A Monthly publication of the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association & Education Foundation

CLOUDBOUNCER

Vol 108 • Issue 4

April 2007

March Flying Results 1 Tom Schroeder 2 Eric Greenwood 3 Randy Myklebust

Photo • Barbara Fricke

THE NEXT GENERAL MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY APRIL 24, 2007 AT GARDUNO’S ON THE GREEN 7:00 PM [1]

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AAAA Board of Directors 2006-2007 President Debbie Fowler Phone: 505.239.1146 chasnpaint@aol.com

Vice President VP Beth Wright-Smith 604-2865 pbtsmith@lobo.net

Secretary/Membership Kay Sant Phone: 505.296.6601 justkay43@msn.com

Treasurer Lyn Kirkwood Phone: 505.897.1948 lynkirkwood@msn.com

Flying Events Randy Myklebust Phone: 505.896.3249 balloonpilot@cableone.net

Community Relations Lori Wichhart 830-2225 bunnycrew@aol.com

Education Barbara Fricke Phone: 505.265.2865 barbarafricke@msn.com

Special Events Lorie Guthrie Phone: 505.899.0534 lgl@superiaire.com Carol Bair Phone: 505.296.3505

Crew Development: Phred McAllaster Phone: 505.710.9669 Phredmac@hotmail.com

Ways &Means Jim McKinney 350-7930 jimjhobo69@juno.com

Website Warren King Phone: 505.898.7097 wking87@comcast.net Cloudbouncer Jonathan Abdalla / Lara Steffen Phone: 505.345.2521 / 505.922.9858 cloudbouncer@comcast.net

The Cloudbouncer is a monthly publication of the AAAA Education Foundation. P.O. Box 90160, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87199-0160 Subscription rate: $17 annually; FREE to AAAA Members in good standing. The AAAA Education Foundations strives to provide the most valuable forum possible for the free exchange of information within the AAAA. Acceptance of advertising cannot imply endorsement of products or services by AAAA nor the Cloudbouncer Editor, Publisher or Staff. Opinions presented in Cloudbouncer in information contributions, articles, letters and editorials are solely the opinions of the authors and do not express the official view of AAAA. We authorize the reprinting of any original work in this newsletter with credit to the author and AAAA Cloudbouncer as the source. Please send articles and photos to our dedicated email address: cloudbouncer@comcast.net. Persons whose articles are published are eligible to receive a special Cloudbouncer appreciation lapel pin. Deadline for all submissions is the Friday after the General Meeting. Articles, photographs and advertisements received after the deadline will be publishes in a future issue, if they are still relevant. AAAA website: www.hotairballooning.org

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Monthly Board Meeting: Monday April 16th 6pm AIBF Offices Education Committee Meeting: Monday April 9th, 6pm AIBF Offices Ways and Means Meeting: No meeting scheduled this month Flying Events Meeting: Sunday April 22nd 6:30pm The Barley Room corner of Spain and Eubank Crew Development Meeting: Same as Flying Events date and time

Advertising Rates Full Page……$110.00 Half Page…….$55.00 Quarter Page…$28.00 Eighth Page….$14.00 Classified Advertisements $2 per 50-character line; prepaid only. All prepaid advertisements – Run the same ad for 6 issues and receive a 7th ad free! Mail your check/moneyorder to: AAAA Cloudbouncer P.O. Box 90160 Albuquerque, NM 871990160

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APRIL PRESIDENT’S CORNER

ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 27, 2007

By Debbie Fowler

By Kay Sant

President Debbie Fowler called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.

Hi Everybody, Welcome to April! Thanks to all of you that took the time to vote in our annual election. We Welcome to the Board; Beth Wright-Smith as Vice President, Kay Sant as Secretary, Lori Wichhart as Community Relations, Lorie Guthrie as Special Events, Jim McKinney as Ways and Means, and Phred McAllaster as Crew Development.

