As we become firmly ensconced in the Fall season, the leaves are even more beautiful and the days are getting crisper. (Actually, I wonder about this, as it is 75 degrees F outside while writing this in mid-October.) This is one of my favorite parts of the year. The beauty of the Shenandoah Valley unfolds during this time, and it is the perfect opportunity to introduce friends to the sport. The relatively calm conditions are great for introductory rides, and also for instruction. I hope to see many new faces at the field so we can all enjoy the scenery together. Aircraft Acquisition

I'm sure you've been monitoring the great discussion that is going on in the skyline-members mailing list. One point that stands out in my mind is that we have some very smart and committed members who strongly favor a tow plane, and likewise for a two-seat glider. And of course, within each aircraft category we have positions which are strongly held-tricycle vs. taildragger; metal vs. fiberglass.

The fact that such differing opinions can be held by our members is, in itself, an indication that there is no single correct answer. I ask that all of us remember that it is possible for intelligent people to hold differing opinions, and to acknowledge and respect these opinions while we move ahead together toward the future.

Houston, We Have a Problem

I received a message recently from John Lewis, saying that we have 68 active members, 29 of whom are students! With only five instructors, two of whom are also towpilots and all of whom are also private owners, we have a serious problem. You can see it on the days when there is no instructor on the field-the two-seaters sit idle. Then on the days when we have an instructor, seven or eight students are there competing for this limited resource. This is an unpleasant situation, and the solution is either to reduce the number of students or to increase the number of instructors.

In the first case, we can either decrease students through attrition or by graduating them into the ranks of certificated glider pilots. I strongly favor the latter, and the current instructors are most happy to assist students in preparing for their checkrides.

In the second case, we have a large cadre of members who have the knowledge, experience, and temperament to become excellent instructors. The Club needs you. Right now. Please think about it.

See you at the field
-- Joe Parrish

I'm pleased to announce that the directors have selected George Hazelrigg, Jr. (father of George Hazelrigg, III & Geoffrey) to complete the term originated by Mike Cordova. George's term runs through the end of the 2002 season.

We're looking forward to the benefits of George's insights and leadership skills.

P.S. Please start thinking about candidates for the two director positions that will open at the end of this season. We are anticipating several good candidates for these positions, so the member's votes at the annual meeting in January will be very important.
-- Joe Parrish

We have a date! I surveyed the club, carefully considered the options, and wound up being forced to choose a date based on the fact that it is the only day that both George and Geoffrey will be around. Party time is Friday, November 10. For all you non-government people who don't know already, that's a holiday, so traffic shouldn't be too bad. I'll be ready to receive guests beginning at 6 pm, and I'll plan to serve dinner at about 7:30. I'll take care of the main course, some wine, beer and soda. For anyone who feels obligated to bring something, may I suggest libation, pre-dinner snacks, or dessert. Which of these three things should you bring? I suggest the following:

1. Pick a number from 1 to 100. 2. Multiply it by 5. 3. Add 7. 4. Take modulo 3 of the resulting number (this operation consists of dividing the number by 3 and taking the remainder, which will be 0, 1, or 2). 5. Add 1 to the result. 6. If your final result is 1, bring libation; 2, bring a pre-dinner snack; 3, bring a dessert.

Example: I choose 31. 31X5=155. 155+7=162. 162Modulo(3)=Remainder(162/3)=0. 0+1=1. Bring libation.

Easy, huh? If this is too much for you, just pick one. Just don't bring too much.

Next, for our musical interlude, be sure that you bring sheet music, instruments, and anything else you care to. You are welcome to bring a musician. The "jam session" will be a centerpiece of this party. How about the SSC kazoo and comb band? We have something for everyone.

It is important that I have a pretty good head count for dinner, so I would really appreciate a response. Please let me know if you are definitely coming not later than November 6. If you fail to tell me that you are coming and at the last minute you decide to come, please come anyway. Just bring some extra food with you.

For those of you who will be coming from afar, it may be possible for you to stay with us overnight, and go directly to FRR on Saturday morning. I'll need a head count for overnighters. I think we can arrange for a few, particularly if some of the DC-area members can help out.

