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CAPTAIN: Randy Ford 492-3282
e-mail: mrwhirlwind@telus.net

PAST-CAPTAIN: Mike Biden 493-7280

CO-CAPTAIN: Ron Kent 770-1456

NAVIGATOR: Herb Clapham 492-6373

SECRETARY: Brian Rutherford 493-5750

DIRECTOR: Gerhard Schauble 768-1192

DIRECTOR: Jim Ricciuti 494-1934

COMMUNICATIONS: Gary West e-mail: west@direct.ca 497-6466

Well on my way to recovery, I am chomping at the bit to put some well deserved hours on the Cub, but geez I sure don’t like the winter! It seems that I don’t have enough days in the week all of a sudden. I get to work @ 7:00 am in darkness, and leave at 4:30 pm again under a blanket of blackness. This problem is only the beginning for me; the 75hp Continental is as cold blooded as they come. Not only do you need to mind the primer once it fires, it doesn’t seem to work hard enough to generate extra heat for the rear seat passenger once it is operational. Never the less I

recently bypassed an office celebration for the latest graduates at the helicopter school (That means free beer!) and I ventured over to the J-3 and the love affair was rekindled in seconds. I spent an hour preparing, a careful walk around, a little more air in the tires and a new battery for the handheld and I had just enough time for a half o dozen right handers on 34. I took along an instructor from the party that hadn’t indulged in a wobbly pop, or two, and after I had quenched my thirst for some stick time I gave him the controls, and sat slightly to the right side of my seat so

he could see the airspeed. Being a qualified welded wing pilot he was grinning ear to ear to tame the Cub and I took tremendous pleasure in telling him that "we wouldn’t have died in the aftermath of his first landing" an expression I hear a lot from the instructors when I do test flights in the jetrangers. After his first circuit though I was duly impressed with his competency as he greased her on after that. It was all just way too much fun. See you at the Airport!

R. Ford C-FFCJ

Our next regular monthly meeting will be January 8th, 2002 at 19:30 in the clubhouse. We will not be having our “Happy Hour” of flying for the next three months due to limited daylight hours, but Earl will be preparing another of his ‘world famous’ dinners for us again this meeting. Come on out by 18:00, and enjoy a

delicious dinner with us. Oh, and have a ‘pop’ or two to wash it down. Guest speaker for this meeting will be Craig Brown, NAV CANADA Flight Service Station Manager here in Penticton. Craig will be offering us an insite into the happenings in aviation since the terrible events of 9-11. If you have any questions about

Now that 2001 is behind us (thankfully, for many of us), we can now set our sights on 2002, and a more back to normal lifestyle, if that is at all possible. It appears that things will never again be quite as they were, but I think we can achieve somewhat more confidence in our systems than during the past quarter. I hope, and trust, that everyone will work

together to that end
Here at the Penticton Flying Club, things are moving ahead nicely as we plan for our summer Beach Party Fly-In in August, our Breakfast Club fly-outs every month (March to October), our AGM in March for the election of new officers and passing of the 2002 budget, and the formation of our new Gourmet Supper Club beginning this month. We are looking for PFC. We are looking for PFC

for PFC members to join our Gourmet Supper Club with their wives, and meet together once month with other members /wives for a real gourmet dinner on a rotating basis at one another’s homes. This will help to get our “better halves” involved in our flying activities, and get to know the other ladies, as well. I’m looking forward to dinner!

Join our new Gourmet Supper Club beginning this month, and really get to know your fellow members and their wives. Get the details next meeting!