Jan.-Feb. 2001- The Official Newsletter of the Ultralight Flyers of UltraFlight Volume I Number 3 Flying Safely, Just for Fun! BCV-Chugiak, Alaska

New Year, New Rules ? Ultralight Flyers of Alaska mem- bers are reminded to renew their memberships, which were due on Jan. 1, 2001. Also if you are flying supervised solo with a two place, check to see if your waiver is still within the 90 day period. If not see Lanse or Mike at Arctic Sparrow Aircraft, Inc. to get a legal waiver. If you are over 40 hours you may take the USUA exam for a UL pilots license, and if you have over 100 hours, you should take the USUA, BFI exam. This notice is in anticipation of new rulings by the FAA on the Sport Pilot Initiative, which may render BFI, and AFI pilots into a FAA Certified Flight Instructor category. Provided you are interested and the National Proposed Rule Making is passed Skis were not used until after the New Year 2001 by Congress in 2001. Poker Run Fun...No Snow Though Elections in April A record 15 pilots and their aircraft flew in an annual Thanksgiving flying During the Jan. 12 meeting it was event in Southcentral Alaska to clear warm skies, but no snow! George determined that an election for all Donart won $350 with the best poker hand at the end of a day of perfect offices were coming due. If you flying. “Man that was great fun, and I won, said George Donart. “I guess are interested in an office or now I can pay my shop bill Mike.” One by our wings and Rotax engines would like to nominate someone lifted us into the clear still air above the muddy ice filled Cook Inlet’s that you know that is a current members please submit the upper Knik Arm, as we departed from Birchwood on the 13th nomination to Arctic Sparrow Air annual ultralight “Poker Run.” Craft, in writing with the name The event sponsored by the Ultralight Flyers of Alaska had a record and position of the intended party. turnout of 15 pilots and aircraft, featured three destination landings, with Election will be held on April 6, a return to Birchwood by all to qualify for a hand of five cards. With 2001 and you must be present to winner taking all, the pilot with the best Poker hand was declared the vote. winner. The positions that will come “This was great, we had a bigger turnout for this than our Solstice Fly-in available for office are: President, during June,” said Mike Jacober, owner and president of Arctic Sparrow Vice President, Secretary, and Aircraft Inc. Treasurer. The day started after a donuts and coffee, and paying an entry fee of Also the position of Club Contact person is available to anyone who $25. Pilots suited up in cold weather flying gear and a pilot meeting was would like to introduce new held in front of the Arctic Sparrow Aircraft Inc. hangar. The ramp was members, and to renew old speckled with a variety of ultralight aircraft, this year however on wheels, members should contact ULF of due to a lack of snow. A President Lanse Welsh at 688- At 11 O’clock, as the Winter sun rose over the Chugach mountains to the 7001. east, after re-jetting carbs, and preparations to engines, wiping frost off of Remember meetings are the wings, fueling up and donning helmets, the aircraft engines fired up after second Friday of every month, 15 “clear prop” warnings, and the run was on. Be there! Ultraflight Newsletter Local Airport Planners need your input Editor’s Note By Rob Stapleton After joining the ULFA, taking instruction at Arctic Sparrow A $450,000 grant by the Federal Birchwood representatives in the Aircraft Inc. and learning to fly a Aviation Administration to the TAC are Dick Lochner, and Tom flex wing, I became interested State of Alaska Department of Eldridge, members of the in our club meetings and the Transportation and Public Association. Facilities to study the patterns and Airspace use, conditions general needs and awareness use of general aviation facilities in and construction, additional float of the Ultralight community. the greater Anchorage area is ponds for seaplanes and At these meetings it has come underway. increased use at like to my attention by our president “This study will include all General Birchwood, Campbell Creek Lanse Welsh that we need more Aviation, including Part 103-Air Airstrip, and additional float tie participation in our planned Vehicles,” said Patty Sullivan, a downs at Lake Hood were areas flying events and at meetings. FAA airport planner. discussed, by local pilots at the Please take the time this winter The idea for the study called the Jan. 31 meeting. to think about how much we’ve Area General Aviation System “I don’t know what this study will learned from each other, and Plan, is to identify future needs for do that the Upper Cook Inlet how fun it is to fly and be a part general aviation facilities and Aviation study done in the 1970s, of these events. services in the Anchorage Area and nothing was every done with It is imperative that we all take and is scheduled for completion in that,” said Birchwood’s Lochner. part in our club activities and in 18-24 months, according to FAA A renewed interest by DOT in the public meetings that pertain to and State DOT&PF officials. Anchorage area due to increased our rights to fly. We need your FAA, State DOT, and consultants aviation activity at all area airports support. Please volunteer and are seeking input from not only is responsible for driving the attend planning meetings in the pilots and aircraft owners but by current study according to DOT’s future. managers and owners of Rigg. Recently at a Birchwood Airport businesses located on airports in Sullivan, along with Diana Rigg, Association meeting the Anchorage area. Transportation Planner for the conversation about how well Alternatives will be developed and State DOT along with Carl Seibe, the Ultralight community is evaluated to handle future general a DOT Airports Engineer made doing and how we are adhering aviation needs, that will later be presentations at an introductory meeting on Jan. 31. to airport procedures was input into an implementation plan that will determine how to fulfill the At this informational meeting, highlighted. needs, according to Diana Rigg, a John Sanders, a consultant with Unfortunately as part of a transportation planner for the Aires Consultants Ltd. a California divisive ploy several local State of Alaska Department