GyroRon
Former Gyro know it all
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2003
- Messages
- 16,920
- Location
- Fort Mill South Carolina
- Aircraft
- Vans RV4 / Dominator 582 Ultrawhite
- Total Flight Time
- ALOT
Bensen Days 08 is shaping up to be one of the best yet. Wauchula has made plans to install some nice power and water hook ups for the campers.... Scott and the rest of the Sunstate crew have already gotten the insurance coverage for us.... Shirts and hats will be ordered soon.... Were planning some flying contests and demo flights.... We will hopefully have some seminars to offer you.... A nice banquet dinner is in the plans.... Were going to try to have food and drink for sale on site... etc...
A few things to get out of the way first...
1. Registration... Everyone attending Bensen Days will need to register at the main gate or by mail in advance. Anyone flying there, or camping there, anyone there as a participant in some form or fashion or another will need to register. The registration fee this year is $30.00 This registration fee is good for yourself and your immediate family if they should choose to come with you this year. The registration fee should help to cover the costs of the insurance, and the awards and all of the other costs associated with putting on such a nice event. Last year the donations so many made to help with the last minute insurance coverage was greatly appreciated, this year with the registration fee we should be just fine. Thank you.
2. Camping with power... There are 32 camping spaces with electrical hook ups to offer. These spaces will also have water hook up's as well. Already as of this post 10 of those spaces have already been reserved. This leaves 22 spaces left!!!! To reserve one of the remaining spaces you must contact Scott Lewis at [email protected] and make arrangements for pre payment for your spot. Once he recieves your payment you can choose a spot off the layout PDF file he will be maintaining on the Sunstate Rotorclubs website. BEAR IN MIND... these spaces are first come, first served and they will sell out fast. Don't wait too long to make arrangements if you want a spot with electrical service.
Also, it is unfair with such a limited amount of spaces to offer, to only rent a spot for one night and have the space vacant the rest of the week, not fair to others who want a spot but missed out, and not fair moneywise to the club. Therefore if you want one of these powered spots it will be a 72$ flat rate for the spot, no matter how many nights you use it.
3. Camping without power... Camping without power will be 10$ per night, and there is no shortage of spots. It is first come first served, anywhere south of the 2nd row of powered spots ( ask at the registration desk before you lower the leveling jacks... just to be sure you picked a suitable location ) This "camping without power" will be for all who don't reserve one of the 32 powered spots. Tents, Camper trailers, Motorhomes, houseboats, sleeping naked in the back of a 1974 Dodge van, whatever! Keep in mind, that all persons at the fly-in will need to register and if your camping there, gyro or not your a participant and the registration fee is 30$ which covers you for the whole week, even if your only there one day.
4. Tent campers sharing of spaces... If you want to reserve a powered space ( limited supplies! get em while they last!!! ) to share with friends that is fine. Sunstate just asks that you limit it to no more than 3 tents per space. Each person will still need to pay a registration fee individually, but you will be charged only 72$ for the space itself. Remember.... only up to 3 tents per space! All tents in non powered spaces will need to pay 10$ per night per tent....
Okay, now onto some better stuff now that that is out of the way.
1. If I told you there was a way to save $10 on your registration fee would you like to know more???? Well there is a way! The club needs help to put on this great fly-in. There is tons of stuff to be done in advance, during, and after the event. The club is offering a perk to any who is willing to volunteer just 4 hours of their time over the course of the event. What kind of things do we need volunteers for you might ask....
We need people to help set up the fly in, people to man the registration booth, people to help out at the airboss tent, people to help direct ground traffic ( both cars and campers, and also aircraft ) people to help with the food and drink cart the club is planning, aircraft judging, officials to help with the flying contests and other ground based contests and events, we need someone to help pick up trash, someone to help with the auction ( more on that in a minute ) and many many more jobs.
We don't know how many people we need and we don't know how many of you will step up and volunteer some time. But if we can use ya, and you put in at least 4 hours of greatly appreciated help, we will REFUND you 10$ at the registration desk! Please contact Scott Lewis or me, Ron Awad if you would like to sign up as a volunteer.
2. Auction.... Auction was cancelled due to popular request. In it's place will be a much improved verison of the previous Bensen Days Fleamarket!
