President's Prerogative
At the end of August we are usually looking forward to some cooler fall days with a little less haze in the sky and some higher thermals. But it has not been an uneventful summer. During a work party day earlier this summer, where we had a large turn out of members, the Pawnee was primed and painted and is on its way to getting the club paint scheme and logo applied.

We now have radios in both the Sprite and Miss Daisy, which require more batteries and additional battery chargers and therefore more procedures to ensure that the batteries get charged and are not over charged. To provide oversight and in keeping with the Skyline policy that no good deed goes unpunished, the board designated new member Dave Brunner the CBW (Chief Battery Weenie). Foolishly taking to heart the board's open meeting policy Dave attended and openly talked about his electronic know how which immediately earned him the CBW designation. This also underscores, however, the increasing complexity of the club operations and the need for everyone to play a role in ensuring smooth running club operations. The tow pilots, instructors, duty officers, assistant duty officers and various chief weenies have all stepped up to play a major role in keeping the gliders in the air and keeping the operations safe. Now is the time for every member to ask am I carrying my share of the load? Is there something else I can do to for the club that will make it a better place to be?

Another issue that surfaced again recently is the sale of the airport. The board reviewed the airport status at the beginning of the year and determined we would like to be involved in any change of ownership or status but that we could not afford to buy it ourselves. Well, apparently, the price has dropped over the summer and Linda has indicated that she would like to talk to us in early September about getting the club actively involved in the process. Whether this is as an owner or as an investor is unclear but we need to protect our interest and make sure that any potential owner has a clear understanding of our interest in and value to the airport and its future.

When the board reviewed the potential sale at the beginning of the year we determined that we did not have the financial depth to buy the airport and that has essentially remained unchanged. The board will be reviewing our position over the next few days to see if we can, through some means of creative financing or through a partnership become a participant in this change. Watch your e-mail for developments.

In the meantime, soar high and stay safe.

Maintenance Stuff...
This is a new feature for the newsletter that we hope will, like the Safety Corner, give the members a nugget about a maintenance item to keep in the forefront of their thinking over the next month. Until I went on the board, I thought maintenance involved items beyond my skills ability and license (and you don't have to go very far to reach that limit). There are, however, many procedures that every member (even someone as klutzy as I am) can perform to keep planes and equipment in good working condition. As people are assigned to specific jobs involving equipment-the maintenance officer, duty officers and now the CBW-members might think there only equipment responsibility is to preflight a glider and take the tow. In the future, be sure to read this column closely for the maintenance tip of the month and do what you can to help.

Meet the Member-Gregory (Greg) Ellis
I was born at Wright Patterson AFB January 17, 1946; just before my dad left the Air Force after WW II service. After short periods of residence in New Jersey and southern California, I spent my childhood years in Palo Alto, California. Skiing was a family sport that I was started on at age 2. At about age 7, I read a science fiction book by "Doc" Smith, and later read his entire "Lensman" series. This was the beginning of a life long interest in science fiction, and science. In high school I took on electronics as my hobby.

I began undergraduate school at the University of California, Davis campus. While I was there, a university staff member offered to take me on a plane ride from Davis to a private glider field located near the Lawrence Livermore Radiation Labs, and there he would take me for a glider flight. I had never flown in any aircraft, and jumped at the chance. The glider was a Pratt Reed-with an unusual a cross between tandem and side-by-side seating. I was allowed to try my hand at the controls, and actually gained 1100' on my first glider flight! The intensity of this experience set me for ever on the soaring path. Other college hobbies included SCUBA diving, bicycling, and archery. I received a BA in Psychology from Whittier College in 1968. I also earned my Student Glider Pilots certificate during college, and lived to contribute the article on page 23 of Steve du Pont's book "Soaring Accidents That Almost Happened."

During a two year stint in the Navy as a Quartermaster, I earned my Private Glider rating, and flew in the Seattle, Washington area and in Hawaii. I also learned sailing-came in handy for those weekends when I didn't have the funds to fly. My ship's home port was Pearl Harbor. After six months in the west pacific, Oahu is a great place to come home. It was tough duty, but somebody had to do it!

