LAST MEETING: 
We had 9 members present at last months meeting. The annual holiday party was discussed. It was decided to have a potluck supper at my home again this year. Because of the New Year’s holiday being the same weekend as the normal meeting date, it was decided to have the meeting along with the party the following Sunday (Jan 9) See below for details. 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATES STILL NEEDED! 
If you haven’t renewed your membership for 2005, please get your payment and info to Scott ASAP. He needs EAA membership number and expiration date of all members. Club chapter renewal was due Dec. 15. We also need to find ways to get new members and keep the existing ones. EAA keeps raising the chapter rates. If we can’t increase membership, or at least hold the numbers, we may have to consider raising our dues. This year’s renewal cost $280. They’ve been having fairly large increases since 9/11. 

HOLIDAY PARTY: 
This year’s holiday party will be a potluck supper held at my home South of Mankato. It will be held January 9, serving at 6pm. Please bring a dish to pass, and your own beverage. Dishes and utensils will be provided. The party will take the place of the normal January meeting. Please take note that January 9 is the second Sunday of the month, not the normal first Sunday! After the meal, we can sit and visit as in other years, or if the people wish, we could watch an aviation-oriented movie, or videos from past year’s flying.  I have “Fly Away Home” and “Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines” on DVD. 
Bring your wife or girlfriend along! Contact Mike For Directions 
 

STANTON AIRFIELD: 
I received an e-mail from Tom Rent from Stanton airfield. He asked that I pass the info to the membership. The following is his e-mail to me: 
Hi Mike, 
I am on the Board of Directors at Stanton Airfield and I thought I'd share some news with you that you could distribute to your Liteflyer members: 
1. Stanton Airfield is providing current training in a very nice Piper PA-11 for the Sport Pilot Certificate. You can log all the instruction hours right now and be ready for the flight test once the FAA has approved the examiners. Stanton has 5 tail wheel instructors available so there is plenty of talent to aid your members in their training. 
2. Stanton is doing a complete restoration of a "Light Sport Aircraft approved" 1946 Piper J-3 Cub with the intent to sell it when completed in the Spring. It is in the fabricing stage, and available for viewing by perspective buyers. If a buyer steps forward, we can customize the aircraft to his or her liking. We have yet to buy the engine and prop so the new owner can pick out the engine and prop they want if they act soon, or purchase the aircraft without the engine/prop. The J-3 Cub is one of the most sought after certified aircraft, and their value keeps increasing so (believe it or not) it is a good investment. 
3. We have one customer who is interested in buying a RANS S-6 kit and building/hangaring it at Stanton with the support of the Stanton A&P personnel. He is looking for a partner to assist in the ownership of project. He is anxious to order the kit and we are anxious to do whatever we can to move this along. Perhaps one of you members might be interested in this opportunity. 
For questions on any of these topics, people can either visit the Airfield and talk to the Airport manager Kent Johnson, or they can call the Airfield at 507-645-4030. 
Thanks Mike, and Happy Holidays, 
Tom Rent 
Stanton Sport Aviation - Director 
"http://www.soarmn.com/stanton/" 

LAST MEETING: 
Last month’s meeting was our annual holiday party. It was held at Mike and Sue 
Schweim’s home, South of Mankato on Jan 9. We had 9 people in attendance, and enjoyed 
the fellowship of each other, and lots of really good food! 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATES STILL NEEDED! 
If you haven’t renewed your membership for 2005, please get your payment and info to 
Scott ASAP. So far, only 10 members have renewed for 2005 according to the last 
update I got from Scott. If you plan to renew, please do so soon in order to continue 
receiving the newsletter. 

ULTRALIGHT WEIGHT EXEMPTION PETITION: 

