Hello
Folks!
Once again, it is time to
write a newsletter and keep you informed of all the
goings-on in our Chapter — and there's been quite a
bit. First I would like to tell you about recent
happenings and then we'll go on to the new stuff. Early
in August, ten or twelve of us met with members of the
city administration of Ava and discussed ways to revive
the airport there. At that meeting, the city indicated a
desire to improve the airport and work with MODoT, EAA
and MPA to get things going.
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The
following Saturday we had a flyin meeting at the
airport and then visited several of Ava's fine
restaurants. We signed up two new members, Lester
Hellmuth and James Garrison, at the flyin. Later,
when the report of the meeting appeared in the
Douglas County Herald, we heard from another
person, Arnold Zimmerman, who owns a hangar at
Ava ("the one that didn't blow down"),
that he intends to become a member. Welcome to
all of you and I hope that you will enjoy your
membership in EAA Chapter 1218 as much as Sue and
I and many others do. Sixteen airplanes took part
in the Ava flyin and a total of 57 members and
guests were present for the meeting. |
| Flyin meeting at Bill Martin
Memorial Airport |
Last
week I spoke again with Peggy Porter at Ava City Hall.
She told me that she had met with Dan Gilbert, our member
and immediate past President of the state Missouri Pilots
Association; Bill Nelson, who would like to become the
FBO at the Ava airport; and a representative of MODoT.
The MODoT representative told her that a maintenance
hangar could be built, the existing fuel facilities could
be reopened and that further improvements can be made
once MODoT has finished drawing up its statewide master
plan, which is in progress. Now the ball is rolling, and
we are encouraged.
Young
Eagles at Hootin' n' Hollerin'
Other good news about
airports: Jerry Luna is the new airport manager at
Gainesville and things are changing already. The trees at
the north end of the runway approach have been cut down
and the school superintendent has indicated he
understands the need to remove the trees behind the high
school. He will bring this before the school board. This
should reduce the "pucker factor" when landing
and taking off at Gainesville. Jerry tells me that he
would like some help from our membership to replace light
bulbs that mark the runway and other maintenance items
that need to be done. I know the windsock needs a good
dose of WD40 or something so the frame will swivel
freely. Also, on September 20-21 Gainesville celebrates
"Hootin' n' Hollerin' Days" and there will be a
Young Eagles Rally at the airport on both days from 10 AM
until 3 PM. We would like to have as many pilots as
possibly can come out and give prospective Young Eagles a
ride. Ladies of the Chapter plan to have a booth in town
where "old time" ways of doing things will be
demonstrated, while a counterpoint of "modern
women" who fly will be there to answer questions and
hand out literature about EAA and MPA.
September
Meeting
Now, on to our upcoming meeting. It will be on Saturday,
September 14, at 10:00 A.M. at Mountain View Airport
(MNF). Come as early as 9:00, though, and fly some Young
Eagles. After the meeting, we'll continue with visiting
and flying Young Eagles until around noon, when Mike and
Sharon Vaughn will provide barbecued burgers and brats.
The buns, trimmings and sodas will be provided by the
Vaughns, but you should bring a side dish of anything
else that will round off the great food that we always
have when we are guests at Mountain View Airport. I would
think there will be a lot of kids looking for a ride and
September is usually good flying weather, so be sure to
come.
Wright Flyer
replica takes shape during Wednesday workdays |
But that's
not all, folks. The Wright Flyer replica will
make its first public appearance. Although the
airplane is not covered, nor has its engine or
propellers yet, you will be amazed at the size
and effort which has gone into the construction.
