Fat Wing Flyers

Logan Ultralight Park The Fat Wing Flyers are a group of Powered Parachute Pilots, most of whom live and Fly in Colorado. The first informal get together of these pilots was June 26th and 27th, 2004 at the Logan Ultralight Park near Bennett, Colorado. Dick Sommers was instrumental in getting us together. The plan was to fly from Logan Field to the Experiamental Aircraft Associations Regional Fly-In at Front Range Airport near Watkins. Dick thought it would be fun to actually fly to a Fly-In, rather than showing up with our aircraft in trailers. Eight pilots showed up for this event. Included were Dick Sommer, Colorado Springs; Tom Riffe, Perry Park; Perry Pahlmeyer, Durango; Jim Jordan, Highlands Ranch; Bill Crowley, Monument; Malcome and Trevor (sorry guys, don't know your last name), Colorado Springs. On Saturday morning we all flew in rough formation the 10 or so miles to the Front Range Airport. In spite of a thunderstorm that blew through on Saturday afternoon and windy conditions that developed late Sunday morning, everyone enjoyed several hours of beautiful flying conditions. I would like to thank Steve Nelson for his hospitality. Even though he was out of town he welcomed us all to use his great airfield.
		Rabbit Valley In Late July, Jim Jordan and I went to Rabbit Valley, west of Grand Junction. Jim was looking for a site that would work for a Fly-In that he was planning for Labor Day weekend. We spent the weekend watching the wind blow, except for a short flight on Saturday evening just before sunset. I did get to meet some Pilots from the Grand Junction area. Pet Peterson, Larry Brown and Jason ----. We didn't find a suitable spot to fly from in Rabbit Valley, so Jim set his sights on using Hall's Field in Grand Junction.
Strasburg Hometown Parade Jim Jordan got the wheels rolling for the next event. One of Jim's coworkers was involved in planning the Strasburg Home Town Days. She asked Jim if we would like to fly over the parade. Jim thought that some of us might like to be involved with that if we could do it in a way that didn't violate the FAA rule about flying over congested areas. Jim's coworker asked Jim "What is your club's name?" We didn't have a name, Jim e-mailed everyone asking for suggestions for a club name. Perry Pahlmeyer suggested the Fat Wing Flyers, and Jim registered that name as a ASC sanctioned Club, and thus, the Fat Wing Flyers came to be! So, on August 7th, members of the newly formed Fat Wing Flyers flew from Logan Field to Strasburg, being careful to fly south of the parade route so as to not overfly the congested area. The wind was so strong that the four of us that flew - flew downwind to Strasburg, and then landed at the Strasburg Air Field and trucked our aircraft back to Logan.
		Grand Valley By the Labor Day Weekend the Fat Wing Flyers were in grand form. We had a name, we were sanctioned by the ASC (Aero Sprorts Connection) and through Jim Jordan's hard work of notifying everyone and getting permission to use Tom Hall's Air Field, we had a place to fly and a number of pilots that said they were coming. The only thing that was against us was the Rain Gods. The rains started on Friday afternoon and continued through late Saturday. But Sunday morning the sun was shining, and by about noon, the field was dry enough to allow us to fly. We had ten aircraft and even more pilots show up to fly. Six pilots flew over the Colorado National Monument and down Rattlesnake Canyon. A holiday weekend that had started out looking like a wash out had turned into a great success. Thanks again Jim for a great event!
Cuchara Valley Now it was Perry's turn to suggest a new site for a "Fly About". ("Fly About" is a term that Jim Jordan came up with to describe what we do best. Going around the state - heck, we will even go out of state - looking for good places to fly from.) Perry had been wanting to try flying from Cucharas Valley Airport near the small town of La Veta, colorado. The airfield is located at about 7,100 feet MSL (Mean Sea Level). I arrived after dark on Friday, September 24th. On Saturday morning the winds were favorable so even though no one else had shown up I flew for over an hour, checking out the area. On Sunday morning there were four of us that flew for over an hour. The sandstone wall that marches up the west Spanish Peak is known as both "The Stairway to Heaven" and the "Devil's Staircase". It is known by Geologists as the Dakota Formation.
		Monument Valley On October 1, 2004 the Fat Wing Flyers recieved the following e-mail from Perry Pahlmeyer, AKA "SKYGUY": "On the week-end of November 6 and 7, 2004 there may be a gathering of PPC's at Monument Valley. Some from Arizona, some from St. George, and from Colorado, the Captain of the StarChute Enterprise....... "On these dates last year there was a pretty good size group from the Color Country Chute-Out. (The Color Country is not scheduled for 2004). I am not promoting this and it is a non-event. I am just sending an alert....If you have been to MV and flown from the private paved/dirt strip you know the drill. If not, here's some info: "Gouldings Lodge and Trading Post owns the private strip. You must sign a waiver at the front desk. Their campground will be closed in November. If you call ahead (before October 15th) to the campground (435-727-3235) they may be able to make special arrangements. The lodge is open all year (435-727-3231). Field elevation is 5192 FT. Frequency is 122.9. The strip is used by general aviation, especially on the week ends. Also, Air Tours arrive daily with tourists from Las Vegas. "Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park. If this was US government land it would be a National Park and the 2000' rule would apply. Please be respectful. Be in radio contact and fly with another aircraft (buddy up). Do not fly over the park visitor center. Do not fly low over any residence or habitat in the park. There are many Navajo homes in the park. If you have an engine out and must land on Navajo land your aircraft may be impounded and not returned to you. This is not a joke. "Weather.....? Mornings could be in the low 30's. Gouldings lodge and restaurant is open. There is a gas station and convenience store. Bring you camera! Over and out, SKYGUY" Thus began the best "non-event" that I have ever flown at. I arrived late on Friday November 5th. I found out the next morning that everyone had flown Friday evening and had a great flight. We flew Saturday morning and evening and we all flew again on Sunday morning. I had been to Monument Valley three times prior to this and the weather had alway been windy or windy and rainy. I think we all agreed that this was the best flying we have ever had at Monument Valley.

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