I received notice of a proposed exemption to increase the weight for part 103 
ultralights. The following is a summary of the information. If you have internet 
access, send your comments soon. Feb 3 is the deadline. The website address is 
included in the article. 
      A petition currently before the FAA requesting an exemption (Docket No. 
FAA-2004-19350) to study the value of added safety equipment (and, consequently, more 
weight) for FAR Part 103 single-seat ultralights. 
      The petition, submitted by Dick Carrier and co-sponsored by the Aero Sports 
Connection (ASC), the United States Ultralight Association (USUA), and the North 
American Powered Parachute Federation (NAPPF), requests an exemption from 14 CFR 
Section 103.1(e)(1) to permit members to conduct flight activities in ultralight 
vehicles that exceed 254 pounds empty weight because of the addition of safety 
equipment such as brakes and electric starters, up to 330 pounds total empty weight. 
      The exemption requests a two-year study to create a research baseline that 
would determine whether the empty weight of ultralights should be increased. The 
exemption also requests permission to conduct flight activities in ultralights 
weighing not more than 350 pounds to "accommodate the special equipment needed by 
physically disabled persons." 
      As written, FAR Part 103.1(e)(1) allows ultralights to weigh more than 254 
pound empty if they are equipped with "floats and safety devices which are intended 
for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation." Advisory Circular 103-7 
further clarifies the amount of additional weight, allowing 24 pounds for parts 
associated with a parachute system, 30 pounds per float for straight floats, and 50 
pounds for amphibious aircraft. 
      The information gathered during the two-year study would be evaluated to 
determine whether FAR Part 103 should be amended. 
Interested  members can comment on petition online at 
http://dms.dot.gov/search/document.cfm?documentid=299254&docketid=19350. 
Use the "Comment/Submissions" link to submit your comments. The deadline for comments 
is February 3, 2005.

LAST MEETING: 
We had about a dozen members in attendance at the Feb. meeting. We also had 2 
visitors in attendance. Hopefully they enjoyed the meeting and will join the club. 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATES STILL NEEDED! 
If you haven’t renewed your membership for 2005, please get your payment and info to 
Scott ASAP.  If you plan to renew, please do so soon in order to continue receiving 
the newsletter. 

WISCONSIN ULTRALIGHT SAFETY SEMINAR: 
Saturday, March 5 is the Wisconsin Ultralight Safety Seminar. It’s held at Hotel 
Mead, 451 Grand Avenue in downtown Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. For hotel 
reservations, call 1-800-843-6323. I’ve never been able to attend yet, but I’ve been 
told it’s well worth the drive to attend. There is no charge to attend, and lots of 
good door prizes are given out, as well as lots of good information on the new Sport 
Pilot rules, and flying safety information. 
Registration begins at 8am, Seminar starts at 9am, and sessions end at 4pm. 
--Topic-"The Nuts and Bolts of Airframe Maintanance" Fox Valley Technical College – 
Oshkosh * Daryl Lenz - FAA Safety Counsler  -- Topic-"Situational Awareness & 
Handling Emergencies" * Dennis Demeter - Avaition Consultant  --  Topic-Rotax Engines 
& Bing Carbs Preventive Maintanance & Tips LEAF * Brian Meyerhofer - LEAF  -- 
Topic-Transition to Sport Pilot: Aircraft and Pilot "Whats The Next Step?" EAA * Timm 
Bogenhagen - Sport Pilot  -- Topic-Utilizing "ALL" your Weather Resources WISDOT BOA 
* Jeffery Taylor - WISDOT BOA -- Topic-"Sport Pilot Certificate: Licensing, 
Regulations, Airspace, Aircraft & YOU !" MKE FSDO * Ray Peterson and Mike Mecha- FAA 
MKE FSDO 
More info is available on the internet at:  "http://www.av8safe.org/wulac.html" 

LAST MEETING: 
We had about a dozen members in attendance at the last meeting, and one of the 
visitors from the last meeting was once again in attendance. He brought the wingtip 
from his recently purchased N-3 Pup. The rib had been previously damaged and 
“repaired” by the previous owner. He’s going to replace the damaged rib. Jewell Ness 
and John Klein had helped him evaluate the damage a few weeks previously. He’s hoping 
to have the plane flying this summer. 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATES STILL NEEDED! 
According to the information I’ve received from Scott, there’s still several members 
who haven’t renewed their membership for 2005. If any who still haven’t paid want to 
continue to receive the newsletter, please make your payments soon. 

WISCONSIN ULTRALIGHT SAFETY SEMINAR: 
John Klein, and Linus Guggisberg drove to Wisconsin Rapids together for the Wisconsin 
Ultralight Seminar. They reported at the meeting that it was a really good seminar, 
with lots of good safety information. I also received an e-mail from Bob Powell, 
stating that he attended and won a door prize for the club. The following is his 
e-mail: I attended the safety seminar in Wisconsin rapids and learned 
some. The good news is that I also won a drawing for a new chapter 66 windsock. It is 
one that was on display at Air Venture. I will try to bring it in at the next 
meeting. 

SPORT PILOT APPLICATION FORMS NOW AVAILABLE: 
Tim Bjork sent me the following information: 
Ready to take the sport pilot practical test? Assuming you can find a designated 
pilot examiner to go up with you, the form you'll need to apply for the rating is now 
available. "http://forms.faa.gov/forms/faa8710-11.pdf", Airman Certificate and/or 
Rating Application—Sport Pilot, from the FAA's Web site. Contact information for 
sport pilot designated examiners (there are 13 so far) has been posted on 
the"http://afs600.faa.gov/afs610-Examiners.htm". Read the latest updates on the sport 
pilot and light-sport aircraft initiative on "http://www.aopa.org/sportpilot/". 

