Mar 19

As mentioned in last months Meeting Minutes…..

From Paul Preziose:

The weather seminar will be held at the EAA building at Creswell airport Thursday, March 24th 1800 to 2000. [March 25th 0100 to 0300 zulu for you purists]. Seating is limited and we have about 40 to 45 people signed up so please call or e-mail me before inviting anyone to accompany you to the seminar. The featured speaker is Mr. Clinton Rockey from the National Weather Service in Portland. Topics he will address are weather patterns west of the Cascades, the Marine push and time permitting talk about interpreting weather satellite photos. I will give a brief talk about using an internet weather site. [www.aviationweather.gov]

It is doubtful that the AOPA is going to reinstate our semi-annual safety meetings anytime soon due to the costs of those meetings. The closest AOPA safety seminar [and the most attended in the country] is in Portland which is further than most of us want to drive. I am willing to set up semi-annual safety seminars in the future. If there are any topics that you would like to see addressed please let me know and I will see what I can do about getting something set up.

Obviously it takes time to set these seminars up. While I am not charging for this seminar any donations are appreciated and will go towards setting up future seminars.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call or e-mail. 

Paul Preziose   541-912-0318; pwpreziose@aol.com

Mar 15

Update on Tom Cunningham

Tom Cunningham missed the Feb 3rd meeting due to being in the VA hospital in Roseburg for testing.  They admitted him to the hospital and told him he was  lucky to have made it due to heart problems.

They sent him to the Portland VA hospital where they finally scheduled an operation on the 9th; from what  little I know they repaired or replaced the aorta and did a triple(?) bypass.  He recovered, passed all the tests and was released on the 14th.
His neighbor picked him up, but within ten miles of the hospital Tom passed
out and was hurried back.  He called last night (evenening of 14th) and said
he was back in a different room than the one he  had spent the previous
weeks in but in a much better bed.

No word on how long he will be kept there.  I’m sure that after over two weeks in the hospital Tom would be glad to hear from any or all of you.  His cell is: 805-551-5198.
Daniel Cathey

Mar 08

Minutes from 3/2/2011 meeting

Meeting Notes for February 2nd, 2011

The meeting started at 6:00 with our normal BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs, with  Melinda’s famous chili! Also salad and chips and mucho cookies. Which reminds me, how about a taco night next time!!
Meeting called to order at 7:03 PM by President Bill Dewey and Sec./Tres. Randy Stout also present. The 18 members and guests in attendance then introduced themselves and gave a brief “What exciting thing happened this last month”.  Bruce Curtis introduced his young friend, Cormack Reedey, who is doing an aviation unit from school. We also hosted Eric Lawson and Erin Keenan, who are ½ owners in a KR-2S, which suffered a prop strike so they would appreciate some help with the repair. If interested, call Eric at 425-829-4615

 

Charlie Walker was asked to check on the progress of the sign from John Stahr from Chapter 1457 which says “Don’t drive on the grass”.
The next Chapter 31 breakfast will be held on Saturday, 19th of March.

Past President Ben is still working on getting a new computer to dedicate to our projector project in order to watch TV and DVD’s without someone having to bring a laptop. Past President Dave Petersen said he has a laptop that might work, which he brought and, sad to say, would not cut the mustard. He has another one, which will be cheap but not free, and he will try it at the breakfast to see if it might work. Stay tuned!!

 

The passing of Past President George Oswald was then noted. His obituary is now posted on the web site. A wonderful guy and a big loss to everyone who knew him. Our sincere condolences to Vivian and his son for their loss.

 

The Memorial Area plans are still progressing.  We still hope to have the final site chosen and a rough idea as to what the city of Creswell wants in the way of bridges (or hopefully just a filled in culvert) by the next meeting. President Bill believes that the building permit fee might we waived on this project. He is meeting next week with his wife (Dee’s) garden club, who make take on the landscaping part of this project.

 

Dave Eason asked if anyone had an 8 day clock they wanted to sell.

