The Scoop - Connecticut Lighter Than Air Society

The Scoop
Volume XV, Issue 8, August, 2002
This newsletter is published by The Connecticut Lighter Than Air Society for its members and interested parties. Portions of this publication
may be reproduced if credit is given to the writer and to CLAS. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the organization or members of this organization (but if they were they’d be damn good ones).
For more information, contact Mick Murphy Editor PO Box 53, Southbury, CT 06488
Fosset Glider forced to Land
A glider that American tycoon Steve Fossett hopes to fly to the edge of space made an emergency landing Saturday
while being tested by another pilot. The glider, flown by retired NASA pilot Einar Enevoldson, 70, flew just three
miles before it landed on a safety strip at Omarama on New Zealand's South Island. "We let go a bit low off the tow
(plane) and the lift disappeared," Bill Walker, the second pilot on the project, said from Omarama, 415 miles southwest of the capital Wellington. Fossett, 58, who earlier this month became the first man to fly a balloon solo around
the world, was expected to arrive in New Zealand early next week for his attempt at the world glider height record.
For the record attempt, the glider will be towed by a plane to 3,000 feet to catch soaring winds and updrafts that will
hopefully take it into the stratosphere.
The team plans to harness powerful updrafts above New Zealand's South Island to soar 62,000 feet, or about 13,000
feet above the gliding altitude
record of 49,009 feet. After
being towed back up into the air
Saturday, the pair pushed the
modified Glaser Dirks DG-505
glider to just under 30,000 feet
over a four-hour flight designed
to check the plane's systems in
the high altitude chill conditions.
"Walker said it's minus 8 degrees outside the plane. I had my
drink bottle freeze up on me in
the cockpit -- it was quite cold,"
he said.
When Fossett and Enevoldson
will wear space suits similar to
tle crews. The team wants to get
50,000 feet, which has never
setting a record, the pair hopes to
pressurized glider and fly to the
100,000 feet. The test team will
to further test the glider and their suits.
The anticipated Sunday flight is the
last possibility during the current altitude campaign in New Zealand. It
is apparent that another campaign
The weather pattern we have been
will be required to achieve the major
watching for the last week is now
due to arrive Sunday afternoon. It is objectives of the Perlan project. The
best month of the year to fly in the
still too early to judge if the winds
will be sufficient for an attempt into Polar Vortex is June. Discussions are
the Stratosphere or if they will only under way to return to Omarama
provide an opportunity for an impor- New Zealand for a full month of altitude attempts in June 2003.
tant test flight similar to the one on
July 20. On July 20, Einar Enevold- Tuesday, August 6 reserve pilot Bill
son flew with Bill Walker as co-pilot Walker flew with John Robinson of
the National Institute of Water and
to 30,000 feet but did not make the
Atmospheric
Research (NIWA).
transition into the Polar Vortex to
Newly
installed
Ozone and UV sencontinue into the stratosphere.
FLIGHT PLANNED FOR
SUNDAY AUGUST 11
make their record attempt they
those used by U.S. space shutbeyond the troposphere at
been done. If they succeed in
return next year with a special
edge of space at more than
try to reach 40,000 feet Sunday
sor systems were tested. Successful
data recording was confirmed. Ozone
and ultraviolet radiation (UV) data
collected in the Polar Vortex will be
an important scientific contribution
of the Perlan project. Glide tests
were also performed. Additional
glide tests will be performed today,
Wednesday, then steps will be taken
to clean up the aerodynamic drag of
our scientific sensors.
