BAC Fest 2008 a HUGE success!!

Hi everyone,

This is my first post. Please excuse any newbie mistakes.

I'm a fairly new pilot and new to BAC. I would like to visit BAC Fest on Saturday to see all the wonderful planes on the tarmack at SMX. I live in Orange County and can drive up (not an owner...yet) for the day. Is there any "free time" when I might be able to walk around and talk to the owners, and maybe get a peek inside a plane or two?

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Eric
 
Eric,

BacFest runs through tomorrow (Friday). We have some who are extending their stay through Sunday afternoon to attend the Mike Busch Seminar (Savvy Aviator) which runs Saturday and Sunday. In fact, there is an open spot for the seminar, but it starts on Saturday morning. Someone else would have to give you the cost.

During the seminar hours each day (Saturday and Sunday) there will not be much time for members outside the seminar. Saturday evening would give you time to meet some members and certainly there would be an oppotunity to take a look at any remaining aircraft.

I would encourage you to come up, even take the seminar. You will learn a lot and have several days to interact with members.

Dan Jonas
 
Eric, I don't know how far away you are from Santa Maria by road and hours; looks like about 148NM as the crow flies. But if there is any way possible, I would like to encourage you to come visit on Friday afternoon and evening (today). The group and events are in the Radisson, right on the KSMX airfield; the planes are parked right below our windows.

We will be having the big members' luncheon today at Noon. Then there is the Reception beginning at 6:30PM, followed by the Annual Members Meeting and Dinner event at 7:00PM. Our keynote speaker takes the stand at 8:30PM. She is Gene Nora Jessen. This will be a great event, and I am sure we can fit you in.

If you could plan to spend the night on Friday and Saturday, you could also use the available empty seat in the Mike Busch Savvy Owner's Seminar (as noted by Dan), on Saturday and Sunday. You would learn more than you ever thought possible about aircraft ownership. One of our Aussie members paid for the seat, but had to cancel. I'm not sure what he would want for some partial or full tuition reimbursement; but I think he loses it all anyway if the seat goes empty (the seminar is otherwise sold out).

Hope we get to meet you here!
 
Cloyd, apologies on the banner, did it find its way to you?

It was do to be delivered possibly Thursday, definitely Friday... Let me know. Thanks
Jay
 
Jay-
The banner arrived but the winds were so high out here we had to take them all down or they would have ended up in San Diego!

I think CVH is going to bring it home.

Chris L.
 
I had a terrific time, too. Got home yesterday and just relaxed after a busy few days. Really great to meet old friends again and make new ones from 'out west'. I even got to see Mark Johnson's Sundowner which is one serial number below mine! Too bad I couldn't fly mine there and put them side by side.

I'm already looking forward to next year!
 
Dan and Adrianne are home. About 1.9 hours with a bit of a head wind most of the way. A lot shorter than the trip home last year. I bailed out a little early from the Seminar.

We had a great time. It was nice to meet old friends and new. See you all next year or sooner if I can.

Thanks to all who attended. Some flew commercially to make it work (I think the farthest was Masschusetts), and a few flew in their own aircraft from as far as Texas and Utah. Some drove. Thanks also to those who made it if only for a few hours like Mike Samac (his airplane broke and he got in the car and drove).

Dan Jonas
 
I want to thank Dan and Chris for hosting a wonderful event. I arrived home today after a flight of 3 hours. I had a head wind up until the last 20 miles. I had a great time meeting different BAC members and inspecting their half of their aircraft. (inside joke) The weather was good, the dinner was fantastic, the speaker was captivating. The restaurant at Pismo yielded a view that no words could describe. I can't wait until next year or Alaska !!
 
I would like to send out a big thank you to all that made BAC Fest 2008 a success this year. My wife really enjoyed the lunch presentation by Jean Nora. She bought Jean’s book and is now talking seriously about taking some “pinch hitter” lessons!

The Savvy seminar was very informative. The class was a bit long (11 hours + the first day,) and sometimes repetitive, but the information presented was well researched and I have a better understanding of the regulations and Mike Busche’s maintenance principles. I am one of those people who has the ei engine monitor installed, but I never down load from the data recorder. The information on oil analysis and data interpretation was worth the price of admission for me.

Again, it was a pleasure seeing old friends, and making some new ones too!
 
Don't forget to get your miles to your Regional Director for the President's Trophy. I don't think CalifDan's 6000 plus miles will be topped any time soon but you still need to report if you flew into Santa Maria.

Thanks,
Chris L.
 
Ken-
CalifDan flew to several BAC sponsored fly-ins in 2007 but the one that racked up the miles was the one from California to Myrtle Beach! Topping 6000+ is going to be tough!

Good luck!
Chris
 
Chris,

Maybe I can talk one of our Florida members in to the Alaska trip next year. That would easily beat the 6000 nm point.

Doug
 
We arrived home at 1600CDT this afternoon. The itenary from SMX was:
10/11 up to Half moon bay and drive into SF.
10/12 fly to the Sausalito VOR (past the Golden Gate bridge), across the bay and down to Fresno to visit relatives.
10/13 down to Bakersfield, across the pass by Edwards AFB, over Barstow to Las Vegas. Drove over to Hoover Dam.
10/14 over the dam, to Pearce Ferry then along the Grand Canyon to the Peach Springs VOR then down to Buckeye (Phoenix) for gas and on to Tucson to visit the Pima Air & Space Museum.
10/15 to Las Cruces, NM for lunch and into Big Spring, TX to wait for the weather to clear in Dallas.
10/16 Finally out of Big Spring about 1:30 and on to Tango Three One.

Total 34.9 hours for the trip and the "go everywhere Mouse" purred like a kitten the whole trip. We have 450 pictures to go through (I have them downloaded and a first pass made. WOW!!!) and about 15 minutes of video.

Will start on the journal writeup before this weekend is over. Right now, we (all three of us) are tired, tired, tired.

We are still amazed that we did the entire trip, as planned, with only the 2 small weather problems and no airplane glitches.

Bo and Sandra.
 
Wow, that's an amazing trip Bo! It was great to see you and Sandra in CA and we look forward to getting together again in Gatlinburg next year.

I eagerly await your write up of the trip and the pictures!

Ain't these planes sweet!?!?!?

Chris L.
 
Did anyone see those LA County fires when they went through last weekend?
I only ask because I never saw any sign of them from SMX, through LAX and outbound to ORD. ('Course I was on the wrong side of the Boeing Bomber...but we should have gone right over them.)
Next question...anyone besides Mike Hagan get to stand still in the winds through those passes? Sure tossed the B757 around until FL370!

If so, think "Letters To The Editor" for BAC Talk. Inquiring minds and all that...
 
Clinderman said:
Wow, that's an amazing trip Bo! It was great to see you and Sandra in CA and we look forward to getting together again in Gatlinburg next year.

I eagerly await your write up of the trip and the pictures!

Ain't these planes sweet!?!?!?

Chris L.
Click to expand...

We lost count of the times we said, "We love this little airplane!".

Or the times since we left Tucson that we said "We've made the whole trip, as planned.".
 
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