Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 376, Central California

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 3:29 PM
To: doug@dougbetts.com
Subject: RE: Invitation to California

Doug:
 
Thank you for the invitation. I already have RONs planned for San Luis Obispo and Stockton-Tracy, CA, so Fresno will fit nicely in between.
This flight is strictly VFR ( OK so I might scud run a little), and timing will be controlled mainly by weather and neat things to see and interesting people to meet along the way. I will be determining my launch date early in June. This will be determined by the number of stops I will be making. I will notify you when I have set my departure date and give you an estimate of arrival date at your airport. I will keep you posted either by cell phone or e-mail as the trip progresses, and will give you a call when I depart for your airport. Shelter for the Acro Sport and a bed for me overnight would be greatly appreciated. 
If you have a group of EAA'ers that is interested, I will be happy to share my recollections of the life and times of Sam Burgess, including the construction of a replica  Bucker Jungmeister that he flew in all 50 states in 1970, the construction of his second Bucker Jungmeister powered by a 420 SHP Allison turbine engine, and being present when he broke the world record for time to climb to 3000 meters. Again, thank you for the invitation, and I look forward to the visit.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
Landed safely at Pineville, LA 2L0, and will RON with Jim and Patsy Hidalgo. Jim was a long time friend of Sam's and was one of the group that helped look after Sam at the end. Will overnight here and propects look good for meeting the EEA group in Lufkin, TX for lunch and the on to Liberty, TX for an RON with the newest EAA Chapter. The XM weather was indispensible again today. Two large thunderstorms in progress between Mc Comb, MS and Pineville, LA but a large 20 mile wide opening between them made for a pleasant flight. A lot of turbulence on landing, but the wind was right down the runway. I still haven't discovered any shortfield qualities in the Acro Sport. Under 90 mph it has all the aerodynamic qualities of a number two grain scoop thrown from a hay mow. Wheel landings are fine but it doesn't like full stall three point landings.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
I landed at Flying Tiger's Field of Dreams (81D) south of Houston, TX about 11:00 AM today. Freya Shiller, who has been my contact for this RON landed several hours later. She had flown here two children in her Mooney to the Bahamas for a vacation. What a treat to be in the land of Texas hospitality. Freya is an airline pilot for Continenal. I am being hosted in grand style by Kathy who was her training pilot when she started with Continental. Kathy and her husband have beautiful horse farm with a nice grass strip not far from FTFOD's. The guest quarters are magnificent. Bruce Bohannon, who owns FTFOD's, kept talking about having chior practice tonight, and whether of it would be held in his hanger or someplace else. I was beginiinng to think this was not my kind of crowd , if their ideas of showing me a good time was to take me to chior practice. Fortunately, Freya explained to me that "choir practice", is Bruce's code word for the boys to get together and drink beer, tell lies and talk flying. Now I am lookingforward to
this evenings festivities. Turns out that Freya, Bruce and I have several mutual friends we have made through our flying activities.
Bruce has a fellow who is going to trying to find the little electrical gremlin that has bugged me the last two days. If all goes well I will be meeting the Waco EAA Thursday at noon and then proceed to San Marcos, TX to RON for several days and visit with three generations of family I have there.
 
J.W. French
EAA #266844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
I have had several people on the trip ask who RON is. To clear that up, RON is a military term that means "remain over night." I really don't know how it became a part of my vocabulary, because I am a career civilian, having never been in the active duty military.
Chior practice at Flying Tiger's Field of Dreams was a spiritually uplifting experience. Bruce, Freya, Ernie and the whole group were in fine voice, and the fellowship was wonderful. On top of that Bruce's resident electrical genius, I believe it was Alan, diagnosed and fixed the  gremlin in my electrical system in short order. Flying Tiger's Field of Dreams is a hard place to leave. The people involved are the kind that make any organization great. I hope Bruce's dream for a museum, camping and nature area, and learning center becomes a reality. It is people lilke Bruce, Freya, Ernie and the rest of the gang that will keep grass roots aviation alive. I had a great night's sleep in Kathy and Craig McDonalds guest quarters, with the heavenly sounds of "chior practice" ringing softly in my ears.
 This morning thunderstorms were already forming and heading for Waco, TX so I had to scrub the visit with the Waco Chapter Thursday lunch bunch. I missed getting to meet Jeff and Lynne Stoltenberg in Brenham, TX where I stopped at the airport and had their highly publicized $100 hamburg, but I got a call from Jeff after I landed in San marco, TX, and we had a nice visit on the phone.
It is great to visit with the family here. I haven't been here to see them since the SBMJ 2005.  I will be in San Marcos, TX till Sunday morning when I will leave for Alpine, TX to visit with Woody and Mary Haston. Woody was one of the fellows that helped look after Sam in this final days. He also built one of the finest Hatz biplanes every built. He did it in German WWI markings with a scalloped trailing edge on the wings, and wire spoked wheels. It is a beautiful airplane.
I'll report again when I get to Woody's.
 
