Hal & Susan Clark

Michael Branning has some photos from last nights going away party held at the Ramsey's hanger. Click on the link below to view.

We are going to miss both of you. Thanks for all the hard work on the Gazebo. Outstanding job! Enjoy the open road, and remember to come back from time to time to see us!

http://gallery.mac.com/mbranning#100256

Tomato Plant Over 6' Tall

Jim Wheat said to come by and see his tomato's. So we did, and this is what we saw. Now that is some tall tomato plants. Grown in a planter at that. Good Job, Jim.

PS. If you need any tomoto's, now you know where to get some. ;-)

SCBC 2008 Photoshow

Just finished the SCBC Photoshow that was held right here at Whiteplains Plantation on May 18.

Thanks to Michael Branning, Don & Posie Cook for sharing the photo's.

The Video for the SCBC is also finished, but too large to upload. If possible, I'll show it at the next Pilots Meeting.

Posted by: Don Cook

Mike Benton's Solo Flight!

Today was the day, Mike Benton made his first solo flight right here at Whiteplains. See the short Photoshow below.

Thanks to Steve Sanderson for sharing his pictures. (Sorry about the size, but they came to me in very low resolution.)

Posted by: Don Cook

Announcements - Whiteplains

Friends and Neighbors,

We are having a going away party for Hal and Susan on Saturday the 21st of June, 6:30 PM in Dennis Ramsey's hangar. Debbie will be cooking a spaghetti dinner, please bring either a salad or dessert.

Please RSVP with my directly, micah@froese.com, or call me at 803.397.4923.

Micah Froese

Whiteplains Calendar for June 2008

Happy Birthday - To the following members:

June 3 - Alex Branning

June 11 - Vickey Gardner

June 21 - Susan Clark

June 22 - Dana Dunkleburger

June 27 - Ken Jefferson

SCBC Dates:

June 1 - Rock Hill (UZA)

June 15 - Cheraw (CQW)

June 29 - Salisbury (RUQ)

Other Dates:

June 14 - Flag Day

June 15 - Father's Day

June 19 - Special Pilot's Meeting Jim Wheats Hanger 7:00 PM

June 21 - Going away Party for Hal and Susan Dennis Ramsey's Hanger 6:30 PM RSVP

micah@froese.com

Photos for SCBC

Photos by Don Cook

The first batch of pictures for Whiteplains SCBC are now online. If you have photos to share, just open a Google Picasa2 account (Free) and upload the pictures. Send me the link and I'll add the link to the blog. If you have pictures at a different location, send me the link and it well be added to this post.

http://picasaweb.google.com/duckey123/WhiteplainsSCBCDon2008

Lost & Found!

If you lost or know of some one that lost a pair of sun glasses during the SCBC, check with Niel Bonacun. He found a pair in his hanger.

Thanks....

Don Cook

Whiteplains SCBC Completed!

Twenty-seven aircraft and two helicopters flew in for this year's SCBC with over 200 meals served. The weather turned out nice and cool, with a breeze right down the runway. This year's cash raffle was won by our very own Dick Hitt. Congratulations, Dick!




Click on picture to see full size.

Thanks to everyone that pitched in to make this year's SCBC a great success.

Stay tuned, Photoshow and Video coming soon.

(Update: 5-21-2008 The Video is finished! I'll show it at the next Pilots meeting. Photoshow to follow next.)

Guess Who is back?

5-16-2008

A long time prior resident of Whiteplains, Nancy VanWormer, returned to Whiteplains to offer her services for the SCBC to be held at Whiteplains this coming Sunday. In honor of her return, several ladies from Whiteplains got together at Scarborough's for lunch today.

Welcome back Nancy!

Todays Weather Snapshot 5-16-2008

Click on blue title above for current picture.

2008 CFF Thunder at Fort Jackson Air and Ground Show

Free Air and Ground show, Armed Forces Day, this Saturday May 17th, 2008. At Fort Jackson, right here in Columbia, SC. For more information click on link below.



http://www.celebratefreedomfoundation.org/events.htm

Update on new GA 100LL fuel

Check out the link below for more information on this very interesting development on finding a replacement for 100LL fuel for GA.

http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/AudioPodcast_SwiftEnterprises_SyntheticFuel_JohnZiulkowski_197843-1.html

As reported in AVWeb

SCBC Cover Story in Plane&Pilot June 2008

Just in case you don't get Plane&Pilot I've included June's review on the SCBC that happens to have photos from last years event right here at Whiteplains. Click on picture to see larger. Thanks to Bill Como for sharing this with us.

New GA Fuel Promises Better Range.....

and LOWER COST.

"Not only can our fuel seamlessly replace the aviation industry's
standard petroleum fuel [100LL], it can outperform it," says John
Rusek, a professor at Purdue University and co-founder of Swift
Enterprises. The company recently unveiled a new general aviation
fuel that it says will be less expensive, more fuel-efficient and
environmentally friendlier than any on the market.
Unlike other alternative fuels, Rusek said, SwiftFuel is made of synthetic
hydrocarbons that are derived from biomass, and it can provide an
effective range greater than 100LL, while costing about half as much
to produce. "Our fuel should not be confused with first-generation
biofuels like E-85 [85 percent ethanol], which don't compete well
right now with petroleum," Rusek said. Patented technology can produce
the 1.8 million gallons per day of fuel used by GA in the U.S. by
using just 5 percent of the existing biofuel plant infrastructure, the
company said.
Reported on AVWEB
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1113-full.html#197810
Great news if we ever see it!

