Central Indiana Soaring Society Notes Page

Why Pilots Need To Use Good Scaning Techniques

2012-01-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

We have all been taught proper scanning techniques. Usually something like "keep your eyes moving and your head on a swivel". Without some occasional reminders, it is easy to kick back, relax and watch out the front window when flying straight. Mark Rottler has found a couple of internet tools which will convince you this may not be the best idea. They have fancy names like Troxler's Fading, and Motion Induced Blindness, but are an easy fun exercise that may convince you that you cannot always believe what you think you see.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troxler%27s_fading

http://www.msf-usa.org/motion.html

Nyal Williams Recognized for Contributions to CISS

2011-11-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

On Saturday November 19, several CISS members shown in the photo below took a break from their maintenance efforts to buy lunch for Nyal. Mike Nichols presented Nyal with a Plaque as a token of appreciation for his outstanding contributions to the club during his many years as a member.

Not shown is Dick Hutchinson who provided the photo.

Ron Clarke Article in Cumulus Soaring News Letter

2011-11-21T22:36:00.001-05:00

Paul Remde's latest news letter is filled with lots of interesting photos and information on soaring. There is also some commercial content for Cumulus Soaring but Paul has put a lot of effort into this. It is worth a look. One of the articles was written by Ron Clarke covering his flight last spring at Seminole Lake Gliderport with Karl Striedieck which you should not miss if you have not seen it. It is available at:

http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/newsletter/2011-11/

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A GLASS SHIP TO BE HAPPY!

2011-10-30T20:10:00.000-04:00

Saturday July, 29th, was expected to be a cold day and I dressed warm being the tow pilot on duty. well, that was the plan. It turned out to be completely different - besides the temperature.

We started as usual not before 10 am. the wind picked up to 10 Kt from West. Initially, it was sky clear and only a few flights. Around lunch time the first CU's came alive, still with increasing winds from the West. After lunch I towed 6 ships, three of them private gliders and also Marlon, who just got his license a month ago. The the thermals all of the sudden got very strong and the ceiling increased to 6000 ft MSL.

The Grob was taken, so the last plane left was 809S - well, I got the high score - i thought I pulled it out to the east end and even got a student, Jim Robertson, who didn't fly this year and was crew. But there was not much traffic and he asked if he could get a flight. No problem. Chris Murawski, who took over tow pilot duty in the afternoon, towed us up straight into the wind.

Well, we started slow with 1-2 knots. Then, we moved West and while doing that we hit a big one and got up to 8000 ft MSL! the visibility was about 80+ NM and it was perfect.

Meanwhile Marlon got the message to land after 1:45 h flight with BOB, the 1-34. Capt. Miller waited for him to take him home in Mark and his new Pitts to the Anderson Airport.

Meanwhile I landed safely and Jim experienced his first flight to 8000 ft MSL in a glider in Alexandria. The private ships were still out enjoying the 7 Kt updraft.

For October 29th 2011, this was a total unexpected day and provided great pleasure to Marlon, myself - and hopefully Jim Robertson.

Just a quick note to everybody who thinks end of October is not worthwhile to come out and enjoy soaring.

Thanks again Larry for giving Marlon the "ride of the year". Truly 809S was my high score since I got a perfect soaring experience!

Sincerely,

Olaf Tessarzyk

2011 Final Scheduled Weekend

2011-10-30T20:05:00.000-04:00

Many members took advantage of the nice weather Friday, Saturday and Sunday for some late season flying activities.

Todd Rutledge, Brad Hayes, Gerry Simpson, and John Earlywine posted OLC flights which put CISS in first place in Region 6 going into the winter slowdown. Many other pilots made glider flights on Friday and Saturday.

Gerry Simpson hit a milestone of 500 hours of glider time with his Friday flight.

Rick Hansen braved direct crosswinds of 12 gusting to 19 on Sunday in the Grob. Possibly this was because he was crew chief and wanted to have a flight on the log to show for the crew's efforts.

Rick Hansen also soloed in the J-5 on Friday and is shown below with his instructor Larry Miller.

Gel Coat 2011 Article on Soaring Cafe

2011-10-27T11:22:00.001-04:00

Frank Paynter has put a nice writeup and some pictures of the Gel Coat "Jamboree" on the Soaring Cafe.

The link to the article is:

http://soaringcafe.com/2011/10/gelcoat-2011-at-central-indiana-soaring-society/

Ron Clarke's Gel Coat Jamboree

2011-10-25T08:11:00.001-04:00

The CISS hangar was turned into a glider repair shop the past few days as several members honed their skills under the watchful eye of expert David Nelson. David has a reputation as one of the best in the country, and has "tuned" the gliders of pilots representing the US in the world competitions. Todd Rutledge should be able to identify the folks working on their gliders from the photos and add a few points to their handicaps for the CISS contest next year. Some minor repairs were also made to the Grob rudder. Thanks to Ron for setting up the event and to all the members who participated. There is already talk of "next year" for another few days of fun and fixing the little nicks and dings that seem to accumulate over the flying season.

Congratulations Tom Beckenbauer

2011-10-23T22:59:00.001-04:00

On Sunday October 23, Tom Beckenbauer soloed in Blanik 303BA.

Tom's primary instructor was Dave Stanley and his tow pilot for the flight was Larry Miller

Crew Duty Trades and Substitutes

2011-10-20T10:38:00.000-04:00

Several members have reported challenges in finding replacements when they are unable to attend a scheduled crew date.
One new proposal is to recruit a pool of members willing to fill in on a standby basis in exchange for flight credits. The member unable to make a crew day would be billed for the cost of the flight credits in the event they could not find a substitute.
The CISS Board is interested in everyone's ideas and opinions on the best way to address this challenge.
If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to complete a short survey and share your thoughts and opinions.
The survey is available at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8BHNP9C

Evaluate your Soaring Knowledge

2011-10-17T21:05:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Mike Meister who has provided the following tip.

"In looking for online Bronze Badge material, I came across the Soaring Safety Foundation online quiz. http://www.soaringsafety.org/dl/bbstudyguide.html

It would also be an excellent oral prep for a commercial or perhaps an advanced private pilot preparing for a checkride."

This link goes to a group of very well done 20 question tests with capability to grade your answers and also an opportunity to see the correct answer and a reference to additional study material.

The ON LINE GLIDER CONTEST ( OLC ) 2011

2011-10-14T14:37:00.005-04:00

For those Club Members who haven't looked through the results of the 2011 OLC Sailplane contest I'd recommend you spend a few enjoyable minutes checking these out .I only wish there had been such a system years ago to record and compare flights . It's really instructive.

Our group of cross country fliers within the club really did an outstanding job compared to any of the other clubs in the four State region ( Ohio , Indiana, Michigan , Kentucky ). Thirteen pilots covered over 15000 kms of cross country flying posting 103 flights - right at 150 kms on average each flight .

Surprising to me the months in which we flew the most were July , August and October . April was a disaster ( only 1 flight ), May slow and September was only average - you will no doubt remember the Contest in which we never managed to fly a task !

Flight Distances covered were:

500km + - 1 flight
400km - 0 flights
300km - 9 flights
200km - 14 flights
100km - 36 flights

With 13 club pilots posting flights CISS and Alexandria airfield exceeded any other club in the region in flights claimed and cross country flight takeoffs ( Ionia field in Michigan did have postings from 17 pilots but many were there for the Regional contest including some of us ) . Our total number of cross country flights posted totalled 103 flights - an excellent number .

Reviewing this data makes me think :

More club members could be enjoying more cross country flying especially as we have the Schweizer 1- 34 ( and maybe the Grob ) for such use. I'd recommend more members log and post flights on OLC in future years . If you're not familiar with the process feel free to ask me or any of the cross country pilots, we'd love to have more members participating and the new season has just begun !