J.W. French
EAA #266844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
Woody and Mary Haston accepted the challenge of getting these tired old bones up and at 'em early this morning. Temperature was 71 F. I was in the air by 7:30 and climbing out for Van Horn, TX. I made one circle around the Alpine Airport and was able to climb out direct to Van Horn. The mountains are still a new experience for me and I am glad that there are big wide valleys between them. Landed at Los Cruses, NM for fuel and they are now in first place in the "Hall of Shame" for the price of fuel ($5.69/gal.) If I could have made Lordsburg, NM it was $4.20. Winds were still light and right down runway 12. I greased it on way out where nobody could see it. Trouble with the credit card caused a little delay and then I was on my way.
 I'm now seeing serious stretches of "nothing there" so I tried to stay within gliding distance of I10. Gut check time at Cochise, when I had to leave the highway and fly up the San Pedro River valley to San Manuel (77). Big wide valley with serious mountains on each side and no place to go if the engine takes a dump. San Manuel is an old company town built by Del Webb for the copper mine employees. The mines have been closed for some time now so the air quality is great. Nice runway and I arrived at noon before the afternoon winds kicked up. That's noon Mountain Standard Time because Arizona doesn't regocnize Daylight Savings Time.  I now have claimed my 39th state. Mark Rhoads and Britta Penca were there to meet me. We had lunch with a group from Chapter 1406 at the country club and then visited several projects. I saw Max Wood's magnificent Mustang II which is nearly finished. It has a retractable tricycle gear with a razor back cabin and a T18 windshield and gull wing doors. It has a turbocharged TIO-360 Lycoming with a constant speed prop, and a panel full of steam gages. What a beautiful airplane. Mark and Britta both have grycopters, and I had a tour of their hangar and projects. Britta has a private helicopter rating and a sport pilot grycopter rating and will start fixed wing instrument training in October.Their ranch is about two miles from the airport as the crow flies, but seven miles by road. The views from the house are spectacular.
The chapter is having a potluck dinner tonight to celebrate the SBMJ 2008 visit. The hospitality of the EAA Chapters and my hosts have really made this trip a pleasure. I'll check in again tomorrow from Casa Grande, AZ. 
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
Left the wonderful group that hosted and entertained me at San manuel, AZ, Chapter 1406 this morning. The flight for San Manuel was only about 45 minutes and once I got out of the high country the air was relatively smooth. The wind was about 45 degrees crossed, but only about 7 knots. I landed at Casa Grande (CGZ) this morning and was met by a large contingent of members from Chapter 1445 and a photographer and a reporter from the Casa Grande Dispatch. Mike Still had done a great job of organizing the event on short notice.
I gave a presentation on the life and times of Sam Burgess, and tried to quit ten minutes before the audience expected it, which is what a wise old politician once told made the best speech. They just kept asking questions about Sam and the airplanes he built so I hung in there with them as long as they were interested.  We ajourned for a great lunch at Mimi's.
My hanger host for the Acro Sport is Terry Emig, the an officer of the AAAA/ Catus  Fly In and an old friend of Robert Taylor of AAA fame.  He has a beautiful Stearman. One of the Chapter members had made Sam's acquaintence in the past. I saw a number of beautiful airplanes that belong to the members, including a pristine Stolp V Star and a 1941 J3 Cub with and 0-200 Continental engine with an electrical system and a starter.
My overnight host has accepted the challenge of getting my tired old bones up early so I can get to Payson in the morning before the heat whips up the wind and the turbulence. I will be going back into the mountains to get to Payson. I am getting a little more comforable in the high country, but I don't I will ever be able to relax in that environment.
I'll try to report again tomorrow from Payson.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
I had a delightful evening with my overnight host, Allan Lerfold, from Chapter 1445, and Steve Hulland, who is the newsletter editor for Chapter 81, and the Airport Manager of the Casa Grande airport.
Steve is doing a wonderful job of making the Casa Grande airport general aviation friendly. They are in first place for the Hall of Fame for general aviation services, facilities, attitude and fuel prices. 100LL was $4.98/ gal. The activity of pilots from Hall of Shame airports coming to use the field and purchase fuel is a credit to Steve's implementation and the city fathers who set the policy. If only more cities and counties that operate airports would stop looking at their airports as cash cows, and take this approach general aviation might have a chance of surviving a little longer.
Ths morning Mike Still, the president of 1445, and several other chapter members were at the airport to see me off. This chapter went from start up to 70 members in about a year and the enthusiasm and vitality of the chapter is just great. Mike Still is an excellent facilitator and organizer, and has really made the chapter blossom.
 
I launched for Payson, AZ (KPAN)) with apprehension because of the mountains and all the airspace issues, but it was still relatively cool, and winds and turbulence were not an isssue. I'm still not comforable close to the mountains, but I sucked it ip and did it. The conditions were all favorable and I gave myself the chance to handle the circumstances with minimal exposure. The scenery going into Payson was spectacular. The airport is almost a mile above sea level. The air was choppy on downwind at pattern altitude, but when I turned from base to final it smoothed out and I greased another one. Either landings at the high altitudes are easier or I'm finally getting the hang of the Acro Sport. I wish I'd had more time to practice before I left on the trip.