After satisfying Uncle Sam, I attended graduate school for one year at Tel Aviv University in Israel, and married Miriam there. We moved back to Arizona where I completed my MBA at the American Graduate School of International Management, and also spent many hours in a 2-33 and a 1-26 over the desert just north of Phoenix. We moved "back east", and I flew with M-ASA from 1976 to 1980. Around that time our second child was born, and family obligations and housing were becoming bigger issues. For a variety reasons I dropped out of soaring.

During my non-soaring years Miriam and I raised two children, bought a house, and I worked for the State Department in information resources and technology management. Department business sent me to various countries in Europe, the Far East, and the Middle East. I am still working at State, where the Year 2000 problem will keep me busy until at least the year 2000. In June 1998 I decided the time was right to return to Soaring, rejoined the SSA, purchased new manuals, searched the Internet and found SSC and some great new friends.
-Greg Ellis

Meet the Member-David Brunner
Although I may seem to be a Brit (I sound like one!) I was born in Ajax, Ontario in 1955, but was moved to the UK at the tender age of 3 when my father died. I have had a life long love of aviation in general, having flown model aircraft in my teens-free flight, single channel and control line and then progressing to some introductory gliding at North Weald in Essex.

My education consists of a degree in difficult sums (OK, Pure and Applied Mathematics) from Hull University, a Teaching Certificate and a Master's in Information Systems Engineering from The University of London. I was a teacher of math and computing for some 13 years and a university lecturer for the past 10 years with a special interest in the use of the Internet as a communications medium. I have presented papers in the UK, Dallas and Orlando and I spent the spring semester of '98 teaching at a college in Albany-that experience convinced me (a) that I love living and working in the US and (b) that I did not want to live in Albany (Apologies to any New Yorkers in the club but days and days of sub-zero temperatures are not my cup of tea!)

I am now a technology coordinator at James Madison University. When I came for the interview I asked how much I would have to pay to live and work there! I fell in love with the area and the people right away and decided that this is where I wanted to be, they must have liked me too as they offered me the job! Well, after sorting out the paperwork I finally managed to get a work permit-that in itself is a saga that involved an 1100 mile car drive one weekend, ask me about it when you have an hour to spare. When I arrived back in Virginia one of the first promises I made myself was that I would try to fulfill my life long ambition to fly, so a quick search on the Internet (where else!) gave me three possible clubs - I chose to visit Skyline Soaring first... why, well any club that leads its newsletter with a story involving British Rail and frozen chickens (May '98) has got to be worth visiting! I arrived and was given a warm and friendly greeting, welcomed into the club and had my first instruction in the ASK and loved every minute of it-the rest, as they say, is history.

As an educator, I'm interested in the actual process of teaching and learning too, so I'm trying to keep a record of my experiences-the highs, the lows and the hurdles I found difficult to negotiate. I may even produce some worksheets to help out other newbies as well if I get the time.

So, at the time of writing (July '98) I have 12 flights logged, I'm learning more each day and becoming poorer (financially) but richer in spirit. My aim is to go solo in October-will I achieve that aim? Well, watch this space!
-Dave Brunner

See Dave's article on soloing that follows.
-Editor

The duPont Regatta
If you don't have the weekend of September 18, 19 and 20 marked on your calendar, then now is the time to get out your pen and enter The duPont Regatta for all three days. This is a fun soaring event that has been put on many times and in many locations and will give you a different perspective on soaring. The purpose of the event is to commemorate a flight by Richard duPont from near Waynesboro, VA to Frederick, MD, setting a national record at the time.

This year's event will be hosted by the Shenandoah Valley Soaring Club at Eagle's Nest Airport in Waynesboro, VA. Fred Daams-a respected soaring pilot and Thursday tow pilot for Skyline Soaring-is the chairman of the event. He has several events planned to keep everyone entertained and busy. On Friday the activities will start out with a cross country lecture by none other than our own Jim Kellett, BS, MS, PHD, CWW, CFIG, AM&FM. The flying activities will consist of an endurance contest, a cross-country contest, spot landing competition and a lap race between the airport and designated turnpoints. Friday night will bring a square dance and catered dinner in the hangar at the airport.

Saturday will feature more flying with the continuation of the aforementioned contests and competitions. Saturday night will feature a dinner at a local restaurant with the SSA Region 4 Director-Bob Ball-as the keynote speaker. We have all gotten those ballots in the mail from the SSA to vote for these offices, this is now the opportunity to put a face on that name.