2002 CLAS Officers
President: Tony Roswell
Phone: 203-264-5066
E-mail: [email protected]
Windsor Locks Flight Standards District Office
Tele: (860)654-1000 or Fax: (860)654-1009
Kenneth D. Roach Manager
Bob Martens, Safety Program Manager
[email protected]
(860)654-1002
Peter Lindberg, Safety Program Manager
(860)654-1033
[email protected]
Vice Pres: Daryl Smith
Phone: 860-742-3681
E-mail: [email protected]
Secretary: Jim O’Brien
Phone:
203-891-8333
E-mail: [email protected]
Treasurer: Jack Perry
Phone: 203-263-5962
E-mail: [email protected]
Historian for Life: Mike Bollea
Phone:
860-677-0647
Staff Photographer Charlie Perreault
Phone: 860-426-0814E-mail: [email protected]
www.faa.gov/region/ane/flight_standards/index.htm
2K2 CLAS Meeting Schedule
January
17
Business
February
21
Education
March
21
Business
Webmaster: Jim O’Brien
Phone: 203– 891-8333
E-mail: [email protected]
April
18
Education
May
16
Business
Committee Chair Members
June
20
Education
BFA Liaison: Santo Galatioto
Phone:
203-397-0521
E-mail: [email protected]
July
18
Business
August
15
Education
Competition: Mike Bollea
Phone:
860-677-0647
September
19
Business
October
17
Education
November
21
Business
December
19
Party
Education: Daryl Smith
Phone: 860-429-9462
E-mail: [email protected]
FAA Liaison: Robert Zirpolo
Phone:
203-250-8441
E-mail: [email protected]
Flight Manual: Penny Christy
Phone:
860-638-3803
E-mail: [email protected]
Membership: Ellen Dressel
Phone:
203-272-6116
E-mail: [email protected]
Nominating: Open
Products: Cindy Smith
Phone: 860-429-9462
E-mail: [email protected]
Refreshments: Carlos Kebe
Phone: 203-639-4883
E-mail: [email protected]
Sunshine: Terri Rollinson
Phone: 203-264-5066
E-mail: [email protected]
2002 Balloon Festivals
July 19-20,
2002
July 26-28,
2002
July 26-28,
2002
Aug 2-4, 2002
Aug 17-19,
2001 ?
Aug 16-18,
2002
Aug 17-19,
2001 ?
Aug 23-26,
2002
Aug 31-Sep 3,
2001?
Sept 20-22,
2002
Green River Music and Balloon Festival
Greenfield, Ma.
Wakefield Rotary Balloon Festival
Kingston, RI
NEW JERSEY FESTIVAL OF BALLOONING Readington, NJ Solberg Airport
Pittsfield, NH
Greenville NY
Great Falls Balloon Festival - Lewiston/Auburn,
ME
Waldbaum's Balloon Festival - Brookhaven, NY
(LI), Brookhaven Airport
Plainville Fireman's Balloon Festival - Norton
Park, Plainville, CT
New York State Festival of Balloons - Dansville,
NY
Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival - Glens
Falls, NY County Airport
Mt. Washington Balloon Gathering - Schuler
Dec 6-8, 2002 ? Park, N. Conway, NH (N. Conway Chamber of
Commerce)
Winter Dinner: Al Theodore
Phone: 860-658-0228
E-mail: [email protected]
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CLAS Business Meeting: July 18, 2002
Meeting called to order at 7:35 p.m. Members present: Daryl Smith, Tony Roswell, Terri Rollinson, Cindy Smith, Lisa Huck,
Al Theodore, Charlie Perrault, Erwin Dressel, Ellen Dressel, Mike Bollea, Santo Galatioto, Jim O’Brien
Minutes
Minutes were read from the last 2 meetings, a business meeting in May and an education meeting in June. Accepted unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
Checking account: $2,059.08. CD’s: $5,300
The detailed report of the audit committee, promised at the last business meeting, can not take place this evening since the relevant members were unable to attend. We will do this at the next business meeting, in September.
Accepted unanimously.
Correspondence
No business.
Sunshine
Tony Roswell read a letter from Mrs. Arlene Griswold, a “thank you” for the get well card we sent her as she recovered from
her recent stroke. Also we sent a card to Judith Ushchak.
Products
Merchandise on hand: $2,035. Current sales: $0
On hand value includes calendars valued at $1, but calendars are probably not worth even $1 at this point. Tony wondered if we
should pursue trading products with other clubs. Cindy wondered if we should try selling stuff on eBay (we have 97 mugs in
stock, e.g.). Erwin suggested we could sell product at the Meriden event in September.
[Santo was trying to sell 2 unneeded (and unsanctioned as club product) GPS’s. Erwin swears they’re “hot.”]
Membership
Current number: 66
There are three new members since the last meeting. We still have 16 from last year to follow up on. Santo suggested it was
time to change the Scoop password on the website, which was agreed. We need to get the up-to-date membership list to JO’B so
he can set up a separate mailing list for the Scoop. All current and past members should probably continue to get e-mails about
meetings, fly-outs, etc. Santo suggested limiting monthly club fly-out to members. Daryl suggested that we should welcome all
to fly, but only members to participate in competition, which seemed reasonable to the attendance.
It was agreed that we need an active outreach effort to get people more involved, both current members and former ones. Santo
suggested we try to get a couple of meetings a year to bring out the old-timers/senior club members, perhaps a founders meeting,
a reunion or some such event. [I’m sure Santo wishes we had more members, as potential buyers of his GPS’s for sale.]
