Each month, your president is charged with producing some sage bit of prose that will inspire the membership to new heights and new achievements. And so, once again, I sit down looking for inspiration. But what's this stuff about entropy, i.e., thermodynamics? Well, I once taught thermo, and I found it a very philosophical science. Of course, entropy doesn't really exist at all. It's just a bit of mental acrobatics. But all of thermo rests on three fundamental concepts, called the laws of thermodynamics. They apply to practically everything in life.

Law 1: (Conservation) You don't get something for nothing. Isn't this true when it comes to soaring? You don't get lift without sink. You don't fly without the efforts of others. Practically nothing in life comes to us without effort, and then if something does come "free," it's just because of the efforts of someone else. Nature just ain't that kind to us. Whatever we get out of soaring, we will have to work to obtain. Expect it. So it is written.

Law 2: (Entropy) The law of entropy seems to some to be a difficult thing to understand. But that's just if it's stated too technically. In plain language, the law of entropy simply states: Things always get crapped up. Ain't it obvious? Just look around you. Did you ever see your room get clean by itself? Did you ever see the dirt organize itself outside your house? Of course not. It organizes itself randomly in your house. That's entropy at play. The only weapon against entropy is energy-our energy. We have to do maintenance on our equipment because of entropy. See? This thermo stuff hits pretty close to home when you understand it a bit.

Law 3: (Efficiency) This is the insidious little bugger of a law. It helps us to understand the ways of nature. You see, the law of entropy tells us only that things always get crapped up, but it doesn't tell us how. There are actually lots of ways for things to get crapped up, and nature could just go off willy nilly using all the various procedures except for the third law. This law tells us how nature chooses to crap things up: Things will always get crapped up in the most expeditious way possible. Ah yes, of course. Not only does nature work against us to crap things up, she's got it figured out so that she does her deeds using minimum effort.

See, I've gotten the sage part down. Now for the inspiration part. Unless we recognize these laws of thermodynamics, recognize that we can't change them, and dedicate ourselves to work within these laws, we will not get as much out of soaring as we could. Nature works against us to make a mess of our space. We have to work against nature to beat back entropy. There are a few places that need our attention quite quickly. I'm thinking of the hanger and the tow car, and I'm looking for volunteers. (OK, how many of you saw this coming?) But first, I want you to understand that the stuff in the hanger isn't some abstract art form put there by the evil-doers. It belongs to the Club, and the Club is you-everything in the hangers is yours, actually ours. And we need to take care of it.

Take the tow car, for example. I've heard it described with several choice words. But it is our tow car. It actually works pretty well. It starts easily. It has been reliable. It doesn't stall when it is pulling a glider. It has a huge trunk that holds all our equipment. Sure, it looks like @#$@%!, but that's our fault, not the car's. It has been on the field about 18 months now with no maintenance and no attention. To replace it would cost us somewhere around $3,000 (about $50 per member). And guess what-whatever we would replace it with would be subject to the very same laws of thermodynamics, and it too would require work to maintain. A new BMW would look pretty much like our tow car in 18 months given the same treatment.

The hanger space isn't much different. Clutter and dirt happen. Disorganization happens. Don't be surprised when you see them. Ships get dirty. Wax jobs wear out. All things take energy to keep neat and working.

So here's the deal. I'm calling for some fine volunteers to help beat back entropy from our Club. We need someone to lead a work party for the tow car. It should be cleaned, the oil needs to be changed, and it needs some repairs. We need a few new handles and the front door needs to be put back together. I think $30 worth of parts and some work will make the car much more presentable. Same with the hanger. It could stand a good fall cleaning. The Grob and the Sprite need to be cleaned and waxed.

We need three volunteers to head the work parties, one for the car, one for the hanger, and one for the team to clean and wax the Grob and Sprite. I suggest we get teams signed up to work on each of these items. We could plan to do the dirty deeds on a cloudy, non-flying day. There is no need to lose good flying time over this. But there is a need to put some effort into keeping our space clean, neat, and in working order. Among other things, our space portrays the image of what we are to others when they walk out onto the field. Equipment that looks good and works well impresses others, leads to new members, and keeps the Club healthy. This is the effort we need to put into the Club so that we can continue to enjoy the thing that is the real reason we're here.

