Welcome to the New Year!  We hope that 2004 was good for you and that 2005 will be even better.  Last year was another safe year for our club members. There were a few bent parts, but no injuries.  Now is the time to think about what you want to accomplish in the next twelve months.  This is also the time to take care of needed maintenance on your airplane or engine.  Do it now or miss out on the fun!

2005 is the year of Sport Pilot because this is the first year of a new era in sport flying.  The rule came out last summer but the programs are just now getting started.   Many of us will continue flying under FAR103, but a lot of interesting options become possible during the next 2-3 years.   A window of opportunity has just opened.  It will begin to close in just 24 months.  There will be lots of information available from EAA about the changes.  Each of you should decide if you could take advantage of the changes.  See more details later in this newsletter and bring your questions to the meeting, coming up next Saturday.

The next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be Saturday January 15th 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 (BPstation.  Please join us for dinner as early as 6:00 PM.  The meeting will start at 7:00.

The November 20th meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Red Wheel restaurant in Rantoul Illinois.  President Richard Davis called the meeting to order at 7:15PM with 13 members present.  Richard thanked the officers for 2004 and presented certificates and pins to those present.  He also read a letter from the chapter office and we distributed some information about Sport Pilot.  There was a letter about the Rutan space flight and members discussed the recent documentary “Dark Sky”.

The treasurer’s report showed a current balance of $1000.64. in our account.  It is expected that 2004 newsletter expenses and insurance premium and fees for 2005 will absorb about one third of the balance.  A report was given about the recent successful flights of Don Loudermilk’s Chinook that has had extensive rebuild and modifications.

Safety officer Dave Patrick told about his recent experience with his Rotax 582.  After inspection and decarb at the repair shop, the engine ran fine but the temps were higher than normal.  After much delay and investigation it was determined the coolant put in the engine was not mixed at the 50% water to antifreeze ratio.  It had too much antifreeze.  When it was replaced with properly mixed coolant, temperatures returned normal.  The water is needed for cooling!

Dave also mentioned he has noticed many pilots (not just our group) have a tendency to “chat” too much on the multicom 122.8 frequency. There are simply too many airports using this frequency.  For air-to-air talk, use 122.75 or 122.85.

The final business was election of officers for 2005.  All of the current officers were re-elected for another year by unanimous consent.  See the list at the end of this newsletter, and be sure to thank them for their willingness to serve.

For the February or March we plan to have a work-party or hangar meeting at the Tuscola Airport for our long time member Gary Buck.  His Phantom ultralight has been out of commission for a couple or years due to some bent tubes in the airframe.  He has the new parts on hand but needs a group to help get it apart and put the new tubes in place.   He will put some heaters in the hangar that day so we can work.  Please plan on helping our old friend get back in to the air.

Existing ultralight pilots have an opportunity to get an FAA pilot certificate much easier than ever before.  It will take a multiple choice written test (30 questions), a little prep time with an instructor and then a checkride with an examiner.  Anyone can do this for a few hundred dollars, but you must do it in the next couple of years.  See the dates below that summarize the deadlines for the pilot, and for the aircraft.

September 2004 -  All persons registered as an ultralight pilot prior to this date can use their hours flown to meet the minimum experience required for Sport.

January 2007 -  deadline for ultralight pilot to take the flight test for Sport pilot and have his prior experience counted.

August 2007 -  deadline for grandfathering existing “fat” ultralights and 2-seaters into  LSA category.   After this date must have approved kit or prove 51%.

January 2008  Ultralight 2-seat training exemption expires. No new BFI’s.  All training must be conducted by a Sport Pilot Instructor.

January 2010 -  After this date, grandfathered 2-seaters can no longer be used for Instruction for hire.  They can still be used for sport and recreation.  Primary training for hire must take place in factory built trikes, PPc’s and fixed wings.

The next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be Saturday February 19th 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.  Please join us for dinner as early as 6:00 PM.  The meeting will start at 7:00.   Some members will be driving to Springfield next weekend.  Let’s arrange to car pool.

The 24th Annual IUAC Ultralight/Lightplane Safety Seminar will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2005, in Springfield, IL.  Attendance is FREE. Pre-registration is not required.  The safety seminar will be held in the Illinois Building & Auditorium on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. This building will accommodate a 400-seat theatre and a 12,270 sq. ft. auditorium for aircraft and vendor displays all under the same roof. The safety seminar will cover a broad range of subjects. There will be ultralight, engine manufacturer, and accessory displays representing UL/sport/recreational type aircraft.

To get to the safety seminar, take the I-55 Sangamon Avenue exit (Exit A-B) and go west on Sangamon to the main gate entrance of the state fairgrounds, which is on the north side of Sangamon Avenue. The event will be held in the first building (Illinois Building), on your left as you enter the fairgrounds. Look for the Abe Lincoln statue, which is adjacent to the Illinois Building. Ample parking is available just past the Illinois Building on the left.  More information and a map can be found at www.safety-seminar.com.

Registration for the event will be from 8:00 am to 9:00 am, with the seminar sessions beginning promptly at 9 am. Arrive early for viewing the exhibits, since the featured seminar sessions will consume a major portion of the day. The program will conclude around 4:00 pm.  Coffee and doughnuts will be available. As in previous years, a catered meal for the noon lunch will be provided for a nominal charge. Meal tickets for this lunch must be purchased during registration.

USUA will hold its 2005 Annual Member Meeting February 26th, in Springfield, Illinois, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in conjunction with the 25th Annual Illinois Ultralight/Lightplane Safety Seminar.   Registration for both events will begin at 8:00AM at the fairgrounds. A full day of activities is planned, culminating with the USUA Member Meeting and Awards Ceremony.

Following the Annual Member Meeting, the day will conclude with the presentation of the USUA Ultralight Awards Ceremony. This occasion honors outstanding individuals who have been involved in various facets of the ultralight industry and community.  The most prestigious of these awards is the Moody Award -- named for John Moody, who many consider to be the father of American ultralighting.

