2006 Meeting

[Pat Schmitz]

Do we have any 0-2 flyers out there that are planning to fly into Vegas for this meeting (with their O-2?) We might be surprised - they might make an exception if they had an opportunity for a photo op... If the flight of 337's is led by a retired 0-2, it would be quite a site to see!

[Skymaster337B]

I've got to agree, Las Vegas can be alot of fun; but the prices of everything around the strip is out of control -- even the drinks cost $5 a pop. I've taken a liking to Laughlin for it's pricing, and the river!!! So unless we get a really good deal from the Bellagio I might not go. Seriously, Laughlin is more what Vegas used to be.

[Jerry De Santis]

Thanks for your comments Skymaster337B.

The SOAPA committee selected Las Vegas so that the folks on the west part of the country will have an opportunity to join in, help direct and learn more about the organization. See first hand how great it is becoming and learn more about aviation and the Skymaster.

The people that were surveyed( and there were many) for a meeting place for year 2006 picked L.V. That polled group is made up from folks that attended past SOAPA meetings in the Bahamas, Nashville, OKC and Florida. L.V. will be the 5th meeting place. As you can see most of those locations are mid to east of the country.

Some of them are flying there Skymasters between 1,200 and 2,000 miles to L.V. and will be spending up to $1,500 in aircraft fuel. I particularly don't drink much, but a $5 class of wine or other drink surely is not going to bust me. However, it is really not so much about where the meeting is going to be...but rather that there is a meeting at all, and, there is a group of people willing to work hard to put it on.

We are people that love aviation and the Skymaster aircraft. And yes, we would love to have you come and join us! However, It's you choice.

The L.V. meeting is going to be a very important meeting in that a slate of people will be chosen and voted on by the ATTENDEES to serve on the committee. If you want to have input, attend the meeting.

Also, for some of the newer readers on the SOAP web page, SOAPA and SOAP are different entities and other than the fact that SOAP webmaster permits SOAPA to use the website to get our message out, there is no direct connection. So please, if you don't care for the meeting place or how it was selected, please don't blame SOAP.

[Paul462]

Good comments, Jerry! Ed and Jim, thank you very much for the vote of appreciation!

My records indicate the original list of nominees for this, the FIFTH ANNUAL SOAPA FLY-IN, numbered 17 locations; Las Vegas was voted the winner by the SOAPA Fly-In Committee. The time was a little dicier - it took two votes to nail down the Fly-In dates.

This year's SOAPA Fly-In Committee is made up of 23 individuals who volunteered to help organize the 2006 SOAPA Fly-In. From these individuals, Jerry De Santis and Larry Bowdish stepped forward to be Fly-In Co-Chairmen for this year. Thanks, Guys!

As Jerry notes, the Fly-In Committee is in the throes of finalizing a SOAPA By-Laws draft to present for approval to the membership during the 2006 Fly-In. During the Fly-In we will also hopefully elect officers, and thus begin a new, slightly more formal (and ultimately more permanent) chapter in our organization's history than the largely ad hoc venture it has been to date.

We will be discussing these matters, brainstorming Fly-In speakers, events and social activities, and seeing how we can best help Jerry and Larry, during our Mid-Winter Committee teleconference this Saturday.

We look forward to catching up with old friends, and meeting new ones, at this year's Fly-In - please attend, provide input, and join the Committee to help plan the '07 Fly-In! If you're unable to attend but are interested in SOAPA, please check out the Fly-In report on this site after the Fly-In. With luck, there will be information on how to join SOAPA, and the Committe, at that time.

Paul Rooy

[Frank Benvin]

Any more details on meeting. Only 2.5 months away. I have to start planning time off. Dad & I would like to attend. Who is going???

Frank

[Jerry De Santis]

Most details will be published within the next week.

Cheers
Jerry

[Paul462]

Fellow SOAPA Members and interested casual readers,

On February 11 we held our Mid-Winter Teleconference, attended by Jerry De Santis, Larry Bowdish, Keven Kenison, Mary Lightfine, and Paul Rooy. The following was decided:

1. Jerry submitted his treasurer's report - we have $1,586.21 in the bank! (minus the cost of the Mid-Winter Teleconference, of course...)

2. Proposed By-Laws Rev. February 11, 2006 were approved, with a change to Par. 6 to provide a more specific mechanism for determination of the officers slate decided upon by the Executive Board, and correction of some typos. and to allow the Executive Board to make decisions during the Mid-Winter Teleconference. The By-Laws will be submitted to the membership for approval during the 2006 SOAPA Fly-In.

3. $400/day for a conference room for two days - approved.

