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Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes from Meeting - June 9, 2008

Pasco Board Meeting Minutes — June 9, 2008
Meeting called to order: 7:13 pm

Board members present:

• Peter Deane
• Joel Klein
• Bruce Roberts
• Mike Mayo
• Ramy Yanetz
• Larry Roberts
• Hans Van Weersch

Regional Directors/Governors present:

• Jay McDaniel
• Mark Ramsey

Action Items, last meeting key points, review:

1. Peter:  New promotions chair- update
   Status: It’s a difficult job to fill, so Peter will do the easy stuff himself in the meantime. He has the basic set of promotional material ready (the flyers that he used at Half Moon Bay “Dream Machines” show). Also has a 1-pager of static-display best practices (put together by Peter’s wife Katrina). Basically a subset of 10 pages that SSA has in their “airshow in a box.” Peter hopes that if he gets everything set up, it will be easier and not such a big deal for someone else to drop in and become Promotions Chair later on.
   
   Action Item: Peter will send PASCO promotion materials and static display best practices document to Larry to put online
   
   Action Item: Larry to put those materials on the web site so that anyone who wants to put on a static display can do so.

 

2. Hans:  Schedule financial audit-
   Status: Is planned for completion by Hans before the end of the financial cycle – ready for the Banquet and AGM
   
3. Karol:  Finish March Westwind
   Status: Finished and ready to go to press this week. Rolf unable to finish Dave Cunningham article, as he’s been working on Thermaling camp and Wave Window work. Westwind just include a brief paragraph about Dave for this issue.
   
4. Westwind  change. Peter to craft a communication to members to explain the changes.  
   Status:Not yet done—will do in next 10 days (via email blast to members).
   
5. Peter:   Safety committee contact information
   Status: Done.
   
6. Peter:  PASCO  site champions up-to-date list needed – PASCO flyers to be distributed-  
   Status: Imminent. Peter has pulled together list of all site champions. Next steps to send PASCO-specific info to site champions.
   
7. Mike:  Reno airspace—briefing cards and sign up books to be resupplied
   Status: Not yet done.
   
8. Mike:  Drum up WestWind safety/site article from Montague
   Status: Not yet done. Key contact there is Dick Speicer
   
9. Jay:SSA article follow-up (Reno procedures)
   Status: That was sent, but nothing happened. SSF wants the first word, but article will be in July issue, per editor.
   
10. Joel:  Will contact HGC people (Eric Rupp. Drew) about displays at Watsonville &/or Salinas.
    Status: Both Drew and Quest have expressed interest in attending and displaying at Salinas (September 27-28, $900 for a 10x10 booth space, not sure yet about static display cost).  They are fine with making PASCO materials available at the display, and/or working with PASCO. Drew was going to have Paul Bikle’s record-setting 1-23 at Watsonville, but they couldn’t get it transported at the last minute.
    Discussion: Peter: Is there a glider committed to this? PASCO could support some significant portion of the cost.
    Mike: May be easier to get cheaper space if a non-profit group (PASCO) fronts the event.
    Ramy: Speaking of promotion, see the latest Soaring magazine about kiosks in malls at Christmas to sell glider rides. Good sites for this type of promotion could be Santana Row, Hillsdale.FBOs/Ride businesses should do these themselves.
    
    (Pulling in long-term glider pilots—this was to be discussed later, but wasn’t)
    
11. Jay:  will ask SSA executive committee for transponder rulemaking  update
    Status: Put off till next meeting. In the meantime, read Bernald Smith’s article in latest Soaring.
     
12. Peter:  find new Safety Officer for PASCO
    Status: Peter--Currently talking with Richard Pearle to cover Dave’s remaining term. He’s done a great job at the seminars.
    
13. Mike:  check on the NCSA and Air Sailing youth scholarship programs and see how PASCOmight participate or contribute to honor Dave Cunningham’s memory.  
    Status: No progress.
    
14. Karol:  get PASCO scholarship info to Larry to put on Web site, specifically for private rating  reimbursement program for youth.  
    Status: No progress. (Karol had family health issues, so she’s been unavailable.)
    
15. Mike:  Contact Monique ASAP for article on Dave for WestWind.  
    Status: Instead of Monique, Rolf is writing an article, but won’t be done for this issue.
    