300 km flights are quite possible out of Alex.on many days in the season and should be the goal of many more members , especially those who are after their SSA Gold Badges

We should have a target of leading the Region in OLC points in 2012 . We finished a strong second to Caesar Creek in 2011 - How about it guys ?

OLC is a possible vehicle to use for our "Club Contest" - We could for example specify a task length and then use the OLC speeds for each pilot who exceeds the distance . Lets hear your views .

Happy landings ahead ,

Ron (ZA)

Ron Clarke wins 2011 Region 6 OLC Contest

2011-10-11T19:00:00.000-04:00

CISS OLC leader, Ron Clarke, did all he could to help us win the Region 6 2010 OLC Team Contest. He finished in first place in Region 6. Congratulations Ron.

Unfortunately, Caesar Creek beat us by about 4 average flights for the Region 6 team title. We finished 2nd and were ahead of 3rd place Ionia by about the same amount. It was very close.

13 of the 43 pilots in the Region 6 results were from CISS. These pilots flew 9,355 miles with 107 flights.

Thanks to Ron, for his efforts promoting this activity, and we can easily finish first next year with everyone's help.

If you have not been participating and would like some assistance, ask anyone on the list above for some advice. It is free and really easy.

Congratulations Mike Meister

2011-10-08T20:47:00.000-04:00

On October 8, 2011, Mike Meister successfully completed his practical test for the Commercial Glider rating.

Mike Rielage, DPE is shown congratulating Mike following the check ride.

Current Sectional Charts for SeeYou

2011-09-20T06:29:00.000-04:00

The following is from the rec aviation soaring newsgroup. Lynn Alley provides up to date sectional charts for downloading for use on SeeYou.
==================
The US sectional charts on my website (in CMR format for SeeYou and
georeferenced TIFF format for GoogleEarth, Global Mapper, etc.) have
been updated to the most recent versions. Moving forward, I plan to
issue new updates every charting cycle, so that the charts will always
be current.
Some have asked how these are different from the charts you can
download from the FAA. The answer is that the format that the FAA
provides can't be used directly with SeeYou -- the charts have to be
reprojected and reformatted first. I also trim the edge material on
both the CMR and TIFF format versions such that the charts tile
together seamlessly. This is a big deal if you happen to fly near the
border areas.
My website can be found at http://www.soaringdata.info. In addition
to the sectional charts, you can find current US airspace and airport
data in formats commonly used by popular glide computer and task
planning software. All of the materials on my site are free, and
freely redistributable.
Happy Downloading!
Lynn Alley
"2KA"
===============
Using these current charts on SeeYou, you can print out a local segment of the sectional chart centered on Alexandria for use in the cockpit. I laminate these using clear shelf paper and they are quite durable.

To prepare a local chart, you need to do the following:
1. Open a flight that is not from the desired area. (use a flight from another location, or download an .igc file from olc which is out of the desired area)
2. Move to the center of the area you would like to print
3. Adjust Zoom setting for this area

Then you will want to print what you see:
1. File->Page Setup->Route
2. Set "Print what" to Selection

CISS Tow Pilot Acheives Milestone

2011-09-14T17:06:00.000-04:00

CISS Tow Pilot Lynn Joyce recently made his 2000th Glider Tow.

Lynn is one of the dedicated CISS Tow Pilots for weekend operations and also frequently volunteers to tow the weekday glider pilots.

Thanks Lynn and Congratulations!

2011-09-10T22:33:00.002-04:00

New CISS Member

Welcome new member Lou "Duke" Koelsch

Duke holds a commercial pilot airplane certificate and will be adding a glider rating.

He is shown below with tow pilot Lynn Joyce following his first solo glider flight on September 10th.

Stall/Spin Awareness: How to Avoid the Base-To-Final Turn Accident

2011-08-31T12:03:00.000-04:00

Mark Rottler has located an upcoming EAA webinar on Stall/Spin Awareness which might be of interest to CISS members. It is on Thursday, Oct 20, 2011 8:00 PM - 9:22 PM EDT.

Everyone is welcome and you need not be an EAA member to participate. Just go to the following link to register and receive further information and details.

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/140228027

Former Club Member

2011-08-30T11:49:00.000-04:00

Another Club Success:  Yesterday I ran into an old ( actually quite young ) club member . Both of us were in line buying ice creams at a store on the north side of Indy .   I asked Gene what he had set out to do after high school as the last time I had seen him was just after he had soloed in one of our Blaniks as a "high schooler ".  That day in late October 2000 I remember well as he completed his longest flight ( 2 hours ) in the chilly but great soaring conditions over Terry Airfield that early Fall afternoon.   Gene Pecar told me that after graduating he joined the US Air Force . He further told me that his reason for being in town was that he had just ferried an Air Force Jet out of Hurricane Irene's path at Andrews Air Force Base into the mid west ! He told me that he has flown a number of high performance jets including F -16's and from what I could tell he really enjoys his work . Wouldn't you too enjoy stopping over in your old home town after ferrying a high performance jet out of a Hurricane's path . I did invite him out to visit us next time he's in town .   Well done to our Club Glider Instructors who helped Gene towards his chosen career.

[Ron Clarke]

New CISS Member

2011-08-20T19:55:00.000-04:00

Welcome new member Ken Lites.

Ken has moved to Indiana from the Chicago area and holds a Private Pilot Glider Rating.

Marlon Tessarzyk is CISS's Newest Private Pilot Glider

2011-08-14T07:55:00.001-04:00

After a couple of years of patient waiting, Marlon became old enough to meet the FAA requirements and completed his Private Pilot Glider check ride on August 13. Josh Daisey was the crew chief, assisted by Gina, and Chris Hall was the wing runner for the event. Lynn Joyce was the tow pilot.

Marlon looks quite happy with his accomplishment, and DPE Ron Ridenour is also smiling. A good sign. Although not shown in the picture, Marlon's instructor and father, Olaf, was also smiling.

iPhone app for OLC Flights

2011-08-10T04:38:00.000-04:00

Ron Clarke has been encouraging everyone to support CISS in the On Line Contest and the club is now in first place in Region 6.

The following suggestion was on the RAC newsgroup.

"You might consider the iPhone app GlidePath. If you already have an
iPhone, it is only $10, and it's approved for OLC flights, and is very
easy to email logs or submit them to OLC straight from the phone"

Are there any CISS iPhone owners who might be willing to try this and see how it works? Any of the pilots presently posting flights on OLC can help answer any questions about the contest.

Discus A For Sale

2011-08-03T17:20:00.000-04:00

One of our Labor Day Contest participants has upgraded gliders and has
his Discus A for sale. From Michigan, his name is Glen Betzoldt and he
can be reached at glenbetzoldt@hotmail.com or ph 517-260-7797 if you
want more information. (posted at request of Don Taylor)

New CISS Member

2011-07-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

Welcome new member Tom Beckenbauer.

Tom holds a private pilot airplane certificate and will be adding a glider rating.

CISS / SSA Exhibit at AMA 75th Anniversary Celebration

2011-07-18T23:31:00.000-04:00

A number of CISS members and families helped promote soaring and CISS at this event. Volunteers included Mike Nichols, Don Taylor, Lynn Joyce, Ron Clarke, Nyal Williams, Rick Hansen, Gardiner Dennis, Doug Heim, Larry Miller along with his wife and grandchildren, David Waymire along with his wife and daughter, John Day, Olaf Tessarzyk and his wife and son, Dick Hutchinson, and Emily Grant.