Flight Manual
Tony wanted to know if there were any new red zones. Penny will bring flight manuals to the Ushchak fly-out on Saturday and
Ellen will have the by-laws insert. [Santo didn’t mention, but I’m sure was thinking, that a GPS, such as the ones he’s selling, is
very helpful in avoiding the red zones in the flight manual.]
Education
Daryl received a letter from the BFA, approving the May 2002 SafetyFest. We have not yet had a bill for any expenses for the
speakers. We expect an expense report from Sid Conn. (We should make a memorial contribution, or at least send a message of
condolences, to the family of Charlie Gardner, of Firefly, who recently passed away).
Daryl said we should begin discussion of next year’s seminar, which we should colocate with SafetyFest. It is helpful for ballooning to be represented, but perhaps we should have a one-day seminar also.
Another idea would be to do an annual inspection on some balloons, but we’d have to investigate the BFA approval for such a
“single-subject” seminar. We could try to invite a couple of repair stations. There was additional discussion of allying with the
NH “Iron Butt” seminar. Another idea is to get a featured speaker. Santo, wearing his FAA hat, will write Steve Fossett to see if
he’d speak at an FAA seminar. That would certainly guarantee attendance. The bottom line is that we should ensure our continued commitment to safety and training. Santo reported that Kathy Wadsworth said we could use her field for our August meeting, an open-air basket comparison and cookout. The date is August 15 at 6:30pm. We’ll need a tent if it rains. We organized
volunteers for the different types of basket. Everyone should BRING BUG SPRAY! We should ask the newsletter editor to produce, by August 1, an abbreviated August “Scoop” with information about the meeting, these minutes, etc. It was agreed that we
would pay for the food (hamburgers and hot dogs) out of the CLAS education budget. Daryl will draft the announcement.
[Santo would probably agree that GPS’s, such as the ones he has for sale, are very educational in learning the flying area.]
Competition
Erwin reported on Litchfield, description in the Scoop. Fly-out scheduled for Ushchak’s field this Saturday, July 20. Usual
rules, > 6kt at MMK, FD 3000 > 25kt at BDL. [Santo mentioned that his GPS’s for sale were very useful for competition flying.]
FAA
Santo received a thank-you letter from the FSDO for our contribution to SafetyFest. [Santo says that some GPS’s are FAAapproved for instrument approaches.]
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(Continued on page 4)
Education Meeting and Club
Cookout This Month
(Continued from page 3)
BFA
Nothing.
[It’s not clear that the BFA
has any position on GPS’s
The August Education Meeting will be held at Katy
like Santo’s, but recent artiWadsworth’s launch field in Farmington on Thursday, cles in Ballooning and BalAugust 15th starting at 6:30 PM. This month’s educa- loon Life magazines suggest
most pilots are now using
tion topic will focus on assembling and rigging differ- that
them.]
ent manufacturers systems. We will have 4 different
Winter Dinner
balloon systems on hand for the training: Aerostar,
Tony suggested that the curLindstrand, Cameron and a Firfly system. We will go rent committee think about
booking last year’s venue.
over the technique for assembling the baskets, up[Unfortunately for Santo, this
rights, burners, fuel lines and systems, instruments,
means we won’t need GPS’s
and attachments for the envelope to the basket. We
since we already know the
will also learn about any special preflight checks reway from last year.]
quired by the manufacturer and review the preflight
Other Business
and in-flight checklists for each system. This is a good The town of Meriden is hav-
ing a street festival event,
“Festival on Main,” on Saturday, September 21. They are
looking for a couple of balloons to fly out of a downtown location, as well as a
commercial balloon to do
tether rides. Apparently the
initial downtown location
suggested is not appropriate.
Respectfully [although perhaps not as respectfully as
usual, particularly to Santo]
submitted, Jim O’Brien, Secretary.
opportunity for crewmembers, pilots and prospective
new members, to see how these different systems go together as well as a chance to sample the fusstididyness of each of the owner/pilots.
This months meeting will start one hour earlier, 6:30 PM, in order to have time to complete the differences
training on each system and still have plenty of time for a pot luck cookout supper and club social time. The
club is providing hamburgers and hot dogs; members should bring a dish or paper product contribution for
the cook out. Please Please Please do contact Ellen Dressel by August 8th to discuss what is needed to make
this a balanced pot luck supper and what you can bring. Don’t wait until the day before to ask what you can
bring. The success of this kind of meal and club outing is advanced planning, or we’ll all end up eating
chips and pretzels for supper.
