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Whiteplains Logo

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Runway Lights Update






As you can seen by the pictures, we had to do some digging to find the problem with the runway lights popping the circuit breaker. Turned out to be located in a junction box that got filled with water, and also one leg running from that box to a single light. Box has been replaced, but still need to replace a short run of wire to the one light.

Workers: Ken, Jim, Bill and Don.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

AOPA Safety Program - Say It Right!




AOPA is coming to Columbia on Thursday March 22, 2007 from 7:00-9:00 pm at Midlands Technical College - Airport Campus - Academic Center Auditorium - Room 116 - 1260 Lexington Drive, SC. This is a FREE seminar that well sharpen your communication skills.

Be sure to print out the card below and bring it with you to have a chance of winning a free NAV/COM radio.



To print card, first click on card. Window well open. Right click on it and click print picture.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

FOR SALE!



1/4 Share in N5535Q. Mooney M20C, 180 HP Lycoming, three-bladed constant speed propeller. Low time engine and prop. Newly redone panel including Garmin GNS-530.

TT airframe 5524.9
TT SMOH 297.9
TTSN prop 297.9


Contact Micah at 803.397.4923
Whiteplains Plantation (SC99)

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Subject: Lee has passed



Yesterday, Monday, February 26th, at 9:26 A.M. Lee died in my arms after a nine month battle with cancer. Services will be at the Caughman-Harmon Funeral Home in Lexington. Visitation will be on Friday, March 2nd from 7 - 9 P.M. There will be a one hour visitation on Saturday from 3-4 P.M. before the Memorial Service which will be from 4 - 5 P.M. After the service there will be a Missing Man Fly-Over at Whiteplains at 6 P.M. followed by a social gathering at the Gardner's hangar. My heartfelt thanks to the incredible outpouring of love and support to me and Lee during this most difficult journey. You have touched my heart.
Fondly,
Nancy Van Wormer

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Subject: Open Letter to Whiteplains








I want to let you know about the new gazebo at Whiteplains. Last May, during the week that Lee was diagnosed with cancer, he and I purchased the strip of vacant land overlooking the pond that stretches from Frank Skenes hangar to the hangar lot near the flag pole. Lee has wanted to put a gazebo there but his disease progressed at such a rate that he was unable to complete his dream. I decided to act quickly in the hope that Lee would see the gazebo in place before he died. Dennis Ramsey and the ARB acted with lightning speed. With the incredible help of Rick Miller of Eastpointe Development, Jack Fastnaught, Alan Sisler, Don Cook, Hal Clark, our son-in-law, Mark Andy, Jim Causey, Micah Froese and Arnold's Lawn Furnishings, the gazebo went from idea to actuality in four days! Unheard of !! On the day it went into place, Lee was able to sit looking out the window and he was aware on some level of what had happened. He commented over and over again at what a beautiful sight it was.

While the gazebo is privately owned, Lee and I want everyone at Whiteplains to use it for picnics, coffee , reading, visiting, or just sitting overlooking the lake taking a moment of leisure. It is our way of saying THANK YOU to all of you who have been so incredibly supportive during our year of cancer.

This evening I met Gerry and Kathy Bean who own the beautiful lake. They loved the look of the gazebo. Kathy's 92 year old dad owns the lake property and plans to build a three bedroom ranch on the clearing below the gazebo to the right. I assured them that there would be no loud parties to disrupt the peace.

Thanks to all of you for your support.
Enjoy the gazebo,

Nancy and Lee Van Wormer

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Project is revealed.....


O.K. how many people guessed what the project was? Click below for the Photoshow to see if your right.


http://www.photoshow.net/watch/RV4Jr2hU

Message to Whiteplains


February 17, 2007


In May of this year Nancy and Lee purchased the strip of land between Frank Skenes hangar and the flag pole. Nancy wanted to build a memorial to Lee that would be fitting to the airpark and where people could rest awhile, picnic or simply enjoy the lake. While the gazebo belongs to the Van Wormers, they invite all Whiteplains residents to enjoy it once the deck railing is installed. Lee loves Whiteplains with all his heart and he and Nancy want to thank Whiteplains residents for their limitless acts of kindness, meals, prayers, trips to the store, but most of all, true friendship.


Nancy Van Wormer

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Mystery Construction Going on @ Whiteplains.....


New construction was spotted this morning between the hangars and hangar row. What could it be? Check out the enclosed photoshow.

Check back tomorrow for more pictures. Maybe we can guess what it is.

http://www.photoshow.net/watch/Ac2qT8XG

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Saturday Clean- Up

All,

This Saturday Feb. 17th is the date for our Whiteplains clean-up. There will be a kick-off beakfast on the rear deck of the Fastnaught's at 8:30 AM. Clean-up should take no more than 1 1/2 hours.

Thanks for your help.

