PRA5: July 1998

My name is Tim Witham. I'm a new fixed wing pilot and gyro pilot wannabe, now saving up some $ to buy a kit. I've been asked to write for the newsletter to help distribute the workload across the chapter members. It seems like just about everyone is getting a job to do in the club. The chapter is growing and this is the way to keep it up. Thanks to everyone for your active participation.

The last weekend of June was a busy one at the Yuba County Airport in Marysville. Saturday was Air Expo '98. The ramp was full of dozens of aircraft on display. From warbirds to GA airplanes to experimentals. Even some jets and helicopters. But best of all, gyroplanes! Jerrie Barnett had his machines on display and there were 9 gyros parked at Joe Souza's hangar. The machines sure attracted a lot of attention from the crowd. Hopefully some of these folks will be back and join the PRA.
[Pictured: Troy's Bandit and Someone's Cobra]

The main attraction at noon was Dan Buchanan's "Flying Colors". Dan's glider was pulled to altitude by a car driving up and down the runway with a 3000' long tow line, like a child running with a kite on a windless day. Dan then released the line and put on a colorful show of streamers, smoke and fireworks from his unpowered glider. A unique air show to see. The rest of the day was filled with almost continuous fly-by's of all sorts of airplanes. It was a great day to spend at the airport.

Sunday was the monthly Chapter 5 meeting, held this time at Joe's hangar. Donald Green from the FAA's Sacramento FSDO gave an excellent multi-media presentation on the "Certification and Operation of Amateur Built Aircraft". Everyone in attendance received a copy of the presentation, Advisory Circular AC 20-27D, and the paperwork needed to get your airworthiness certificate and registration. Don also showed a video of an Exec helicopter going through the inspection process. Finally, Don inspected 3 club gyros!

I sure learned a lot from this FAA seminar. It made the whole process clear and answered all my questions. After attending this and receiving the documentation and forms, the process seems straightforward. Thanks to Don for this informative presentation. If we can schedule more of these FAA seminars in the future, you will not want to miss them.

Gary Brewer and his student Brian Weddle arrived at the meeting in Gary's RAF 2000. Brian has nearly completed his RAF kit over in the U.K. and was visiting California to get some training from our new Gyro CFI. Chapter 5 members Troy and George have also been flying with Gary. It sure is great to finally have a much-needed Gyro CFI in northern California. Keep up the good work Gary!

Our Las Vegas 1999 fly-in will be scheduled the weekend before or after El Mirage in 1999. Sounds like a long time from now, but there are only about a dozen meetings between now and then. We will need everyone's help to pull this feat off. Plans to make it happen are well underway. Please come to the meetings to learn how you can help us put on a great fly-in. Mark your calendar now to be in Las Vegas next year.

The next meeting of P.R.A. Chapter 5 will be July 26, 1998 at 1 pm, Nut Tree Airport, Vacaville. See you there!