LAST MEETING: 
We had beautiful weather for the April meeting. 4 members flew in for the meeting. 
Scott Blixt flew in with his trike, Craig Skunberg flew in with his Mariner, Del 
Voegele flew in with his Fisher 404, and Grant Rappe flew in with his CH701. We also 
had about a dozen members drive in for the meeting. 
We were also treated to some delicious chocolate cake by Barrie Wutschke. Dan 
Westerhouse is nearing completion with his Ridge Runner, and should be in the air 
soon. 
Bob Powell brought the club’s new windsock to the meeting. He won it for the club at 
the Wisconsin Ultralight Safety Seminar in March. 

FAA SAFETY SEMINAR: 
Tuesday, May 17, from 6 to 10pm, the FAA is holding a safety seminar for all pilots. 
They will have a person from FAA headquarters in Oklahoma City to address issues with 
the new Sport Pilot regulations.  The meeting will be divided into 2 segments. The 
first will be runway enhancement, and the other for Sport Pilot. Each segment will be 
approx. 2 hrs long. The seminar will be held at the St. Paul College auditorium, 235 
Marshall Ave, St. Paul, MN, on the corner of John Ireland Boulevard and Kellogg 
Avenue. Free parking.  The college has a website at: www.saintpaul.edu/home.aspx . 

SUN N FUN: 
Scott Blixt attended Sun N Fun a couple weeks ago. Here’s his report on his findings, 
sent April 18. 
I made it back from Sun N Fun late Sat nite. The weather this year was a bit cooler 
than past years, and very windy. It was a challenge for those who flew everyday. 
Cooler as in 80F and in the low 70s in the AM 
;-) 
I met a few of the guys from the trike list. Nice to meet you guys. Im sure I missed 
quite a few also. I finally met a guy who makes me look small in the trike world. 
That would be Slim. Very nice to meet you. The trikers party at Don Wolfs was a good 
time. I think next year we should have name tags. It was too easy to stay in your own 
little group 
and not really talk or meet anyone you didn’t know. Some of the trike sellers didn’t 
know about the party, so they didn’t come. Might have to put the word out a bit 
better next year? 

I saw some trikes that I had never seen before. Of course the big one was Air 
Creations Tanarg trike. Probably the most comfortable trike Ive ever sat in. You and 
the passenger sit quite nice. But a big price tag 
to boot...over $54,000!The most rugged trike goes to Kruker with his super heavy duty 
trike. 
You would have to see it to believe it. Its like the Hummer of the trike world. And 
it sounds like he is teaming up with Abid to install Geo engines. This will be an 
interesting trike to watch.  I looked at the Antares with interest. I had never 
really given them a close look before. This may be the best buy out there. The 912 
trike was about $9000 less than the competition. Northwing makes a very comfy trike 
also. It fit me pretty good. Im not sure about the strutted wings. Ive never flown 
one. I would think it would add to the cost as opposed to a king posted version? 
Their prices were right up there with the others, but it is all American made. The 
Astra is a nice looking machine. It reminds me of a Pegasus trike.  They have the HKS 
and 912 version and will be making deliverys soon. 
The Klass trikes had a good showing. They are a bit too small for my frame and I 
couldnt sit inside of one. The dash hits my legs. Slim and I are out of luck in this 
dept. 
Airborne, my favorite, had their big booth. They showcased the new XT-582 with Cruze 
wing. Very nice. I didnt get to fly it but since its coming to MN after the show, Ill 
get my chance soon enough. Of course the XT-912 and Classic trikes are still the 
mainstay of the product line. 
No Sabre this year. Lookout mountain had the Aeros trike and some nano trikes which I 
don’t fit into at all so I didnt spend any time with them. 
Im bad at remembering names. I did meet the fellow from LA state with the A-75 
airplane engine mounted on his trike. Way cool! HE didn’t fly it at the show since he 
only had a couple of hours flying it. But he said it flew great. It looked nice. 
No new news on Sport Pilot. The process is very slow and its frustrating people. They 
may have to extend the transition period if they hope to get folks into it. I think 
more easy info is needed to help us along. 
Thats it for now. I had a good time. I thank Mike Hursh for talking me into going 
down this year. 
 

