BAC*Lite 2022 - April 1st, 2022 - KMPJ - Arkansas

[trumpet nelson]

To All BAC Members,

Our 2022 BAC*Lite event will be held the weekend of April 1, 2022 at the Petit Jean State Park located in Arkansas.  For those choosing to fly-in their aircraft, KMPJ will be our selected airport.  The gathering’s only “event” will be our Saturday evening meal, hosted by our Beech Aero Club.  Arrangements are being structured to accommodate arrivals on Friday and departures on Sunday.

If you can please complete the following by December 12[sup]th[/sup], it will help bunches with planning and logistics:

• Read the attached for information currently available (updates to follow). I am now working with the on-site “event coordinator” on the contract for our gathering (and important details for our membership).
• Mark those dates on your calendar! (simple)
• IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND - - send me an email   (   nelson.p.amen@gmail.com   )  with “BAC*Lite 2022” in the topic line. Estimated: - - dates of arrival and departure, number of persons, and your best guess at your means of arrival (driving, BAC aircraft, commercial flight/airport).

THANK YOU!!!

(trumpet) Nelson Amen  Dec 3, 2021

210-834-1991

 

Exec-Summary-BAC-Lite-2022-1.docx

 

[leitnerj]

Nelson,

Email is headed your way.  Expect Amy and I to show up with the Sierra.  Looking forward to it!

Jay

 

[trumpet nelson]

UPDATE #1

Thanks to all who responded by the deadline.  This will help a lot in my planning efforts.  Please keep this thread "clean" for my updates only (sorry for the late notice).

At this point we have 15 members planning to attend.  GREAT!  I will post the list at the bottom of this update.

ALL - - - we now have a group number when calling the lodge.  BEECH AERO CLUB #492364    This is a tracking method for the state park, NOT a special pricing.  The benefit for BAC is that they will block out 20 rooms for us until late February.

I have attached a map, and 3 pages of the details of the lodging choices.  Again - - prices are not firm until next year.  I have reserved Cabin "0" for myself, and possibly will be able to host morning coffee and morning snacks.  We'll see .....

 

	BAC*Lite 2022 Attendee List
Member	plus	to KMPJ	to KLIT	driving	arrive	depart	comments
Nelson Amen	Sheila	X			31-Mar	4-Apr
Greg Johnson	Jane	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Michael Dunlevie	Anne	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Gary Harper	Beth						tentative
Jay Leitner	Amy	X			2-Apr	3-Apr
Curt Lindauer	Jane Broeckling	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Jeff Knight		X			1-Apr	4-Apr
Johnnie Smith	Brenda	X					backup plan is to drive

 

trumpet nelson

 

[trumpet nelson]

BAC*Lite 2022                 UPDATE #2

Many thanks to all sending an early email.  This helped with planning / logistics.  Here are four updates for the BAC team:

• VAN DRIVER - - - - All attendees to-date (17) plan to fly in to KMPJ. With luck, we’ll eventually have attendees planning to arrive (commercial flight) at the Little Rock airport, and willing to drive the van. BAC has rented a van at the Little Rock airport for the weekend.  This gives a yet-unknown member a vehicle during the event.  Free transportation to drive, as long as they are willing to coordinate their one-way drives with Little Rock airport members.
• MAKE YOUR ROOM RESERVATIONS - - - - All attendees will need to call the front desk at the Mather Lodge (501-727-5431) for reservations as needed. The room/cabin choices are detailed in prior attachments.  We have a group number:  BEECH AERO CLUB #492364    This is a tracking tool for the state park, not a special pricing.  The benefit for BAC is that they will block out 20 places for us until late February.
• OUR DEADLINES - - - - If you plan to attend … send me an email no later than Valentine’s Day ( Feb. 14, 2022) with “BAC*Lite 2022 – your name” in the topic line with information requested in UPDATE #1.  If you plan to reserve a room or cabin, you will need to contact the front desk at the Mather Lodge no later than Feb. 28, 2022.  Total availability is 17 rooms and 3 cabins for our BAC members.
• MORNING COFFEE / SNACKS - - - - I have reserved a larger cabin and plan to serve coffee each morning. This will give you a “lite” alternate to breakfast at the lodge during your stay.