She welcomed all members and a guest. New Balloons: Al Lowenstein, named Radio Flyer and Paul Blair, named Blair’s Affaire. Debbie read the names of the 5 new members. Debbie Ellis-Ostgulen was awarded a Cloudbouncer pin for her Article in the Cloudbouncer. Committee reports: See reports in this issue of the Cloudbouncer. Phred McAllister award Helen Korfe her Level 3 AAAA Crew Award, and pin. He reminded all crews to get ready for the Krazy Kite thing at the next flying event. There will be lots of prizes. Barbara Fricke talked about “Operation Rain Check” for all pilots at the Albuquerque Operations Center. April 7 or 21 and May 5 or 19. 8am to 1pm. Call Cheryl at 856-4528 for the date you would like to attend. Class will be limited to 15 each Saturday. Debbie Fowler presented the following 2007 awards:

I’d like to extend a Great Big Thank You to Blair Kaufman, Al Lowenstein, and Debbie Tennis for jobs very well done in your terms of office!! You three leave big shoes to fill, but I know that our new board members will do just fine. As we head into another year for our organization, we have just a few goals: 1. This is the year our web site will be available to take payments for Seminars, Ground Schools and the Fiesta Safety Seminar.

P.B. “Slim” Rawley Crew Award: Eric Black Bob Ruppenthal Education Award: Gary and Debbie Jantz Allan C. Jones Memorial AAAA Volunteer of the Year Award: Rolinda Tzamaloukas

2. We will also start the Balloon Camp Scholarship program. This will enable kids of many ages to attend either the Museum/AAAA day camp or the BFA camp in Texas. This is a program that we want to continue year to year, so we are looking for corporate partners to add to the “seed” money from AAAA.

Ways and Means held their big raffle, which included lots of great things. They raised over $500.00

3. Finalize arrangements for an additional launch site.

Karen Glinski, chairperson of the election committee announced the results of the election. Vice President: Beth Wright-Smith Secretary: Kay Sant Community Relations: Lori Wichhart Crew Development: Phred McAllaster Special Events: Lorie Guthrie Ways & Means: Jim McKinney

And this is only in addition to what Crew Development, Ways and Means, and Community Relations cooks up! There have been quite a few new pilots and new balloons lately, we want you to show off your new “baby.” So when you get a photo of your new balloon, (or new to you) please send it to me at chasnpaint@aol.com so we can get it into the next Cloudbouncer.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20 P.M.

I have to go now, I’m working on a kite for the April Flying Event, Kreative Kascade of Kalediscopic Kites…where’s my glue and string? Gentle Breezes Deb

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Playing Well With Others

Krew Development Report for April 2007

By Sam Bradshaw

By Phred McAllaster

I recently heard of a disturbing episode from a friend who flies radio controlled airplanes at Balloon Fiesta Field. Recently, while preparing to fly his plane, my friend was confronted by a balloonist and rudely informed that he was not permitted to fly his model plane within 2000 feet of balloons. He was further told that if he flew his plane he would be in violation of federal law and subject to arrest.

First of all I would like to thank all of those folks who supported me in the elections. Secondly, don’t be surprised when I come to you and ask you for some help in advancing Krew development. If we don’t educate our crew, who will? The committee is working to come up with some ideas that will help the crew to understand things other than just working the balloon systems. Stay tuned and we will have more information about a crew type seminar we are working towards for some time in June. We may even allow the pilots to attend too.

Being unaware of any regulations regarding separation of model airplanes from balloons, I researched FAA literature and made inquiries to try to learn of any regulations that would apply to this situation. I found only a single advisory from the FAA that model aircraft operators exercise caution in the vicinity of real aircraft. My friend was relieved to learn that he was not a criminal.

In the mean time, here a report about what has transpired at the last flying event. Our March Serendipitous Shameless Shamrock-Sign in event was a success, and we even had to present a prize for a creative participation to the crew of Sky Candy...seems they had all the pilots sign in with invisible ink so they were rewarded for their creativity. 3rd place went to the crew of Trillianes’s Flying Garden. 2nd went to Silver Lining’s Crew, and The 1st place prize basket went to Karius Away’s Crew.

Regardless of the regulatory connotation, I was disappointed to learn that a fellow balloonist had alienated another citizen of Albuquerque. The balloonist presented himself as an arrogant elitist, an image shared by far too many community members. If there was a concern for the safety of the balloon flight, it could have been resolved by a polite request to the model pilot. The balloonist had an opportunity to demonstrate to a fellow aeronaut that ballooning is a positive ingredient to the Albuquerque lifestyle. Too bad he blew it.

The event was timed, and both 1st and 2nd place had the signatures of all the registered pilots, and only 2 minutes separating the rankings. We thank all the crews who participated. A special thanks goes to John with Guinness, who gave us quite a few goodies for the prize baskets. Thank you for your support!!!