So much for inspiration. See you at FRR some cloudy day.
-- George Hazelrigg, Jr

I'm getting back into Instructing again... We now have our freshly resurfaced SGS 2-33-handles great... and we have an L-13 on the way

We do not have fuel on the field so once or twice a day we go to Greenville, IL (about 15 miles south east) for fuel. This has been a great opportunity to introduce students to X-Country tow, as well as my own orientation on doing X-Country tows with the Pawnee. This gets people used to the idea of being out of reach of of an airport, as well as seeing a different field.

Greenville has a north south paved strip and an east west grass strip. We use the grass for the Pawnee and gliders. I have used this to emphasize accuracy (spot) landings. It also introduces unassisted hook up and takeoff procedures-as in a field retrieval situation.

Amazingly the fields we work from are nearly treeless-with the exception of our home field landing to the north. The people here have never dealt with the kinds of problems you have at Front Royal. We have had a couple of minor incidents involving off field landings within a half mile of the home field. These are a reflection of not having set up constrictive situations and making demands on the students (as well as the veterans). I am planning to set up some markings similar to the layout we used in the grass at FRR. I am really surprised to find little awareness of the line of sight associated with a theoretical 1/2 spoiler approach... again, my current pet project (as I am gaining acceptance of the need for this).

The Weather Page ( http://home.earthlink.net/~rmike9/ ) is going well and there is some interest in learning the theory. New software from ERS makes the process much easier and faster. The accuracy of the forecasts remains highly reliable and after a couple of years of watching conditions here on the Central Plains I am learning to "read" the signs for our local concerns. The photo is from a few weeks ago-we hosted a X-Country training weekend. This was great for beginners as we split into three groups according to performance of the A/C-each group with an experienced leader. We had a few land-outs, and several confidence building accomplishments. This was my first opportunity to introduce the Computer Model forecasting process in an informal "contest" environment. It was well received, and accepted.

One of the "leaders" in this exercise was John Murry. You see his name as the eastern U.S. coordinator for the "Return to Kitty Hawk Transcontinental Glider Race" coming up next summer (see Soaring Magazine-September, 2002-page 2). We (Silvercreek Glider Port- St. Louis) will be one of the relay points for the race. If at all possible you should attempt to get involved in this !!!

I still miss you guys-and I miss "the ridge"
-- Bob Michael

A bunch of the boys were whooping it up at the Ole Mill one night when one says "all we'd have to do is turn the mains around and add a nose wheel"...a stunned silence fell over the crowd when they realized he was talking about the revered mount, Pawnee, King of the Taildraggers! For a moment it looked ugly.

In an effort to defuse the situation I piped up with "did you know the very man who designed the Pawnee, the quintessential tail dragger, was the man who introduced the tricycle gear to general aviation use?"

Buying time I offered: "its designer, Fred Weick was a legend of American Aviation. A propeller expert, he designed the NACA cowl, one of the most significant advances in world-wide aviation technology of the first half of the century, and for which he won the Collier Trophy of 1929. In 1945 he won the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences award for his contributions to the development of the tricycle landing gear and the two-control nonspinning aircraft. He also received the Fawcett Aviation award for the greatest contribution to the scientific advancement of private flying."

Well Buckaroos, you could have heard a main spar safety pin drop!

I continued: "Fred Weick also was the designer of the Ercoupe which, in addition to the linked controls that made it non stalling and impossible to spin, had the first castoring, controllable nose wheel and introduced tricycle gear to general use. It made the very first (1940) JATO flight for the USAAC (actually the first 60). It was the first American human rocket (RATO?) launched flight.

At the suggestion of Theodor von Karman, the prop was removed and after the rocket launch, the Army pilot, Captain Homer Boushey, glided down-the same technique used by Yeager and all the space shuttles. This project led to the eventual establishment of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

In 1947 Ms Alverna Williams, a paraplegic who had learned to fly in a WASP sponsored program (in an Ercoupe) passed the FAA flight test only to be denied a pilot's license since she couldn't pass the medical and fly 3 axis controls. She countered with she wasn't flying 3 axis planes. The FAA persisted.

