Recent Bellanca Events
Updated: November 18, 2000
Contact me if you have a report on a recent Viking event that you'd like to see published here...Tom
Central Coast Weekend-Morro Bay, CA (SBP)
November 10-12, 2000
Report submitted by Troy Foster:
In case you have been absent for the last 11 months, SOME of us went to Morro Bay last weekend. THOSE include (in no particular order) Daryl and Betsy Wilkens, Dave and Dana Lovett, Ron and Penny Blake, Gary, Kathy, and Mikey Robinson, Greg and Debbie Wilhelm, Troy and Shirley Foster, and last - but never least - our fine hosts Kojak and Alice Delk.
FRIDAY: Friday afternoon we filled Pristine with 100LL at KLGB and headed out. After dodging several towering nimbulas clowdimus and deftly threading the coastal needle, we found ourselves violating restricted airspace. Well... it wasn't really restricted - after all we did get in - but the chart showed live missile launching taking place and the GPS didn't like it much either. We skirted it. By the time it was over LA Center had had enough of us and demanded that we contact San Luis Tower on 124.00. Thankfully I had been practicing my eyes-closed landings and therefore could land while watching the new JPI spew out tons of insignificant data. Thus began a great weekend!
Upon landing I found out that for the very first time EVER, we had beat Gary and Kathy somewhere. Gary said it was because he had to pull over and perform a complete engine overhaul using only his leatherman tool and Swiss Army knife. It seems that he found a drop of oil somewhere and couldn't bear to continue with the dangerous flight. I simply poured several more quarts into the trusty Lycoming and was ready again for action.
After almost everybody had arrived Kojak threw me the keys to the longest van ever made and in spite of my protests that my driver's license had be irrevocably suspended, insisted that I provide Taxi service under the able direction of Alice Delk. I turned on the monster van and she told me things like "Go straight" and "Turn right"... I followed these instructions like a voter in Florida and in no time at all we were totally lost. Within mere hours we were at our hotel, the Ascot Sweets, which turned out to be less than sweet for Dave and Dana who were kicked out of their room and forced walk to and stay at Motel 7. When we protested, they gave us apples.
For those who weren't kicked out of their rooms, there was wine and cheese. I tried the cheese and gargled up a lot of wine. Come to think of it, everyone but the wanderers drank a lot; and that was just to get ready for dinner at the Hof Brau. After putting a tarpaulin over Dave and Dana's luggage, which by then was moored in the middle of Morro Blvd, we strode off en masse for the Hof Brau. The Hof Brau is located on the embarcadero - which hopefully you already know what that is - and they serve sauerkraut and beer. Imagine the scene back at the Ascot Sweets where all guests that weren't kicked out were full of sauerkraut and beer. Phew!
While getting krauted, Marcus Welby - aka Daryl Wilkens - decided we needed to get acquainted by filling out a form that asks us whether we think we look more like Ronald McDonald or Dolly Parton. Thank for the generous choices Marcus... With questions like Do you think your occupations is more like Monica Lewinski or Al Bundy, we were sure to get acquainted. Like a Floridian, I wanted to know who won. Daryl said that information was confidential. Interesting game.
SATURDAY: Saturday morning found us opening the windows of our rooms for a collective airing out. Thankfully - mercifully - it was clear and a bit breezy. After a triple helping of Continental breakfast (even for Lycoming drivers) we all took a walk to some giant rock. Don't even ask why, maybe to further air-out the beer-a-kraut. While there, Kojak explained how the enviro-nazis complain that certain amoebae may have had their deaths hastened by warmer than average water being discharged by the local sauer-krautery. We took pictures of the giant rock and walked back to the hotel. Several of us tripped over some lumps in the road, which turned out to be Dave and Dana's luggage.
At exactly noon, we all piled into long-van for a trip to Patti Hearst's domicile. While there we could imagine the earlier days - with the Symbionese Liberation Army manning all the various gun turrets. Thankfully Aramark Services sold food at the venue... French Fries $4.75, Fish Sandwich $ 22.50, Hamburger $ 17.50. The prices notwithstanding, the food sucked big time. I actually returned my overpriced fries for credit. I was then appreciative of the apples we were given in apology over Dave and Dana's expulsion.
On the way back we made an unscheduled stop at Joe's Chocolate and Paintbrush Company. They offer, among other things, Hershey's Chocolate Syrup - repackaged into containers worth their weight in gold - and various application devices. I assume you are supposed to paint your ice cream with these. While a jar comes with a 1/2 inch bristle brush, they offer optional 4 inch brush, 9 inch roller, and a 3000 PSI airless sprayer. We bought the power feed roller for our jar. To entice you to buy this expensive chocolate, they keep feeding you wine. I guess when you are drunk you will buy most anything. Credit cards were emerging from all quadrants. Joe and Company really appreciated our visit. So did the Hershey company!
The mood inside SuperVan was quite festive on the rebound. 13 drunks and a driver... I think Kojak drove, but who knows... Maybe it was me. I can't remember. We got back and some of the guys met on the roof for cigars and chocolate, er, uh, I mean wine. It seems that Daryl, Greg, and yours truly drank a bottle each while lying to each other about V-speeds and other assorted (or a sordid) topics. Anyway, when we finished up all sordid matters, a bottle of wine each, and a cigar, we were primed for Dinner on the Embarcadero!
At 7:30 pm we all met at the expensive restaurant on the embarcadero. Some more sober and obviously some less so. A friendly fellow in a tuxedo came over to the table. "Bonjour! My name is Philipe and I vill be your servant tonight... May I get anyone something to drink?" WRONG QUESTION! Everyone spoke at once... "WINE WINE WINE" said we. And more wine had we. Kojak, probably thinking he was the designated walk-leader, stayed remarkably sober... I think. During dinner we talked about everything under the sun. That means that we all described how we would use our chocolate. I expressed concern that my chocolate applicator was possibly in an alcohol induced coma. BUT WAIT! Marcus Welby had just the thing... A Viagra Pen! Don't even ask! Anyway we ate stuff, lobster for yours truly, and then followed Kojak the long two blocks back to Dave and Dana'a luggage. After Marcus gave Kojak a Minoxodil Pen, we all retired for the evening. All except me anyway... I had to stay up and using all the towels in the room sop up the bubbles created when I emptied the entire contents of the bubble bath into the tub and turned on the powerful jets.