The Condor simulator was very popular and many future glider pilots had a chance to try their skills. Mike's Libelle also attracted a lot of attention including Shuttle Commander "Hoot" Gibson.

Everyones efforts paid off with 3 people coming from the event to Alex for FAST flights on Sunday afternoon. Several others have indicated they will be visiting the airport soon.

The SSA donated a FAST flight won in the raffle by Scott Marquette from Indianapolis.

As you can see, everyone seemed to be having fun and there was a lot of activity.

CISS at the AMA 75th Anniversary Celebration

2011-07-15T22:05:00.000-04:00

Many thanks to all the CISS members who have helped at the CISS/SSA booth at the AMA event.

I think most will agree that it has been an opportunity to meet some interesting people and have some fun. The general consensus is that we will sell some rides and may get a few new members. Time will tell.

Emily Grant spent a good part of the day Friday checking out young future pilots on the Condor Flight Simulator. She had one doing rolls without using the rudder and many landing on their first flight. This lady has a lot of potential as a future CISS instructor.

On Thursday, Mike Nichols had the opportunity to visit with shuttle commander Robert "Hoot" Gibson. While their conversation was out of earshot, the rumor was that Mike was telling Hoot that he should not anticipate much trouble stepping up to a "slippery" glass ship like the Libelle. Hoot has been flying a glider with a max L/D of 4.5 with a best L/D speed of 200 kts called the shuttle. He got his glider rating in a Schweizer 2-33.

The event is on through Saturday and Sunday the 16th and 17th of July. If your schedule permits, come on out and enjoy the action.

CISS tow pilot Ed Escalon will be flying EAA Young Eagle flights from the adjacent Reese Airport on Saturday.

Nate Zitnick Solo July 10, 2011

2011-07-11T07:54:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Nate Zitnick, CISS's newest solo pilot. Nate is shown below with his wing runner (and father) Bob and CISS instructor Olaf Tessarzyk celebrating his accomplishment.

Nate was also on crew duty, but Crew Chief Tod Herrli gave him a break to go flying. Bob also got a break for a couple of flights. A great day and a lot of fun at the glider port !

Gardiner Dennis Solo July 9, 2011

2011-07-10T07:28:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Gardiner Dennis, CISS's newest solo pilot.

Gardiner is shown below with his parents, Bob and Sally Dennis, and his grandmother Helen Wells celebrating his accomplishment.

Shortly after this picture was taken Crew Chief, Josh Daisey assisted by Chris Hall helped Gardiner cool down by treating him to the traditional bucket of cold water.

Outstanding Flights from I99 on 8 July

2011-07-08T21:21:00.000-04:00

On 8 July, Ron Clark flew from Alexandria to Ionia Michigan a distance of approximately 165 miles. This will be an new Indiana state distance record for a flight to declared goal.

Jerry Simpson flew to Kendallville Indiana and back on the same day, a distance of approximately 152 miles round trip.

Congratulations to Ron and Jerry.

If you have been letting the hot summer weather convince you to stay away from the airport, it might be time to reconsider.

Koltad Scholarship Opportunity for CISS Youth Members

2011-06-14T15:07:00.001-04:00

Here is an opportunity for any youth solo student who has earned their C Badge. What could be better than having fun flying and having an opportunity to make it help pay for school.

Congratulations Ron Clarke an Outstanding Flight

2011-06-14T05:50:00.000-04:00

On Monday June 13, Ron Clarke had the longest flight in the United States posted on the OLC with a scored distance of 533 km. During his 6 hour 58 minute flight he went up to Bryan Ohio and logged a total straight line flight distance of 395.6 miles according to the SeeYou statistics. He only spent 27% of the flight time thermaling in average thermals of 3 kts. Maximum altitude on the flight was 7146 ft.

Ron has been been encouraging CISS members to participate in the OLC and help the club win the Region 6 competition. This flight shows we have an excellent leader. Congratulations Ron.

Lee Bottom's Ginger Davidson Wins Hoosier Hospitality Award

2011-05-15T21:20:00.000-04:00

Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman Makes Presentation At State Capitol

Lee Bottom Flying Field's Ginger Davidson was recognized on Wednesday by Indiana’s Lt. Governor Becky Skillman for her outstanding contributions to the tourism industry. During a ceremony at the State House, Ginger received one of twenty-two 2011 Lt. Governor’s Hoosier Hospitality Awards which recognize a high level of service in tourism-related jobs.

(L-R) IN Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, Ginger Davis

“These are just a few of the Hoosiers who go the extra mile to make guests feel welcome,” said Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman. “Indiana’s trademark hospitality is a result of their hard work and positive attitude.”

Lee Bottom Flying Field

Ginger’s award was unique in that it also represented an airport as a tourist destination. Through her continued hard work and efforts to promote airports as something more than a place where airplanes land and take off, she has brought positive attention to an industry long overlooked for its tourism potential.

submitted by: David Newill

Autographed Copies of Condor Cross Country Book Available

2011-05-10T14:00:00.000-04:00

Frank Paynter has published a book on Cross Country Soaring using Condor Flight Simulator.

Frank participated in more contests than any other US pilot in 2009 and is scheduled to particiapte in 12 this year. He also races on Condor during the winter season and writes the Condor articles for Soaring Magazine. He is putting his practical knowledge into tips for improving your cross country and racing skills using Condor.

More details regarding the book are available at:
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/books/Paynter/CrossCountrySoaringWithCondor.htm

We can pick up autographed copies from Frank at the Region 6 North Contest and have them at Alex Airport on June 11th. They are $20. Any CISS members who would like an autographed copy should email John Earlywine at jke4034@aol.com by May 23rd.

'Bob' has new Friends

2011-05-09T13:19:00.000-04:00

'Bob' joined the flying fun at the airport on Sunday May 8th. Todd Rutledge and Don Taylor both made flights and reported they were pleased with the flight characteristics of the 1-34.

Todd and Don join Nyal Williams and Ron Clarke (2 flights) on the growing list of CISS pilots who have flown the new 1-34. Make plans now to join this elite group. The Make and Model checkout list is available on the CISS Web Site in the Documents section. Copies of the 1-34 Handbook are also available there. Complete the single page of questions and bring them to the airport, complete a cockpit familiarization discussion, have your logbook endorsed to keep the insurance company happy and you are all set to join the list. Todd, Don, Nyal and Ron can answer any questions you may have based on their recent flight experience.

Congratulations

2011-05-09T12:57:00.000-04:00

On Sunday May 8, David Waymire accomplished his first solo glider flight in the CISS Blanik L-23.

He is an experienced airplane private pilot and wants to add his glider rating in the near future.
Congratulations David!

New Power Washer at the Airport

2011-04-17T09:07:00.000-04:00

John Day spends a lot of time during the soaring season riding the lawnmower keeping the grounds and runway in great condition. This summer he will be doing it on a clean mower.

He has donated a new Honda power washer to the club. When you see John, please express your thanks for his donation and his continuing efforts to keep the runway and equipment in prime condition.

1-34 Over Easy (Oscar Echo)

2011-04-13T19:08:00.002-04:00

We flew the 1-34 today. Ron Clarke and I had flights in it. I pronounce it an ideal club glider!
It is roomy, easy to get in, does not require a parachute, is plenty big enough inside for our large and tall pilots and it is a dream to fly. It has no bad habits and offers no surprises. Just ask Ron, who had more than an hour in it!

Glider Wings

2011-04-12T10:17:00.000-04:00

Rick Hansen has provided Glider Wings for the club to award to members who earn them by successfully completing their check ride and receiving their glider rating.

Some members meeting the requirements may not have received their Wings due to some confusion during the recent change of the chief flight instructor. If you have earned your Wings and have not yet received them, please contact Rick or the chief flight instructor to obtain them.

