Panoche Airstrip and Gliderpalooza updates.

[Quest_R@HSC]

Hi everybody,

After several verbal agreements to help us get the Panoche Airstrip mowed fell through, I called Larry at the Panoche Inn and asked if he knew of anyone in the area who could mow it. He did, and the fellow called me and we came to an agreement over the phone. He went out and mowed it on Friday. He charges $40/hr and it took 3 hours so that $120 will go onto the "tab" for Panoche expenses. This fellow is also a California Licensed pest control eradicator and we could employ him to get rid of the varmints that burrow around the strip if we want to.

On Saturday, three aircraft landed at Panoche and it's in really good shape. Harry Fox flew there in his Citabria, and I landed there with a student in a 2-32. Allen White landed in the Pawnee and then towed us out later in the afternoon. The area just inside the gate has been mowed too so that is now acceptable for parking trailers and pushing gliders off for staging or for tying down at the end of the day.

There was a break-in at the Panoche Airstrip last week and the combination lock was cut off by the thieves. Lots of stuff was stolen, as well as a Jeep owned by the owner. The Sheriff came out and put a keyed lock on the gate (there are now two keyed locks hitched together on a chain). I'm working to get a key to one of the two locks on there so we can get in with trailers and vehicles. It would be a good idea to have a "guard" at the place over the Gliderpalooza weekend to watch out for the tow planes and gliders left there. Paul Fewel will fly a towplane in there on Friday and has agreed to stay the night. Haven will most likely stay the night on Saturday. I may go spend the night there on Sunday. Any other volunteers for Sunday?

Please remember to spread the word about the Gliderpalooza by posting on as many other soaring sites as you belong to. I belong to only the hgcgroup and my own KCVH Google group.

The BBQ will happen when all flying is done on Sat. Please bring about $12-$15 in cash for Larry. I'm not sure when the food will be ready but I think 7PM would work well. I will be leaving the airshow and driving down to partake of the BBQ on Sat. eve. and should get there around 7PM.

I now have keys from the City of Hollister for the vehicle gate at the far end of the Swank Farms road should anyone wish to access a glider trailer through that gate. Just give me a call and I'll plan to meet you there at some point to open it.

I will be tending to a glider display at the Hollister Airport on Saturday and Sunday to talk with folks and hand out brochures and discount coupons. HSC will have a spot just inside the main gate of the airshow so we'll be the first thing people see when they come through that gate. My office assistant Nichole will be there to help out on Sunday, but at this time I will be by myself on Saturday. If anyone out there would like to come out and chit-chat with the airshow folks about gliders and soaring for a few hours on Saturday, that would be great.

I will post on here as necessary over the next week as things come up.

Happy soaring and guarding,

Quest