If you don’t know how to get to Katy’s launch field contact one of the club officers or one of the members
in the Farmington valley. Please don’t drive up onto the launch field, park on the side of the road or in the
crew parking area and walk up to the launch field.
Other items I would highly recommend to bring are: a folding chair, bug spray, and a new prospective
member.
Hope to see you all there, Daryl Smith
A Testy Branson Flirts With the Market Again
LONDON - IN 1988, nearly two years after selling shares to the public in one of Britain's most hotly subscribed initial public offerings, the Virgin Group, the music and entertainment company founded by
Richard Branson, was struggling. A looming recession had begun taking a toll on profits and the 1987
stock market crash had left Virgin shares trading at slightly more than half their offering price. So Mr.
Branson, frustrated by what he deemed the shortsightedness of the public markets, took the company private again.
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Connecticut Lighter Than Air Society
2002
PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST
Twelve photographs will be featured in the CLAS 2003 Calendar
Deadlines 7:30 pm, Thursday, September 19, 2002.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Subject: Any ballooning related subject, pictures of balloons,
pictures from balloon, etc. Hint, the judges generally favor pictures of local
balloons and events.
Contest is open to all CLAS members and their family.
Limit 3 entries per person. Members may submit photographs by non-members, however, those
photographs count toward their limit of three entries.
Please submit 8 x 10 photographs with your name, address and phone number on the back.
Photographs will be judged by members present at the September 19th meeting.
All entries will be returned to owner.
Send entries to Jack Perry, 206 Railtree Hill Road, Woodbury, CT 06798.
PRIZES
1st, 2nd, 3rd Place and 9 Honorable Mention
Photographs will be featured in the CLAS 2003 Calendar.
1st Place: four CLAS 2003 Calendars.
2nd Place: three CLAS 2003 Calendars.
3rd Place: two CLAS 2003 Calendars.
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Page 5
Our next competition will be
held at the Plainville Balloon
rally, on Saturday morning August 24 with a backup date of
Sunday August 25. We'll
probably go for judges declared goal and see if we can
get it right this year. Most of
you should remember the KMart parking lot last year; most
of us flew West of the target by at least 1/4 mile!
Pilots that plan to compete should get their Balloon laid out and report to Mike Bollea's truck for the Pilot's briefing at
5:45 AM. They also need to sign in. Crew can sign in anytime at Mike's truck.
We had a great flying day, (a little haze) out of the Ushchak Aerodrome Saturday June 22.
Three Pilots showed up and we started the competition with the coffee walk. Each Pilot needed to fly 60 feet tied to
their crew person with six feet of crate paper. That crew person also walked with a full coffee cup. Unfortunately, it
was so calm on the surface that other crew members needed to push the basket along. Second place went to Penny
Christy; her crew person spilled some water. First place went to Mike Bollea and Erwin Dressel since our crew people
made the walk with full cups. We will defiantly try the coffee walk again since it was great fun.
I really don't want to talk about our judge declared goal since we vacillated on the location of the target after we got
into the air. However, based on that experience, we will not be changing the location of the target again unless there
is some safety factor involved.
AUGUST
SUNRISE SUNSET
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SEPTEMBER
SUNRISE SUNSET
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Balloons Over Plainville
Did you miss the 17th annual Plainville Hot Air
Balloon Festival in Plainville, Connecticut? The
event was held on a perfect summer weekend in
August, 2001, and the balloon launch at 6 p.m.
on Saturday, August 25? The first "Balloon
Rally" in Plainville was held in honor of the
Plainville Fire Company's 100th anniversary.
Now, 17 years later, the free event has grown
to feature dozens of vibrantly colored hot air
balloons, fireworks, a crafts festival, an auto
show and children's activities. This year, there
were three balloon launches--at 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Needless to say, I didn't drag my carcass out
of bed early enough to make either of the 6 a.
m. flights, but luckily the Saturday evening
weather was perfect for a balloon photography
expedition. If you decide to attend the next
annual Plainville Hot Air Balloon Festival, definitely plan to arrive early, and bring a lawn
chair or blanket. The traffic en route to Norton
Park, the balloon festival location on Route 177
in Plainville, was dense, and many of the balloons were already airborne by the time we arrived and parked.