PW-5 Gone

2011-04-11T17:26:00.002-04:00

The PW is safely in its new hangar in Kentucky. Their whole club is excited about it behyond belief! The three guys got about a half-dozen calls while we were demonstrating the rigging and de-rigging just to see if they had arrived and what the status was.

Webinar covering Checkride Preparation

2011-02-24T10:58:00.000-05:00

Larry holds a glider rating and is located in Seymour Indiana. This Webinar will probably be focused on airplane checkride's but many of the suggestions should also apply to your glider checkride.

SAFE Member to Give EAA Webinar

"Prepare for Your Checkride, and Pass!"

SAFE member and Treasurer Larry Bothe will present a webinar on March 22nd entitled, Prepare for Your Checkride, and Pass! A Master Instructor and Designated Pilot Examiner, Bothe will tell you what you need to do before you go to your checkride to make it easier. You'll also learn how to avoid the common mistakes applicants make during both the oral and flight portions. This webinar will help you approach checkrides with confidence.

Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Time: 7:00-8:22 PM CDT

System Requirements:

PC-based: Windows 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Mac: OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger) or newer

Encourage your students to participate by registering online today! You will receive a confirmation email with information about how to join this EAA-sponsored webinar.

2011-01-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

There is a new free online soaring newsletter which you might find interesting named Soaring Cafe. The link is: http://soaringcafe.com

Following is a clip of the chart used by Paul Remde from Cumulus Soaring during a presentation at the recent SSA Conference in Philadelphia.

Interesting Clouds

2011-01-21T23:07:00.000-05:00

Follow this link.

http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/10/the-weirdest-clouds-that-youll-ever-see/

CISS Winter Banquet

2010-12-06T12:55:00.004-05:00

The CISS winter banquet will take place as follows:

January 22, 2011, at

The Mansion at Oak Hill, Carmel, IN

Happy Hour, 6:00pm Cash Bar

Banquet at 7:00pm

Guest Speaker: Dr. Connie Mariano, White House Physician to two sitting presidents. (One democratic and the other republican)

Tickets $35 per person.

Deadline to register: January 7, 2011

Register via email with nyalwilliams@comcast.net and indicate number of persons in your party.

CISS Students will be Using IP for Landing Approaches

2010-12-01T14:15:00.000-05:00

At a recent Instructor meeting it was agreed that the Initial Point concept would be introduced and used for primary training. Approaches from other altitudes and directions will be used for pre-solo dual training flights and students will be encouraged to develop their judgment of angles and apply the TLAR method promoted by Tom Knauff.

An added benefit for all club members will be majority of student traffic should be in this expected pattern which will help identify the areas for extra vigilance when approaching to land.

Everyone is welcome to use this approach if they want. It has been tested extensively by the instructors and students during the past season and there has been positive feedback.

December 16 Membership Meeting

2010-11-30T00:23:00.002-05:00

There will be a Membership meeting at 7:00p.m. on December 16^th at the Castleton MCL for elections of club officers for next year. Let’s have a good turnout so that we can hit he ground running in the new year!!!!!!!!

Gerry Simpson

CISS Glider Workshop

2010-11-20T07:41:00.000-05:00

David Nelson, from Grand Haven Michigan, spent a week helping several CISS members repair and update their gliders recently. Several members gained hands on experience under the watchful eye of David who often repeated his offer that "there is nothing you can mess up that I cannot help you correct". Everyone who participated agreed it was an interesting and useful experience. David has indicated he would be willing to come back next year and possibly do a short half day program for anyone interested in learning more about gel coat repairs and touching up the nicks on their gliders. If you would like to participate in such an event, or might want to do some work on your glider under David's supervision, please let Nyal Williams or John Earlywine know of your interest.

New Chief Flight Instructor

2010-11-07T01:41:00.002-04:00

The club's president has appointed John Earlywine as the new Chief Flight Instructor following the resignation of Nyal Williams from that position effective November 7. This announcement was made today at the close of end-of-season meeting of CISS's flight instructors. Williams had indicated to the club's president at the beginning of the season that this would be his last year in the position.

New Airplanes at I99

2010-10-30T12:21:00.000-04:00

CISS Tow Pilot and Instructor, Capt. Miller, is the proud new owner of a Taylorcraft L-2B. This WWII Observation craft has a swivel seat in the rear for the observer. It should be great for observing aerotows if he can be persuaded to add a tow hook. This joins the "fleet" at CISS which also includes the Piper J-5 restored by Ed Escalon, Dan DeWitt, and and George Saunders. These folks may have the solution for the no thermal days.

"Bob" Lands at Alexandria

2010-10-30T11:59:00.000-04:00

One of Dr. Robert Gillan's last wishes was for CISS to have a Schweizer Glider to fly in his memory recognizing his many years as a club member and instructor. On October 28, after almost a year of searching for a appropriate glider, Schweizer 1-34, contest ID OE, has been purchased and has arrived at Alexandria where Ron Clarke quickly gave it the nickname of "Bob".

Beautiful blue skies and some nice Cu welcomed Nyal Williams, Don Taylor and John Earlywine as they arrived at the Beloit Wisconsin Airport to pick up the glider on October 27th. The picture does not tell the whole story. Winds in the 40 mph range delayed loading and eliminated any chance of a test flight before departure. Comments from Judy Ruprecht and Scott Manley, two of the Beloit instructors, indicated this was their favorite glider to fly in the Sylvania Soaring Adventures fleet. It will be on the line at CISS next spring. In the meantime come on out to the airport and take a look at it. One thing is certain. Although CISS rental rates have not been determined, they will be significantly lower than the $55 per hour it has been earning at Beloit. There are some significant benefits for CISS members.

CISS Soaring Study Group News

2010-10-18T16:38:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Ron Clarke for leading an outstanding session on "Weather Resources and Analysis" this last Sunday. The Sunday forecast was for poor soaring conditions and unfortunately the weather lived up to the forecast. Despite that, about a dozen members came out to Alexandria to participate in the discussion.

Below are some links to the resources mentioned in the discussion.

DrJack's BLIPMAPs: http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/index.html

Air Sports Net Muncie Aviation Forecast: http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&sta=KMIE&state=IN

NOAA's Aviation Weather Center: http://aviationweather.gov/

BMapper: http://www.bmapper.com/

An easy way to try BMapper and avoid creating your own maps and setting everything up from the website, go to:

http://soarindy.info/files/BMapper/

and download the files. Complete installation instructions are in the readme file. Just double click on the readme file to get started.

As a reminder, the final 2010 session will be held on 31 October at 11am. John Earlywine will lead a discussion on "Off-season Opportunities and Resources." Afterwards, I will be soliciting opinions on the study group sessions. If there is interest in continuing in 2011, we'll discuss possible topics and scheduling.

Mark Rottler

Airport Office Unlocked

2010-10-12T07:56:00.000-04:00

Early Tuesday morning the office door was unlocked, and the security system was not armed. The door was locked and the system was armed Sunday evening.

The possible consequences of leaving the office and hangars unlocked and unattended are obvious. There are many items of significant value in the building. A conversation between some local farmers at the breakfast table overheard in a local resturant indicated there have been a number of break-ins to steal tools from locked barns in the area recently. We should not make it easier.

Please take a few moments to check to be certain the lights are off, the building is locked and the security system is armed if it appears you may be the last person leaving the airport, or if you have opened the building during the week.

New CISS Private Pilot Glider Ratings

2010-10-11T13:07:00.000-04:00

On Sunday 10 October, two CISS pilots earned their Private Pilot Glider Certificates.