My host is Robert Henley. His father, "Skid" Henley was in the aerial application business in  McAlester, OK and Robert and his father and brother,
who ran the McAlester Airport for years, knew Leroy Holt of Thorp T18 fame.  Leroy and I have known each other for over twenty years. I got Leroy on my cell phone and Bob, Leroy, and I had a nice chat. Coincidences didn't end
there. We stopped at Ron Ward's hanger to see the Cessna 180 he now has for sale and and the beautiful Cessna 195 he has just aquired. Ron asked were I lived in Ft. Myers, FL and I told him Buckingham Airpark. He asked if I knew Paul Cox. I told him he is my neighbor, and was a big help in getting the Acro Sport ready for this trip. It turns out they were hanger mates in Louisville, KY for years. So I got Paul on my cell phone and they had a nice visit and got reconnected. 
Robert Henley has an American Eaglet replica that his father built from factory plans. It did't have the three cylinder Szekely radial engine with the cable around the cylinders to help hold them on, so I didn't recognize it at first. It started out with a C65 Continental, but after he brought it from McAlester, OK to the Arizona mountains he outfitted it with an C85 Continental. He also has a pristine 1947 Bonanza with the 225 Continental Engine. Payson is a beautiful place, and the airpark that is connected to the municipal airport is great. Now there's an interesting approach, a municipal airport with access for a private airpark. That makes way too much sense for most levels of government to behave like this.
I will be off to Eagles Roost (27AZ), at Aguila AZ in the morning. It is another short flight over mountains, so I'm continuing to ease my way into this mountain flying in manageable steps. The pilots along the way have all been great about giving me pointers to ease the discomfort of facing the challenges of flying in the high desert and the mountains. This is grass roots aviation at it's best.
After Eagle's Nest I'll leave for General Stout Airport (1L8) at Hurricane, UT for an RON withCarlos Deunas.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
The flight from Payson, AZ to Eagles Roost, AZ was a short one, but challenging. I climbed to 8500 msl to clear the mountains and flew for nearly an hour over extremely hostile country. There was nothing but mountains rocks and beautiful country with absolutely no place to make an emergency landing. You just had to fly on faith in the engine. Eagles Roost (27AZ) is about 25 miles west of Wickenburg, AZ at an elevation of os 2200 msl. The runway and sreets had been newly paved so it was easy to identify. I distinguished myself by bouncing several landing attempts so badly I had to go around, before finally greased a good wheel landing. I hadn't screwed up a landing and had to go around since Lufkin, TX and was just beginning to feel like I had the Acro Sport mastered.
I was met by my host Monroe Mc Donald, a retired electrical engineer. He had worked in the Dallas, TX area and knew Dick Gavin of Thorp T18 fame well. Dick was a close friend of mine. I spent many enjoyable RON's with Dick and his wife. I always looked for bad weather when I was close to Addison so I would have an excuse to spent the night with them. Dick wrote the Thorp T18 newsletter for abount 25 years, and  also wrote a regular monthly article for Sport Aviation for many years. Eagles Roost was also the home of Bill Warwick, who built the first Thorp T18, and is fondly remebered by many of the Eagle Roost resident that I met. Monroe took me in to Wickenburg to see the sighta and on the way I stopped and took a picture of the entrance sign to the abandoned airfield where Paul Poberezny took glider training in WWII.
The Wickenburg Chapter members gathered for a ice cream social this evening and and asked me to share my memories of the life and times of Sam Burgess. I am still amazed at the number of people I meet who knew and respected Sam. One of the members of the chapter had judged aerobatic contests with Sam, and another had visited with Sam about the Allison turbine engine that Sam used on the second Bucker Jungmeister he built. This fellow is building a Seawind with a Pratt and Whitney PT6 turbine. What an awesome project.. One of the member, Bob Trewis EAA#2324,  is still flying the Stitts Playboy he built in 1965, and there is a Thorp T18 that was built by the owner in 1976 that is absolutley absolutely gorgeous.
I will be leaving early in the morning for Hurricane, UT (1L8) General Stout Airport for an RON with Carlos Deuna, and I hope to get to Flabob Field (KRIR) on Sunday, for a visit with Conrad Nordquist and members of Chapter #1.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
Monroe McDonald at Eagle's Roost did a yeoman job of getting me up and on my way this morning at Eagles Roost, AZ (27AZ). It's hard to leave good people like Monroe and the folks at Eagle's Roost. There are many interesting people and many interesting airplanes in that airpark, and I was welcome to stay on.
Today was another gut check day. The mountains are getting taller and closer together. My destination was Hurricane, UT, General Stout airport (1L8). I elected to head for Parker, AZ and then fly up the Colorado River Valley to Lake Mead and stop at Mesquite, NV (67L)  for fuel, and claimed Nevada as the 40th state on the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket. It was a short hop  over a deep mountain pass following I15 to St. George Utah and then descending into Hurricane,UT. I had a light cross wind and finally managed to make a nice landing, and claim state the 41st state for the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket. 