THANKS, AAAA – Please get involved By Al Lowenstein I want to thank everyone for their support over the past 4 years I have done Community Relations, and wish all well. Special thanks go to those members who always provide rides, talks, and other community support. You know who you are, my sincere THANKS! To others, please try and get involved with your AAAA club and the community, the rewards are mostly intangible, but they are great.

Finally, a reason we’ve been spelling with all the “K’s” It is time to Klean out your Kupboards, Klear out your Klosets, and Kick up your Kreativeness!!! We are going to hope the winds pick up after flying for the April flying event so we are able to present the Kolorful Kaleidoscope of Kreative Kites. Or simply our Quad “K” Krew event. April 15th, Rio Rancho field check Windtalker for times.

Windtalker is fixed, and seems to be working well. We are having issues with dirt in the anemometer, and I am pursuing a replacement that is better built. There are apparently no other machines being built that provide voice information, we are in the computer and on line age. Even though I am no longer Community Relations, I will continue to work on the WT and keep it up.

We are planning on having prizes for the King of the Kloud Kite (Highest), Most Kreative Kite, and the most Kolossal Kite (biggest).

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Rain Check will be held on Saturdays April 7th, April 21st, May 5th and May 19th. Call Cheryl at 505-8564528 (M-F, 7am-3pm) to reserve your spot. Class limited to 15 participants each Saturday, so call now.

We will have our committee meeting Sunday the 22nd of April, 6pm at the Barley Room, Eubank and Spain...we’d love to have your help!!!

Flying Events Report

The Committee will meet April 9th, at 6:00pm at AIBF Office. Everyone is welcome and new ideas are always needed.

By Randy Myklebust and Lichele Peete March came in like a lamb for us. Our Flying event was a perfect day for flying. The winds were light and variable, the target was at what has got to be known as "Ahern's Corner”. Tom Schroeder got closest, so he got the new "Flying Event Flag" that Aerco made for us. Eric Greenwood came in a close 2nd and Randy Myklebust took 3rd place.

Registration Form Back-to-Basic Safety Seminar - $40 April 21,2007 Commercial Pilot Ground School - $175 April 27-29, 2007 – Register by April 6th Friday evening through Sunday afternoon.

Over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend V.F.R.S. had their Rally, and you couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Both days were great. Thank you to all the people and sponsors from Los Lunas.

NAME__________________________________ Address:___________________________________________ ____________________________

Coming up on April 15th we will be in Rio Rancho off Northern and Fruita. We will be having kite-flying and kite-building contests, so be prepared for....the biggest, highest, fastest, most bestist (is that a word?) kites around !!!!

Home Phone____________________________ Cell Phone_____________________________ Email address___________________________ Complete form, circling ground school or seminar and send with check (to AAAA Education Foundation) or credit card info to: AAAA Education Committee Barbara Fricke 1209 Florida St NE Albuquerque NM 87110 barbarfricke@msn.com

Registration begins at 5:45 AM; Pilot Briefing at 6:45 AM.

Ways and Means Committee Report By Debra Tennis Ways and Means committee is not meeting in April. Jim McKinney will be the new Ways and Means Board member.

Credit Card Type____________ Credit Card #_________________________ Exp. Date__________________ Name on Credit Card______________________ Address (with zip code) for credit card: _______________________________________

Education Committee Report By Barbara Fricke

_________________________________

A BFA Back-to-Basic safety seminar will be held Saturday, April 21, 2007. This is an 8-hour seminar. It will be held at SuperiAire Technologies. Commercial Pilot Ground School is April 27, 28 & 29, 2007. Registration form is below. Call Barbara, 265-2865 if you have questions. The Committee wants to congratulate Debbie and Gary Jantz, recipients of the 2007 Bob Ruppenthal Education Award. Thank you Debbie and Gary for all the help and all the times you have stepped up to fill in and take on what was needed for AAAA. The ABQ ARTCC (Air Route Traffic Commend Center) is holding “Operation Rain Check” again. Tour the center, visit a weather unit, sit with a controller and hear a presentation from ABQ FSS. Operation