Miller - Oberly - Rielage

Mark Oberly found the winds more favorable than the gusts into the 30's that suspended the flight portion of his check ride earlier, finished his flights and had his certificate in his pocket in time for lunch.

His time in the spotlight as the newest CISS pilot was limited however, as Mark Rottler was waiting patiently to begin his checkride. By late afternoon, Mark II replaced Mark I with

Rottler - Oberly

the distinction of having the newest certificate.

Mark I and Mark II are shown at right following the rides.

Several instructors are starting to worry about having to apply for unemployment if this rapid drain on the pool of CISS students continues. Please promote soaring with your friends and neighbors and encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities at CISS and replenish the group of students.

Mark Rottler Soaring Discussions Announcement

2010-09-29T20:47:00.000-04:00

I want to let you know that we're changing the topic for the next CISS Study Group session. Ron Clarke has volunteered to lead a session on "Weather Resources & Analysis." This session will take place on Sunday 17 October starting at 11am. All members are welcome and are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussions.

We had a good turnout for Mario's session on "Thermaling and Speeds to Fly" last Sunday. Thanks again to Mario for leading a great session!

Mark

New CISS Commercial Glider Pilot and Flight Instructor

2010-09-27T06:31:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Olaf Tessarzyk for successfully completing two check rides on Sunday 26 September and going home with two new ratings on his pilot certificates.

Credit is also due tow pilot Larry Miller who had some interesting tows as Olaf worked to teach "difficult student:" DPE Ron Ridenour how to fly behind the tow plane, the ground crew, and other CISS members who worked overtime to complete the last flight after 6 pm.

Congratulations for Silver C Altitude Leg

2010-09-13T14:30:00.000-04:00

On Sunday September 12, Mark Rottler took advantage of the lift and braved the 23 kt winds aloft to climb to 5,259 ft msl with an altitude gain of 3609 ft which exceeded the Silver Badge Leg requirement of 1000 meters, or 3281 feet in 303BA. Congratulations Mark!

Grob and PW-5 in CISS Labor Day Weekend Contest

2010-08-29T13:45:00.002-04:00

This coming weekend including Friday Sept. 3 through Monday Sept. 6 our club will be conducting a cross-country soaring contest with 9 participants including one guest from Michigan. It has often been suggested that we get our feet wet with a small competition to prepare for hosting a sanctioned SSA Regional Contest in the future. Our Board approved the event back in the early spring.

Six of the club private owners will be flying their ships along with Tod Herrli flying the PW and Olaf Tessarzyk flying the Grob 103. Don Taylor is the organizer, Ron Clarke and Josh Daisey will handle ground ops and John Earlywine will be the weather guesser.

There will be a contest pilots' meeting in the upstairs clubhouse each morning around 10am followed by assembly and gridding at the takeoff end of the runway. A rapid launch will take place in about a 40 minute window between noon and 2pm depending on the lift conditions. Ron and/or Josh will work with the normally scheduled ground crews and towpilots and instructors to smooth this all out. Heightened vigilance on the ground and in the air will be important !

Except for the launch timeframe, instruction and other club flying in the Blaniks should be conducted more-or-less as normal. The PW-5 and Grob will possibly be available prior to the launch and after they return to the field. This is an exciting first step for our club and we appreciate the forbearance of the larger membership during this time. Come on out and watch !

All Members Welcome - 11 am Sunday Soaring Soaring Discussions

2010-08-23T05:31:00.000-04:00

A few CISS members have talked about various ways to learn about soaring. These discussions coalesced into an informal study group. The group's goal is to have interactive learning sessions about specific soaring topics lead by an experienced pilot.

The first session was last weekend. John Earlywine lead a discussion about cross country flight planning. At the end of the discussion, we talked about ways to expand the group and gain additional member participation. The group came up with a schedule for the rest of the year and all CISS members are invited to participate. Here is our schedule:

Date	Topic	Leader
August 29	Weather Resources & Analysis	Ron Clarke
September 12	Radio Procedures	Nyal Williams
September 26	Thermaling & Speed to Fly	Mario Lazaga
October 17	Glider Instrumentation	TBD
October 31	Off-season Exercises & Resources	TBD

Sessions will be held at Alexandria starting at 11am and should last an hour or so. All CISS members are welcome to join us for any (or all) of the discussions. We think interactive sessions are a great way to learn more about soaring. The more people who participate, the greater the opportunity to gain from collective experience.

We've been very fortunate to have three experienced pilots volunteer as discussion leaders for upcoming sessions. We would love it if a couple more experienced CISS pilots would be willing to lead either of the last two sessions. If you're interested in volunteering, please drop me a line.

We hope you find one of the scheduled topics interesting. If so, please join us.

Mark Rottler

John Gardner is a Certificated Glider Pilot

2010-08-16T20:40:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to John Gardner who earned his Private Pilot Glider Certificate on Monday August 16, 2010 flying 303BA.

Other CISS members who helped make this accomplishment possible include Larry Miller, the recommending instructor, and Mike Rielage, the FAA DPE responsible for the check ride. Larry also served as tow pilot for the event, with John's father John helping as the wing runner.

BMapper Soaring Forecast Program

2010-08-04T05:39:00.000-04:00

Dale Kramer's BMapper program displays Dr. Jack's forecast data in a very convenient, easy to use format. Several CISS members are using this free program to predict soaring conditions and to decide when and which way to fly. Some of the most used information is the predicted thermal strength and the expected maximum attainable altitude. Experience at Alexandria has shown these forecasts to usually be quite accurate.

Mark Rottler has generously donated some space on his server for downloads by CISS members.

If you would like to try BMapper go to:

http://soarindy.info/files/

and download the BMapper folder.

Complete installation instructions are in the folder in the readme file.

Kokomo Airport August 6-8

2010-08-02T19:12:00.000-04:00

Anyone planning a cross country north during these dates needs to be aware of possible issues in the Kokomo area. Notams have been published restricting takeoff and landing runways and establishing an aerobatics box.

In the announcement below, they specify airplanes only for the event...no gliders. It sounds like they also might not be receptive to gliders in the area or landing there during the event.

National Aircraft Aerobatic Competition..
The Kokomo Municipal Airport and Hoosier Hammerheads are hosting the
first Annual Hoosier Hoedown August 6th - 8th at the Kokomo
Municipal Airport. We are anticipating 25-30 Aircraft to participate
in this national event. The public is welcome free of charge.

Hoosier Hoedown
Sponsored by Hoosier Hammerheads IAC Chapter 124
Practice Day Friday, August 6th 10AM-7PM. Registration also available
this day.

Saturday, August 7th. Pilot brief 8 AM. Competition to start at 9 AM
Sunday, August 8th. Pilot brief 8 AM. Competition 9 AM
Classes: primary, sportsman, intermediate, advanced, unlimited. All
powered categories, no gliders.

Primary $50, all other $70.
Banquet Saturday night $20.00/pp

Hangar space $10 per night, per aircraft
Please contact Mike or Pam Wild (Wild Aerobatics) for additional
information. 765-864-0096

Sailplanes - Cars - Trucks

2010-07-30T11:55:00.000-04:00

There is frequent conversation at Alexandria about landing a bit down the runway to allow a little extra altitude over the road when landing west. The following link reprinted from the r.a.s. newsgroup reinforces the importance of this advice.

Accident at Szeged World Glider Contest
A glider came in so low that it hit a truck or bus on the road that runs outside the airport fence. The glider then
cart-wheeled into the fence which is wire mesh between massive 10 ft high concrete posts with barbed wire on top. Everything on the glider was broken - wings and fuselage, except the cockpit.We later learned that the pilot apparently was not badly injured however the driver of the truck is in serious condition.