And don't miss out on the USUA BFI/AFI refresher course to be held on Sunday the 29th of February 2004, the day after the safety seminar. To register, call Jim Sweeney at 847.612.8437. Registration can be done all the way up to the beginning of the course. Course will be in Springfield.

The January 15th meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Red Wheel restaurant in Rantoul Illinois.   The weather was frigid and travel was difficult.  Only five members attended so it was decided we didn't have a quorum for an official meeting.  One of the functions of our club is to provide an opportunity for social interaction and friendship.   We did that in January and all who attended had a good time.  Also as a reminder, we need to ask you to support our club with your annual membership dues of $25.  Bring it to the next meeting, or send a check for $25 payable to Illini Skyriders to our treasurer, Lea Amdor, 991 N. CR 1500E. Camargo, IL 61919.

Judging by the amount of activity and flybys at my farm strip near Loda, there has been quite bit of flying in January.  The first stopover of the new year was by Hank Perry in his Challenger.  It was cold day early in January and possibly the first flight of the year by a club member.  My hangar door was badly frozen shut for a couple of weeks, and then it all turned to mud. Dave Patrick has been by in his Kitfox.  Curt Shoaf landed here on Sunday morning before the ground thawed.  Raymund reports his trike again this year after resolving a temperature problem.  Billy Harrison is about to replace the damaged tubes in his wing and get flying again.

Congratulations to Dave Patrick who recently completed the requirements for his Private Pilot Certificate.  As the story goes he was driving back from an RC show in Las Vegas when he came upon an airport in Utah.  Dave realized he already had almost all the requirements needed to take the flight test so he decided to do it right there.  It’s a great story.  You will have to get it directly from Dave.  Upon his return Dave bought a share in a local 4-seat aircraft.

MARCH MEETING AT TUSCOLA

The next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be this Saturday March 19th at the Tuscola Airport.  We plan for a hangar meeting around 2:00 to 3:00PM.   A space heater will be employed if needed but everyone should still dress for the outside ambient conditions just in case.  The goal of the meeting is to get Gary’s Buck’s Phantom repaired with some new tubes.

The secondary goal is simply to visit our friends from the southern part of our membership area.   Later in the afternoon, those who do not have to fly home will go to a nearby restaurant for a meal.  Please come join us.  See the interesting planes and ultralights at Tuscola and have an afternoon with your aviation friends.

ILLINOIS ULTRALIGHT SEMINAR

The 24th Annual IUAC Ultralight Safety Seminar held on Saturday, Feb. 26 in Springfield was a big success.   Quite a few club members attended.  Our members displayed two aircraft.  In all, there were three trikes, a Challenger, a CGS Hawk, several powered parachutes, and a gyro.  It wasn't until the event was over that I realized the gyro belonged to Stan Foster who flys out of the Paxton airport.  Attendance was very good, with the lecture hall packed for the speakers.  The subjects were focused on the new Sport Pilot regulations and on safety.

FEBRUARY 2005 MEETING REPORT

The February 19th meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Red Wheel restaurant in Rantoul Illinois.  The meeting was called to order by our president Richard Davis at 7:10PM.  There were 14 members and guests present.  Of special interest was a visitor, Jim Sturges from the Peoria area.  Jim is an electrical and mechanical engineer who has been involved in aviation quite a while.  His first project was a Spezio 2-Holer.  Over the years he has owned and flown a hang glider, sailplane, hot-air balloon, and a Sabre trike.  His current project, nearly completed, is a Geo powered 2-seat side-by side trike.  Jim’s knowledge about engineering and engines could be a great asset to anyone with questions in that area.  We hope he and his wife will visit us again, and possibly join out club.

Club members talked about their plans for the upcoming ultralight seminar.  Mick Schumacher will display Joe Grover’s Challenger that is for sale and
Dan Grunloh will display the Racer trike as part of an exhibit on competition flying.  Lea Amdor reported he is currently working on his commercial license.  Rob Steiger reported that member Don Loudermilk has had a heart problem and had to have an urgent surgery.  It was said he is recovering and getting his strength back.  Rob also talked about problems developing with the Paxton airport and the City Council.  There is some worry about the future of the airport.

The members adopted a tentative schedule for upcoming meetings and fly-ins.

March- Tuscola Airport
April-  Gary Gustafson (if its dry)
May-  Mick Schumacher
June  Busbooms?
July  Paxton airport
August  - Hank Perry
September  Dave Patrick?

REMINDER:  If you wish to be a member of Illini Skyriders and support our club   please send a check for $25 payable to Illini Skyriders to our
treasurer, Lea Amdor, 991 N. CR 1500E. Camargo, IL 61919.  Or bring it to the next meeting.

PAXTON CITY OFFICIALS VOTE TO BAN SKYDIVING AT AIRPORT

On Monday March 14th the Paxton City council voted to prohibit skydiving at the Paxton Airport.  If the ruling takes effect, the skydiving school located there will have to move out.  Insurance difficulties were cited as the excuse, But the facts don't support their decision.  One or two persons simply want the skydivers out.  There was a lot of public support at the meeting for the skydivers. It came from local users and from our own members. It was reported that some city officials including the mayor were very supportive of the skydivers, but the motion to ban the activity passed anyway.  We think it’s very important that we support a variety of aviation activities at Paxton.   If skydiving is excluded, then ultralights could be next. Thanks go to everyone who went to the meeting and voiced their opinion.

GEARHEAD GLADIATORS!