We respectfully ask that if you are bringing items to Bensen Days with the intent to sell, you sell the items through our flea market. If not, we ask that you pay a Vendors fee ( $50 ) and your free to set up a booth in the vendors area or at your campsite to show your wares.... This applies to gyros or other aircraft brought to the fly-in to sell. You are free to display a " for sale" sign, but we ask that you if you do contract a sale during the fly-in, to donate $50 to the club same as the Vendors pay to display and sell their gyros and products.
2. Flying contests.... We are planning to do some contests this year. Spot landings are a crowd favorite so count on that this year. Were open to ideas and suggestions on other fun, yet safe contest ideas to organize.... Possibly a " bomb drop" or toss a egg into the frying pan contest??? Manufactors showcase... CFI and or Advanced pilot flight demostrations Please forward me some ideas folks! ( We will ask that all pilots who enter to fly in any of these contests or flying demostrations have a minimum number of flight hours and or a voucher from one of the Gyro CFI's in attendance )
3. ground based attractions/ events..... We are still in the planning stages ( And I need input, suggestions, volunteers, ideas, etc.... here guys and gals ) but were hoping to have some neat fun things to do and see at the fly-in. Things such as, Vertical CG checks on gyros.... thrust pull tests.... Rotorblade stringing and slinging seminars..... Gyro maintance 101 seminars....
4. Services... We hope to have as many Gyro CFI's in attendance as possible. Gyro CFI's we NEED you at Bensen Days!!! Please try to attend and please bring your trainer with you! Hopefully we will be able to get you with a gyro CFI to get introductory lessons, flight training, your BFR, etc..... Also I have not confirmed it, but Tom Milton will hopefully be there and able to do airworthiness inspections for those of you who are in need of getting your gyro it's inspection and airworthiness inspection. You can contact Tom Milton ( aka Gyroplanes here on the forum ) at either here https://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/member.php?u=400 or here https://www.calumetair.com/ and Tommy, please contact me privately about this asap, thanks....
5. We would like to see something planned and set in stone for people to do that may want a break from the flying and rotorblade noise... I am asking for suggestions, but perhaps a planned trip for all who are interested to Cypress Gardens? Or what else is there people might be interested in??? I understand that several of the pilots wives and kids or significant others may be coming and will likely end up bored at some point.... A trip to Cypress Gardens or some other day trip activity might be great times for them. Please, if anyone wants to take that bull by the horns let me know! Angie, how about it???
All of the contests, judging, flight demos, ground based activities, where and when we eat, and so much more has yet to be decided.... I need your input now guys and gals and with your input, Scott and I will make these plans concrete and set out a nice timetable of events to hand out to you when you arrive. We want to have everything organized and on schedule so you can make the most of your time in Wauchula at Bensen Days 2008.
A few things to get out of the way first...
1. Registration... Everyone attending Bensen Days will need to register at the main gate or by mail in advance. Anyone flying there, or camping there, anyone there as a participant in some form or fashion or another will need to register. The registration fee this year is $30.00 This registration fee is good for yourself and your immediate family if they should choose to come with you this year. The registration fee should help to cover the costs of the insurance, and the awards and all of the other costs associated with putting on such a nice event. Last year the donations so many made to help with the last minute insurance coverage was greatly appreciated, this year with the registration fee we should be just fine. Thank you.
2. Camping with power... There are 32 camping spaces with electrical hook ups to offer. These spaces will also have water hook up's as well. Already as of this post 10 of those spaces have already been reserved. This leaves 22 spaces left!!!! To reserve one of the remaining spaces you must contact Scott Lewis at [email protected] and make arrangements for pre payment for your spot. Once he recieves your payment you can choose a spot off the layout PDF file he will be maintaining on the Sunstate Rotorclubs website. BEAR IN MIND... these spaces are first come, first served and they will sell out fast. Don't wait too long to make arrangements if you want a spot with electrical service.
Also, it is unfair with such a limited amount of spaces to offer, to only rent a spot for one night and have the space vacant the rest of the week, not fair to others who want a spot but missed out, and not fair moneywise to the club. Therefore if you want one of these powered spots it will be a 72$ flat rate for the spot, no matter how many nights you use it.
3. Camping without power... Camping without power will be 10$ per night, and there is no shortage of spots. It is first come first served, anywhere south of the 2nd row of powered spots ( ask at the registration desk before you lower the leveling jacks... just to be sure you picked a suitable location ) This "camping without power" will be for all who don't reserve one of the 32 powered spots. Tents, Camper trailers, Motorhomes, houseboats, sleeping naked in the back of a 1974 Dodge van, whatever! Keep in mind, that all persons at the fly-in will need to register and if your camping there, gyro or not your a participant and the registration fee is 30$ which covers you for the whole week, even if your only there one day.