Photos available at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/itb.panorama/WGC2010GliderCrashSzegedHungary#

Sheldon Munro has passed away

2010-07-26T09:28:00.002-04:00

Tom Sherrier called last night to inform me that Sheldon Munro passed away Sunday morning, losing a battle with liver cancer. He was 81. Many of you will remember Sheldon for his outgoing personality and sense of humor: he always had a good joke to tell ! He was very active in the club and served the club as a towpilot for many years and was involved in leadership roles also. Funeral arrangements have not been announced yet, but those will probably be published in the Indianapolis Star tomorrow.

Soaring Safety Foundation Wing Runner Course

2010-07-10T23:10:00.000-04:00

At the airport recently there has been a lot of conversation about the Soaring Safety Foundation course for Wing Runners. This is an excellent course for anyone helping with launching gliders and best of all it is free. It is also highly recommended for glider pilots who may not be running wings.

If you would like to take advantage of this valuable training, just go to the following link:

http://www.soaringsafety.org/school/wingrunner/toc.htm

Click on the various modules and study the material.

This program was developed jointly by the CAP and the SSF. When you click on the Final Exam after studying the modules, you will see the following. Just click on the small, hard to find ..
SSA Members Click here link just to the left of the NEXT button. Do not worry about the CAP stuff. Just avoid it and leave it blank.

You will then see the following dialog box:
Select the Wing Runner Test in the top drop down box.
Put your name in the second box. Click Next and take the test.

After completing the test, print out your certificate and proudly post a copy on the bulletin board in the office at the airport.

Rumor has it that glider pilots tend to give large tips to certificated wing runners.

Good luck!

Membership Meeting At Airport

2010-07-06T11:06:00.002-04:00

The CISS Membership meeting will be Thursday, July 15, at 7:00pm
This meeting with be at the Alexandria Airport.

The program will be conducted by Scott Manley, an instructor from
Beloit, Wisconsin. He will demonstrate the use of the Condor Gliding
Flight Simulator as a tool for improving your flying.

Scott is partnering with Frank Paynter from Caesar Creek to produce
the new column in Soaring devoted to using Condor. They insist that
this simulator can be used to improve your contest flying.

We will have several computers complete with stick and rudder for
demonstration.

NOTE: This meeting replaces the meeting for Saturday morning,
July 17.

Meet Dr. Connie!

2010-06-29T15:16:00.001-04:00

I have taken it upon myself to introduce our newest family member to club members who have not met her. Dr. Connie Mariano is now the wife of our own John Weber. Connie is a medical doctor and a retired US Navy admiral. She was White House Physician and primary care doctor to Presidents George Bush, Bill Clinton, and for a short time to George W. Bush.

Connie has written a book about her experience, and it has just come off the press this week. No author gives away his/her books because the publisher requires that they buy the copies they distribute personally. However, Connie can make a copy available to you for at a special price and will autograph it for you if you are interested in having a copy. You can request a copy from Weber at his email address listed in the club directory. Read this link for further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Mariano

CISS Member Nyal Williams receives FAA Award

2010-05-25T15:45:00.000-04:00

Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award

" I am convinced that human flight is both possible and practical "

Wilbur Wright, 1899

Email:

Password:

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recognizes pilots who have demonstrated professionalism, skill and aviation expertise by maintaining safe operations for 50 or more years.

Based on these criteria, the FAA has awarded Nyal Williams this prestigious award. Congratulations Nyal !

Announcing CISS Labor Day Contest

2010-05-10T19:40:00.001-04:00

CISS First Annual Labor Day Contest

CISS is hosting a four day cross-country soaring contest during September 3-6 for 15 gliders. Our club members will have first priority entry status until June 15, at which time we will open up the attendance to other glider pilots in neighboring clubs.

The Guidelines http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcn38s27_0gq6qkfgv for the contest are attached, and the purpose is to introduce racing to the entry level pilot. A structured contest with low stress, high enjoyment, education and challenging enough to make it exciting will be the main features. The rules and scoring will be similar to the ones used in our usual year-long contest, but assigned tasks will be used every day. IE, you will be racing against each other ! The rules will be posted on the club website in a week or so.

The club Grob 103 and the PW-5 will be made available to fly by qualified CISS members and team flying (different pilots may fly on different days) will be permitted (no, make that encouraged !). If you would like to fly one of these gliders, a sign up sheet will be posted in the clubhouse on Saturday May 15. First come first serve, and the first person will be assigned Day 1, second pilot Day 2, etc.

As for private owners, you have been flying all over the skies for the past few years, now is the time to spread those wings in an organized contest ! Please use the attached registration form http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcn38s27_2cnt4phc5 to sign up for the contest. Send the entry form and check, made out to CISS to:

Don Taylor, CISS Contest Manager 4915 Windrift Way Carmel, IN 46033-9510 email: don_taylor@earthlink.net

Fly-In Breakfast, Saturdayk May 15

2010-05-08T23:47:00.001-04:00

Don’t forget the May 15th Fly-In Breakfast at 9:00a.m. All members are encouraged to invite all of their power pilot friends to fly in and join us for breakfast. Power pilots make excellent members for our club- get them out and talk up the club to them. Also bring as many family members as you can and invite all of your friends. I am encouraging all of you to help make this a successful event.

We will need some volunteers on Friday afternoon to do some preliminary setup and cleaning of the hangar.

Saturday morning we will also need volunteers to clear out the hangar, setup tables and chairs, getting the club aircraft out to the launch site for rides, starting coffee, and food servers. Brad Hayes has volunteered to be in charge of aircraft and auto parking and he will be needing help.

Let’s make our club visible and recruit new members- they are the lifeblood of our club.

Gerry Simpson, President CISS

No Operations May 2

2010-05-02T07:56:00.000-04:00

Operations are closed today, May 2, owing to low ceilings and forecast rain.

Big Picture Weather Overview

2010-04-23T21:59:00.000-04:00

Air Sports Net is an aviation oriented weather site focused on Ultralights, Hang Gliders, Parachutes, etc. It shows forecast weather conditions for 3 days in an easy to understand format and may be quite useful to glider pilots looking for a big picture overview. The link for Muncie is:

http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&sta=Kmie&state=IN

Other airport locations can be selected in the program, or you can change "mie" to the location you would like to come up as the default

Saturday April 24 CISS Flying Canceled due to Weather

2010-04-23T20:23:00.000-04:00

After discussing the weather conditions with Josh Daisey and Bob Currie it has been decided that there will be no flying at the field tomorrow, Saturday the 24th.

Hopefully Sunday may be better but it isn't looking to promising.

Craig Bixby

Will someone with access to the blog post this there also?

Transonders

2010-04-02T23:30:00.000-04:00

SSA learned today that the FAA has published directions to US ATC facilities to utilize a nationally assigned transponder code for VFR use in gliders. The 1201 code is available for immediate use by sailplanes and motor gliders who wish to be radar identified as traffic, without being in contact with ATC for flight for more information see SSA website.

Soaring History

2010-03-28T06:45:00.000-04:00

Some progress has been made in soaring equipment and airport dress codes in the past 90 years.
This video documents activities as early as 1922 and may help members appreciate CISS's 2010 equipment and operations. The Italian gliding school is quite a contrast to today's approach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd-2RGM0SG8

Illec SN10 Software Update

2010-03-23T19:12:00.000-04:00

Anyone using the Illec SN10 should consider updating their software to version 2.35 available at:

http://www.nadler.com/sn10/ILEC_SN10B_235_setupB.EXE
http://www.nadler.com/sn10/ILEC_SN10_235_setup.EXE

We flew the Seniors with the beta test version and it has some significant improvements for Assigned Area Tasks.

