By Jerry Rosie (USUA #A86096)

This must be a weekend! Why? 'Cause, as I'm sitting here typing, it's raining, the wind is blowing, the ceiling is about 700 feet AGL and the visibility is less that a half mile in rain, fog and haze. Typical East Coast weekend for 2003. Wonder if they will ever get around to considering an instrument rating for ultralight pilots???

Despite all that, the Wellsville, PA's Mason-Dixon Sports Flyers' "Father's Day Fly In" (postponed until Labor Day due to weather) attracted about 30 to 40 pilots -- with of all kinds of aircraft -- plus some dignitaries from USUA. Chairman of the Board, Lew Clement; USUA Region #2's Regional Representative, Dennis Gregory; and Staffer, Carol Plotnick, were in attendance when a 2:00pm downpour interrupted the festivities. Those who stuck around for John Shreve's excellent prime rib with all the fixin's (to include a surprise offering of crab legs for everyone) were not disappointed! Well done to the Shreve family for yet another great Fly In.

We are saddened to have to report the eminent demise of yet another airport. The Silverwings Ultralight Flying Club's newsletter contains a reprint from the local paper. "Housing Construction Threatens Old Airfield." The article highlights the efforts of the authorities of Palmer, MA, as they "ponder how they can purchase [the airport] for $1 million." It seems that the airport is up for sale and will probably end up as another housing development unless Palmer can come up with enough funds to buy the property and retain it as an airport. The pilots there are somewhat lucky in that the local government is on their side in trying to retain the valuable facility. I wonder if they have contacted the FAA to see if Federal funds might be available as a grant or long-term loan to keep this airport in operation.

Moving to the south and slightly west, the Mountaineer Fun Flyers of Glen Morgan, WV, remind us that the Dinwiddie Fly In is scheduled for 20-21 September. They say that last year about 400 planes attended and there are 17 forums scheduled this year. An air show is planned from 1:00 to 3:00pm each day. We also send our congratulations to a Fun Flyers member, Scott McComos, who soloed in a Quicksilver Sprint on August 17th. This gentleman is reported to have endured a 3 1/2 hour drive, each way, in order to obtain his training. He will need to continue this drive until he completes the requirements and takes the USUA ultralight pilot's exam. That, folks, is dedication!

Jumping way out west to the Terre Haute Ultralight Club, we are happy to learn that they will host the 2004 Indiana Safety Seminar, tentatively scheduled for 6 March 2004. They have already begun planning for it and we look forward to seeing progress reports as they prepare for this important event. They also announced that their second annual flying competition will probably be held on Saturday, 4 October.

Phil Mall of the KC Flyers, reported that over 40 aircraft attended a Fly In hosted by Terry Lamb on the 16th of August and tells us that the KC Flyers Club will be hosting a Fly In during October. Reading about the reported activities of club members, one gets the impression, based on the types of aircraft being reported on, that the Light Sport Pilot program is already an accepted fact with the KC Flyers. It appears that members are flying a C-150, a Kolb Xtra and an Aeronca Chief, among others. This is a healthy situation and will tend to ensure the vitality of USUA as an organization, no matter what happens to the new sports pilot category. There is room for all, part 103 and sports pilots. We all enjoy the same pleasures, have the same concerns and fly in the same air.....

That's about it for this month, folks. Blue sky and favorable winds to all of you and, in the words of an old TV Police Sergeant - "Let's be careful out there!"