Minutes of the January 11, 2005 Meeting of the Yellow Rose Squadron

By Dave Howard, Squadron Adjutant

The regular squadron meeting was held at San Marcos in the Centex Hangar Break Room.  New Squadron Leader Ron Dietes called the meeting to order at 1812.  Other officers present were Ops, Maintenance, Adjutant, Safety, Finance, and Publicity.  Twenty-two members and guests were present.  Guests/new members introduced included Paul and Will Newkirk, Doug Hillabush, and Kitty Campbell. 

 

REPORTS

 

Adjutant:  Dave reported that membership renewal is now in progress.  We had over 70 members a month ago, and now we have 6.  Rose looks worried!  He also asked everyone present to sign the annual Hold Harmless Agreement form.  Eighteen forms were signed and collected.

 

Operations:          Howard reported that Dyess moved their date to accommodate us and others.  Also, Cannon is now confirmed.  The Barksdale date conflicted with Tyndall, so we chose Tyndall because we were forced to cancel on them last year.  Howard has successfully promoted the Rose as part of a package to keep us in the game now being played on the air show circuit.  (Same reasons the big football schools joined the BCS.)  He also reviewed the process he uses to assign seats to members on Yellow Rose trips, (send him an e-mail with your request as soon as you can commit to go.)  Lastly, it was agreed to schedule the annual ground school on 27 February, beginning at 0900.

 

Finance:                The December beginning balance was $27,361.  Net income and disbursements added $610, leaving a December ending balance of $27,971.  January activity to date has cost $8,521, so the current balance is $19,450.  Payables are estimated at $2,500.  Projected January ending balance, including payables, is $16,950.  Balance in the “hands-off” accounts is $46,266. 

 

Maintenance:       The props have been sent off for their periodic inspections and maintenance.  They are due back in about two weeks.  This Saturday we need to lubricate the cockpit items, replace an engine temperature indicator, and clean the drip pans.  Remaining items in the inspection include adjusting control system cables and the co-pilot’s brake linkage.  Bob Gardner has acquired and donated a new toolbox.  Its yellow drawers leave little doubt that it belongs to the Yellow Rose Squadron.

 

PX:         Tom and Brenda have asked to be relieved from their PX manager duties.  Tom’s bad shoulder and Brenda’s broken leg are forcing them to go slow for awhile.  It’s a well-deserved rest from a time-consuming responsibility they executed with great determination.  They commute to San Marcos all the way from Mason, and drove to air shows as far away as Angel Fire, NM.  Thanks, from all of us!  Thanks also to Greg Young who has volunteered to take the job next.

 

Safety:     Jerry reminded us that the precautionary diversion to Bergstrom on the trip back from Fredericksburg is a good example of the decision-making that our pilots must do to put safety first.  Good job!  He also asked in his Briefings Editor role that we remember he always needs articles for the newsletter.  Cutoff date is the 25th of the month.

 

PR:  Bob reported that our endowment plan is progressing.  He expects to meet this week with an ad agency that will be putting together the brochure for prospective contributors.  Dick Cole and Tex Hill have both expressed a desire to attend our presentations to personally endorse our cause.  Also, a CD is now available for sale in our PX which is an add-in B-25 aircraft type for Microsoft Flight Simulator.  Finally, he reported that Dick Cole has expressed a keen interest in staying involved with our squadron by appearing with us at air shows.  Bob is working on ideas to provide a meaningful format that will both appeal to our visitors and prove enjoyable for Dick.

 

Announcements / New Business

 

Ron announced that the Winter Staff Conference is coming up.  So far, Ron, Grant, Jim Liles, Clint Epley, and Howard Martin are planning to attend.  Jim Liles asked for help on January 19th to move aircraft to make room for a helo ground school to be conducted at the hangar.  Shane Arnwine announced that tour guides will be needed in mid-February to support a hangar visit for USAA employees.  Mike Colaluca reported that the Adopt-an-Airport Committee still has more landscape work to do at the front gate.  He was also asked to pursue the flea market booth project for the PX.

     The meeting adjourned at 1905 to reconvene shortly afterwards for Ron and Letty’s mixer at Chili’s.

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NOTES FROM THE PX

By Greg Young, Squadron PX Officer

2005 is upon us and a new airshow season is just around the corner.  2005 means a new job for yours truly; that of the Yellow Rose PX officer.  First I want to thank Tom and Brenda Koepke for all of the effort they put in for the Squadron over the last few years and I also wish them the best in the future especially in dealing with their medical situations.  I also want to thank Ron Dietes for having confidence in me to do this job.  Also thanks to the people who did the inventory and have already offered to help me in whatever way they can.  The inventory has been put into a database spreadsheet which I plan to maintain on an airshow by airshow basis.  This will enable me to track what is selling and also will allow people to know the cost of items and how they relate to the price we ask at the air shows.  I m getting my feet wet in placing orders and seeing what items are bought from where.  I hope to obtain most of the items from companies in this area as I can pick them up myself and save on shipping costs.  The first items I ordered are Yellow Rose caps so those of you who want crew caps, the expected delivery date is around February 25.  I will be ordering more items in the next few weeks.   As PX officer, I will always be open for suggestions and of course, help.  The PX helps keep the Rose in the air and that's what our squadron is all about. My home phone is (210)622-9075, email is tbolt52@hotmail.com (Yes, I can not keep airplanes out of my life,  the tbolt is for the P47 Thunderbolt, my favorite World War 2 fighter and a plane I remember seeing fly with the Peruvian Air Force when I was young and growing up in Peru).