 I was met by my host, Carlos Duenas and two other members of Chapter 936. Carlos has built a magnificent Acro Sport, and is flying the time off on it now. He also owns a 2000 Piper Archer and a two seat Challenger light sport aircraft. He is a sport pilot instructor.
Carlos and I had lunch in a resort town close to the Zion National Park and then he took me on an automobile tour of the park. The scenery was breathtaking. I got a lot of great picture of the mountains and the interesting rock formations.
My RON accommodations are an apartment in Carlo's hanger at the airport. He has built a hanger on leased ground from the city ($300/year for 25 years). At the end of the lease the rental rate is renegotiated. I don't know what the city fathers in Hurricane, UT are drinking, but I would like to buy a case of it and give it to Lee County Florida Port Authority, that runs Page Field in Ft. Myers. The apartment is beautiful, and yes, you can do your own maintenance or build an airplane in your hanger.
I will be off in the morning for French Valley Airport (F70) at Murrieta, CA for lunch with Conrad Nordquist, and a function with members of Chapter 1279 at 2:00PM. After the meeting Conrad and I will fly to Flabob Airport (KRIR) and fellowship with the members of EAA Chapter #1. Conrad is the proud owner of the Glasair RGI that I sold him last September. He will be my RON host at Flabob.
For those of you who have see articles and pictures on the EAA web site and noticed that I am wearing the same blue shirt with the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket logo in every picture, let me put your minds at ease. I am not wearing the same dirty shirt everyday. My neighbor in Buckingham Airpark does this embroidery and I had her make me six of these shirts for the trip. I don't have to make any decisions about what I'm going to wear every morning and I have a clean shirt every day.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
My host at Hurricane, UT, Carlos Duenas, could not have been more gracious. He was at the hangar apartment at the stroke of 7:00 AM to be sure this old bag of bones was up and at 'em. After breakfast I was in the air for French Valley, CA (F70) to meet Jim Pyle, the immediate past president of Chapter #1, and my RON host Conrad Nordquist, who is a member of Chapter 494 and #1. We had a delightful lunch at the airport restaurant, and then joined the members of Chapter 1279 for their regular meeting. I was asked to share my recollection of the life and times of Sam Burgess. Some day I hope to be able to talk about my friendship with Sam without choking up. Each time I give the presentation I promise myself I won't do it, but so far I haven't been successful. After the meeting, the chapter adjourned to the ramp to look at aircraft that had flown in for the occasion. The Acro Sport drew a big crowd, but the stars of the event were a highly polished aluminum Ryan STN with a Menasco engine and a newly completed Thorp T18, that had had it's first journey away from it's test flight area, having just flown it's required test hours off. We then adjourned to the hangar where the chapter project Pietenpol is kept. The chapter president, Steve Williamson, is a master craftsman in wood. The Pietenpol project looks better than any piece of fine furniture you have ever seen.
After the chapter meeting Jim Pyle treated Conrad and I at an ice cream parlor. Jim managed to polish off the biggest ice cream banana split I've seen in a long time. Then it was back to the French Valley to depart for Flabob Airport. After a briefing from  Conrad on the best way to thread through the airspace from French Valley to Flabob, Conrad launched first in my old Glasaair I RG and I followed in the Acro Sport. Dropping into the basin where Flabob is brings into play the smog that seems to hang in the area on a regular basis. The tower operator at Riverside Airport couldn't have been more cooperative in moving me through his airspace to put me on the left down wind for  runway 24 at Flabob. I elected to turn base inside of Mount Rubidoux, so at one point on turning base I was staring right at the big white cross on the top of the mountain. I made my third good landing of the day to close out the flight, and had already claimed the the 42nd state for the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket at French Valley 
Today was filled with more challenges of coping with mountain flying. The navigation of the pass from St. George , UT to Mesquite, NV wasn't any more fun than it had been the day before. The landing at Havasu City at 780 MSL in the high desert heat was an interesting exercise and shooting the Banning Pass to get into the basin where French Valley and Flabob are both located certainly got this flat lander's attention.
After a fine meal of salmon, asparagus, baked potato and a salad prepared by Conrad, he gave me a briefing on negotiating the Kajon Pass to get to tomorrows meeting at Visalia, CA. This weeks schedule, if the weather of something else doesn't interfere is as follows:
Monday        June 30     Visalia, CA                Dan Eggelston/
Tuesday       July 1       Sierra Skypark, CA      Doug Betts
Wednesday   July 2       Tracy, CA                  Craig Vincent
Thursday      July 3        Redding, CA  (085)     Doug Noble
 Friday          July 4       Montaque, CA (105)    Chris Tyhurst
Saturday       July 5       Roseburg, OR              Paul Schafer
Sunday          July 6      Indepedence, OR          Bob Schwarzler
 
