WEST COAST SWIFT WING
JULY 2018
EDITOR: CAROL & GERRY HAMPTON AV8RGNH@SBCGLOBAL.NET 530-676-7755
NW Swift Fly-in Cottage Grove, OR 14-15 July 2018
From Kent Koester:
By Thursday evening, seven early bird Swifts were parked on the museum ramp and we adjourned to the Sol Azteca cantina for margaritas and dinner. Swifts kept arriving all day Friday providing local entertainment; as two lined up for a runway pass with smoke on, one local pilot told me he was puzzled at first by what type #2 was as it was so much smaller than the #1 Swift (turns out #1 was JJ’s T-6). By Saturday noon, we had 22 Swifts on the museum ramp, including many stunning Super Swifts, plus the Texan.
Swifts line the ramp around the Oregon Aviation Historical Museum for the 2018 NW Swift Fly-In.
Friday found many volunteers helping out on the exhibit board, registration, shopping for supplies for the BBQ, getting ice and more water and beer. On the exhibit board, we had photos “out of the past” and also we remembered the Swift friends we lost last year: Tom and Stella Richardson and Arye Maya. Tom was the instigator and co-host for the 2010 Cottage Grove Swift fly-in; Arye had developed his unique modified Swift over the years.
Dinner in a semi-private room at the Village Green restaurant worked out well as Swifters could socialize table to table. Nearly half of the Swifters took advantage of the Friday night prime rib special. This time the late night movie was determined from a selection of five aviation movies with the criteria: 1) we hadn’t shown it before, and 2) it was on more than one top ten aviation movie list. The selection with the most votes was: “The Great Waldo Pepper”, a good choice indeed.
Saturday morning started off with cool temperatures and stable air. The “fly-about” ended up as a four ship Swift diamond formation with the T-6 in trail. I led this group down the grass strip at nearby historic Walker Airport, then down historic main street in Cottage Grove (scene of the parade in “Animal House”), over the aviation museum, over Baker Bay marina and around Dorena lake. The pros Bill Gass, Bill Shepherd, Miguel Nelson, and John Johnson evidently held tight formation as we got a lot of good comments and the museum said several locals came out to see “what is going on”.
Saturday morning finds Bill Shepherd followed by Ozzie firing up to taxi out for the formation “fly-about”.
As the afternoons warmed up, many Swifters took advantage of the kayak trips on Friday and Saturday. River was low, but water was wet and cool and everyone made it over the “rocks” and returned with smiles. Thank you, Brian, and next time I’ll have beer at the take-out point.
Thanks to all the help, beginning with Mahoney driving all the bbq equipment down from Diamond Point, the shoppers, cooks and “kitchen staff”, we had a bbq feast Saturday night with plenty of beer, wine, tri-tip, salad, roasted veggies, and “Swift” cake (decorated by the museum director). Looked like the “kitchen staff” were really enjoying their camaraderie and hopefully someone will share those photographs.
The “program” began with a welcome from our new museum director, Cassandra Barrong, followed by her spirited description of the Beaverton Outlaws and how the experimental airplane movement started in Oregon. Then we recognized Swifters of unusual statistics: longest distance, longest time owned, and shortest time owned. We had arranged local gifts including souvenirs from the museum and wine from Ed King’s (of avionics fame) King Estate’s winery. The long distance recognition went to Gerry and Holly Bauerle from Hammond, Loisiana so they each got to choose first; after Cottage Grove they continued their adventures to Idaho and on to Oshkosh.
Janet Dicker MC’d the determination of longest and shortest times of ownership. There was stiff competition among old-timers with more than 40 years, but no one could touch Bill Shepherd’s record of 54 years for N10SS. Turns out we had several new Swift owners and three who had owned their Swift for less than three years. These are: Roger Willis of Petaluma, CA with N90385, Al McDonald of Amador City, CA with N80550, and Hank Puckett now based at Paine Field, WA with N3387K. Janet coaxed the new owners into describing their attraction to the Swift and experiences with it. These stories were a highlight of the fly-in for yours truly and perhaps others. The program ended with music by ever-popular Guido Perla with his unique “country and western” with a Latin accent style.
But as Swifters dispersed back to the lounge or their rooms, we had one more arrival by car: old-timer Lance Christiansen had driven down on impulse from Concrete, WA. The debriefing continued in the Village Green lounge until they kicked us out.
Sunday morning found some Swifts and the T-6 departing east for Oshkosh while others slowly dispersed north and south. All in all, this was a great gathering of old-timers, new Swift owners, and Cottage Grove fly-in first-timers.
Westover 2018 27-30 September
From Don Bartholomew and Brad Stahl:
The date for Westover 2018 is September 27 (Thursday) through 30 (Sunday). The fly-in hotel is the Best Western Amador Inn (209-223-0211) which should have remodeling completed by fly-in time. There are 20 rooms reserved at $85.99 a night, 14 days prior to the event extra rooms are dropped off the reserved list.
When making the reservation tell them you are with the Swift Fly-in Group. Hospitality Suite is being reserved and a Shuttle is being reserved. Denny’s will give you 15% off meals.
Thursday: September 27th Arrivals
Can call Brad at (209) 257-1535 for transportation to Best Western
Friday: September 28th
Event Registration opens at 10:00 AM
We have two private vehicles to transport from the airport to Best Western
Best Western will also be providing transportation with a van.
Friday Lunch at noon
Dogs, Buns and condiments
Chips, Drinks and Cookies
Don Bartholomew will host a Swift Maintenance forum Friday at 3:00 PM at Brads Hanger.
Brad’s Hanger for the Friday BBQ (Incahoots catering, Starts at 6:00 PM)
Saturday: September 29th
Morning Fly out for Breakfast 8:00 AM (Location is TBD)
Saturday Lunch
Dogs, Buns and condiments
Chips, Drinks and Cookies
Local Wine tasting trip 1:00 PM
Aircraft, Drone and Marine propeller manufacturing tour at Piranha Propellers Jackson Facility 1:00 PM
Banquet at the Highway House restaurant, (6:00 PM)
Sunday: September 30th
Brad and Al are available for rides from Best Western to airport
Legend of Flight Pancake Breakfast
The Legends of Flight Museum puts on a pancake breakfast the fourth Saturday of the month, April thru October. See flyer.
This is a nice get together with a wide variety of aircraft to peruse. I would encourage you to attend.
2018 WCSW FLY-IN SCHEDULE
2018 WCSW SWIFT FLY INS
Sep 27-30 Westover Field, CA West Coast Swift Fly-In
2018 OTHER FLY INS/AIR SHOWS
Aug 18-19 Camarillo Camarillo Air Show
Sept 12-16 Stead Field Reno Air Races
Sept 22-23 Santa Rosa Wings over Wine Country
Sept 21-23 Mather Airport Capital City Airshow
Sep 29-30 Salinas Airport Calif Int’l Air Show
Oct 6 Livermore Airport Open House and Air Show
Oct 6-7 Santa Maria Airport Santa Maria Airshow
Oct 12-14 Minden Airport Aviation Roundup Air Show
Oct 13 Apple Valley Airport Apple Valley Air Show
Nov 2-4 San Bernardino Airport San Bernardino Fest
Donation recommended for 2018 for a newsletter sent by e-mail is $5.00 and you must provide us an email address.
Donations may be sent to Gerry Hampton, 3195 Bonanza Dr, Cameron Park, CA 95682. Make the check out to Gerry or Carol Hampton, WCSW. HOWEVER, all correspondence should be sent to Gerry Hampton either at the home address or to the e mail shown on page 1 of this newsletter.
Happy Skies
Carol & Gerry Hampton