VALLEY HANGAR

2004 Hangar Officers
Joe Younkin, President
Russ Dahl, Secretary
Vic Wokal, Treasurer

Valley Hangars regular meeting is still at Johnnie Cafe on the second Wednesday. Questions contact Joe Younkin at Johnnie Cafe' (406) 228-4222 or e-mail N8410T@nemontel.net
Pilots Check the MPA Bulleten Board web site for changes and "Fly To Meetings".

Valley County Air Tour
Valley Hangar is hosting a Valley County Air Tour. It will be held on October 26th, 0800 at the Glasgow airport with doughnuts and coffee to start things off. We are kind of re-tracing the Air Tour they had here in 1947. They had 18 planes on that one and we'd like to get as many as we can on this one. It will have a poker run, flour bomb contest, spot landing contest, a BBQ hosted by Ron Olfert and family at his place, a tach time and fuel burn contest, and a winter survival clinic put on by Clay Berger, local EMT. Jennie McPherson (MT Aeronautics Safety Coordinator) has been invited to give him a hand. This event is already well supported by businesses in the Glasgow community as all contests will have prizes that they have donated. It will be covered by the local paper as the reporter has been invited to fly along with us. And to finish it off Lanny Hanson will host an after flight get together at the VFW hall with snacks and drinks. So, we'd like to invite all the Montana Aeronautics Division and all Montana Hangers to join us for our tour. The places we're going are all grass except Glasgow and Ron Olferts. The shortest strip is 2000ft (ELKRAM) and all are in good condition. If weather is a factor, we will postpone and try the 8th of November. Please contact Walter Bell (406)228.2999 or Ken James (406)228.8114 with the numbers from your respective Hanger that may attend. Thank you in advance for supporting our Hanger.

Finally, Breakfast
After some time of searching for a place to fly for a little breakfast in northeastern Montana, success at last, The Homestead Hotel And Café in Opheim MT.

I’ve been flying around the Glasgow area for some time now and haven’t been able to find a place close enough (under an hour) to get as many pilots and planes together for a little fly-in breakfast on Sunday’s. Over in Minot ND the local pilots there fly every Sunday to a place for breakfast. I mean EVERY Sunday. But they’ve got a couple of places within an hour to fly to with good enough strips so a variety of airplanes can join in. I’m always envious of a group like that, meeting weekly just for the fun of it and flying there to boot.

Russ Dahl and his wife, Tammy, planned and executed an excellent brunch at the #2 shelter house on Ft Peck Lake. That was a lot of hard work and well received (Tammy’s an amazing cook!) but we can’t expect them to do that every week.

In further searching around our area one will find that the only strip with a café close enough to walk and open on Sunday morning is Opheim MT (S00). Some of us decided to give it a try and found a good grass strip and excellent food waiting for us.

Myself and Tom Klotz in my ’48 C140, Steve Stanley in Prairie Aviation’s 172, and Russ Dahl along with his Chief Pilot, Ryan Dahl, in a Super Cub all departed Glasgow at around 0715 for Opheim. On the way up Russ attempted to operate his digital camera and get some pics of the 140 and 172 in formation and found that the picture taking best be left to a pro, his son. It was also the first day of antelope season and we had the opportunity to see a lot of hunters on the hunt. It was a beautiful fall day! After landing and taking more photos, we walked the three blocks to the East and around the corner to the Homestead Café where Darlene Dolney was awaiting our arrival with coffee in hand. We sat down to a wonderful breakfast and conversation with some local folks.

I do believe we have found a great place to meet and eat. It’s not at all far out of the way and we encourage any and all to join us for the flight up or meet us in Opheim Sunday mornings. For now, we depart from Glasgow (GGW) at 0700. See ya there!

Here are some pic's of '60V, the Cub, and the 172 on our trip to and from Opheim. Russ and Ryan Dahl are to thank for these. FYI: Next weekend's breakfast will be on Saturday, OCT 19th, as per instructions from Darlene. And she would appreciate a count as to how many will be coming each time. The point's of contact for this are myself 406.228.2999(H), 406.939.6115(C) and Ken James 406.228.4118(H), 406.230.8114(C). Enjoy, and hope to see you soon!

Walter Bell
Vice President, Valley Hanger Association
406.228.2999
N2260V

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