President's Message: Walter Klemperer from the High Desert Soaring Club will be our guest speaker this month.. He has some great videos to share about soaring, and in the summer heat sometimes it seems like ever Cessnas soar. The KBDN Master Plan process has also released many development options for the mater Plan. The proposals will be at the meeting and this will be your chance to comment before it is too late. Meet downstairs for the usual unusually good mingling at 6pm, our world renowned potluck at 6:30pm and on to the meeting at 7pm. Also, don't forget the Sunriver Airport Wings & Wheels happens 24 July and the Cascade Airshow will brighten our weekend 26/27 August. Calendar: 21 July - Monthly Meeting 23 July - Monthly Flyout 24 July - Wings & Wheels - Sunriver 18 August - Monthly Meeting 20 August - Monthly Flyout 26/27 - Airshow of the Cascades - Madras 10 September - OPA/Rod Machado - Sunriver 15 September - Monthly Meeting 17 September - Monthly Flyout 20 October - Monthly Meeting 22 October - Monthly Flyout My Inbox: Gary Judd, our KBDN Airport Manager forwarded me this: The West Side Taxiway A project is proceeding and it is anticipated that it will be funded from an FAA grant utilizing discretionary funding, which is not a direct AIP funding source. The total amount and timing has not been established but in general we will go out to bid at the end of July, open bids in August, submit the results of that process to the FAA in the form of a grant request and with some luck will be awarded a grant by September. The project estimates at this time is approximately 4.3 M and will done during the construction season of 2012. Some work may commence this fall and continued as long as the weather holds but that would be dependant on the funding processes. The City/Airport will provide the 5% match of approx $215,000 and we hope that the recently authorized ConnectOregon IV process will be available as a potential source of those funds. If not the airport/city will work together to find an alternative. The project was discussed and the grant application approved during the July 6, 2011 Bend City Council session and will be replayed over COTV next Wednesday night at 7 PM (have to double check that time) for those that missed the original broadcast. I think the conversation during that meeting showed both the support the City has for the airport and also the difficulties the City faces in finding funding. Good to hear that things are moving forward and that the city is still supporting the Bend Municipal Airport. Gary Judd would also like us to discuss this item: The glider pilots would like to designate runway 34 as the calm wind runway. We discussed this in the past and I don't recall any big issues as taking off downhill into lowering terrain seems like a good idea for most of us. Does CO-OPA have a preference? OPA Annual Convention: See the attached post and signup for the OPA Annual Convention in Sunriver with Rod Machado! Be the first 75 to register and pay for full conference (excludes day registration), and you'll receive your choice of Rod Machado's Private Pilot or Instrument Handbook valued at $65. Attend Rod's safety seminar to have him sign your book! Wings and Wheels: Many thanks to the Red Hangar Group presenting the Wings and Wheels Reunion last month at the Bend Municipal Airport. Due to confusion about the (non) cancellation of Airport Day the attendance was slim. They are already started planning again for next year so put it on your calendar for next year. The original Wings & Wheels, at Sunriver Airport, is also not to be missed. The 15th annual event will be 25 July from 7:30 to noon. Last year they had over 700 for their pancake breakfast and hope for more this year at the bagain price of $5. Web doings: Check out current and past CO-OPA newsletters, view our membership list and view hot aviation links on our website at: co-opa.com To access the members only areas the username is "BDN" and the password is "123.0 Random Thoughts: It has been a long time since I have had to plan a flight. Having flown up and down the west coast for the last decade I can pretty much tell you off the top of my head all the details of fuel burn, flight duration, waypoints and such. Not so in planning my recent trip to Omaha, NE. My aging brain resisted pulling out the AFD, WAC charts, winds aloft and such. So I googled a bit and found navmonster.com. Wow. Navmonster asks you your departure and destination airports and then provides everything you could ask for in a flight plan. Including flight durations adjusted for winds aloft and a trip kit of all the NOTAMS, airport diagrams. Honorable mention goes to the more whizz-bang, but less useful, aopa.com flight planning site. That still leaved the issue where to land for fuel stops, where 100LL.com was invaluable. Instead of waiting for pilots to report local fuel prices, they actually call FBOs every two weeks to ensure the latest data. Then once in the air I was able to use my Android phone to see my position on free FAA charts. If you have not done so recently check out the new freeware. - Gary E. Miller Newsletter Inputs: Send your newsletter tidbits to: gem@rellim.com