Thorp Air Command - T18.net

The West Coast Spring Fly In is Sked for April 17th , 18th and 19th 2015 at the Sedona , AZ airport . KSEZ

I know there may be a conflict with "Sun-in-Fun" , but "Sun-in-Fun" will be there next year ! I looked at the WX for the entire Month of April 2014 and the temps and winds were very nice , so April 2015 was the first choice . We have a block of 9 rooms at the Sky Ranch Lodge (I got room number 10) right on the airport . They are the least expensive rooms (Garden King Rooms) and the Lodge is within walking distance or they will come and pick you up at your AC . When you call mention you are with the Thorp T-18 pilot group . 1-888-708-6400 . If you have a problem talk to Nilah Norman and mention you are part of the Thorp T-18 pilot group . When I called and made my reservation we were in the computer .

Right now I have a late lunch sked on Friday for Ken Knowles at the Mesa Grill that is also right on the airport (check out the night time views from Grill and the Lodge !) Transportation down the hill to town might be a challenge , but the Lodge has a Van that can take you to town . Once in town there is a shuttle bus that makes a loop around the business district . Call the Lodge and they will come and pick you up .

The block of 9 rooms are reserved for 30 days prior to 17 April . 48 hour CNX policy . I really need to know ASAP how many are planning to stay at the Lodge so I can try and get additional Garden King rooms if required . April is a peak Season due to the "nice" WX and they were very nice to allow me to block off the 10 rooms . If there are no more King Garden rooms you can upgrade to the next level room for a modest charge . OK...so here is the plan for Friday , Saturday and Sunday 2015 at Sedona .

1. You can get all the info about the airport , the Lodge , Mesa Grill , tours , etc. at Sedonaairport.org

2. Arrival on Friday the 17th . I will have an exact spot for the group to tie down from Fred Shinn the Fly In Coordinator (1-928-239-0165) . He advises we get 1/2 price overnite tie downs and 30 cents off on fuel . He also said he will make a "Cold Beverage" run down the hill if we need it ! We need it !
If Ken Knowles can make it we will have a light lunch at the Mesa Grill . If not we can hang around the AC and drink cold soda pop ! Check into the rooms and then head to Happy Hour at the Mesa Gill , then dinner .

3. Saturday . You are on your own for Breakfast and Lunch . I plan to set up a Pink Jeep Tour of the Coyote Canyons for Saturday at Sunset...probably the most popular time ! Then back to the Lodge to freshen up and then Happy Hour at the Grill then a Group Dinner at the Grill . If you are interested in the Jeep Tour (1.5 hours) e-mail me so I know how many to sked for !

4. Sunday . RTB at your leisure !

5. If you have never landed on an Aircraft Carrier , Sedona may be as close as you will ever get !

6. If you want to get a room in town be advised some are at least double what the Lodge charges !

7. If we need a rental Van they have a rental car service on the field .

8. To my knowledge Sedona has not been a Fly In site for the T-18 ? Right now I am just pulling attendance numbers out of my AUX tank ! 10 overnite AC and 3-4 transient AC from the Ginns ?

Questions ?

RB
rx115@cox.net
(H) 619-669-0583 Only use the cell phone when I am flying .

Just out of curiousoty, when did we start dictating West coast flyins? There are not enough of us to be segregated. As I mentioned earlier, those of us from the east have ventured to SLC and CA, many if the "West Coasters" have made the trek East. I propose we stop dictating East and West and just call them Thorp Gatherings.

For the record I'm not saying I'm not guilty of the same but attendance seems low lately, we need to all start making an effort to attend these events. Scheduling during Sun n Fun doesn't really help that.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

OK . SEDONA SPRING T-18 FLY 2015 IT IS ! BOOM ! . Next year someone else can pick up the gauntlet . I am just trying to be the nice guy and organize an event . I suggest next year we have the T-18 LGBT fly in at SFO !

RB

Good points Lee, but I think it's been referred to this way for many years. And I know that the 3 Amigos, & Gary Green for instance have made it out there before, but it's almost always no one from farther East than me in Colorado. I went to it quite a few times when it was in Placerville, then Porterville, then Visalia, CA. Dean Cochran & I used to enjoy giving the California bunch a hard time because we'd go there, but hardly ever see anyone over here. Those guys don't have to ever leave the state, so I think it's great and a testament to Rich that he went to the trouble to plan a great destination in Arizona... I don't care what he calls it, but I guess it is kind of a stretch calling Sedona the West Coast. Hah, hah!
You can count me & Vicki in, Rich. We may be driving though (first time ever for me, to a Thorp fly-in). She can't get in the airplane anymore, and we've been there in the T-18 before (a couple of times), but it will be great to see everyone, & we can tour some of the rest of the area at that time. Sounds like fun!