We have finally been given an air date by the National Geographic Channel!  Microlight Trikes will be airing on May 11th at 7pm, EST. There will be a
second Gearhead Gladiators immediately following at 8pm.  The one hour episode follows the efforts of 3 ultralight pilots to build and prepare their craft for competition in the U.S. National Microlight Championships.  There is introductory footage from various air shows.  It culminates with an inside look at the world of competition flying.   Is there anyone in the club with a large screen TV who would host the group for a viewing?  I don't get the cable TV channels, but expect to be featured slightly in the film.  Others who crashed or had problems will be the primary focus.  -- Dan Grunloh

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March 19 Illini Skyriders meeting at Tuscola
April 16 Illini Skyriders meeting, Gary Gustafson, Danville
April 12-18  Sun-N-Fun Fly-in, Lakeland Florida
May14-15 WigWag 2005 Microlight Competition, Boyers Field, Indiana
May 21 Illini Skyriders meeting, Mick Schumacher, Sidney
June 10-12 SAA Fly-in Frasca Field
June 18 Illini Skyriders meeting, Busboom airstrip?
July 16 Illini Skyriders meeting, Paxton Airport
July 26-August 1 Oshkosh Airventure
August 20 Illini Skyriders meeting, Hank Perry
August 20-29  10th World Microlight Championships Levroux, France

GARY GUSTAFSON SPRING FLY-IN

The next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be Saturday April 16th at the Airstrip of Gary Gustafson 21398 Henning Rd, Danville, Illinois.  From Rantoul go east on Rt. 136 to the Henning Road which is 5 miles east of Potomac.  Gary is located 8 miles south of Henning on the west side of the road.  Look for the orange balls on the power lines and a windsock.  Coming from the south the location is 1.5 miles north of the Kickapoo Park entrance on the Henning road.  The East-west runway is 1200 feet long.  Phone 217-431-6626.  The GPS coordinates are:  N 40 10.835 by W87 41.879

Gary says everyone is welcome anytime after 1:00PM and he will have a grill going for some eats.  The club meeting is scheduled for 4:00PM so pilots will have time to fly back home before dark. Please join us for our first real fly-in of the year!

SUN-N-FUN 2005

Unfortunately those of us attending the Sun-N-Fun Fly-in in Lakeland Florida will miss this first club meeting at Gary Gustafson’s.  With all the wind and rain in Florida, you might have better weather up here in Illinois.  For those coming to Sun-N-Fun you can look for me at the judges headquarters.  I’ll bring back pictures of any new designs and the latest information about Sport Pilot.  When I return I will fly over to the Danville area and find Gary’s new airstrip.

MARCH 2005 MEETING REPORT

The March 19th meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Tuscola Airport.  Seven members were present and there was no formal business meeting.  The main purpose of the meeting was a work party to make repairs to Gary Buck’s Phantom ultralight.  It was damaged in hard landing that occurred after an engine out on takeoff.  He decided to turn back to the runway after the loss of power and made it down OK but bent some tubes in the process.  The group made considerable progress and Gary should have it back to flying status very soon.  It will be good to see him in the air and flying again instead of simply standing on the ground watching his model rockets go up without him.  Credit goes to our club president Richard Davis for organizing the effort.

JIM STURGIS PROGRESS REPORT

New member Jim Sturgis sent a report on his homebuilt trike project.  The sbsGeoTrike is now ready to start the engine when warmer weather returns.  After sufficient testing, the engine will be removed for painting of the trike.  Jim calls it the sbsGeoTrike which breaks down to side-by-side seating (not tandem), Geo Powered, and a Trike.

Made a lot of engine mods summarized in this list:
1.3 L 4 cyl 16 valve Geo engine
No ECM, (computer control)
Used a DIS from a 1990 gm product.(DIS = Distributorless ignition system)
Crankshaft signal to drive the DIS
Carb from a Harley motorcycle.
modified the Geo inlet manifold to fit
Radiator from a Kawasaki Snowmobile
Cooling system expansion tank from a Volvo
My own design direct drive system.
Relocated the thermostat housing off the engine
6 gal marine Fuel tank
Electric fuel pump.
Expected output 45-50 hp.

However, all the internals of the engine are stock.  This trike will use a single surface wing with a cruise at 45mph. I dont want or need more than 45-50hp. And I want a simple, smooth, slow running engine with a target cruise fuel consumption of 1.0 gph.  My total engine/drive investment is $850. Not bad for 50 hp. Carriage weight as photographed - 264 lbs.
------------------------------------------------------------

REMINDER!

Gearhead Gladiators Microlight Trikes will be airing on National Geographic channel as shown in the calendar below.  Some please tape it.  Also note I have added the Hartenbower  Hectares Fly-in Breakfast.  It takes place the first Sunday of each month and the location is about 70 miles west of Paxton.  You will find great food, and a lot of airplanes.  Arrive before 11:00AM or you will miss most of the activity, and the food.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April 16 Illini Skyriders meeting, Gary Gustafson, Danville
April 12-18  Sun-N-Fun Fly-in, Lakeland Florida
May 11  Microlight Trikes on National Geographic channel  6:00PM
May14-15 WigWag 2005 Microlight Competition, Boyers Field, Indiana
May 21 Illini Skyriders meeting, Mick Schumacher, Sidney,
June 5 Hartenbowers Fly-in Breakfast Lostant, ILL  815-882-2573
June 10-12 SAA Fly-in Frasca Field
June 18 Illini Skyriders meeting, Busboom airstrip?
July 16 Illini Skyriders meeting, Paxton Airport
July 26-August 1 Oshkosh Airventure
August 20 Illini Skyriders meeting, Hank Perry
August 20-29  10th World Microlight Championships Levroux, France

The next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be Saturday May 21st at the airstrip of club Vice-president Mick Schumacher near Sidney, IL.  The location is 4.5 miles south of Sidney on the Sidney-Longview Road.   The north-south airstrip is 1300 ft. long and is located on the east side of the road.  His house is on the west side of the road. GPS coordinates N39 - 57.6 and W88- 04 minutes.

Come anytime after 1:00PM and the meeting will be at 5:00PM.  Mick says he will have a gas grill and will provide drinks.  Bring what you would like to have or call Mick to coordinate a menu.  We will make it a potluck picnic.  Anyone who can help by bringing food please call Mick at 217-688-2579

The National Geographic Channel Gearhead Gladiators series broadcasted the Microlight Trikes episode on May 11th.  We will have a copy available for those who did not see it.  It showed a lot of ultralight aviation but as expected focused more on the problems and mishaps at the contest held last year.  It was fun anyway to see my friends and myself on the screen.   They shot 800 hours of film for a 42 minute program so you can imagine how much was not shown.  It was edited in a rapid fast series of clips and short comments so sometimes you only hear part of a quote.  It was fun and I think it showed a fun side of ultralight aviation.

