Volume 20, Issue 9, September 2005 A Monthly Publication of the Pine Mountain Lake Aviation Association Making History with SpaceShipOne ABOUT OUR SEPTEMBER 10, 2005 GUEST SPEAKER Brian Binnie is a Program Business Manager and Test Pilot at Brian Binnie Captures the X-Prize with SpaceShipOne Scaled Composites, based at Mojave Airport, the first FAA licensed Spaceport. He has 21 years of flight test experience including 20 years of Naval Service in the Strike- Fighter community. Brian has logged over 4600 hours of flight time in 59 different aircraft and is a licensed Airline Transport Pilot. Brian’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering; a Master of Science degree in Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics from Brown University; and a Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from On October 4, 2004, SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, Princeton University. Brian is also a graduate of the U.S. Navy’s rocketed into history, becoming the first private manned Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, MD and the Naval Aviation spacecraft to exceed an altitude of 328,000 feet twice within the Safety School at Monterey, CA. He is a member of the Society span of a 14 day period, thus claiming the ten million dollar of Experimental Test Pilots and a published member of the Ansari X-Prize and setting the stage for civilian space flight. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. A Second Record Shattered As a naval aviator, he learned to fly everything from fighter jets to In addition to meeting the altitude requirement to win the X-Prize, transport planes to helicopters. During Operation Desert Storm, pilot Brian Binnie Brian flew thirty-three combat missions in his FA-18. After also broke the leaving the military, he joined Rotary Rocket, a company that August 22, 1963 attempted to build a commercial space vehicle by attaching record by Joseph A. helicopter propellers to the top of a rocket. Brian guided the Walker, who flew bizarre-looking craft down a California runway, but the project the X-15 to an ran out of funding. He then joined famed aerospace designer unofficial world Burt Rutan at Scaled Composites, where he would make history. altitude record of SpaceShipOne Breaks the Sound Barrier 354,200 feet. Brian On December 17, 2003, the 100th anniversary of the Wright Binnie took brothers' first powered flight, Brian Binnie was at the controls of SpaceShipOne all the way to 367,442 feet or 69.6 miles above the Earth's surface. SpaceShipOne, as it broke the sound barrier over the California desert, reaching 68,000 feet. This was History Continued the first supersonic flight by a private The Ansari X-Prize, founded in 1996, company operating independently of the was modeled after the Orteig Prize that government. It was an important Charles Lindbergh won in 1927 by milestone in the company’s effort to win flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean. the X Prize, a $10 million competition to The October 4, 2004 SpaceShipOne build a spaceship capable of carrying flight was timed partially to coincide three people to an altitude of sixty-three miles, return safely to with the 47th anniversary of the Soviet the ground and repeat the flight within two weeks. launch of Sputnik. SpaceShipOne Surpasses 100 Km on First X-Prize Flight The Pine Mountain Lake Aviation Association is privileged to SpaceShipOne coasted above the 100 km altitude point on welcome the remarkable Brian Binnie on Saturday, September September 29, 2004 and successfully completed the first of two 10, 2005, 6:00 p.m., at the Buchner Hangar, 20885 Hemlock X-Prize flights. The peak altitude reached by test pilot Mike Street at Woodside Way, Pine Mountain Lake Airport. Melville was 337,500 ft. y Keith Zenobia PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SOCIAL NOTES ur Oshkosh trip was a roaring success, clear weather e are so fortunate to have such dynamic and both going and returning. The major thunderstorm on memorable speakers each month as Bud Anderson. O our first night provided an awesome light-show from What an honor to hear him speak. We were inside our tent. Little did we know that there was a tornado Wfortunate to see him in Oshkosh also. warning about the same time. The next few days were rain free with mild temperatures. I hitched a ride along with Mick Speaking of Oshkosh, It could not have been better. The Hopson and Mikie Carbon riding in Mick’s 