SUNDAY: Sunday morning was quite normal, you know, hangover - etc. After some granola we all (except Dave and Dana)checked out and stole some more apples. The lousy innkeepers at the Acsot Sweets actually put a surcharge on our bill. $ 100.00 for cleaning up chocolate. Baloney I say... Viagra ink maybe... but chocolate?
Into the UltraVan and off to the airport. Kojak drove and narrated (he's multi-dexterous). We were invited to imagine rolling hills without power lines, and other such nonsense. We did get the grand tour tho... It seems like all the property in this area is owned by two families. The Third Generation Hollisters own all undeveloped land and the Delks own all land with improvements. Kojak went into elaborate descriptions of important stuff like septic tanks. Just what we all wanted to learn before our "Champagne" brunch and the airport restaurant.
The alert airport restaurant employees immediately identified us as pilots and were kind enough to water down our Mimoso's with too much orange juice. Lest be sober for the instrument conditions we would encounter in return. After we ate, we took pictures of each other, of each other's planes, of each other taking pictures, etc. I have a picture of Daryl taking a picture of Gary taking a picture of Dave taking a picture of..... #$&*@ DAVE... Stop that.
After watching 27 Aluminum Bonanzas taking off we were allowed to start our engines... All went well and now we're at home. Sorry to have to end this, but I have got a big chocolate mess to tend to. Thanks to all and especially to Alice and Leonard Delk for their tireless efforts in putting together such a nice fly in... See you next November!
Your Servant, Troy
And from the hosts:
Did we ever have a wild and woolly time, or not????? Oh yeah, we surely did!!!!!!!! We lost three of our Texas Vikings, two to weather, and poor Mike McCann to a runaway prop. He and the plane are fine. Prop; haven't heard. Jerry Braun had to give up for Arizona weather. Note to Jerry. Jerry, Alice is enjoying your wine.
We had six glorious, beautiful Vikings on the ramp. Sunday when we left, five Bonanzas had flown in to SBP for lunch. They looked OK, but with the Viking, no way. However, I am not going to mention who the cowards are who did not conduct a mass flight takeoff as the Banana's did.
Who were the fine stalwart aviators and aviatrix? Dave and Dana Leonard from Willits, Troy and Shirley Foster from LGB, Daryl and Betsy Wilkins from Stockton, Greg and Debbie Wilhelm from Havasu City, Ron and Penny Blake from San Jose, Gary and Kathy Robinson from Carlsbad, plus the beautiful Alice Delk, and me.
We bragged and lied, ate fine food, loved Hearst Castle, Walked The Rock, stormed the Harmony Wine Cellars, and went home in spectacular weather provided by yours truly. The private hot tubs and jets in each room were serviced overtime. Be certain to ask any of the gang just what and how the "Chocolate Body Frosting" worked out. WOW.
Alice and I have never had a better bunch of guests than the Viking Gang.
Thanks to all,
Alice and Leonard
IVOG's Pagosa Springs Fly-In (2V1)
August 11-13, 2000
For those of us that live in the land-locked southern states where summer temperatures often exceed the century mark, a trip to the cool mountains of Colorado comes as a very welcome relief! And a relief it was. Having to work a half day on Friday, our departure from Tucson was just about the time the thunderheads start to build through the four corners region. Our flight was uneventful and in relatively smooth air until we neared Gallup, NM where we came face to face with a thunderstorm that was about fifty miles wide and centered right on our desired courseline! We deviated towards Albuquerque to skirt the worst of the storm and forty miles down the road the skies brightened for the rest of the route.
After nearly 2 1/2 hours we had Stevens Field in sight, (not the easiest airport to spot...thank goodness for GPS!) and landed just before another rain shower. Mary Jo and Curt were there to meet us as we climbed out and there was some talk, joking actually, about Barb looking a little green around the gills! We did encounter some pretty strong updrafts about ten miles out from the field and got jolted a couple of times pretty hard. After getting the plane put up for the night it was across the street to "Olson Castle" where we were to stay for the weekend. We were soon off to the Sports Page Restaurant to meet the others for dinner, drinks and plenty of Viking chat. As of Friday night, there were nine Vikings on the field.
Most everyone met for breakfast at the Irish Rose on Saturday morning, before gathering for the day trip up the mountain to Wolf Creek Pass. While we were in town, more Vikings were arriving for the event and a look to the sky gave several glimpses of Cary and Jack flying around the area in tight formation. A caravan of four vehicles headed up the mountain, only having to stop two or three times for Curt's overheating van! Actually, the pauses just gave you more time to enjoy the beautiful scenery and by the time we reached the lookout, the views were awesome. With the visibility 100+ miles and the storm clouds brewing, you felt like you were at the top of the world. It started to shower and even hail a small amount as we made our way down the mountain.
The rest of the afternoon found most of the ladies napping and the guys out at the airport. Fred brought out his brand new 2000 Viking, which everyone was anxious to see. And impromptu tech sessions were happening all over the ramp! Happy hour and a BBQ cookout at the Hannay's rounded out the evening, an evening that was so enjoyable that the scheduled trip to the hot springs was 'called' because of the late hour. Thanks to Curt, Mary Jo and Jessica for all their efforts and terrific hospitality. Hopefully, this will become known as the "First Annual" Pagosa fly-in!
Sunday morning's breakfast gathering overlooking the hot springs rounded out the event. From there it was off to pack, ready the plane, give the obligatory fly-by and head back to 100+ degrees! (Can't wait for our next escape...3 weeks to Sunriver!)
Again, thanks to Curt & Mary Jo and Fred & Kay...we really appreciate your hospitality. Tom
Those attending the fly-in:
Cary & Linda Carson of Arlington, TX in their '76/30A
Russ Craig of Moreno Valley, CA in his '69/30
& Russ' daughter Chris from Gunnison, CO
Dean Crofford & Demita Cagle of Hereford, TX in their '73/30A
Billy & Joyce Dixon of St. George, UT in their '75/31A
Larry & Patty Field of Santa Fe, NM in their '74/30A
Curt & Mary Jo Hannay of Pagosa Springs with their '73/31ATC
Bob & Bette Nixon of Willits, CA in their '69/30
Fred & Kay Olson of Harrison, AR with their 2000/30A
Gary & Kathy Robinson of Carlsbad, CA in their '78/31ATC
Tom & Barbara Russ of Tucson, AZ in their '78/30A
Larry & Sally Smalley of Placitas, NM in their '73/31A
Jack & Carolyn Woodul of Arlington, TX in their '87/30A
Fly-In Photos!