The April 16th meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the airstrip of Gary Gustafson near Danville, IL.  We don’t have a meeting report because your secretary was at the Sun-n-Fun in Florida at the time.  Mark Anilker sent some aerial photos of Gary’s airstrip taken during the fly-in.  Gary reports there were five aircraft at his strip that day including his Eipper GT-400.  The fly-in visitors included Mark Anliker Kolb Firefly, Dave Patrick Kitfox, Raymund Theron in a trike with a student on a cross-country and later that day Stan Foster Gyrocopter.

Gary said there was no formal business meeting but they had a picnic and everyone had a good time.  He said he will not be flying his GT-400 again until he gets thehangar built in a few more weeks.  It took him all morning  to get the wings mounted and the machine ready for flight.  All the material for the hangar are on hand so it shouldn't take him too long to get back  to normal flying.

Club President Richard Davis is asking if anyone in the club has a prop balancing tool.  He needs to borrow it for his Kolb prop.  If you have anything that will work better than a lawn mower blade balancer bring it to the next meeting or contact Richard Davis at 217-253-3556

The results in for the annual Wig-Wag microlight contest held near Monticello, IN.  This contest held every year at Boyers flight park is known for it’s difficult and sometimes unconventional tasks.  I was lucky to win it last year but this time came in second behind my good friend Steve Bensinger flying a CGS Hawk.  Steve’s excellent navigation and speed of the Hawk gave him the edge on a weekend when the weather and wind was pretty terrible.  I had beaten Steve by a few points in the last 3 contests so it was a good day for him.

It rained Friday night and Saturday morning letting up enough for the first task to be flown on Saturday afternoon.  Wind was 15 MPH direct crosswind with gust up over 20 MPH.  The cross-country task of about 70 miles involved flying through 52 imaginary gates 1000 feet wide, each one at a specific altitude.  The course twisted and turned and sometimes gates jumped from 500ft AGL to 1200ft AGL in a half mile or less.  You had to plan ahead.  After and hour and a half of getting bang around in strong turbulence I was about rung out.

Sunday Morning we flew a limited fuel out and return where we were given only 8 lbs or 1.33 gallons.  Go out and back as far as possible in any direction to a declared goal and get back without running out.  Wind was 15 knots at 3000 ft.  Most of us went 10-14 miles out and back and landed with .3 to .4 gallons remaining.  The winner was Jon Jacobs with a 1/2VW powered Ultracruiser.   He went 20 miles out and back or 40 miles total while burning only 1.1 gallon.

The last task was a turnpoint hunt one hour in length.  Go as fast as you can and hit as many of the pre-determined landmarks before the time is up.  My top cruising speed in the trike is about 65 mph while Steve’s Hawk can make almost 75mph.  The extra 10 miles made the difference In this case.  We also had a precision touch and go in extremely rowdy conditions that was very entertaining for the spectators.  If you happen to catch a bad gust or updraft while low on final it’s all you can do to save the landing.  The next guy might come in a minute later and have a much easier time.  There is always some luck involved.

Mark Ostrander, son of former club president Mike Ostrander recently qualified as a Rally Champion in the stock division for the 2005 All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship, to be held at Akron, Ohio on July 30th.  Mark will represent Rally District 5 in the stock division along with five other stock champs from district 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin).  Good luck racing Mark!

Rob Steiger called today to say that member Don Loudermilk has just had another bypass heart surgery and he is at Carle Hospital.  Don is doing OK
and apparently in recovery at this time.  Don will not be ale to make the meeting  this weekend.

In case you haven't heard, Dave Patrick earned a floatplane rating in a J-3 Cub last month while he was in Florida.  It was at a well-established facility known for the quality of instruction.  Ask Dave about the details.

23RD ANNUAL BUSBOOM FLY-IN

The next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be Saturday June 18th at the Busboom Airstrip two miles west of St. Joseph, Illinois on the south side of US Rt. 150.  Pilots should be reminded that overlying controlled airspace begins a couple miles to the southwest.  We held our 20th Anniversary Fly-in at this location in 2002.  Many of our club members made their first solo at Busbooms airstrip way back in the 80’s.  It was one of the few places we were welcomed at that time.  As the decades roll by quite a few pilots have obtained their own private little airstrip so we no longer congregate at the Busbooms on nice weekends as we once did.  This fly-in gives us a chance to replicate the fun of those early years.  Bring tiedowns!

We plan for a potluck picnic about 4:00PM and a business meeting at 6:00PM.  Dale and Loretta should not have to provide anything except for the wonderful runway and hospitality.   Everyone please bring a covered dish, desert or other contribution.   I plan to fly down in my trike so a pie or cake is out of the question.  Hank Perry has volunteered to coordinate the menu.  Call Hank at 217-688-3029 or email <PilotHank@aol.com>

We will have fun games and contests, as is the long tradition for this fly-in.  The bomb drop or beanbag drop is always fun and everyone can do it.  This year due to popular demand we will add a takeoff and landing contest that is based somewhat on microlight style contests.   See more details later in this newsletter.

MAY 2005 MEETING REPORT

The May 21st meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the airstrip of club Vice-president Mick Schumacher near Sidney, Illinois.  The meeting was called to order at 5:48 PM with 17 members present.  Fly-in traffic included Dan Grunloh Racer trike, Curt Shoaf Pegasus trike, Mark Anliker Kolb Firefly, Hank Perry Challenger.  It was reported that Greg Sellers has been flying his Challenger, Richard Davis has been flying his Ultrastar and Jim Sturgis gave an update on his Geo powered trike project.  Treasurer Lea Amdor reports a current balance of $1209.64.  Meeting adjourned at 6:25PM.  It was a nice day and we had lots of good food.  There was a threat of rain to the north so those who flew in to the meeting had to depart soon after the meeting. THE CONES

It’s a simple contest to test the takeoff and landing abilities of our pilots and their planes.  A pair of orange cones are placed out on the runway to mark the target line.  I use orange comes all the time in my deadstick practice because they are easy to see in the pattern and don't disappear like chalk lines.

