Original Posted By: Michael D Cuy
Subject: Pietenpol-List: Tick Hill - notesGroup,We want to say to all those who came to our place on Sunday....Thanks for coming! This comes from me and my wife Leann....the kids....and my in-laws (andPiet partners)...Lon and Carolyn Carr. I feel proud to be a part of a GREAT bunch of folks. It seems like the ol' Pietenpol Air Camper just attracts finedown-home folks. It was great to put a face with all the names I correspond with. Everyone who came treated us and our property with the utmost respect and all contributed to make the cookout wonderful. It was truly a special eventfor me and my family. We will remember this for a ling time. And having Chuck here in his REAL-LIVE flying Piet was a treat. Watching him circling aboveTick Hill with the smoke trail really helps inspire one to work harder on that project.Here's a run-down of most of the people who attended. I am kicking myself for not having a sign-in sheet or a guestbook. I am sure I am leaving some out...but here goes.......1st to arrive in a tiny red sports car were Doyle Combs and His Grandson (also Doyle). Doyle tells me he was a Baptist preacher for several years...livesin Lometa TX. Doyle and Doyle are just about finished with their cross-bred Piet-N-Grega GN-3 Aircamper... or something like that. His airplane is poweredwith a Subaru engine. Doyle...glad you came....looks like you have your grandson off to a great future as a Piet enthusiast. Y'all come back to Tick Hillin your airplane soon.Next to arrive were Mr&Mrs Hank Styne and their Piet-N-Partners..Mr&Mrs Chuck Jackson. Both arrived in stylish white cars...one a Town Car, I think. I've seen their pretty little A-65 Pietenpol in Grandview TX...and it is a sweet looking bird. Hank...its too bad you had a fuel leak in the site gage. Hope you can bring your airplane down to see us again soon.While talking to them I suddenly heard the hum of an airplane....looked up in time to see Tom Travis and Mike King buzz in from Dallas in Tom's "Ratty 'ol Bonanza". Tom.... if your Piet turns out that RATTY...I am sure it will be a beauty. I barely got time to see them land...when I noticed several more folkscoming in. Max and Andi Davis brought in a watermelon which we later devoured. Others who arrived were Morris Norwood... Sterling Brooks... and localfriends...Chris and Michelle Hoke.Everyone stood around a bit getting acquainted and then we all went to look over our Piet project out in the shop. We heard from Jim Markle that he was going to be a NO-SHOW. Jim was really disappointed to have to break the news.We were too, JIm. I am sure tho that your family needed you more than we did. I hope you guys have a safe and fun trip to Disney. Mike King and I went into the office to download his pictures from earlier that day. Mike and Tom had met up with Chuck Gantzer on his first Texas stop inMcKinney at Aero Country airport. They had left awhile ahead of Chuck for the V-tail ride to Tick Hill. We were enjoying the photos when my son Benny burst in to say..."HE'S HERE". We all went outside and looked up to see a littlered piet overhead puffing out beautiful white smoke against the Blue sky. What a site. Everyone made their way out near the runway to watch a couple ofsweet smelling fly-bys...with a big YEEEEE HAWWWW from our hero, Chuck. Then hebrought it in for a nice touch-down...and was greeted by all as he shut down.More visiting...lots of stories and smiles...and a photo session...I couldn't help but notice how we had a diverse group of interesting and eccentric folks. There was a Boeing 777 airline pilot...a retired engineer, a truck driver.... a Pastor.... you name it...everyone likes Piets. It was then time tolight off the grill. Lots of folks pitched in to help with the food. Burgers...chips....cole slaw...cookies... cake....watermelon...iced tea... As goodas all that was...I could hardly eat for all the excitement.... plus.... the sun getting low in the sky.....it was time to go FLY!Some folks had to leave...some stayed. Some had rides in the Taylorcraft...some in the Piet. Some made a run into town for more baby oil...(forChuck's smoke system). We did some air-to-air formation flying...got some great pictures of Chuck in his Piet...and some of the t-craft. The kids got rides....andthe older kids too. As the sun was setting against the Horizon....Tom and Mike climbed back into the Bonanza and burst out for the trip back to big D. Bydark...we went in to the house to soak up a little AC and replenish the hydration levels. Leann had the couch bed all made up for Chuck. She and the kids went on to bed... As for me and Lon, and Chuck....we stayed out in the shop going over theproject Piet for hours....I think we finally hit the sack around 1:30 am. I had scheduled a vacation day for Monday...so I was all set for another fun dayahead. I barely got any sleep for tossing and turning with visions of Pietenpol formation flying in my head. Monday morning.... Lon and I were up early... Cinnamon rolls in the oven...fueling up the T-craft...getting ready to escort Chuck to Shreveport ormost of the way. We assumed Chuck would like to get an early start. As the morning wore on.... it became more and more obvious that Chuck seemed in no particularhurry. He gave my kids rides in the airplane....and they practiced their TP bombing skills over Tick Hill. Benny was perfectly on target and by the end of the flight had also learned the proper articulation of YEEEE HAAWWWWs from the master himself....Chuck.We finally got around to doing some flight planning by noon or so.....and the Texas Sun bore down....topping out around 99 degrees by the time we were ready to head out toward Bluebird Hill.Finally...we took-off at 3pm. Forming up on his right wing....we zigged and zagged along an easterly course with Chuck leading the way. Its amazing to me how many birds like to fly at 2000 ft. AGL. It was pretty hazy that day. Very slight headwind. Over Mexia TX...Lon and I pulled the T-craft in close for a wing-waggle farewell and wished our Barnstorming friend a safe journey. We peeled off and headed for home ....both of us with great big smiles from a great Weekend of fun and Pietenpol fellowship.Again....to Chuck...and to all who came. Thanks for coming...and keep moving forward on those projects so you can all fly-in to Tick Hill sometime soon.Terry B.________________________________________________________________________________Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 07:11:23 -0400