Feel free to call or email (210-834-1991   nelson.p.amen@gmail.com ) if you have questions or comments.  Thanks!!

 

.... and .... MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

 

[trumpet nelson]

BAC*Lite 2022                 UPDATE #3

Here are 3 items for the BAC team and those going to BAC*Lite 2022:

• FREE VEHICLE FROM THE LITTLE ROCK AIRPORT - - Hoping for an attendee planning to arrive (commercial flight) at the Little Rock airport, willing to drive the van to the lodge. BAC has rented a van for the weekend.  Gives a yet-unknown member a vehicle during the event.  Free transportation to drive, as long as they are willing to coordinate the one-way drives with other arrivals (none at this time).
• SEE UPDATES #1 AND #2– – – – a lot of information in the text and attachments.   
• ATTENDENCE NOW AT 20 - - - roster below. This means that 11 of the 20 lodging options will be used.  Nine left to go …  deadlines are next month.

Feel free to call or email (210-834-1991   nelson.p.amen@gmail.com ) if you have questions or comments.  Thanks!!

 

	BAC*Lite 2022 Attendee List
Member	plus	to KMPJ	to KLIT	driving	arrive	depart	comments
Nelson Amen	Sheila	X			31-Mar	4-Apr	event coordinator
Greg Johnson	Jane	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Michael Dunlevie	Anne	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Gary Harper	Beth						tentative
Jay Leitner	Amy	X			2-Apr	3-Apr
Curt Lindauer	Jane Broeckling	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Jeff Knight		X			1-Apr	4-Apr
Johnnie Smith	Brenda	X			1-Apr	3-Apr	backup plan is to drive
Anthony Blake	Penny	X			1-Apr	3-Apr	may arrive April 2nd
Denis Weiser	Kathryn	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Alan White		X			1-Apr	3-Apr

 

[trumpet nelson]

BAC*Lite 2022     Update #4

Less than 10 weeks to go!  Hope to see you there, and also hoping for some great flying weather.  Here are your updates:

• No one has stepped forward for the free BAC provided ground transportation (van at Little Rock), so I have locked in an alternate if needed.  I will land at Benton, AR (KSUZ) and drive a van from there to the event.  If anyone here has info on the Saline County airport for 4 days of airplane parking, please let me know.
• We are still at 20 persons planning to attend.  Deadline to let me know is Valentine's Day (Feb 14th).
• I will publish a "daily schedule" for the attendees .... probably 2 or 3 entries for the weekend ....   lite!

Nelson Amen (trumpet)   

210-834-1991

 

[trumpet nelson]

BAC*Lite 2022 - - Update #5

• no additions / no new info since last update
• ONLY 3 MORE DAYS LEFT TO LET ME KNOW YOU PLAN TO ATTEND (thanks for helping me coordinate this effort for the team)

 

Keep smiling,

Nelson Amen - San Antonio, Texas

210-834-1991

 

[GregJohnson]

Trumpet,

I'm sorry to report that Jane and I will not be able to attend.  I'm disappointed because I know it'd be a lot of fun, but it just won't work out this time.

 

[drwhite]

Greg Johnson said
Trumpet,


I'm sorry to report that Jane and I will not be able to attend.  I'm disappointed because I know it'd be a lot of fun, but it just won't work out this time.


  

Dude, that would have been another state you could have added to your map!

 

[GregJohnson]

Dude, that would have been another state you could have added to your map!


 Yes, but we’re scheduled to go on a Portugal Spain river cruise right after BACLite and we’ve decided to sort of self quarantine for 2 weeks prior because there’s a lot at stake about this cruise!  We will miss getting to see y’all again.