Now the important stuff. Where is this-here party? Our address is 8427 Idylwood Road, Vienna. Our telephone is 703-207-1539. Driving instructions follow: From FRR: Take I-66 east to Exit 62, Nutley Street. There is only one Nutley Street exit, but as soon as you have exited 66, the road splits. Stay left for the next 500 feet. You want the second exit onto Nutley, to Vienna. This exit ramp will pass under Nutley and then make a right 270 onto the Nutley Road overpass over I-66. Continue on Nutley through the traffic light immediately past the I-66 overpass, and turn right onto Kingsley, 100 yards beyond. Go 1.2 miles (four stop signs) to the end of Kingsley. Turn right onto Park. Go 0.4 miles to the end of Park. Turn left onto Cedar. Go 0.9 miles to Idylwood Road. Idylwood is the 7th street on the left from Park, 4th left past the bike trail (if you come to a traffic light, you have gone too far). Go 0.4 miles to the end of Idylwood Road (not the end of Idylwood Mews Lane). Our house is the first new house on the left in a development of new houses, number 8427. Idylwood opens into a cul de sac right at our house.

From DC: Take I-66 west to the Route 7 exit toward Tysons Corner (this is the exit past the Dulles Access Road). The cross street at the bottom of the exit ramp is Idylwood Road.

You would like to make a left onto Idylwood but, coming off of I-66 onto Route 7, that is illegal. I advise that you turn right onto Idylwood Road, and then make a U-turn as soon as you can. Go west on Idylwood Road 2.4 miles, past Gallows (light), past Cedar (stop sign), past Williams (stop sign) to the end of Idylwood. Our house is the first new house on the left in a development of new houses, number 8427. Idylwood opens into a cul de sac right at our house.

From the Beltway south (Alexandria): Take the Inner Loop to the Gallows Road exit. Turn left onto Gallows Road. Take Gallows Road north 3.1 miles to Idylwood Road (the next light past the bike trail). Turn left onto Idylwood Road (west), and go to the end. Our house is the first new house on the left in a development of new houses, number 8427. Idylwood opens into a cul de sac right at our house.

From the Beltway north (Rockville): Take the outer loop to the Route 7 exit toward Tysons Corner. Stay to the far right all the way off the exit ramp and turn right at the first real street, Towers Crescent, 0.1 miles from the end of the exit ramp. Stay right and Towers Crescent will make a right 270 over Route 7. Go straight through the first light (slight left turn) as you come down off the overpass, and turn left onto Gallows Road at the next light. Go 0.7 miles on Gallows to Cedar (at the light between a Sunoco station and a Mobil station). Turn right onto Cedar. Go 0.3 miles on Cedar, straight through the light at Electric, and make a right onto Idylwood Road, just past the light. Go to the end of Idylwood. Our house is the first new house on the left in a development of new houses, number 8427. Idylwood opens into a cul de sac right at our house.

If you still don't know how to get to us, give me a call.

We look forward to seeing you all on November 10.-George, Geoffrey and George III ghazelri@nsf.gov

OK, it's been suggested that I give directions to our house that even a glider pilot can understand. So get out your GPS receiver. Latitude: 38 deg. 53.93 min. North Longitude: 77 deg. 14.25 min. West Now none of you have an excuse for getting lost.
-- George Hazelrigg, Jr

George's note about his party reminded me that I should post to the whole membership the fact that Pat and I routinely welcome members who for whatever reason find it convenient to stay overnight in Winchester (26 miles/35 minutes from the airport) rather than drive all the way home. Over the years several members have done this, some on several occasions.

We're here MOST weekends, and there's two bedrooms (one full, one set of twins) and a bathroom upstairs that you're welcome to. Just call before hand to make sure we're here and the house isn't already full (only competition is with kids/grandkids) and to get directions if you need them. No frills (fix your own breakfast), just us folks
-- Jim Kellett

There is an ongoing discussion within the board of directors (and of course under the ops tent and at the Mill) on the next best step for Club aircraft acquisition. We have upwards of $40K pledged toward the purchase of a towplane, and Bill Vickland is looking into options for towplanes that fit our requirements and pocketbook. There is also strong sentiment amongst some members that our next step should be a two-seat glider. Jim Garrison is tasked to run down options for us, including used fiberglass ships and possibly a new or low-time Blanik. We will not expand member funds without a thorough review of the candidate ship(s).

