Spring 2004 SOAP Fly In and Meeting

[WebMaster]

VOTE FOR THE LOCATION OF THE SPRING '04 SOAP MEETING!

During the Spring '03 meeting, the following committee was appointed/drafted to plan the next meeteng: Larry Bowdish, Kevin Kenison, Paul S. Rooy, Jerry De Santis and Brian Von Herzen. We figured the best procedure would be to come of with a short list of locations, and then have prospective attendees vote on the winning location. After many e-mails we came up with the following short list of locations (in alphabetical order) to have the meeting at around the same time as the Spring '03 meeting: April 22 - 24/2004 (Thu - Sat):

1. Key West, FL: Key West features Duval St., with lots of shopping, Sloppy Joe's Bar (ex-Hemmingway hangout), Schooner's Seafood Bar with rooftop seating overlooking the port, day and 1/2 day reef snorkling trips, and of course the Conch Train and the lighthouse musem. An hour's guided tour of Hemmingway's House with its 7-toed mutant cats is a low-cost and interesting visit. It is de rigeaur to be at Mallory Square for sunset and the street performers - with any luck the tightrope-walking dog is still there, and the band Caribe is generally plaing latin music. Fun, sand, beaches, margaritas. Maybe we can do a short hop to Cuba by then, and pick up some cigars :-)

2. Memphis, TN: Centrally located to maximize attendance. Memphis' DeWitt Spain is a charming little airport just north of downtown Memphis, and last time Paul was there (7/03) self-serve fuel was $2.49/gal. The Sleep-In downtown was $79/night breakfast included, and within easy walking distance of Beale Street (home of the BIG HUGE carry-out beers, and Delta Blues being played by good local bands every other doorway). Of course there are other things to be seen there - the Mississippi River museum, featuring full size boat section mock-ups and a working scale model of the Mississippi river about 1 mi long (you walk along it), Graceland (with two of Elvis' airplanes), the Botanical Gardens, etc.

3. Oklahoma City, OK: Don Neiser, Commodore Aerospace, lots of Skymaster parts, home for the FAA. Don has said that there is a meeting facility on/near the airport which could be rented for our meeting. There are lots of nearby motels. MillionAir is the only FBO, they manage the airport for the town. Don currently has 4 O-2's in his hangar under some form of restoration.

4. Pueblo, CO: Skiing and hiking in the mountains, depending on the time of year. Very scenic! Maybe we can all go spend a week at Brian's Von Herzen's place after the get-together.

5. Santa Fe, NM: Has a great art scene, restaurants and a good airport. Brian Von Herzen goes in there often to visit friends and enjoy the town. It even has some skiing in the winter! Best times in Santa Fe are fall and spring.

Voting closes on 12/6/2003, so please record your preference by then. One vote per prospective attendee, please, and remember - if your choice wins, you're morally obligated to attend!

[kevin]

For clarity, liability, etc. etc.:

The organizers of this meeting have chosen to call it a "SOAP meeting", but there is no affliliation between this web site and the organizers of this group. (Well, there is some affiliation - they are our friends, regular users of this site, a great bunch of guys, etc. But other than helping publicize the event, this site has no connection with the group organizing this meeting, nor with the event itself.)

Paul, Larry, et. al. - Sorry, I didn't notice that you were calling it a SOAP meeting when you ran this by me earlier. Sorry.

Kevin

[Ernie Martin]

I will vote in the poll for Oklahoma City, in part because it's central, so it should attract greater attendance. But this message is intended to take some of the luster off Key West.

I'm in Miami, so Key West is far more convenient to me. But others may find it a bit far. Been there many times in my airplane. My main problem is that there's essentially no beach. Anywhere. (Yeah, yeah, they claim to have a beach, but it ain't, not by any reasonable standard.) There is indeed lots of shopping, but given the expected attendees, is that important? Hotel rooms are generally expensive. Yes, both night life is good and food is good.