EAA VOLUNTEERS WANTED: 
I received notice from EAA asking for chapter help getting ready for Airventure 05. 
In exchange for a weekend of labor, EAA provides housing in the Air Academy Lodge, 
meals, and water. Helpers are asked to bring their own pillow, sleeping bag, towel, 
wash cloth, soap, shampoo, and sunblock. They have 3 special weekends arranged with 
special activities. Tasks include: carpentry, grass cutting, painting, general 
maintenance, cleaning, gardening, etc. 
May 21 is the Kermit Weeks Tour..behind the scenes where they do the maintenance on 
the EAA fleet of aircraft, and see aircraft that are under restoration. 
June 4 is a presentation by EAA staff on an overview of the Sport Pilot regulations. 
June 25 is a Behind the Scenes - Collection tour. Tour the major collection storage 
areas, let by the museum curator. It includes the archives, small artifact and large 
artifact storage areas. Learn about caring for the museum collection, and see 
artifacts that aren’t on display to the public or other members. 
Volunteer weekends must be scheduled in advance. If anyone is interested, contact me, 
as I have the registration forms. If you have any questions, contact Theresa 
Meixensperger in South Maintenance at 920-426-4819. 
 

WANTED: 
Adjustable pitch prop in good condition. 56 - 58” dia. Right hand, tractor 
installation. Am in the process of upgrading my Weedhopper from the Chotia engine to 
Rotax 377. 
Mike Schweim weedhopr@hickorytech.net or (507) 245-3390.

FAA SAFETY SEMINAR: 
Tuesday, May 17, the FAA held a safety seminar for all pilots. Among the subjects was 
a 2 hr presentation on Sport Pilot. The following is a report on the seminar from 
Scott Blixt, who attended. 
 I was disappointed that more UL folks didn’t show up for this last night. Where the 
heck was everyone? The head guy, Larry Clymer, shows up from Oklahoma City to give us 
a talk about Sport Pilot, and hardly anyone shows up. What is there, like 70 members 
or so in the MUA alone? Not only did this guy give his talk, but was very open to 
questions before, during, and after the seminar. 

Yes, it was a lot of the same that we have all heard. But a few spoilers that I hadn’ 
t heard before. He explained a bit better how the category and class thing works. The 
ski endorsement was a new twist. In either single engine land or weight shift land, 
is the endorsement for wheels or skis. Most of us will get signed off for wheels. But 
you will need a signoff from a CFI for skis. The CFI can be any CFI either Sp or GA. 
I would try and get this when doing the flight test. Bring a picture or something 
showing you flying on skis. It didn’t seem like a real big deal but its something we 
all take for granted here in the north country. 

They did admit to the catch 22 with certification and getting your ticket. It was 
suggested that a guy gets his SP certificate before going thru the certification 
process on your plane. Makes sense 

The big kicker for me, and all of us actually, was the need for a transponder inside 
the mode C veil. That’s the 30 mile circle around the class B airspace around the 
twin cities. I live right on the edge of it. The catch, only needed in an plane that 
has an engine driven electrical system. Rumor has it that this would include any 
Rotax 2 
stroke that has an electric start. Now I’ve read a little on line about this and it 
seems that some planes have been certified with electric starts that are not 
considered having an electrical system. The Rotax 2 stroke magneto does have a 
lighting coil inside but it doesn’t put out a lot of power. This could be up to the 
DAR or inspector. This is a real big deal to us since transponders run in the area of 
$1500 or so for a non-TSOd (certified) transponder. I will try and learn more about 
this and get back to the group. 

To date, he said only 156 folks have taken the SP written test. Considering that the 
rule has been in place since last Sept, this is a pretty poor showing. Only 1 has 
failed the test. 
Scott Blixt 
ka0jwc 
A Minnesota Mad Man 

JULY MEETING/PICNIC: 
Ray Seifert has informed me that he’s having a fly in/ picnic at his farm on Sunday, 
July 3. Since the 3rd is the same day our meetings are normally held, there will be 
no meeting at Porkchop Ridge in July. Food and drink will be provided, serving starts 
at 1pm. He has a 1400 ft. grass strip running east/west. Trees on East end, power 
lines on West end. 4 miles Southwest of the New Ulm airport. 
5 miles West of New Ulm on Hwy 14 to co Rd.11 (Just before Essig) Turn left on 11. 
After 4 way stop, continue 1 mile. Turn left on 225th St. ,Right on  205th Ave., Left 
on 220th St. 3/4 mile to Ray’s farm. 
GPS N44° 16.725’  W94° 34.114’ phone (507)359-2484 cell (507)276-5539. Map with 
directions will be sent with July newsletter. 