The Fastnaught's

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Whiteplains UNICOM #12: Getting started in 2007

The Whiteplains community began the year in fine style, with 65 property owners attending the Annual Meeting, catered by Shealy’s Bar-B-Que, on January 16. Immediately after the Annual Meeting, the newly-elected Board of Directors met to select officers for 2007. They will be: Ken Plesser, President; Micah Froese, Vice-president; Terry Yon, Treasurer, and Todd Falstad, Secretary. Please feel free to contact any Board member (listed above plus Michael Branning) about any issues pertaining to Whiteplains.

The first regularly-scheduled meeting of the 2007 Board was held on January 26, and was attended by eight additional property owners. A budget was adopted that provides for routine operating expenses, pays off the existing commercial loan on the new lawn tractor, deposits no less than $9,000 in the paving reserve, purchases replacements for weather-beaten signage around the neighborhood, and acquires both General Liability and Directors & Officers insurance policies. This last item has been the topic of much discussion over the past year, so some amplification is in order.

Last June, we assumed ownership of the runway parcel from the developer. This made your Association potentially liable in any lawsuit that might arise as a result of an accident on our runway (or on any of our common property, for that matter). In the absence of General Liability insurance, an enterprising plaintiff’s attorney could choose to sue each property owner in the Association individually. Our liability policy provides coverage in the event of any judgment up to $1,000,000, plus it provides for attorney’s fees for any legal defense. In the absence of Directors and Officers insurance, any of the many volunteers who devote their time and energy to Whiteplains could be held personally liable in the event of a lawsuit directed at them as a result of the execution of their duties. Your Board believes that it has a responsibility to protect the property owners and the community volunteers from any such exposures, hence the new budget item this year for insurance. The aviation attorney who we retained to review the policies and offer advice called the decision “a no-brainer.” The combined premium is $4400, or about $44 per property…. a modest price for a lot of peace of mind.

A number of people have been involved during the course of this past year in researching the entire insurance issue to ensure that we obtained the proper coverage through a broker that understood the unique issues that face communities with aviation amenities. These folks include Ray Chaplin, Melissa Black, John Gardner and Ray Ackerman, along with all of the 2006 and 2007 Board members. Thanks to all for a job well done.

A big item that is yet to be dealt with is the capital equipment and labor needed to maintain our common areas. In 2006, we purchased a suitable mower, and financed it (in part) by providing additional manual labor in the form of selling mowing contracts on unimproved lots. However, our community simply cannot expect free manual labor from its residents forever; hence we must develop a plan to transition to contract labor over the next several years. We already pay a firm to maintain the Phase I and Phase II entrance areas; paying to maintain the runway environment and other common areas in the future is inevitable.

Your Board is doing its utmost to be good stewards of the Association’s money, and increases in regime fees (such as this past year’s) are taken only when absolutely necessary. To place it all in context though, the Living With Your Plane Association, a loose affiliation of the 450+ airparks in the US (and of which we are a member), has compiled demographic data on residential airparks around the country. They found that the most common level of annual regime fees was the $250-500 bracket… so we’re right in line with our like-minded brethren around the country.

Ken Plesser, President
Whiteplains Plantation Association

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Let it Snow....Let it Snow!








This morning, Feburary 1, 2007, we awoke to see snow falling in Whiteplains. As you know, this is not the norm for South Carolina. I managed to get a few pictures before it all melted away.
Click on picture to see full size.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Nellis AFB Airshow 2006

Check out the link below for some really great Air Shots from the airshow.


http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/AirShows/Nellis2006/Highlights/index.html

Whiteplains Calendar February 2007




Happy Birthday 2007!



February 1 Melissa Black
February 4 Sam Padgett
February 6 Beth Bridgers
February 8 Lauri Ackerman
February 9 Elaine Chatham

February 10 Judy Hitt & Kevin Lee Hogan
February 12 Linda Demaray

February 16 Hal Clark
February 21 Leah Crocker
February 23 Niel Bonacum & James Keisler

SC/SB Dates:



Febuary 11 Sumter (SMS)
Febuary 25 Columbia (CAE)



Special Dates:


February 14 Valentine's Day
February 17 Whiteplains Clean Up Day! Kick-off beakfast rear deck of the Fastnaught's @ 8:30
February 19 President's Day

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Monday night Pilot's Association Meeting 1/23/2007






James and Joann Keisler, and Ray Hill, Acting President of the Whiteplains Pilot's Association, served a delicious spaghetti dinner in the Keisler's hangar for the January meeting of the WPPA.

At this meeting, Lee Van Wormer thanked Ray Hill for taking over his duties as President and new officers were elected. For the upcoming year Eric Demaray will be president, Jack Fastnaught will be vice-president and Todd Falstad will continue for another year as safety officer.


Notes from meeting to be posted when released.

Reported by:

Nancy Van Wormer

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Board Meeting

Neighbors,

The first meeting of the 2007 Board of Directors of the Whiteplains Plantation Association will be held on Friday, January 26, at 7 PM in Ken & Peg's hangar (393 Whiteplains Place).

Any property owner who desires to attend is invited. The tentative agenda is provided below.