I know the poll limits your choice to just a few locations, but if there's a desire to go this far south, why not go to Harbour Island in North Eleuthera, Bahamas? About the same distance. Much more adventuresome. Ought to be cheaper, with a room right on the beach. And what beach, one of the world's best (the famous "pink sands"). Night life and food about the same as Key West.

For what it's worth.

Ernie

[WebMaster]

Kevin, I can call it something else.
Ernie, a meeting in the Bahamas poses all kinds of logistic challenges.

[Ernie Martin]

Larry:

There may be good reasons for not going to the Bahamas, but logistical challenges isn't one of them. The procedures for the Bahamas range from straight-forward to trivial. Bob Cook may be willing to help and I will certainly provide all the info needed, as I did for the Treasure Cay meeting in 2002. For someone travelling from the middle of the country, the trip to Florida is far more challenging than the hop to the Bahamas. And Harbour Island has a real FBO with fuel.

One other point. The approach to Key West is tricky, and you first talk to controllers at the Navy base before you talk to the tower. Not a big deal, but more complicated than going to the Bahamas.

Another perspective: my travels take me both to the Bahamas and to the Cocoa Beach area east of Orlando. I don't need to tell you which is easier.

Ernie

[Jerry De Santis]

I know there are two locaions on the vote that are not central to the nation. To serve the most people we can, I believe one of the central locations should be picked. A committee has stepped up to the plate to do this task. In the spring meeting I am sure a new group will be chosen to do the 2005 meeting. The way to really get involved in that manner is to come to the 2004 meeting wherever it happens to be.

My vote is for Memphis.
Jerry
N34EC

C'mon. We're talking about Key West here! No, it ain't the Bahamas. But were talking Mallory Square. Duvall Street. Marguaritaville. Jimmy Buffett. Ernest Hemingway. Fishing. Diving. Partying. Really tacky cheap T Shirts. No customs, ADIZ, or approaches where you can't find or buy an approach plate to save your soul. It's the only place on the list of sites where your significant other and your friends are actually going to *ask* if they can come along.

Regarding approaches, flew into Nassau this past July and had to shoot a VOR/DME almost down to mins. So, I'm not much worried about Key West's approach. (Bob, if you're reading this, I was cursing you at the time under my breath because you promised me last year that no one ever has to shoot an approach into the Bahamas!!!) And hey, you can always bail out to Marathon where they have cheap 100LL.

Notwithstanding the above, I'm going to keep my vote confidential. :-)

Keven

[kevin]

Someone has cried foul about the voting software. Something about hanging chads, and going to the Florida supreme court. So, I need to do a recount. If you voted for Key West (only Key West), please send me private email to webmaster@337skymaster.com.

Thanks!

Kevin

[Jerry De Santis]

Gosh Keven...why didn't you tell us sooner! If I knew there were cheap tacky tee shirts in Key West I might have voted for that location.
Jerry

[WebMaster]

It appears as though, despite some tough lobbying by some people in Florida, that the travel ban to Cuba may be lifted

Cuba

How far is Key West from Havana?

Must not smoke cigars, or has a secret stash, because he has promised to veto the bill if it's passed. Hmmmph.

Keven

[Francisco]

I was in Cuba In April ( weird) I was shoting a documentary on Cuban music and arts, the food is horrible, the people kind, the police on your butt all the time. A member of the group was almost send to jail because he brough a apple in from Jamaica.


HE EAT IT. what apple? he told the policeman.

no thanks not Cuba not jet.

[JediNein]

Wichita, Kansas... the place that started it all?

I bet there are still folks at Cessna that remember building our winged friends.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein
C336 Pilot (at last, I can even land it too!)

[hewilson]

Well, I intended to vote for Key West but the ballot was confusing and my mind was blank so I may have vboted for Prague. I'm calling my Governator!

Hugh

[hewilson]

p.s. - I will make it if I can whatever the location but I doubt I will be in a Skymaster yet. Will you guys talk to me? What if I wear a tee shirt with props on the front and back?

Hugh