LSA KIT AVAILABLE: 
The May 2005 issue of EAA's Sport Pilot has an article offering a conversion kit. The 
item reads: 
EAA's new E-LSA Conversion Kit has everything you need to convert an ultralight to 
the new experimental light-sport aircraft category, including a I5-page Step-By-Step 
Conversion Guide that walks you through the process. 
"We want to make sure the transition process is easy and affordable for owners who 
decide to transition their ultralights into E-LSAs," said EAA Aviation Services 
Director Charlie Becker. 
The step-by-step guide makes the paperwork process as simple and easy to understand 
as possible. It explains the FAA aircraft registration (N-number) process, including 
how to get a custom N number, and it contains all the 
necessary FAA forms. 
The guide also explains how to prepare for and undergo the airworthiness inspection, 
right down to where to install the EXPERIMENTAL sticker and fireproof data plate. 
EAA's E-LSA Conversion Kit even includes the sticker, the data plate, and a sheet of 
decals for required placards. 
EAA members can get the kit for $12.99 plus shipping. For nonmembers, the price is 
$19.99 plus shipping. To order, call EAA Membership Services at 800/JOIN EAA 
(564-6322). 
 
 

FOSSETT TO RECREATE HISTORIC TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT 
Adventurer Steve Fossett has shown no signs of slowing down. Just weeks after his 
solo around-the-world flight in the GlobalFlyer, he signed up for his next mission, 
crossing the North Atlantic in a Vickers Vimy replica biplane. Fossett has teamed up 
with American navigator and copilot Mark Rebholz to recreate the 1919 flight from 
Newfoundland to Ireland made by British pilots John W. Alcock and Arthur Whitten 
Brown. Fossett and Rebholz plan to take off as close as they can to the anniversary 
of the flight on June 14. For more, see "http://www.stevefossett.com". 

LAST MEETING: 
Last meeting consisted of a fly in/drive in/ picnic at Ray Seifert’s home, just West of New Ulm. There were lots of people in attendance. I saw about 8 club members there. There was lots of really good food, and beverages there. 2 planes flew in for the event. Linus in his Quicksilver, and Larry Lund in his Titan. Ray pulled his Challenger out of the hangar for people to see also. Later in the afternoon, the wind died down, so Linus and Ray spent some time flying around the area. If you didn’t make it, you missed out on a really good time. Thanks much Ray, for your hospitality! 

AIRVENTURE 2005: 
Airventure 2005 is coming up fast! July 25 - 31. There’s supposed to be quite a bit of new stuff to see this year. White Knight/Spaceship One are making their only public appearance there. They’re arriving Monday July 25 around 3pm. Also, the Global Flyer will be making it’s appearance Tuesday, July 26 at 3pm. Both aircraft will be on display at Aeroshell Square. The Global Flyer will be leaving at 3pm, Saturday July 30. White Knight/Spaceship One will be leaving at 3pm Sunday July 31, on their way to the Smithsonian Museum where Spaceship One will be put on permanent display. There will also be several forums on Sport Pilot (rules, pilot certification, and aircraft registration) I’ll be there again all week. Hope to see many of you there. 

JEWELL NESS FLY IN/DRIVE IN: 
COME ONE, COME ALL TO THE BEST FLY IN IN THE AREA! Sunday, August 28, Jewell Ness is holding the 13th annual Fly-In/Drive in at Cherry Grove Central Airpark, South of Wanamingo, MN. The lunch wagon will be there again, serving food on site. Lots of planes, antique cars, etc. on display. Live music, and fellowship with your fellow aviators and their families. GPS coordinates are 
N 44 16.136   W 092 48.227. Runways 13 and 31, left hand pattern. Radio 122.9 runway 
length is 1100 ft. Hope to see you all there! This is the fly in of the summer you can’t miss. It’s always a great time! Map to find the spot is at www.theflyin.com 

LAST MEETING: 
I wasn’t able to attend the last meeting, as I was on a camping trip. I had a really good time. Nobody sent a report on the meeting. 