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John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

Fair enough RB, I just wish there was a bit more communication regarding this event. I year or so ago I proposed the same location. Several if us have known KK for many years, myself included. Just not sure why you would plan a fly in that puts us in a position where we have to choose.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Lee: First of all let me apologize . I have throttled back from MRT to Idle ! My intent was not to create a Mason Dixon line with regard to Fly Ins ! It was to provide a venue for those of us that care not to fly 2000 + miles to Florida . If there are T-18 guys that want to make the trek to FLA they will do it regardless of the KSEZ Fly In ! I have been to the TX Fly In as well as OSH and I am glad I made the trip to Mecca ! Mecca I will not return ! My first trip to OSH I was asked (because I was retired) to obtain housing and transportation for 6 troubled and mentally unstable T-18 Flyers . It was a lot of work and in the end I was burdened with the fall out from the event . Minor problems I solved , but I still had to deal with it. As John said it was an act of Nancy Pelosi to get the KVIS guys to fly over the Sierra , NV mountains with their seat fabric tucked between their warm cross buns !

I took on the Sedona Event as I thought it was a great venue for those of us that did not want to do any LONG X-Cty flying . OK...West Coast Fly In might by stretching it , but UTAH is no closer to Highway 1 !

RB

Fair enough RB. Just wishing you would have planned a weekend when we could all join. What's done is done, I guess either snf will be short a few or some people who would like to show KK some respect will miss out.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Thanks Rich for getting the date set. Count Linda and I in.

I just checked the Sun-n-Fun future dates and 2015 is the 21st thru 26th so "technically"...

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Matt Smith
Des Moines, IA
55RC

Thanks Matt ! If you book a room let me know so I can up date the room list . The rooms look great ! Even the "Cheap Rooms !" Garden King . The next level rooms go up about $20.00 a nite !

RB

I booked a room for Friday & Saturday for us, Rich. And they even gave me a room with a GARDEN view!

Other issues aside, it's kind of nice to have an alternative to Sun-n-Fun so that a guy doesn't feel quite so disappointed that he won't be there. I'll probably head out to Florida in the Thorp someday, but it's just such a long haul - somewhere around 1600 miles for me, with a lot of potential (almost certain) weather between here & there. I know it would be nothing to Bob & Bill... they amaze me the way they travel in their machines. I guess I'm just too conservative when it comes to weather, and my bird doesn't have the "legs" that theirs do now either. Besides, I'd miss my wife... over a week away at OSH every year is more than enough "vacation" time without her (she made me say that)! It could take me a week just to get there. Hell, I try to go to Kentucky Dam (about 900 miles) every year, & have only made it a few times. Weather!

_________________
John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

Deb and I have seen parts of this country that others read about. The Thorp has been a magic carpet for us. Two trips to California, one to Jackson, Wy. Three to New England and just about all the places in between. We have been in all but 4 states, even Canada.
Deb and I were married on the nature trail bridge at Sun n Fun, with suit cases, went to Niagara Falls then on to Oshkosh. I have been to Oshkosh so many times I still have the original flight plan from 1994 in the GPS.

Why Rich, I am surprised at you, using such dirty words as Pelosi in the same sentence with the KVIS crew! That's ok there ole buddy, we had one heck of a time!!!! The 3 of us are talkin about Sedona, the only troubles we have with getting to flyins is work, we have this terrible habit of having to feed ourselves and getting time off is not real easy. We would sure like to be there with the gals in tow, the wives would enjoy it also. Sure sounds good!!!! Dan

John : you could bring a cardboard cut out of your plane and we will tape it to the ramp ! Dan...you could fly in early Saturday morning and leave sometime Sunday ? I fully under the work issue . It is still a ways off so the VIS Hornets can plan accordingly and maybe do the Friday , Saturday , Sunday Gig !

RB

Hi Rich,

I booked a room.

Is $139 + tax the discount rate? That is the normal rate on the web site.

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Matt Smith
Des Moines, IA
55RC

Hi Matt: Yes I know . I thought we were getting a "Group Rate" , but it is the same rate as the web site . Like I said in an earlier post some of the hotels in town are double that rate . Fraser ran into the same problem with the Utah Fly In and the Hamption Inn .

RB