Clear skies, warming temperatures with a light to moderate winds greeted NESA members arriving at the airport Saturday morning. With the first instructional slot of the day not spoken for, things began a bit slower than normal, with the first flight not anticipated until around noon. CAP had arrived early with about two dozen cadets and senior members, and had already launched a couple of flights.

Bob Iuliano arrived, after surviving a blowout on his glider trailer enroute from Lake George. By late morning, Bill Detrich, Bill Batesole, Alasdair, Mark Farley, Phil Stoddard, Brian Xander, Colby von Kennewurff, and Andy Kozak had arrived, and the club 1-34 and several private ships had been towed to the staging area for RWY 23. CAP was already launching from RWY 23, so the cutout area was a busy place with all the CAP members, shade canopies, golf carts, and gliders. Brian Xander had parked the NESA Callair tow plane on the grass just south of the cutout, with the CAP tow plane parked just south of the Callair.

The CAP tow plane started up to take the runway and taxied into a runway edge light, striking it with the propeller. The debris from the strike sent shrapnel into the Callair, punching holes in the fabric on the right flap, the right empennage, and through the vertical stabilizer. Thankfully, considering how many people were nearby, there were no injuries.

NESA member, A&P, and fabric guru Bill Batesole looked the Callair over and said “Let’s get it over to my hangar, we can have it flying in an hour.”

With a group effort, the Callair fabric was patched, the winter cowl flaps got exchanged for the summer flaps, and gliders were launched by mid afternoon. A thunderstorm that was forecast to stay north of Springfield pushed south, and those in the air landed around 5 pm.

More NESA members and their families arrived during the afternoon, and the grills were fired up as we moved under the cover of the hangar door as a storm moved in over Hawks Mountain. The storm blew through in ten minutes or so, followed by a beautiful rainbow to the east.

Alasdair did a masterful job as chief chef and grillmeister, and there were plenty of burgers, dogs, brats, veggie/turkey burgers, salads, chips, dips, you-name-it, for everyone.

Summer is here. Life is returning to pre-pandemic “normal.” Come out and FLY!