AIRVENTURE 2005: 
Once again, I spent the week at Oshkosh for Airventure. We had beautiful weather all week, with the exception of thunderstorms on Monday night. My trip to Airventure 2005 began with an adventure! I went with 3 other members from the Glencoe EAA UL ch. 92.(Karl Miller, Craig Miller, and Jim Benson) in Karl’s motorhome, leaving around 10am Saturday. We had intermittent engine problems starting in the twin cities. They thought it was a problem with ignition wires, all repair shops were closed (Saturday morning), so we continued on our way. We made it about 20 miles past Eau Claire, and the engine began rattling, and lost all power. We coasted into a Subway parking lot, and called the local Chevy dealer for help. Jim Benson and I returned to Glencoe in a rental car, and got Jim’s truck and camping trailer. We then drove back to return the car, transfer our gear from the motorhome to the camper, and continued to Oskhosh, arriving at 1:30am Sunday. I found out since that the crankshaft broke.. Once again, I worked as a volunteer in the ultralight area. I helped on the flightline every morning. I performed duties of gate guard, flagger, and spotter in the tower. It was an enjoyable time, and by working on the flightline, you get the best view of the action....and there was more “action” than most years.(2 Challengers had landing accidents, the factory demo Kolb Firestar made a deadstick landing on the road, just beyond the UL runway, and 2 or 3 ultralights made deadstick landings in surrounding fields, and on a service road by the highway) There wasn’t much new in the ultralight/light plane area this year. Pretty much the same as other years. (some exhibitors that have normally been there, weren’t there this year). The hit of the week was watching the arrival of White Knight/Spaceship One(first civilian aircraft to fly in space), and the Global Flyer (first non-stop around the world non-refueled flight) The display of Spaceship One was the only public showing of the plane. After Oshkosh, it went to the Smithsonian museum, where it will hang from the ceiling near the Spriit of St. Louis. The Global Flyer is planning to make history again later this year, or early next year. Steve Fosset is planning to fly it non stop around the world again, and continuing for a second crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. It was interesting to hear Burt Rutan’s presentation at the Theater In The Woods about the record breaking flights of Spaceship One. Thursday, the ropes were moved by Spaceship One, and any kids age 10 and under were allowed to touch it. Burt started out in the 60’s and 70’s, building model airplanes, and homebuilt aircraft. He designed and built his first homebuilt, the VerriViggen in the mid 70’s, and has been designing about a plane a year almost ever since. He also announced the start of a new company, The Spaceship Company. Sir Richard Branson, of Virgin Atlantic has placed an order with his company to build 5 spaceships for paid public space flights, possibly as early as 2008. If anyone is looking for work in the dessert, Rutan announced that he’s accepting applications for the new company. Every position from janitors to aerospace engineers. 

BALLOON RALLY: 
September 16-18 is the annual hot air balloon rally at the Faribault airport. I’ve been asked once again to display my Weedhopper, and talk to the 6th graders visiting the airport on Friday morning. It was reported earlier this summer that ultralights wouldn’t be welcome at the rally this year. I contacted the rally chairman, after being asked to talk to the school kids again. I was informed that there was a mis understanding earlier. Ultralights ARE welcome to fly into the event, and park for static display. They don’t want ultralights flying around in the pattern as in other years. I was told that there were questions by the FAA about ultralights making demonstration flights during the rally.  I’m planning on spending the weekend there with my Weedhopper again this year. If you get some free time, fly in, and help promote our sport by talking to the people! 

WEEDHOPPER UPDATE: 
As many of you know, I’ve been in the process of updating my Weedhopper from its original Chotia 460 engine to a Rotax 377. Hopefully, the conversion will be complete within the next week or so. I got the engines swapped out, and the structural work done. (moved the wing attach points, seat, landing gear, etc. forward to compensate for the heavier engine. I also had to extend the rudder cables and elevator push 
tube) (The Chotia is 43 lbs, the Rotax is 82 lbs) Pretty much all that’s left is to wire the EGT, CHT, and tach gages, and wire the voltage regulator output, and reinstall the fuel system. Hopefully everything will work out well and I’ll end up with an enjoyable plane to fly, even in conditions that previously kept the Hopper on the ground. 

WANTED: 
Aritcles, building reports, flying reports, etc. for YOUR newsletter!  Remember, It’s your club, your newsletter, so get involved. Everyone shouldn’t have to read about what I’ve been doing every month. Let us know what you’re doing as well. If you’ve had an embarrassing happening that others could learn from, include it as well, and if you ask, the names will be omitted. 

The September meeting was attended by 7 club members. Due to progress on Mark Bauer’s  
farm equipment ventures, the hangar has been converted to a farm implement  
manufacturing facility. The planes have been relocated to other buildings on Mark’s  
farm. This summer has plagued a few club members…be careful out there. Mark’s Sky  
Raider was crashed by an acquaintance of Mark’s, and unfortunately won’t be flying  
again for a long time. Thankfully the pilot wasn’t injured. Another member’s plane  
was also damaged in an accident near the strip. That pilot wasn’t injured either. I  
head that he attempted to land with a fairly strong quartering tailwind, and stalled  
into the trees off the end of the runway. On a better note, it was reported that Dan  
Westerhouse is ready to begin flying his Ridge Runner. He has taken some tail dragger  
instruction, and is just waiting for suitable weather to trailer it to a longer strip  
for the first flights. Tim Bjork is almost ready for flight in his Kolb also. He said  
he just had to install the windows, and it will be ready to go. 