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BFA Back-to-Basics Seminar

Happy Birthday to You From AAAA

Sponsored By AAAA Educational Foundation & SuperiAire Technologies

MARCH BIRTHDAYS Kelly Kaminski Sean Rice Eric Bailley William Dodrenz Tom Gardner Trish Sumruld Jeff Gilles Michael Shrum Kelly Jackson Don Palen Karen Glinski Bill Ditz Anne Humphrey Doug Grimes Lyn Kirkwood Chuck Chandler Davene Braden Rick Kolb Russell Grantham Carl Weis Floyd Amundson Charles Lundberg Michele Angelucci Lonnie Potter Mike Kelly Janis Rehren Larry Merry Clare Wade-Callihan Lance Capaldi Ailene O’Byrne L. Daniels-Anderson Neal Smith Jeff Hanks Mac McClary Patrick Nilz Alan Wynn Martin Wulff Kelly Baldwin Sandy Caspono Jerry Burns Danny Mathia Bruce Sidlinger Phil Dorsch Jon Kirkwood Douglas Rodgers Lisa Thornhill Thom Wright Irma Ellis Lorie Guthrie Joby Still Norm Luper Colleen Marchand Roger Hoppe

April 21, 2007 (Saturday) 7:30 am to 5 pm SuperiAire Technologies 121 Mountain Park Place NW (NE of Alameda and Second Street) Topics: Weather Airspace/Communications Accidents and Power Lines Pilot Decision Making for Tethering Ground and Crew Safety when Tethering Balloon Building, Maintenance & Repairs Allowable Preventive Maintenance Balloon Safety Seminar Registration Form - $40 (includes lunch and snacks): Name: _________________________________________ Home Phone:_______________________ Circle one: PILOT CREW #__________________

BFA

Email: _________________________________________ Cell Phone:_________________________ Note: Complete form and mail with check or credit card info to one of the following: SuperiAire Technologies AAAA / Barbara Fricke 121 Mountain Park Place NW 1209 Florida St NE Albuquerque, NM 87114 Albuquerque, NM 87110 Fax: 505-858-1686 barbarafricke@msn.com Credit Card Type: ______________ CC #____________________________________ Credit Card Expiration Date: ____________ Name & Address for Credit Card _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________

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3-02 3-02 3-02 3-02 3-02 3-03 3-04 3-04 3-04 3-04 3-04 3-05 3-05 3-06 3-07 3-08 3-08 3-08 3-09 3-10 3-11 3-11 3-13 3-13 3-13 3-13 3-14 3-14 3-14 3-15 3-15 3-15 3-16 3-16 3-17 3-17 3-17 3-18 3-18 3-18 3-19 3-19 3-20 3-21 3-22 3-22 3-23 3-23 3-23 3-23 3-24 3-24 3-25

Jerry Ransom Daniel Dalen Peyton Hoge Neil Freedman Elsa Glassman Deborah Ortiz Evelyn Brickner Donna Partington

3-26 3-27 3-27 3-28 3-28 3-29 3-30 3-30

NEW MEMBERS

4/04 4/04 4/04 4/04 4/05 4/07 4/08 4/08 4/09 4/09 4/09 4/10 4/10 4/10 4/10 4/13 4/14 4/15 4/15 4/16 4/16 4/17 4/18 4/18 4/19 4/20 4/21 4/21 4/21 4/21 4/22 4/23 4/24 4/24 4/25 4/29

Thomas &Isabel Gabbett 720 #5 Tramway Lane Albuquerque, NM 87122 Email: nmaviator@msn.com Phone: 505-797-9341

Gayle Blackaby 5801 Eubank Blvd. Apt. #133 Albuquerque, NM 87111 Email: beeballoons@gmail.com Phone: 704-473-6402 Daniel & Jane Cave 97 Arizona Sunset Rio Rancho, NM 87124 Email: balloontour2001@hotmail.com Phone: 505-280-8263

APRIL BIRTHDAYS Niki Steven William Steven Peter Richard Jennifer Zoe Jane Linda Michael Pam Jeffery Stephaine Peter Harold Jane Gayle Jane Mike Pauleta Jonathan Debbie Richard David Bryan F.W. “Bud” Michael Helen Eric Eva Jane Michel Fred Debi Martha

Byrd-Dickey Adams Kemp Richardson Procopio Rice Greenwood Ciscon Lindt Hinkle Carpenter Steel Thompson Virding Cuneo Jackson Stuart Blackaby Cave Voorhees Hendirckson Abdalla Fowler Kershow Fenske Hill Person Korfe Korfe Black Berry Tolar Marchand Green Ellis-Ostgulen Keyser

