March 2007 Newsletter

Ground School:
March 22, 7:00pm at the T-Craft Hangar
Cross Wind Landings & Ground Reference Maneuvers, with Jeff Beers

Hangar Work Party:
March 24, 9:00 a.m. at the T-Craft Hangar
Hot Dogs will be courteously served for Lunch.

General Membership Meeting:
March 27, 7:00pm at the EAA/CAP Hangar
Special Program: Fire Extinguishers, with Jim Eyre

Ground School:
April 12, 7:00pm at the T-Craft Hangar
Back Country Flying, with Jim Hudson

WE HAVE BEGUN WORK ON THE NEW MAP WALL AND ARE IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS! WE WILL BE PAINTING AND HANGING WAC MAPS, PLEASE LET A BOARD MEMBER KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP IN ANY STAGE OF THIS PROCESS.

FUEL RE-IMBURSEMENT PRICE FOR March: $3.20
Members who have purchased fuel "out of pocket" can deduct this price per gallon from bill, or the billing director can credit the amount on next statement. Please include copy of receipt either way.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CLUB? POLICES? OR GETTING A NEW MEMBER APPLICATION? WE HAVE THE ANSWER! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT!

NEW MEMBERS:
Rich Kalbus and Mike Crossley
If you see these new members around the hangar, introduce yourself and make them feel welcome to our club!

Insurance forms are due by April 10, 2007, to avoid being suspended from Flight Status on Schedule Master. Members can send their completed forms in with their bill. Click here for a copy of the form.

SPECIAL THANKS:
To all those who have volunteered working in the Hangar on the Map Wall, Hangar Doors, Office Heaters and Overhead Fan. Your time is very valuable, and the Club wishes to extend our gratitude for your hard work.

PRICE INCREASES:
The General Membership has approved the following price increases in effect March 26th: Monthly Membership, $50.00 (Dues, $40.00 + Avionics Fund, $10.00); Cessna 152, $50.00 per hour; Cessna 172s, $65.00 per hour; and Cessna 182s, $90.00 per hour.

Heaters are on the planes again, so it is time to take a few extra minutes to make sure the heaters are hooked up properly, and blankets are back over the cowling. PLEASE DO NOT ADJUST ANY DIAL ON THE HEATERS, Jim Eyre has them set correctly. Watch out for the extension cords on the hangar floor.

We are interested in stories and/or pictures of trips from the membership! Please remit to secretary@t-craft.org or call Jeff Vanhoozer (ph: 861-3972).

PLEASE REMEMBER TO CANCEL YOUR FLIGHT IN SCHEDULE MASTER IF YOU CAN'T FLY. THE BOARD CAN CHARGE ONE HOUR PER DAY AT THE SCHEDULED AIRCRAFT RATE ACCORDING TO T-CRAFT CLUB POLICY #15.

The EPA is cracking down on pilots dumping "sumped" fuel on the ramp. It is a very steep fine if you are caught. We have purchased devices to filter the fuel back into the aircraft. It is a little cumbersome the first time you use it, but it is necessary. Remove the top (strainer) section of the fuel tester, drain fuel, and place fuel strainer on top of tester. Open top of strainer and carefully replace fuel back into fuel tank.

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Volume 4, Issue 3 March, 2007