For the takeoff test, each pilot makes a short field takeoff as close as possible but still lift off before the cones.  Each starting point is marked with a small flag.  Touching the ground after the cones earns a zero.   As in a real life short field takeoff, you only get one chance.  Shortest distance wins.
The landing test is a simple power-on carrier style spot landing.  You must touch down after the cones.  The score is taken where both main wheels stay down so bounces count.  A touch before the cones earns a zero and you can be glad it’s not a real aircraft carrier.  For the landing contest your best score out of two attempts will be used.  May the cones be with you!

PRACTICE FOR FRANCE IN LONDON, OHIO

The weekend of June 4-5 competition pilots from around the USA traveled to central Ohio for some navigation practice in preparation for the World Microlight Championship in France.  A study of maps had revealed that the area between Dayton and Columbus Ohio was very similar in terrain and ground details to the contest area near Levroux, France.   The roads there run in all different directions and there is more distance between landmarks than we have here in Illinois or Indiana.   We flew a 60 mile triangle with predicted times through an area with very sparse landmarks.   The second navigation task was a 90 mile double circle or figure eight which is very difficult because your heading is always changing.  It was a good weekend and everyone learned a lot.  We expect central France to be very similar except for the addition of numerous small castles dotting the landscape.  Maybe we should have had our hosts in Ohio pretend they did not understand any English to add more realism.

SAA FLY-IN AT FRASCA FIELD

The annual Paul Poberenzy SAA  fly-in was held June 10-12 at Frasca Field in Urbana.  Mike Ostrander reports it was a success though scattered storms had discouraged some fly-in traffic.  Marion Evans and Rayumnd Theron also attended from our club.  Mike said he took a tour of the production facility and he did very well flying a helicopter simulator.  They couldn't believe it was his first time. Also attending the fly-in was astronaut and racing pilot Hoot Gibson.  Mike said he got autographs on Mark’s soapbox racer and was able to spend some time visiting with the famous pilot.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

June 18 Illini Skyriders meeting, Busboom airstrip
July 3 Hartenbowers Fly-in Breakfast, Lostant, ILL  815-882-2573
July 9-10 Boyers Flightpark Annual Fly-in Burnettsville, IN  574-583-5566
July 16 Illini Skyriders meeting, Paxton Airport
July 26-August 1 Oshkosh Airventure
August 7 Hartenbowers Fly-in Breakfast Lostant, ILL  815-882-2573
August 20 Illini Skyriders meeting, Hank Perry
August 20-29  10th World Microlight Championships Levroux, France
September 4 Hartenbowers Fly-in Breakfast Lostant, ILL  815-882-2573
September 17 Illini Skyriders Fly-in and meeting  location open
October 15  Illini Skyriders last fly-in of 2005  location open

KENTLAND FLY-IN FLY-OUT

At the last meeting of Illini Skyriders, the club officers decided to move our July meeting place to the Kentland Indiana airport.   A number of our members hangar or fly out of the Kentland Airport.  Some of the Kentland pilots have come to our club fly-ins.  The 5th Annual Kentland Fly-in is on the same date as our July meeting.

Therefore, the next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be Saturday July 16th at the Kentland Airport from 11:00AM to 3:00PM.  We want to go and show our support for this fine airport.  There will be a hog roast, helicopter rides, airplane rides, static displays and ultralights.   Fly-in or fly-out, drive-in or whatever, but get yourself there.  We probably won't have a formal business meeting for this month.

Kentland is only 15 miles east of Watseka on Route 24.  It’s 40 miles from Paxton by air and about 60 miles from Hank Perry’s strip near Sidney.  The easiest way to get there is to fly!   Some of us go to Kentland for the little truck stop restaurant across the road.   It is open very early every morning.

The airport is on the south side of town and the runway is 09-27.  The FBO is Lehman Aviation 219-474-9080.  They have 100LL Avgas and the Unicom is 122.8.    See you Saturday!

JUNE 2005 MEETING REPORT

The June 18th meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Busboom airstrip near St. Joseph, Illinois.   The weather was excellent and ten ultralights (and aircraft) flew in to the event.  In all about 35 to 40 people attended.  We had a classic potluck picnic and fly-in just like the “Old Days” back in the early 80’s.

The fly-in aircraft included Hank Perry Challenger, Mick Schumacher Challenger, Bill Ford Challenger, Mark Anliker Kolb Firefly, Stan Foster Gyro, Curt Schoaf trike, Dan Grunloh trike, Lea Amdor Luscombe, and Emmet Beherns and Rob Steiger flew in with a Warrior.  Sorry if I missed anyone.

We had so much good food and friendship and flying that we never got around to having a formal business meeting.  Many times there isn’t a need for a formal business meeting.  The officers can take care of any minor decisions.  If any members want something to be discussed please bring it to our attention.

For the RC enthusiasts, Dave Patrick brought his latest example of the technology that is available with electric power.  It was an electric Cub of the size you would normally expect to see with gas power.   The performance was fantastic.  Dave would normally have flown down with Sandy in his Kitfox but the plane was in the process of being fitted with new streamline strut fairings.

Late in the afternoon we had a contest of takeoff and landing skills.  It was new to everyone, but the spectators and pilots learned something and they had fun doing it.  Also past president Mike Ostrander and family arrived at the fly-in having just returned from a Soapbox racer event.