Edward & Linda Groenke 10827 Argonite Dr. NW Albuquerque, NM 87114 Email: lmgreg@mindspring.com Phone: 505-898-0192 Brooke Owen 11032 Dreamy Way NW Albuquerque, NM 87114 Email: nmaerosports@aol.com Phone: 505-205-5593 Aline & Josh Saiz 1591 Marcato Ln. Albuquerque, NM 87104 Email: speedgonz@comcast.net Phone: 505-792-8982 Jeff Renegar 10500 Cassiopeia St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87114 Email: jjrenegar@comcast.net Phone: 505-899-5244 Michael & Nancy Schober 9101 Cascajo Dr. NE Albuquerque, NM 87111 Email: gonefishing@comcast.net Phone: 505-856-7207 Wayne Millard 2450 Derry Road East Hangar #5 Mississauga, Ontario L551B2 Email: millardair@bellnet.com Phone: 905-677-2634

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Susan Collins 2141 ½ Gun Club Rd. SW Albuquerque, NM 87105 Phone: 505-877-6191

I promise it would be a wonderful experience for anyone who is willing to step up to the plate to help a teenage boy whose life revolves around ballooning.

Gail & Doreen Jacobs 224 Paseo Del Volcan #8 Albuquerque, NM 87121 Phone: 505-836-4182

This would be a good way to gain an extra crew member.

Classified Advertisements

Amy Melvin 2130 Coba Rd. SE Rio Rancho, NM 87124 Phone: 505-896-1507

CAMERON BALLOON SALES: Contact World Balloon for consultation, information or quotes on a new balloon. Call Beth Wright-Smith at 505-604-2865 or Troy Bradley at 505-293-6800.

Stephen Peck 116 Christopher Lane Battle Creek, MI 49015 Phone: 296-968-0572

PILOT TRAINING from the most experienced instructor in the Southwest! FAA part 141 school. Flexible schedules. Call Beth Wright-Smith, 505604-2865 or email, pilotschool@lobo.net

German Exchange Student Needs Host Family By Elisa Bustamante

World Balloon Flight School

FAA Part 141 Certified Flight School Al Lowenstein

I am writing this to request your assistance in providing a temporary home for a 16-year old Englishspeaking German boy from a ballooning family. He will be here as a foreign exchange student for a total of 9 to 10 months. He would be living in your home and going to school. He wants to experience ballooning in the USA, specifically in Albuquerque.

1220 Rockrose Rd NE Albuquerque NM 87122-1115 Phone: 505 821 8558 Fax: 505 856 7186 wbflightschool@comcast.net www.worldballoonflightschool.com

He and his family are part of the Stuttgart Balloon Group. The Balloon Group in Stuttgart is composed of very experienced hot air and gas balloon pilots and crew and has a very active program for young balloonists.

Awarded the FAA contract to train their inspectors.

We fly to YOUR schedule!

I was very fortunate to be involved in a similar foreign exchange situation w/ a 16-year old German Boy several years ago. Some of you may know him, Tomas Hora. Tomas has attended and continues to come to Balloon Fiesta as a hot air and gas balloon pilot and has been involved at a high level in the organization of the gas flights during Balloon Fiesta. He has also participated in the Gordon Bennet competition. My experience with Tomas resulted in a life long friendship with him, his family and many other pilots and crew from different regions of Germany, and other parts of Europe. Following Tomas stay in American, my 15-year old daughter spent the summer with his family in Stuttgart and his sister spent a summer with us here in Albuquerque.

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AAAA PHOTO PAGE The images on this page were taken within the last 30 days. Most are from VFRS in Los Lunas for the St. Pat’s Day Rallye. Photo • Barbara Fricke

Submit your pictures to AAAA Cloudbouncer of your flights or new balloons. "Blair's Affaire" owned by Paul and Becky Jo Blair of Portales, NM

Photo • K McCord VFRS

Photo • K McCord VFRS

Photo • K McCord VFRS

Photo • K McCord VFRS

Photo • K McCord VFRS

Photo • Barbara Fricke

Photo • Al Lowenstein Photo • Barbara Fricke

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CLOUDBOUNCER A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE ALBUQUERQUE AEROSTAT ASCENSION ASSOCIATION AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION P.O. BOX 90160 ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87199-160

WINDTALKER 891-1733

FIESTA WINDTALKER 821-7300

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AAAA on the internet www.hotairballooning.org

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