Alverna sued the Feds and 1 1/2 years later she won. She became the first of many similarly handicapped people to earn a Pilot's License. She owned an Ercoupe and logged many of hours flying all over the country. Now there is a whole Association of Wheelchair Pilots.

In addition to the Ercoupe, Weick designed a very successful Ag-Cat, the Pawnee and co-designed the Cherokee with John Thorpe and K. Bergey."

As they all stumbled into the lengthening, humid night one exclaimed "who was that old wart?"

Preflight Inspections

For those who have been following the Sign the Tape Memorial Debating Society proceedings-Nice going, Judah, you sure cured my scarcity of email problem.

Members please don't sign the tapes on 081, they are the only visible means of support for the wings.

Back in the gravy days, I designed a lot of Annual Reports. Before proceeding to print, I always required the responsible corporate officer(s) to sign every page and the auditors to sign the financials in addition.

Once discussing this with my lawyer he said "just remember, you can be sued by anyone, anytime, for any reason. Posting a Beware of the Dog sign doesn't absolve you of negligence when the dog bites the mailman."

My insomnia returned.

Have a Day! PS: Of course now days we know exactly what the value of the Auditor's signature was, don't we?

Ka 7 Considerations

As the discussions evolved relative to the K 7's right wing (Starboard to our Navy brothers) I came across the following item in the AVflash news:

FOR HELI, SMALL CRACK = FATAL PROBLEMS: Canadian military authorities say a worldwide aviation safety advisory may be issued after a tiny scratch in the tail rotor of one of its helicopters caused a fatal crash. The helicopter, a CH-146, the military version of the Augusta Bell AB-412, crashed July 18 killing both pilots and injuring two other crew members. Investigators say the scratch, which was only 1.5 mm long and .25 mm deep, grew into a 16-in. crack that eventually caused the tail section to snap off in flight. ergo, it can happen to me.

Youth Program

We need a name for the Youth Program. The Youth Committee is sponsoring a contest to find this new name. Please submit all ideas to; mail to: youthcommittee@skylinesoaring.org

Could be something catchy, national, good acronym, domain available? Whatever.

Please submit your entry by 9 p.m. Friday Sept 13.

Thank you for your support

-- Shane Neitzey

• Congratulations to Geoff Hazelrigg for successfully completing his CPL-G check ride with the FAA examiner. On August 20, President George Hazelrigg logged a 5:30 flight and, more recently- George III and I put together back-to-back flights a week ago that totalled 4:59. There was a 3-minute interval where the plane was on the ground. I flew 2:14, landed on 09, rolled up to the 27 end, turned the plane around and launched George III for a 2:45 flight.

  Of course by purchasing two more sailplanes, they can avoid these lengthy turn around times! -Ed
  -- George Hazelrigg, Jr

• Having had no serious nibbles on my Cirrus, N8169, a modified advertisement is now being distributed.

  The price is slightly higher, and is no longer offered without the transponder. OTOH, I'm now entertaining offers for majority (at least 66%) partners, provided the ship is based either at Scott Airpark or KFRR. It's worth noting that this ship is very popular as a Club single place almost everywhere except in the US! See, e.g., the Darling Downs Club in Australia http://www.ddsc.org.au/ -and click on "Club Fleet". Yep, that's me!

  FULL details, complete equipment list, history, and related links are at http://classicsailplane.org/Cirrus/67%20for%20sale .
  -- Jim Kellett

• Another sailplane joining the bevy-of-bent-wing-beauties-Kolie's getting a LS3-A!

• SSC Hangar Fridge ROOLS -reprinted in case you missed the email Thanks to Bob Collier, the Club now has a functioning fridge in the "Private Owners" hangar (where the four trailers are).

  Inside are currently MANY small bottles of water; Diet Coke, Lemonade, Tea, Ginger ale, etc. The stock has been "primed" at Club expense. We need a coffee can or other cash-containing device INSIDE the fridge.

