Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Sedona 2016 has come to an end . A very successful ending . We had 13 Thorp's (and one RV) in attendance and aside from the gusty winds on Friday and Saturday keeping us grounded from touring the beautiful Red Rocks of Sedona , I think everyone had a great time . Most AC were on the ground by Friday afternoon and with the 2 motor homes manned by Howard and Elaine Ginn (the pineapple express) and the other RV support vehicle manned by Matt and Linda Smith we were off to a good start . After all the AC were secured we passed the rest of the afternoon debriefing and having a lite lunch put on by the Ginn's and the Smith's . Friday nite were tried out one of the local Chinese food places and everyone left wanting more in one hour ! Saturday turned out to be another no fly day due to the gusty winds , but we occupied the time until evening chow at the local BBQ spot in town . All in all it was a great time and it is only our 2nd fly in at Sedona . Sedona 2017 is already in the works .

If I didn't get your name to post it didn't end up on the muster sheet or if I misspelled your name(s) it is because your handwriting is as bad as mine ! DOH !

1. Joe Biviano N633GG TSP
2. Brian and Esther Cabebe N39JP KFFZ
3. Jim & Mary Kay Grahn N8316R VGT
4. Fraser and Darcy McPhee N926WM U42
5. Rich & Sil Brazell NX115RX KSEE
6. Scott & Marilyn Emery S-6
7. Chuck & Joyce Flowers N37AR 06WN
8. Gary Jacobsen N118JT 06WN
9. Ted & Polly Murdell N18NH Drove in .
10. Don Doubleday N18DD WEA (Texas)
11. Brian Maisler N31BD L00
12. Richard Bentley
13. Bernie Fried
14. Jon Levi
15. Lou & Renee Dixiefried
16. Howard & Elaine Ginn RV Command Post
17. Matt & Linda Smith RV Command Post

Regards,

RB
NX115RX

Down and safe after 2.5 hours back to SLC. Despite the winds, a wonderful time. Many thanks to Rich and Syl Brazell for organizing this even, Howard and Elaine Ginn and Matt and Linda Smith for being the onsite hosts, food vendors and command post wind blockers. Kudos to Ray and Connie Harrison and Tanker Ted Mundell with his wife Polly for driving in as well. The A4Effort prize has to go to Brian Maisler who flew 2.5 hour there on Saturday and returned same day for what had to be 4 hours back to Rosamond, CA (near Edwaards AFB) in what had to be serious bumps....all for a 3 hour visit. You're awesome Brian. The Spanky showed up so Cubes and MK could have company for the return trip to Lost Wages. 3 Nor'Westers made it as well as 2 Texans and a Cajun. Sedona is an outstanding venue with outstanding scenery and things to see and do. If you have never been there, get there next year.

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Hoot of a trip. Thanks all for putting it on. Looking forward to KVIS!
Cubes

Sure is good to hear that all went well, all had a load of fun and all got home safely, OOOOOOOOORah!! Bernie, What have you got on the nose of that good lookin bird!! That Blade looks serious!! How does it perform!! And we are talkin about The Kvis Gathering for this year, we will give plenty of notice on it when we get it settled......Dan

A great event! Peps already talking about next year. The RV crews sure saved our butts. Rich runs a tight ship, 1800 for chow means the bus is gone. Rich still remembered my request for a classic display sign off and took the time to sneak it under my canopy.

Rich, I see two machines in your pics that weren't there when I got in so that would make 16 total.

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

Lou : You are correct about the pics . Somehow I click on a few from last year ? You win the prize . "Johnny, tell Lou what he has won !" "Lou you win a free tie down for next year !"

RB

Great event again Rich. Thanks for your efforts and Special thanks to our Hosts. With the winds we would have really been blown without the RVs. Great flight home, super smooth all the way.

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Jon Levi
N165JL
Fallbrook, Ca

Jon : Hope you can make it next year ! GOOD NEWS TO REPORT FOR OUR NEXT SEDONA FLY IN FOR 2017 . NO TIE DOWN FEES ! They have new management at the Sedona airport and Amanda Shankland , the airport manager is more pilot friendly than the last outfit . Her husband is an ex F-14 pilot so she understands that pilots are basically cheap SOB's and she has learned to work with that . She is also aware that ex Air Force pilots have amble funds from all those left over per diem checks that they accrued while playing golf and lounging by the pool at the O'Club .

