Greetings Members, yes, I am back though I have not really left the past two months, I just had a lot on my plate, including a much-needed vacation last month. Yes, my wife and I had a great time on the Hawaiian Islands. Best part was seeing our granddaughter after 12 years, that is another story, perhaps another time. During my absence, before writing my part of this article, I was able to give a tour at Collins in which a good number of folks came down. In the tour I was able to show, an Engine Pod for a L1011, Thrust Reverser for a couple of different Nacelles and 787 inlet. Everyone enjoyed the products that we make for the Aerospace industry. For those of you who missed out, not to worry, for I will organize another tour come next year, sometime in the first quarter.
It has been noticed that someone decided to use our field for a dump site. Funny part of this, it very well could have been a member who had access to the field when the gate was closed and locked. I don’t believe it happened when the field was open because we would have notice it, plus people like to do it when no one is around! May I remind everyone that our site is NOT a dump site and is now more of a fire danger with the dried brush left behind. I ask you not to use SEFSD flying site as a dump site. Take your brush or trash to the Miramar Landfill. It would be cool if that person came back and picked it up.
I do want to bring up a subject that happened at the field on September 23, 2023. This happened to be the clubs fun fly and meeting day. Our event was Civil Scale in which the participants had to do a scale take off, coordinated turn, level flight, low fly by, (which I added into the event) and of course a scale landing, each task was worth 5 points with a total of 25 points. I will list the results at the end of my article. But back to my subject. One of our members was flying his airplane and had a little problem with controls. He had high rates on and over controlled his plane, it went down. As the member was walking over to his aircraft, I notice smoke and yelled out “Fire”. I was very impressed with our members who were out at the field that day. Quite of few of them and I apology for not naming everyone who ran out to the crash site with fire extinguisher in hand. I was able to give my fire extinguisher to Ty, while I called the Fire Department. As I was calling the fire department, our members were able to get control of the fire and contain it before the Fire Department got to the site. I am so proud of our members that went out to contain the fire and keep it from growing larger. Once again, I thank you ALL who step up to put it out! Job well done!
On the same note, Costco has a good deal on Fire Extinguishers, I highly recommend you go and spend the $29.99 on getting one these fire extinguishers. They are refillable in which I am going to get mine refilled and purchase a second Fire Extinguisher. Highly recommend you get yours too! Just a reminder for using a fire extinguisher. A simple acronym to remember when putting out a fire: PASS. Pull the pin, Aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire, Squeeze the trigger, and Sweep across the flames at the base.
It is that time of the year where we need new members to step up and be a part of the Board of Directors. Every position is up for grabs, and I ask our members to be part of this great organization. It’s your club and it’s time for you all to take part and give your ideas on how to make this more exciting club with your thoughts and energy and to bring in more members to our site. If any of you are interested in becoming BOD members, talk to me, Brad, or Quan. I know I have talked to couple of you, and I am looking forward to hopefully seeing you as part of the BOD. Carl Cox, a member at large, who will be stepping down for next year and I want to thank Carl for all his contributions to the club this past year, Thank YOU Carl!
On another note, Mark Davis has been doing a great job with being our Hot Dog man, but he could use some help with this every month. It would be nice if one of our members would gather up the drinks for our monthly meetings. This would relieve Mark of this task and it would not be much of a task for the new member to take on. Please if you are interested in helping Mark, go up to him or me and let us know that you are willing to help. It’s a task that is done only 10 times during the year (November and December are the only two months we don’t have meetings). Thank you for considering in helping Mark out!
We are also getting closer to the end of the year which means it time to renew your membership and get your Banquet tickets for January 12, 2024. It once again will be held at the Aero & Space Museum and Brad’s wife; Lisa will be catering for us this year again and we are going to up the menu to this year’s engagement. I know that you all enjoyed the time we have had the past couple of years. Yes, we will have gifts for our better half’s, our wives and everyone gets a ticket for a chance to win a prize. Like we have mentioned before, the top prizes will be going to our members. I’ll have more on that come the next newsletter.
DC-3 news:
I have not forgotten to finish up my DC-3. I’m still at the point I need to build up the nacelles and I should be able to start it up again here shortly!
Here are the results from last month fun fly, Civil Scale:
1st. Jovi w/24 points
2nd, Ty w/ 23 points
3rd, George Sulivan w/ 20 points
4th, Fritz w/ 18 points. There were two other pilots with 18 points (Bob Anson and Larry Kosta), tie breaker was the order in which they signed up, giving Fritz the 4th place winner.
Thank You all and Happy flying,
See you all at the field,
Jovi,
Chairman of the BOD.