Plainview, TX Fly-In
July 15, 2000
One of the real pleasures of owning and flying a Bellanca comes in the form of pride. Pride in the rich history of the company and its heritage. These unique airplanes attract unique individuals, people that recognize and appreciate the blending of art and machine that makes up every Bellanca. One of the other great pleasures to enjoy as a Bellanca owner is the annual trek to Plainview, TX for a visit with the fine folks at Miller Flying Service. It is very rare in aviation today to find aircraft bought and sold sight-unseen, but that is not uncommon when dealing with MFS. The basis of this unparalleled reputation lies with solid integrity. Integrity as strong as the Viking itself. Talk about integrity with Marlin Miller or Marge Mitchell and they immediately point to James! James Miller has been on the Plainview aviation scene for over fifty years and the majority of those have been promoting Bellancas. I'm convinced, no one knows more about the company's history...but then why be surprised, he wrote most of it! It's a Bellanca-nut's dream come true when James starts to telling stories about the good old days. And so it was Saturday night over dinner!
The weather this year was very cooperative (for a change!). A good many folks made it in on Friday, but unfortunately for me, my work schedule didn't allow a Friday departure so I missed the Friday night cookout and lie-swapping session. By the time I arrived on Saturday morning, after a beautiful flight over from Tucson, there were about sixty planes gathered on the field. I taxied over to Miller's, topped up with fuel (fly-in special=$1.99/gal.) and stowed the plane. There were many friends to greet and a lot of new faces. New faces to put together with familiar phone voices or email addresses! After the Lion's Club BBQ, Duane set up for his maintenance seminar in one of the hangars. As always, it was a very informative talk on some of the 'problem areas' that we as Viking pilots should keep close tabs on. That was followed up by a Q&A session with the group of forty or so that gathered. Thanks to Duane for his time and expertise.
Many folks departed by late afternoon, but it still left a group of over twenty folks a dinner Saturday night at the Elk's club. This is really the highlight of the visit for me as the stories fly and history is told! One of these days I've got to bring a recorder. Want the inside scoop on the ill-fated Aries T-250?...just ask James, he was there! Ever heard of Bellanca stutterin' 8 Romeo?...Marge can fill you in with all the details! This stuff is priceless. If you're a Bellanca owner, put this trip on your list for next year...you owe it to yourself to share in this history and heritage. You won't be disappointed. See you next year!
Those attending (my apologies to those I missed):
Ralph Baird of Houston, TX
L.A. Berry of Boerne, TX
Rod Billingsley of Las Vegas, NM
Don Bott of Carefree, AZ
Victor & Becky Catalanotta of Dallas, TX
Russ Craig of Moreno Valley, CA
Dean Crofford & Demita Cagle of Hereford, TX
Jon Hitchcock of Roswell, NM
Wayne Hughes of Utica, KY
J.A. Lanagan of Las Cruces, NM
Sid Lanier of Dallas, TX
Don Loughran of Carrollton, TX
Mark Lynn of Amarillo, TX
Mike & Liz McCann of El Paso, TX
Fred & Kay Olsen of Harrison, AR
Bill Ormand of Fountain Valley, CA
Tom Russ of Tucson, AZ
Miguel & Annette Sandoval of Grand Prarie, TX
William Shinn of Newburg, IN
Howard Thrash of Lubbock, TX
Steve Uslan of Hobbs, NM
Greg Wilhelm of Lake Havasu, AZ
(Photo courtesy of Don Loughran)
More Fly-In Photos!
The B-C Club's West Coast Fly-In
June 9-11, 2000 Columbia, CA (O22)
The weekend's weather was perfect, the venue was one of the best, and the turnout was tremendous! It was the Bellanca-Champion Club's West Coast Fly-In. For anyone that has not had the opportunity to fly in and spend some time in Columbia, CA...well, you just don't know what you're missing. This recreational airport provides the perfect spot for a fly-in gathering and a check of any aviation calendar will show that hardly a weekend goes by when there is not some sort of fly-in being held there. Wooded rolling hills surround a freshly paved (and mostly closed!) runway of some 4500 feet and 2500 feet of a crosswind turf strip. The camping and picnic areas, along with clubhouse and shower facilities, lie along the north side of the turf runway.
Barbara and I arrived in the area in the early afternoon on Friday. We were fully aware that the paved strip was being resurfaced and that all traffic was to land on the grass. What I was unaware of was just what that experience would be like. Having done most of my flying in the desert southwest, I've landed on plenty of dirt strips but never on grass...we don't have a lot of grass in the desert! But, I'd always heard that it was very forgiving and somewhere I got it in my head that it was also smooth. Well the touchdown was very smooth, but as the weight of the plane made its transition from wing to gear we were somewhat surprised. It was really not a big deal; just a realization that turf if not a smooth surface to land on! I watched carefully as many of the other planes came in and I'm convinced it feels and sounds much worse inside the plane than what it looks like from the outside!
We taxied over to the parking/camping area where we tied 054 down for the weekend. It was time for refreshments and meeting new people. We stayed by the runway and critiqued every new arrival talking airplanes and renewing friendships. As evening came I counted 20 low wing Bellancas on the field, including some of the nicest triple tails I've ever seen. Bellanca owners have a lot of pride in their mounts and it was very obvious as we looked over the wide variety on display. Friday's dinner consisted of burgers and dogs grilled up by the local group from Columbia Airport. This was a well-oiled machine, I guess hosting fly-ins nearly every weekend of the year brings out this efficiency. They did a terrific job all weekend long. After dinner, it was into town to check out the accommodations at the Harlan House B&B for us, while many of the group stayed with their planes and camped at the field.
