Sundance Flying Club
March 2007 Newsletter

Club Phone Numbers

The standard way to contact the club is using (650)494-7768. When no-one is in the office, you can leave a message which we will return as soon as we can. What to do when you need to contact the club urgently? We have set up (650)494-7769 so that it will call forward to a Duty Officer, probably Heather, Evan or Fred Thomas. If you do have to leave a message on this number, we should get back to you within a few minutes. So, remember, if it is urgent, call (650)494-7769.

Spare Oil Supplies

We have put a locked box out on the flight line at K22 (N2865M), containing spare oil and other supplies. To open the box, there is an extra key on each airplane key ring. The key may be a little stiff initially, so jiggle it gently if it doesn't open at once. If you take oil, please record it on the clipboard. Empty oil containers should be placed in the trash bin nearby, not in the box.

Office Rearrangement

We have changed over the usage of the two main rooms in the club office. We are setting up a ready room, and we will continue to make improvements to it. When finished, we will have a number of briefing stations and computers available for weather briefings. We will also equip this room so that we can show videos and presentations to larger audiences.

The room with the airplane flight books and keys is now our main office. During office hours we will be able to dispatch flight books at the desk. After hours the books will be available on the shelf above the desk. To the left of the desk hutch is a key vault. Its combination is the same as the previous combination lock. In it is the key to open the roll up door for the books. When you have taken the book, please remember to close the roll up door, lock it, and return the key to the key vault.

We normally have coffee and tea available in the office, so help yourself.

Flight Books

The flight books have some changes which we hope will be useful.

The instructions in the front are in 2 sections, general, and airplane specific. Please be familiar with both.

The squawk section is discussed below as the procedure has changed.

The Rate sheet calculator has changed. We now show the base rate, which includes all insurance components, the current fuel surcharge, and the date that it became effective. The two rate columns are for members (white background), and for non-flying members (yellow background).

When filling out a flight sheet at the conclusion of your flight, please remember to get the stop tach time as well as hobbs.

Squawk procedures

When you have a squawk to report, please fill out one of the pink sheets provided with each aircraft book. Use a separate sheet for each squawk. You can either hand the squawk in at the desk, or leave it in the book. As we receive squawks, they will be entered on the blue sheet in the aircraft book, along with the current status. A squawk will remain on the blue sheet for about 6 months after it has been closed, so that you can see the airplane's squawk history. Minor squawks will often be deferred to the next routine maintenance occasion and will be marked as such. Normally the only time a squawk has no action against it is when it is so new that it has not been reviewed.

FAA Charts

We have negotiated an agreement with a number of suppliers to be able to resell products to our members at a discount. The first of these will be FAA charts, starting with those current as of March 15. We will have available VFR and IFR charts of the Western states and will be able to get any others at fairly short notice. As a benefit of membership, each member will be entitled to a free San Francisco terminal chart. Simply see one of the office staff to claim yours!

HAF Flyathlon

Flyathlon is a multiple challenge activity in which the Flyathletes partake in a flight segment, and in additional sport segments The Flyathlon will take place in Half Moon Bay, California. Saturday, May 19th 2007 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The KHAF Flyathlon has three segments, Fly, Run & Kayak. The event includes lunch and an award ceremony. There will be group and individual challenges and prizes.

Sundance has reserved all the airplanes for this event. If you want to enter, simply contact us and we will assign an airplane to you. The actual event is not restricted only to pilots, so if you want to participate, but don't wish to fly left seat, contact the organizers who will arrange a Flight share.

More information is available at www.flyathlon.com.

Checkrides

After some weather related delays, Dan Monge passed his CFI checkride in 90R. Dan's instructor was Tim Kimura. After a short sabbatical, Dan will be teaching both in Sundance and in KSQL.

Airplane of the Month - N3518F

One of the iconic airplane types is the Cessna 182. Most of them are fixed gear, 4 seat airplane, although for a number of years Cessna also made a retractable gear version. The club's C182 is one of the earlier ones, and has a straight tail rather than the swept back version beloved of Cessna marketing. With a 230 hp engine, it is designated by the FAA as a high performance airplane, requiring a 1 time endorsement to be flown. Although it has flaps and a controllable propeller, it does not have retractable gear, so is not an FAA complex airplane. As 18F offers a more roomy interior, higher cruise speed (130 kt), and a good load-carrying capability, it is ideal for longer trips. Members often take it to Oregon or further afield on vacation. It is well equipped for IFR flight, so is a very capable airplane. If you have not checked out in it, talk to your CFI about doing so - then explore the West in Cessna's true workhorse!