2004 Events
ABQ Wrap Up
Oct 5, 2004
The desert beauty of this enchanted land lived up to it's
reputation. As one of our sports longest-running events, the American Flyer PPG
romp was a blast. Thanks to Jerry & Michelle Daniele for giving so deeply of
their time, property and assistance.
The Saturday morning cross country by Jarrod Bottenelli proved
a real winner with the new course over spectacular if not foreboding terrain. It
was the kind of trip best done in numbers - landing options were plentiful but
retrieval would have been challenging.
Competition director Mike Thompson and Lead Judge CC Moisan
presided over the competition which had enough pilots to count towards national
standing. A full report will appear elsewhere on that and thanks to these two
die-hards for their outstanding work and those who helped judge.
Probably the highlight for those who participated was a
camping trip that followed most of the flying. Its flying at will in New
Mexico's version of monument valley. Truly spectacular scenery. Some pilots went
soaring and one reached over 10,500 feet before cold air squelched his desire.
The trip was cut short by rain but not before this spectacular terrain served up
its visual desert.
Overall it was an enormous success. Here are some pictures
from the event - a brief report will be included in an upcoming UltraFlight.
A Chronology
Friday Flying
  
1. Landing glider amidst the launchers. Photo by John
Coulter.
2. Steve Tustison and I cruise up the Rio Puerco River
3. Michelle Daniele in a familiar pose: helping someone.
  
1. Brian and I were chatting when this tarp suddenly lifted
off. It landed and then took off again, giving me time to get the camera. We
followed what turned out to be a very strong dust devil as it twisted about in
the parking lot.
2. Brian had time to fetch his anemometer and stand in it, recording 14 mph when
he got in it.
3. Landing in one of those will get you on this, the "Wall of Shame;"
A perpetual reminder of what can happen.
  
1. PPG pilot and drummer Joel helped organize "Pilot
Project" who gave great entertainment while we ate.
2. Many gathered fireside to keep warm and relive or anticipate life.
3. The band "Pilot Project"
Crossing Country
 
1. Jarrod gives the low down on how high and where for
Saturday Morning's cross country to the old 19th Ave. launch site.
2. Pilots prepare. This was a popular attraction, probably 25 pilots
participated.
    
1. The earliest birds get ready as a motor warms up.
2. CC Moisan (in yellow) helps another pilot get ready and Tim warms up his
machine.
3. Tim and I flew the trip together - it was awesome scenery but dress warm.
4. This was a bunch of the pilots who made the trip. Jarrod is motor mounted
and ready to re-launch. Many opted to fly back.
5. The launch was extremely difficult at times with very light and variable
winds.
The Competition
  
1. Eric Dufour rounds a corner in the "Cloverleaf"
2. I come by for the "Slow/Fast". Competition director Mike Thompson
is in the Orange vest. Photo by John Coulter.
3. Many enjoyed watching and fortunately there was no new firewood produced. Photo
by John Coulter.
Saturday PM
   
1. This motley crew knows how to have fun. Thanks to all who
made it such a good time.
2. Amazingly good homegrown fireworks.
3. After Michelle gave an emotional tribute to her husband Jerry, she asked him
for the dance. There were few dry eyes.
Camping Trip
  
1. Spectacular. We took to the sky not long after setting up
camp. Jerry is off scouting artifacts - something he is amazingly adept at.
2. Jerry Daniele climbs up the rock face just East of camp. Zooming makes look
much closer than reality.
3. It was a wide, monster thermal that express shipped me into the high reaches.
After calling "uncle" and leaving the lift I remembered to snap a
picture of the vario (Thanks to "Magoo" for letting me borrow it).
  
1. Bruce brown reflexes his way over camp. Cabezon highlights
the background.
2. Brian enjoys some low cruising on Monday evening.
3. The trip got cut short due to rain. Steve Tustison, who manned the Enterprise
helm out and back is pictured here with, would you believe, a piece of hail!
Yes, this was the largest hail I've ever seen. There were bigger ones but I
snapped a shot of this fellow after we stopped to avoid getting our windshield
broken. The Enterprise still suffered several dents including a prominent one on
the hood.
 IL
Fall Party
Time
Sept 9, 2004
There was nothing official about it. Being labor day meant
that the local gathering of weekend PPG pilots was just a bit bigger than usual.
Well ok, quite a big bigger! The "Paradrome" of Nick, Stacey and
family Scholtes hosts mammals of all kinds including those with natural
feathers.
Some of these and other pictures will, no doubt, find there
way at full resolution, into Ultraflight magazine. Man you should see them then!
Pictured right and above is Chris Lee - taking pictures is his
living and flying has become an accomplished passion. We can look forward to
some great captures from his trigger finger.
  
1. On the day before festivities began, Tim Kaiser (center)
and myself went out "looking for launch." Then we proceeded to do a 20
mile trip to the Paradrome where we were met by John DeFranco and Bill Butcher
(left). We landed, kibitzed briefly and flew back.
2. Nick buzzed by looking way to content.
3. This fellow was entirely disinterested in the human shenanigans around him.
  
1. Jeff Baumgartener gathers this reluctant rag for a
flawless forward...
2. And makes no mistake about getting airborne!
3. Twelve of us head out for what winds up being a 60 mile cross country -
several answer the call for a formation shot.
   
1. Bill Butcher, Dave Mchinnie (center) and Nick Scholtes do
corn patrol. Nick is especially in tune with corn's finer nuances.
2. Playing along drainage areas is a unique PPG pastime. "Cover me Luke,
I'm going in!".
3. We descended en-masse to the ultralight friendly Cushing field. then
4. We refueled for the next leg.
   
