Traron Squadron

Another flying season is behind us and many of you are preparing your aircraft for the long winter season ahead. We usually don’t have to worry about the weather much here in central Arizona but it has been very cold here lately. I know, compared to other areas we don’t have much to complain about but it means we wait until 10 or 11 am instead of flying at 7am. I guess I won’t expect much sympathy.

We had several very good formation clinics this past season and we got a large number of new formation pilots acquainted with the art of formation flying. I have already reported on all the clinics except for the last one at Odessa this fall. We had a large number of newby pilots and they all did well, but the weather gods frowned on us once again. We got several good flights in but the training got cut short on Friday because of a storm front that moved thru and looked like it was going to bring the ceiling down low. We still managed to get several pilots certified so it wasn’t a complete loss.

The weather seems to be an issue every year, and for a place that is supposed to be dry, we seem to have an awful lot of low clouds and moisture. Perhaps the general staff needs to move the date a bit further into September to try to improve the situation. If you have any suggestions on the issue be sure to send them to the staff for consideration.

While I’m on the topic of the general staff, I have drafted a letter to the general staff concerning the problems that we had at Airsho this fall and would like you all to see it. It is fairly long and would be expensive to mail out to everyone but if you will send me your e-mail address, I will forward the letter too you. I would like to compile a database of everyone’s email addresses anyway.

Along with this newsletter, Bob Mitchell will be sending out a statement for your dues for the upcoming year. If you think you have already paid your dues you can check the records by going online at mydocsonline.com. The login is traron and the password is formation. Once you open the file, you can check your payment status and your currency on the spread sheet. If you paid your dues at Odessa, we will consider them paid for the 2005 year in order to help you new members out a bit. And Mike Anderson, I remember that you paid an extra year so you get a gold star next to your name. Way to go Big Mike!

The first formation clinic of the new year has been scheduled by the Inland Empire Wing at Riverside, Ca. and the dates are January 21, 22, and 23^rd , 2005. This is always a very well organized and run clinic that is great fun as well as a great opportunity to learn. For more information you can contact Mike Lindgren at 951-781-9825 or e-mail at lllindgren@hotmail.com.

The East coast/Southern guys are planning a clinic again this year but as of now the date hasn’t been set. As soon as I get the dates, I will be sending out a note to let everyone know about it. I encourage all you formation pilots to plan on attending a clinic as often as possible even if you are already certified. This is definitely an art that needs polishing on a regular basis or the skills deteriorate. Right now, this type of recurrent training isn’t required by the feds or by FAST but I think the training would help everyone involved. Many of you Traron pilots are great about attending regular clinics and I feel that our CAF pilots are a step above most other organizations because of it. Flying in 1 formation flight per year in order to maintain currency is just not enough practice to keep one sharp in this game. Not only are the clinics good practice, but we always have a great time and get to see people we wouldn’t get to see otherwise. What could be better than flying all day and then drinking beer or coke with your friends. Life is good.

Happy Holidays and

Keep ‘em flying,

Rick

P.S. For those of you that know Laurie, she soloed today in a Stinson 108 so her tail wheel training is coming along. She will probably be fighting me for the front seat of the SNJ soon.