 

[mdunlevie]

If the auto pilot is on the line we entirely understand [img title="Wink" alt="Wink" /]https://www.beechaeroclub.org/wp-content/sp-resources/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif[/img], but we'll sure miss you guys.

 

[trumpet nelson]

BAC*Lite 2022 – – Update #6

• current plans have 17 members attending and 7 airplanes arriving KMPJ.  Bring your own tie-downs and stakes (may be needed).  I will park my airplane at KSUZ and drive the van to the event.
• as the coordinator, I will arrive on Thursday, March 31st.  If you have any questions, feel free to call (210-834-1991).  Each arriving pilot should text me with their arrival time on the day of travel so that I am able to plan to meet you at KMPJ.  It is too far to walk from the airport to the lodge.
• the on-site restaurant in the lodge plans to be open for full service during our stay.  Each attendee will receive a group email directly from me within the next 3 days to start the process of meal selection for our Saturday night supper.  As a group, we will attempt to trim the meal selection to the most popular 3 or 4 items on the menu.  The plan is to deliver a pre-order to the kitchen staff Saturday morning to help them keep our wait for food service reasonable. 
• still to come: our (rather Lite) daily schedule of events ... maybe .....

See you all in three weeks !!

Nelson Amen

 

[drwhite]

Looks like my planes not going to be out of the shop in time for me to make it. Does anyone need a room?

 

[a2324pilot]

First look at the weather for arrival on Friday and it looks like sunshine every direction except west.  It should be ok for most arrivals.  Clouds moving in late in the date with a chance of light rain on Saturday.  Sunny on Sunday.

My current thought is to arrive about 1-2 PM Friday.

 

[trumpet nelson]

BAC*Lite 2022 – – Update #7

Welcome to our last update before this weekend !!

• We have 6 airplanes and 14 persons planning to attend (see list below)
• AIRPLANE PARKING - - - if we are thrifty with the parking area, we all should be able to use the cable tie-downs at the south end of the field. Plan to push your plane back after shut-down.  Cozy up (reasonably) to your neighbor’s wingtip.  Those on the ends should extend their wings as much as practical over the grass.  BRING YOUR OWN TIE-DOWNS AND ANCHORS.  If non-BAC planes are there, let’s be very courteous (of course).  Alternate parking is north on the tarmac (no tie-downs) or the grass strip between the north runway area and service road (check for obstacles).  Gate code is 1229#.  NO FUEL ON-SITE.
• Call Nelson (your friendly van driver) for pickup. BEFORE LEAVING YOUR HOME AIRPORT, please text me (210-834-1991) your estimated arrival time. 
• Our schedule of events:
  • Thursday afternoon – Nelson arrives on-site with van
  • Friday – multiple arrivals at airport and check-in
  • Friday – BAC social hour 4 to 6 pm, Cabin #0, peanuts and chips, BYOB
  • Saturday – 8 to 9 am coffee at Cabin #0
  • Saturday – 1:30 pm group hike and/or car museum tour (weather dependent)
  • Saturday – 5:30 pm BAC social at Cabin #0
  • Saturday – 6:00 pm meet at Lodge for supper, group photo
  • Sunday – 8:00 am optional goodbye coffee at Cabin #0, departure rides as needed
  • Monday – 9:00 am Nelson departs with van back to KSUZ
• You can help - - bring your own coffee mug and beverage container; bring a pot-luck snack
• READ ALL THE UPDATES AND FORUM POSTS & ATTACHMENTS FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION

	BAC*Lite 2022 Attendee List
Member	plus	to KMPJ	to KLIT	driving	arrive	depart	comments
Nelson Amen				VAN	31-Mar	4-Apr	210-834-1991    lndg KSUZ
Michael Dunlevie	Anne	X			1-Apr	3-Apr	970-376-0884
Jay Leitner	Amy	X			2-Apr	3-Apr	618-920-1657
Curt Lindauer	Jane Broeckling	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Anthony Blake	Penny	X			1-Apr	3-Apr	903-522-0128  short flight
Denis Weiser	Kathryn	X			1-Apr	3-Apr
Gerry Ayala	Rene & son	X			2-Apr	3-Apr	210-663-7077  camping