Sunday is typically the day for the recreation of the Flight to Frederick. Given the right conditions, several participants will attempt to follow the path of this historical flight. Skyline members may have the opportunity to fly our gliders home to New Market. The club has committed to supporting this great event. We will be basing our operations at the airport that weekend, the Pawnee, Miss Daisy and the ASK. Joe Rees mentioned that he hoped the Sprite would be at the event, and since he is one of the owners, I bet it will be too.

September 18-20 is the date, Eagle's Nest Airport is the location, The Richard C. duPont Regatta is the event, be there...
-Ralph Vawter

...and be sure to checkout the detailed duPont agenda at:
http://www.widomaker.com/%7Ebud/svs/regatta.html

Every Member Please Note:
I just want to remind the club that the taxiways are to stay clear at all times, except of course, for pulling gliders or planes in and out of the hangars. Setting up and maintenance of gliders should be done inside the hangars or in the grassy areas away from the taxiways. Vehicles should never be parked on the taxiways or where they would obstruct planes from taxing in and out of the hangar area, and the paved area in front of the long narrow building (where the old basketball hoop is) should always stay clear for there are planes in that hangar that may need to get in and out.

This has been the airport policy for a long time, and when I occasionally get asked by a hangar tenant, like today, if the taxiways are supposed to remain clear or if they can be blocked by any other tenants, my answer is that they should be clear.
-Linda Raney

"Going Solo"
It started out pretty much like any other Thursday, except that I had decided to have a day off work to go gliding and so I arrived at New Market just before 10 to be met by Jim who had started to get everything organized for what was to turn out to be a very hectic day! We pulled out the ASK and Jim took me through a full pre-flight, including a hair-raising waggle of the wing-tip to see if anything was loose, well lets be honest-wouldn't we rather know now than at 3000? Jim briefed me on what the plan for the day was to be: one flight, then get the ground test out of the way whilst he did some instruction with Matt and Ed and then I could have some further instruction. First flight-Jim informed me that it was all mine and he was assessing my decision making as well as my control. It was a nice flight, Shane and Joe's nagging about my patterns the previous weekend was still fresh in my mind and it all just seemed to come together, I felt happy with the flight. OK, so the damn yaw string still bugs the hell out of me, but at least the tow-plane stayed more or less where I wanted it to be and I felt that it wasn't a battle of wits between me and towing craft! Anyway, time to sit the written test, its been a long time since I sat an exam. Still most of the questions I knew the answers to, which was gratifying, couple of sneaky ones that I guessed at, but I passed a big sigh of relief (Note, next time read the book from cover to cover!)

OK, time for my second flight, preflight and off we go. I announce "100 feet, possible landing in fields straight ahead", "or in the bigger fields to the right" said Jim and then "200 feet, hard right turn and downwind landing" and then we reach 300' and Jim pulls the release and without thinking I bank hard right and still keep coordinated, bank left and I'm set up for the landing. I feel too high, so apply spoilers and touch down.Roll out was pretty awful but I felt another hurdle had been overcome. We get back on the ground and Jim says "OK, lets go again". Jim makes another entry in my log book and then proceeds to do up the rear seat buckles. "I hope you are not too attached to that T-shirt" he tells me, "You do this one yourself, just remember everything you have been taught, fly like you did on the first flight and enjoy yourself. Oh, and watch the weather, keep close, come down in 35 to 45 minutes and enjoy."

Pre-flight check, everything fine, I tell myself to calm down. I have done this before so what's the difference? "What's the difference" says a little voice in my head "the difference is that if I screw up there is no Jim or Shane or Joe to say "I have the controls" THAT is the difference!" Pattern is clear, wing up, look around and wag the rudder, off we go. 100 feet, please God don't let the rope break now, 200' 300. I am now above what I feel is the critical part of the take off, 1000' concentrate on keeping the Pawnee on the horizon, adjust the trim to keep the ASK from getting too high. Match the bank, don't stray, don't get high, keep the Pawnee just there, said a dozen voices in my head. I can feel the sweat on my hands. 3000' time to go, look left, right and release. "Rope away" I announce out loud to myself and bank right. I'm free. I really am doing this! Wipe the sweat from my hands. Now, time to orientate myself, I have watched for the airport during the tow and am reassured to see that it hasn't moved!

