Alamo Liaison Squadron News and Updates

[RyanShort1]

I intend to give regular updates in this thread.

Here's a January 2012 update.

Today was our monthly board meeting and here are a few of the things going on.

We voted to hold our annual "Bluebonnet Picnic" on April 21st. I'll be updating the website soon with this information. In the meantime, if you know of ANY WWII liaison pilot that could travel to our event on April 21st, I would REALLY like to be able to contact them.

We also now have a shell up for the Liaison Museum we hope to someday have full of items... and yes, we are looking for items related to liaison pilots to display in the museum.

The total receipts for the L-5 repaint project are approximately $550 as of this weekend. I'm not sure if I will do the online fundraiser website route again, but it did do some good. We raised about 1/10th of the funds we'll need to do some work. I'll be sending out donation reply letters and items to those that donated this next week.

We also added a new member today - which is huge and doesn't happen terribly often.

Our L-2 now has the 10 hours needed on it's engine for break-in and we'll be switching out the mineral oil for detergent oil and will be re-checking all the torques on the engine.

I finished a checkout for a new pilot in the Taylorcraft L-2 that I cut my teeth in several years back, flew with another pilot in the J-3, and then started a checkout for another pilot in the L-2.

Here are some photos from today's flying.


The blue L-2 is Baylor's bird. He is a fun old guy and a good pilot. The "Normandy" L-2 (LOL) was being soloed for the first time by a pilot I helped with his license back in May. The pilot is a good "stick" and doing well in his tailwheel flying, too.




It is a pet peeve of mine that this aircraft still has "Whispering Hope" on the nose. I actually want to put some nose art on it... It would be a little gopher with a German helmet sticking his head up out of a mound with a shovel in his hand. The title would be "Gopher Broke" after an incident that happened several years ago.


Our newest pilot in the L-2. It's fun to watch former students who do well!


Our usual nickname for this bird at events is "Grasshopper 26."



And the last three shots were just for fun trying to do some artistic / vintage looking shots of Baylor's L-2.







Hope y'all enjoy the photos.

Ryan

[snj5]

Wish I knew you were there today; was buzzing around in the Camel over Castroville.

[MDA]

Ryan, Thanks for the update. Looking forward to the Bluebonnet event. Mark Anderson

[WarbirdRadio]

Looks like fun. How many L-2's are down there now?

Matt

[RyanShort1]

Looks like fun. How many L-2's are down there now?

Matt

We have three on the field - two of which fly regularly. The other is owned by a fellow who needs to learn how to fly it...

Ryan

[K5DH]

Thanks for the update, Ryan!

Maybe some day VFM's little Aeronca L-3 Defender will be able to come down there for a visit. Her wings are off right now being re-covered.

[RyanShort1]

Flour Bombing!



I don't know if we'll be doing this again this year, but we had fun doing it last year.

Our annual picnic / fly-in is scheduled for April 21st and exciting things are happening as we plan. If you know of a Liaison Pilot or crew member from WWII, please contact me with information on how to get ahold of them.

Ryan

[MDA]

Ryan, we're looking forward to the Picnic. I hope the hogs stay under control.

[StangStung]

That is probably one of (if not the) best flower bombing pic I've ever seen. Perfectlly silhouetted arm. Nice!

[Taylor Stevenson]

The target is the best place in which to stand during flower bombing. No one'll hit you there. Looks fun Ryan. If I can get away from school, I'll try to bring the G down.

[StangStung]

^^ I see what you did there! Well done!

[RyanShort1]

The target is the best place in which to stand during flower bombing. No one'll hit you there. Looks fun Ryan. If I can get away from school, I'll try to bring the G down.

Well, we usually let a kid do the bombing with a command on voice command, but I think I could make it fairly dangerous to be in the middle if I got to practice just a smidge more. That photo was actually taken by my sister a bit more off the centerline than you might think, with a zoom lens. I was flying the plane.
I personally put a lot more effort into the spot landing contest, as that is a greater test of my skill than trying to tell a kid precisely when to release the bomb, and hope that there isn't too much of a delay.

Ryan

[RyanShort1]

Things are well underway for our picnic. Hope some of y'all can drop in. It should be a good event. These L-bird pilots are harder and harder to find, but we're still running into a few of them!



Ryan

[RyanShort1]

Do any WIXer's think they might come?

Ryan

[RyanShort1]

Here's a shot from one of today's formation flights. More later.



Ryan