16. Bruce  (and all): Identify and book group of exciting speakers for banquet and seminar.
    Status: Not yet done.
    Discussion: We’ll need a main speaker (after dinner) plus seminars themselves. Peter googled “astronauts after dinner speakers”--costs anywhere from $5K to $10k/night! However, NASA Ames has a NASA speakers program, which is free.
    Action Item: Bruce investigate NASA speakers program.
    Peter: Mark & Hans did a seminar in 04 on an intro to winch launching. How about “Latest Developments in Winch Launching” as one of the seminars?
    Mark: could convince Roman to come up and talk about building winches. (See http://www.romansdesign.com/) Also, one of the founders of FLARM,Eurs Rothacker,now lives in Berkeley—could get him to speak.
    Ramy: If PASCO will sponsor some of the cost of the banquet it will probably increase attendance.
    Peter: Perhaps Rick Walters Worlds report?
    Mark: Stephan Leutneger, he flys with Kempton, going to Jr. Worlds in Italy this summer, and will be in Mtn. View this fall.

Bruce: to talk to AOPA about seminar on Airport Advocacy

Action Item: Bruce--Put together rough budget to see what it would cost to put on the seminar for free, and to subsidize the site charge for the banquet. Anyone else with any ideas blast them out.

17. Bruce:  Schedule and book venue for banquet and seminar.  
    Status: Bruce is talking to airport mgmt for an alternative hall to the one at the museum, which is soon to be demolished.
    
18. Joel:  Check with HGC about possible displays at Watsonville and Salinas.  
    Status: See item 10, above.
    
19. Joel:  Check with AOPA about details for displaying at Nov. 6-8 Expo in San Jose.  
    Status: Here are the costs to display at AOPA Expo:
    • Expo Booth, 10x10, non-corner: $1980, corner: $2480

• Aircraft Static Display outdoors at SJ Mineta: $1400, plus, potentially: 10x10 space next to the aircraft: $325 (not sure if we could just have a card table and two chairs next to the aircraft and not have to pay for the 10x10 space. Or just two chairs...)

• Non-profit groups (which they classify as doing public service or charitable work) get a 10x10 booth in the concourse outside the expo hall for $525.

Action: Joel to follow up to see if we can qualify as non-profit with them. (Hans: We’ve had that status at the SJ Jet Center.)
Joel:  Inquire about timeline for glider facilities depicted on Interim Airport Layout Diagram to be implemented at Hollister.
Status: According to Quest, pending approval of the latest ALP, the glider improvements would be in budgets over the next three years. Drew says that operating gliders from the original glider ops area north of 24 and east of 31 could be started as soon as this summer, with some temporary tie downs installed in the dirt.

Treasure’s report – Hans
Didn’t update anything since last meeting, some $500 in dues have come in, and we paid out for flowers for Dave Cunningham. About $20,000 in checking account and $8,000 in scholarship account.New printer for newsletter—printer will handle all aspects of the mailing. And, with no cost increase!
Audit to be done before banquet. (Needs to be done before end of October.)

Communications Chair report – Karol/Larry
a. Website Updates – Larry
Has been updating event calendar and rotating listings on the front page. Will have less time as summer comes up. Perhaps we need to make it more dynamic. Spoke with Brian Choate about blog software.
Peter: We talked about monthly updates, but Karol won’t have time to do this.
Larry: Spoke with Brian Choate about database-driven events calendar. That’s for later in the year.
Larry: Easier to make updates, hard to get people to supply the content.
Action Item: Peter will write the first monthly update for the website.
Action Item: Peter and Larry to discuss schedule for doing updates.

b. WestWind Update – Karol
Peter: WestWind is immenent; will put a small mention about Dave.
Action Item: Peter will email membership to update on status.
Action Item: Karol will work to find a new editor to replace herself.

Safety Committee  
Recovery plan for replacing Dave
--Peter talking with Richard Pearle

Current status of PASCO Site Champions -
--see above
Reinforcing Reno airspace procedures and publication -
SSA article followup (Reno procedures)  Jay

SSA Regional Director & PASCO Director positions – Peter
Promotions chair
 Promotions Discussion
 Safety chair  update

Jay: Bill Seed from Kansas has decided to donate his gliderport to the SSA. Executive Committee trying to figure out how to best deal with this issue, which is a new one for them! (Jay was in Lone Pine with Cindy Brickner when he found out about this.)

FAA Airspace Liason
Wave window update - Rolf
Status: Peter: Rolf emailed with update: Had one meeting with Reno. Things are looking more reasonable than last time. Rolf still waiting to hear back with approval.

Transponder rulemaking update – Jay
See previous. See Bernald’s article in latest Soaring.


Airports

• General  updates  
• Update  on Washoe CAB plans for Pyramid area - Karol at that meeting tonight.
  Peter was in Truckee and saw Byron people such as Shannon Madson and encouraged them to keep up with their airport commission to make sure that their interests aren’t forgotten.
  
