August 2009

This is a regular informational bulletin published by the Western Powered Parachute Association, LLC, devoted to promoting the sport of powered parachuting through education, communications and participation.  If you would like to be removed from the mailing list go directly to the distribution site email maas0755@comcast.net   

“The mission of the Western Powered Parachute Association is to promote the sport of powered parachuting in the Western United States through Education, Participation and Resources.”

 In This Issue:

•         It is the Best of Times. It is the Worst of Times
•        Training Calendar
•           Event Calendar
  •    Brownsville Rally
  •    PPC Caravan
•         Training Corner
•        Resources

FEATURE

Sport Pilot Academy

www.sportpilotacademy.com

Published by Western Powered Parachute Association LLC

westernppa@comcast.net

Doug Maas 360 771-4047

Maas0755@comcast.net

Website: http://westernppa.org

Newsletter Distribution Group Site: http://sixchuterwest.com/ 

Sign up to receive this monthly bulletin at www.sixchuterwest.com Just fill out the news request form on the front page. While you are on the Six Chuter West website, explore the many other “articles” in several categories.  These articles are published weekly and are archived in the various categories.

 IT IS THE BEST OF TIMES…IT IS THE WORST OF TIMES

 The Powered Parachute season is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest.  From most views it is one “The Best of Times” in the sport.  We enjoyed one of the most successful Memorial Day club rallies ever at Twin Firs Turf Farm in Quincy, Washington.  The Arlington Air show brought more club members than ever to what has traditionally been a vendor show. Our available instructors have been booked solid through the summer with a cast of new students lining up.  We added to our FAA Examiner roster with Mike Lersbak’s successful completion of his authorization Checkride at Arlington.  Garey and Joann have lined up another awesome rally plan for Brownsville, Oregon.  And to cap off our season, Vie’s PPC Caravan is going to cruise through the Pacific Northwest stopping at most of our key flying locations. Its been a fast paced and action filled year so far.

 In the midst of one of the best seasons ever though we were struck with a real tragedy.  Robbie Whitesell, the FAA supervisor for our Pacific Northwest Examiners was killed in a light sport airplane crash in Alaska.  Robbie had just completed his second “tour” with us at the Arlington Air show where he completed seven re-authorizations of examiner status.  He flew with Doug Maas, Jim Groebner, Mike Lersbak, Bill Dotter, Dennis Stanley and two airplane examiners.  He died during a flight with another examiner just a day after Arlington.  Robbie was known to us a thoroughly professional, hard working, and always…always fun to work with.  He always had a smile on his face.  This is not only a difficult one for all of us who knew him, but also a blow to sport pilot.  Robbie was one of only a couple FAA supervisors qualified in and actively supervising the powered parachute side of sport pilot. We’re not sure how this will impact support from AFS 610, but regardless the personal loss here is just very difficult to deal with.

 Now that said, Robbie loved what he was doing.  He loved that he was flying in various category light sport aircraft and expressed his enthusiasm in travelling across the U.S. and working with a variety of us.

 Condolences and memories can be sent to:

In Memory of Robbie Whitesell

423 West Branches Way

Mustang, Oklahoma, 73064

 The Training Calendar

BEGINNING POWERED PARACHUTING

Our first ever “Beginning Powered Parachuting” Class is scheduled for August 15 at Twin Firs Turf Farm, Quincy Washington on August 15^th. Sponsored and organized by Tim Vedder of Central Washington Powered Parachutes, this is a unique approach to recruiting new prospective pilots to the sport.  Class participants will spend a morning with our CFI team of Mike Lersbak and Doug Maas and will participate in a discovery flight lesson, a one-hour classroom session introducing powered parachutes and training requirements, and then join us for a barbecue lunch provided by the Boy Scouts of America.  Participants will also receive a course completion certificate and a “low and slow” T Shirt.  This first session was limited to 12 participants and was full within 48 Hrs. of posting information on the class!  If you know of others who would like to experience a similar class, ask them to read about the course at http://sixchuterwest.com/?p=856 or contact Doug Maas at maas0755@comcast.net .  Based on the success of this session we will plan more in the future at this location and others around the Pacific Northwest.