  So, here's the rools:

  1. Take what you want, leave $0.50 for water/soda or $1.00 for "adult beverages"

  2. Bring out soda or other "adult beverage" you purchase, as cheaply as you can, and reim-burse yourself out of the coffee can (when it gets put in the fridge). Be SURE you don't pay more for the stock than the $0.50/$1.00 mentioned above. This way you can make available what YOU like to drink.

  3. NO ADULT BEVERAGES UNTIL ALL EQUIPMENT IS PUT AWAY! NO EXCEPTIONS!

  4. Throw Away trash properly.

  5. If you store things you do NOT want others to take, LABEL IT CLEARLY!!

  6. Don't be dumb and walk around non-Club members holding/drinking an adult beverage.

  7. Don't mess with the stuff of the top of the fridge it's batteries and chargers, etc. for H3.

  On the top of the fridge, there are places that get wet because of the fridge's oldness. So don't put things up there that need to stay dry.

  8. If you fill up the trash can, make sure that you empty it and install a new bag.
  -- Jim Kellett

• The World's Vintage Sailplanes, 1908-45 is the bible of the vintage soaring and modeling movement.

  Slingsby Sailplanes is a comprehensive history of all of the Slingsby designs.

  Sailplanes by Schweizer, by Paul A. Schweizer and Martin Simons. This is the long awaited collaboration on the complete Schweizer sailplane line.

  NEW: Sailplanes 1920-1945. A comprehensive book on vintage sailplanes from 14 nations.

  Each of the above books is $64.95 plus shipping. Martin Simons: German Air Attache ... the diplomatic & soaring careers of Peter Riedel is available for $32.95. To Order: please send a money order or check in US $ to Raul Blacksten at PO Box 307, Maywood, CA 90270 USA. Please add $4.00 per item for p&h within the US; $6 to Canada; all others please add $18.50 for additional postage.

  Email: raulb@earthlink.net (also has some really beautiful calendars available)

• Check out the Vintage Sailplane Association's website at http://www.classicsailplane.org/ It's a really nice site with some neat information and pictures...try it. Also for our cross country devotees: Carlos Reyes of M-ASA recommends this website: http://www.equipped.org for details on landout kits...a subject perhaps more etched in our thoughts this year.

• AIRCRAFT REGISTRATIONS ON CD-ROM: For just $5, the FAA will burn all the documents pertaining to any U.S.-registered aircraft on a CD in PDF format. The FAA keeps records of applications for registration, evidence of ownership, security agreements, mechanics liens (and their releases) and lease terminations. On the airworthiness side, it keeps track of airworthiness certificates, major repair and alteration reports and the like. It seems the FAA's Aircraft Registration Branch has replaced its antiquated microfiche and hard-copy filing system with a computerized data bank, plus CD burner. See details in AVweb's NewsWire at http://avweb.com/n/?35a The August/September issue of Air & Space has a nice article on the process of finding, restoring and displaying a CG-4 WW II glider by the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York.

• It took the Curator, Joshua Stoff 15 years to locate one. It's a nice story and worth the cost of the issue. "A Waco's Happy Ending" by Joshua Stoff, pg 53. Remember "blue side up"...or for those that are altitude challenged "green side down". Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times. Does this explain why we have so much trouble getting new tow pilots? Maybe we could hold on to the ones we have if we can convince them there is real money to be earned in growing ear bacteria?

• WHAT'S BLUE, LOW-FLYING, AND FASTER THAN AN F-16? A Waldorf, Md., man told the Washington Post that he saw a U.S. military jet lose a race with a UFO over his house. Renny Rogers said he heard jets flying low in the middle of the night and went outside to see an F-16 chasing a light-blue object. The object, he told the Post, left the jet "in the dust." Military officials acknowledged that two F-16s were scrambled from Andrews Air Force Base after a "track of interest" was plotted on radar, but "everything was fine" and they went home but then, isn't that what they always say?

  So let's be careful up there (in the blue portion)...you never know what you'll encounter. Definition that seems to work better every day for your Editor:

• Financial Planner-A guy who actually remembers his wallet when he runs to the 7-11 for toilet paper and cigarettes.