  Action Item: Peter to email Bill Levinson, president NCSA to find out status of Byron airport plan
  
  

Contests
Airforce signed up for Sports Class at both Air Sailing and Montague.(Still need more people at the montague regional’s, however.)
Peter did send out email to Pasco to pilots to suggest having a go at the contests.
Peter: Avenal spring contest had 12 pilots. Was fun, and close finish. Primarily Turn Area Tasks, so Peter didn’t see anyone the whole contest. Was 102-105 degrees the whole weekend.

Ramy: Hollister League ended last weekend in May. Good contest runs, especially earlier on. One day 500k flights New Cuyama and back. Had 7-8 pilots per contest day; probably 10-15 pilots participated over all.


Awards

• Alby  Award update – Ramy-Sergio -No update. Sent update of PASCO Sawyer award a couple of weeks ago. Just completed website for Alby Award. Waiting for Sergio to review. Plan for that next year.
  See the new web site at www.Albysvoyage.blogspot.com
  

Promotion/Membership –
 (See previous.)

New Business
• Banquet planning – Bruce Roberts (See previous.)

• Winch launch action ideas - Peter Deane
Peter was at Avenal shooting the breeze:How feasible would it be to put a winch in a field near Panoche for a couple of weekends? Or at Avenal. PASCO could think creatively about a winch club, or organize fundraisers for a winch. To build up momentum and knowledge of winch operations to help lower costs and bring in new people, or keep current people active.

 

What are some possible winch sites? Avenal, Airsailing, Crazycreek (Crazy Creek is back in Jim Indebro’s hands again. He doesn’t currently have an engine for his recently rebuilt Pawnee however.) Could rent a field near Panoche. See YouTube for video of the 29 Palms winch fest.

Mark: Maintenance is the $$$ issue for towplanes rather than just the cost of gas. Williams does it’s own maint which keeps prices low.

Mark: We need a winch site near I-5 and 580 to be close enough to Bay Area as a place for people to learn the winch. 5000 foot slice of farm field = 1500 foot launch = 15 minute flight. Doesn’t have to be near good soaring conditions, just close enough to get to.

Hans: I grew up on winches—all the healthy European operations are a combination of training and advanced soaring. We’re talking about decoupling those—could that be sustainable?

Mark: It doesn’t have to be—it’s just to get a foothold. I’d like to focus on getting new people in, and so need to be within an hour of a major population center.

Peter: What would we do if we all of a sudden had a brand new winch? First off we need to develop some expertise.  Once we had a group of people qualified we could go around to different sites and get more people up to speed, interested and involved. Then we’d find out which sites would be interested, and maybe sell them the winch. Or, we start a winch club that’s separate from PASCO.

Mark: Best to have a separate club to minimize liability for that. The club would have just a winch and one glider.

Mike: Winching is not compatible with airport operations. Avenal might be a good location to try this out.

Peter: Avenal is close to several central CA areas. Easy to camp there for a weekend.

Peter: Think Mark is right about creating a separate club. That’s something PASCO could make a substantial donation to fund the purchase of a winch.

Mark: It’s definitely doable; main issue is money. The winches aren’t cheap.

Peter: We could kick start the process.

Hans: Watching BASA acquiring new equipment, there doesn’t seem to be much problem getting the financing together to make these kind of major purchases.

Peter: Soaring is on a slow steady decline due to the increasing costs. We need to get out ahead on this and change the way things are done. Should put something together where a club has an option to buy the winch down the road.

 

Action Item: Mark will set up a Yahoo! Group to discuss options for a local winch (local meaning CA & NV.)

 

Action Item: Peter: will write a mission statement for the winch group.

Winch Discussion will be a regular agenda item for PASCO meetings going forward.

Outstanding Action Items:

• Peter: Send PASCO promotion materials and static display best practices document to Larry to put online
• Larry: Put those materials on the web site so that anyone who wants to put on a static display can do so.
• Hans: Call John Volkover for help with the audit.
• Bruce: Put together rough budget to see what it would cost to put on the seminar for free, and to subsidize the site charge for the banquet.
• All: Anyone with ideas either for seminar speakers or ways to increase attendance share them with the group.
• Joel: Follow up to see if we can qualify as non-profit with AOPA for San Jose Expo.
• Peter: Write the first monthly update for the website.
• Peter and Larry: Discuss schedule for doing updates.
• Peter: Email membership to update on status of Westwind.
• Karol: Work to find a new editor to replace herself for Westwind.
• Peter: Email Bill Levinson (president NCSA) to find out status of Byron airport plan
• Mark: Set up a Yahoo! Group to discuss options for a local winch (local meaning CA & NV.)
• Peter: Write a mission statement for the winch group.

Next Meeting: August 11th
Meeting adjourned: 9:20pm