM to take off with my Funracer trike when I was sure the winds weren't going to go much over 15-18mph.  Arriving at Dave's the wind was about 18-20 mph from the southwest.  There was little mechanical turbulence and I made an angled approach and an easy landing with 20-30 foot rollout.

A little later Mick Schumacher landed in the Challenger having flown up from Sidney, probably with a good tailwind.  Indiana triker John Anderson drove to the meeting (in part due to the wind) but discovered how important it is to have your GPS coordinates set in the correct units.  Degrees in decimal, degrees and minutes, or degrees-minutes-seconds can make for errors up to 17 miles in his experience.

There were nine persons present and we had a good visit as the balmy weather improved.  There was no formal business meeting but the president and secretary had a short conference.  In other news, I believe I heard Dave Nicholson say he already completed the wings and tail of his RV-8 kit and will soon start on the fuselage.  He has made fantastic progress in a very short time.  By 5:30 PM the wind had subsided a bit and the evening flying was very nice.  On the flight home I watched a beautiful sunset in near perfect flying conditions.  Dave Patrick called on the radio and we talked from 15 miles way and then Mick also came on the air.  He was almost home, 40 miles to the south, but we could hear him OK.  We all agreed it was a beautiful evening.

This weekend, November 17-19th is gun deer season in Illinois.  It would be very wise to take extra precautions when flying your ultralight. Have plenty of altitude and avoid flying low where there might be whitetail deer, or hunters.  There are laws against herding deer or harrassing hunters and you don't want to be accused of either.  An orange vest should be included in your flight gear in case you have a forced landing and have to walk out to the road.  There should be NO walking around in the rural countryside this weekend without an orange vest!

In the early days of ultralights it was sometimes said that you can't fly them a lot because of windy conditions.  We know for sure that's not true here in Illinois.  I was amazed to look at the numbers in my log book which indicated I had flown over 50 hours in the FunRacer trike since returning from Oshkosh (barely 3-1/2 months).  I checked in with Dave Patrick who said he has logged over 80 hours in his Kolb since Oshkosh!  That makes for a lot of interesting notations in the log book.

A first for me was achieving the rare zero groundspeed condition.  On October 21st the wind was west at 9 mph on the surface but after crossing a turbulent layer the wind was SW at 35mph above 700 AGL.  My GPS read 10mph one way and 80mph the opposite direction at hands off trim speed.  And the air was smooth.  A slight slowdown gave the magic zero groundspeed.  It was neat and I felt like I was flying a blimp or hot air balloon.

Important lessons were learned a few days ago when a Challenger pilot failed a gear leg landing at an airport with a paved runway.  The plane was short of reaching the pavement by about 3 feet but unfortunately there was a large bump or curb at the transition from grass to pavement.  The left leg broke off as the plane touched down right at the very edge of the runway.  The plane slid to a stop on the broken stub and suffered little damage.  No damage to the wings, tail, or fuselage and only some minor dings in the fuselage fabric.

The first problem is in landing at the very beginning of the 2000 ft.  runway instead of part way down, something we all tend to do.  The other problem relates to the use of throttle.  The pilot had made the last part of the glide at idle power and when he needed a little help, the engine faltered.

I suggest you should not pull the throttle all the way back to the idle stop, unless you already have the field made easily.  Idle settings can change, and they vary with engine temperature and air temperature, and spark plugs can foul up.  For gliding approaches (with the engine running) keep the throttle bumped up slightly to 3000 rpm or more until you have the field made.  I know this because something similar happened to me many years ago on my first solo flight.