206. By the time we weather was perfect. We had an absolutely, positively great were ready to leave OSH there was some concern about the time and saw many PMLAA friends there. Kent and Sandy quantity of all the extremely valuable tools and parts we had Blankenburg received a Bronze Lindy award for their purchased. It only took two of us to close the baggage door, Luscombe Phantom aircraft. and as they say about 206’s, if you can ever close the door, the plane will fly. The 206 has just one speed, by the way, Congratulations to Mike and Norma Lella on their wedding, empty is 130, fully loaded is 130. If you are looking for a true Ken Orloff and Lynn Barber on their engagement, Alan four-place airplane, take a long hard look at the Cessna 206. Gaudenti and Uni on their engagement, and the upcoming th th Remove the 5 and 6 seats, add full fuel, four good size wedding of Paul Purifoy and Kim Curran. We have a lot of people and all the baggage you can stuff in it and watch it go. happy occasions on the agenda for Pine Mountain Lake. th Have you made plans yet to join us for the September 18 fly For September we have a fabulous speaker. We have, as out to Santa Ynez/Solvang (IZA)? The plan is to make a lunch our Guest Speaker, the second pilot to fly Space Ship One and shopping trip down for the day, but you can also go down into outer space, Brian Binnie. What an honor. Make sure the day before and stay overnight. Having visited Solvang to be here for this one. many times I can tell you that it is really worth the trip; it is a cute town with lots of stores and shops to keep the gentle sex For the September 10th meeting, we are going to do the occupied. If we get enough folks signed up we can get a van potluck a little different. Since it is PMLA Community Airport to provide transportation to and from the airport. Please Day, and many of you will be already at the airport between contact Mick Hopson (6290) for more details or to sign up. 10:00-2:00pm, we are requesting that those of you whose Please join us; it will be a lot of fun. last name begins in A-C bring a Hors-d’oeuvre, for those whose last name begins in D-H bring a salad, I-O a On September 10, PMLAA joins with EAA to sponsor vegetable dish, P-S a potato dish and T-Z a dessert. Community Aviation Day at the PML airport. Please volunteer, get involved, and come on out to help show the wonders of PMLAA will furnish ham, turkey and breads. The dinner will aviation to our neighbors, and especially the local school kids. start at 6:00 pm Saturday September 10th at the Buchner Call Rand Siegfried for more information. Hangar. If you would like to switch what you bring, or if you know of many guests coming, please call me so we can have Per our Bylaws we need to appoint a nominating committee to sufficient amount of food for everyone. PLEASE REMEMBER nominate next year’s club officers. I have asked Paul Price to TO BRING ENOUGH FOOD FOR 8 PEOPLE. For those of head up the committee and to select two other members in you who cannot make anything we are asking for $5.00 good standing to help him. Some of you might now be pulling per person at the door. the window shades and adding Paul’s phone number to your caller ID blocking system, but you would be missing out on a Don’t forget to get your PMLAA Shirts for Airport day. Call wonderful opportunity to help out your club. I hear over and Conni at: 962-4325 to get one. over from both members and non-members, that the PMLAA Conni group has the most fun and is so well organized. Compliments like these only happen because we have a high caliber of volunteers, so stand tall, be proactive and give Paul a call and offer to get involved. You might as well as he will hound you to death if he wants you anyway and I speak from personal Tioga High School Needs Small Motors experience. The Tioga High School Regional Occupational Program, which Until next time, let’s fly safe and quiet out there! PMLAA supports, has asked for donations of several small single cylinder vertical “reel” type motors – like the kind that come on old lawn mowers. The students will learn how to Mike Gustafson dissemble, repair and reassemble the motors. Clean out your garage and help students at the same time! If you can donate an old motor, or have any questions, please contact Paul Price: 962-7431. 2 Etty Garber 962-5205 [email protected] When Etty’s brother found PML, he first bought a lot, then told Etty about PML and invited her to come up and see the area.