1-26 ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING - MINUTES 2001

Del Blomquist called the meeting to order under the tent at Ionia, MI at 2011 EDT.

Del announced that Secretary/Treasurer Bob Hurni is crewing for Pat Tuckey at the PW-5 contest, part of the World Air Games in Spain.

Ron Schwartz sat in the Secretary's place during the meeting and presented the minutes of the previous meeting and the notes to the year 2001 financial statements. All were accepted as read with no comment.

Bill Vickland, Eastern VP, reported on activity in the Eastern Division as follows:

• The Petersburg, WV wave camps that were held last fall and spring. Fred Bane, the FBO who has been running the camps, has moved on to a real job, and Larry Stahl will probably be taking over the operation and continuing the wave camps.
  
• Bill's experimentation with a water based roll on paint application is continuing with encouraging results. He will, of course, announce the final results, good or bad, as soon as they become available.
  
• The 2000 1-26 Labor Day Fun Meet was held at the Caesar Creek Soaring Club. Nine participants were able to fly one day and seven shared the first place position when the scoring was over. The next Fun Meet will be held at Blairstown, NJ.
  
• Bill's plan to put a complete set of 1-26 kit plans on a CD are in limbo. In the meantime, he has a paper set available to make copies for anyone interested.
  
• The brake lining sale of twenty sets is over. They are good for all models. He will order more if there is sufficient interest.
  

Pete Vredenburg, Central VP, reported on activity in the Central Region as follows:

• There has not been a lot of flying in the region this past year.
  
• Pete has been active with the Vintage Sailplane Association. His 1-26, Bulldog, a.k.a. 483, won the Best Restored Classic award.
  
• 1-26s are doing well in the Northern Illinois Race, but he didn't have any particulars.
  
• In the long flight category, Jim Hard and Charles Shaw have been doing some flights. Charles won the Claybourn Trophy for the longest straight-line flight in 2000.
  
• Clem Countess talked about the Littlefield, Texas, competition training camp that was given by Jim Payne. Two of the Air Force cadets did their silver climb.
  

Del Blomquist reported on activity in the Western Region for Al Gough as follows:

• Goal Strike #12 was held in Jean, NV the first week in June. Two silver badge legs were flown, Both Doug Levy and George Powell attained diamond goal flights and Garry Dickson made it up to his old stomping grounds, landing at Hadley airport. All participants made the annual pilgrimage to the Pioneer Saloon. More than once for some folks.
  
• The Short-Winged Gathering at Air Sailing was held in early June. No reports of the activity were available at the time of the meeting.
  
• The post mounted 1-26, 367, in Calistoga, CA. was removed from the post when the airport was sold a year or so ago. Prior to that several attempts to buy it, just to get it off the post, as an advertisement for rides, was turned down. After the airport was sold, 367 was reported to have been sold to a person who was going to restore it. So far attempts to contact the buyer have been unsuccessful, but we will keep trying.
  

Under old business, Del Blomquist reported that the SSA convention in Indianapolis went well. Pete Vredenburg's 483, Bulldog, was on display and attracted lots of interest. The Association signed up some new members and the merchandise sold well. A booth for the 2002 Convention in Ontario, Ca has been signed up for.

New business covered the location of the 2002 Championship contest. Hank Claybourn's proposal to host the contest at Chickasha, OK. was put on hold until Major Clem Countess of the USAF could ascertain whether the Air Force would be willing to host us at their auxiliary field, just east of the Colorado Springs airport. Word should be forthcoming by the end of July in order to give Hank adequate time to organize a meet in case the Air Force withdraws their bid.

Bob Von Hellens raised the possibility of adding some depth to the 1-26 Championships by holding it at the same time and place as the Women Soaring Pilots Association (WSPA) convention. They have an annual meeting, they have seminars, give rides, do x-c, and are obviously active and enthusiastic. Del will look into the possibility.

Marvin Willis was impressed by the Association's Life Trust balance of over $28,000. His question was "What will we do with it?" He suggested sponsoring an individual in the Championships or subsidizing the Contest organization to help defray costs. Bill Vickland would like to see promotion of the membership financed, or some GPS units bought to loan out at the Championships. Peter Smith, still flinching from his tangles with a balky radio on the start/finish gate strongly encouraged the Association to consider the purchase of a high quality base radio. Irn Jousma saw the merits of giving to nonprofit organization such as the one they are attempting to organize at Ionia, aimed especially toward the young entrants into the sport of soaring. Pete Vredenburg noted that without parts, our planes will not continue to fly forever, and that it would behoove us to gain some control over the parts that are out there right now. Judy Vredenburg congratulated everyone for all the good ideas and proposed that we somehow prioritize the ideas. Pete Vredenburg wrapped up this discussion by encouraging the membership to give the board direction on how to handle the money and then asked the board to give consideration those ideas.

Nominations were opened for the year 2002 officers.

Bob Von Hellens nominated Bill Vickland for President.

Bob Von Hellens nominated Bob Hurni for Secretary-Treasurer for one more year, again.

Pat DeNaples nominated Ron Schwartz for Eastern Vice President.

Bill Vickland nominated Kevin Anderson for Eastern Vice President

Bob Von Hellens nominated Pete Vredenburg for Central Vice President.

Pete Vredenburg subsequently declined, and nominated Mick Westbrook for Central Vice President. Mick Westbrook accepted the nomination for Central Vice President.

Del Blomquist nominated Al Gough for Western Vice President.

Nominations for all executive positions, President, Secretary-Treasurer , and the Regional Vice Presidents remain open until October 1, 2001.

The meeting was adjourned at 2114 EDT.

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