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Ed Larkin and Craig Chipley striking a pose for Dan Downing's lens during the first C2O formation clinic over Dothan, AL in 2006.
The Pirep
Progress in the Training Front Pirep No. 4-June 15, 2009
The Walnut Ridge Clinic
Participating pilots in the Walnut Ridge Clinic listening to Rodney's presentation.Our fifth formation flight training clinic in preparation for the 2009 Cessnas 2 Oshkosh Mass Arrival on July 25th concluded successfully on June 6th at Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (KARG) in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Craig Chipley, our Lead Pilot for our three previous mass arrivals was responsible for planning and putting together this clinic. Great job Craig!

.The lead pilot for the clinic was none other than our Director of Training and Operations, Rodney Swanson.

Rodney was assisted by Craig Chipley and Richard Bowden, veterans of three mass arrivals. Six pilots trained in this clinic and became ready to fly the mass arrival. Congratulations to Doug Bush and Jim Johnson from the host state of Arkansas, Richard Bowden, Gregg Haas and Les Kuhns from Kansas, Mr. Pierce from Florida, Craig Chipley from Missouri and our Director of Training and Operations, Rodney Swanson from Alabama. Great job guys!

The Port Huron Clinic
Dan Unger leading last year's formation flight training clinic in Port Huron.Our sixth training clinic in preparation for our arrival concluded successfully at St. Clair County International Airport (KPHN) in Port Huron, Michigan this June 13th.

Nine pilots participated in this clinic and were signed off to fly the mass arrival on July 25th. Dan Unger did a marvelous job and was very satisfied with the performance of each pilot. Dan was assisted by three veterans of previous Cessnas 2 Oshkosh arrivals: James Andres, Gil Velez and our host Phil Gilbert.

Dan Unger addressing the participants in the 2008 Port Huron clinic.The weather held out after the early morning threat of rain showers and an overcast cloud cover. The ambiance in the airport was uplifting. The local EAA Chapter held a hearty pancake breakfast followed by Young Eagles Day while we huddled in Phil Gilbert's beautiful hangar.

There were two practice flights that went on very smoothly. Each pilot had an opportunity to practice the lead and wing positions and all the moves required to fly a safe mass arrival in July.
John Benson maintaining a perfect chalk 3 position off Bill Stofer right wing in Port Huron 2009.Congratulations to John and Susan Hughes, Jim Blackman, James Andres, John Benson, Bolb Ahern, Bill Stofer, Gil Velez and Phil Gilbert! Our most sincere thanks to Dan Unger and Phil Gilbert.
The Pirep is the official newsletter of Cessnas 2 Oshkosh. It is a vehicle to keep all the participants in the Cessnas 2 Oshkosh 2009 Mass Arrival and our friends informed about the progress on our way to Oshkosh. In 2009, it will be published on the fifteenth of each month. Additional issues will be published if the need arises.
 
Progress Report
 
To date, there are forty-nine (49) aircraft registered to fly the mass arrival. Nineteen (19) states and three (3) Canadian provinces are represented. California leads with thirteen (13) aircraft. Michigan comes in second with four (4) aircraft, Kansas, New Jersey and Washington are tied in third with three (3) aircraft each. Arkansas, Colorado, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas are tiend in fourth with two (2) aircraft each. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Vermont, Wisconsin, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario trail with one (1) aircraft each.

The Skylane (C182) leads the models with seventeen (17) aircraft, followed in second by the Skyhawk (C172) with fourteen (14), in third the Centurion (C210) with eight (8) aircraft, in fourth is the Skywagon (C180/185) with six (6) aircraft and trailing in fifth are the Stationair (C205/206/207) and the C310 with two (2) each.

These results so far, continue to please us considering the current economic situation. We encourage those debating whether or not to go to Oshkosh this year, to make your plans now. It is going to be a good year. Other airshows and aviation events have beat the pessimistic forecasts in the first half of this year.

Come celebrate with your family, relatives and friends!
Scheduled Formation Clinics
Sign up for any of these clinics.
We encourage all our pilots to plan ahead and participate in one of the clinics prior to the July 24th clinic in Juneau. We anticipate a busy Juneau clinic and, as many of you know from experience, the summer weather in Wisconsin is unpredictable.

If the Juneau Clinic is your only option, by all means come to Juneau. Every pilot present in the Juneau clinic will train and have the opportunity to qualify for the mass arrival.

Read more...
Help Us Spread the Word!
You can contribute to make the Cessnas 2 Oshkosh 2009 Mass Arrival a success by helping us reach as many Cessna pilots as possible.

Download our flyer, make some copies and post them on the bulletin board of your local airport FBO, flying club and everywhere else you meet with your fellow pilots.

You can also spread the word by forwarding this issue of The Pirep to every Cessna pilot in your contact list.

More details...
Pay Your Registration Fee Now
The deadline to pay the registration fee or request a refund is Thursday, June 18 at 12:00 midnight, CDT. Registered pilots who pay the registration fee after this deadline and pilots who register after the deadline will not have their shirts delivered on time for the group arrival. They will be put on backorder and shipped at a later date.

There will be no refund of registration fees if the written request for refund is submitted after the deadline.

Submit requests to: payments@cessnas2oshkosh.com.
Cessnas 2 Oshkosh Logo Shirts
The deadline to place orders for additional shirts is Thursday, June 18 at 12:00 midnight, CDT.

Orders placed before the deadline will be delivered to Wisconsin Aviation, the FBO at Dodge County Airport in Juneau, Wisconsin on July 24, the day of our final formation training clinic and on July 25th, the day of the arrival.

Visit our Merchandise page and place your order for additional logo shirts. Thank you for your patronage!
Letter of Agreement (LOA) Signed
On May 28, 2009 the FAA Oshkosh ATCT and Cessnas 2 Oshkosh signed the 2009 Letter of Agreement (LOA) for the 2009 mass arrival. John Frank, Founder and Executive Director of the Cessna Pilots Association represented Cessnas 2 Oshkosh in the signature.

This LOA describes the special flight procedures for our mass arrival effective July 25, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. CDT. We urge all pilots participating in the Cessnas2 Oshkosh Mass Arrival to become familiar with this Letter of Agreement. Becoming familiar with this document is essential for a safe mass arrival.

Visit our website to download the 2009 LOA.
Self-Proficiency Formation Training Tip
Next time you go flying, practice this exercise. After lift-off, accelerate to 90 knots in a C-172, 110 in a C-182 and 130 in a C-205/206/207/210 and maintain this speed throughout the exercise. Make smooth attitude and power adjustments to climb at a rate of 500 fpm or less. Maintaining airspeed is primary, rate of climb is secondary. Climb to a cruise altitude of 2,000 AGL and retrim to maintain airspeed and cruise altitude. Practice standard and half-standard rate turns and descents at 500 fpm maintaining your target speed at all times. Take notice of the power settings required for the different phases of your flight.
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