The hosts, chapter members, the fellowship, and the weather have all been great. The challenges of the are what Sam meant when he used to tell me, "Jimmie, clean your plate!"
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2006

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 10:28 PM
 Subject: SBMJ 2008 Position Report

Folks:
 
I spent an enjoyable morning at Flabob Airport and got to see many interesting projects. The Luscombe with the Rotec radial is a thing of beauty. I got to see the Firecracker, and Ed Marquart's MA3 biplane and his Marquart Charger. I missed getting to meet Ray Stitts, as he was getting his medical today. I enjoyed the ambience of the cafe at the Flabob Airport. I am now an official dues paying member of EAA Chapter #1. Among the many fine acts of hospitality at Flabob was a free tank of fuel. It is really hard to leave the company of people like Conrad Nordquist and Jim Pyle. I was invited to stay for their big July 4th celebration which includes a fireworks show that sets Mt. Robidoux on fire. None the less it was time to depart for Visalia, CA and a visit to Chapter 262.
Climbing out of Flabob I had to negotiate Cajon Pass, another test of the flatlander's courage in dealing with large rocks. I finally climbed to 10500 msl in the Acro Sport and got out of the turbulence and heat haze. It was so cool I had to close the cockpit vents for the first time. Once at altitude I was making ground speeds of 135-140 mph. What a treat. I saw a few fires off to the north of my route and once I crossed in the wide valley land past Bakersfield there was a lot of smoke and haze. I was greeted at the airport by Steve Dillard, Dan Eggelston my RON host, and J.W. Mason,( you have to like a guy with a name like that) who is building an RV4. I saw Rod Bower's magnificent variant of the RV8 and the Stewart Mustang he is building powered by a Chevy big block V8 that even Mr. Chevy wouldn't recognize after all the improvements that Rod has made. Absolutely beautiful craftmanship. The chapter members gathered in a park pavilion on the airport for a great meal prepared by one of the members, that was topped off with key lime pie. I'm now at my host's home and getting ready to look at his Thorp T18 project that is ready to fly. He is acquainted with Steve Hawley, Tom Hunter, John Evens, Dave Cochran, and Chuck Borden, all well known T18 builders. You meet the nicest people in a Thorp T18. Tomorrow I am off to Sierra Skypark near Fresno, CA. It is the oldest airport subdivision in the U.S., having been started in 1946.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 11:01 PM
Subject: Sbmj 2008 Position Report

Folks:
 
After I finished my position report my host, Dan Eggleston showed me his completed Thorp S18. What a beautiful job he has done on it . The sheet metal work and the fit and finish on the plane is exquisite, and he has kept the empty weight to 880
pounds, which is probably the lightest S18 I have ever seen. It has an 0-320 E2D Lycoming engine with an Aymar Demuth fixed pitch wood prop. He is waiting to take his private check ride and then get a tailwheel endorsement so he can start his test flight period. At that weight it should be a real performer.
 I was at the airport early this morning thanks to the early rising habits of my host. Since there is no fuel service at my next stop, I elected to fill up at Visalia,CA before leaving, thus putting that airport in first place in the Hall of Shame by the slender lead of $0.01 per gallon at a price of $5.70 for self service fuel. Judging by the indifferent attitude of the personnel on duty at the FOB I would guess they would wear that title like a badge of honor.
The flight to Sierra Skypark was less than a half-hour and uneventful. No mountains or big rocks to deal with, but I managed to distinguish myself by bouncing an attempted wheel landing and turning it  into a crow hopping three point landing. I'm glad there was not a large welcoming committee on hand to witness it. I was met by the chapter president and facilitator for this visit, Doug Betts, and my RON and hangar host Tim Cone. We went to town for a great lunch.
After lunch I was given the royal tour of Sierra Skypark which is the oldest residential airpark in the U.S. It was started in 1946 by Mr. Bill Smilie. His widow, Doris Smilie has donated a tract of land to EAA Chapter #376 for the Bill Smilie Aviation Center. It will contain the San Joaquin Valley History Museum, the Residential Airparks of the World Museum and the Youth Aviation Resource Center. The purpose of the Youth Aviation Resource Center is to use aviation to inspire youth toward math, science, and technology education.
A watermelon feed was put on by the chapter this evening to welcome the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket. After all the watermelon anyone wanted to eat I gave a short presentation on my recollection of the life and times of my late friend and mentor, Sam Burgess. I continue to be amazed by the people who had met Sam and/or know about his magnificent journey around the country is the his first Jungmeister, and remember the awesome turbine powered Bucker Jungmeister that he started at the age of 69 and completed when he was 74. 
In the morning I will be on my way to Tracy, CA to meet Craig Vincent, the facilitator for this visit and then fly a short hop to Stockton, CA to meet the chapter president, and fellowship with members of the chapter.
 
