chapter 30?

[tore]

I can't seem to find any info on chapter 30! Is it still active?It seems kind of quiet up here in the northwest!

[Kevin_Richey]

PRA Chapter 73 meets monthly year 'round, except in December, in Scappoose, Oregon. Some gyro fliers, and a gyro manufacturer there.

The Seattle area group's activity seems to revolve on whether anyone is flying currently, or not.

For such a large metropolitan area as Seattle, which has approximately 3+ million people, how come?

[PW_Plack]

There are several things most active chapters have in common. Being near a large population center, surprisingly, isn't one of the most important. Some of them are:

(1) Regular meeting time and place
(2) Chance for newcomers to see gyros fly and get intro flights
(3) Access to instruction
(4) Some connection to a gyro-related business
(5) Up to date website and/or newsletter

Chapter 30 didn't have (1) or (5) and the all the rest got pulled out from under them in a short period of time with the loss the of Randy Copeland's SparrowHawk dealership, the loss of CFI David Overman to inactivity, and the loss of Randy Rogers' RAF (but thankfully not Randy) in an accident.

Get in touch with Russ Hobbs (http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/member.php?u=10514) here on the forum. Russ has said there are a few folks in the area interested in getting together more often.

[Oky777]

You can find Chapter 30's forum at Yahoo groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prachapter30/ but its pretty inactive. I have traveled down to the PRA chapter in Scappose Oregon a few times. They are a more active group and a great bunch of guys. http://www.pra73.net/
Im a newbie to the gyro seen myself although I went and bought a prebuilt one. Im just down the road from you in Snohomish and would be glad to talk gyro's with you.

[tore]

Thanks I will contact Russ. I'm sure there are lots of people up here that would like to see and talk gyros! one problem might be how far apart everything is. I live very close to Arlington. About 40 miles north of Seattle, And auburn, where chapter 30 had meetings is an hours drive to the south. Maby a group up north of Seattle might be a possibility.

[PW_Plack]

...one problem might be how far apart everything is. I live very close to Arlington. About 40 miles north of Seattle, And auburn, where chapter 30 had meetings is an hours drive to the south. Maby a group up north of Seattle might be a possibility.

I guess that's a matter of perspective. Back when things were still hopping in Chapter 30, when they'd have a program that sounded especially interesting, we'd get a carpool together to attend from the Portland area, a three-hour drive starting at 6am. Here in Utah, we've had people drive four hours each way to come to meetings from Idaho.

If you do want to put a chapter together from scratch, check the requirements for starting one under "Chapters" at pra.org, and contact Dave Bacon (dabkb2 here on the forum) when you're ready to file. And welcome aboard! We're enjoying a real resurgence here in the west!

[tore]

Thanks for the welcome.

[Kevin_Richey]

Tore: Come down to Scappoose this coming Saturday. If it looks to be somewhat dry in the late AM, or early PM, you'll see at least one gyro fly.

[tore]

Sounds like fun, I'm supposed to work but I think I'm coming down with gyrofever!