ATLANTA:
Greetings from Very Dry Atlanta!
Today,
June 10th, we had our monthly Atlanta REPA Luncheon
and it was a good one!
Almost
30 folks showed up to eat, visit and then listen to
former Eastern Medical Director (and REPA Affiliate
Member) Dr. David Millett, who was our Guest Speaker
today… Actually we got two for the price of one
as he was followed by his replacement at the FAA, the
new Atlanta Regional Flight Surgeon, Susan E. Northrup,
MD… Also visiting us was Nurse Janet Lee (I use
that title as that is how she signed her name-tag at
the recent Picnic/Flyin!), an associate of Dr. Millett’s.
More on their presentations later… Pictured
below are Doctors Northrup, Millett and Nurse Lee.

We
were very glad to see two fellows who had not attended
in a long time… These were Ned States, who moved
to Texas but had to come back for a doctor’s visit.
He was able to squeeze in the luncheon! Also someone
who has not been around for awhile, Terry McDonald,
who took the opportunity to join REPA! Also attending
after a long time was Terry Durant… For the last
year or more, Terry had been very involved with caring
for her sick husband and then last November (and again
in February) she had heart attacks, resulting in a quadruple
bypass… She looked good however and was able to
give us a briefing on how it is possible to have a heart
attack and not have pain!
A
report was given on Jim Duncan’s very close call
with a breathing problem brought on by an allergic reaction,
followed by a very mild stroke a couple of weeks later…
He is doing fine now and is ready for the Sawgrass Convention
then Deer Season at the EAL Pilots Hunt Club…
Also we got reports on R. D. Smith and Frank Hancock,
both who are having some health problems that prevent
their attendance… Lastly was Hasson Calloway who
called earlier this morning to say that he was “feeling
poorly” and could not make it…
As
part of his introduction for Doctor Millett, Virge read
portions of an EM sent to me by Bob Shipner… It
is reproduced below:
Jim,
I
wanted you to know that I'm very happy that your people
have invited Dave Millett to speak at your get-together
next Tuesday! I wish I could be there, because I have
the greatest respect for Dr. Millett, having worked
closely with him while I was FLTOPS VP. The pilot group
is not aware of many of the things that Dave did for
them, sometimes garnering heat from both sides of the
fence! I know for a fact that he saved many pilots from
serious difficulty with both the Feds and the Company!
Frequently,
he went above and beyond the call to give pilots advice
and counsel, and was instrumental in getting them their
careers back. I always found him to be a man of great
integrity and he never took any bows!!! I also know
for a fact, that he was highly regarded by the Mayo
Clinic as an expert in Aviation Medicine.
I
know your group will find Dave's talk to be interesting
and informative, and again I wish I could be there.
Please give him my very best regards.
Bob
Dr.
Millett then related a series of very funny stories
about his career as Eastern’s Medical Director,
including his first patient his first day on the job
being an unnamed Flight Attendant who had so many problems
she was bouncing off the wall… His second patient
that day was Frank Borman and following that encounter
he had to give Pre-Employment Physicals to six Air Florida
pilots! He was wondering what he had gotten himself
into!
As
promised he got into the media blitz about the Red Sweat
Aliment being suffered by A-300 Flight Attendants…
This very funny story also included his rendering of
the interview with the Wall Street Journal, where he
concluded his statement saying it was “Spooky”…
This got him into trouble with senior EAL management,
who called him on the carpet to say that word was forbidden
at Eastern (Flight 401)… Before we knew it he
departed this story and was off on another one! I guess
he is holding the answer to that mystery (although most
of us know it) until his next appearance!
Dr.
Millett then introduced our second speaker, Dr. Northrup,
by saying that recent changes in the FAA now allow her,
as the Atlanta Regional Flight Surgeon, to handle most
3rd Class Medical problems right here locally…
This was thought, correctly, to be of interest to us,
as most still having a medical have a 3rd Class…
She passed out her Business Cards as Dr. Millett gave
us her phone number… 404-305-6150, call if you
have a problem! He told us that she was a native of
Ohio, graduate of OSU and a USAF Colonel in the Reserves.