So now I'm up here, lets try some turns and have a look around. Not much to see since it's a really hazy day, but a couple to the right, couple to the left-feels good. I ask myself where is this damn house thermal supposed to be? I see that I'm in 300 fpm sink and quickly decide to move away and do so-but wait if there is this much sink there must be some lift somewhere nearby so where the hell is it? Set off due north for about half a mile (I a m not going too far this time!) bump... hey that felt familiar, zero sink, better that 300! A bit further, a few more bumps, and 200 fpm UP! Bank right, I tell myself to stay coordinated, 360 degrees and most of it in lift, out of the lift, re-enter the lift level-out and count 3 seconds, bank right again 360 degrees and mostly in lift! This continues for about 5 minutes and I see I'm back up to 3000 MSL and I'm about a mile north of the airfield, so I set off back above the airport partly for my own security, partly to reassure the folks on the ground! That costs me 300 feet, so I head off to the SW corner where lift often seems to exist, whooaa 400 fpm in the wrong direction, lets get out of that (Yes Speed to Fly Jim, I remembered!) Back to the house thermal and decide to practice left turns instead, hey more lift (this is luck and the ASK-not judgement) and I maintain 3000 feet for the next 10 minutes and watch the 2-33 release 1000 feet above and West of me. I thought that Phil Jordan had come up to show me how it should be done, that Miss Daisy in the hands of a pro was more than a match for a total novice in an ASK. But no, it was Greg taking another family member on a trial flight and I watched him go below me at about 1200 feet and enter the pattern. Clock timer indicates I've been up 35 minutes, I had better get this bird back down, so a couple of steep(ish) turns, and a pre-landing checklist at 1250 feet, set the trim for 55. This is it, what goes up must eventually come down, 1000 feet over the runway, announce my landing. Over the farm, look over my shoulder at the end of the runway, turn downwind, second radio announcement, nearly opposite landing point 700 feet-open spoilers at 600. That's it, no more looking at the altimeter. Looking at the field markings ahead, back at the marker, turn to base and apply half spoilers (TLAR), turn on final and everything seems to be happening quickly now, slightly high so more spoilers, air speed 50knots (damn) push nose slightly down, back to 55 ground is rushing up, quick glance to the right, "Don't flare too soon Dave", almost there, extend spoilers, pull back (thump, rumble) apply brakes and roll off to the left side of the strip.

Silence. I had done it. Just like thousands in the past and many more in the future, I had gone solo. I feel both drained and elated, so its out of the plane back to the tent for congratulations and a soaking, T-shirt mutilation and that first coveted entry in the solo column of my log book, 46 minutes solo. Just as well I'm not superstitious, it was the thirteenth of August, and a day I will remember for the rest of my life. Thank you to Jim, Joe and Shane (and all members of Skyline) for starting me out on the most wonderful journey of my life, now the real learning has to begin.
-Dave Brunner

Maintenance Issues
Members. Two maintenance issues cause me to establish new policy with regard to maintenance performed by other than an A&P. In addition, we have a new procedure to be performed by the tow pilots at the end of each flying day.

• Issue 1. The wrong brake fluid was installed in the Pawnee brakes which seems to have caused one brake to be soft. The brake cylinder will be rebuilt at a cost of about $80. Only Mil Spec 5606 hydraulic fluid (the red stuff) should be used in the Pawnee and most small aircraft. While it is legal for a non A&P pilot to service the brake system, the lack of familiarity of this and other situations requires that you verify the steps you are taking with someone familiar with the maintenance of aircraft.
• Issue 2. A bolt on one of the wheels was over-torqued which resulted in the threads being stripped. This could cause a wheel failure and if it should occur at the wrong time, it could be damaging if not deadly. The required torque on most aircraft bolts is usually less that one might expect. This is another case where familiarity with aircraft maintenance is necessary to avoid possible accidents.

The efforts of the individuals involved toward contributing to the maintenance of the aircraft is appreciated and should be commended, and some preventive maintenance measures can legally be performed by the owner or a non A&P pilot. However, before any maintenance is performed by any member, please check with me, Jim Miles, Jim McCulley or any other A&P in the club. Kenny is also an A&P and if none of us are available, you might ask him what should be done.

