News from HQ: Hot Off the Presses

Whew…! We made it! Another great year of Club Connector in the books. Your flying clubs team would like to thank each and every one of you for your diligent readership of this newsletter. We have certainly learned a lot this year and have had the opportunity to talk to some truly exceptional flying clubs. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! 

Signed, Steve and Drew, your flying clubs crew.

On to this month’s edition, I’d like to start with a word of warning. You may want to ask your significant other to hide your credit card and lock you out from any book buying accounts you may have. This edition is packed with scores of great books to read, and you may want to buy all of them! Steve Bateman wrote another “cracking” edition of Question of the Month where he lists a wide-ranging collection of great reading. Don’t worry, he also has some free FAA materials too to allow your bank account to recover.

Over to our Resource and Club Spotlights, Steve Schapiro makes some compelling recommendations for books your club should add to the hangar bookshelf. He also interviews the author of one of the most comprehensive G1000 guides in published today! It’s not too late to make some last minute gift purchases for your fellow club members, and we think the books Steve Schapiro lists are sure to please.

In Safety we discuss a timely topic of the month: aircraft performance calculations. With holiday travel upon us, we are more likely to carry more and fly farther than we do on our typical missions. Sure holiday cheer is great, but it can have a big impact on your weight and balance! Take a look at our topic of the month slides for ways to make sure you club has a realistic idea of how your club’s sleigh will perform this holiday season.

Flying Clubs News

Last month, we asked our readers to share with us the ages of their flying clubs and several came through, thank you for submitting! Here are a few:

• Lake Elsinore Soaring Club is turning 40 soon! Club member Ralph Strahm writes: “Our soaring club will soon turn 40. The club is on a private airport east of Los Angeles, California. We operate every weekend, and on many Wednesdays. We have an excellent website for glider and instructor scheduling, and club information.”
• Morgantown Aero Club is 75! Club member Mike Spirito writes: “My club, the Morgantown Aero Club was chartered in Pennsylvania in 1947.  This year we are 75 years old.  We believe that we are the 2nd oldest flying club in PA. MAC is a 10 member club.  We are individual owners.  We have 1 plane, a 1967 Cherokee PA28B, 235, IFR.  Until 2019 we were based at the Morgantown Airport (O03). 

Arizona Announces Airport Passport Program

The Grand Canyon state now offers an incentive for pilots to visit every airport (there are 56), aviation museum, and airport restaurant out there! Tracking of progress is done through an app and prices for completion of various phases will be announced soon. Click here to learn more, and get flying if your club is in or around Arizona!