As George Bush once said, "Nope. Wouldn't be prudent."

The fact is, we need both if we want to continue to support the growth of the Club. Our Strategic Plan calls for the acquisition of a two-seat tow plane, a two-seat trainer, and a single-seat glider. It's fairly clear that the single-seater can wait, as members are now buying single-seaters to suit their own requirements. (Remember, a basic tenet of our Club's charter is to provide services to members that they cannot easily provide for themselves.) So, we have two major classes of options and many choices within those classes.

As Bill Clinton once said, "I did 'not' have sexual relations with that woman." There is no simple answer to the dilemma. On any particular day, the "long pole in the tent" could be either the towplane or the two-seat glider. When one of our two-seaters is grounded, we see very heavy utilization of the other two-seater and it is difficult to balance training and member pleasure flights. Of course, when the Pawnee is grounded we must scramble to find alternatives such as Fred Bane or Jan Scott. We cannot predict all of our aircraft maintenance requirements, and therefore we will see situations when one or the other key resource becomes unavailable.

As Al Gore once said, "I invented the airplane!"

My sense is that we will all be happier once we've added one of each to the fleet. Right now we don't have the funds to do that, so a difficult choice must be made. My personal feeling (and I want to make clear that this is just me and not necessarily representative of the other directors) is that we should go for the next best opportunity, regardless of whether it's a towplane or glider. Does anyone remember which of the existing Club fleet aircraft came first? I doubt it.

As George W. Bush once said, "We will approach this with compassionate conservatism." So, let's keep the dialog going. One question that has not been posed to those who have already pledged funds is whether they are willing to have those funds expended on a glider, if that is the next best opportunity. (The pledge drive was completely focused on towplane acquisition.) Pledgers, feel free to respond publicly or privately to this question. And for those of you who have not yet pledged, please consider these issues carefully and make a pledge to continue the growth of the Club.
-- Joe Parrish

Good question. And there's a good answer.

First off, ALL Club instructors are required to be "SSAIs" (Soaring Society of America Instructors), all of whom regularly use the information and materials produced by the Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF). (The Club also partially subsidizes the attendance of Club instructors at SSF-sponsored CFI revalidation clinics, which involve two days of intensive flight instructor instruction using experts from all over the world.) One of the many services provided to your Club instructors by the SSF is well-researched and analyzed accident data, along with useful, fact-based recommendations for changes and improvements in flight instruction and in glider operations.

The most recent annual survey, analysis, and recommendations-based on data from calendar year 1999-are available to everyone-see http://207.149.139.31/ssf/1999ACCIDENTSUMMARY.PDF READ IT YOURSELF ---and you probably WON'T be surprised to see how those recommendations, many of which were developed with input and comment from instructors all over the US just like your Club instructors, have been adopted by Skyline.

So, don't think all these ideas that keep surfacing about training for landings, procedures for emergencies, currency checks, etc., just came up out of a discussion over beer at the Mill. They're based in large part on the recommendations of the most credible sources of training and operational guidance in the US-the Soaring Society of America and the Soaring Safety Foundation.
-- Jim Kellett

The one and only time that I went to Chester, SC was for the 1-26 Nationals in '76. I teamed with Willie McClain in my ship '289.' It was my rookie year for the Nationals. I remember that Gren Siebels was the contest manager.

I flew the first day. I'd launched right after a thunderstorm had moved through, and landed about ten miles out after a monotonic glide over storm wetted ground. Spent the time waiting for Willie, my crew, to show up after shooting pool with a couple of kids in one of their basements.

The next day it was Willie's turn, but by then more rain had really soaked the area. And after Willie did his ten-mile glide, he was really mired in. It took three very husky farm hands in knee-deep mud to get the two wings and fuselage about 200 yards to the roadside where the trailer was. It was a herculean task to move the fuselage through all that mud even with the man power. The main wheel acted like a plow.

It was five at a time with longer and longer periods needed to catch our breath. I thought Willie was going to have a heart attack, and wasn't real sure that I wasn't. We finally made it to the trailer completely exhausted.

