On Saturday September 29, 2012 at  Shelbyville Tenn airport eagleville soaring club set up camp on the field, and offered rides to all who would brave flying in a aircraft with no engine.  The all day event drew many to the airport to see it all.  I had a chance to talk to Ron Tuttle (tow pilot for the club)  about the event, and his commented on it and said ” Thanks to all who helped out at the Shelbyville Aviation Days on Saturday. We towed Gary and Jimmy over in the 21 and Bob brought his 27 over for display. Jimmy and his wife went way beyond the call of duty in hauling the golf cart over, setting up the famous Ron Murphy tent and signs, and handling ground logistics while Gary and I had all of the fun. Bob set up his bird and was overwhelmed with questions about his flying adventures and soaring in general. He must have sat a hundred kids in that plane.

The airport manager decided that in the best interest of airport traffic, that the glider, towing, and landing operations would need to operate in the grass between the two center taxiways on the west side, which is between the runway and the tetrahedron and runway lights- a whole 975 feet. Between the glider, tow plane, and rope we somehow did “landing S turns” and did not hit any runway lights. The airport manager, Hank Williamson is a real character.  When we asked him about temporarily dismantling one of the runway lights, which we would most would hit with the tow plane on takeoff, he remedied the situation by just deciding to pull it out of the ground- wires and all!  Good thing he did this because as the day heated up our takeoffs got longer and longer and we would have hit it. Nevertheless, we made a good showing and may even have a couple of new members before the end of the year.

I didn’t get a chance to make the event, but looks like you guy’s have a good time. In November Bob Richards (Club president) and myself with a few other member will host at one of Nashville’s high school a presentation to the aviation class about soaring as part of training for the class. We will also set up a full scale sailplane on location for the students to have hands on training.  More about this event will come later. Attached are a few photo’s of the event on Saturday. (thanks Jimmy for the photo’s)

Spring will soon be here, and the club will again set up our tents at the Smyrna Air Show, and as Bill Mcfarland with his famous statement saying “come out to the field and see what soaring is all about”

. find us at www.eaglevillesoaring.org

Ron Murphy H301