Next meeting Wednesday, August 10, 6 PM at Jim's Coffee Shop, San Pedro and Ramsey. It's about 7/10 mile outside Loop 410. We'll be planning the calendar of events for the 2005-2006 year. Please try to attend.If you haven't yet, check out the great article about our chapter in the "Approach", now available on the section website: www.scs99s.org Our thanks to Marsha Copeland, who has agreed to be the chapter reporter for the "99s News" and "Approach". Also, the registration and information forms for the upcoming Fall Section Meeting are in it. If you don't have access, please let me know and I will mail them to you.
Our sympathy goes to Nancy Aldrich whose father, Robert Welz, passed on to new horizons. Funeral services were held in Houston and Sherry sent flowers from the chapter.
"'My Dad's funeral was this morning. It was a beautiful service, full of celebration and praise for his life. When I walked into the funeral home last night and saw the beautiful spray from the San Antonio 99s, it brought tears to my eyes. It is hard to express just how much that meant to me. I thank you profoundly for the thought, and for all the support I have received. The 99s is truly a family, and I love each of you. Thank you very much!!!! Nancy!"
SAFETY
Submitted by Cheryl Casillas:FAA ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR NEW SECURITY-RELATED TRAINING
The airspace around Washington, D.C., is undeniably complex. And security TFRs can pop up anywhere. But with recent incursions leading to the evacuation of the Capitol and White House, lawmakers are unwilling to settle for the status quo. That's why AOPA has invested hundreds of hours in working to turn their focus from onerous mandates and harsh punishments to education. Today, those efforts received a boost when the FAA announced a new training program during a security hearing before the House Committee on Government Reform. The proposal will require pilots nationwide to complete a restricted-airspace awareness training program, such as the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's "Know Before You Go" online course or an FAA safety seminar. Pilots would need to make a logbook endorsement and would receive a completion certificate that they'd be required to carry with them during flights into the ADIZ. Pilots within 100 miles of the ADIZ would have 30 days to comply, while pilots elsewhere would be given 120 days. "This kind of approach is far more reasonable than some of the reactionary proposals we've heard recently," Boyer said. "It just makes sense to educate pilots so they can avoid making a mistake." See AOPA Online
( http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2005/050721adiz.html ).
MEET YOUR NEW MEMBER
KAY RENFROW
"I had never been in a small plane until 17 years ago when I met my husband, Jim. He took me flying for the first time in a Cessna 152 (I think). Didn't know much about airplanes in those days. We went flying on two or three occasions between 1988 when we met and 1998. In 1998, we decided it was the right time in our lives to buy an airplane, and bought a Globe Swift. We were living in Ft Walton Beach, FL, at the time and drove to West Palm Beach one week to look at a Swift. Knowing that a Swift was only two seats, I brought my lawn chair and book to read while Jim and Terry (the son of the owner) took the Swift out for a test flight. Before they took off, the owner (Terry's father) drove up and asked me if I would like to go for an airplane ride with him while Jim and Terry took the Swift out. I jumped at the chance and had my first ride in a Stearman, flying low just off Palm Beach. We didn't buy the Stearman, but came home with a 1946 Globe Swift. We kept the Swift in Milton, FL and would go out flying in it late in the afternoons and took short trips in it. I never thought about learning to fly until Jim was recalled to active duty following 9/11/01, and decided to take a Ground School course at the Eglin AFB Aero Club while he was deployed. Took the course and made a 97 on the FAA written. I decided that it couldn't be all that hard, and decided that I would learn to fly. Jim is a CFI and we decided that we would try a few hours with him as my instructor, and if it didnÕt work out, then I would hire an instructor to teach me to fly. We found an FBO operator in Crestview, FL, who agreed to rent us his Cessna 150 and let Jim teach me to fly. The husband/wife teaching scenario has worked out pretty good. We're still married, still like each other, and he's still my instructor. I had 47 hours before we moved from Ft Walton Beach to Texas in Sep 03 and was well on my way to having my private pilot license. We had found a home that we fell in love with on a grass airstrip in New Berlin, TX (Heritage Airpark) and decided to move. After we moved, I didn't fly again due to lack of an airplane and too many things to do until Nov 04. In Oct 04, we had the opportunity to buy a 1950 Cessna 140A from a friend in South Carolina that we had met through the Swift Association. We bought the 140 and started up the flying lessons again. It has been a big change going from a 150 on an 8000 ft X 200 ft paved strip (Crestview) to a 140 (taildragger) on a 3000 ft X 70 ft grass strip (Heritage Airpark). It is a lot harder than I thought learning to fly would be, but I keep pressing on. I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and hope to eventually get proficient enough to take my checkride and get my license. "
"I have been married to my husband, Jim, for almost 16 years. I have a daughter (Tara) who lives in California with her husband (David) and my two grandchildren, Johnny age 17 and Vanessa age 8. I have lived all over the world as a former military spouse. I was an Investigator for Defense Investigative Service conducting background investigations on Department of Defense employees until 4/96 when I retired from civil service. Since then, I have been an independent contractor conducting background investigations for the Department of Defense, Office of Personnel Management and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. I try not to work more than 3-4 days a week since I retired in 4/96. You are all invited to stop by Heritage Airpark (TE86) anytime and visit. We are the house at the south end of the field." ~ Kay
ABOUT OUR MEMBER
MARGARET COSBY
Margaret's first airplane ride was in a WWII primary trainer Fairchild PT 19 out of Zahn's Airport in Amityville, L.I., New York - some 30 miles from where the 99s held their first organizational meeting. The PT is an inline open cockpit aircraft, now classified as an "antique". She used to shoot landings at Republic Aircraft Corp. in Farmingdale. At that time, she also logged time in a Piper Cub J-3. Just about the time she was to solo, Margaret was hospitalized and laid up for quite some time, during which someone totaled the PT 19 and that put her flying on hold for the time being.
