Sugarbush Soaring gets into full swing for the summer of 2005 with the opening weekend of May 7 and 8. Safety briefings will be held at 10 a.m. both days as well as the following Saturday for those who can’t attend the opening weekend. Dave and Sandra are planning opening dinner at the Tower on Saturday, May 7.

The Grob 102 will be back from its winter vacation in Blufton, Ohio for work which removes the speed restriction, reupholstery, and the loving adjustments and tweaks that only the factory can do. This responsive, lovely aircraft is available for those who have checked out in the ASK-21, and can be reserved for a day or half day if scheduled in advance. It flew less than a hundred hours last season!

Tim Larsen will be returning from Georgia this summer to assist with instructional tasks a couple of days a week, as will Steve Maynard. Bill Stinson will provide help with rides and instruction from time to time throughout the summer, and provide the FAA checkrides that create new pilots, and keep all of us current. Nigel Davies will be returning from the wilds of Texas, where they are still trying to figure out what he’s saying, for a month during most of July and the first week of August. Bill Martin will provide memorable groundschool lessons and instruction for the two Youth Camps again this summer, and Bob Messner will fill in with rides and instruction when we can drag him kicking and screaming from the cockpit of 8U. Dan Payn returns from college to once more run the line this summer, with the help of some returning linecrew and a couple of enthusiastic new aviation devotees.

There will be a familiar new face around the flight line this summer as well. Jen Stamp, who worked the line part time last summer returns this year initially as linechief until Dan Payn returns, and then as commercial pilot and instructor as she adds those skills to her power commercial and instructor ratings. Welcome aboard, Jen! Her husband, Tom Andersen, may, with the proper amount of arm twisting, do a little towing for us. They miss their Super Cub.

There’s a “new” tailwheel aircraft on the field – a small group of dedicated aviation pioneers has purchased a 1941 Taylorcraft. This classic fabric aircraft, powered by a thundering 65 horsepower continental driving an awesome wooden prop, will be around in the still air when the soaring is not so good, providing the lucky few with training for the new Sport Pilot rating. I’d like to see anyone interested ask about a ride to see what that is all about!

Tim Donovan and Rick Shepp are organizing the Region One this year, and we hope to make this a fun event for participants and membership alike with volunteers from the club to help with the tasks and social events that make the contest a success and a memorable experience for all.

The two Youth Camps are again full this summer, and we plan a trip to the Burlington Tower and Approach Control facilities (July 11 and August 5 at 10 am), cookouts with the kids (July 10 and July 15, July 31 and August 5), hiking in the Green Mountains, movie night, and other events for which some volunteer chaperones would be appreciated! These young people are fun to be with and come from Winnetka, Illinois; Camas, Washington; La Paz, Bolivia, and right here in New England.
The thermals are already booming as I write this – Let’s have a great soaring season!

Rick Hanson