Greetings BAC NorthWest members! It’s time to be putting some ideas down on the calendar for fly-ins up here in the beautiful North West!I’ve been thinking of all the great things we could be doing in the next year! Chris and Leeanne Linderman are chomping at the bit to fly up from SLC to join us – SO LET’s get going!
I’m sure that we’ll try a BAC-Sponsored fly-in for the Arlington EAA Fly-in (and Sport Aviation Convention) – July 6-10. Arlington is about 60NM north of Seattle.
http://www.nweaa.org/
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAWO
Also, I’ve been thinking of a fly-in to McMinnville, OR – Home of the Spruce Goose and a wonderful collection. This could be earlier in the year. There’s a great review in this month’s Pilot Getaway magazine.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KMMV
http://www.pilotgetaways.com/current.html
http://www.sprucegoose.org/
There is a good local airport just north of there – Newberg, where my Step-son and his wife live, and there’s a great tie-down area – plus VERY handy places to stay – they have a clubhouse for a BBQ right there on the field. AND on-field camping if that’s your bag!
http://www.airnav.com/airport/2S6
All this fun is about 25 miles south of Portland, OR.
As far as a maintenance fly-in, I have my A&E, Stan Holm lined up for anything we’d like to work on – except another wing bracket replacement – here at Walla Walla. Also, there are 24 – count ’em – 24 Wineries here on the airport, also the Fort Walla Walla and Whitman Museums nearby, and plenty of housing. I’m thinking we would all head into town for the best Lasgna at the Pastime Restaurant – best in town!
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KALW
http://www.wallawallawinesonline.com/
The Red Barn (Seattle Museum of Flight) is the BEST – and gets bigger EVERY year on Boeing Field. The Red Barn has a Concorde, and Jacki Kennedy’s Air Force One, and the ONLY M-21 and D-21.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KBFI
http://www.museumofflight.org/
The Everett Boeing factory tour is must 15 miles north at Paine Field – thru the Class B, but an easy and beautiful flight – could actually have a little ‘air-tour’ or Poker Run to some of the airfields up there. Both locations have ‘private tours’ for groups like ours! They are also building NEW ME-262s there, if anybody wanted to take a look!
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KPAE
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/tours/
http://www.stormbirds.com/
You mentioned Coeur d’Alene, ID. A 10 mi van-ride north is Silverwood – a HUGE amusement park.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KCOE
http://www.silverwoodthemepark.com/
LOT’s of other stuff there, including ‘The Coeur d’Alene’ Resort, with the floating golf hole on the lake! BEAUTIFUL green mountains to fly over and around (NOT under!)
So, I’m looking for any other suggestions for places to go, times to meet, or any other stuff all you’all’r wanting to do!
In Southern Oregon (south of Burns) is French Glen and Steen’s Mountain. Pretty remote but the most fantastic site anywhere!
So – get those cards and (electronic) letters headed my way!
I remain your hard-working Northwest Regional Director!
Bill Howard
BeechSportBill
N1927W
BTW – I ordered the CD from the FAA of the Registrations and Modifications for my plane – GUESS WHAT?
My plane – N1927W, MB-609, was purchased by the SUMMA Corporation of Las Vegas 10 December 1976.
THAT’s right! My plane was owned by Howard Hughes!
Geez, I wish I’d kept the seat cushion material – HH’s own butt prints were on there!
I heard yesterday that a cup of water (JUST the water) that Elvis was supposed to have sipped sold for $500 on eBay – how much for airplane seats with HH’s prints?
OH WELL!
Bye for now – SEND YOUR SUGGESTIONS!
Bill