After breakfast Saturday morning it was back to the airport. The attendance more than doubled as a steady flow of planes arrived through the day. There were also two seminars that were held in the clubhouse. Kent Tarver of Fallon, NV discussed the pending AD on the Aeromatic propellers used on many of the Cruisairs. He is in the process of attaining PMA certification to manufacture new blades for the Aeromatics. And second up was Dan Torrey, a well known left coast Bellanca expert. His talk was very informative and he brought along many "show and tell" items for the group to see. Some of the Viking specific tidbits that he shared concerned; how to deal with wood shrinkage (a common phenomenon on the west coast), the now infamous "Nixon bolts" and how to inspect, and an even more recent 'find'...cockpit fuel & pitot/static pipes wearing through because they've been rubbing on the defroster scat tubes. All in all, very informative and very well received. After the tech session time was spent watching fly-bys and looking over some of the late arrivals. Late Saturday afternoon the construction crews had put the finishing touches on the paved runway and it was opened. This pleased me because I was not really looking forward to bouncing down the turf strip a second time
As dinnertime neared, it was back to the clubhouse to enjoy another fine spread put on by the Columbia airport group...this time, grilled steaks with all the fixings. Ozzie Levi, the fly-in coordinator took over after the meal to announce the award winners and with Bob Szego's help, give out the trophies. Basil Mikhalkin won for flying in the oldest Bellanca, a 1940 Junior. Russ Lougheed earned his trophy for flying the furthest distance, in his Cruisemaster. And, Drew Peterson won the "People's Choice" award with his awesome 1958 Cruisemaster. But just when you thought the fun was over, Troy Foster stood up to introduce his new buddy Lee McGee, who had a song to sing to the group. Lee, who just very recently acquired his Viking, had penned a song to express his love for his new ride and the pride of owning a Viking. Before he was halfway finished with the song, nearly everyone in the room had picked up on the refrain and was joining in and sharing in his enthusiasm...it was great fun! All in all, just a perfect day at the airport!
I generally list all the fly-in attendees, but to be honest it was just too big a group...the biggest Bellanca fly-in I've ever been to! But for the record; there were 40 low wings, a third of them being Vikings. 22 Champ and Citabria variants, and 10 'others'...members or friends of the Club that arrived in Pipers, Cessnas, Beechs and Grummans. In total there were 72 planes in attendance. A big thanks to the BCC crew: Ozzie, George, Chuck, Brian, Grant, and Bob & Terry...we had a great time!
Fly-In Photos!
The IVOG's Ninth Annual Santa Fe Fly-In
May 26-29, 2000
The IVOG's Ninth Annual Santa Fe Fly-In was another good time for all those attending. The weather was simply fantastic and the wind even let up for the majority of the weekend! We were greeted by about a twenty-five knot crosswind upon our arrival Friday afternoon, and I just had to ask Carter, does the wind EVER stop blowing here?!? Well, it did subside and the remainder of the weekend could not have been better.
After checking into our hotel we gathered at Carter and Clara's home to meet up with all the others and enjoy a terrific cookout, some margaritas and a few cervezas! And although most of the conversations dealt with airplanes (at least the men's) it's nice to see our somewhat regular gatherings allow our friendships to grow beyond the common bond that brings us all together. It's really nice to catch up with friends and the things happening in their lives, and to meet new friends too. It was very late into the evening before we headed back to the hotel, everyone was feeling pretty tired from the long day and not particularly sharp, that is until the two Santa Fe police cars came blasting up behind us and turned on their lights! As we shot up in our seats and Craig began to pull over, they shot around us and blasted down the road. I guess they just wanted to scare the heck out of us (which they did!) because they easily could have just gone around us in the open lane instead of flying up on our bumper and hitting the lights. Anyway, it got us to stop talking about airplanes...at least for a while.
The Mountain Flying Course ground school was held Saturday at Santa Fe Executive (formerly Zia Aviation) and the friendly owners Gerhard and Lucille put on another cookout for lunch with terrific ribs, burgers and dogs. Thanks guys. Saturday brought in a few more to the fly-in, so there was a good sized group for the private buffet set up that evening at Pepper's. That is what the fly-ins are all about, isn't it? Eating, drinking and swapping stories...yeah, that's it!
Sunday morning we gathered early at the airport for the annual fly-out to test the mountain flying skills learned the day before. Five Vikings launched and headed out of Santa Fe enroute to the Taos area where the 'hung a right' and flew up the canyon to a landing at Angel Fire (elev. 8382). Our instructor, Paul, pointed out how the surrounding terrain should be looked at very carefully. With all the surrounding terrain rising, what appears to be the best direction for a departure may just not be the one with the slowest rise in elevation. Some careful study and some local knowledge are a big help. From Angel Fire we were northbound to the Red River Pass which took us westbound towards San Luis Valley. From there we took a northerly course as we flew along the western slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mts. on our way to Leadville, CO. We were able to fly at a comfortable 10,500 feet up the valley and on into Lake County airport. With a field elevation of 9,927 feet, it is the highest airport in the US and with a pattern altitude of 10,727 feet we actually had to climb from our cruise level, just to get into the pattern! For those that have been there, you know how beautiful the surrounding are and for those that have yet to see it...you owe it to yourselves to make the trip. Be sure to brush up on your high altitude operations beforehand. No one wants to see a beautiful Viking added to the scores of victim's photos that line the wall of the FBO!
In the five years I've been attending this fly-in, it's the first that I've had the chance to do the fly-out. For one reason or the other, sometimes spousal duty sometimes minor mechanical troubles, I've just never worked it out. But , it is a 'must do' trip and I'd highly recommend it to everyone. It was the highlight of the weekend, and there were many of them!
A big thanks to Clara & Carter for all your effort, year after year. Keep it up!
Those attending the fly-in were:
Adele & John Christensen from Livermore, CA in their 79/30A
Clara & Carter DuBois from Santa Fe with their 73/30A
Larry Field from Santa Fe with his 74/30A
Sharon & Craig Gifford from Austin, TX in their 79/30A
David Graham from Sitka, AK sans his 76/31ATC
Wiley, Dietta & Jon Hitchcock from Roswell, NM in their 72/30A
Carol & Jack Keiser from Santa Fe with their 77/30A
Dana, Kathy & Gary Robinson of Carlsbad, CA in their 78/31ATC
Barbara & Tom Russ from Tucson, AZ in their 78/30A
Sally & Larry Smalley from Placitas, NM sans their 73/30A
Fly-In Photos!
The IVOG's 5th Annual Harris Ranch Fly-In
Coalinga, CA/April 15, 2000
Fly-in report by Troy Foster...