P.S. I still don't have an invitation for a stop between Helena, MT and Alexander, MN. If anyone has a connection in that area, particularly North and South Dakota, an RON there would be greatly appreciated. It is way too long for a one day flight, and two stops would really be great.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
Tim Cone from Sierra Skypark took off after me as I left and joined up for some nice air to air shots of the Acro Sport on the way to Tracy, CA. When I arrived at Tracy a press photographer was there to get photos of the the landing and I nailed a good one in a stiff headwind. A reporter did a long interview and I just received a copy of the article today in my e-mail. Craig Vincent, the Chapter 1432 vice president had arranged for the press to be there, and was there to greet meet. Craig is the sales manager of Skyview Aviation that imports the LSA Breezer for Germany, and has acquired the Skylark LSA  and is manufacturing them at the Tracy, CA airport. Richard Ortenheim, the owner of Skyview Aviation, offered me the use of his facilities for an oil change and general clean up of the Acro Sport, and hangared the plane for me overnight. It is great to see an organization that is moving the manufacturing of a LSA from overseas to the US. Cessna could that a lesson from Richard Ortenheim. Craig and the chapter president, Tom Belisle gave me a tour of the Stockton, CA airport and showed me Tom's RV4, that is well underway. Then it was off to see the Stockton Ports play the Modesto Nuts in minor league baseball game. The Ports lost, but they explained that they don't go to see the Ports win, they go to see them play. The motel where the chapter hosted me, shuts down access to the internet at 9:00 PM so I missed reporting last night.
Tim Cone from from Sierra Sky Park had flown over to deliver a credit card I had left at his stop and was there to see me off with the fellows from Chapter 1432. The flight to Redding was calm air, cool temperatures, and clear air till I got closer in to Redding. 20 miles out the smoke was really getting thick so I dropped down from the cool clear air at 6500 msl. The closer I got the worse the smoke and haze became. I contacted Redding tower and they had 'clear with 4 miles and there was a fire TFR just northwest of the the Benton  airport where I intended to land so I elected to land at the Redding Airport while it was still VFR. Hopefully conditions will improve by morning. I called Jim Barry, the president of Redding Chapter 157 when I got on the ground and he drove over from the Benton airport to pick me up. We looked several member planes and projects at the Benton airport. This evening Jim and several other members of the chapter entertained me at dinner and we had a great time swapping flying stories. Miles Drewhorn, the chapter vice president and a senior aviator (he flew in WWII) has a nice Thorp T18 under construction. Wherever I go I keep meeting the nicest people who are building Thorp T18s.
In the morning I am off to Montague, CA (1O5) if the smoke will permit. It looks like things are improving at this point.
 
Pictures in the order they appear:
 
Chapter 262 Visalia, CA airport
Chapter 376 Sierra Skypark Fresno, CA
In-flight from Sierra Skypark to Tracy, CA
In flight from Sierra Skypark to Tracy, CA 
Chapter 1432 Stockton, CA 
Chapter 1432 being met by the press at the Tracy, CA airport
Chapter 157   Redding, CA

-----Original Message-----

From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]

Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 12:19 AM

Subject: SBMJ 2008 Position Report

Folks:

I'm enjoying a visit with my nephews and their families today and will be heading to the Arlington EAA Fly In. For those of you who will be there and want to get together give me a call on my cell phone, or I'll be somewhere on the flightline. I'll leave Sunday for Martin Field near Walla Walla, WA.

J.W. French

EAA #226844

SBMJ 2008

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 2:05 PM
Subject: SBMJ 2008

Folks:
 
Just when you think things can't get any better, they do! Wednesday, July 9th,the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket claimed it's 44th state. I got to Arlington, WA about twenty minutes after the air show had started, so I elected to land at Snohomish County (Paine Field PAE). I fueled the Acro Sport and found the fuel price this stop at a self-service island was a tie for first place for the Hall of Shame, However, there was an easy tie-breaker, the rewind mechanism on the fuel hose was inoperative, and judging from it's state of repair, it hadn't worked in a long time. This is not some little out of the way operation, this is the field where Boeing builds airplanes!
Also, the self-service island did not produce a receipt. The folks at Regal Air who are close to the pump, but do not operate it, were nice enough to call Castle and Cooke, the owners of the fuel facility, and request a copy of the receipt. In fact over the course of the next two hours they were kind enough to call Castle and Cooke three more times. In the meantime three more fuel customers  waiting for a receipt joined the queue. Finally two fellows in heavily starched white collared shop foreman shirt wearing , heavily starched attitudes  and caring clipboards showed up. Their contempt for a customer in a home built biplane that won't go away until he got a receipt for only 18 gallons of their overpriced fuel was very evident. I was very careful to get proper identification from them because I wanted to be certain that their employer, CASTLE and COOKE, received the proper recognition as FIRST PLACE in the HALL OF SHAME for OVER PRICED FUEL and NON-EXISTENT SERVICE.
Lee Elliott, my host, came in due course, and carried me to his home and my elegant guest quarters. His lady, Joan prepared a great meal, followed by strawberry short cake. After a good nights sleep, and a great breakfast prepared by Lee, I was off to the airport and the short flight to the Arlington Airport (KAWO). The traffic arriving for the EAA Fly In was being handled very efficiently without out use of N numbers by the temporary tower in operation. The tower controller was nice enough to instruct the tan Bonanza in front of me to start his base RIGHT NOW close in so I didn't have to follow him in a long final. As a result, I was able to do a continuous turn to final and keep the runway  in site and then slip to the numbers with a nice wheel landing and make the first turn off. As soon as I was parked in the homebuilt area          Bryant from  Seattle Chapter 26 appeared and told me that they weren't expecting me to attend, but would I please fire up the Arco Sport and follow the guide on the scooter to the front row of the show line. The Sam Burgess Memorial Junket Acro Sport was parked on the show line right next to John Proctor's "Cloud Dancer", the beautiful powder blue Hatz biplane on floats. John, who had been my host for the Roseburg, OR
RON appeared shortly and I had a chance to get some photos that I forgot to get in the excitement of the shindig he threw for the SBMJ. Life is good, beautiful weather, magnificent scenery, interesting airplanes, and the greatest people in the world to associate with. I doesn't get any better than this. Later, I got together with Bob Schwarzler and Jerry Medlock from the Independence, OR stop. I got to spend some time with Craig Vincent , my RON facilitator at the Tracy, CA stop. He is here representing Skyview Aviation that imports the LSA "Breezer" from Germany. They have also acquired the "Skylark" LSA and have moved production production from the Czech Republic to Tracy, CA. CESSNA LSA, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION!!!!
Lee, Joan and I will be leaving shortly to return to the fly in. I expect to find Dave Cheney,( no I won't go quail hunting with him, I don't care what you say) at the fly in today, and get some pointers on the best way to get passed the "big rocks" going to his place at Martin Field (S95) on Sunday.
More later.