Ken Plesser


____________________________________________________

Whiteplains Plantation Association
Board of Directors and Leadership Team Meeting

Friday, January 26, 2007, 7:00 PM


Agenda


Approval of minutes of previous meeting (1/16/07)

President’s Report
Election Results: challenge period has expired
Beacon/flag situation
FAA data update
Overview of 2007 budget

Treasurer’s Report

Standing Committee Reports
Aviation Operations (Don)
Residential Operations (Bill)
Pilots Association (Lee/Ray)
Communications (Nancy)
Architectural Review Board (Dennis)
Ambassador (Jim)

Special Committee Reports
Signage Committee: interim report
Mowing Committee: 2007 contract offers must be mailed

Old Business
Liability/D&O Insurance

New Business
Nominate Committee Heads
Approve 2007 Budget

Set Date of Next Meeting

Executive Session: Outstanding Regime Fees

Monday, January 15, 2007

Annual Meeting reminder

Just a reminder that the Annual Meeting is tomorrow night in Ken & Peg's hangar. catered by Sheally's Bar-B-Que. Socializing at 6:15 with dinner at 7:00.

The caterer will be bringing "a few extra meals" so, if you didn't sign up already, it's not too late. Please call us at 957-8932 to add yourself to the list.

Ken

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Pilot's Error....

Tower: "Delta 351, you have traffic at 10 o'clock, 6 miles!" Delta 351: "Give us another hint! We have digital watches!"

Tower: "TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees." TWA 2341: "Center, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?" Tower: "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a747 makes when it hits a 727?"

A student became lost during a solo cross-country flight. While attempting to locate the aircraft on radar, ATC asked, "What was your last known position?" Student: "When I was number one for takeoff." A DC-10 had come in a little hot and thus had an exceedingly long roll out after touching down. San Jose Tower Noted: "American 751, make a hard right turn at the end of the runway, if you are able. If you are not able, take the Guadeloupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights and return to the airport."

A Pan Am 727 flight, waiting for start clearance in Munich , overheard the following: Lufthansa (in German):"Ground, what is our start clearance time?" Ground (in English):"If you want an answer you must speak in English." Lufthansa (in English):"I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?" Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent):"Because you lost the bloody war!"

Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on frequency 124.7" Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure. By the way, after we lifted off we saw some kindof dead animal on the far end of the runway." Tower: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff behind Eastern 702, contact Departure on frequency 124.7. Did you copy that report from Eastern 702?" BR Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes, we copied Eastern...we've already notified our caterers."

One day the pilot of a Cherokee 180 was told by the tower to hold short of the active runway while a DC-8 landed. The DC-8 landed, rolled out, turned around, and taxied back past theCherokee.Some quick-witted comedian in the DC-8 crew got on the radio and said,"What a cute little plane. Did you make it all by yourself?" The Cherokee pilot, not about to let the insult go by, came back with a real zinger:"I made it out of DC-8 parts. Another landing like yoursand I'll have enough parts for another one."

The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206. Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt , Speedbird 206! clear of active runway." Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven." The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop. Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?" Speedbird 206: "Stand by, Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now." Ground (with quite arrogant impatience):"Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?" Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark, --And I didn't land."

While taxiing at London 's Gatwick Airport , the crew of a US Air flight departing for Ft.Lauderdale made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727. An irate female ground controller lashed out at the US Air crew, screaming:"US Air 2771, where the hell are you going? I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C and D, but get it right!" Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically: "God! Now you've screwed everything up! It'll take forever to sort this out! You stay right there and don't move till I tell you to! You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about half an hour, and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you! You got that, US Air 2771?" "Yes, ma'am," the humbled crew responded. Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air 2771. Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her current state of mind. Tension in every cockpit out around Gatwick was definitely running high. Just then an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his microphone, asking:"Wasn't I married to you once?"

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Whiteplains 2007 Kick Off!







What a way to bring in the new year.... 2007 started off to a fantastic start with a big gathering at the hanger of Vicky and John Gardner's. Our hosts served up some tasty food and a good time was had by everyone.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

K-Mart BC 2007



Some pictures of the Whiteplains Breakfast Club members kicking off 2007 at K-Mart!

End of 2006........










A few pictures of the very end of this year with the celibration of Nancy Van Warmer's Birthday. What a nice way to end the year! Happy Birthday Nancy!

Whiteplains Calendar 2007




















Happy Birthday 2007!

Jan 01 Cindy Ross
Jan 08 Larry Ross
Jan 11 Kirt Crocker
Jan 12 Ray Hill

Jan 21 Sandra Sisler
Jan 26 Susan Ramsey & Nancy Padgett
Jan 28 Mary Anne Chaplin


SC/SB Dates:


Jan 14 Lancaster (LKR)
Jan 28 Greenwood (GRD)

Special Dates:


Jan 1st Happy New Year 2007!
Jan 15 MLK Jr. Day
Jan 16 Annual Meeting of Whiteplains Homeowners Ken & Peg's 6:15 pm
Jan 22 Pilots' Association Mtg. 7 pm

Jan 26 Board of Directors Meeting 7 pm (Ken & Peg's Hanger)