Bishop Encampment 2010

[stoney]

We need to discuss and plan for 2010. Looks like an extended camp for 2010 (June 23 to June 30). Should we split camp into 2 sessions with the goal to keep tows down to 10 (or so) per day instead of the 15 to 17 we had in 2009.

[eddiep]

Glad to see dates are getting firmed up for Bishop '10. I need to put in for vacation to cover some days, I'd really like to attend for 2010.

Speaking of getting vacation time to attend and such, I will probably be in the group of guys who can not attend for the whole event (though I'd love to all other things being equal). Since I'm a newbie in the club I'm sure I will have somewhat of an outsider's perspective. A few years from now I'll probably have a clue but I'm not normally one to sit in the corner, so here goes (feel free to throw tomatoes, I'll make salsa)!

For me, I'd really like to have a chance to fly and socialize with as many NSA/ASI guys and gals as possible. That means I'd like to see a shorter time span for an event that would tend to be busier. Of course that leads to a choke point at towing for one plane, or... the need to shut down ASI during the event to bring both towplanes out. But if the event were for six days and we had a great turnout, do we really need to run ASI and Bishop concurrently? Wouldn't moving club assets to Bishop be more in line with a "big event" worth having?

On the towplane issue, a question:

Is is possible to pay a tow pilot a per diem rate to fly an ASI or NSA asset (blue or red tow) to free more tow pilots up to 1) tow if they like, 2) soar if they like 3) socialize and work the line if they like. Personally I would not mind chipping in for a little extra to pay for something like this if it meant a few tow pilots were able to play on their terms more than man the tow ship all day.

I would expect to have to work line for some portion of the event to help. What happens to guys who can only attend for one day though? I don't see a problem with the few in this situation just coming down to fly but I'd hate to see half the attendees come down for one day to fly and have the same guys have to man the line all day, every day. That would not be fair to them. As a contingency to this sort of thing, if we see it looks like we might be up against this could it be possible to ask the local FBO if they have a line boy on days off who could work for 8 bucks an hour to assist on line duty with us. The guys who do not have time to man the line could pay an extra "line fee" to offset the labor issue to free up otherwise over worked club mates.

Again, I'm just throwing out ideas. I know they are probably half baked, and I hope I don't give anyone the impression I'm a know it all. Also I'm not Mr. Moneybags or expect others to be. So the "outside help" ideas are just ideas. I've been in other clubs that have dues based on duties taken on by club members. So that's where I'm getting that idea - it's not an idea I like all the time but for a single event where labor, time off, activity availability may be an issue - it may an option.

Thanks Stoney for all the work you put in to make things like this happen. It's a monumental amount of work and a labor of love no doubt.

[eddiep]

I can't be the only one to comment can I?