The Installation/Awards Banquet, as usual, was great fun and having Madge Moore, WASP, as our guest was a real treat. Those attending were: Nancy Aldrich and Ruth Ann Cox, Ann and Ken Auld, Betty Sue Basham and Willie Nunez, Gloria Blank, Cheryl Casillas, Winnie Clements, Marsha Copeland, Margaret Cosby, Lena Cronk, Marty Goppert, Stella and Ray Leis, Reni Moczygemba, Ruth Nichols and Carol Dean, Laura Richter and Patti Achilles and Sherry Walker.Nancy presented the Pilot of the Year awards to: Laura Richter (1st), Gloria Blank and Sherry Walker tied for 2nd place, Willie Nunez and Gus Aguirre tied for 49 1/2 of the year. Nancy presented an appreciation certificate to Madge Moore, and gifts to her officers.
* * * * *
Boerne Stage Airfield (5C1) has requested an RNAV/GPS approach to the south from the FAA, which is currently being considered. Those who have visited the airport recently noticed the wider, longer and resurfaced runway.
Thursday morning June 16, 2005, fellow pilots met at Boerne Stage Airfield to give Sherry Walker and Patty Taylor a send-off for the Air Race Classic. Reporters from the local newspaper came out as well. Participating in the "christening" were: Nancy Aldrich, Cheryl Casillas, Gloria Blank, Margaret Cosby, Laura Richter, Marty Goppert and Jo and Conrad Housler. Lots of pictures were taken and you could feel the excitement as they loaded baggage and themselves in Sherry's Piper Warrior. The girls received well wishes from 99s who could not see them off.
The 2005-2006 Yearbooks were distributed to the members attending the Installation/Awards Banquet. They will also be available at the July meeting. The rest will be mailed. The directory of the members is in the yearbook for your convenience. If no e-mail address appears, it's because the member does not have access, or prefers not to have her e-mail address listed, and the same with cell phone numbers.
Our next regular meeting will be held in the Park Meadows Apartments' party room in Boerne on July 9 at 10:00 AM. The program - Sherry and Patty will share their air race experiences with us. We will also discuss sending our proxies to the International Conference in New Zealand. (See By-law proposed changes following this newsletter. Please bring to the July 9 meeting.)
Directions: Address is 140 Calk Lane. Take the 2nd Boerne exit, stay on the access road (across Hwy 46), turn right on School Street (the 1st street), then left at the stop sign (San Antonio Street), right on Calk Lane. The apartments are on the left about a block down. You will be facing the office when you turn in. Park and come in! Watch out for the dip on School Street! (This is where I live. .Just in case, my cell number is 210-508-6585. ~ Gloria)
We'll be welcoming a student pilot and soon-to-be new member, Kay Renfrow, at the meeting.
Sherry Walker will be hosting our summer social (picnic) in September (date TBA).
Marty Goppert volunteered to host the Christmas Party in December (date TBA).
* * * * * *
MEET YOUR NEW MEMBER It was fortunate that Nancy and Ann Auld both keep their planes at Real County Airport in Leakey, Texas and we are fortunate that Ann joined the 99s in March of this year and is participating with the San Antonio Chapter. Ann is very close to having her Private Pilot's license and is training in her own plane, a 1978 Cessna 172, N738CX. She is married to Ken, who, like many of our 49 1/2ers, is not a pilot, but encourages and supports Ann.
"We have two daughters, ages 9 and 10 (future 99s ). I am self-employed as a printer. I can't ever remember not wanting to fly. It has been a dream since early childhood. I passed my written on May 24 and should have my license in a few weeks. I plan on going right into my instrument rating." ~ Ann
Do you think she will stop there? Nah. . . . . . . Nancy adds: Ann is quite a successful business woman, running her own printing business in Leakey. She started when her children were small and now has a busy store and does a lot of business on the internet. She is very enthusiastic about flying and gets her plane out every chance she gets.
Quite a few years ago, San Antonio Chapter members were asked to write a short bio for our chapter history. We did receive some, but not all. Once again, we are asking you to take a minute to tell about yourself, your family, how you got interested in flying, what airplanes you fly, when/where you got your license, ratings and anything else you'd like to add. Please mail or e-mail to Nancy and also to me, because I will be using them in the newsletters. Thanks so much! ~ Gloria
Stella Leis Stella air raced for several years in California and Arizona, many Palms to Pines races. She gave Sherry and Patty a few pointers before they left. Stella is a long-time instrument/commercial-rated pilot, Aviation Safety Counselor and has been a Ninety-nine for 28 years. She has served our chapter as Membership Advisor since transferring to San Antonio.
