Website: http://co-opa.com October 2012, Vol. 12, Issue 10 President's Message: Time flies, another month, another third Thursday. Time to meet again at 6pm at the KBDN Flight Services Building for the usual tall tales, followed by our famous pot luck at 6:30pm. Then we'll have a short business meeting at 7pm. Take note that the CO-OPA calendar now extends into 2013! Enjoy the fall weather, and the lack of smoke, soon winter weather will be taking its usual toll on flying. Calendar: 18 October -- Monthly Meeting 20 October -- Monthly Flyout 15 November -- Monthly Meeting 17 November -- Monthly Flyout 20 December -- Annual Partay! 22 December -- Monthly Flyout 17 January -- Monthly Meeting 19 January -- Monthly Flyout 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 My INBOX: It was a welcome sight to see in my INBOX the letter from Gary Judd announcing the end of the West Taxiway project. How time flies. Seems like only a decade ago , actually longer, that the Bend Airport Master Plan was updated to include the runway and taxiway environment as recently completed. Three airport managers, many city councilors, many architects, many construction workers, many closures and many years later the results are finally there for all to see. The results are great, but I suspect most of us have had enough progress for a while... Random Thoughts: Last month, with virtually zero notice, the FAA announced emergency rules for the Pearson Airport (KVUO). The rules wold drastically limit traffic to and from the airport. Our intrepid reporter Ed Endsley headed up to Vancouver to see what the fuss was about. What follows is his story: I was in Vancouver and intended to attend the Pearson Airfield meeting concerning "The FAA Box." . The Columbian newspaper had announced the meeting to be held at the field at 11 AM on Saturday, 9-29-12. I arrived early and checked in at the FBO but they didn't know anything about the meeting. Dispirited but anxious to spend my time enjoyably, I went to the adjacent museum but they weren't open yet so I hung out for a bit... I saw a Shelby 427 Cobra pull up to a stop sign and enthusiastically accelerate toward the FBO! Well, I have a thing for such vehicles so I gave chase in my Japanese econobox. Of course by the time I got there, the Cobra was cooling in the parking lot. As I entered the office, it was obvious who had been the pilot and as I introduced myself, he described himself as an instructor and would be very interested in finding the meeting as well! So as we toured the field (unfortunately not in the Cobra) we found a sign on another building described as the pilots lounge that said there would be a hot dog feed at eleven and the meeting at one. Nobody was about... Well he had a student flight and I wasn't enamored with mystery meat "hot dogs" so I left to find alternate victuals, planning to be back at one PM. After a Tour of the adjacent Fort Vancouver and a fine forgettable meal at a local cafe probably dating to the founding of the Washington territory, I returned at 1PM to find that there was still no one around the pilots lounge although the sign was still there announcing I was on time! As I walked off my disappointment and viewed the many interesting planes based there, I encountered a couple of guys that identified themselves as local authorities. When I inquired about "The Meeting" I was informed that it had happened at noon! I mentioned I'd traveled from Bend and noted the times on the sign... They explained that they'd moved the meeting site and since the hot dogs ran out, they moved the meeting up to noon. Sorry... No, they didn't change the sign... But they had about 150 people attending!?!?!? With that kind of organization, I wish them good luck jousting with the FAA! - Ed Endsley (Other) Airport News: Check out this shot from Ed as he and Don Wilfong fly over Beaver Marsh Airport(2S2). I landed there about 5 years ago and almost didn't make it back out. It is very soft and fluffy sand that just grabs you tires. Hard to see in the photo but there is serious rutting along and across the runway. Someone scheduled a work party for the airport last month. Here's to hoping things are better there now. In better news, Crescent Lake (5S2) and Chiloquin (2S7) airport are back open. 5S2 has had the runway damage repaired and 2S7 has a brand new runway. More proof that at least some of our Avgas taxes are going to good deeds. Can't wait to get back to both airports. August Flyout(s): Smoke and fires to the north and west. Add to that a storm front waiting to arrive from the west to blow the smoke to the east. What to do? Why head south to Klamath Falls and Kingsley Field (KLMT). N20757 and N6157R had smooth flights down with gorgeous mountain views. There was construction on the usual landing runway 14, so we were vectored right base to land runway 25. It was not clear exactly what is happening, but it looks like the west taxiway is being turned into another runway. Maybe someone wants to separate us squirrels from the eagles? I hope not, always fun to taxi out with the F-15s. We were also given a little lecture in ramp protocol by the FBO as we (almost) crossed out of bounds. The TSA guys are either non-existent or oblivious, but the National Guard guys will grab your camera and toss you in the brig faster than you can sneeze. After a fine meal in the airport cafe, and some $6.50/gal Avgas we were winging our separate ways back to our respective Bend airports. Newsletter Inputs: Send your newsletter tidbits to: gem@rellim.com Photos by: Ed Endsley