Announcments

Good News neighbors and Property Owners
The May 3rd Support Your Gilbert Fire Dept. BBQ at Whiteplains was a huge success. We sold 45 meals, that was total of $315.00 dollars and one homeowner made a contribution. Next year, we will make it bigger and better. A big thank you to our volunteers who helped, especially my bride Denise.

SCBC May 18
Whooooo dude big time day for Whiteplains to strut her stuff. We are expecting 200+ people to visit us that morning. Flying, Food and fun.Check with our committee leaders to see if they need help,Ray Ackerman- Auto parkingDennis Perry and Eric Demaray- Aircraft ParkingDebbie Froese-Food ServiceLaurie Ackerman-Clean up Saturday before and event day

OK, this is exciting new news.
We are going to have a Float in the Gilbert 2008 Peach Parade. Yahoo, jumping up and down, spinning in a circle, now out of air, slow down, here is some more information. Yes, it will have an Airplane on it with all the trimmings.Beth Brigers and Joanne Kiesler are our 1st annual 2008 Gilbert Peach Festival of Whiteplains Plantation Float committee leaders. It will be pulled by Jim Wheat's restored 8N tractor. Driven by a 8N tractor driver specialist, Yours TrulyThere will be more information about this soon.This is a July 4th event, so please plan to attend.

Thanks
Dennis Perry

Ray Chaplins 1946 Ercoupe Sold!

Below is a short video of Ray Chaplin's Ercoupe leaving Whiteplains after being sold. It was sold to a gentleman that is going to restore it. It was flown to KBNL Barnwell airport that is 42 nm south of Whiteplains. The first attempt was aborted after fuel was spotted coming out of the center gas tank. The second attempt was fowled by the engine sputtering to a stop after giving it full power. A quick check didn't find anything so an attempt was made to start the engine, but low voltage didn't allow the starter to swing the prop more then two times. After a jump start, it started, and he was able to take off.

Whiteplains Calendar May 2008

Whiteplains Community Calendar

Happy Birthday Wishes to:

• May 1 Tommy Robbins
• May 5 Cinco de Mayo
• May 13 Bruce Cunniff
• May 20 Michael Benton

SCBC Dates:

• May 4 Green Sea (PVT)
• May 18 Whiteplains Plantation (SC99)

Other Dates:

• May 11 Mothers Day!
• May 17 SC99 Clean Up Day
• May 17 Armed Forces Day at Ft. Jackson
• May 26 Memorial Day!

Weather Information by Cell Phone

Not everyone has XM weather in the cockpit but most people have a cell phone that can at least receive text. If you have one with a built in camera, you can also download free weather radar, and graphics. Not only stills, but loops as well. Along with METARS, TAFs and flight rules maps. Best of all, this information can be had for FREE or almost free.

Below is a list of such services as reported in AOPA Pilot:

Pilot My-cast by Garmin www.digitalcyclone.com/products Is a mobile, Web-based application that features multiple weather tools, a basic flight planner, and the ability to file a flight plan. Price: $9.95 month

DTC Duat www.duat.com/mobile You can receive official weather graphs (Radar, surface observations, flight rules, and prog charts) along with METARs and TAFs. To use it you need a cell phone, DUAT account and password. Price: FREE

Weather Notice www.wxnotice.com This service sends text and graphics weather products to cell phone via TEXT messaging. Phone be a camera phone if you want graphics. Download METARs, TAFs, surface observations and forecast charts, satellite, radar composites and Nexrad. Price is only $4.95 a month. 90 days free try before you buy.

National Weather Service http://mobile.weather.gov/ Most functions as DTC Duat but has two METAR function not found elsewhere. One is observations for the past 12 hours, second you can search by state. Price: Free

CELL WX http://igor.thunderstone.com/ Provides METARs, TAFs, looping satellite images, radar, and flight rules maps. Also has basic data on airport facilities such as rental cars, instrument approaches, fuel and food. Price: FREE

PDA Animated Weather www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/paw This site has hight resolution graphics such as radar, satellite, temperature,precipitations amounts over time, and city forecasts. Price: Free

AirWX http://m.airwx.com/ offers search able pireps, text message METARs, current and forecast charts, and an airport distance tool. Price: Free

No excuse now for not checking the weather before you launch. If you know of other service, send them in. Fly safe.

Information found in AOPA Pilot May 2008

Phase II Tree Removal

In the never ending job of trying to get Phase II irrigation system to work (out of service since 2005), today Ed Farr and Don Cook where able to remove the big tree at the entrance to Phase II. The tree needed to be removed because it was over the irrigation pipe that was broken. While we are now one step closer to getting the system to work, it is still out of service.

Tree removal would not have been possible with out the help of Ed Farr and his fork lift. Thanks Ed....Great job!