BALLOON RALLY: 

Sept 16-18 was the 21st annual balloon rally a the Faribault airport. This was about  
the 6th year that I participated in the rally, and the 3rd year I talked to the  
school kids that toured Friday morning. I arrived with the sun, (if there had been  
sun, drove in the rain almost all the way there)to find 6 balloon trailers parked in  
the grass, getting ready for flight. As I was setting up my Weedhopper, a powered  
parachute flew in from the East, flew the pattern a few times, and landed. It was  
Glenn Schoaf (not sure of the spelling)from Waterville. He had trailered to Faribault  
and was flying around the area. The kids showed up at 8:30. In past years, there were  
2 large groups of Jr. High students from the Faribault public schools, 1 at 8:30, and  
another around 11. This year was a continuous flow of visitors from 8:30am till  
around 1pm. In addition to the public school kids, there were 6th graders from the  
Lutheran school, and Catholic school, also 1st and 2nd graders from the deaf school,  
a group of disabled adults, and nursing home residents. Glen continued to fly around  
the area most of the morning, so many of the visitors had the opportunity to see a  
powered parachute in flight. He also talked with several groups in the later  
sessions. The balloons never took off, they all packed up before the kids got there,  
except 2 that talked to the kids. Friday evening’s balloon launch was cancelled due  
to high upper winds. Saturday morning’s launch was cancelled due to surface winds.  
During the afternoon, there were several informative presentations for the public on  
subjects such as ballooning, glider flying, helicopter flying, bush flying in Alaska,  
Military flying, a woman’s flying experiences as a WW2 pilot, and helium cluster  
ballooning. I sat in on a few of the talks, and what I saw was informative. The  
cluster balloonist isn’t like the lawn chair balloonist everyone’s heard about. He  
uses 76 heavy duty latex balloons arranged in 6 clusters, attached to a paragliding  
harness with attached reserve parachute. He said the total helium volume is 75,000  
cu. Ft. The balloons range in size from 4ft. To 8ft., and takes 2 hrs to inflate, and  
rig them. It takes 37 “normal” size helium tanks to inflate them. The 8 ft. balloons  
each take 2 tanks to inflate. It isn’t a sport for the average person, as the helium  
costs around $1000/flight, and the balloons are around $500. The 8ft. Balloons can be  
reused a couple times, the 6ft. Balloons are good for 2 flights. The 4 ft. balloons  
are only useable for 1 flight. His cost of helium is covered by the events he flys  
at. He intends to fly in all 50 states, and his MN flight was #17. Saturday evening  
the wind died down just in time to get a mass balloon launch. I helped crew for one  
of the balloons again this year. His sponsor didn’t show up for the launch, so I got  
to ride along. It’s really enjoyable drifting with the breeze, with no perceptible  
wind, and no noise, except for the occasional burner blast. We made a gentle landing  
in a hay field about 5 miles from the airport. They also had a “night glow” Friday  
and Saturday evenings, in which several balloons set up their balloons and blast  
their burners in the dark, so the balloons glow. Sunday morning I woke up to  
beautiful flying conditions, with no perceptible wind. The cluster balloonist was  
setting up, tying his balloons to his harness. Only 1 hot air balloon launched from  
the airport Sunday. The rest set up off field for this year’s “Harley Key Grab”. They  
had to take off from at least 5 miles away, and find the right wind currents to carry  
them to a 10ft. High pole on the airport. At the top of the pole, was a key on a wire  
ring. If they could grab the key from the pole, they won a new Harley Davidson  
motorcycle. About 18 balloons attempted the Key Grab, about 6 made it to the airport.  
One balloon made it to within 10-15 ft from the pole. 

The ultralights attendance was poor this year. Only 4 powered parachutes that  
trailered in, Del Voegele flew his Fisher biplane there a couple times, and Scott  
Blixt flew in with his trike Sunday afternoon, while I was packing up. They didn’t  
want ultralights flying around in the pattern this year, but they were welcome to fly  
in, and fly out. This year, they had the ramp area roped off so the public couldn’t  
get near the planes. I still met a few people interested in ultralights, as they  
crossed the ropes to get a close look at my Weedhopper. Maybe next year, I’ll have to  
take along a few cement blocks so I can tie down right up to the ropes. 