ACCELERATED FLIGHT TRAINING

Our 4 day student pilot or ultralight pilot course has been our most popular this year.  We have graduated over a dozen thus far and continue to have folks sign up.  This course is made more popular because we are hosting it with the help of Central Washington Powered Parachutes in Quincy, Washington, as well as at our primary accelerated training location at Arlington.  As the training season nears end of summer we will increasingly be “stretched” to accommodate the training load in this class.  If you have folks who are interested in signing up for the course have them contact Doug at maas0755@comcast.net ASAP.

The Event Calendar

BROWNSVILLE, OREGON CLUB RALLY

 > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > Just wanted to remind you of the Brownville fly-in August 26-30th. The field should be in better condition this year. Frank Kelley has volunteered to mow all 160 acres, with scissors if necessary.
> >
> > The golf course will be set up again. Trap shooting with fun and games at Frank’s place. We will be adding a volleyball net this year for those interested. Custom embroidery will be on sight – thank you for the support last year. We’re planning on a food vendor, hopefully the same one as last year, but not confirmed. If you have any contacts, please let us know.
> >
> > Because of the increase in pilots this year, we are planning on at least three port-a-poties. As most of you know the Caravan will be joining us. We expect that to add 10-20 flyers. I have also had contact with a California club that may have as many as 6 pilots join us. Should be a good exciting group.

We will be doing patches for this years fly-in again. Those who are interested, please let me know by contacting me at gareyjoann@AOL.com There will be a limited number available – first come, first served.

I’ll post more info about the fly-in shortly. But if you have any direct questions, just contact me at the AOL address.

Thanks,
Garey Cosentino
(503) 371-0408
 GareyJoAnn@aol.com

Location: Go to google map and enter sunset Dr. Brownsville, Oregon. It’s the field to the West of sunset.

 Watch the club site for ongoing and additional information http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nwpoweredparachutecoalition/

THE PPC CARAVAN 

The Northwest Powered Parachute Coalition, EAA UL Chapter 127 is helping welcome…host, the 2009 Powered Parachute Caravan.  Bill Vietti (Vie) is organizing and leading the trip.  The official website is http://ppcpilot.com/CARAVANS/I/PPCCaravanInfo2.htm. The PPC Coalition is coordinating with Vie to make this one of the best caravans ever.  We have plotted an initial course that starts at Bonneville Skybase (south end of the Great Salt Lake), routes through Northern Nevada and California and joins the coalition at the annual rally at Brownsville, Oregon. The suggested route then stops on the Oregon Coast at Tillamook and continues to the Puget Sound area at the Seattle Powerchutes Flight Center, Arlington, Washington.  The trip will then continue over the Cascade Mountains with a planned stop at the Camp Ranch in Lacrosse, Washington then off towards home through Idaho.  We are hoping that a good number of Coalition members will join us at least for the Oregon and Washington route. Contact Vie (a.k.a. Bill) eyesbydrvie-1@yahoo.com or Mike Bird (Activities Coordinator for EAA UL Chapter 127) at flynlownslo@yahoo.com. All caravanners are encouraged to join the N.W. PPC Coalition and the coalition is offering this membership for 2009 as complimentary.  Contact Doug Maas at maas0755@comcast.net for membership information.

 The PPC Caravan, from Host Perspective

You are going to enjoy maybe a too close kept secret regarding the awesome flying in the Pacific Northwest. Now this is a “no money back guarantee” so take it for what its worth! (free)