Saturday Flying

2010-03-05T06:09:00.002-05:00

Ed E. has volunteered to tow for us on Saturday. Come out any time. George S. will be there if you need an instructor. George, Ed and Dan will be in the J-5 hangar (north east corner of the T-hangars) working on the J-5. Stop in and give us a hand or take a flight in 303BA. Spring is coming!

George

Friday Flying - Maybe Saturday?

2010-03-04T17:58:00.000-05:00

Bob C. will tow for us Friday. Glider operations start at 1 pm.
Do any of our tow pilots want to fly on Saturday? Let me know and I'll send out the word.

George

News Release in Ft. Wayne

2010-02-27T19:28:00.001-05:00

John K Earlywine, a 5-time Master and a SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. John is an airplane and glider flight instructor in the Fort Wayne area. The holder of an SAA Silver Badge as well as two Indiana soaring records, he will soon begin serving as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's South Bend FSDO area. (Photo: MCFI John Earlywine of Fort Wayne, IN)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Master Instructors LLC takes great pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of John K Earlywine, resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Recently, John's accreditation as a Master CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor) was renewed by Master Instructors LLC, the international accrediting authority for Master Instructor designations as well as the FAA-approved Master Instructor Programä. He first earned this national professional accreditation in 2002, has held it continuously since then, and is one of only 20 worldwide to earn the credential five times.

To help put these achievements in their proper perspective, there are approximately 93,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than 700 of those aviation educators have achieved that distinction thus far. The last 14 national Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs while John is one of only 15 Indiana teachers of flight to earn this prestigious "Master" title. In the words of former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, "The Master Instructor accreditation singles out the best that the right seat has to offer."

The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA. Candidates must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community, and must pass a rigorous evaluation by a peer Board of Review. The process parallels the continuing education regimen used by other professionals to enhance their knowledge base while increasing their professionalism. Designees are recognized as outstanding aviation educators for not only their excellence in teaching, but for their engagement in the continuous process of learning -- both their own, and their students'. The designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses the FAA requirements for renewal of the candidate's flight instructor certificate.

Feel free to disseminate this information widely. Questions regarding the Master Instructor Programä may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://SafePilots.US/ For more information about the Master Instructor Programä and to locate other Masters, please visit the "Find a Master Instructor" section of www.MasterInstructors.org

This release has a nice photo of John in his DG1000.

Hand-held radio offered by former club member

2010-02-25T14:38:00.000-05:00

Ken Harry is selling his radio.

Radio is an Icom IC-A21 handheld, with a fairly new battery pack and AC charger.

He's asking $150 for it. The radio has a Navcom feature, but he's never used it. Also covers the NOAA weather broadcast frequencies.

If you are interested, contact Ken at

ken_harry@sbcglobal.net

2010-02-20T19:28:00.000-05:00

The January issue of the AMA Model Aviation magazine had a picture of a large scale model glider on the cover and a nice article on flying model gliders. The editor was kind enough to print a letter inviting any model glider fans in the area to visit CISS next summer.

Written Test Fee Increase

2010-02-16T13:46:00.000-05:00

AOPA News

Spring could herald knowledge test fee increase
Student pilots taking the FAA knowledge test after this spring could be hit with an extra $50 fee if a testing services' plan goes forward. Computer Assisted Testing Service Inc. and LaserGrade notified AOPA early this year that they would begin imposing the extra fee on test-takers effective April 1. AOPA, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the National Air Transportation Association and the National Association of Flight Instructors are asking the testing services and the FAA to delay the planned increase and reevaluate the need for it.

Dataplate Exemption for Gliders

2010-02-14T20:58:00.000-05:00

The following article is republished from the Chicagoland Glider Council Newsletter.
To be legal without an identification plate through October 2011, individual and club gliders need to carry this paperwork onboard. The documents are available for download at:

http://www.ssa.org/docs/Exemption4988.pdf
http://www.ssa.org/files/member/Data%20Plate%20Exemption%202008.pdf

=============================================================================
Identification Plate
Exemption # 4988 for Gliders
By Burt Compton via R.A.S.
For USA Gliders - The SSA has it covered. Just some of the good
behind the scenes work they accomplish for us. The Identification Plate
Exemption # 4988 and the Extension Letter (now valid to OCT 30,
2011), are on the SSA website.
Yes, you must carry both documents in the glider if you do not want to
secure an external identification plate to your glider. The exemption
letter is reissued by the FAA every 3 years, at the discretion of the
FAA, after the SSA submits a petition. I believe Judy Ruprecht is
submitting this recurring petition for us.
To clarify a bit, there are two documents that one must carry for this.
1. The original exemption letter, which is 4 pages long. It can
be downloaded from:
http://www.ssa.org/docs/Exemption4988.pdf
2. Since the original exemption from that letter terminates on
Oct 30, 1990, you also need the extension letter, which is 2
pages long. It is at:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/dataplateexemption.
Caution, one of the older pages on the SSA site lists these pages of
the 2002 update letter, which is now useless. You should use the
current ones mentioned above.
As another poster mentioned, there doesn't seem to be any restriction
against two sided printing, or scaling the pages smaller and putting
several on a page. It probably should be kept readable, but one sheet
can be tucked securely away somewhere. I keep my own copy in the
bag with my logbooks and charts as well. It might reduce
embarrassment some day.

2010 Calendar

2010-02-14T20:50:00.000-05:00

CISS 2010 Schedule

Feb. 25th Board Meeting 7:00p.m. Fishers Train Station

Apr. 1st Mandatory Spring Safety Castleton MCL
Meeting 7:00p.m.

. 3rd First Day of Full Operations I-99
BFR’s

10th Field Clean-Up Day I-99
Mandatory Spring Safety 9:00a.m.
Meeting (for those who miss April 1st)
Evening Barbeque

17th Board Meeting 9:00a.m. I-99

May 1st Membership Meeting 9:00a.m. I-99

15th Pancake Breakfast & Fly-In I-99
EAA International Learn to
Fly Promotion

June 19th Board Meeting 9:00a.m. I-99

July 17th Membership Meeting 9:00a.m. I-99
Field Clean-Up Day
Evening Barbeque

Aug. 14th EAA Young Eagles I-99
50th Anniversary Evening
Barbeque (memories & thoughts)
Group Picture

21st Board Meeting 9:00a.m. I-99
EAA Chapter 2 Ft. Wayne
Fly-In/Out to I-99

Sep. 18th Membership Meeting 9:00a.m. I-99

Oct. 16th Board Meeting 9:00a.m. I-99
End of Year Clean-Up Day
Family Appreciation Spaghetti
Dinner
End of Year Slide Show

30th Bonfire/ Mini-Octoberfest

Nov. 18th Membership Meeting 7:00p.m. Castleton MCL
ELECTIONS

Dec. 16th Board Meeting 7:00p.m. Castleton MCL

Jan. 22nd, 2011 Winter Banquet

UNSCHEDULED POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES
OR
EVENTS

May - Cross-Country Camp
July - Youth Camp
July - Away Day Or Weekend
Sept. - Club Safari
Sept. - Non –sanctioned 3-Day Weekend Cross Country Contest

2010-02-14T18:46:00.000-05:00

Interest in Soaring Simulators ?

2010-02-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

At the recent SSA Convention there were some very interesting presentations on Soaring Simulators such as Condor.

Scott Manley has been exploring ways to utilize it in flight training. Advantages include recording student simulator flights for review, demonstrating and practicing maneuvers before doing them in the glider, the ability to stop the program and discuss what is happening, and the ability to hit the button and immediately start over if things become hopeless. It is possible to have the instructor and student looking at the same screen with an internet link. He has used this to discuss and practice the next lesson at a convenient time during the week, and avoid the rush at the airport on Saturday.