1. Dr. Dave and company gets ready to go after another mass landing
preceeded the Morris airshow. Our prior reservations did not include the
increasing afternoon bumps so we didn't eat there as planned.
2. When finding out that we weren't going to eat, composer/pilot Thad gestures a
"what now?".
3. Jeff Baumgartener obliged my request for some close-ups of his new home-built
for an upcoming UltraFlight article on it. Ground shots? Heck no!
4. That evening we relaxed with local flying around the 'drome.
   
1. New pilot Fred psyches himself up for launch.
2. Bill Butcher flies 737's this gracefully too.
3. Nick Scholtes keeps Pam Kalb smiling the whole flight. If she only knew....
4. Chris Lee and Tim Kaiser (right) gets ready to join the flock presently
circling overhead.
 Ohio
Flies at FlyOhio's Bash
Aug 9, 2004
Bruce Brown (Lf) knows how to throw a Fly-In. This growing
gathering of fliers puts Perrysburg, Ohio on the map. Even local media knew of
it. Many thanks to Bruce, his wife Elaine, and the Farmer who lets us use his
land. A good time was had by all.
Dan
Kriseler was celebrating his 80th birthday (well ok, it was about half that) and
many turned up at the "Dukes" tent to help him celebrate. Some superb
Mexican fare was shared by many flyers (thanks!) and tasted mighty fine.
These folks add liveliness and "Boots" the flying Dog tries (usually
unsuccessfully) to keep Dan in line. They fly together in the safest
combination: Dan is there to feed the dog and the dog is there to bite Dan if he
touches the controls. They've had a perfect safety record to date with this
combination.
Below is a snapshot of the event from Saturday.
 
 
   
   
Marks Park & Airfield
June 26, 2004
A more friendly group of aviators would be hard to find. The
Wisconsin Powered Parachute Association has welcomed the PPGers with open arms
and nearly 15 showed up to participate. Mark and his wife Angela, along with
Will and other friends, have worked hard to make everyone feel welcome and their
efforts have paid off.
This year they had some vendors show up and by the end of
Friday, when these photos were shot, there were already had 31 PPCers and 10
PPGers there with more on the way.
In addition to flying they also had demonstrations of various
other activities such as advanced R/C model airplane flying, high wind kiting
(courtesy of the prevailing strong winds at the time) and rescue operations.
Below are just a few pictures taken Friday before the flying
really got going.
  
1. The PPG Gang with a few missing. These are the PPG pilots amidst a bevy
of PPC's. The tent is provided for all attendees to store their gear and
spectators to check them out - a nice touch indeed.
2. Wayne and Jeff tackle the strong winds for a brief flight. It was too rough
(about a 6 on the bump scale) to continue flying. Photo by Tim Kaiser.
3. John showed up late but before the camera was put away. Couldn't let that
slide.
   
1. After the flying there were many questions that Wayne and Jeff gladly
answered. Jeff enthuses over some response: "There I was...".
2. The PPCers do bomb drops in an informal competition. This Osama target,
skillfully painted by Will, serves as the target. Photo by Tim Kaiser.
3. Wayne lands just after Jeff. Photo by Tim Kaiser.
4. The ride home. Looking out the Right window of a Beechcraft Bonanza - this
was a pretty flight on its own right!
 Mexican
Gathering
Mar 20, 2004
It was flying until we were sick of flying. As if that wasn't
enough, nightfall brought out camp fire and pictures of...yup, the day's flying
(right).
Arriving Friday found a lull that only tandem wings and throttled ones could
stay up in. Man was it nice to put fossils to flight.
The next day saw good lift and we only motored in the morning until Mr. lift showed up around noon. We then mostly soared all day with propellered interludes during light spells.
The next day was strong - soarable before breakfast and blowing the rest of the day until we left (4 of us left on Sunday pm). I flew the motor to burn up the remaining gas and it was a blast, cruising from dune to dune, sliding down the sand hills, alighting atop various protuberances and generally having a ball.
Mary took her first soaring flight - launching from the high ridge. She was motivated by none other than Jim Jackson who also took his second gliding AND soaring flight.
We ate like kings - Mary and "Turbo" did the chow: Filet mignon and breakfast burritos topped my favorites.
Flying, eating and doing them with friends. That's hard to beat!
It was just a casual gathering of those who could get away at short notice. I
didn't even plan on going until the last minute but sure am glad the plan
worked.
   
1. Mary Hobson and her Husband/Instructor (red wing) Alan
Chuculate
launch together from the small ridge.
2 & 3. Mary and Alan fly down together after a soaring flight from the high
launch.
4. Dr. Dave and his "Care Dental" wing soar the sand.
   
1. The group gathers. Getting pilots together for a picture during
soarable conditions is akin to
herding hungry cats during feeding time.
2. "Turbo" Bob powers by launch as Alan inspires his soon-soaring wife
one last time.
3. Scott swoops by the campsite - ordering hamburgers maybe.
4. The clan cruises silently above waters edge listening only to the rush of
wind and waves.
   
1 & 2. The campsite. West is above and the 50 foot ridge
is only a
few feet from the westernmost vehicles. We launched right from there.
3. Thad Spencer was kind enough to let me maneuver around him just angling for a
shot. I got several.
4. Besides making her first soaring flight and any number of short sled
rides,
Mary made magic on the grill. We ate very well.
Paratoys 2004
Jan 8, 2004
With 166 registered pilots this represented the largest
gathering of paramotor flyers to date. It also yielded many stunning
opportunities for the shutterly minded. The May issue of UltraFlight will
contain the best of the best. The pictures below give
some feeling of the flying. There was a lot more that went on beyond the flying
and much of our fun comes from sharing. But sharing air is the perfect way.
Click the picture to enlarge.   
   
 
  
   
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