RB

Jon : Send me your new email address . The work one I have now is muey no good .

rx115@cox.net

The Northwet contingent made it home today (Monday). Sunday evening we were turned away before we got to Mt Shasta by a snow storm under CB.s and no route to Eastern Oregon. We turned back and spent the night in Orville Ca, due to low winds right down the runway.
Our previous fuel stop @ Red Bluff was met with 80 degree cross wind with a full sock. I think the AWOS said 18 kts gusting to 22! Sedona was about the same wind speed when we arrived late Friday morning, but the cross wind component was 'only' about 30 degrees at the time. This was a windy weekend for sure! Lots of headwind on the way home too, only calming as we approached Creswell Oregon. We did get slight rain North of Salem, where we elected to stay under the clagg.
One thought;
Perhaps we could rent the conference room at the Sedona airport office and have a meeting, with some tech presentations and history from our expert members.
See you next year.

_________________
Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

Scott : Good idea ! If I can get one or two volunteers to lecture on a few topics , I'll see if I can get a room . Sure beats talking during a wind event !

RB

Well, we didn’t make KSEZ due to high winds and a short schedule but here’s a SITREP from California’s High Desert Squadron. After deciding fighting winds ALL day would really kill the fun-factor, 3 T-18s (Erin Hambrick, Brian Maisler, and Tony/Starr) decided to fly to Camarillo for breakfast. The pics show what a nice morning it was in So Cal for some enroute formation flying, FOD checks and sight-seeing.

After a terrific meal (KCMA has one of the BEST airport restaurants), we walked to the street in front of the Airport to a road-side fruit stand. After buying two flats of fresh strawberries and other assorted fruits we departed for more formation flying on the way home. The winds met me at my home field with 30 mph at about a 45 degree crosswind. Later that night we had an impromptu Birthday Party for my wife, Starr, that included good friends sampling MANY different IPAs and Erin treated all to a WONDERFUL dessert of strawberry-topped Chocolate Souffle!! Though we missed ya'll at Sedona 2016 we did exercise the important four Fs: Fun Flying for Food with Friends!
Cheers, Tony
(Note to self and others -- load pics in reverse order of how you'd like them viewed.)

So Brian made it out....just sayin.
Cubes

Oh, to be single with a T-18 again. Plus, Brian needs to fly 60 hours in two months prior to his ATP check ride. I only had 3 family commitments on Saturday. Two of which I could've punted to make KSEZ, one I couldn't. See you at KVIS, if not sooner.

Break - Break

For those looking for a place to fly on Saturday, May 21st, make your way to the Mojave Air & Space Port for the Plane-Crazy Fly-In (held every 3rd Saturday). My wife, Starr - Armstrong Flight Research Center's Deputy Aeronautics Research Director, will be speaking about NASA's work in electric and hybrid-electric aircraft. Her talk is at 1100 but you should be there early since seating is limited. Attached is a pic of the electric research airplane that is currently in the works. Also attached are two pics from last month's Plane-Crazy Fly-In (four T-18s made it); Erin's highly polished T-18 and Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnight2. See you there. -- Tony

I like the pic of the $100 strawberries !

RB

Had a great weekend also. Was nice to meet some new west and northwest coasters. Thanks to the Ginn's, Smith's, and the Brazell's for putting on a great event. Will try to be back next year.

Dan,
It has a Catto prop and Aircraft Spruce BN3 spinner on it. I replaced the o-290 with a Superior o-340 engine. About 170 hp. It accelerates and climbs alot better and is about 10 mph faster in cruise. Definite improvement. Engine and prop swap gained about 27 pounds, but switched from Odyssey battery to a lithium battery on the firewall and that lost about 11 pounds. So net weight gain with new engine and prop was about 16 to 17 pounds.

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Bernie Fried
N18XS