Prior to joining the FAA she was the Regional Medical
Director for Delta Airlines. Her husband is a pilot
for Airtran…
Dr.
Northrup spoke for about 10 minutes and then fielded
some questions… She expanded a bit on changes
in the FAA medical application form, changes in the
actual certificate that we will getting at our next
FAA Physical and changes in the First Class duration
for those under 40… The last one clearly not applicable
to any of us! She concluded her presentation with an
update on the medical aspects of flying with a Sport
Pilots License.
As
we concluded our luncheon we had the usual Door Prizes.
The winners were:
First
Prize of $20.00 went to Jerry Frost
Second Prize of $15.00 claimed by Don Teel
Third Prize of $10.00 won by new REPA member Terry McDonald
Copy of Behind the Moss Curtain, authored by
our Banquet Speaker at Savannah last year, Murray Silver...
This is a book of sometimes funny and always interesting
happening in Savannah… Murray did not charge us
for the very entertaining talk at the Banquet, rather
he just asked that we buy a number of his two books…
We did and they are all gone now (sold by us or given
as Door Prizes) with only six remaining, all Behind
the Moss Curtain. We will be bringing them to the
Sawgrass in case someone wants to buy this autographed
book… The book today was won by our good friend
from Texas, Ned States…
And
lastly we gave away a copy of the Best of REPArtee
DVD… It was first won by Chris Christenson, who
declined to take it as stated he was unable to figure
out how to turn on the computer, much less do anything
with it!
On
the re-drawing Dick Burnette won the freebie, stating
it saved him $10.00, as he was going to buy one of the
six or so for sale… All of them except one were
subsequently bought…
They
will be on sale at the Sawgrass too, but if the reader
wants one now he/she can order it using the form in
the summer issue of REPArtee… Of course
that will be $13.00, as shipping is $3.00…
Jim
Holder
The
summer issue of REPArtee was mailed right on
time and hopefully the reader will have gotten his/her
copy by now... Note that it contains much information
on the upcoming REPA Convention at the Sawgrass Marriott,
including a Registration Form... To avoid cutting up
your magazine you might want to visit the Registration
page on the REPA website (www.repaonline.com) and download
the form there... While there you can also visit the
Convention News page and see some updated photos of
the Sawgrass. There have been some major modifications
and upgrades to that Resort Hotel since our 2004 Convention
there.
Remember,
the deadline for making your reservation at the Sawgrass
is 3:00 pm on August 1st... After that date you might
not be able to get a room and/or have to pay more for
it…
Also
on the website and in the magazine (page 15) you will
find the form to sign up for Golf… We are confident
that many want to play in the Convention Tournament
(Championship Flight for the Ralph Jarrendt Trophy and
Scramble for the rest of us). So please sign up early
as that makes our Golf Co-Chairmen, Bill Schulz and
Curt Whaley, very happy!!!!!
Also
if you plan to play in the Tennis Tournament we invite
you to use the contact information found on page 14
of the magazine and let Cecile Balkcum know your plans…
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A
reminder! If you have a summer/winter home or for some
reason want a second address to be maintained by REPA
then please check out the bottom of page 66 in the summer
REPArtee… A blurb there tells you how
to go about doing this… We are very, very hopeful
that this will cut down on all the Temporary Notices
(and trashed magazines) that we have been receiving
for the past five years… Remember that only your
primary address and contact information will be in the
REPA Roster… Your entries in the REPA
Database can be changed at any time and as many times
as you wish! Just let Jerry Frost or me know!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The
Atlanta Base has been very active (even moreso than
usual) the last 3-4 years. We have had many interesting
Guest Speakers at our Monthly Luncheons with more in
the pipeline! Even when we don't have a Guest Speaker
we have a great time as the Members usually have some
good jokes and stories to relate. Remember, we meet
the second Tuesday of each month at the Pickadilly Cafeteria
on Godby Road just off Old National Highway SW of the
Atlanta Airport. For more information please contact
Virgil Tedder at 404-351-4960.