CLASSIFIED
1987 Cameron DP-70 Airship.GBNXG, 22TT.Complete w/box trailer, 2/10-gal.alum.cyls.,2-cylce/4-cyl.Konig radial engine 570cc,banner areas 2
sides, all very good/excellent condition, one private owner.$25,000. Contact 860-678-7921 or [email protected]
1999 Firefly AX-8.N7053Z, 45TT.5.basket,dual Mirage,DT-21,turning vent,two master tanks 25,000.
1997 FireFly AX-9.N3085Z,140TT.5.5.basket dual T3s,DT-21,6 tanks, $27,000. Both can be viewed at www.Berkshireballoons.com
1992 Cameron V-77 Envelope (300tt) with Single Mark lV Burner and 42x48 Basket with 3 ten gal. tanks, annual 9/10/01. $3500.00 or Best Over.
Call Bill Colyer Tel-203-255-1929 or cell 203-257-4242 and via e-mail [email protected]
Miscellaneous Items
Wanted
Collectibles: If you are looking to sell or just get rid of any LTA memorabilia or unique collectibles please contact Mick 860-567-3448 or [email protected].
Garmin 3 plus GPS with local area map loaded, great for ballooning $190 (new cost about $300). Magellan 2000 gps, gives basis GPS info such as direction and
speed $100. Call Santo 203-432-9873 day or 203-397-0521 eve.
1992 FF 7 N2573B 77,000 cu. ft. 268 hrs flies pilot and two nice and tight. Nomex
skirt. "4.5" 3 tank basket with T-3 burner, 3-10 gallon tanks with heated covers.
Ball instruments. Sold with new hoses installed (good for another ten years), reconditioned and re-laced scuff leather, new stainless floor to wicker cable and fresh annual inspection 5/02. $6,250
CLAS Merchandise Sale
Scoop Advertising Rates
ADVERTISING RATES
FULL PAGE
1/2 PAGE $15.00
1/4 PAGE $10.00
1/8 PAGE $ 5.00
$20.00
8” X 10”
5” X 8”
4” X 5”
(business card)
CLASSIFIED RATES
Classified ads are $3.00 per line. Each line is approximately 50
spaces. “N” numbers and Total Time are required for all listings.
Classified ads are free to CLAS members in good standing!!!
If you have an article or advertisement for the “Scoop”, please
submit it to the PO Box Address or send via E-Mail to:
[email protected]. by August 1st for the August Newsletter.
CLAS Club Pins 5 for $20
Landowner Pins 15 for $15
CLAS Mugs 6 for $25
CLAS Decals 5 for $1
CLAS Short and Long Sleeve T-Shirts. Buy one get
the 2nd at ½ price. The higher price prevails.
Short Sleeve
Medium $12
Large $16
XLarge $16
XXLarge $16
Long Sleeve
Large $18
XLarge $18
XXLarge $20
To place your order call Cindy Smith at 860-742-3681 Or
e-mail at [email protected]
CONNECTICUT LIGHTER THAN AIR SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
The Connecticut Lighter Than Air Society is a club for anyone interested in learning about, participating in and improving the sport of ballooning. Pilots,
crew, and enthusiasts alike are welcome and ALL can contribute to the safety, enjoyment and education of the sport. Meetings are scheduled during the
months of Jan, Feb, Mar, April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec on the third Thursday of the month at the Plainville Municipal building at 7:30
pm. For more information, contact any of the officers listed inside this newsletter.
CLAS 2001 dues are $20.00 for new and renewing members.
Newsletter Subscription
Pins
Decals
Landowner pins(members only)
CLAS T-Shirts
$ 15
$ 5. ($3 for members)
$ 2 ($1 for members)
$ 21.90 (15 pins)
$ 12. And up-Various Styles (Add $3.00 for shipping)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME________________________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS____________________________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE Home__________________Work_____________________DATE OF BIRTH__________________
New member
Renewing members
Single
$20____
Single
$20____.
Crew____ Student Pilot____ Private Pilot____. Commercial Pilot ____
BFA CAAP: Level __________ BFA PAAP Level__________ FAA WINGS Level______
Newsletter only___________ Pin _____Decal_____ Landowner pins _____T-Shirts. (S) ___(M) ___(L) ___ (XL) ___
BFA#_______________
Pilot Certificate # ____________________ E-Mail_______________________
Make checks payable to and Mail to: CLAS, PO Box 53, Southbury,CT 06488-0053
The Scoop / CLAS
PO Box 53
Southbury, CT 06488-0053
FIRST CLAS MAIL