4. Tent campers sharing of spaces... If you want to reserve a powered space ( limited supplies! get em while they last!!! ) to share with friends that is fine. Sunstate just asks that you limit it to no more than 3 tents per space. Each person will still need to pay a registration fee individually, but you will be charged only 72$ for the space itself. Remember.... only up to 3 tents per space! All tents in non powered spaces will need to pay 10$ per night per tent....
Okay, now onto some better stuff now that that is out of the way.
1. If I told you there was a way to save $10 on your registration fee would you like to know more???? Well there is a way! The club needs help to put on this great fly-in. There is tons of stuff to be done in advance, during, and after the event. The club is offering a perk to any who is willing to volunteer just 4 hours of their time over the course of the event. What kind of things do we need volunteers for you might ask....
We need people to help set up the fly in, people to man the registration booth, people to help out at the airboss tent, people to help direct ground traffic ( both cars and campers, and also aircraft ) people to help with the food and drink cart the club is planning, aircraft judging, officials to help with the flying contests and other ground based contests and events, we need someone to help pick up trash, someone to help with the auction ( more on that in a minute ) and many many more jobs.
We don't know how many people we need and we don't know how many of you will step up and volunteer some time. But if we can use ya, and you put in at least 4 hours of greatly appreciated help, we will REFUND you 10$ at the registration desk! Please contact Scott Lewis or me, Ron Awad if you would like to sign up as a volunteer.
2. Auction.... Auction was cancelled due to popular request. In it's place will be a much improved verison of the previous Bensen Days Fleamarket!
We respectfully ask that if you are bringing items to Bensen Days with the intent to sell, you sell the items through our flea market. If not, we ask that you pay a Vendors fee ( $50 ) and your free to set up a booth in the vendors area or at your campsite to show your wares.... This applies to gyros or other aircraft brought to the fly-in to sell. You are free to display a " for sale" sign, but we ask that you if you do contract a sale during the fly-in, to donate $50 to the club same as the Vendors pay to display and sell their gyros and products.
2. Flying contests.... We are planning to do some contests this year. Spot landings are a crowd favorite so count on that this year. Were open to ideas and suggestions on other fun, yet safe contest ideas to organize.... Possibly a " bomb drop" or toss a egg into the frying pan contest??? Manufactors showcase... CFI and or Advanced pilot flight demostrations Please forward me some ideas folks! ( We will ask that all pilots who enter to fly in any of these contests or flying demostrations have a minimum number of flight hours and or a voucher from one of the Gyro CFI's in attendance )
3. ground based attractions/ events..... We are still in the planning stages ( And I need input, suggestions, volunteers, ideas, etc.... here guys and gals ) but were hoping to have some neat fun things to do and see at the fly-in. Things such as, Vertical CG checks on gyros.... thrust pull tests.... Rotorblade stringing and slinging seminars..... Gyro maintance 101 seminars....
4. Services... We hope to have as many Gyro CFI's in attendance as possible. Gyro CFI's we NEED you at Bensen Days!!! Please try to attend and please bring your trainer with you! Hopefully we will be able to get you with a gyro CFI to get introductory lessons, flight training, your BFR, etc..... Also I have not confirmed it, but Tom Milton will hopefully be there and able to do airworthiness inspections for those of you who are in need of getting your gyro it's inspection and airworthiness inspection. You can contact Tom Milton ( aka Gyroplanes here on the forum ) at either here https://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/member.php?u=400 or here https://www.calumetair.com/ and Tommy, please contact me privately about this asap, thanks....
5. We would like to see something planned and set in stone for people to do that may want a break from the flying and rotorblade noise... I am asking for suggestions, but perhaps a planned trip for all who are interested to Cypress Gardens? Or what else is there people might be interested in??? I understand that several of the pilots wives and kids or significant others may be coming and will likely end up bored at some point.... A trip to Cypress Gardens or some other day trip activity might be great times for them. Please, if anyone wants to take that bull by the horns let me know! Angie, how about it???
All of the contests, judging, flight demos, ground based activities, where and when we eat, and so much more has yet to be decided.... I need your input now guys and gals and with your input, Scott and I will make these plans concrete and set out a nice timetable of events to hand out to you when you arrive. We want to have everything organized and on schedule so you can make the most of your time in Wauchula at Bensen Days 2008.
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