Fat Tire Weekend Report

Events

Aviation Activities:

  • Pilot Skills Contest – (two weight classes) Spot Landing, Short Field Landing, Obstacle Landing. (Saturday)– starting at noon
  • Hubbard / Gateway Pilot Lunch (Saturday) – Open
  • Poker Run (Friday Evening and Saturday) – Open
  • Short Field Take Off (Saturday) – Saturday Evening
  • Aero Cross – TBD

On Site Activities:

  • Live Band Saturday Night
  • Cannon Ball Launch – Saturday Night
  • Twin Otter/Porter Static Display/Miller Stearman – TBD
  • High Line Lake State Park Lounging – Open
  • Corn Hole & Tight Rope Walk – Open
  • Skill Contest Awards – Saturday Night
  • RV Team Demo Flight – TBD

[Eddie:] Here is the report of my part of the weekend.

I had Hector Brown pick up cards for me in the poker run (The Mooney would not have been good on back country strips) – the long and short of it is I ended up with 2 kings, two 10’s and 2 2’s. Not a good enough hand to place first against a full house. Greg Lucas – Hectors Co-pilot held up 3 car envelopes – Hectors, His and Mine and I picked one envelope out of the 7 3 envelope stacks. The fun part was I left the winning hand on the table. Greg Hector’s co-pilot won. Greg was so impressed with the HAWK kids and the program he donated the winnings to HAWK. HAWK is now $340 richer. In short HAWK ended up winning the Poker run! All the HAWK kids need to definitely tell Greg thanks. (Greg wants to come down occasionally and mentor HAWK kids-Great guy. Tell him thanks. (Ask me for his number.))

The 180 in the ditch.
The 180 in the ditch.
Krista and the HAWK kids studying the problem.
Krista and the HAWK kids studying the problem.
Larry is the guy in the background. Really a gentleman- Hope his fishing is better than his taxiing. I told him it was his decision what he does as it is his airplane. Both Larry and I were pleased with the repair- you could not tell it was damaged when it was done. I could not believe he did not get the prop He just put a new engine in the airplane. It just had 40 hours on it. This is proof Cessnas are rugged.
Larry is the guy in the background. Really a gentleman- Hope his fishing is better than his taxiing. I told him it was his decision what he does as it is his airplane. Both Larry and I were pleased with the repair- you could not tell it was damaged when it was done.
I could not believe he did not get the prop He just put a new engine in the airplane. It just had 40 hours on it. This is proof Cessnas are rugged.

The 2nd thing – Larry Martin was taxi-ing his Cessna 180 N67WW and ran into the famous airplane eating hole- Troy Ball found it last year. (Ladd had just removed the cones and was taking Beth to the airport). OOP’s. Anyway, The HAWK kids got the HAWK balloon tether ropes and with Bobby Boes and spectators help get his airplane out of the hole in one piece. The wing tip was a little customized by crunch but otherwise the airplane was OK considering. Hector Larry’s Mechanic had returned home to Glenwood springs and did not have time to look at the damage. I being the nice guy I am plus Braden (Nice guy he is) Larry, Jake (Another nice kid), Michelle (the nice fiberglass go getter girl ) and Brian (Questionable 🙂 took the project on and straightened the bent parts. The wing looked as good as new when we were done. Larry was so happy he tried to pay me but I told him to give HAWK the money. At Hectors shop rate it came out to about $600.00. Brian, HAWK’s president was more than happy to take the check. Heck I did not even get to see it. So final total with the gambling money was $950.00 to HAWK. not bad for a week ends work. Larry continued his fishing trip.

On an important HAWK thing- Steve Brown and Lexi are so impressed with HAWK they want us to take over the Hay hanger to expand. They will insulate it and heat it. Ladd said the rate would be $2000,00 a month. The good part is we would have everything in one place. (Give me more room to pile free stuff). The cost scares me- I told Steve it is up to the HAWK VIP’s (Board) not my decision. HAWK needs a board meeting sometime in the future.

I talked to Hal Stockman about the 701. He said the same thing Darrel at WARP Drive said on the prop we have. It is too Long for our engine. Hal has a Luga Prop that is the correct one made in the Ukraine. (He runs them on his airplane) They are the same price, about $690.00, for a complete ground adjustable prop as Warp Drive charges that just for the 3 blades. Hal said he has one in stock. He offered to pay the freight. Hal said we should be able to get at least $200.00 for HAWK’s warp drive Rotex hub on BarnStormers. That would make the 701 prop very inexpensive. Hal was a wealth of knowledge. Another great guy.

Steve Wood looked at the new Luscomb 8 HAWK now has. The data plate shows it as an 8A. The airworthiness paperwork, with the same serial number, says it is an 8E One log calls it an 8A special and the other one says 8E.
Steve says it is an 8E, as it has two wing tanks and rear windows plus all the E upgrades. In the paperwork it is called out as an 8A special. He has never heard of a special. He is interested enough, he is checking it out. He has agreed to help us with whatever we need for it. He is excited about it. Says it will be a nice airplane for the kids. He was upset the N number is gone -Russell let the registration expire and the number is now on a Cessna 205.

Beth had an awesome time- She is taking what she experienced to her editor – He makes the decisions about what goes in Sport Aviation – We shall see- Maybe MACK and HAWK can take over Sport Aviation (HA HA). I can tell you she was impressed. She said her HAWK article was accurate but there is more going on than she even dreamed. Everyone made a good impression on her. THANKS everyone- good show. AND THANKS BETH FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR HAWK!

Thanks to the kitchen crew both EAA and HAWK- well done!

References:
http://recreationalaviationfoundation.org/civicrm/event/info?id=244

http://flycolorado.org/index.php/locals-corner/mack-mesa-fat-tire-jamboree/

http://flycolorado.org/index.php/airstrip-database/public-airports/mack-mesa/

https://www.facebook.com/events/596405053855917/