Happy landings. 

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Attention Yellow Rose Squadron!

There will be another tour of the Yellow Rose and the Wing on February 16, 2005 by employees of USAA!  Please contact Shane Arnwine @ 210-566-9142, Grant or Clint if you can help. All help will be greatly appreciated.

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CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

The following correspondence has been received by the Yellow Rose Squadron

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THANK YOU NOTE

At the Christmas Party, we auctioned off a jacket with combat patches on it donated by Bill Barker.  We raised $54 for Leia Tromm of the 3rd Coast Wing, so she could join the people-to-people program as a young ambassador from the U.S.  We received the following thank you not from her:

 

Dear Mr. Lannon,

                Thank you for the money for my trip.  I appreciate it very much.  Thank you for all the hard work you and the squadron did.

                Sincerely,

                Leia Tromm

 

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NEWSLETTER RESPONSE

The following e-mail was received at CAF Publications in response to the YR articles in the January Contrails.  It was forwarded to us by Kay Crites.

From: Bob Maegerlein [mailto:rcm1@charter.net]
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 2:18       PM
To: publications@cafhq.org
Subject:> January Contrails

Kay!

Great January issue. I was touched by the article about the articles "Doolittle Raider joins Yellow Rose crew." I did not serve in WWII or in the Service, (however, getting mail addressed "Colonel" Robert Maegerlein is a stitch) but I have developed a real appreciation for the people and planes that did. I have an uncle who was navigator on a B24 and warbirds and I have become emotionally attached to them. The sound of a 51 makes goose bumps on my arms and neck! Great to have Dick Cole and his grandson and Pat Jopling tell their stories. The 25 is such a beautiful plane. The Doolittle Raiders were real heroes. Hats off to all! I have ridden in a 24, Diamond Lill, as a Christmas present when she was in Rochester. I just had to wrote about this month's stories in January Contrails. I'm 68 years old.

 

Bob Maegerlein, Rochester, MN

 

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From Dr.James Scuddeer

Troutdale, OR

 

The Yellow Rose Squadron

1841 Airport Drive

San Marcos, TX 77666

 

Gentlemen:

     My great grandfather’s younger brother fought with Sam Houston for the liberation of Texas and I guess from that source came this story of the Yellow Rose of Texas.

     The story is that the Yellow Rose was a“high yeller” black of somewhat loose morals but nevertheless the Joan of Arc of Texas in her own way.  It is told that she was in a tent with a naked Santa Ana when Houston’s forces attacked and defeated the Mexican Army-the defeat being largely because of Santa Ana’s nakedness thanks to the Yellow Rose.

     When my grandfather was mustered out after 4 years in the Civil War, he left his home in Tennessee and worked on his uncle’s cattle ranch in Bell county two years before coming to Oregon.  Later, my Great Grandfather moved to Texas and is buried in Bell County.

     I was stationed at San Marcos AFB in 1950 when the base was re-opened and got qualified in helicopters there—my instructor had 30 hours total helicopter time! 

     I flew a tour of combat missions with the 91st Bomb Group (H).  We were the first bomb group in England and had the Memphis Belle in our group.  (How sad Morgan, the Belles’ pilot, died last year from a fall after surviving a tour in B-17s and another combat our in B-29s.)

     I had 24 years active service as a pilot and retired in 1968.  (I got out in 1945 and was recalled in 1950 serving a tour in Korea)

 

Sincerely,

Jim Scudder

 

 

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SAFETY FIRST

Editor’s Note: The following safety article was volunteered by Col Kathy Mizell, after reading the series of safety articles in “Contrails” and “The Dispatch.” and forwarded to us for use by the publications office of the CAF.

     Safety applies not only to aircraft, pilots and hangars but also to the airshow ramp.  When participating in a static display, fly-in or airshow, you can help ensure the safety of all by following these recommendations:

     Marshallers are on the ramp from sunup to sundown on show days to assist pilots in safely starting, taxing and parking the aircraft.

 

     Watch and comply with marshaller instructions. When a pilot ignores a marshaller’s directions, everyone on the ramp is in danger because no one knows what the pilot is going to do or where he is going to go. This is even more important during the scramble to get aircraft parked when severe weather is approaching.

      If a pilot in command (PIC) has a problem with any marshaller or with the directions given, discuss this with the ramp boss or air boss. If we don’t know there is a problem, we can’t fix it.

     Never start an aircraft in a crowd without a marshaller present. Most spectators do not understand the danger of a turning prop. FAA rules specify that spectators must be at least 50 feet away from turning props. Any CAF member who sees an aircraft starting in a crowd must take the responsibility to stop this dangerous action. 

     Every aircraft should arrive at a show with chocks and/or tie-down straps and stakes on board. The PIC is responsible for securing his own aircraft, although when possible the marshallers are willing and available to assist.

     Only essential personnel should be on the ramp once it has been sterilized. A hot ramp is not the place for visitors and non-essential crew to be wandering around.

     When a ramp is sterilized, all ladders, gear and PX items should be moved off the ramp to prevent these items from becoming obstacles during aircraft movement. Remember, you might not be parked in the same spot when you return from flying.

     If your aircraft has unusual quirks or idiosyncrasies, please alert the marshaller. Most marshallers are familiar with frequently seen aircraft, but we do encounter uncommon aircraft from time to time.  When possible, the marshaller should be asking the pilot about any the handling requirements on unfamiliar aircraft.

     If you need fuel and/or oil, request this earlier than immediately before your flight time. The best time to fuel your aircraft is while the ramp is sterile.