In fact, it is an opportunity to see the ribs and
fittings before the covering is done. It's like
stepping back into history, seeing the world's
first powered flying machine. The last time we
showed you a picture, the wing sections were
"posed" for the photograph. Now we show
you the center section with the rudder assembly
attached. In August, Jerry Jacobs interviewed
Bill Ghan about his project. The story was
featured on KY3's Ozarks Life, and the video can
still be viewed on their web site. |
But
that's still not all, folks. Last Saturday, on a
trip to the airport at Cape Girardeau, we were introduced
to John Dearden, the CEO of Renaissance Aircraft. His
company has secured the rights to the original Luscombe
8F, which is being reborn as the Luscombe R8F, a truly
beautiful airplane. John has opened manufacturing
facilities at the airport and is in the process of
starting up production. He told us he would make every
effort to bring the beautiful new Luscombe demo aircraft,
which was built for Sun 'n Fun last April, to Mountain
View for the meeting. You won't want to miss this. We
have three members in our Chapter who own Luscombes and
speak highly of their airplanes' capabilities. In fact,
one member, and his son and grandson own Luscombes. Mr.
Dearden is highly personable and I'm sure he'll be glad
to answer any and all questions as he did when we
visited.
Pioneer
Days Young Eagles Rally
Then if you can make it back
to Mountain View again on September 28 at about 9:00 A.M.
for Mountain View's Pioneer Days celebration, more kids
in the Mountain View area will be able to become Young
Eagles. They want to fly and learn about all great
aviation technology we have in this country of ours. The
Wright Flyer will again be on display and you will again
find fuel for the body at the Vaughn's hangar. So please
come, enjoy Mountain View and celebrate Pioneer Days with
them.
This month's feature is an "airport bio"
instead of a member bio. Sharon Vaughn provided me with
the history of the Mountain View Airport. It shows what a
city can accomplish when there is a will and desire to
support an airport.
History
of Mountain View Airport
Through the vision of thirty men in the Mountain View
area, Mountain View built an airport in 1965. Unable to
obtain financing, each of those men signed a promissory
note at the bank. They borrowed $30,000, the state funded
$10,000, and the federal government matched with $40,000
of funding to make the dream a reality.
Mountain View Airport is located on land purchased from
Frank Bryan. Another location (now the golf course) was
considered, but too much excavation was required to make
the field level. The Bryan farm was perfect. Basically,
they just mowed the grass and marked the strip, 60 feet
by 2,500 feet. Gerry Brown remembers that eight-foot-tall
two-by-sixes, painted orange and yellow, stood on both
sides of the runway to mark the strip.
The first improvement came in 1966, when Joe Duncan flew
city electrician Bob Young to look at other airfields
that had lights, and the city installed lighting along
the runway. The first hangar on the field, now Hangar #3,
and was built by Joe Duncan. Gerry Brown built the second
and third hangars, now known as hangars #1 and #2, while
flying fire patrol in a Cessna 140 for the Conservation
Commission.
In 1967, Joe Duncan and Gerry Brown persuaded Hubert
Mills to move to the airport and manage it. Frankie
Swartz of Salem contracted to construct the metal hangar
and terminal building. Mills had a grass strip on his
farm north of Summersville and worked on aircraft at that
location. Since Mills was a licensed A&P-IA, he
brought his operation to the airport. Although the
building has been expanded and added to since then, the
hangar part is the original building. At one point in
time the airport was named for Mills. He expressed
concern about the runway being too short. Mills ran the
airport for many years until his health required his
replacement.
The second FBO at Mountain View Airport was Don Carr, who
purchased the hangar and terminal building from Mills.
Carr is the oldest son of Kenneth Carr of Mountain View.
Carr managed the airport for about five years. When he
resigned, the city purchased Carr's equity in the hangar
and terminal building.
The third FBO was Susan Meyers, a niece of Danny Staples.
Meyers had just obtained a degree in Aviation when she
came to Mountain View, according to Joe Duncan. Mr.
Tetley, from Trask, became the next manager.
In 1987, Mary Woodruff was the airport manager. The
present manager, Charley Webster, began working for
Woodruff in June 1987, on weekends, when he retired from
the military. However, Woodruff transferred to City Hall
in April 1989 and Webster became full time manager. His
wife also helped out at the airport. The City of Mountain
View hired additional help for Webster in 2000. Those
workers were Jack Bowen, Peggy Rogers, and presently,
Bill Salmon. When Lionel Smith moved to Mountain View as
a Certified Flight Instructor, the city subsidized him
for awhile in an attempt to develop more business for the
airport. Smith was also paid by Webster to work at the
airport when Webster needed time off.