ARIZONA:
Dont
Miss it!
The telephones and computers have been playing tricks
on our lines of communications, so we have resorted
to the newsletter for the luncheon announcement. Wash
the car, put on your best socks, come on over, we'll
see you at Dillon's Restaurant on Tuesday, November
20th at 11:30 AM, for a great meal and vivid recollections
of when we flew airplanes with propellers and sometimes
set them on fire when starting.
Two
long time families of our Arizona REPA Group are under
the weather and we would like you to remember them in
your thoughts and prayers. Perhaps you could drop them
a line of encouragement.
Johnne
Gustafafson is home bound with Gus as her caregiver.
Their address is:
3702
E. Dartmouth St
Mesa, AZ 85205-6115
Phone:480-396-6793
Bob
Kaye, our 1995 President of REPA, is recovering from
surgery and preparing for chemotherapy. Wife, Pat, is
his care partner.
3696
N. Hogan Dr
Goodyear, AZ 85338-8544
Phone: 623-935-6656
If
you know of others under the weather, please let us
know.
Don
Witt
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS
Now we will be found at 10724 Tropicana Circle North, still in Sun City,
85351, and the phone is the same 623-972-6788.
The Arizona Bunch meets periodically at Dillon's Restaurant
located at 8706 W. Thunderbird. This is located on
the northwest corner of Thunderbird and Loop 101 on
the west side. Please call to confirm: Don at (623)
972-6788. If you can't attend, please mail your dues,,,,,$5
plus $5 for the Flower Fund. Postage is going up again!
Meetings are held November, January, and March. Because
many EAL pilots have vacation homes and away during
the summer months they try to get together during
the months above and usually have good attendance.
Call Don Witt, Chairman (623) 972-6788 for time and
location.
CHARLOTTE:
Jim,
As
you know we have changed our meeting day in Charlotte
to the first Tuesday in the month. It was April fool’s
day but we did meet today.
We
had about an average attendance today but we were able
to meet and welcome two more of our Eastern family.
Robert Albracht was a pilot based in NY and his wife
Wayne Dompierre was a flight attendant. Wayne actually
worked for Eastern twice. She was first hired as a flight
attendant and later came backed and worked as a flight
attendant recruiter. All of us in CLT were excited to
have some new faces and Hank was happy to hear some
knew stories.
Good
news, bad news about John Deyton. Bad news is that John
is in the hospital. Good news is that after about 23
days he is out of ICU and is now in a private room.
I visited with John yesterday and he is improving and
is looking forward to going to rehab and then home soon.
My hope is that John will be able to go to our meeting
next month.
If
you are in the Charlotte area on the first Tuesday of
the month give Hank Shook at 704-664-1222 a call for
directions.
Bill
Tumlin
The
Charlotte group meets at noon for lunch the first Tuesday
of the month. Our meeting location is the Golden Corral
at 120 Gallery Center Dr. Mooresville, NC. Directions
from CLT, take I-77 N to exit 36 (about 20 miles north
of I-85), then a left to first light and take a right
to second road on the right. Call Hank Shook ( 704-664-1222)
for additional directions and info. We would love to
have you visit with us!
CHICAGO O'HARE PILOTS ASSOCIATION:
From time to time, a part of our group gets together
for an informal lunch at Chinn's restaurant in Wheeling,
Illinois. There is no specific date as it is spontaneous.
Someone will get on the phone and call some of the guys
and we have lunch.
CONNECTICUT:
Except for the Winter months,
Luncheons are held at Manero's Restaurant in Greenwich,
CT; exit 3 off I-95. Call Frank Funk, for more information,
at (203) 938-3426
Additionally Frank advises that he would prefer someone
else to step forward and take over as Chairman of the
Connecticut group. If interested please call him at
the above telephone number.