 

[wjknight]

Looks like a great plan coming together.  Just wanted to wish everyone a great weekend during what will soon become the inaugural Beech Aero Club BACLite event.  Nelson Amen, our South Central Regional director has been working on this project for a couple years now and despite everything that was thrown at him with travel restrictions, etc. he has prevailed and managed to bring this event to fruition.

Looking at the list of attendees, I see many Beech Aero Club friends.  Some I have regular contact with, some I have met at other Club events, (still have my Dubuque T-shirt preserved in plastic) and some I have seen in the forum, haven't met yet, but would really like to.  I wanted to attend this event personally, but unfortunately travel circumstances precluded me from doing that.  So know that I am there with you in spirt and trust that you will all have a great time in Arkansas!  Fly safe everyone and enjoy BACLite 2022!

 

[anthblake]

I am excited about attending this event and very much look forward to meeting my fellow BACers!  Many thanks to @trumpet-nelson for all his efforts in putting this together.

 

Not volunteering or anything... sometimes deciding on a location is half the battle so I will throw this out as a possibility for a future BAC Lite location:  https://www.gastons.com/airstrip/

 

[leitnerj]

The Leitner's plan to blast off Saturday morning around 9ish.  Dependent upon the wind gods and the vectoring out of the bravo it should be 1hr 45 to 2hrs for us - meaning about a 11am arrival.

Nelson - I will text before we depart. 

 

[trumpet nelson]

Beautiful clear skies this morning and a wonderful sunrise.  No wind at all - - - wish I had my plane!

Arrive at Bryant, AR yesterday about 2:30 (KSUZ) after a 3 hour flight from San Antonio.  A nice day.   And a very nice FBO.  Worth a visit if you ever have this airport along your flight path.

Managed to fit all of my stuff into the rental van and arrived here at the Lodge just before sunset.  Sweet.  Lots of BAC-snacks (new word?) and drinks collected at the Walmart before leaving town.  Come and visit ..... and eat!

See you all soon.  We are down to 11 attendees, so lots of room if you decide to join in at this late date - - - just fly this way and send me a text (210-834-1991) !

Nelson (aka shuttle van driver)

 

 

[trumpet nelson]

BAC Membership,

Our first annual BAC*Lite was held last weekend!  A great success due to the wonderful attendees.

First - - - a big THANK YOU to Jay for posting his "lessons learned" story (see the Trip Reports forum) concerning his return flight home.  It is precious treasures like these that make us all safer pilots and allow us to learn more about our classic aircraft.  Most excellent.

The BAC*Lite attendance roster had several cancellations during the weeks leading up to the event.  The final tally was 9 attendees and 4 aircraft.  My plane was parked at Bryant, AR (KSUZ) on Thursday after an easy 2hr 45min flight from San Antonio to allow me to pick up the rental van and drive the 90 minutes to our event.  The logistics worked well, although I was surprised that no one took me up on the offer of free ground transportation if they flew in commercially to Little Rock.  Maybe next year.

Overnight accommodations ended up at about $90 per night at the lodge (not bad), with two of our members deciding to stay in the larger cabins close by.  I reserved the largest cabin, which resulted in our event having a great hospitality room to enjoy.  The restaurant did a great job for us on Friday night and Saturday night, with those two suppers being BAC sponsored meals since our head count was way below budget.  A REAL TREASURE for Friday night's meal:  I was carded for my rum and Coke !!!!  Haven't felt that young for many years !!

I will be posting photos in future posts on this thread.  In the meantime, enjoy the "breakfast bunch" from Saturday morning, before Jay and Amy arrived.

Nelson