#310  Independence, OR Chapter morning coffe at the EAA Hangar
#336  J. W. and Ford Trimotor at McMinnville Evergreen Aviation Museum
#415  Bob Schwarzler ATP, Army aviator, farmer, boat builder, construction contractor
         and homebuilder (aircraft), my Ind ependence, OR host
#447   Nephew Eric French with twins Morgan and Jason
#453 Hall of Shame Caste and Cooke
#454 Hall of Shame Castle and Cooke
#464 J.W. and John Proctor with the SBMJ Acro Sport at Arlington EAA Fly In.

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 5:33 PM
Subject: SBMJ 2008 Position Report

Folks:
 
My hosts, Lee Elliott and Joan Burns has really gone out of their way to make the stay for the Arlington EAA Fly In a memorable one. Great quarterS, great food and fun people are a hard combination to beat. The Arlington EAA Fly In is really done well. The volunteers working the fly in couldn't be more friendly and cooperative. The grounds are layout well with access to the airplanes, the show line and the camping areas not being restricted while the air show is on. The were lots of great antiques and classic airplanes, the home built airplanes were well represented and a number of light sport planes were on display. I guess you can't attract the general public without the War Birds, but at least they didn't overpower the antiques, classics, and homebuilts at this fly in.
 
Remember our friends, Castle and Cooke, who are in first place in the HALL OF SHAME for HIGH FUEL PRICES and NON-EXISTENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. They were at the Arlington EAA Fly In to cinch as a dead certainty their FIRST PLACE position in the HALL OF SHAME. They had a lock on the fuel service at the Fly In with a from the truck price of $6.74/ gallon for up to 50 gallons, for 50 gallons or more they knocked off a whole $0.10. Don't you just love the operators who are doing their best to grab every dime from general aviation "just because they can."
 
I left before the air show started this morning to take advantage of the cooler temperature, calmer wind, and smoother air for my trip through the "big rocks" from Arlington, WA to Martin Field (S95) out side of Walla Walla, WA in the Columbia River Valley. I made the trip at 7500 msl over some really rugged mountains with no place to land if the engine decides to take a dump. This not something I will ever get used to, but it is a necessity if you are going to get from point A to point B in this part of the country. I was really glad to get out of the mountain environment when I passed Ellensburgh, WA. I lost all satellite reception about 45 minutes out from my destination and had to resort to dead reckoning with the chart, the whiskey compass and the clock. All the satellite signals showed in the green on the Garmin 396, but a red message appeared that satellite reception was lost and the moving map and all navigation pages went blank. This was in the vicinity of a restricted area around a nuke plant, and I suspect that our government is messing with the satellite signals there like they did in the old days when they purposely degraded the signal at will. I love my country, it's the government that really scares me. I finally got the signal back about 15 minutes out after shutting the GPS off and re-starting it. I was able to smooth another good landing on with no audience. Wilma Cheney, (no I won't go quail hunting with any of them) met me at the fuel pump and in short order the Acro Sport was safely put away in the hangar, my gear was put in the guest house, and Wilma made me a sandwich for lunch. The Cheney's own Martin Field and it appears to be one of those remaining bastions of general aviation that continues as a labor of love by people dedicated to grass roots aviation. Castle and Cooke could take a lesson from these folk.
The Chapter #604 annual picnic is tomorrow evening and I will leave the following day for Sky Meadows Air Park (WN92) outside of COE for an RON with Rob Neils.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 9:57 PM
Subject: SBMJ 2008 Position Report

Folks:
 
