Evergreen Soaring, Inc.

Minutes of the February 20, 1997, Board Meeting

The meeting was called to order at Mike Delaney’s home at 7:40PM by President Chris Chantrill. Also present were John Daly, Gary Thayer, Jerry Painter, Kay Miner, Doug Kyllo, Keith Turner, Mike Delaney and Mike Bailey.

John Daly reported that he had contacted three insurance carriers to explore alternatives to coverage for the upcoming year. The first, Avemco, would provide full coverage, hull and liability, for approximately $12,000 per year, a 50% increase over last year’s bill. They will not provide liability-only coverage or any variations on that theme. Take it or leave it. The Don Filer Agency in Seattle contacted eight carriers on our behalf and could find none that would offer us coverage. Johnson and Higgins isn’t interested in bothering with such a paltry account. That leaves us with our present carrier, Costello/Com-Av/Safeco, and their offer to provide liability coverage only, no exceptions, for about $3100, a substantial, but not unexpected increase over last year’s premium. Mike Delaney reported again that Seafirst had offered to sell us a $25,000 unsecured line of credit for about $5 per month. If we had to use it interest on the amount borrowed be 14.5%. Alternatively, we could take out a secured loan at lower cost. This would provide a backup for our own savings in the event of an accident.

A motion was made and seconded to accept Costello’s offer for liability-only coverage. The motion carried unanimously.

Discussion of self-insuring aircraft hulls followed. The club has about $100,000 worth of assets in the gliders and towplane. We have previously set aside $4500 for a Pawnee engine repair/replacement fund, to be matched annually until we have about $20,000 in the kitty. The difference between our previous insurance premium and the cost of liability-only coverage would allow us to also set aside about $5500 per year, or $10,000 total. John Daly moved that we follow this pattern until we had $40,000 in the fund. This was seconded and approved unanimously.

A motion was made to set a hull damage deductible, payable by the pilot-in-command in the event of any damage, at $2000, to be paid before the club’s self-insurance fun would be tapped. This was duly seconded and unanimously approved.

New towpilot experience criteria for the new policy’s liability coverage are unknown at this time. Daly will contact Costello forthwith.

The next insurance topic reviewed was coverage of ships not owned by the club, in particular the Russia (being purchased on contract from Mike Friend) and Jerry Painter’s 2-33. Mike Delaney will contact Friend to see if he objects to coverage being provided by the club’s self-insurance plan. Painter has no objections.

Switching to more enjoyable subjects, Kay Miner reported the recent ground school was an unqualified success. In particular, he was gratified by the efforts and appreciation of the students, with eight beginning the course and six finishing. Scores on the final exam were very good. Four of the student were Evergreen members, and two each were from the Boeing Club and Puget Sound Soaring. Kudos and thanks to Kay and his fellow instructors!

Gary Thayer recommended that club operations be thoroughly reviewed by an Audit Team, with the aim of improvement. FOO training is also needed. Gary also reported the next issue of Glidepath will be going to press this weekend and that editorial content was, unusually, plentiful.

Mike Delaney presented the latest figures for the club’s profit and loss, the balance sheet and reported on bad debts. Winter is no time, apparently, for generating cash flow. Costs exceeded income by a substantial amount, recent repairs to the Pawnee and Blanik 029 being major contributing factors. Insurance premiums are due at the end of the month compounding the problem. However, the last few weekends have had a considerable increase in soaring activity, spring will soon be upon us and a monetary turnaround is hoped for. However, the purchase of a second L-13 is not likely in the short term, given the need for setting aside self-insurance funds.

Jerry Painter reported that the Lark brake experiment had been conducted the previous weekend with good results. Although Rene Claringbould, designated “test pilot”, experienced some initial difficulty in generating sufficient pull on the bicycle brake lever employed, after some adjustment and use of John Gilbert’s greater strength, adequate braking force had been generated. Painter has obtained a second brake lever, about twice as long as the experimental unit, and it is expected that squeezing forces will be reduced correspondingly, perhaps enough that nose-scraping will be a possibility. The final installation, adjustment and evaluation will be made by the weekend of March 8 and final test flying will commence.

Mike Bailey has made considerable progress on the Russia trailer, expecting completion by February 22 or 23. Good job, Mike!

Wenatchee Wave Camp logistics was the next topic. The Lark, 1-36 and Russia are the selected ships, with March 16 the date for getting them on their trailers and ready to go. The Lark and Russia will both have to undergo annual inspections before that date. Doug Kyllo reported CFI’s and towpilots have been signed up for duty.

Keith Turner will be conducting a “Ground School” for prospective Wenatchee pilots at the next General Meeting, March 13 at the Museum of Flight, 7:30PM. Attendance is mandatory if you want to fly the Wenatchee ridge and wave.

Jerry Painter presented President Chantrill with the key to the new clubhouse. Airport maintenance folks were busy cleaning, patching and painting in expectation of the club taking occupancy next week. Finally. Rent, including 12.4% leasehold tax, is $100.42 per month. It should be a very satisfactory facility, with heat, lights, telephone, bathroom, hot water and even an antenna for a club radio base station.

Craig Kramer reminded folks that the CFI clinic engineered by Bob Chase will be held this upcoming weekend at the Puyallup Fairgrounds in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Aviation Conference. Enter at the “Gold” gate and go to the “Oroville” room. Sessions will be on both Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 9AM.

President Chantrill adjourned the meeting at 9:45PM.