•  Bonneville Skybase with Lew (Hook) Ershler and Dennis Stanley.  We did one of our Memorial Day rallies at this location and have awesome memories.  When you drive into “Bonneville Seabase-Skybase”, we thought the “sea base” thing was a joke.  I mean you will be on a salt flat with the only sea in sight being the Great Salt Lake.  As you pull right in you will find that this is the location of the primo scuba diving training location in Utah.  “Who woulda thunk it”?  You will find a huge man made lake on site with even sharks in it!  Believe me.  The location is rimmed with incredible snow capped peaks and as soon as you launch you will see the Great Salt Lake. You will meet some wonderful folks who just love flying.
• Winnemucca, NV.  Ok…confess I have been through and only know that Vie and Mike Bird have had great reception from their contacts.  This should be interesting area to fly and if you get bored, well heck you can maybe win enough to pay for your gas on this trip!
• Madras, OR. As you drive up into Central Oregon I think you will first kill any myth you have that the Pacific Northwest is only about rain!  This is more desert than anything else.  You will be coming up the east side of the Pacific Cascade Mountains the entire trip.  The airport at Madras is ppc friendly and wait until you see the views!  You will be able to stand in one area, or even better fly and see Mt. Hood to the Northwest, Mt. Baker to the South and the “Three Sisters” in between.  I suspect that this will be unlike any area you may have flown if you have only done the “middle-U.S.”.  Mike Bird, our PPC Coalition Event host will meet you here and begin to guide you and introduce you to the Pacific Northwest.
• Brownsville Oregon is the location of one of the largest Pacific Northwest PPC rallies.  This is kind of our “season closer”, even though it’s not really end of the season. You will get there by driving through the Cascade Mountains and arrive in the beautiful Willamette Valley. Garey and Joanne Cosentino are the hosts and have developed this into one of the most enjoyable rallies you could ever expect to attend.  You will meet likely 50 or more of our members, enjoy the food, camaraderie, and some VERY unique actives including skeet shooting, and bowling ball bomb drops. You will be “formally” welcomed here…and heck who knows maybe even get a special thing from the club here.
• McMinnville Oregon is your next stop with a short drive from Brownsville.  Mike Bird has really worked hard to make this a great stop.  You will be camped right across from the Air Museum that contains the “Spruce Goose”, Howard Hughes incredible flying machine.  McMinnville is located in the heart of the Oregon wine country for those who might find that “refreshing”.  The flying should provide you with open farm field and vineyard views just south of Portland Oregon.
• Arlington Washington with Rick Gutierrez and Mike Lersbak will be another incredible stop.  Getting there will take you through Portland Oregon and Seattle Washington.  Rick, who we dub as the “pied piper of ppcs in Puget sound” is an incredible host.  We don’t know what he has planned, but it’ll be good!  You will be flying from an airport that has a dedicated “ultralight area” and I think you will be impressed with Seattle Powerchutes set up there.  And the flying?  Fifteen minutes and you will be over Puget Sound, with views to the East of the Cascade Mounts, to the South, Mt. Rainier, and just wide open incredibly beautiful territory everywhere.
• Lacrosse, Washington is the final formal connection with the Northwest Powered Parachute Coalition.  You will be greeted by Steve and Becky Camp who own a dry wheat farm where you will camp and fly.  The highlight of this stop will be Steve and Becky.  The scenery is incredible too and very different than flying the west side of “the mountains”. 
• Kamiah Idaho. Ok I confess no knowledge here either, but know that our event coordinator Mike Bird took the time to drive through Idaho to find just the perfect exit point for the caravan. 

Bottom line…awesome territory to fly and a bunch of new friends!

Training Corner

This article was posted by CFI, DPE James Groebner (aka Grubby) for training purposes.  Lesson- -Can happen to the absolute best of us!  Thanks Grubby for openly sharing.

Posting this just as a reminder – happens to all of us at one time or another. Pilot error in this case but got lucky enough to pull it back out and have a safe flight home. I had a line wrap partial over the left end cell with the Chiron today – on take-off from the Fantasy Field fly-in. (With any luck, Rambo got it on film.)

Of course – pilot error! I looked at it on take-off at least twice and didn’t see it – Marnel was in the back seat. At lift-off, we banked left probably 45 degrees and scared the crap out of both of us as we were headed into trees and the runway “rough”. Full right steering bar did next to nothing – but with my right hand, I grabbed the steering line right at the riser attachment and pull in as much as I could.  With full pull, I could level it out – but lots of pressure on the hand and arm.

I was scanning the machine looking for the problem – thinking line wrap on the outrigger, on the passenger foot peg, etc. and also looked at the chute. Never saw it – until Marnel said it was the left side of the chute. When I looked at it again, you could see it. It was tough to see because the chute still looked inflated – it just had a tight pressure knot like one of those blow up long balloons the kids like.

Good news was the Chiron kept climbing as long as I could hold it – bad news was I couldn’t do that full-time and everytime I gave my hand/arm a break, we banked hard left and pitched over. Other good news is the Buckeye throttle was in the center and I could handle it with my left hand – otherwise I’m sure we would have went in.

