Tommy George's -- Not!
Article by Brian Gilomen, cribbed from various emails
We had the best of intentions; really we did. Brad "AirWolf" Wolf either volunteered -- or was volunteered -- to be Brad "Air Boss" Wolf for our annual flight to Tommy George's He quickly put plans in motion:
----- Original Message -----
From: Wolf, W Brad
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 9:34 PM
Subject: Tommy George Mission Plan
Team,
Schedule - Aug. 28, 2004:
Start from the location of your choice at the time of your choice. (but be ready to leave Pontiac on time.)
Depart Pontiac @ 10:00am. (1400Z)
ETA Lincoln @ 11:15am
Depart Lincoln @ 12:15pm
Arrive Tommy George @ 1:00pm
Schedule - Aug. 29, 2004:
Depart Tommy George @ your convenience
Lincoln - Fuel up and be ready to depart @ 10:00am
Arrive Pontiac @ 11:30am
Depart Pontiac @ 12:30pm
Arrive at the destination of your choice.........
Flight Path Dist. (mi.)
Location Code Freq. Alt. Lat/Long Cush Clow Comment
Pontiac PNT 122.8 659' 40 55.42'/88 37.53' 41.1 59.2 re-fuel / Rally Point
Ck Point Alpha n/a 750' 40.39' / 89.03' 29.1 no landing/no fuel (footnote a)
Lincoln AAA 122.8 597' 40 09.51' / 89 20.10' 64.6 mileage from Pontiac / fuel
Tommy 9LL5 ?? 595' 39 39.1' / 89 27.5' 35.7 mileage from Lincoln / fuel
Sunset Saturday = 7:34pm
Sunrise Sunday = 6:24am
Notes:
a - Check point Alpha is located outside of the Bloomington Class D airspace. The coordinates are over a dam located NW of Bloomington airspace. The point is 29.1 miles from Pontiac and 37.1 miles from Lincoln.
b - If the Pontiac to Lincoln leg is too long for some flyers, the options aren't good. The best I've been able to do is divert to the Illinois Valley Parachute Club. It is a private strip near Minier, Il. 81IL. 40 26.1 / 89 21.6. Distance from Pontiac = 42.3 / distance form Tommy George = 19.0. No fuel is advertised.
Weather may be an issue so monitor email all day on Friday.
W. Brad Wolf / E006BW
AirBoss Tommy George '04
But, by the end of the week, however, our Air Boss was singing a different tune:
----- Original Message -----
From: Brad Wolf
To: FVFC@Yahogroups.comSent: Friday, August 27, 2004 7:56 AMSubject: [FVFC] Tommy George - AlternativesTeam,I'd say there is a 95% chance that the Tommy George mission will be scrubbed. There will be updated info available this afternoon, but the overall weather pattern doesn't look hopeful.Alternatives.1 - Whiteside - I believe Mick said there was a fly-in at Whiteside on Sunday. Right Mick? I can't find the email you sent to me. Please resend.2 - Drive to Tommy George & campout3 - Campout at Cushing & Fly to Whiteside on Sunday.4 - Scrap it all and start overAfter 9:30am, I'm available on my cell to discuss the options or to advise of the current plan. I am NOT at work today. Email monitoring will be spotty.Brad WolfAir Floss -
(Note the self-inflicted change in designation from "Air Boss" to "Air Floss.")
A couple of hours later, Air Floss decreed the "go, no-go" timeframe for all concerned:
----- Original Message -----
From: Brad Wolf
To: FVFC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 10:51 AM
Subject: [FVFC] Tommy George?????????/
The go no go decision will be broadcast @ 3:30pm today for Tommy George. I doesn't look good, but we're hoping the 1pm forecast will give a boost.
I will email that information, but if you want to talk to me in person, call 630-336-6820.
IF WE DO NOT FLY TO TOMMY GEORGE............
Bill Mills and I will be camping at Cushing on Saturday night. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join us. Sunday we plan to fly to Rochelle to a fly-in. The published times are 11am - 3pm. We will be wheels up Sunday at 9:30am. (from Cushing) The weather is supposed to be good on Sunday.
This is the info I received on Rochelle. (thank in part to Ned Rolstan)
Rochelle, Illinois. The Rochelle Fly-in/Drive-in takes place August 29 at Rochelle Municipal Airport-Koritz Field (RPJ). Sweet corn, hot dogs, and pork chop roast from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Static displays, contests, and more. Contact Judy Bresson, 815/562-4617.
Brad Wolf
Air Floss
Ant then, as we all know, Brad plugged the plug a couple of hours after that:
----- Original Message -----
From: Wolf, W Brad
To: FVFC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 3:45 PM
Subject: [FVFC] Tommy George - Scrubbed
The Air Boss is calling the mission. The is a wild chance that the weather could clear enough and we could sneak down to Tommy Georges, but I don't want to take that chance. Maybe next year. Certainly, you are welcome to make your own decision and do your own thing.
We will go w/ plan B. details below.
Anyone interested in camping out at Cushing on Saturday night should give me a call so we can make sure and reserve you a prime location. Bill Mills and I will be there!
It is our intention to fly to Rochelle to the fly-in on Sunday. The weather should be great. We plan for wheels up at Cushing at 9:30am.
Cushing to Rochelle (RPJ) - 35.5 miles
Clow to Rochelle - 50.7 miles
Rochelle lat / long = 41 53.6 / 89 4.7
Unicom - 122.8
Runway 07/25 - 4226 x 75 Asphalt
Brad Wolf
Plans quickly evolved to save the weekend by throwing together that campout that Brad had teed-up when he scrubbed the fly-in:
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul S
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 8:27 PM
To: FVFC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [FVFC] Tommy George - Scrubbed
Guys,
Well, Brad and Bill are enough to get me to drag my camper out to Cushing for a sleepover. Patti and I will be there late afternoon. I have a fire-pit that we bought for such occasions so there will be fire. Perhaps this should be dubbed the 2nd annual Pork and Beans fly-in? Sure was fun last year with just Brad and I. LIke a scene from Blazing Saddles. Just a thought... See you there.
Paul & Patti Sy
----- Original Message -----
From: Wolf, W Brad
To: FVFC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 6:07 PM
Subject: RE: [FVFC] Tommy George - Scrubbed
That makes it final. This will be known here to for as the 2AFVFCPABASC (2nd Annual Fox Valley Flying Club Pork and Beans and Spam Campout).
The fact is.......... I bought the pork and beans and spam tonight at the grocery.
Brad Wolf
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul S
To: FVFC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 10:36 PM
Subject: Re: [FVFC] Tommy George - Scrubbed
Brad,
Scary, but we're in...it was all good last year. I'll bring the fire. We can camp at the south east end of the property in the corner...great view of the sky and very quiet. Maybe we should call it the Cushing Pork and Beans fly-in, and go somewhere the next day. Ok, I'm done thinking, I think I'm smelling smoke....
P. Sy
Epilog: These guys didn't even follow through with their plans to camp out at Cushing! So, both Tommy George's and the 2AFVFCPABASC (2nd Annual Fox Valley Flying Club Pork and Beans and Spam Campout) were officially a bust.
Where To Now?
... So, we go to Rochelle Instead
Paul Sy Invests in Another Seat
Vance Invests in Modern Technology
The Illinois Aviation Museum at Bolingbrook
(386 Kilobyte ".pdf" file: be forewarned)