The first major improvement to the airport was
blacktopping the runway. Bob Young remembers the city
provided the labor to match the state and federal money
used to blacktop the runway. About 1980, Claude Trieman
of Coinco, came to Mountain View. He volunteered to do
the dirtwork for the city's in-kind expense to lengthen
the runway by 1,500 feet. Although the runway was
lengthened, it had displaced thresholds at either end.
And Trieman's hangar became the fourth hangar on the
field.
In the late 90s, Mountain View Airport again expanded,
making the runway 5,000 feet long. The surface was
widened to 70 feet in 2000, at which time the city
purchased land on the west end of the runway and trees
were removed on adjacent property on the east end of the
runway, making displaced thresholds no longer necessary.
The additional length and width was needed for Coinco and
Smith Flooring jets. The taxiway was constructed at the
same time. In the interim, several grants were obtained
to reseal and resurface the runway.
In 1987, when Webster began work at the airport, there
were only five hangars and the terminal building. Early
in the 90s the City saw a need for hangar space and built
three hangars to rent. The hangars were built to pay out
in ten years, and the original lessees had to commit to
rent the hangars for that period. There are now seventeen
hangars on the field.
Mountain View Airport is one of the few airports in the
state that is within walking distance of the town.
Webster, a licensed A&P mechanic, provides mechanical
work and fuel service. Mountain View Municipal Airport is
in its 37th year of operation.
Lots of
hangars at MNF |
The
newsletter owes a big thank you to Sharon Vaughn,
who did the research on the history of MNF.
Sharon and her husband Mike, have a hangar at
MNF, and graciously host meetings there for both
Chapter 1218 and South Central Chapter of
Missouri Pilots Association.
You should always remember that your airport is
your city's "calling card," because
that is often what executives and prospective
employers want to see first when they come
looking for a place to locate a facility. |
| Since
"9/11," many of the nation's companies
are turning to general aviation to move
executives, sales people, and supplies. They are
switching to charters and company-owned and
operated airplanes. This brings them directly to
their destination without the hassle,
inconvenience, and security risks involved with
using the airlines. But we keep hearing that a
suitable airport must be there before, not after,
they decide on a location. Such was the case with
Renaissance Aircraft, for example, which
relocated from Georgia. |
Anniversary of 9/11
I cannot let the
anniversary of September 11, 2001, go by without giving
you my thoughts. The crime and terror that was done to us
was not just directed at the World Trade Center, the
Pentagon or the poor passengers who died in a cow pasture
in Pennsylvania — it was a message to all of us that
says, We hate you because of the freedom that makes you
great. Never forget — and please, think of all the
unfortunate people who lost father or mother, husband or
wife, son or daughter, brother or sister, good friend or
fiance(é) in that dreadful event.
Around the Patch
Lastly, some member news. A little
piece of good news from Jim and Millie Tausworthe is that
their hangar, which was destroyed by a tornado in May,
has been rebuilt. Now work can begin on repairing damage
to the airplanes. And we have another new
pilot-in-the-making. Byron Clark, grandson of Roddy and
Teresa Clark, soloed in Roddy's Tripacer on August 26 at
Mansfield. His instructor is Bill Newton.
Also, September 20-21, 2002, is the date of the regional
flyin at Bartlesville, OK. It is sponsored by the EAA
chapters and other flying groups of Tulsa. The bulletin
with all information on times and procedures came to me.
If you are planning to go there, and didn't receive the
bulletin, give me a call and I will send you a copy.
| Watch Out for Airport
Changes! |
 |
| Buzz's friend Speedy
also has his thoughts about airports, but I don't
think his idea is really an airport
"improvement." Hmm, wonder if this will
get the attention of the bee version of the FAA. |
I
would like to leave you with a funny thought that one of
our members found somewhere and contributed: "Navy
carrier pilots to Air Force pilots: Flaring is like
squatting to pee!"
See you at the meeting!
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