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…
Tag: Aero Club
Clubs & Classes, April 2018
Retired Navy pilot to speak at Aero Club gathering April 19
Gary Vacin A retired Navy fighter pilot who logged over 7,000 flying hours during the Vietnam conflict will be guest speaker at the Sun Lakes Aero Club gathering Monday, April 19, at the Sun Lakes Country Club Navajo Room. The event begins with coffee and camaraderie at 6:30 p.m., followed by the presentation at…
March 2018
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.…
Clubs & Classes, March 2018
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…
Clubs & Classes, January 2018
Aero Club members hear about F-105’s role in Vietnam
Gary Vacin “The F-105 Thunderbird was a triple threat. It could bomb you, strafe you or fall on you.” That’s how an aircraft historian described the tactical fighter during a presentation to the Sun Lakes Aero Club gathering November 20. Larry Turner, a long-time volunteer at the Pima Air & Space Museum, described the…
Clubs & Classes, November 2017
Miracle on Hudson passenger will be Aero Club speaker
Gary Vacin A Phoenix woman who survived the “Miracle on the Hudson” flight in 2009 will be guest speaker at the Sun Lakes Aero Club gathering on Monday, November 20, at the Sun Lakes Country Club. The session starts with coffee and fellowship at 6:30 p.m., followed by the presentation at 7:00 p.m. The public…
Clubs & Classes, June 2017
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,…
Clubs & Classes, May 2017
Aero Club hears from aircraft homebuilder
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…
Clubs & Classes, May 2017
Aero Club visits helicopter plant
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,…
Clubs & Classes, March 2017
Searcher briefs SLAC audience on Amelia Earhart’s disappearance
Gary Vacin “This is one of the most desolate places on earth.” That’s how Sun Lakes resident Karl Kern described Nikumaroro, the island Amelia Earhart possibly landed on during a presentation to a record crowd at a Sun Lakes Aero Club gathering January 16. Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific on…