"I started to fly in 1976, got both Commercial and Instrument by 1977. Was named Pilot of The Year in 1978 by The Santa Clara Valley 99s because I had the most flying hours including night, and instrument. Was given Santa Clara Valley 99s Service Award of the year for being Section Aerospace Education Chairman in 1984. Owned a Piper 161 from 1980 to 2004 purchased from the Piper Factory in Florida where we picked her up. Raced the Palms to Pines race several times, with my good friend Willy Gardner who is a member of Santa Clara Vally 99s, also raced from Santa Monica, Calif to Napa Valley in the Calif. Wine Country. Flew Search and Rescue for Civil Air Patrol for 20 years, also was Commander of Sq. 60, CAP, Monterey Calif. Was on the San Jose, Calif. CAP Group Staff as Senior Aerospace Education Chair. . . Was given a Citation for Outstanding Senior Member by CAP, California Wing, California."
"Ray and I attended all of the National 99s meetings before we came to Texas, and attended International when they went to Australia. We flew our Warrior to almost all US States except Montana, Utah and the Dakotas. Also flew to Canada for The World's Fair. I have over 3 thousand hours of flying including The Warrior, Dakota, Cessna 152, 172, 182 the 206. "
"When we moved to Texas in 1992, we joined CAP, Ray as deputy Group Commander, and I as Aerospace Education. My rank was Major. In 2003, we both retired from CAP. "
"I owned my own Color and Design Studio, a small corporation in San Jose, California for 20 years. I sold the business and retired in 1989. I flew to work 6 days a week from Monterey, Calif. to San Jose Calif. The Piper Warrior was a true friend. She was always there when I needed her. When we moved to Texas, she flew us here. All of those years were flown safely. Being an FAA Safety Councelor in both San Jose, Calif., and San Antonio, Texas, made us very aware of all things about flying safely." ~ Stella
* * * * * *
The Air Force Thunderbirds now have a female pilot on the team as #3 man, Capt. Nicole Malachowiski. Capt. Malachowski will turn a new page in history as the first female demonstration pilot on a U.S. Military high performance jet team. They also have a female pilot who flies the same airplane, Thunderbird #12, Angela Johnson, who is their Public Affairs Officer. The Thunderbirds are scheduled to be at Randolph November 5 & 6. (Submitted by Stella Leis)
* * * * * *
What are the FAA standards for vision? Federal Aviation Regulations require that a pilot's distant vision be 20/20 or better, with or without correction, in EACH eye separately to hold a first or second class medical certificate. The standard for near visual acuity (16") is 20/40 in each eye separately. Pilots aged 50 and older also have an intermediate visual standard measured at 32" of 20/40 or better in each eye separately. Third class medical certificates require 20/40 or better for near and distant vision. There is no intermediate vision standard for third class certification.
Nearsighted (myopic) pilots, those who have blurring when viewing distant objects, are required to wear corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) at all times during flight. These lenses must correct distant vision to 20/20 in each eye.
Farsighted (hyperopic) pilots or presbyopic pilots (those who require reading glasses as they age), are required to have corrective lenses AVAILABLE during flight. These lenses are usually bifocals, progressive lenses or the half cut reading lenses ("granny glasses"). Pilots with cataracts whose vision does not correct to 20/20 at distant may be recertified to fly after having a surgical implantation of an artificial intraocular lens. These pilots may also be required to wear glasses to provide optimum visual acuity.
Pilots wearing glasses or contact lenses must meet all of the FAA vision standards. Those requiring near and distant correction may do this with either bifocals worn all the time or wearing contact lenses that correct for distant and having reading glasses available for near vision.
The FAA also prohibits the use of the new multifocal contact lenses that correct at distant in the central portion while correcting for near vision at the periphery. This arrangement works fine when looking down at something to read, but blurs images in the periphery on lateral and upward gaze, particularly in low light conditions. The FAA prohibits the use of X-chrome lenses. These are contact lenses of different colors to enhance color perception in those individuals who are "color blind." (Submitted by Cheryl Casillas)
* * * * * *
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to: Evelyn Sizemore (July 13th) and Jana Drane (July 21st)
99S ANNIVERSARY: Betty Sue Basham (21 years). Thanks, Betty Sue!- Gloria