More rain and the next day was called off and finally the rest of the meet was canceled. The next year, '77, the meet was held at Black Forest, but that's a story for another time.
-- Bob Collier

It's official-Glen Baumgartner has leased his lovely Ka-7 to the Club! It's going to rent for the same price as Miss Daisy ($24/hour).

Several (most?) of the Club instructors have to be checked out in this ship BEFORE they can start checking out members, so bear with us. And all the Duty Officers will have to learn how to correctly move the ship into and out of the hangar. (DO NOT try this without guidance of an experienced member!! It is a relatively easier to damage than either of our other two place machines!)

For the time being, the ship will be limited to use by licensed glider pilots (e.g., no primary instruction or pre-PPL solo flying), and to those who have received the usual prep and flying checkout, by a SSC Instructor.

This is going to be a most valuable addition to the Club fleet. It has performance better than the 2-33 and stall characteristics more typical of most gliders than the K-21. Therefore it's going to make much easier for members to take friends on soaring rides, and it should be very useful for members who have trained exclusively in the K-21 and 2-33 to get checked out in a glider with a bit more realistic stalling characteristics.

Thanks, Glen, for making this resource available!!

It takes Teamwork

It was a terrific day of flying, and mulling it over, I realized the enormous number of people involved in launching a glider. Sure, there is the theoretical minimum of tow pilot and wing runner. But that is a theoretical minimum.

The truth is it took 8 people to launch my glider:
Tom the ultralight pilot helped me put on my wings,
Lisa gave me a positive control check,
George Jr. helped push my ship out,
Dave Brunner launched me,
Jim McCulley, as usual, found a thermal for me and put me in it,
Dave Weaver flew around in the thermal to make sure I knew where it was,
George III. towed me back on landing,
and Geoff & GeorgeIII. helped disassemble.
And the Mill would have been empty without Jim and Pat Kellett, Dave Dawood, Bill Bentley, and Glenn Baumgartner. Big thanks to you all.
-- Richard Freytag

It would help the treasurer a lot, if, when free tow tickets are used, you would write the date that they are used in the upper right-hand corner of the ticket, like so:

USED: 10/13/00

Doing this will allow tracking tickets with log sheets by date. In addition please write FREE instead of the actual cost in the Tow Cost column on the log sheet to show that a ticket was used. This should serve to make the treasurer's life a little brighter. Many thanks
-- Bob Collier

Well we owe Bill Vickland a huge vote of thanks-at least the DO's and the Treasurer do. Thanks to Bill we have a laptop at the field that is available to the DO with a spreadsheet Duty Log. You may not realize it but many of the logs given the Treasurer have large numbers of errors; so I recommend the use of the spreadsheet. The Treasurer's job is hard enough as it is.

Another advantage is the spreadsheet log has space for 36 flights on one sheet. This is the maximum flight ops SSC has seen in one day thanks to Jonathan Kans. When you want the total $'s just hit Ctrl-U and look on the second page.

USE: The computer is plugged in on the battery table and should return there after use. The battery on the computer will last 3 hours only. It suffices if you turn on the laptop to enter the needed information off the temporary duty log.

The blank dutylog.xls file is in the "skyline" subdirectory. Open that file and immediately save it under another name in that directory. When you have filled out the log copy it to a floppy from the 25 I have placed on the battery table. Take this log home and print it out using your copy of Excel. Print the second page on the back of the first page.

The laptop uses an old version of Windows for Workgroups with an ancient version of Excel. Excel is very backward compatible with old spreadsheets so you should be able to open your duty log in any more modern version of Excel.

If someone wants to provide a SSC printer that would be swell.

All complaints about the log sheet or the laptop's setup should be directed to me.

If someone wants to work the battery situation faster to give the laptop extra life on the field that would be great. If not-I'll get to it eveeennnntttuuuaaaalllyy.
-- Richard Freytag

• Congratulations to Bob Downin, the Club's newest Commercial Glider Pilot, who successfully passed his checkride October 12. Well done!

• ...and to George Hazelrigg, III who recently earned his B badge.

• ...and to Dick Otis who is now a Commercial Multi-engine rated tow pilot!

