WEST COAST SWIFT WING
JULY 2016
EDITOR: CAROL & GERRY HAMPTON AV8RGNH@SBCGLOBAL.NET 530-676-7755
We are a half way through our major Swift Fly-ins—Swift National and Cottage Grove and tucked in bed, and West Coast Swift National at Westover Field, Jackson CA next followed by The RRSW fly-in at Pecan Plantation.
Legend of Flight Nut Tree Airport (VCB)
There will be a pancake breakfast with donation going to the Legend of
Flight Museum on the fourth Saturday of the month from April thru October. This would be a great place for a monthly gathering of Swifts. So, let’s meet at the Nut Tree Airport this Saturday, July 23 at 0930.
Westover 2016 Sept 23-25
Carol and Gerry Hampton are well into planning for the West Coast Swift National at Westover Field, JAQ, Jackson, CA. The fly-in hotel is again the Best Western Amador Inn, 209-223-0211. We have a block of 40 rooms reserved. Call and tell them you are with the Swift group. Room rate is $85 a night which expires on 31 August. They will provide van transportation again this year.
We have a change in plans this year. We are going to have 2 nights in the hangar. First night will be a BBQ. We will have an open bar. The theme this year is “Repeal of Prohibition”, we will be serving “prohibition era” drinks at the bar, and will be judging “best prohibition era (1920s & 30s) outfits, both male and female. Saturday night will be a Prime Rib dinner with all the fixings.
We are planning on wine tasting on Saturday and will have a formation school if there is a demand.
Saturday will also be a day to remember and celebrate Jeannie Collins. Please bring and wear one of her shirts from a past Westover/Sutter Creek National Fly-in. That night we will have pictures of Jeannie and an opportunity for all to speak about your experience with her.
Lunches on Friday and Saturday will be “on the lawn” at the airport, hosted by the local EAA chapter.
Northwest Swift Fly-in Cottage Grove, OR July 15-17
Thanks to Kent Koester for hosting this most fun fly-in and providing the following report:
NW 2016 Swift Fly-In Makes the Local News
Good fortune smiled on this mellow, semi-organized gathering of Swifters returning to the convenience of the Village Green Resort just across the street from the Oregon Aviation Historical Museum. Local events dictated this mid-July weekend, which turned out to be the largest small town event of the year for Cottage Grove, Oregon: the Bohemia Mining Days festival; and the organizers requested the museum to provide a fly-over for their parade and the museum sent that request to the Swift group – now we had a mission for a diamond formation with smoke: scheduled for 10:15 Saturday.
Two early birds escaping the SW heat showed up Wednesday and by Thursday Diamond Pointers had arrived by air and land to help with full bbq equipment. The marine climate provided just enough clouds to keep the temperatures down to a most civilized 80 degrees for the weekend. Friday arrived with more Swifts and Swifters, again by air and land, with many bringing back memories of times past such as Kentucky Dam and northern California circa 1970s. But good times were still in store for this group, especially after the Diamond Point Hospitality Suite. The Friday late night movie, “Wings”, proved a surprise for most, if not all, as this was the first big aviation movie (a 1927 silent film set during the First World War). This movie has lots of flying action with WW I airplanes and, of course, the love triangles. “Wings” was the first movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
By Saturday morning, we had thirteen Swifts, the unique (in western hemisphere) Czechoslovakian Super-Aero, a Beaver (with the music equipment), and Cessna 182 (with guest from Thailand). Saturday morning found some Swifts flying off to the nearby EAA pancake breakfast while the formation team of G. Mahoney, Nate A., Johnnie J., and Gerry H. got the Bohemia Days parade off to a rousing start.
Saturday night found the Swift group feasting on tri-tip steak, chicken, baked potatoes, salad and homemade pies (thank you – preparers, bbq chefs, and pie cook). Back by popular demand, entertainment was provided by Guido P. with his guitar and latin songs. The night finished with the second half of “Wings”, more WW I fighter plane action and the romance is settled.
Sunday morning came with low stratus, but this only prolonged the camaraderie as the cloud cover lifted and all returned home safely.
Red River Swift Wing Gathering Sep 29-Oct 2
The RRSW fall fly-in is at Pecan Plantation, 0TX1, early bird arrivals on Thursday, 29 Sep, and fly-in 30 Sep to 2 Oct. Contact Steve/Barb Wilson at 817-578-9878. For rooms at the clubhouse, call 817-573-2641.
Here is the list of fly-ins for RRSW this year.
Jul 25-31
EAA Airventure, Oshkosh, WI (KOSH)
Aug 20
Brenham TX (11R)
Sep 23-25
West Coast Swift Nationals, Westover, CA (KJAQ)
Sep 29-Oct 2
RRSW Fall Gathering, Pecan Plantation, TX (0TX1)
Oct 29
Chigger Field TX
Nov 12
Hilltop Lakes TX
2016 WCSW SWIFT FLY INS
Sep 23-25 Westover Field, CA West Coast Swift National
Sep 29-Oct 2 Pecan Plantation, TX RRSW Gathering
2016 OTHER FLY INS/AIR SHOWS
Jul 25-31 Oshkosh, WI EAA Air Venture
Aug 20-21 Camarillo Camarillo Air Show
Sept 2-3 Watsonville Wings over Watsonville
Sept 14-18 Stead Field Reno Air Races
Oct 1-2 Mather Airport Capital City Airshow
Oct 1 Livermore Airport Open House and Air Show
Oct 8 Auburn Airport Auburn Air Fair
Oct 14-16 Minter Airport Madness over Minter
Oct 15 Marysville Golden West EAA fly-in
Oct 15 Nut Tree Airport Nut Tree Air Fair
The above information is accurate as far as we know it, if we receive
notification of changes to date, time, locations, etc. we will update you.
The ANNUAL DUES for 2016 for a newsletter sent by e-mail is $5.00 and you must provide us an email address.
****IF your annual dues are up for renewal, please send your check to Gerry Hampton, 3195 Bonanza Dr, Cameron Park, Ca 95682. Make the check out to Gerry or Carol Hampton, WCSW. If you have already renewed, please disregard this notice. 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