Hello from the sunny SW. After several weeks off, the blog is back. We had the coldest January in 28 years, and are now enjoying some really beautiful spring-like weather. In anticipation of spring in MN, Jack is getting a new up-dated version of the club directory printed up and some of you may already have a copy.

We have a sneak preview of Dick's new Big Bird. I don’t know if that is his official name, but we will use it for now. I don’t know what else he is planning on for spring, but I am sure it will be neat.

Gaige talk to Jim G the other day, and he has been busy getting all his big gliders up to date with new motors, batteries, mounts etc. Do you suppose cabin fever is setting in?

At SAGE this Saturday, we had a potentially dangerous situation occur after one of our members crashed a big glider. We walked over to survey the damage since it had struck with such an impressive thunk. As we were helping pick up the pieces and discuss what might have happened; smoke began to erupt from the fuselage. You guessed it – one of the lipo batteries was damaged enough in the crash to start on fire. The pilot immediately began putting dirt on it and finally got the fire out, but the damage was already done – one battery ruined, receiver partially melted, and the other battery???

Gaige has been flying some new planes; including an Eflite J-3 Cub (nice), a new Taboo GT dlg (sweet), a CAP 232 (fun) and a P-38 profile (too much like work). I have been trying some touch and goes with my SS. Some aren't too good, but I'll work on it. Another club member just maidened a Cessna C-37 Airmaster yesterday. After discovering on take-off that the ailerons were hooked up backwards; he adjusted that and was back in the air shortly. He decided it was definitely a "keeper".

Stay warm and well. We saw several turkey vultures headed north the other day, so spring maybe around the corner.