LEADER'S WORDS

By Ron Dietes, Squadron Leader

    

     We are in maintenance mode and so far we have been making good progress on the inspection tasks.  The engine compression test has been completed and so have the retract checks.  We found two cylinders on the right engine that will need to be replaced.  Work on that has already begun.  So, if you want to help, come on out and pitch in.  The Rose could really use your help.

     Fund raising efforts continue.  Bob and Richard are trying to get out more proposals and hopefully will be able to report good news soon.  Remember the Rose is going to need more than air show fees to keep her in the air.  Thank you to those folks that made donations to the Rose this past year.  The Rose and I really appreciate it.

     Those of you that were at the last meeting already know that we selected Sunday Feb. 26th for the 2006 Ground School.  As in past years, we will begin around 9am and wrap up around 3pm.  All are welcome.  You don’t have to be a pilot, co-pilot or flight mechanic to attend.  We are trying to get the class material donated so we can keep the cost down.  Lunch will be the normal Saturday type spread in the break room.

     Grant has begun the air show scheduling.  We didn’t make it to ICAS this year, but he is attempting to contact the show coordinators from last year.  Nothing definite yet, but I am sure he will let everyone know as shows are confirmed.  In the meeting we talked about going to The Doolittle Reunion in Dayton this year.  Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available.  If this reunion is anything like the Columbia 2002 reunion, it is definitely worth putting those hours on the Rose.

     We are going to order new Rose T-shirts and a committee has been formed to look into it.  So if anyone has any input let one of the committee members know.  They are Greg Young, Grant Lannon, Bob Gardner and me.

Maintenance Matters

By Jim Liles, Maintenance Officer

     As everyone knows we are in the process of the annual “B” inspection.  We have removed the wings and tail panels, made the inspections, lubricated where necessary, and are in the process of closing the panels.

     The batteries have been removed and any corrosion found has been treated.  The batteries have been reinstalled

     Spark plugs are removed and the compression checks done.

     Both main gear brakes have been cleaned, inspected and the main gear tires reinstalled.

     The nose wheel and bearings cleaned, inspected, new brake assemblies installed, and the wheel reinstalled.

     The oil has been drained on both engines and the screens and chip plugs cleaned and new crush washers installed.

     The air intake on right engine has been removed in order to replace the #1 cylinder, as well as the #7 cylinder.

     There is still a lot of work to be done, so if you can spare the time, we need your help on Saturdays, as well as any other days that you can help.

Operations Report

By Grant Lannon, Operations Officer

We have been responding to requests on airshows as they come up.  Sometimes there have been hits on the website and other times, we get e-mail messages.  We had a request to come to Ada and we responded to that favorably.  We have been talking to Dyess also and Pat Jopling is on the airshow committee so that helps us.  We have supplied a bid to Jasper, Texas as a result of someone I flew with on the Minuteman project.  I have pulled down the airshow schedule from the web and, in many cases; there are no contacts for the show yet.  I created a spreadsheet of shows that we have either been to before or shows that are in the vicinity that we will contact.  At the last meeting, we had a show of hands that indicated that at least eight people were willing to donate $750 and pay their own expenses to go to the next Doolittle Raiders reunion in Dayton.  We will try to piggyback airshows on that event.  I am sure there are some local airshows that have not popped up yet.  Clif Walker, who went to ICAS, returns from Colorado this week and we are going to coordinate our bids with Burnet.  I have already included them in information I sent to Dyess.  The table of possible airshows is shown below and in cases where there is more than one airshow listed on a particular date, we will commit to the first that wants us.

Event	Date
Brownsville	Mar 11-12
Ft Smith Airshow	March 25-26
Jasper Airshow	Apr 1-2
NAS Kingsville	April 1-2
CAF Bluebonnet Airshow	Apr 8
Doolittle Raiders Reunion	Apr 17-21
Tyndall AFB Airshow	April 22-23
USAA Spring Flyover	May 6
Central Texas Airshow	May 5-7
EAA SW Regional Flyin	May 12-14
NAS Ft Worth Airshow	May 13-14
Dyess AFB	May 21
Ada Warbird fly-in	Jun 18
Bay City Airshow	Aug 11-13
Alice Fly-in	Sep 2
Ft Worth Int'l Airshow	Sep 30-Oct1
Fina CAF Airshow	Oct 7-8
Wings Over Houston	Oct 21-22
New Braunfels Airshow	Oct 20-21
Lackland Airshow	Nov 4-5

PX Report

By Greg Young, PX Officer

     2006 is here and the airshow season is approaching...With that in mind, I wrapped up 2005 by doing an end of year inventory of the PX.  The inventory was then submitted to Judy for her year end report.  I have already started to order items.  So far, I have ordered more crew caps, 4 inch Yellow Rose patches, and the various squadron patches of the Doolittle Raiders.  As I reported at the meeting, our T-Shirt supply is getting short with the "schematic" B-25 shirt almost a classic with about 5 shirts left.  Grant reported that he remembers the contact for the schematic shirts and Ron reported that he will contact Don Hayden about a "T-Shirt favor" that someone owes Don.  When the crew caps are ready in about 2 weeks from January 17 that will allow anyone to outfit themselves crew attire wise as there are all the types and sizes of crew shirts in stock.  As I get a look at the airshow schedule, I will start ordering the toys and models most of which I get in San Antonio so shipping is not an issue with me picking the items up.  That's about it for this month PX wise, Happy Landings.  