With a career change and a change of interest in avocation, a move to Florida followed by marriage and the birth of Michael (her only child), flying was shelved. It wasn't until Michael showed an interest in flying and began to take lessons that the old urge returned. After Michael passed his private, he suggested that Mom go ahead and get her license. And so - some 30 years later - it began all over again and Margaret began taking lessons, but this time, instead of the three or four instruments she had in the past, she now had a dozen or so plus the radio to fuss with. This was in Slidell, Louisiana in a Cessna 152. She was finally signed off to solo in a 172 on the day before moving to Boerne, Texas. She picked up her lessons at McKee Aviation in San Antonio International Airport, but wound up having Michael sign her off for her check ride in Louisiana where he was a CFII-MEII, having achieved all these ratings by his 19th birthday!
In 1983, the family looked at a Cessna 177 RG (Cardinal) and when Margaret saw that the number was 1991Q (being a 99 by that time), she succumbed and agreed to the purchase. It was not long after that, 49 1/2 Mike Cosby took flying lessons and was also signed off by their son. The plane "lived" at Boerne State Airfield until Margaret lost her medical and sold it.
Since joining San Antonio Chapter 99s in 1981, Margaret has served as Safety Advisor, Vice Chairman and Chairman, as well as reporter for the local papers and 99s periodicals. She has participated in air markings, poker runs, judging in USPFT competitions, flour drops, spot landings and her favorite NIFA (National Intercollegiate Flying Association) competitions. Margaret was very active with the Civil Air Patrol, where her rank was Colonel, and the Confederate Air Force for many years.
Margaret has many stories to tell, but two stand out: "While taking my BFR, we had a REAL emergency. The gear kept recycling and wouldn't stay down, so we had to pull a circuit breaker when the gear was in the down position and then make a soft-field landing just in case they weren't locked. They were and we made a few landings after that. Needless to say, my CFI was impressed with my coolness and the fact that I knew how to pump them down in case it was necessary. I had no trouble being signed off. "
"Another CAP member and I were shooting landings after gassing up at Bulverde when we were having severe nose wheel directional problems. We checked and found that the nose strut was just resting in the yoke with no bolts to secure it. This was a first flight after an annual. The bolts were left on the mechanic's counter. . . MORAL OF THE STORY . . . BEST TO PREFLIGHT YOUR PLANE AT THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SERVICED, AND WHEN THE MECHANIC IS THERE . . . just in case! This could have been a terrible disaster with full fuel tanks. Good thing we were doing soft field landings for practice." ~ Magaret
Note: Michael Cosby (Margaret's son), a Colonel with the Air National Guard, has been serving in Iraq since March 2004 and has recently been transferred to Al Udeid where he is in charge of the Combat Air Ops Center, after serving as Vice Wing Commander of Balad, the largest air base in the Middle East.
Upcoming PAISA/GAPA meetings:
August 3rd: Maj. Gen. Gerry Cook (Ret) U2 spy plane pilot. "Secrets Behind Black Ops".
September 7th: "Survival Preparedness and Techniques " by Ed Burris, TX DPS.
No date is yet set for EAAÕs Fall Young Eagles Rally.
The Summer Social will be held on September 17 or 18th at Sherry Walker's - the date (and menu) will be decided at the August meeting.
The Fall Section Meeting will be in Colorado Springs September 30 thru October 2.
The Christmas Party will be December 10 at Marty Goppert's.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY to our new member, Kay Renfrow. (July 8th)
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS: Happy Birthday to: Alice Foeh (7th), Tessa Dodds (7th), Cheryl Casillas )15th) and Margaret Cosby (23rd).
AUGUST 99s ANNIVERSARIES: Alice Foeh (33 years) and Sherry Walker (3 years). Thanks for your continued support!!
- Gloria