4. $500 to send out postcards advertising the Fly-In - approved, with the proviso that a poll be taken during the Fly-In to determine how many attendees came to the Fly-In due to the postcard mailing.

5. Fees: $150 per plenary session attendee, $75 per significant other for the social events if fees received prior to 30 days before the start of the Fly-In. $175 per plenary session attendee, $100 per significant other for the social events if fees received subsequent to 30 days before the start of the Fly-In. Fees are 100% refundable if refund request is received prior to 30 days before the start of the Fly-In; no refunds thereafter.

6. Events: Try to include maybe a Thu PM Skymaster Happy Hour with first drink paid for by SOAPA and a Fri boat trip (maybe around $50/person cost?). Or maybe dinner one night for around $50/person? A pre-fly-in event could be a "Behind the Stage Tour" of a Vegas show at 2:00 PM Wednesday. Larry will investigate a Lake Las Vegas "Booze Cruise", and Paul will investigate a Lake Mead boat tour of archeological sites recently uncovered by descending water levels in Lake Mead.

7. Speakers possibilities:

Peyton - 337 Acrobatics (1/2 hour).
Larry: Line up "Flight to Alaska by ADF", C&D Enterprises heater company, SIMPLE GREEN presentation, 15 minute Herb Harney video on flying Michigan.
Jerry: Get Don Nieser Comodore Aerospace.
Paul: See if Galen Hanselman (author of "Fly Idaho") or Sparky Iveson (author of the "Mountain Flying Bible") can talk about extreme mountain flying off short/high/soft/unpaved strips out in the middle of nowhere without getting et by a bear.

If anybody has speaker suggestions, please let Jerry or Larry know!

Well there you have it, folks! Yet another successful Mid-Winter Teleconference - Jerry and Larry enthralled us with stories of the heavy snowfoll descending outside their windows (700 OVC), and the rest of us thanked our lucky stars for being located further south. Keven is looking for a P-337, so if you were about to toss yours, don't do that - give it to Keven instead!

We appear to be well on track for the 2006 SOAPA Fly-In. Jerry and Larry, if you need assistance, do not hesitate to ask us!

Paul

[WebMaster]

The folks who make and service heaters for the pressurized airplanes, C&D, will be there for Thursday.

http://www.aircraftheater.com/

[hharney]

I see the hotel rates for Wed and Thurs and also for Friday but what about Saturday? Is there a rate established for Saturday or is it the same as Friday?

Do we bring the attendance fee with us to the meeting or is someone we should submit this to?

[WebMaster]

Herb, you can mail it to Jerry, or bring it with you.

Rooms can be reserved, by calling the Stratosphere directly at 1-800-998-6937 between the hours of 07:00 to 22:00 PST and reference the: SOAPA – SKYMASTER GROUP and/or Group Code C/SOAPA.

Each individual is responsible to make there own hotel reservation and it is to be charged to the individual’s credit card.

Hotel check in time is 15:00 hours and checkout time is 11:00 hours.

We would presume that the rate for Friday night is the same as Saturday night.

[Jerry De Santis]

Fellow Aviators......All information is now posted on the home page.

Go to the home page and in the paragraph titled EVENT AGENDA, 5th sentence down "Click here for more information". When the new page appears, scroll down and you will find the cost of the event, dinner menu choice for the Thursday night Paddle Wheel style boat dinner tour as well as where to send your registration fees....This years meeting is really shaping up to be both informative and enjoyable. Don't delay!!!

See ya all in L.V.

Cheers
Jerry
N34EC

[WebMaster]

Jim Muse reports that he is bringing a projector to work with laptop computers. I presume several people will have them, I will have mine. If you want to bring your presentation on a CD or DVD, we can play it. Jim is also bringing microphones, and a mixer, to work with the sound system in the meeting room.

[WebMaster]

Another point is the riverboat cruise on Lake Mead. Your fee covers dinner on the boat.

[WebMaster]

Folks, I am in Las Vegas today, and tomorrow, for another meeting. Took some time and went to the Stratosphere, looked at our meeting room. It is the Sunrise room, on the 104th floor. Looks east towards Sunrise Mountain, and Nellis AFB.
Nice meeting room. They will have a screen, a table for the projector, water on the table, connection to the PA system for a microphone for the speaker to use (Jim Muse is bringing these things.)

Thought you might like a look

[WebMaster]

The room will be set up like a classroom, unlike today, where there are small tables.

A note, actually several. If you want to have dinner in the top, the dress code is business casual, jackets for men.
The restaurant actually revolves, she said.
If you want to get out and see the strip, The Deuce is the local bus service, you buy a ticket for $5.00, you can ride up and down the strip for 24 hours. On and off, here and there. It's a good bargain, one of the few. Buses are clean, and double deckers.