Minimum Safe Altitudes
Ground School: March 22, 7:00pm at the T-Craft Hangar Cross Wind Landings & Ground Reference Maneuvers, with Jeff Beers Hangar Work Party: March 24, 9:00 a.m. at the T-Craft Hangar Hot Dogs will be courteously served for Lunch. General Membership Meeting: March 27, 7:00pm at the EAA/CAP Hangar Special Program: Fire Extinguishers, with Jim Eyre Board Meeting: April 10, 7:00pm at the T-Craft Hangar Ground School: April 12, 7:00pm at the T-Craft Hangar Back Country Flying, with Jim Hudson General Membership Meeting: April 24, 7:00pm at the EAA/CAP Hangar WE HAVE BEGUN WORK ON THE NEW MAP WALL AND ARE IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS! WE WILL BE PAINTING AND HANGING WAC MAPS, PLEASE LET A BOARD MEMBER KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP IN ANY STAGE OF THIS PROCESS. FUEL RE-IMBURSEMENT PRICE FOR March: $3.20 Members who have purchased fuel "out of pocket" can deduct this price per gallon from bill, or the billing director can credit the amount on next statement. Please include copy of receipt either way. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CLUB? POLICES? OR GETTING A NEW MEMBER APPLICATION? WE HAVE THE ANSWER! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT! NEW MEMBERS: Rich Kalbus and Mike Crossley If you see these new members around the hangar, introduce yourself and make them feel welcome to our club! Insurance forms are due by April 10, 2007, to avoid being suspended from Flight Status on Schedule Master. Members can send their completed forms in with their bill. Click here for a copy of the form. SPECIAL THANKS: To all those who have volunteered working in the Hangar on the Map Wall, Hangar Doors, Office Heaters and Overhead Fan. Your time is very valuable, and the Club wishes to extend our gratitude for your hard work. PRICE INCREASES: The General Membership has approved the following price increases in effect March 26th: Monthly Membership, $50.00 (Dues, $40.00 + Avionics Fund, $10.00); Cessna 152, $50.00 per hour; Cessna 172s, $65.00 per hour; and Cessna 182s, $90.00 per hour. Heaters are on the planes again, so it is time to take a few extra minutes to make sure the heaters are hooked up properly, and blankets are back over the cowling. PLEASE DO NOT ADJUST ANY DIAL ON THE HEATERS, Jim Eyre has them set correctly. Watch out for the extension cords on the hangar floor. We are interested in stories and/or pictures of trips from the membership! Please remit to secretary@t-craft.org or call Jeff Vanhoozer (ph: 861-3972). PLEASE REMEMBER TO CANCEL YOUR FLIGHT IN SCHEDULE MASTER IF YOU CAN'T FLY. THE BOARD CAN CHARGE ONE HOUR PER DAY AT THE SCHEDULED AIRCRAFT RATE ACCORDING TO T-CRAFT CLUB POLICY #15. The EPA is cracking down on pilots dumping "sumped" fuel on the ramp. It is a very steep fine if you are caught. We have purchased devices to filter the fuel back into the aircraft. It is a little cumbersome the first time you use it, but it is necessary. Remove the top (strainer) section of the fuel tester, drain fuel, and place fuel strainer on top of tester. Open top of strainer and carefully replace fuel back into fuel tank. It is always a good idea to check with FSS before every flight. There could be new TFR's posted in the area you are about to fly, or numerous other items you wouldn't otherwise be aware of. You can order Apparel from Bulldog Shirt Shop in Nampa on 12th Ave. They have our logo and will put it on any item in there catalog. Click on their name for the map and phone number. Please keep your contact information (phone numbers, email addresses, postal address) updated in Schedule Master. To check or update your contact information, login to Schedule Master, click the "User" tab at the top, then click the link that says "Click here to edit your user info" which appears just above the list of users.		All members need to remember to UNplug when going flying. Be extra careful when placing ducting into cowling as the ducting is very thin and tears quite easily. Please do not turn knobs to whatever you feel like. They all have been set where need be. Aircraft Door Locks work best if you Press In on latch while using key (even 686 can be locked/unlocked). 2007 Registration in planes. Still no prop balance, will wait till spring. 375: Annual scheduled for 4/2/07 thru 4/6/07 686: Radio (Garmin SL-30) ordered (expect 3 wk delay). Annual scheduled for next week. Rotating beacon doesn’t blink, will fix during annual. 64L: Flaps Indicator operating erratically. Jim Eyre talking to Metacalf. 91X: Annual scheduled for 4/16/07 thru 4/20/07. May have weak battery (cranks slowly). 0YD: Annual scheduled for 5/28/07 thru 6/1/07. Nose strut is collapsed (inspect seals and recharge). Passenger door handle repaired. 93S: Possible carburetor fuel leak caused pilot to leave craft in Emmett, Idaho, 3/10/07; pitted float in carburetor replaced w/ new. USE TACH TIME FOR SQUAWKS PLEASE. This helps the maintenance team tremendously! The sign-out sheets have not changed. Continue to use HOBBS Time for sign out sheets. This will continue to be the way you are billed. Please check Schedule Master and Squawk Sheets for new Squawks on the aircraft you are about to fly. Also, please call the next pilot scheduled to fly if you Squawk the aircraft. AND DON'T FORGET TO LIST YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER! by Jeff Beers MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDES Spring is here and with it comes some great weather. Pilots who haven't flown for a while because of the winter weather are all coming out to the airport to start flying again. For us pilots it seems like paradise. Unfortunately people who live around airports are not always as excited about watching airplanes flying overhead as we are and they too have also come outside to enjoy the nice weather. We need to remember that the minimum altitude we can fly over a congested area is 1000 ft AGL (FAR 91.119). This is the area that surrounds the Nampa airport. Other than climbing to TPA in the traffic pattern we need to stay at or above this altitude when we are arriving or departing the airport. I have seen aircraft, like a lot of us have (not T-Craft aircraft of course) take off and fly away from the airport no more than 500 feet AGL. We need to respect our "non" pilot neighbors. I have flown at airports that have areas that are restricted from flying over because of the complaints of the neighbors that live there. Even thought they moved there knowing it was next to an airport, they were still able to have these changes imposed on the airport. Lets all enjoy this great flying weather and fly safe and by the rules. Please let Jeff Beers know when you earn new wings levels, or pass other milestones like first solo, new ratings, etc. The Board has decided to allow any members wishing to post classified ads in the newsletter for aviation items only. Please email your ads to Jeff Vanhoozer. ANY MEMBER CAN REQUEST THE MINUTES FROM ANY MEETING. Any member that would like a copy of any meeting minutes can contact Jeff Vanhoozer by email. Any member of the board can provide the minutes as well. THE 2006 ANNUAL REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS ONLINE BY REQUEST. Please send request to James Ferdinand at president@t-craft.org