THE CONES

It was a simple contest to test the takeoff and landing abilities of our pilots and their planes.  A pair of orange cones was placed out on the runway to mark the target line.  For the takeoff test, each pilot made a short field takeoff starting as close as possible, but still lift off before the cones.   Shortest takeoff wins.  Each starting point was marked with a little flag so the later pilots had the advantage of knowing where the others had started.

Curt Schoaf won with a takeoff of 192 feet in his 582 powered trike.  The others ranged from 200-250 feet which shows the real capabilities of our craft.  The longest was Mark Anliker with 303 feet in the Kolb but he could have started much closer.  Half of the contest is knowing what your plane can do.

The landing test was a simple power-on carrier style spot landing.  Pilots must land after the cones.   The score was taken at the point of touchdown.  The winner was U. S. National Champion Dan Grunloh with a distance of 22 feet.  Hank Perry was second at 25 feet and the longest was Mick Schumacher at 75 feet. Curt Schoaf would have won the landing event but the judges ruled that his wheels had touched down just inches before the line giving him a zero for the landing.   You simply cannot be short in a carrier style landing.  That judgment moved him from first place to last place in the overall standings.  The final combined scores for event were Dan Grunloh 490, Hank Perry 442, Mark Anliker was 288, Mick Schumacher 264, and Curt Schoaf 250 points.

We had fun and it was easy and safe.  You only need a pair of orange cones, some little flags or markers, and a tape measure.  The spectators and the scoring judges enjoyed it as much as the pilots.  I'm sure we will do it again.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

July 16 Illini Skyriders meeting, Kentland Airport
July 26-August 1 Oshkosh Airventure
August 7 Hartenbowers Fly-in Breakfast Lostant, ILL  815-882-2573
August 20 Illini Skyriders meeting, Hank Perry
August 20-29  10th World Microlight Championships Levroux, France
September 4 Hartenbowers Fly-in Breakfast Lostant, ILL  815-882-2573
September 17 Illini Skyriders Fly-in and meeting  at Busboom airstrip
October 15  Illini Skyriders last fly-in of 2005  location open
November 19th  Illini Skyriders meeting and election of officers

Once again Hank and Gretchen Perry have invited the Illini Skyriders to have our August 20th Meeting and fly-in next Saturday at their airstrip near St. Joseph Illinois.  The location is 4 miles south and one mile west of St. joseph, IL. on Sidney road.  They are located on the corner where the Sidney road curves back south after jogging west one mile.

The east-west runway is nearly 2000 ft long and has power lines marked with orange balls on the east end.  The runway is excellent and anyone who attended last year will confirm it is a wonderful location for a fly-in.  They have a beautiful home and hanger perfect for social events.  Come anytime after 1:00PM and the meeting will be about 4:00PM.  The physical address is 1193 County Road 2125 East.  The GPS coordinates are North 40-3.25 by West 88-3.80 and their phone number is 688-2269.

Hank said they will provide all the refreshments, but we are welcome to bring food contributions if desired.  Call Hank or Gretchen at the phone number above if you wish to coordinate the effort.  We hope to see you there!

If you fly there please to remember to sign your autograph on the hanger door.  Hank is starting a collection.  If you flew there last year and forgot to sign, make sure to do it this year.

The Illini Skyriders was scheduled for the 16th at the Kentland, Indiana Airport.  Some of our members hanger at this fine airport and we wanted to support them by participating in their open house and airport day.  Kentland is an example of the kind of airport we need at the grass roots recreational level.  If you have never flown there, meet the local pilots, or walked across the road to the truck stop restaurant, you have missed out.

Unfortunately the weather was poor with string winds and the threat of nearby storms.  Much of the planned activities didn't materialize and overall participation was light.  Several Skyriders attended but they reported not seeing very many members or airplanes.

If you didn't make it to Kentland we urge you to go there for a visit, anytime.  It is always attended.  Be sure to sign in their book at the pilot lounge.  Their ability to get state or federal support is helped if they can show the level of airport use.  While you are there, check out the truck stop restaurant across the road.  It's open very early in the morning every day and a good place for breakfast.

Quite a few of our members attended, and the number of airplanes on display was very good.  It was a rare chance to see the "White Knight" and the "Global Flyer".  Many rare and unusual airplanes were on display.  It was a hot humid convention by any standard and there was an unusual number of minor incidents and forced landings in the Ultralight/lightplane area.  A couple of planes were damaged in bad landings due to gross pilot error.  The pilots were too slow and too low coming into the UL runway and landed hard.  A number of forced landings occurred out in the pattern due to fuel flow problems and various other causes.  A long time veteran Kolb pilot experienced an engine seizure and had to put it down in a tight area and damaged his plane.  There were no serious injuries in the UL area.  The only new development in hardware was the significant number of Legal Eagle and Hummel ultralights flying in the pattern with the 1/2 VW engines.  They demonstrated good performance and reliability.

My volunteer job at Oshkosh this year was host of the UL seminal tent where I had the chance to learn quite a lot about the new sport pilot rule.  Anyone who thinks they might want to go this route needs to get started soon.  The deadline for grand fathering is the end of next year and there may be only modest and conditional extensions possible.  The written test doesn't look too bad.  You are given 40 multiple choice questions out of 200 possible and must get 70% correct.  There are home study books, videotapes, DVD's, and weekend seminars to help you prepare.  The flight test does not have to be in the same plane you are currently flying.  I think it will be easiest to travel to an appropriate N-numbered 2-seater, take a little test prep instruction, and then take your flight test.  You will need to practice and prepare for the flight test.

By the time you read this, I will be on my way to Levroux, France to fly in the 10th World Microlight Championships August 20-27.  The trike ia already there.  I took it to Long Island, New York on July 21st for loading into the sea freight container.  We hope to be flying and practicing by Tuesday.  The first official contest task begins on Saturday, the day of our next club meeting.  A total of 109 trikes and fixed wing airplanes are entered.  To get a feel for the variety of people and aircraft involved, go to the official contest website and click on the "people" link.

