November 2003 Meeting Minutes

George writes: WAPA held its monthly meeting on Thursday November 6th. It was a good meeting. There was much discussion of plans for Young Eagles days (4 upcoming in 2004), Parties (January) and Safety Seminars.

Caution: All event dates reported in the below minutes have most likely been changed. Check all dates with recent stories on the web.

Replies

Alex Kittenplan on Saturday November 08, @09:26AM

The American Yankee Association fly-ins at least for the New England Regions tend mostly to head to airports to eat such as today at FOK on Long Island. They have a couple in Nantucket for the Christmas Stroll and Daffodil Festival, others can be at airports for lectures at maintenance shops or at places like Boston Center, Bridgeport FSS, Owl's Head Transportation Museum and similar places. Unfortunately, ORH doesn't have much. If a restaurant were open that would be an attraction.

Sorry to be a wet blanket. Check out http://www.aya.org/newengland/ for a listing of fly-ins.

Does anyone at ORH own a Grumman?

Alex Kittenplan (yet to make a meeting)

>Michael Amir has asked that WAPA invite other >organizations like the Grumman Pilots or >Cardinal Club to hold a Fly-in at Worcester. >Swissport would hopefully lower fuel prices even >further for any special events like this. And >the WPI Fly-in proved that Security is not >insurmountable and can be readily worked out for >special events.

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George on Saturday November 08, @01:14PM

This is a good point about no restaurant at the airport. We would have to arrange transportation to a restaurant, or arrange a catered event at the airport. Swissport held an event several years ago where they provided both breakfast and hamburgs and hotdogs in the parking lot outside of their building. Something like that could possibly be repeated. We could also arrange for a Safety Seminar or some other seminar or event at the airport to accompany the fly-in.

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Alex Kittenplan on Saturday November 08, @01:21PM

That would do it. Or wait until spring-fall and have cookouts. Safety seminars are a plus. Maybe the WAPA pilots should organize a "club" and start "Fly-outs" to places. There is no reason that we can't organize a fly-in to FOK for lunch of the Worcester area pilots. I realize that this might seem like we're leaving to head to other places, but maybe it will force Massport or someone to put in a decent place to eat at the airport and that way at least generate some revenue and better utilization of the airport terminal.

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George on Saturday November 08, @01:27PM

Actually, there is no reason that we shouldn't be flying out elsewhere. WAPA of years past used to run events out to Old Rhinebeck, Owl's Head, and many other places including breakfast runs, etc. It is certainly not being disloyal to Worcester. I guess that the reasons that it is not happening now is lack of interest with both organizers and participants. We tried to hold one event to Old Rhinebeck a year or so ago, and no one expressed interest in it.

Also, don't forget that the unicom@worcesterapa.org mailing list can be used to organize impromptu fly-outs. Any member can hit the list with an email looking for company on a flight.

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George on Saturday November 08, @01:37PM

One note… Boston Center and Bridgeport FSS are pretty much impossible post 9/11. Security procedures no longer allow visits to FAA facilities. Not even to your local control tower.

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One omission regarding Safety Seminars

George on Saturday November 08, @01:08PM

There was also interest expressed in a repeat of the Airspace and Charting seminar that was run by the FAA Charting Office several years ago. We were going to find out if that speaker would be available at some time in the future.