They say April showers bring May flowers but they did little to bring Vikings to Harris Ranch Saturday April 15th. Gary and Kathy's flyins at Harris have normally enjoyed such a great turnout that we look for a lot of Vikings on the ground to find Harris. Sadly we got lost using this method this year. A NASTY front stalled over northern and central CA, over the CA coastal areas, and east to Nevada. Made the prospect of a nice flight to Harris from any of those areas an unreal expectation.
Since Viking owners are smarter than the metal mushing counterparts, they did the smart thing; stayed home and put logs on the fire. It seems that only we who fly north for the summer made it. Vikings out numbered Spammers tho. We had three to their 2. Gary and Kathy with Mikey, Sidney with his lovely unit, and Victor and Becky Catalanotto, and me and Shirl in Pristine. Pristine and crew left Bermuda Dunes (UDD) at 11:00 and got to Harris at noon. Gary and Kathy left Palomar at 10:00 and got to Harris at 10:45. Gary attributes his good time and 331 KT ground speed to a slight tail wind. Sid lives at Harris Ranch in the Lincoln Bedroom suite so it only took him about 30 minutes to arrive.
Victor is NOT to be outdone with technology. He had the latest - greatest digital camera with 1.2 billion pixels and built in flash. Of course that paled in comparison to his Cassiopia Palm unit which, when loaded with this neat new software, and when attached to about 61 feet of cable, can add and subtract. Oh, it shows flight info too. Great device. Probably only cost me about 500.00 to get caught up. (Thanks! THATS how you repay my kindness?) It has a built in Viking Finder Feature - that enabled us to find Sid, Gary, and Kathy. With the optional LONG cable you can attach it to ground based units and fly patterns.
The reason Victor was able to take that breathtaking picture high above the mountains is that I made him leave his battery bag behind. After figuring W/B we would have been 192 lbs. over gross had we taken enough batteries to actually use the device. It does look great - even with dead batteries. Carrying the batteries for the 1.2 billion 'Billapixel supercam' we were only 62 lbs. too the heavy (until we decided that my wife Shirl could go) Oh Well, Thank goodness for Lycomings and Turbos.
Everyone enjoyed a great lunch. Sid only had to send his meal back once. Victor's Dr. Pepper was only barely flat. That's OK cause Sid ordered something Fizzy. Others had BEEF. Lots of it too. Kathy disappeared for quite some while - but we were relieved to find that she actually was in plain sight, just obscured by the assistants she had helping her while shopping in the Butcher shop. Damn, Mikey can hold a load. Apparently so can I based on the approximately 17 pounds of appetizers I consumed. I had cilantro in my teeth until this morning.
The grand finale was when Gary spoiled a spam can driver who was 'thinking' of buying a Viking. Gary took him for a ride and last I heard there was a may-day call with Gary desperately trying to wrestle control back from prospect Roger.
We left about 2:30 with Gary still trying to regain control from Roger. When we got home Gary and Kathy had already left a thank you message on our machine. Considering that they had about 120 more miles to travel than we, they, again, must have had a tail wind.
Thanks to Gary and Kathy for setting this up and thanks Victor for tantalizing us with hundreds of dollars worth of 'can't live without' hardware...Troy
Gary, Victor, Troy & Sidney
2nd Annual Valentines Day Fly-In
El Paso/February 11-13, 2000
Fly-in report by Troy Foster...
The Santa Teresa, Dona Ana County, El Paso, fly-in was about as much fun as you can have and be legal. I know that a lot of work went into putting it together and required the efforts of many. If by my accidental exclusion any contributing party is not properly credited, please excuse me all to heck - Now a very special thanks to Miguel Sandoval for his choreography, Mike and Liz McCann for their wonderful hospitality and the scrump-de-li-umptious foodstuffs, Tom Russ for doing a great job of spreading the word, and from all the gals thanks to Gary Robinson for the roses (and for making the rest of us look bad - only kidding).
Getting to 5T6 was a breeze. Literally about a 30 knot breeze from the Right coast and took 3:25 ground to ground. Upon arriving we had fun with the fuel guy. He came to fuel me up before I knew about the special deal made for Vikes with another FBO. When I told him that I would have to pass on his fuel, he was not really friendly about it. He did ask what the special deal price was and there was a whopping two cent difference. To get a smile out of him I told him to go ahead. "Put fifty in the tanks and five on the ground underneath" says I. He promptly accommodated. Didn't make me smile to widely as I watch about 5 bucks worth of fuel evaporate into the air, fumigate my plane, and annihilate the pavement. Oh well, he did say he wasn't the regular fuel guy. He did smile though!
Tom Russ and Miguel made the greatest of Taxi drivers. I think we should nickname them Rashid for their shuttle efforts that got us into the hotel. Finding the lobby was easy enough, finding the rooms - well lets just say that Victor was never without his handheld GPS on return track mode. After a little licker (or is that liquor) we got the Rashid bros to take us to Mike and Liz's beautiful home for some great food and camaraderie (read lie telling) While Mike and Liz seemingly don't have an alcohol problem, they sure have booze bottle corks. (BTW Mike thanks for removing the cork from the Tequila - Great Stuff!)
After more lies and a cigar we were with ole Rashid again for the trip to the amazingly complex arrangement of rooms they call the hotel. Our room was nice. Since we smoke like chimneys, naturally they gave us a non-smoking room. Thought a shower would be nice. Couldn't find a washcloth though. Shirley promptly handed a hand towel - stating that things were indeed bigger in Texas. This held true for the pants I thought to buy at a sidewalk sale.
Saturday morning we ate too much breakfast to stretch our stomachs for what was to come. (like they weren't overly stretched after Mike and Liz's feast) Off to the airport for the boys to tell more lies and drink and do stomach stretching exercises - while our lovely ladies went into town for some lite shopping - a small town called JUAREZ MEXICO. At least they didn't lock the keys in the car on the wrong side of the border (or is that the left side Randy?) Two ladies whose names I won't mention did not get caught smuggling contraband across the border and had their cache confiscated. One of them is not Shirley Foster either.
Meanwhile back at the ranch (no Miguel) the boys told more and bigger lies. I know Gary lied when he told me that he had ground speeds of over 300 kts. He isn't 20 knots faster than me! Texas is a big state, and not only with big washcloths - Victor came about half way across and had to fuel up 3 times. Do Bellanca Viking de Tejas have bigger tanks than others? or just bigger appetites?