Today has been a relaxing day at Martin Field with Dave and Wilma Cheney. Dave is an interesting man with a great aviation resume that includes 27000 hours of flight time. He earned his Navy wings of gold at Pensacola in 1948 and retired from American Airlines. He and his son are dealers for the Jabiru LSA. I was fortunate enough to get a ride with Dave this afternoon in the 4 cylinder 85 HP model, and I was very impressed with the smoothness of the engine and the low noise level, and 3.5 gph for 100 kt cruise is really something. The Jabiru engine has a specific fuel consumption of 0.4 lb./horsepower hour, which is amazing for an air cooled engine.
This evening the Chapter 604 annual picnic, was held at Martin Field. A reporter from the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin was there to for an interview about the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket. It was a great potluck supper. After the meal I was asked to share my recollections of the life and times of my late friend and mentor, Sam Burgess. Then it was time for taking pictures with the Acro Sport. If every general aviation field had a Dave and Wilma Cheney running it we wouldn't have to worry about the future of general aviation and homebuilt airplanes.
My schedule for the rest on this week if everything goes as planned is as follows:
Tuesday     July 15      Sky Meadow Airpark    Rob Neils
Wednesday   July 16    Helena, MT                Lance Seaman
Thursday     July 17     Billings, MT                 Mark Standish
Friday          July 18    Someplace between Billings, MT and Alexandria, MN
Saturday       July 19    Alexandria, MN             Daniel Barber
 

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:20 PM
Subject: SBMJ 2008 Position Report

Folks:
 
Tuesday the regular morning coffee group was there to see me off at Martin Field, twice. On my departure an inspection plate and reinforcing ring left the bottom of the right top wing., so it was back to Martin field and some Gorilla duct tape. Boy is that stuff strong. Another departure from Martin Field and 1:20 later I was at Sky Meadows Airpark. One go around and one not so pretty landing later I was safely on the ground. Staring at BIG TREES on a BIG HILL straight ahead of me when I was on downwind was a little unnerving. The next time wouldn't be a problem now that I know it can be done. Rob Neil, my host was there to greet me and was holding a portable air tank which he offered to me in case I had bounced all the air out of my tires. Why is it there is no one around when I grease one on? Rob offered me the choice of a ride in his Europa motorglider over a range of BIG ROCKS to a steakhouse in a neighboring valley, or a float trip in a canoe down the Little Spokane River with a cooler full of my favorite adult beverage. You know me and BIG ROCKS, I went for the canoe trip. What a great R & R session that was. The scenery was breathtaking and was a great relief from the stress of flying among BIG ROCKS. We had a great meal afterwards at a Mexican restaurant. After  supper we visited Rob's neighbor Larry Howard, who is putting the finishing touches on the restoration of a Laird Biplane. It turns out he was acquainted with Sam Burgess and Amelia Reid.
Rob is an early riser so I was up and at'em this morning. Now I had to face the part of the trip that I have been concerned about from the time I started detailed planning about four years ago, the dreaded Mullan Pass between COE (I still can't spell it) and Missoula, MT. Rob had offered to personally guide me through it in his motorglider. We launched from Sky Meadows Airpark and Rob moved in close in the motor glider for some air to air shots of the Acro Sport. My mission for today included a stop for fuel at Shosone County Airport at Smelterville, ID to claim the 45th state for the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket. Great airport, friendly service, and fuel for $5.00/gal.  I parted with Rob and the motor glider escort there, and launched to take on the Mullan Pass. Was I comfortable, no, but the air was smooth and I had a nice tailwind, and THE PASS was not as challenging as some I had already navigated in Utah, California, Oregon and Washington. One hour later I was passing over Missoula, MT and in two hours I landed at Helena, MT to claim the 46th state for the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket. The tower operator offered me a straight in approach when I was four miles out. I was able to negotiate a 45 degree entry to a downwind for runway 9. It is difficult to keep the runway in sight on a straght in approach in the Acro Sport. I do much better when I can do a constant turn from abeam the numbers and slip it on short final, then when I straightenit out just before touch down the runway disappears and I watch the edge of the runway and stay parellel with it on the roll out. 
Beck's U Pump fuel service is absolutely amazing. It is run by Ted and Vicky Beck. Fuel was $4.75/gal and get this, Mickey's Mustang is the pilots lounge that includes a full kitchen (help yourself to whatever is in the refrigerator), vending machine with soda 50 cents/ can. a big jar full of assorted candy, free courtesy vans, (everyone please bring it back with a full tank for the next guy), television, computer with internet access, shower facilities (with towels), and a sleeping room with bunk beds. I'm going to go out on a limb here and declare Beck's U Pump Fuel Service the official First Place Winner in the HALL OF FAME for FUEL PRICE and CUSTOMER SERVICE even though I still have two states to go. Castle and Cooke, at Paine Field Everett, WA, are you paying attention?
Bob Little (EAA #0057521), the president of Chapter 344 came out to meet me, and we had a great chat that continued over dinner. Bob was stationed in Hawaii when Sam Burgess was there and he and Sam worked together to help started the EAA Chapter there. It is a real treat to meet people who knew Sam. He certainly touched many people's live in a very positive way. Tomorrow I will be off to Billings, MT and RON with Mark Standish. The following day I hope to claim North and South Dakota and complete the mission.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008

-----Original Message-----
From: James French [mailto:jwf11228@msn.com]
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 2:47 PM
Subject: FW: SBMJ MIssion Accomplished

Folks:
HEY SAM, I CLEANED MY PLATE!!!! Touched down in Mobridge, SD at 4:15 PM local time to claim the 48th state for the Sam Burgess Memorial Junket.
 
J.W. French
EAA #226844
SBMJ 2008