In this issue:
Calendar of Events (modified 2-3-05, see ('>') for changes)
Tues. Feb. 8, 7:00 - Board Meeting at the Hangar
>Tues. March 21, 6:30 - General Membership Meeting at
Plymouth Library (*)
Tues. April 12, 7:00 - Board Meeting at the Hangar
>Thurs. April 21 7:00 - MDOT Safety Seminar at Plymouth
Library (*)
Sat. April 23, 9:00 - Plane Wash & Barbecue
Tues. May 10, 7:00 - Board Meeting at the Hangar
Sat. June 11, 9:00 - Plane Wash & Barbecue & General
Membership Meeting
Tues. July 12, 7:00 - Board Meeting at the Hangar
Sat. July 23, 9:00 - Plane Wash & Barbecue
Tues. Aug. 9, 7:00 - Board Meeting at the Hangar
Sat. Sep. 10, 9:00 - Plane Wash & Barbecue
>Thurs. Sep. 22, 6:30 - General Membership Meeting at
Plymouth Library (*)
Tues. Oct 11, 7:00 - Board Meeting at the Hangar
Tues. Nov. 8, 7:00 - Board Meeting at the Hangar
>(?) Sun. Dec. 4, 5:30 - Holiday Party at Atlantis in Livonia
* The Plymouth District Library is located in downtown Plymouth, one block North of Ann Arbor Trail, at
223 South Main Street
Plymouth, Michigan 48170
(734) 453-0750
We will probably have the meeting room that is on your left on the main floor just as you come in from the East entrance.
Farewell to Jim Sullivan: After 24 years as a dedicated member of MANG Aero Club, Jim Sullivan has decided to leave the club as of December 31, 2004. MANG Aero Club would like to take this opportunity to thank Jim for being one of the backbone members of this club for all these years. In his years with MANG, Jim has been our resident financial person. Jim took a personal interest in making sure the club was financially sound. His countless hours advising and maintaining the financial records has insured that the club will operate now and long into the future. For that we owe Jim a debt of gratitude. Very rarely did Jim miss a Board meeting, a plane wash, or any other club activity, and for that we are very grateful. The Club is truly going to miss Jims expertise. We wish him a fond farewell and our best to him as he proceeds in lifes journey. Per Jims request and by the action of the Board of Directors, Jim has made himself available in a continuing advisory role regarding the financial status of the club. The club can only benefit from this decision.
Thank You to Jim King: MANG Aero Club would like to take this opportunity to thank Jim King for the countless hours he has put in to the club as our Chief Maintenance Officer over the past three years. Jim is stepping down from this position to pursue other flying interests. Paul Fortino has graciously stepped forward to fill Jims position. The club cant thank Jim enough for all you did in keeping our planes in top notch flying condition. Good luck to you, Jim, from the members of MANG Aero Club.
GPS Training Session a Big Hit:
On December 7, MANG members were treated to a training session on their new Garmin 430 GPS NAV/COM at the Plymouth Library. Dion Zammit used the Garmin Simulator Software and a laptop projector to take us through all the major functions of our new toy, both in VFR and IFR situations. For those of you who missed the event, but would still like to become more familiar with the Archer's latest addition, stop by the MANG office and borrow a CD from the library cabinet. This CD contains the simulator software plus the complete operator's manual for the 430.
MANG Officers (for your reference, here we are):
Pres.: Dave LaPointe
Vice Pres.: Steve Thornburg
Secretary: Bob Scott
Treasurer: Joe McEvoy
Safety/Training: Alan Hickman
Chief Maint.: Paul Fortino
C172 Maint.: Mario Pecchia
Warrior Maint.: Bruce Anderson
Archer Maint.: Larry Millen
Operations: Dion Zammit
There is a spare key for the hangars located in a small combination lock box just to the right of the Archer hangar entrance door. Ask a Board Member for the current combination. If you find it necessary to use this key, notice that you must enter the combination again when you put the key back in the box.
In the winter when the roads are salted, our cars drip this salt wherever they are parked. This salt wrecks the hangar floors. We have ample space to park along the fence or next to the hangar. Please use common sense in deciding where to park.
Ideas for Presentations at Membership Meetings?
If anyone has ideas about presentations or guest speakers at our March and September general membership meetings, please contact someone on the board. In the past we have heard from a doctor on aviation medical issues and from members of the Civil Air Patrol.
Rich MacAuley, who had been doing all our major maintenance, has been re-assigned to the Orlando airport. Instead Mark Lutze will be doing maintenance for MANG. Mark and our own Paul Fortino are working together on the annual inspections this year. Paul reports the progress to date. Since they started with the Archer, most of the reports are about the Archer:
Cessna - vacuum leak is still a problem - to be checked at the annual.
Warrior - nose strut inflated - seems OK now.
Warrior - compass problems will be checked at the annual.
Archer - electric trim clutch adjusted - seems to be working fine.
Archer - hole in the exhaust blowing into the cabin. We will
buy a new muffler.
Archer - autopilot should be marked INOP. Problem is in the
turn indicator.
Archer - transponder AD may cost us $500. If so, we will trade
it in for a newer one.
Archer - oil access door latch will be fixed.
Archer - ELT batteries replaced.
Archer - alternator belt was cracked in five places. It will be replaced.
Archer - leaking prop seal will be replaced.
Archer - #3 cylinder will be repaired by Paul Klein in Brooklyn.
Archer - brake housing corroded, causes leaks - will be replaced.
Archer - elevator trim bushings will be replaced.
Archer - valve cover gaskets were leaking - will be replaced.
Archer - rudder cables and steering were mis-adjusted and had
improper springs, which may have been causing our nose-wheel shimmy
and excess wheel wear. Rudder and steering has been re-rigged
and adjusted properly.
All cans of WD-40 penetrating oil have been removed from the hangar. This stuff is not appropriate and should not be used for lubrication on aircraft. It made quite a mess of the Archer control yoke glide. Paul has cleaned the junk off and the yoke moves much smoother.
Here are the statistics for 2004, 2003, and for just December 2004:
(Total HOURS) |
54115 |
43755 |
33149 |
All Aircraft |
December 2004 only: |
5.8 |
13.8 |
4.8 |
24.4 |
All of 2004: |
282.1 |
290.3 |
176.1 |
748.5 |
All of 2003: |
233.5 |
297.6 |
312.8 |
843.9 |