The air museum is a must see. they have over 90 cars. They had planes too. A great - neat - well done affair thair. Don't miss it if you fly in. Well worth the donation. Beer, soda, cookies, and a sandwich the length of a Viking were enjoyed by all - Boy sandwiches are BIG in Tejas. All the better to do those exercises with!
Another round with the Rashid Bros and we were again searching for our rooms. I gave up and found the bar. "Come on in - the water's fine" says Miguel and Victor so I pulled up my pant cuffs and jumped in. Are bathing suits longer in Tejas? After a few minutes I found myself licking the pavement. Can't let good scotch go to waste can we?
Thank God we had done those stomach exercises. Dinner in Grand Ballroom B was all you could eat. Naturally I just nibbled. But some people actually OVERATE - CAN you BELIEVE THAT? I think Merrill behaved. He only went back for thirds. He didn't want to damage the only Twin-Viking by overgrossing it. I think we drank too.
Sunday we had some cutie little breakfast and again, with wonderful Rashid Bros, were headed out. Now I am sure Gary lies. He radioed me that he was carrying 200 KTS over the ground into a head wind and I know he is not 20 kts faster than me.
A real nice time and thanks to all!
Troy and Shirley Foster
Thanks for the great report Troy! A big thanks to the folks at The War Eagles Museum for their outstanding hospitality and also to Mike & Liz for their tremendous efforts. Tom
Those attending the fly-in were:
Harold & Carol Black from Tucson, AZ in their '58/14-19-2
Jerry Braun from Tucson, AZ in his '72/30A
Victor & Becky Catalanotto from Mansfield, TX in their '72/30A
Jerry & Maxine Clark from Tucson, AZ in their C-182
Raleigh Drake & Shawn from Tucson, AZ in Raleigh's C-182
Troy & Shirley Foster from Long Beach, CA in their '69/31TC
Craig Gifford from Austin, TX in his '79/30A
Jack & Carol Keiser from Santa Fe, NM in their '77/30A
Steve Kimball from Columbus, NM in his '59/14-19-3
Mike & Liz McCann from El Paso, TX in their '75/31A
Bob McGrath & Dick Chivalier from Columbus, NM in Bob's C-337
Al Melgar & grandson from El Paso, TX in their '73/30A
Merrill & Marie Posner from Tucson, AZ in their PA30
Ron & JoAnn Rice from Tucson, AZ in their Christen Eagle II
Gary & Kathy Robinson from Carlsbad, CA in their '78/31ATC
Gene & Beverly Rudolf from Tucson, AZ in their PA28-180
Tom & Barbara Russ from Tucson, AZ in their '78/30A
Miguel & Annette Sandoval from Grand Prarie, TX in their '73/30A
Steve Uslan from Hobbs, NM in his '74/30A
John & Nancy Whatley from Plano, TX in their C-210
Fly-In Photos!
San Luis Obispo Fly-In
November 6, 1999
For the record we had a total of 10 beautiful Vikings in attendance, bringing 19 of our best airplane drivers and guests, which with Alice and I made for 21 of us having a great time.
The weather behaved very nicely, the restaurant served us great food on their outside deck, which directly faces the transient flight line, tower and runway 29, and no one claimed his Viking would go 200 kts in a 10 kt headwind. Several came close though.
The Tower and airport administration gave us a special parking area right in front of the restaurant. No one wanted to leave the flight line to eat until I promised them they could come back out and re-start the talking, oooohing and aaaaahing after lunch. And boy, did we. It was a beautiful line up of real cherried out airplanes.
Thanks to all that attended, and to those that missed it; there's always next year! Alice and I want to tell everyone what a delight it was to host this fly-in of Viking Drivers. We hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did! Leonard.
Those attending:
Jim Ryan & Bill Bailey from Napa, CA in Bill's 71/30A
Ron & Penny Blake from San Jose, CA in their 78/30A
Mike Carr from Long Beach, CA in his 72/30A
Leonard & Alice Delk, hosts and soon to be Viking owners!
Troy & Shirley Foster from Long Beach, CA in their 69/31TC
Joe & Susan Godfrey from Leucadia, CA in their 74/30A
Archie MacDonald and Kaete from Fullerton, CA in his 66/14-19-3A
Mike & Liz McCann from El Paso, TX in their 75/31A
Tom Russ from Tucson, AZ in his 78/30A
Rick & Kimberly Skinner with Bram & Caroline from La Mesa, CA in their 71/31ATC
Bob & Bette and Richard & Kim Nixon from Willits, CA in their 69/30
A big thanks to Alice & Leonard for hosting and submitting the report & pictures!
Fly-In Photos!
Bellanca Vikings de Tejas 2nd Annual LTM Ranch Fly-In
Lajitas, TX---October 22-24, 1999
The Bellanca Vikings de Tejas second annual LTM Ranch Fly-In was held October 22-24 in Lajitas, Texas. In all, 15 people attended in 8 Super Vikings. Most everyone arrived Saturday morning and as chance would have it, four of the Vikings came into the pattern at Lajitas within a minute or two of each other! The normally sleepy airstrip really came alive for a few moments with low passes, go rounds and a full traffic pattern.
Our host Miguel Sandoval was there to meet the arrivals and shoot photos of each plane on short final as they came in just feet above a horse that was grazing the area just short of the strip. After some time meeting new faces, renewing old friendships and looking over the planes, the group headed up to the restaurant for lunch. Hiking, jeep tours, shops and of course the airport sent the group off in all directions after lunch. The evening started in the lounge and ended with another nice meal in the dining room. Plans for Sunday morning were to go up on a sightseeing flight of the area and a little canyon flying.
George flew along in Miguel's plane while I rode with Dave. We followed 535 on a narrated tour of the Big Bend, down through Santa Elena canyon and right through the middle of Mule Ears peaks. We followed the Rio Grande for nearly a half hour before returning, buzzing the LTM Ranch along the way. It was such pretty country that as I flew out and headed for home, I detoured for a while to give my friends a few of the views...and besides, I really wanted to fly down in that canyon myself!
Those attending the fly-in:
Linda & Cary Carson from Arlington, TX in their 76/30A
Craig Gifford from Austin, TX in his 79/30A
Joyce & George Keller from Alpine, TX in their 70/30A
Liz & Mike McCann from El Paso, TX in their 75/31A
James & Sherry Semrad & Tom Russ from Tucson, AZ in Tom's 78/30A
Miguel Sandoval from Grand Prairie, TX in his 73/30A
Janet & Dave Taylor from Fort Davis, TX in their 67/30
Adam & Kevin Wooten from Houston, TX in their 79/30A
Fly-In Photos!