New Tow Pilot Procedure
We have a new prop which ought to improve the performance of the Pawnee. In order to ensure the continued performance of the prop, I am asking each tow pilot to wipe it down with a damp rag at the end of each day. This will remove the bugs and dirt before they have an opportunity to attack the paint and airfoil of the prop. If during the preflight inspection you should observe that it was not done, please perform this operation as part of the preflight. I am asking that it be done at the end of the day, so that the bugs and their chemicals can be removed more easily and before they can contribute to the degradation of the prop.
-Bill Vickland

Reminders...
Because I'm at the airport every week, some things come more quickly to my attention than they do to others who are serving as "DO"...

For example, here are some reminders of chores we often have to do on Thursdays because the weekend DOs aren't paying attention to their checklist and/or being considerate of others:

1. Club hand held radio left "on". Other battery not properly connected to the charger with the timer running so that it doesn't overcharge. Note: Dave Brunner is working on new, improved batteries for the Club's hand-held radio, (already has for Miss Daisy!) and the result will yield new radio battery maintenance procedures. I hope they work, because sure as hell the current procedures don't--battery management for the Club's batteries for all the radios has been abominable (and unnecessarily expensive!)
2. Garbage left in cans!! Or, worse yet (like I found yesterday), strewn by local animals all over the floor of the Club's hangar!! The DO is supposed to take the garbage away from the field, when the cans are full, replace the liners, and, when we run out of liners, buy more (and put the receipt in the DO envelope for reimbursement). And never, never leave the garbage cans uncovered (letting animals in).
3. Windows left down on the car! (who wants to sit in bird and animal poop??)
4. Towplane left w/o foam plugs on engine and/or with cabin doors open. This is more than neatness--animals can do serious damage to the interior of our towplane literally in hours when left open like this!!
5. Hangar doors improperly latched. On each hangar, the outer doors are inside. ALL hangar doors need to be closed.
6. Trash, trash, trash, trash... everywhere. Would you keep your car full of soda pop cans and rags?? And don't forget the T-shirts. Do you realize that there is a plastic bag with $700 worth of your money tied up in T-shirt inventory stuffed and wadded in the back seat????
7. Gas for the towcar. The "next" DO shouldn't have to go get gas first thing when he shows up because the "last" guy just wouldn't bother to go get a fresh tank!
   -Jim Kellett

Log this...

1. Another reminder to Duty Officers: Please e-mail (cvickland@aol.com) or call [(703) 527-5302] Maintenance Officer Bill Vickland immediately on any day a "squawk" or discrepancy is noted by anyone on our towplane! (This means, at the latest, the evening of the day the squawk is discovered.) The Club has developed some new ways to perform needed maintenance on the towplane, but the key to any success of these procedures is the timely notification of the Maintenance Officer!
2. Someone lost a nicad battery for a hand-held radio. It was found on the 2x4 right next to the trash can in the Club's hangar. Contact Dave Brunner < brunnedj@jmu.edu> or (540) 568-7964 if it's yours.
3. I thought I would say hello for my wife Rebecca Gifford. She was a tow pilot for a season or two at New Market. We are now in Memphis and Rebecca is a F.O. on a SAAB 340 for Business Express Airlines out of Boston, MA. I hope all is going well in New Market and keep on soaring!!
   -Bill Gifford wegifford@fedex.com.
4. I've enjoyed reading the Skyline newsletter. Sounds like the club is prospering. I miss the gliders (but frankly I miss the Pawnee even more... I guess that's weird). Life on Midway continues to be a mix of nifty experiences and tough challenges. I guess that keeps it interesting. We've had a lot of press lately. Look for more stuff on CNN, Today Show, the Travel Channel and who knows where else. (Air&Space, May '98-Ed.).

   My email address has changed from gte.net to aloha.net to; rshall@aloha.net. Also, our mailing address is now:

           Fish and Wildlife Service,
           c/o Midway Island Station,
           PO Box 29460,
           Honolulu, HI 96820-1860.
   

5. Lisa Sergent wrote: Tim and I just bought a LET L33 Solo from one of the members who's leaving town to go be an air traffic controller and had to sell his plane. We kept the 1-26, so now we're his and hers owners. Life is good.

   Most of you remember Lisa Sergent who, with partner Tim James, bought a 1-26 while they were both with our Club before they moved to Memphis and joined the MSA. Looks like they took their terrific attitude one step further!! Is this cool,or what?!?

