Next Meeting - The next meeting will be Monday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. At GMU North terminal bldg. All members and guests are invited to attend. Happy Easter - happy Spring!

March Meeting – We had a good crowd at the meeting. Danny spoke about caution when dealing with AirTech Engines out of Orlando, Alvin still has the best Falco project in the South for sale, and Ira McKinney's cousin brought in an interesting audio tape - a vocal history from a fellow aviator who flew in WW2 with the 8th AAF/357 FS. Seems he had engine problems over France while escorting bombers, had to bail out, and spent the next few months avoiding the Germans and getting by with friendly/suspicious/struggling French citizens. A nice glimpse of the other side of aerial combat - day to day behind the lines with different rules and resources.

NOTAM - If there is a RED DOT on your address label, you are late with Chapter dues. See Dave Meyer with $12 in your hand and join the 'paid in full' flyers around you!

NOTAM2 - As the World Turns - The main runway at GMU (Greenville Downtown has been renumbered as 1/19. We found that out at the recent Young Eagles flight…

Young Eagles Update - Saturday, March 27, we flew 12 cadets on a Y/E hop around the Greenville area. As usual, the cadets and pilots had a good time and clear skies. Danny, John L, Dave Meyer, Tim Cotter, Bill Binford, and Ira McKinney provided the lifts.

Young Eagles Update II - Col. Capp and the Wade Hampton JROTC has asked for one last session before graduation takes his cadets away. They would like the 2nd group of students who have faithfully participated in school and training to get that Young Eagle experience, plus he likes to honor the color guard students for their time and training. Probably 20 - 24 students in all. Flights are scheduled for Saturday, 24 April, 9 AM at GMU North terminal. Call Danny to add your name to the group.

Young Eagles Update III -EAA Sport Aviation has published the list of members who have flown

'10 in '98!' - at least 10 children on Young Eagle rides. Among the 249ers - Bill Binford,

Ad Claessens, Bill Davis, Danny Kight, John Linstrom, and Dave Meyer. Other well known locals are Dr. Philip Snell and Van VanderPloeg. A double wing wag to all you fine pilots!!

Garmin GPS - Garmin Intl. Has donated several GPS III and GPSCOM 190 units to EAA's Young Eagle office. They will be awarded in a random drawing to all pilots who register a Young Eagle flight before 1 July, 1999. One flight = one chance. What a good way to win a fine piece of navigatin' gear!

Cassutt project for sale - Factory welded fuselage, tail feathers and control system. Wing is complete and project is on gear. Lower cowl and racing canopy included. Asking $2800 for all. Dan Arblaster (864) 306-8538 jda20@juno.com Williamsport airfield (Easley)

At the last meeting I was telling a few of the members of my trials and tribulations after New Years Day. For the ones that didn’t hear my story and for ones that did I will repeat and fill in resent discoveries. We were in Memphis for New Years Day and planned to return to Anderson the next day as we had to get ready for a skiing trip in two days. There was a strong cold front that came through but was supposed to be on through by the time we were planning to leave.

That morning we got up to find it was about 18 degrees and snowing. I called for an IFR briefing and was told it was a thin layer and we would be on top at 3000 to 3500 feet. No problem as I had flown through snow before. When we got to the airport at Olive Branch, MS, we found the locks on the doors were frozen. I tried alcohol and heating the key with no success. We

found a fellow with a portable engine heater and talked him into thawing the locks and while he was at it he heated the engine for a little while. The engine started without a problem. I ran it for a good while and then shut it down. We fueled up, loaded our bags and got ready to depart.

I did my run up and everything was normal but I did notice a little more than normal drop when I applied carburetor heat. I figured as the temperature was so cold this could be expected. I made sure the oil temperature was in the green. I got my clearance and we took off. When we got near the base of the clouds the engine started to spit and sputter. I applied carb heat and the engine died for about five seconds and picked back up. This was a classic case of carb ice and I have had this happen several times before. I started to climb and again it started to miss and lose power. I tried full throttle with no improvement. Both when I would push the carb heat in or pull it out there would be a short surge of power and then start losing power again. Nothing I tried gave us enough power to get up through the clouds. I notified ATC of my problem and returned to the airport. During the return, which was at reduced power with carb heat on, the engine ran pretty smooth.

The weather wasn’t predicted to be any better the next day, so we borrowed my brother-in-law’s car and drove back to Anderson. After the ski trip, on which I broke my ankle the next to last day, we drove back to Memphis to pick up the plane. My wife is a pilot but is not current and I was on crutches and wearing a cast, but between the two of us we got the plane back. She taxied and operated the brakes.

This last week I was getting the plane ready for the annual inspection. When I took the cowl off I found that the ducting from the exhaust to the carburetor junction box was collapsed. This is a rubberized plastic tube about 2 1/2 inches in diameter with coiled wire on the inside to make it somewhat rigid. The coils of wire had slipped and allowed the tubing to flatten and cut off the flow. I replaced it with a newer type which has nylon cords on the outside to keep the inside wire in place and not allow it to slip. I’ll bring the old tube to the next meeting for examination.

E.A.A. CHAPTER 249

P.O. BOX 5792

GREENVILLE, SC 29606