Scott worked with someone who had never flown a glider using the simulator and an internet link. The student then flew to Wisconson to take a real glider flight. He flew the second aerotow and flight without the instructor touching the stick.

Frank Paytner, who frequently comes from Caesar Creek to get out trophy, has been participating in weekly on-line glider contests to keep his contest skills sharp.

There are also opportunities to practice cross country in a more relaxed atmosphere.

I think there is a huge opportunity and am in the process of dusting off my largely unused Condor software.

Soaring Magazine is going to start running a new column called "Condor Corner" covering this emerging technology.

If anyone else is already using Condor, or has some interest in exploring the opportunities, please send me an email, and we can work on some ideas on how to proceed.

jke4034@aol.com

SSA recognizes CISS and Chief Instructor

2010-01-31T20:47:00.000-05:00

Chief Instructor, Nyal Williams, was recognized at the SSA Convention as the most active instructor in Region 6 in the SSA's ABC Bronze Badge Program.

In addition, the CISS pilots participating in this important program also deserve recognition for accepting the challenge to improve their soaring skills. Everyone is elgible to participate and it is not too early to start setting personal goals for adding badges during the 2010 season.

Gene McNay

2010-01-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

My father, Gene McNay Sr., died peacefully Friday night.

He was a lifetime member of CISS and instructor from the 60s-80s,
I'm not sure if he was active still in the 90s.

We hope to get the obituary in the Star Tuesday or Wednesday.

A memorial service will be held at Church at the Crossing,
near Keystone and 465, this coming Saturday. Visitation will
be 1-2 with a memorial from 2-3.

There may be a few of his former students around who would like
to attend? I was hoping you could at least get the word out.

We would ask that donations to the Alzheimer's Association
be made in lieu of flowers or other consideration.

Thanks,
gene

Gene McNay II
Columbus, IN

2010-01-04T22:55:00.002-05:00

Marlon Tessarzyk made the new Soaring issue, where they recognized his receiving his latest badge. Apparently, we neglected to send a photo.

New Glider at the Club

2010-01-03T23:31:00.001-05:00

Dave Stanley passed through today with an ASW-20B he bought in New York and dragged back through terrible snow storms. He's put it in a relative's barn near Marion and will be looking to get into a T-hangar soon.

Now we have two of them; what about a race?

GREAT NEWS!

2009-12-21T18:17:00.001-05:00

THE DAYS ARE GETTING L--O---N---G--E-R!!!!!!!!!

Learn to fly with us!

2009-12-13T14:06:00.001-05:00

According to the AOPA, an 83-year old woman jsut soloed at my hometown airport in North Carolina.

Bring us your tired, your hungry, your restless; we can teach them to FLY!

Winter Banquet

2009-12-08T14:00:00.001-05:00

The time has come again for our Annual Winter Banquet. Make your reservations today!

Email Mario.Lazaga@att.net to make your reservations!

You will be billed $36 for each seat in your CISS monthly statement. Reservation made is reservation paid.

LAST DAY FOR RESERVATIONS IS WEDNESDAY JANUARY 6th AT 6:00 PM!

Interesting Zeppelin photos

2009-12-07T14:01:00.002-05:00

http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/Zeppelin/Zeppelin.html

Forwarded from Kurt's p***n file.

Army Air Forces Special Film Project 157

2009-12-06T21:20:00.003-05:00

This is mostly about American fighters: P-47's, P-38's, and P-51's. From government archives.
This information belongs to the public, and the more interest people have (the more views on YouTube, in this case), the better.

Glassfibre Repairs

2009-11-30T20:50:00.002-05:00

Friedel Weber, DG"s owner, has made arrangements to provide a copy of Ursula Hanle's Petite Plastic Plane Patch Primer for download. My understanding is this is an excellent reference for anyone interested in glassfibre repairs; but, that it has not been generally available in the past. The download is free, but there is a request for a nominal donation, if it is convenient. Full details are available at:

http://www.dg-flugzeubau.de/flickfibel-e.html

(This information has been forwarded from John Earlywine)

Updates

2009-11-22T18:10:00.002-05:00

1. Good meeting Thursday night. Mario did a fine presentation on earning all the badges from A to Diamonds. Interesting, detailed, and with good illustrations. YOU shoulda been there!

2. Saturday Tod Herrli finished his bronze badge.

Membership Meeting

2009-11-15T22:23:00.002-05:00

There will be a Membership Meeting at the MCL Cafeteria on November19th at 7:00p.m. Elections for officers for 2010 will be held and Mario Lazaga will have a presentation on cross-country(X-C) badge flying, so all you budding x-c pilots will have the opportunity to learn from a master strategist. I am expecting the Kestrel class to expand considerably next season with all the newly licensed pilots. There is nothing more fun and challenging than x-c and making your "back yard" larger, as it was described to me a few short years ago by a master x-c artist. Immediately following, we will adjourn to a nearby establishment for refreshments, fellowship, comraderie & esprit de corps. We will need to thank all those involved for the excellent job and timing of the runway sealing project, especially Kurt Ristow, Ron Clark, Don Taylor, and George Saunders (hope I haven't left any major contributors to the work project out). Hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Gerry Simpson

You Must Get A Plastic Copy of Your Pilot's Licence

2009-11-14T22:33:00.002-05:00

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/airmen_services/

Pilots need to upgrade to a plastic pilot certificate by March 31,
> 2010. This date is based on the 2 years after effective rule date.
> And it's easy and fast. 4 to 6 weeks if by mail, 6 to 10 days online.
> $2 if you just request a replacement, free if you are requesting removal
> of SSAN.
>
> Special notes: They will not put your original paper date of
> issue on the new one. It also states that you do not have to destroy
> the old one if you want to save it as a momento, just that you can not
> use it for flying.

Avoid the rush; do it now if you are still depending on a paper certificate.

Seniors Video

2009-11-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

Recommended by John Earlywine:

http://growingbolder.com/media/technology/vehicles/soaring-to-new-heights-246522.html#content_tabs

WWII Training Glider Restored and In Flight

2009-11-10T13:50:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP3JNqvfvV0&feature=player_embedded

Last Scheduled Day

2009-11-02T10:44:00.001-05:00

We made a buncha flights. Ron got the trophy back from Caesar Creek. Marlon Tessarzyk completed his B and C badges, Tod Herrli finished the flight portions of the Bronze badge, and I had Yvonne up in the Grob -- her first time in a glider since the late 1960s, and she enjoyed it! A good day.

9:30 AM Nov. 7th - HELP GET OUR FLEET TUNED UP!

2009-10-28T15:31:00.001-04:00

Fellow members ,

Ed our Maintenance Chief has appointed me scribe for the year end project of getting our fleet "up to snuff " as they say . So here's the scoop : Plans are to do work each Saturday in November and December beginning November 7 . Start time will be 9:30am. and with luck we'll get most of the work done before the real cold weather sets in. Nyal has insisted that we continue the tradition of that well earned lunch together at Rachels promptly when he gets hungry around noon time.

We will move a couple of the aircraft into the middle hangar and begin work on one of the the Blaniks first . Day one will begin with compiling lists of " to do " items and if you already have some items to suggest please send a note to Ed or me to include them on our hit lists. We will keep one Blanik in flying condition as long as we can to allow any possibility of flying if weather permits in Nov / Dec. This can always be done in the afternoon following work and lunch ! Obviously the More the Merrier .

In past years these year end maintenance projects have been very instructive for some members, they keep the Club Spirit alive and well and for me have always been a lot of fun . So come on out and join us as many days as you can manage as the flying season changes to "Maintenance Time ".

See you November 7,

Ron (ZA)