   Ok, now the rest of you guys-wanna get your wife/significant other out to the gliderport more? Buy her a glider!! In response to Conde Nast Traveler's damning survey of pilot error in fatal airline crashes, pilots wrote to tell their side of the story (anonymously, of course).

6. "Pilot error," according to one sarcastic definition, "is when six people sitting around a table get three weeks to come up with what you should have done when you had five seconds to make a decision." Thank you for publishing the "Gogos Scholarship" announcement. However, there is an error in the publication. A year ago in May we moved to our new residence in Gainesville-not Haymarket as stated in the article
7. The official announcement which will be published in Soaring Magazine sometime this year or early next year is on the web at the following address: http://www.win.net/~greeley/coll/gogos.htm [There is a copy available on the Skyline web site, too. -web Ed.] For your information, the first nomination has been made and the young lady will start the training on Aug.16 this year. There are still 3 more grants are available for this year. Everything, but the travel to Reno, is paid by the grant. Thank you
   -Bela Gogos

8. New email addresses for Linn Buell- linn_buell@hotmail.com and Fred Mueller- fmueller@adelphia.net

9. I have upgraded my internet connection from a measley 56Kbps connection to a whopping 450Kbps connection. In doing so, I will be terminating my erols account in favour of the new address. Please update any personal address books.

   In the meantime, Stacy will not have an e-mail address, so send any stuff to me, and I'll forward it on to her.

    
   What was: pietb@erols.com       
     is now: pietb@loudoun.com
   

10. New work phone number for Dick Otis-(301) 757-5749

11. Welcome new member Tom Brice whose address is-Tom Brice, P.O. Box 401, Basye, VA 22010 home phone is (540) 856-8231
12. New address and phone for Kit Carson-James Carson, 6745 Lakepointe Drive, Mineral VA 23117, phone (540) 854-7374. Kit's new house is at the Northwest corner of Lake Anna. He is in the market for a glider on Edo Floats!
13. New address for Bill Wark-William B. Wark, 9425 William Kirk Ln, Burke, Va. 22015 (703) 455-6361.
    For the time being, he can be reached at this e-mail address : william.wark@fema.gov.william.wark@fema.gov.

Room with a View
I have just moved into a small apartment in downtown Harrisonburg, about 25 minutes from New Market, which has (at present :) a spare bed. If anyone wants to stop over on a Saturday night then I will be happy to put you up provided:

1. You bring a sleeping bag / sheets and pillow cover-I don't want to have to keep washing bed clothes!
2. You phone me to make sure its OK-540 574 1879 (home) 568 2508 (office)
3. You fix your own breakfast! (Coffee and cereals provided) d) First come, first served!

Harrisonburg now has its own micro-brewery (beer coming on line in 10 days) and it is 5 minutes walk from the apartment, the food is good and the beer is expected to be as good as an English Ale, so there's the offer-if you want to stop over, just let me know.
-David Brunner

Chicken Little Syndrome
This is the last time I send out one of those "The Sky is falling memos" requesting first person stories. If I print all the ones I have now in this issue, we'll have to raise dues to cover the postage! That's not to say stop sending them, but rather an explanation for why yours hasn't run yet. It's simply math-you can only get so many lines in 8 pages past which we incur almost double postage. Being part Scot, German and Irish, I face each issue with:

I WILL send it for the least amount,

I HAVE WAYS of making it fit,

and if it doesn't, I'll just have a few pints and cut away 'til it's a WEE THING!

It's an Editor's Prerogative to contradict himself. If you don't believe that, you don't read the Post. A group of us were doing some "tent flying" a few weeks ago and sharing stories about bird encounters while thermalling. There's a big difference in these great friends in the sky and those flying rats that cause so much work in the hangars. Most of us have had a few good flights that we owe to some buzzard or hawk's intuitive ability to find what we often times can't.

I once sneaked (snuck?) up behind a Red-tailed hawk in a 1-26. (I was in the 1-26.) For a few seconds we flew together, she just a few feet off my left wing. Suddenly the hawk became aware of this really big bird in her thermal. With all the precision of an F-14, she retracted her wings and rolled out of the sky like a bullet!

I also had the experience of colliding with a grasshopper at about 4,000 AGL. At that last millisecond before being sacrificed on the canopy alter, he must have been convinced he encountered Godzilla!

So what you say? You got a better one? Let's hear from you- pja@his.com.