DAYTONA BEACH:
Orlando
Blowout
QB Meeting, 14 January 2008
Fellow QB...
Orlando and Daytona Beach Hangars are co-hosting the
traditional January Spaghetti Dinner, honoring our founders
who met at Marta's Restaurant in the Big Apple all those
many years ago. All Florida Hangars (20) have been invited!
We're going to congregate at the (by Orlando QB Bill
Lowery) completely renovated Cheyenne Saloon and Opera
House at 128 West Church St. in downtown Orlando, one
night before the establishment will open to the public.
Rumor has it the establishment is going to put on a
dress rehearsal just for us!!! Not sure what but rumors
of Rockettes, dancing bears and a Gunfight at the AC/DC
Corral abound. Doors open at 17:30 hrs, Gone West at
19:00 hrs.
Prizes and cash draw. The bite is $30.00 for dinner
which includes complimentary wine. Open bar for the
drunks.
Our elves are working on parking directions for the
Saloon, a break on hotel rates with a nearby establishment,
nearby RV locations and a heads-up for the (recommended)
Showalter FBO at Executive Airport (Bob Showalter is
an ORL QB). Stay tuned to this web site for this and
other info. BUT GUYS, WE NEED A HEAD COUNT BY DEC. 20.
Governors/Key Men, please forward your best estimate
of attendees to George Kirby at: george.kirby@macpapers.com/
See you next year!!
Jim Grady-Governor
Gary Ransom-Key Man
The
Daytona Beach REPA Luncheon will resume in the month
of October. Contact Al Brillaud (386) 761-6409 or on
the web at EALRET@aol.com for dates and locations.
Al Brillaud
________________________________________________________________
FLORIDA PANHANDLE:
We meet informally the second
Tuesday of November, February and May at McGuires Irish
Pub in Pensacola, FL at 12 noon. Address is 600 E. Gregory
Street. No programs, just talking over old times.
Bill Schulz, Chairman... (850) 932-7313
FLORIDA SPACE COAST:
Important news: The Space Coast
Lunch Bunch will once again meet at a NEW DATE AND TIME!
To include some more of our Eastern family, we will
meet on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14th at the usual time:
1100 hours for attitude adjustment, @noon for lunch!
At the usual place: The Red Lobster Restaurant, West
New Haven Avenue (US 192) Melbourne, Florida
We will welcome some new faces, reunite with our snowbirds,
and put up with a few old grouches, so don't miss this
one. Please RSVP by e-mail if convenient to me at capcarl@aol.com,
but by all means DO join us for lunch. My phone is 321-452-7922
if your computer is acting up like ours does so often.
It helps the Red Lobster give us good seating and service
if I give them an idea in advance of the probable headcount.
This will be the LAST MEETING IN 2007, because our December
date would adjoin the EARA lunch, and that would probably
be too much of a gastronical exercise in such close
proximity.
Y'all come....... ch
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(If you are new or just visiting in our area, the restaurant
is located just two miles east of Interstate 95 on US
Route 192) Y'all come!)
The Florida Space Coast REPA group
meets for lunch on the SECOND THURSDAY of each month,
September through May, 1100 hours at the Red Lobster
Restaurant, 2355 W. New Haven Avenue, West Melbourne,
Florida. The Restaurant is located just West of the
Melbourne Mall, and only about 1 mile East of Interstate
95. New Haven Avenue is also shown on maps as Florida
Rt 192.Our meeting is VERY informal, open to friends
and guests and other interested folks. For more information,
contact Carl Holtman at 321-452-7922.
