Tag: Aero Club

Aero Club gathering hears from retired Navy pilot

  Gary Vacin A retired U.S. Navy pilot reviewed his 30-year career as a carrier-based fighter pilot during a presentation to the Sun Lakes Aero Club gathering April 18. Capt. Lonny McClung told his audience that prior to his first combat mission over North Vietnam, he was absolutely terrified. “Many of my contemporaries didn’t come…

Aero Club members hear from flight attendant

  Gary Vacin Sun Lakes Aero Club members and guests heard how a Sun Lakes woman’s life story progressed from wife and mother to radio talk show host to flight attendant flying on the world stage. Karen Fischer was guest speaker at the club’s January 15 gathering at the Sun Lakes Country Club Navajo Room.…

Aero Club does breakfast at Ryan Field

  Gary Vacin The Sun Lakes Aero Club completed its first fly-in breakfast of the year on January 18 when eight members and guests flew to Ryan Field. Pilots and their passengers included Eldon Smith in Ken Carpenter’s Grumman AA-1B, Jack Hite in Mark Weiss’ Piper Archer, Paul Beeks in his Bellanca Cruismaster, Hank Beliema…

Aero Club year end picnic

Twenty-one Sun Lakes Aero Club members and guests turned out for the club’s annual year-end potluck gathering April 21 at Sisk Park. The group enjoyed brats and hamburgers cooked by Bob Walch and Steve Perkins, plus a delicious assortment of salads, desserts and other extras contributed by members. Those attending were Gary and Dorothy Vacin,…

Aero Club hears from aircraft homebuilder

Mike Still was featured speaker at the Sun Lakes Aero Club’s March 20 gathering; photo by J. R. Scheidereiter.

Gary Vacin Sun Lakes Aero Club members and guests witnessed a PowerPoint presentation by an aviation enthusiast who built a ¾-scale P-51 fighter plane. The talk took place at the club’s monthly gathering on March 20 at the Sun Lakes Country Club Mirror Room. Mike Still said he devoted six years to the project, beginning…

Aero Club visits helicopter plant

Sun Lakes Aero Club members and guests attending the field trip to MD Helicopters on March 23: Steve Perkins, Dick Simmons, Gary Vacin, Dorothy Vacin, JR Scheidereiter, Vincent Sciberras, Walt Gromada, Steve Horowitz, Wayne Zander, Jim Haytas, Gerald Hoak, Len Knecht, Bill Pennings, Ken Carpenter, John Philp, Gene Evans, Paul Beeks, Jack Leininger, Wallace Amundson and George Bliss

Twenty Sun Lakes Aero Club members and guests participated in a field trip to the MD Helicopers facility at Falcon Field on March 23. Ten members of the group then convened for an enjoyable lunch at nearby Monestery Restaurant. MD Helicopters is often called “The House that Hughes built,” referring to legendary aviator Howard Hughes,…