Chapter 18's Octoberfest fly-in

[StanFoster]

This Saturday Chapter 18 is holding their annual "Octoberfest" fly-in at Lansing, I'll. I am so looking forward to burning kerosene cross country to this event. Last year was a huge turnout and the weather is going to be perfect this weekend. Unfortunately it will have one member missing, Ed Wiggins, whom I was looking forward to talking to. I am hoping that the club will show up in even greater numbers than last year in rememberance of this fine person. Chapter 18 is a one of a kind rotorcraft club that I am proud to be a small part of. I ALWAYS look forward to chatting with Tom Milton while there. Tom is what I call the father rooster of this great bunch of people. He has been a major catalyst for the rotorcraft movement all the years since I first heard of him in 1985. There are several other core members I hope to talk to such as Chuck Roberg, Adam Helwich, Nick Costa, and Kevin Tansor whom I just now am getting to know a little bit. See you all Saturday around 11 am! Stan

[gyroplanes]

Everyone is invited. Bring a dish to pass. German & American food will be grilled by the club. Starts at 11 AM with a formal club meeting (if our secretary shows up)

Our club recently inherited a legacy of gyro parts and airframes. We will be cataloging these parts on Saturday and will decide on how we will disburse them. The parts include a flying Eagle's Perch helicopter and 3 gyro rolling airframes. We even have a collection of McCulloch J-2 parts and a couple of heavily modified J-2 airframes.

We also have access to a Solar T62 with a variable pitch prop installed. I sure Stan will want to look at that package.

[StanFoster]

I had a georgous flight up to Chapter 18's cookout today. A friend of mine knew I was flying to Chicago and wanted me to stop by enroute. He didn't know his longitude and latitude but he gave me his county road address. I have an Illinois Gazette book which has the whole state on it. I found the coordinates from that and entered it into my GPS. The information was dead on as I flew right over his home. Did a high and low recon and soon found myself on a steep confined approach to a patch of grass nestled with trees all around. What a rush that made me realize again how much I enjoy flying this machine.Time got away from me and soon I was lighting the turbine and after a confined area departure, was back enroute. .................................................. .......................................My GPS had me do a 6 degree heading change and I soon saw the famous Chicago skyline with the Sears and Trump towers. I was headed actually to Lansing and soon the ol GPS had me zeroed in on the very club hanger I use as a waypoint. Its always a rush arriving after a nice cross country flight............................................ ..................... I interupted the Chapter 18 club meeting as I hovered outside the hanger and set it down. I wasn't as late as I thought because my groundspeed was around 100-105 as I had a slight headwind also. Didn't miss much of the meeting. Here are some pictures of a few gyros and the coaxial helicopter the club has just acquired. Very interesting machine. If I didn't have a helicopter, I would be interested in tinkering on that machine to at least the hover stage...........................................we had a nice cookout and I had a beautiful flight back. I flew the last 80 miles down low as I had scores of combines to watch from my moving theater seat as I burned a low level path home going 100 plus. Next flight is the other way deep down into the Amish country to go to that Amish school invite. Stan

[TansAir]

Glad you made it out Stan!! Always good to see ya, and what a treat to hear the turbine approaching ...

Thanks for sharing the pic's, much appreciated! ~K

[gyroplanes]

What great day for a club meeting and cookout. We had the first running of an old MAC Bensen gyro for additional entertainment. The MAC Bensen has not run in probably at least 20 -30 years.
Kevin and Stan were the two stars of the show with their highly unique rides. Kevin gave us a glimpse of his new project that reached taxi stage on Saturday. It will be next season before the gap between the tires and earth widens enough to see light. Kevin is just that cautious...... and we are happy for that.

Tim Burgess brought his original design modified Bensen / Rotax to fly with us. Tim lives a hundred or so miles away and does all of his flying at home. Tim had his gyro at Mentone this year, for the first time, but got jerked around so much trying to get permission to fly it, that he was not able. Tim said he won't go back there after the way he was treated.

All-in-all, a great day for flying and friendship.