Bellanca-Champion Club's East Coast Fly-In
Reading, PA---October 16, 1999
Awaiting report!
IVOG's 4th Annual Pacific Northwest Fly-In
Sunriver, OR---September 3-6, 1999
The International Viking Owners Group's fourth annual Pacific Northwest Fly-In was held Labor Day weekend at the Sunriver Resort in central Oregon. By Friday afternoon eight Vikings were on the ramp, coming from as far away as Austin, TX. Everyone gathered at the Sunriver Lodge for dinner and drinks Friday evening renewing friendships and discussing the day's travels. Many of us gathered at the airport the following morning for another round of hangar talk and to look over the planes on the ramp. The majority of the attention going to Billy Morgan's "100 hour old" 1998 and Doug Tyce's 1974/30A which just returned from a complete "makeover" by Webers in Alexandria.
As evening neared the group gathered at the nearby Nature Center for a catered dinner and an "awards ceremony". This was the highlight of the gathering as the "Oregon contingent" welcomed and entertained the group. RJ Lint took over for the awards presentation, handing out some very generous gift packs and plenty of laughs! Craig and Sharon Gifford won the award for "Farthest Distance Traveled" (Larry S; you wouldn't have even come close to this one!). Bob and Bette Nixon won for "Most Experienced Viking" at the fly-in. Gary and Kathy Robinson won for "Longest Tenure of Ownership". And, Barbara and I received an award for "Best Viking Website"! It was a fantastic gesture from Tom and Karen Binder and RJ and Juanita...you all provided us with a very special and memorable evening. Thanks.
Sunday was for horseback riding and whitewater rafting and although the weather was perfect in Sunriver, poor weather forecasts sent Tom and RJ heading home that afternoon. On Monday morning, those remaining gathered at the airport to load up their planes, say their good-byes and make plans for their next meeting. Thanks to Billy and Diane for hosting another visit to the beautiful Northwest. And a very special thanks to Karen and Juanita for all their efforts...it was terrific. Can't wait 'til next year!
Those attending:
Karen & Tom Binder in their '75/31ATC from Portland, OR
Sharon & Craig Gifford in their '79/30A from Austin, TX
Juanita & RJ Lint in their '74/30A from Forest Grove, OR
Diane & Billy Morgan in their '98/30A from Battle Ground, WA
Bette & Bob Nixon in their '69/30 from Willits, CA
Kathy & Gary Robinson in their '78/31ATC from Carlsbad, CA
Barbara & Tom Russ in their '78/30A from Tucson, AZ
Susan & Doug Tyce in their '74/30A from Lantzville, BC
Fly-In Photos!
Plainview, TX Fly-In & Bellanca Gathering
July 10, 1999
This summer's Plainview fly-in was hampered by poor weather. A cold front that was moving through, basically stalled over the area creating very unsettled weather. Most of those attending flew in on Friday and were treated to a cookout that evening put on by the folks at Miller Flying Service. According to Marlin Miller, seventy-six people attended...a great turnout. The poor weather continued through Saturday afternoon. There was another noontime cookout Saturday and a few more planes made it in.
Those attending were: Sid Lanier from Dallas, Scott and Sue Hamme from Fort Worth, Bob and Bette Nixon from California, Russ Craig from California, RJ Lint and Tom Binder from Gresham, Oregon, Gary and Kathy Robinson from California, Carter DuBois from Santa Fe (in his Yak), Greg Wilhelm from Lake Havasu, Arizona, Mike Salemi from Rochester, NY was there to take delivery of a 1968 Viking he bought and Gerry Hunter from Dallesport, Washington was also there to pick up his newly purchased '78 Turbo Viking. Mr. and Mrs. David Michael and their daughter flew in IFR from Midland on Saturday in their Viking and Chuck Russell also flew in on Saturday from California.
Duane gave another very informative maintenance seminar on Saturday afternoon, which included a presentation by the owner of F&M Enterprises concerning their STC'd oil filter adapter kit for the 520 Continentals. The oil filter kit seemed to be a big hit with the owners that attended. Saturday evening's gathering was at the Elks club for dinner. James Miller and Marge Mitchell recalled some great flying experiences and everyone had a great time.
Thanks to everyone at MFS for being such gracious hosts. Thanks to Marlin Miller, Carter DuBois, RJ Lint and Tom Binder for contributing to this report.
Fly-In Photos!
WCVOG's Northwest Arkansas Fly-In
June 18-20, 1999
Awaiting Report!
WCVOG's Eighth Annual Santa Fe Fly-In
May 28-31, 1999
The annual fly-in to Santa Fe just gets bigger and better every year! Thanks to Carter and Clara DuBois for being such gracious hosts. Nearly a dozen of the pilots that arrived for the fly-in also participated in the Mountain Flying Course presented by Jason Martin, a CFI with Zia Aviation (our host FBO), with about half a dozen planes taking the Sunday morning flight up to Gunnison, CO. Attending this year's fly-in were:
Tom Binder and RJ Lint in Tom's '75/31ATC
Ted Bonds and his wife in their '74/31A
John and Adelle Christensen in their '79/30A
Carter and Clara DuBois with their '73/30A
Larry Field and his '74/30A
Dave and Dottie Finley and Family
Craig and Sharon Gifford in their '79/30A
John and Dietta Hitchcock in their '72/30A
Mike and Liz McCann in their '75/31A
Howard and Donna McQuay sans their '75/30A
Gary and Kathy Robinson in their '78/31ATC
Tom Russ in his '78/30A
Larry and Sally Smalley sans their '73/31A
and 'soon to be' Viking owner Dave Taylor in his C150
Thanks again to Carter and Clara, and everyone that participated in another successful fly-in!
Fly-In Photos
Bellanca-Champion Club's West Coast Fly-In
May 28-29, 1999
From reading the latest B-C Club Newsletter, more than fifty people gathered for the fly-in at Cable Airport. Sounds like a great turnout and a fun time for all!