 

Past member Jim Mahoney has completed his move to Florida. Sunny skies Jim!!

 

Dave Heisley asked if it would be OK to put up an American Flag in the clubhouse at the request of the South Lane Fliers. All were in agreement that this is a fine idea. He then spoke briefly about the “Nevada Triangle”, that area of lost planes due to tremendous wind shears.

 

About Time Aviation has asked for and received permission to use the clubhouse (for our normal honorific) on the 24th of March from 6:00PM to 8:00 PM for a weather seminar. All are welcome to attend.

 

Secretary Stout brought a list of paid members to the meeting and passed it around. Several corrections to addresses, phone numbers and email addresses were made, along with a few more paid dues. Thanks to everyone for their support and help.

 

Dave Petersen was asked to make up a YE calendar.Charlie Walker asked if it might include a North Bend joint event. Dave will review this request and have a report for next meeting.

 

That concluded the business portion of the meeting.
There being no new business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:17 PM .

Respectfully submitted,

Randall Stout
Secretary/ Treasurer

Mar 06

George Oswald Obituary

George H.
Oswald  

1930-2011

George Oswald died of cancer February 26, in Eugene. He was born in Los Angeles, CA, March 25 1930, the only child of Marcella and George H. Oswald Sr. George graduated Brown Military Academy, and after two years at Loyola University and Santa Monica CC, enlisted in the Air Force at the height of the Korean War.

Selected for flight officer training, he earned his pilot?s wings and was commissioned a second lieutenant. After a long, and sometimes long-distance courtship, George and Vivian Daum were married December 6, 1953 in Santa Monica.

Their journey together began with a cross-country drive to Long Island, New York, where for four years George flew the F-86 and F-102 with the 75th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. George became a Maintenance Officer, and with his detachment, instructed our NATO and Allied partners in the finer art of flying and maintaining jet fighters in Europe and North Africa. It was a time of vagabond travel for the Oswald family, with two young sons and luggage all in a Porsche 356. The journey continued back in the USA, with subsequent assignments all over the country. Some stability was found in 1961, when George spent four years in Texas as he developed the flight training program for the storied F-111 fighter-bomber. He finished his BA degree during this time using the ?bootstrap? program. During these years, two little girls completed the family.

Assigned to Special Operations Command, George served a tour in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star medal in hostile operations.

Continuing with Special Operations, George served three years at Eglin AFB, Florida. In 1970 he was assigned to the NATO southern headquarters in Naples, Italy. Back in Europe again, and living in Bell?Italia, it was the most memorable tour for the family. George took on the additional duty as Youth Sports Commissioner, and devised the ingenious idea to raise money for the league through a ?Festa Americana.? Not only a smashing hit with our Neapolitan hosts, the festival continues today as the major fund-raising event of the American military community in Naples.

Upon retiring from the Air Force after 27 years of active duty, Lieutenant Colonel Oswald and family moved to Eugene in 1977. While earning a degree from LCC in construction, George and son Matt built the family home on country property. George continued building and renovating, and returned to his love of aviation. He built his first aircraft in the garage, and owned a succession of airplanes from acrobatic flyers to a Chinese fighter. He was an active member and past president of EAA Chapter 31, and a member of the Oregon Warbirds.

George and Vivian were passionate about golf, and early on became dedicated Duck football fans when there was not a lot to cheer for except the final whistle. In health, he was a great entertainer who never lived a day with boredom nor without laughter. In his last years, George was always optimistic, and never complained.

George leaves Vivian, his wife of 57 years, son Matt and daughter-in-law Diane of Norfolk, Virginia; son Mark, daughter-in-law Chiara, and grandson Liam of Vicenza, Italy; daughter Maureen and son-in-law Terry Thom of Milwaukie; and daughter Michelle and son-in-law Wayne Gay, grandchildren Cooper and Montana of Eugene.

We are all certain that George is fully in charge and at the controls as he completes his final mission.Please sign the guest book at www.registerguard.com/legacy

Published in Eugene Register-Guard on March 6, 2011