Nov. 6 Lite Flyers meeting,2pm Porkchop Ridge, Cannon City, MN 

LAST MEETING: 

The October meeting was attended by about a dozen members. The future of our club was 
discussed. It was decided to continue the club. Due to Mark Bauer’s lack of a plane 
to fly, and his other projects he’s been busy with, he informed the club that he will 
no longer be the club president. He also let his EAA membership lapse, EAA membership 
is a requirement to be a club officer. He said we are still welcome to use his 
facilities for a meeting location. We had discussed other options for meeting 
locations. It was decided by those in attendance that meetings should be held 
somewhere where members can fly in to the meetings. Scott Blixt offered to contact 
the Faribault airport to see if we could use their meeting room. Tim Bjork brought 
some pictures of his Kolb and showed them at the meeting. He built a beautiful plane 
with a really nice patriotic paint job. It still hasn’t flown yet, but he says it’s 
ready to go. Dan Westerhouse reported that his Ridge Runner is on the trailer waiting 
for perfect flying conditions for it’s test flights. 

NOVEMBER MEETING AGENDA: 

We need to elect new officers for the club at the November meeting! EAA wants the new 
year’s info sent to them in November. If you don’t like the way the meetings are held 
or would like to see other changes, now’s your chance to step up and volunteer to be 
the new president! Also, membership renewals are coming up, due in January. It’s not 
to early to renew for 2006. 

MEETING LOCATION UPDATE: 

I received an e-mail from Scott this week. He asked about the club meeting at the 
Faribault airport meeting room. He was told that we could meet there. However, we’d 
have to let them know a few days in advance so the weekend employees would be sure to 
be expecting us. Also the Faribault Area Pilot’s Association also meets the first 
Sunday each month. If we’d decide to meet there, we’d have to change our meeting date 
each month. 

WEEDHOPPER UPDATE: 

No, the Weedhopper hasn’t flown yet either. It’s sitting on its trailer ready to go 
if we ever get good flying weather. Would have been flown a couple weeks ago (we had 
perfect weather), but I was busy with a home roofing project that had to get done 
that weekend. Running static, the CHT’s were higher than I’d like (but not to 
redline). I received a bunch of old Weedhopper newsletters from a guy on the 
Weedhopper e-mail list. Among the articles is one on making a duct to improve the 
cooling on fan cooled engines in tractor installations. The article says it reduces 
CHT’s by 80 to 100 degrees. I’m making one out of fiberglass, and hoping my temps 
improve.

Dec. 11 Lite Flyers meeting, 2pm Faribault Airport conference room (Note date and location change) 

LAST MEETING: 

The November meeting was attended by about a dozen members. We have a new president and treasurer. Scott Blixt is the new club president. He's been a member of the club since it's beginning. Bob Powell is the new club treasurer. He's been a member for a couple years. It was decided to change the meeting location from Porkchop Ridge to the Faribault Airport's conference room. Because the Faribault Pilot's Association meets there the first Sunday each month, it was decided to change our meeting date to the second Sunday of each month. 

It was reported by Dan Westerhouse that his Ridge Runner was flown October 27 by Chris Williams. It reportedly flys well, although it requires a little back pressure on the stick to maintain level flight. As of the meeting, Dan had not flown it himself. Barrie Wutschke had some pictures of his Kitfox. It's powered by an 80 horse Rotax 912. He purchased it as an almost finished plane. He's planning to have it flying by spring. Apparently Tim Bjork was deer hunting, so I don't know if his Kolb has flown. (I received an e-mail from Tim that he's been taxi testing his plane, waiting for perfect weather for the first flight. He accidentally had it about 6" off the ground once. Pics at the end of the newsletter. GPS coordinates are 44 13.710N 92 31.150W. Strip is 1275 ft. long, runways 9/27. No obstructions at either end. 

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS: 

Membership renewals are due for the 2006 year. Please get them in as soon as possible. The club chapter renewal, and insurance renewals have to be sent in to EAA soon. Scott Blixt will continue to collect the dues at this time, and will be passing the books on to Bob Powell in January. Please include your name, address, phone#, e-mail address, newsletter preference (e-mail or postal mail) EAA# and expiration date with your renewal so the club's records can remain up to date. 

HOLIDAY PARTY: 

It's time once again to think about our annual holiday party. What do you want to do this year. In past years we've met at a "local" eating establishment. The last 2 years we had a pot luck meal at my home outside Mankato. In past years the party took the place of the January meeting. We should make a decision as to when and where to have our get together this year.