Valentine's Day Fly-In
Santa Teresa, NM---Feb. 13-14, 1999
The "WCVOG & Bellanca Viking's de Tejas Valentine's Day Fly-In" was a great success. I'm sure the great weather contributed to the good turnout. In all 25 people gathered;
Ron & Peggy Bianchi in their '74/30A
Victor & Becky Catalanotto in their '72/30A
Carter & Clara DuBois in their '73/30A
Craig & Sharon Gifford in their '79/30A
Jon & Dietta Hitchcock sans their '72/30A
George & Joyce Keller in their '70/30A
Steve Kimball & Dick Chivalier in Steve's '59 Triple Tail 260
Bob McGrath in his C-337
Howard & Donna McQuay in their '75/30A
Tom & Barbara Russ in their '78/30A
Miguel & Annette Sandoval in their '73/30A
Bob Stevens, Rob Hill, & Bobby Graves in their '75/30A
Skipper Stevenson in his '72/30A
It was quite a sight to see so many Bellancas out on the ramp! Unfortunately, it was an afterthought to position them all so an 'overhead' shot could be taken from atop the War Eagles building. Maybe next time! I did take a crude panoramic shot of the ramp, but not all the planes had arrived yet.
The folks at the War Eagles Museum were very accommodating to the group and opened their second floor banquet room for our use. A pizza lunch was brought in, complete with drinks and a few cervezas! The second story room has a glass front which faces the runway and ramp. It was a great perch for watching the last few arrivals come in. A big thanks to Bob and the staff at the museum.
After a couple hours touring the fine collection of cars and planes, we packed up and headed for the motel. Again, the Holiday Inn could not have been more accommodating to the group. They had dropped the room rate from the usual $90 to $49 and made plenty of room for us in their "Sierra Grill". After a very nice dinner, having the room to ourselves, we moved all the tables and circled the chairs for a very enjoyable and entertaining "intro session". It was a real highlight to the weekend as everyone came together, relating their Bellanca experiences and sharing their thoughts on how to enhance the pleasures we all derive from our planes and the friendships we make through this common bond. We all discussed the vision of an "umbrella group" (likely, the WCVOG, or simply BVOG) with state or regional chapters (such as BVdT) to offer more local interest and activities for members. The subject of a formal e-mail list for Viking owners was also discussed as there seems to be a lot of interest in such a forum. (I promise to get working on this again, and have some answers in the near future.) Another common thread of discussion was this year's Santa Fe fly-in. I'd expect this one to be the biggest ever!
I'm confident all those that came enjoyed themselves as much as Barbara and I did. Thanks to those that attended...it is a real pleasure to meet new Bellanca friends as well as catch up on old friendships. I've always felt that Bellanca owners are every bit as classy as the planes themselves! Miguel...thanks for all your hard work putting this together, next time I promise to do my share!...Tom
Fly-In Photos
A Day in Palm Springs
Saturday, December 19th, was a beautiful day in Palm Springs and points eastward, and a perfect day at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Unfortunately, the weather to the west was not very cooperative and attendace was poor. The museum was very accommodating, and even though we only had seven people in the group, we were given an escorted tour of the facility. A former P-38 fighter pilot escorted us through most all of the museum, relating many "first hand" stories along the way. Our tour of the B-17 was preceded by a twenty minute talk given by a former crewman of a Flying Fortress. The first hand experiences that were told really made for a special day. It also made one think; it won't be too much longer that you'll be able to hear accounts given by those heroes that were actually there.
A few Museum Photos
1998 Reno Air Races
This year's air races were as exciting as ever, even though the usual two heavyweights (Strega and Rare Bear) weren't in the battle. (Neither airplane has had the finances to repair the damages done from last year's race). Never the less, the P-51 "Dago Red" held off "Dreadnaught", a Hawker Sea Fury, for the Unlimited Gold trophy.
New for this year were the T-28s and 'Sport' racing classes. The 28s came out in big numbers and put on a good, close race. And, the Lancairs, Glasairs and Questairs also put on an impressive performance in the newly formed sport division.
The best surprise of the whole weekend had to be the weather. In the six years that I've been going to the races, I've never seen it better. The company wasn't bad either! Doug Tyce and his friend Maurice flew down from Vancouver, BC, Fred Pascoe came in from Fairbanks, AK, and James Semrad and I flew up from Tucson. Five grown men shouldn't be allowed to have that much fun!...Tom
A Few Photos From Reno 98
Third Annual Pacific Northwest Fly-In
Sunriver, OR --- September 4-6, 1998
Some twenty-four members and friends attended this past weekend's fly-in at Sunriver. The weather couldn't have been better for the many outdoor activities the resort had to offer, and of course...there was also plenty of Bellanca talk to go along! The title of "Farthest Distance Flown" went to Sally and Larry Smalley, coming 855nm, beating out Barb and Tom Russ by 'one' mile! Ten Super Vikings attended including our host's brand new 1998.
Those in attendance were:
Karen & Tom Binder in their '75/31ATC from Portland, OR
Adele & John Christensen in their '79/30A from Alameda, CA
Joyce & Billy Dixon in their '75/31A from Santa Rosa, CA
Juanita & RJ Lint in their '74/30A from San Ramon, CA
Diane & Billy Morgan in their '98/30A from Battle Ground, WA
Bette & Bob Nixon in their '69/30 from Willits, CA
Kathy & Gary Robinson in their '78/31ATC from Carlsbad, CA
Barbara & Tom Russ in their '78/30A from Tucson, AZ
Harriett & Scott Savage in their AA1A from Livermore, CA
Sally & Larry Smalley in their '73/31A from Placitas, NM
Susan & Doug Tyce in their '74/30A from Lantzville, BC
and, Tina & Shane McAlister sans their '89/30A from Springdale,AR
A very good showing for the group, and a very special thanks to Diane and Billy Morgan for hosting the event, and going out of their way to accommodate the 'larger than expected' turnout!
Photos from Sunriver
a DAY in SEDONA, AZ (SEZ)
Sunday, August 23, 1998
A fun time was had by all who attended the Sedona Fly-In. A hearty breakfast and breath taking views of the Red Rock Country, and of course, plenty of hangar talk...made for a special day. The event was attended by some fifteen members and friends, flying 8 Super Vikings.
Thanks to Larry Smalley for hosting the event.
Other "Not Necessarily Viking Related" Events!
Gathering of Mustangs & Legends/April 10, 1999
1999 Sun-n-Fun Fly-In/Lakeland, FL
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