BUSBOOM FALL FLY-IN

Dale and Loretta have invited us back to their airstrip once again for a Fall meeting and Fly-in this Saturday, September 17th.  Loretta says she would like to re-create those days of fun fly-ins we had so often in our early years.  No need to bring food.  Our hosts will provide all the refreshments.  Plan to eat at 3:00PM and we will have a short club meeting about 5:00PM.  Everyone is welcome.

The location is two miles west of St. Joseph, Illinois on the south side of US Rt. 150.  Phone 469-7528.  The runway is 09-27 with power lines on the east end.  Pilots should be reminded that overlying controlled airspace begins a couple miles to the southwest.

LATE NEWSLETTER

Sorry this newsletter is going out late.  I am still in a haze from my trip to France and had lost track of the date.  Thanks to a call from Dale I was reminded it is scheduled for this weekend. Unfortunately I will not have my trike this weekend.  It is still on its way back from France by boat.  The container should be arriving in New York just about now and will take up to a week for unloading, clearing customs and delivery to the airport on Long island where I will pick it up.

LOCAL NEWS

I don't have any.   I've been gone so much I haven't had a chance to catch up on all the local news.  There is a very nice Quicksilver at the Paxton airport.  It is for sale as the owner wants to move up.  Also a new trike has come to Paxton and Raymund has soloed another pilot.   Dave and Sandy have dropped in with the Kitfox.  The strut fairings are completed.  No doubt there is a lot of activity elsewhere in our club.  You all need to come to the Busboom Airstrip this Saturday so we can all catch up on the news!  I have no meeting report or minutes from the August meeting that was scheduled for the Hank Perry Airstrip August 20.   Will someone please give as a report at the meeting this weekend?

BACK FROM FRANCE

What news I can offer you relates to my experience of flying in France at the World Championship.  It was quite an adventure in part because of the language barrier (I spoke little French) and because of the weather.  It was unusually cold and wet for late August in central France.  Instead of warm dry weather it was down to the mid-40’s at night and it was wet.  Only one day of the six days of contest flying was lost due to rain, but we had to deal with mud much of the time.

There were only two American piloted aircraft at the World Microlight Championships.  Both were trikes.  There were 40 trikes in the competition.  About half of them single seaters and about 30 fixed wing aircraft.  The variety of airplanes and engines included many you will never see in the USA. We were camped next to the teams from Finland and Israel.  Pilots and aircraft that came the farthest distance were from the USA, South Africa, and Russia.

The navigation tasks were plenty hard and I must admit I got lost for time on the very first day.   Lost while flying in a foreign country, a first for me.  After that first day I did well the rest of the week and could pinpoint my location every minute. The contest tasks included a good variety though there were more spot landings and different kinds than we had seen before.  One of the navigation tasks included trying to identify a marker on top of a truck that drove up and down the 4-lane highway which cut through the area.  You had to try and arrange your cross-country flight so you could intercept the moving truck that traveled on a set schedule.

The landscape was beautiful.  It was mostly flat like in Illinois but it was the wheat-growing region.  There were many small towns connected by roads radiating in all directions.  We were south of the Loire River valley, which is famous for many French castle, but we still saw quite a few grand castles and Chateaus in the area.  Some were in ruins but others were restored to museum status.  The water towers in France look like giant mushrooms but alas; they do not have the town name on the side.

Our scores in the contest were not anything to brag about.  We both came out near the bottom, but that was expected.  Getting lost really hurt my score.  The Europeans have very specialized planes for competition, and their pilots get a lot of practice.  It was a great experience and we both actually flew pretty well.  I was flying with a new propeller as mine had been broken during the shipping and I also lost all brakes about half way through during a hard deadstick landing.  I flew the last couple days dragging my feet cautiously to stop.

The food, the wine, and the people were great.  We spent a couple days in Paris after the contest, ate at outdoor café’s and visited a famous castle.  I wish there had been even more time available to see the sites at ground level instead of from 1000 ft.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

September 17 Illini Skyriders Fly-in and meeting  at Busboom airstrip
October 15  Illini Skyriders last fly-in of 2005 - location open
November 19th  Illini Skyriders meeting and election of officers

The last fly-in meeting of Illini Skyriders for this year is scheduled for this Saturday October 15th at the Baker Airstrip, Weldon, Illinois.

Member Billy Henderson uses this strip for his trike flying and he has invited the club out for a fly-in and meeting.  If you look on your oldest charts you will see the Baker Airstrip there just southwest of Weldon.  Clarence Baker is an old pilot with a Stinson, the only plane based there. The airstrip is well maintained but doesn't see much traffic.

Visitors are welcome anytime in the afternoon.   Refreshments will be provided but potluck contributions are very welcome.  Call Billy Harrison at 217-412-2295 if you want to help.  We should have the meeting by 4:00PM so pilots have enough time to fly home.

Weldon is about 25 miles west of Champaign on Route 10.  If driving, turn south into Weldon from Route 10 and go one mile to the first road south of Weldon.  It’s called Airport Road.  Turn right (west) and Go ¾ miles to the airstrip on your right.

The runway is 18-36 and 2200 feet long with buildings near the south end.  The coordinates are N40-7.0 by W88- 45.5.   Be careful to avoid the nuclear power plant at Clinton about 5 miles to the northwest.

The September 17  fly-in and meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Busboom Airstrip near St. Joseph Illinois.  It was good weather and fly-in attendance was good for this time of year.  Quite a few came down from the Paxton area and points North.  My Air Creation trike was still in New York  waiting to clear customs so Raymund Theron invited me to fly to Busbooms with him in his trike.  It was a great to get into the air again. On the return trip I flew as PIC in the front seat.   The weather was perfect for the return flight.

Also with us on the way down were Gary Gustafson in his GT400 and Billy Harrison in his trike.  Two other ultralights departed earlier from Paxton.  They were Mark Anliker with a Kolb Firestar and new pilot Tom McQuin from Paxton with his Quicksilver.  Tom only recently got into ultralight flying but has already put on a lot of hours.  He and Mark went on ahead to stop in at the Chapter 29 meeting at Ladage before coming to Busbooms.