As it was, we came closer than we ever wanted to several trees as we left the airfield climbing and banking. I managed to get us over Rambo’s mom’s open field and then landed it – not the smoothest but not bad considering the condition we were in. The big concern was coming in “flat” rather than banked to keep from slamming in and rolling.

Laid the chute out again – double/triple checked it and took off and flew home. Flight home was an hour of heavy rock-and-roll like I haven’t seen in some time and I don’t thing Marnel has ever seen. Winds shifting, thermals up and down
and lots of pitching. Landed – put it away – and will take a break for a day or two. Scary – pilot error – should have seen it before we left the ground. I looked at it at least twice on each side and never saw it. Lesson for the future: Keep looking and make sure you’re not just glancing at it and assuming it’s clean!

And Marnel says I’m getting a “big fu$%ing mirror” for my Buckeye! (And hopefully she’ll fly with me again!)

 Watch at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRqtQXbZrQw&fmt=18

Grubby

 Road Map to Staying Connected

 WPPA BULLETIN If you want to receive regular information about the sport, events, training and news on the West Coast, you will receive this bulletin.  If you have someone who would like to join this bulletin list steer him or her directly to http://sixchuterwest.com/?page_id=259.  You will find a page to download the most current training catalogue and a “news” form on the lower right hand side of the page.  Fill that out to automatically receive the monthly news.

 EAA ULTRALIGHT CHAPTER 127 If you want to network directly with other PPC enthusiasts in the Northwest, check out the N.W. Powered Parachute Coalition at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nwpoweredparachutecoalition/

 SIX CHUTER OWNERS If you own a Six Chuter powered parachute join the Six Chuter Owner’s Website at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sixchuterowners/ Just go to the site and “request to join”.  This site provides an exclusive site where Six Chuter owners can access resources specific to their powered parachutes, and exchange ideas among other owners.

 If you want to receive free regular information on Six Chuter Inc. powered parachutes you may receive a monthly free E-bulletin from Six Chuter.  If you are not receiving this bulletin already go to this site and sign the “news” form on lower right hand side of the page. http://sixchuterwest.com/  

 PPC SALES If you are in the market for a new or used powered parachute and would like to review monthly classifieds and other information about aircraft and support services check out http://sixchuterwest.com/?page_id=8 

 PPC ACCESSORIES If you are shopping for powered parachute accessories up to and including canopies, go to http://sixchuterwest.com/?page_id=301  

MAINTENANCE If you need service on your Rotax engine there are three authorized Rotax service stations in the region:

• Portland-Vancouver Vancouver Ultralight Services, Rolando Santiago 360 904 8766 http://sixchuterwest.com/?page_id=294
• Eastern Washington-Oregon Freedom Aerosports LLC, Steve Camp, sbcamp@wildblue.net 5095493321 www.freedomaerosports.com  
• Puget Sound- http://www.rainierultralightengines.com/ Clyde Poser Phone: 253-447-4398 Tech support: tech@rainierultralightengines.com Information: info@rainierultralightengines.com
• Portland-Vancouver Perry Robertson, CFI, Repairman, Troutdale, OR 503 913-8536 perrobertson@comcast.net HTTP://www.p3-sports.com

SPORT PILOT TRAINING AND TESTING

If you are not receiving the monthly Student-Testing supplement from WPPA and would like to, email Doug Maas at westernppa@comcast.net  this report tracks our students, our testing schedule and instructor assignments. If you would like to receive a copy of “Sport Pilot Maneuvers” you can request a copy from the same email address or download from the “files” section of the club website.  Go to the WPPA website www.westernppa.org to download the current year training catalogue and find other resources

 ALERT: To continue to receive the Western Powered Parachute Newsletter please go to http://sixchuterwest.com/ and fill out the Newsletter form on the lower right hand side of the home page. We remain in the process of consolidating a number of our websites and the method we use to distribute news.  The Six Chuter West website will become our sole location for articles and training bulletins.  This change is being made to increase Internet security on your end and ours and to make the process of production and distribution easier.  If you have any questions or concerns about how to sign up to continue to receive this news, email me at maas0755@comcast.net

Robbie Whitesell (center) listing to another Rambo story with club member Duane Rice listening in