_________________________________________________
FT. LAUDERDALE:
Monthly luncheons. Olive Garden,
5550 N. Federal Hwy; 11:30 AM; 2nd Tuesday.
GAINESVILLE,
FLORIDA
GNV
Monthly luncheon News
REPA
GNV met Monday 4/28 at LaFiesta. The brave ole Navy
won the bashing contest against USAF (rightly so). In
attendance. Guy Blake, Lee Hornick, Steve McDonald,
Ed Shaw, Jack Toth, Joe Toth. Jack has moved to Gainesville,
so he is a permanent addition to our group.
McDonald the Scribe.
Lunch
at La Fiesta. Located at the SE Corner of I-75 and Exit
390 in GNV. Seats at 1130. We had a record crowd last
month, so come join us. Steve
________________________________________________
GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA:
Breakfast every Friday morning;
L&K Cafe, across from the Holiday Inn; 9:00 AM;
Wives Invited! Mick Hudson, Chairman (770) 531-0291
HIGHLANDS, NORTH CAROLINA:
Monthly luncheons May through October;
Wolfgang Greene's Hildegard's Restaurant; 12:00 noon;
1st Thursday. Chairman is L. D. Smith at (828) 743-5543.
Also Ken Sorensen at (828) 526-2272
MIAMI:
The Miami Lunch group is alive and
well. While our group has gotten smaller, our enthusiasm
has not. Last November was uniform day with 11 of us
still able to wear one. In December we enjoyed a great
party with 68 in attendance, including our lovely widows.
Our monthly luncheons are every third Monday, 12:00
noon at the Miami Springs Country Club. Come join us,
all are welcome.
Gene
Stevens, Chairman
Bob Mills, Treasurer
Us fellows do not have to diet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
____________________________________________________
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
We have our Monthly Luncheons
at Love's Quay Restaurant on Mill Street in Wolfboro,
NH at 12:00 noon on the 1st Wednesday of each month.
We usually have 12-24 attendees and welcome all retired
pilots. We even have a Guest Membership which includes
United/ Delta pilots and even a Navy Aviator! This is
strictly a social group that enjoys hangar flying and
swapping somewhat exaggerated old stories. Leader by
Default is Chairman Elliot Lyon,(603) 253-8320
NEW JERSEY:
Spring 2006 gathering of the
faithful met at Sky Manor Airport, Pittstown, New Jersey,
22 May for meeting of the minds, great flying memories
and an excellent lunch. Attending were the following
faithful and their spouses: J. Frank Shepherd, Don Grossman
and Peg, Bob Frohlich, Don Spruck and Marianne, Art
Hornung, Jan Williams and Donna, George Cleveland and
Dot, Ken House, Ronan Stevens, Tom Mast and Eileen,
Doug Stratton, Bob Moser, Gene Arnold, David Beltz,
Bob Herder and Barbara, Bill Watkinson and Gladys, Jim
Hamilton, J.J. Sweeney. Guest: Bill Todd and Jim Todd
of North Carolina. Bill and Jean Oberlander, and Thomas
Cross.
The next meeting will be in
the fall 2006 at Sky Manor. Come join the fun and good
times. The Co-hosts: Richard F. Sollner and Karina and
Jack L. Sharp and Elizabeth.
Jack L. Sharp
963 New Brunswick Ave.
Phillipsburg, N.J. 08865
908-454-8349
Richard F. Sollner
77 Harmony School Road
Flemington, N.J. 08822
908-782-6731
OCALA:
Monthly luncheons held at the
Red Lobster Restaurant as of December, 2000. The Red
Lobster is on State Rd. 200, near I-75; 11:45 am; 2nd
Wednesday each month. Bill Nelson, Chairman (352) 236-1605
ORLANDO:
Orlando
Blowout
QB Meeting, 14 January 2008
Fellow QB...
Orlando and Daytona Beach Hangars are co-hosting the
traditional January Spaghetti Dinner, honoring our founders
who met at Marta's Restaurant in the Big Apple all those
many years ago. All Florida Hangars (20) have been invited!