More arrivals brought the total number of fly-ins to eight.  Curt Shoaf in his Pegasus came from the northeast.  His son Curtis with his trike came from the west.  Also club treasurer Lea Amdor flew in with his Luscombe.

We had plenty of good food but I had to leave early as Raymund needed to get back to Paxton for a lesson.  Everyone had a great time and thanks go again to the Busbooms for having us there for a Fall Fly-in.

The good news is that the US customs and New York Port Authority has finally released my trike from it’s shipment back from France and the 10th World Championships.  It took 8 days for it to cross the ocean by sea freight and almost 2 weeks to get out of the port.   There were errors in the paperwork and disputes between shippers about the fees.  I was able to go back to New York last Friday and truck the trike back to here.  There was no damage on the return shipment.  I got it put back together on Sunday and made my first flight on it back here in the USA on Monday.  It’s wonderful to have it back and be flying again.  Everything is fine but I still have no brakes.  They were damaged in France, and I have the replacement parts.  I felt it was more important to get flying again than to have brakes.  After all, I flew half the contest without brakes.

Anyone who thinks they might want to get the Sport Pilot Certificate needs to get started and complete the written and flight test before the end of 2006.  If you are already flying, register yourself as a UL pilot with EAA or one of the other organizations.  Any time to log in your ultralight as a registered pilot will count toward the 20 hours of experience needed for sport pilot.  If you are not registered, it will not count.  If you wait until 2007, none of it will count and you must do all the 20 hours in an N-numbered aircraft, even if you have been flying for 20 years.  Get registered now and start logging your time.   This winter is a good time to begin study for the written test.   There are excellent books, CD’s. video tapes and weekend ground schools available.  Some guarantee you will pass the test or your money back.  You will be asked 40 questions out of a possible 200 and must get 70% correct.  The study materials will give you the correct answers.  The test score is good for two years.  You must take the written test before the flight test.  Do it.

The next meeting of Illini Skyriders will be held this Saturday, November 19th 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 (BP) station.  Please join us for dinner as early as 6:00 PM.  The meeting will start at 7:00.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS is the primary business of this meeting.  We must meet, elect officers for 2006, and take care of other club business in order to retain our status as an EAA Chapter.  Please attend and help us guide the club through another year.  The president Richard Davis warns that anyone could be voted or be volunteered for a position, even if they are not present.  The current officers have not been asked if they wish to continue.  All positions are available.

This meeting is always a good time to share stories and photos so bring what you can.

A limited supply of EAA 2006 calendars will be available soon.  We have arranged to combine with Chapter 29 on a group order. Let us know if you are interested this Saturday at the meeting.

Swaging tool needed.   If anyone has a simple clamp type swaging tool for nicopress swages please bring it to the meeting.  I need one for a non-structural cable.  --Dan Grunloh

The October 15th fly-in and meeting of Illini Skyriders was held at the Baker Airstrip near Weldon, Illinois.  We were invited by member Billy Harrison who uses this airstrip for his trike flying.  The October newsletter announcing this meeting included a major error by your secretary.  Billy’s last name was typed in as” Henderson”.  I know a number of Hendersons and Harrisons and got confused.  Sorry Billy.

Windy conditions were a problem for this fly-in and it reduced the attendance.  It was hoped that the strong winds might weaken later in the afternoon but there was never much reduction.   It was worse in the northern areas.  Curt Shoaf in his trike, and Bill Ford in a Challenger departed from Watseka.  They landed at Paxton to join up with others but the wind was relentless.  Mick Schumacher and Hank Perry flew there from east and south.  Hank said he could hear the radio transmissions coming from Paxton.  The group at Paxton decided they would not push on as the wind was not letting up.  My trike at Loda was fueled, packed, and ready to go. However, a takeoff would have been risky due to mechanical turbulence from the trees along the airstrip.  Lea Amdor flew in from the south in his Luscombe and Richard Davis brought in his Mitchell B-10 on a trailer.

The small group that attended had a good time and enjoyed meeting the owner Clarence Baker, who is in his 80’s and has a long history in aviation.  His 4-seat Stinson in the hangar doesn't get flown anymore.  Late in the afternoon Billy demonstrated a deadstick landing in his trike.  For those of us who were unable to attend, I hope we can have a chance to try this again next year.

On October 18th, I was flying my trike in the Paxton/Loda area and enjoying the mild conditions when I decided to go to Elliot (Shertz field).  It has been closed for a time but still has some ultralight activity.  It was great to see another plane flying there.  It was Rob Steiger flying the Chinook.  I visited with Rob and Don Loudermilk and then Don took the Chinook up for an evening flight.  I think this was the first time Don has flown since his heart troubles and surgery.  It was wonderful to see him get some airtime again.  Congratulations Don!

In other news, Tom McQuin, the new Quicksilver pilot at Paxton is selling his Quicksilver after only a few months of flying.  He is moving up to a Challenger! The Quick was in excellent condition. He flew it up to my strip in Loda a couple times but he wanted to cruise a bit faster.  A buyer was found for the Quick and he has already acquired a used Challenger.  He will refurbish it over the winter.

I have made a couple changes to my Air Creation trike that has dramatically reduced the noise level for the pilot, and for people on the ground.  The new 3-blade Arplast prop I bought in France to replace my broken 2-blade is much quieter than anything before.  Arplast props are more common in Europe and other countries that have strict noise standards for ultralights.  Next I added a Rotax intake silencer.  It adds one pound and a little bit of drag but reduces the noise considerable for the pilot, who sits quite close to the engine.  It does not reduce the maximum power even though the carburetor main jet size must be reduced. The silencer will not have as big impact on noise if you have a loud propeller.  Finally, I have completed the modifications to my Nolan motorcycle helmet.  The audio system from my old Comtronics has been combined with a set of custom molded in-the-ear headphones.  These headphones are the type used by racing car drivers and musicians who need good audio combined with maximum noise suppression.  It works great!