of based firm specializing in airport Legislators have registered Transportation and Public and aviation planning studies, laid their complaints to State DOT Facilities. out the plan for the study. officials about the safety of the The “System Plan” was initiated in “What we hope to do is take your ultralight runway on the ski early 1998 through a survey to input, along with an inventory of strip and the lack of distance area general aviation pilots by the local facilities and their from center line to center line. DOT&PF sent to 2,000 area pilots. environmental condition, and Any conflict between the UL These surveys were sent to come up with plan to make community and the GA users by current pilots who had a third class improvements to the current either party will be spotlighted medical or where identified in FAA infrastructure,” Sanders said. by Senator’s Halford and databases and AOPA Public input by all users is Phillips in an effort to reduce membership. necessary for the study to work, funding or, worse to render the In November 2000 a Technical added Sullivan. “So that we can use and procedures unsafe, Advisory Committee (TAC) was assist the State in further plans for which may limit our future use assembled, comprised of infrastructure improvements.” at Birchwood. representatives from DOT&PF, Be careful, be aware, and be FAA Anchorage International, For further information on how to neighborly! Any confrontation , Birchwood, input your ideas, and needs will affect us all. Municipality, the Military, aircraft contact: Diana Rigg, Anchorage owners, pilots and airport users Area Planner, P.O., Box 196900, Rob Stapleton, Editor, and other interested parties, as Anchorage, Alaska 99519-6900, [email protected] or 907.230.9425 well as other government Phone (907) 269-0515, Fax (907) agencies. 269-0521, Email: [email protected] Arctic Sparrow Offers Local Flies UL Ultraflight Newsletter Antares in kit form-build Local Notes... to World it-fly it! Going on a short Records...again! Cross Country Mike Jacober and Sergei Zozulia have teamed their efforts to Read This! provide the Ultralight community As other pilots in America are Whenever you are making an with the first ever kit build Part trying to decide what clothes to extended flight, from your airport 103 flex wing trike. wear, and whether to invest in or out of the Birchwood Airport Andy Kmak, is the first to mixture control for their Ultralight area and plan on being out for purchase one of the kits, and has or trike, Bud Gish, has achieved several hours remember to let nick named his effort “Guinea something that no other human someone know where you are Pig.” being as ever accomplished in a going and when to expect you Lanse Welsh has helped with the powered parachute another back. wing portion of the kit by building altitude record, and a “Time to If you are flying from Arctic a Stranger wing as Jacober an Climb Record.” “Yeah this puts Sparrow Aircraft Inc. at Birchwood Zozulia assemble the instruction me in the record books with Ury you may file a flight plan by manual, and take care of a myriad Gregorian, Me and Ury we be putting your flight route or of other details, not withstanding hanging!” destination and time of return on the FAA. Gish was notified that his time to the board in the North hangar. Arctic Sparrow Aircraft Inc. will climb effort for a flight on , from 0 Also make sure that either Mike receive 15 aircraft this spring for to 10,000 feet, (0 to 3000 meters) Jacober or Lanse Welsh have the kit project. No word on the cost had been excepted as a world your cell phone number on file, or of the kits but they will vary by record shortly after his last altitude post it on the board. engine, wing and accessories. attempt that garnered him a World Remember to take your Mike is still working on the details Record (17,700 feet) in the R-6 information off the board when of financing, but insurance should Powered Parachute Category. you return so that Mike or Lanse be available from a number of “The records attempts are over for don’t end up making sources, to make the project me, now I want to instruct,” said reconnaissance flight looking for suitable for financing. For more Gish. you and your aircraft, information contact Mike at Arctic If you are off airport give your Sparrow Aircraft, Inc. 907-688- information to someone who will 7001 or [email protected] check on you after dark! “Continued from Page 1- Thanksgiving Poker Run- We climbed out heading north up the frozen but snow less inlet crossing over the upper Knik Arm drainage heading 270 degrees west to a 1900 foot gravel strip to the south of Settlers Bay golf course. Then on to Big Lake (BGQ), next to Wasilla (IYS) and back to Birchwood (BCV). One by one we circled and landed at Settlers Bay gravel strip nestled at the bottom of a hill. “Wow this is great, it is warmer over here than at Birchwood,” said Bud Gish. Temperatures were predicted to be around 23 to 27 Fahrenheit for the days flying, but were well over freezing on the ground near the Settlers Bay Golf Course. Gish flying an Antares powered with a Rotax 503 was suited up in an all black outfit. Gish never one to let a new radio or flying accessory get past him, exclaimed from under his helmet, “I hear traffic at Big Lake, I’m going ahead to take a look.” Before the entourage of planes could land, Bud lifted off the gravel strip headed for the next stop, . But not before Lanse Welsh who was rocketing along in “Le Dart” was already land at Big Lake. Big Lake was frozen solid and from the air and resembled a snow less frozen mud puddle from the sky. Smooth landings and little chatter later, pilots anxious to make Wasilla lifted off and turned their craft east northeast in search of the new . After a few minutes in the air I spotted Cliff Martin above me and climbed up to keep him in front and above me 200 feet. But the spectacle was not over, Wasilla police and other GA pilots watched as we all landed one by one and taxied to the ramp in Wasilla. Laurie Borgstrom who volunteered to be a ground support coordinator met us. After a quick photo session pilots donned their helmets and we took off, making short stops at Lake Lucille, or Solo Lake and then back to Birchwood. A good, safe time was had by all! RS Ultralight Flyers of Alaska c/o 20748 Birchwood Spur Road Chugiak, Alaska 99567