We're going to congregate at the (by Orlando QB Bill
Lowery) completely renovated Cheyenne Saloon and Opera
House at 128 West Church St. in downtown Orlando, one
night before the establishment will open to the public.
Rumor has it the establishment is going to put on a
dress rehearsal just for us!!! Not sure what but rumors
of Rockettes, dancing bears and a Gunfight at the AC/DC
Corral abound. Doors open at 17:30 hrs, Gone West at
19:00 hrs.
Prizes and cash draw. The bite is $30.00 for dinner
which includes complimentary wine. Open bar for the
drunks.
Our elves are working on parking directions for the
Saloon, a break on hotel rates with a nearby establishment,
nearby RV locations and a heads-up for the (recommended)
Showalter FBO at Executive Airport (Bob Showalter is
an ORL QB). Stay tuned to this web site for this and
other info. BUT GUYS, WE NEED A HEAD COUNT BY DEC. 20.
Governors/Key Men, please forward your best estimate
of attendees to George Kirby at: george.kirby@macpapers.com/
See you next year!!
Jim Grady-Governor
Gary Ransom-Key Man
Monthly
Luncheons at Steak & Ale, 234 W. State Road 436
(Semoran Blvd.), Altamonte Springs. 11:30 AM 2nd Tuesday
of each month. Wives and widows welcomed. Joe Simonds
(407) 644-1891.
SARASOTA:

Front
row: Dennis Rawls, Jim Morin, John Strong....
Back row: Chuck Earley, Mac McLaughlin, Grady Perry

Front
row: Ed Carney, Bob Starnes, Ernie Puckett
Back row: Dave Whitman, Don Sharp, John DeBaun, Bob
Gorman,
John Stetson, Bob Mast
The
pictures (above) were taken at the Sarasota Brewing
Co. on February 7, 2008. We meet here every month from
November thru May with the exception of December, when
we have our Christmas Party at the Sarasota Yacht Club.
Our meeting time is 11:30. We normally have about 18-20
people attending...
Chairman,
Bob Mast (941) 922-0424
____________________________________________
STUART:
Hi
Jim,
We wanted to advise you that about 20 retired EAL pilots
now meet once a month on the first Tuesday (Noon) at the
Finz restaurant here in Stuart, FL. It is located on Salerno
Road.
Capt Bill Weisbrod and myself sorta host the informal
get-together which we revived from a small group of 6
or 7 a few years ago that would meet but slowly disbanded
when our spark plug, Capt George Eckles, died.
Now we have found out that over the last few years quite
a few South FL guys from MIA, FLL, and the keys areas
have moved north to the Stuart-N -Palm Beach
area and we're gathering the troops.
Keep up the good work.
Merle (Bill) Overholser
WASHINGTON, DC:
CAPTAINS: THE MOST
IMPORTANT DAY OF EVERY MONTH IS COMING SOON!!
Here
in the DCA/IAD area we have two monthly lunches. First
is in Front Royal, VA (West of IAD), the first Saturday
of each month, 1130 at Pizza Hut. Take Rt 66 West to
second Front Royal exit to Rt 522. Turn left after exiting,
pass under Rt 66. At third light, turn left, Pizza Hut
is on the right. More Info?? Contact Bob Johnson: 804-966-7828,
bobj727@yahoo.com.
The Second is in Springfield VA (a little West of DCA),
the second Tuesday of each month at Kates Irish Pub,
1200 noon. Take the Springfield Exit off I-95 (just
South of the Beltway to Tysons/ Baltimore). Immediate
right turn on Backlick Rd. Second light, turn right
into shopping center. Mikes American Grill on the left,
Kates is between Fischer's Hardware and the Marine Supply
store. Contact Tim Barcanic, 703-250-3574, timbarcanic@aol.com
for more info.
In either case, we accept NO EXCUSES. Just BE THERE!
If you're not, you won't know what a good time you're
missing. See you first Friday, second Tuesday, or Both!
Sincerely, CAP'N TIM