HELP WANTED

An inexperienced new member that enjoys dabbling into GRAPHICS / POSTER BOARDS ETC… must be willing to work after dinner, weekends, supply own materials and no pay but wonderful flying benefits!!!.  Will have to put up with a non-demanding kind of guy to assist in marking the Yellow Rose Flight Simulator as well as hand outs and other unknown items.  If the above qualifications fit you and your crazy enough to apply than by all means do so.  Contact Bob Gardner

830.379.6540 or bob@rhga.com

New Member, Friends and Cadets

By Judy McMillan, Finance Officer

The Yellow Rose Squadron has a new member.  Julian Serda is our newest member.  He is a technical trainer currently contracting to AMD.  He and his wife Dorothy live in Austin.  Julian has ground radio communications and electronics skills from his time in the USAF.  He was bitten by the warbird bug when he took a ride in the Lannon/Dietes T-6.  Welcome to the Squadron.  

     The Squadron has a couple of new Friends that you may also see around the hanger.  D.J. Nick and Brooke Bell are young and interested in warbirds.  They are friends of Jerry Taylor.    

     Heather (age 12) and Ross (age 14) Halstrom of Wimberly are new CAF Cadets who have affiliated with Centex and the Yellow Rose Squadron.   Heather attends Danforth Jr. High and Ross attends Wimberley High School.  Please give them your guidance and welcome.

     We look forward to the participation of all new members, cadets and friends and hope they will speak up, step up and pitch in.  Look for them around the hanger and make them feel welcome.

MINUTES of the JANUARY 10, 2006 MEETING  of the YELLOW ROSE SQUADRON

Compiled by Dave Howard, Squadron Adjutant from notes taken by Letty Deites

The regular squadron meeting was held at San Marcos in the Centex Hangar Ready Room.   Squadron Leader Ron Dietes, called the meeting to order at 1806.  Other officers present were XO, Maintenance, Ops, Safety, PX, and Publicity.  Twenty members and 4 guests were present.  A new member, Juliann Serda was introduced, as well as a new “Friend of the Rose”, D.J.  Nick.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

The CAF Winter Staff Conference is scheduled for February 18-19, 2006 at the MCM Grand Hotel in Odessa.  

 

REPORTS

 

Operations:  Grant gave a preview of the upcoming air show season. Dyess is scheduled.  Alice is announced.  Ada is scheduled.  The Doolittle reunion is scheduled for April in Dayton.  The Rose may go if there is enough interest.  Grant spoke with Loge.  Loge was not able to market at ICAS.  There were bidding discrepancies.  Loge wants to put together a picture book.  He will give us a notebook with contacts for marketing.

 

Finance:  The December beginning balance was $31,951.  Net deposits and disbursements, including our aircraft insurance premium, cost $7991, so the December ending balance was $23,960.  January activities to date have cost $6480.  Upcoming expenses are estimated at $5500, including $2000 for repairs and $3500 to re-stock the PX.   Projected January ending balance is $11,980.  Balance in the “hands-off” accounts is $46,661.

 

Maintenance:       "B" inspection has been started and is progressing smoothly.  The wing and tail panels have been removed.  Aft tail inside panels removed.  Front spark plugs removed for compression check.   Engine cowls on both have been cleaned.  Right main brakes cleaned and inspected.  Nose wheel and bearings cleaned and inspected.  Nose gear reinstalled.  Jim thanked those that have come out to the hangar and help him with the Rose. 

 

Safety:   Jerry announced that last year’s Hold Harmless forms are no longer valid.  New forms were passed around to the membership.

 

PX:         Inventory is taking place and Greg should be able to get a final report to Judy by the end of the month.  Orders are being taken in anticipation of upcoming air shows.  New sale techniques will be tried this year to reduce some of the inventory of Air Force patches and pins.  More 8x10 pictures will be made.

 

Publicity:              No word yet from our major publicity effort. Other corporations are being considered for possible sponsorship.   A B-25 flight simulator is being developed at no cost to the Squadron.   The simulator is a potentially big moneymaker.  Bob expressed the need for volunteers to help with our website. 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

Ground school will be February 26, 2006 at 9:00a.m.

 

The meeting adjourned at 1845.

 

SAFETY FIRST

By Jerry Taylor, Squadron Safety Officer

 

     Yeah, the cartoon above is cute.  It can also be true.  When we are working in the hangar, we need to be aware of those around us, whether other workers or visitors.  All of us need to be aware of what is going on around us and look out for them while we are working.  Also, watch where you are going and what you are doing.  There are a lot of hazards around our work area.  These are necessary evils, but we need to be careful.  There are jack handles sticking out (I am about over my bruise from running into one through stupidity), extension cords and air hoses with loops sticking up, as well as other tools and equipment that is being used for work.  Be careful and watch where you are going.  Clean up after yourself and put things back where you got them.

     That’s all for now, but we will have an extensive safety session at the ground school on February 26. Review your -1’s and be prepared for good sessions.   See you there!

 

 

 

You never know which end Ron will be working on!!  Hope he knows.

2005 Yellow Rose B-25
Squadron Staff Officers

Squadron Leader - Ron Dietes

dietes.ron@heb.com

Executive Officer - Tim Black

tangblack@austin.rr.com

Finance Officer - Judy McMillan

heyjude@texas.net

Adjutant - Dave Howard

dave.howard@baesystems.com

Operations Officer - Grant Lannon (interim)

glannon@texas.net

Maintenance Officer - Jim Liles

james.liles@tstr.net

Safety Officer - Jerry Taylor

james_j_taylor@msn.com

PX Officer - Greg Young

tbolt52@hotmail.com

Publicity Officer - Bob Gardner

bob@rhga.com