• Welcome back to Lisa Sergent and Tim James who return a touch of class and 2 more sailplanes to SSC.

  Lisa Sergent and Tim James email: lsergent@powertrain.com

  Lisa reports they bought a weekend place in Front Royal,

• And the club just keeps on growing... and growing... and growing.... Stan Pawlowski came out, flew with Shane, and (skip that temp member stuff), joined SSC. Stan is an experienced pilot with ATP and Instrument ratings; he has about 4000 hours. When he's not flying, he's a General Manager for Sports Network Indoor Soccer Center. Stan's vitals are: Stan Pawlowski pawloski@erols.com

• With the return of Tim James and Lisa Sergent, the SSC roster now lists 70 active members.
  -- John Lewis

• Galless in Charlottesville-Our wonderful surgeons here just took out my gallbladder (don't know where they put it) and I am recovering slowly.
  -- Jim Garrison

• Pat Kellett's foot surgery went well. She is home now and the prognosis is very good. The Kelletts say thanks for all your expressions of concern.
  -- Jim Kellett

• Congratulations to Bill Bentley who got all the legs of his Silver Badge in Texas! Readers will remember Bill as the originator of Bentley's Lessons of which #2 is: Never fly over a town that paints their fire hydrants yellow while wearing orange tinted sunglasses. Good advice formulating while flying (rolling?) in Ohio.

• The winner of the First Annual Eastern Standard Time Political Joke Puzzle is a Mr. Robert Collier of Winchester, Virginia who correctly identified the sample joke as ambidextrous-that is the empennage end of the U.S. can be located in either of two Southern states-depending on which wing the viewer is holding.

• I just found this internet search tool http://www.guidebeam.com with a different beat. Try searching on <soaring> and you will find some most interesting places. For instance, I didn't know know there was a Soaring Trader http://www.agile-graphics.com/trader/gna.html

  Also I am investigating an-online photo service at http://www.zing.com/ which has unlimited photo storage, on-line features, and the ability to upload a hi-resolution photo to create photographic prints (at what appears to be a reasonable price). I've ordered an 8X10 of the fisheye view Bill Bentley in the 2-33. I'll drop it on the counter at FRR next time I'm out that way.
  -- Dick Otis

• This item from the M-ASA Convector-the Maryland Public TV series Outdoors Maryland will have a segment entitled River of Air filmed earlier this year at Fairfield. It airs (no pun intended) on November 2 at 8:00 pm and November 4 at 6:30 pm on MPTV Channel 22. Don't miss it!

• New Depths of Product Safety: In case you needed further proof that the human race is doomed through stupidity, here are some actual label instructions on consumer goods:

  On Sears hairdryer: "Do not use while sleeping". [Gee, that's the only time I have to work on my hair]

  On a bag of Fritos: "You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside". [Evidently, the Shoplifter special]

  On a bar of Dial soap: "Directions: Use like regular soap." [And that would be how...?]

  On some Swanson frozen dinners: "Serving suggestions: Defrost." [But it's "just" a suggestion]

  On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom of box): "Do not turn upside down". [Oops, too late!]

  On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding: "Product will be hot after heating". [As sure as night follows the day.]

  On packaging for a Rowenta iron: "Do not iron clothes on body". [But wouldn't this save even more time?]

  On Boot's Children's Cough Medicine: "Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication". [We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we could just get those 5-year-olds with head-colds off those forklifts.]

  On Nytol Sleep Aid: "Warning: May cause drowsiness". [One would hope] On most brands of Christmas lights: "For indoor or outdoor use only". [As opposed to what?]

  On a Japanese food processor: "Not to be used for the other use". [I gotta admit, I'm curious].

  On Sainsbury's peanuts: "Warning: Contains nuts". [NEWS FLASH]

  On an American Airlines packet of nuts: "Instructions: open packet, eat nuts." [Step 3: Fly Delta]

  On a child's Superman costume: "Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly". [I don't blame the company. I do blame parents for this one!]

  On a Swedish chain saw: "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals". [Was there a chance of this happening somewhere?.....Good grief!]
  -- George Hazelrigg, Jr

• And finally for the Metric Challenged:

  Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour: Knot-furlong

  1000 cubic centimeters of wet socks: 1 literhosen