Dedicated to Aviation, Safety, Friendship, Community Involvement, and Education since 1984
DEDICATED TO AVIATION, SAFETY, FRIENDSHIP, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND EDUCATION SINCE 1984
propwash
september 2025
© Photographer Name
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
Presidents Message Update from the Managers Desk As the Prop Turns Once a Fighter Pilot Galloping on the Goose Three Planes, A Diner and a Marine Layer
MISC.
*click to jump to
AAA Events Photos Endowment Fund Corporate Sponsors Member List 2025 Board Members
In This Issue
Mock Interview Workshop for Future Pilots... Support AAA Endowment Join Us!
ARTICLES
INFO of INTEREST
PRESIDENT‘S MESSAGE
It’s a good problem to have: Our membership database of 500 is nearing capacity again. Since fewer than 40% of the contacts in our database are paid members, we’ll start identifying and archiving inactive contacts in order to keep our paid contacts database to an affordable level. What this means to you, is that you should join AAAso that you are sure to keep receiving our emails. Interested in text notifications from AAA? We’ll be going into Beta testing this fall to see if it’s a better way to reach some members than just email. You must be a member in good standing to opt in. Keep an eye out for more information, or just JOIN to be sure you’re included. Memberships start at $14 per year for a student-pilot level. See you in September. Chris Haven
Chris Haven, AAA President
General membership meeting menu
Main Dish: A-L Side or Salad: M-R Dessert: S-Z
An update from the managers desk of kaun
Runway Excursion As I have written about in the past, runway excursions occur when an aircraft exits the runway at a location not intended for departure—such as overruns or veering off to the side rather than onto a designated taxiway. In many cases, the aircraft is not damaged, and pilots may believe the airfield hasn’t been affected. However, this is not always an accurate assessment. One of these excursions occurred on 7 August 2025. This one was quite a bit more severe. The aircraft in question departed Runway 25 and was not able to maintain a climb. The pilot made a forced landing on 25 but was carrying too much airspeed to stop prior to the overrun, ultimately coming to rest in the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ). This is the exact reason airports have RPZs—we attempt to keep the RPZ clear and open in case of an overrun or coming up short of the field. This excursion ended up only damaging the aircraft. The pilot and co-pilot of the PA-28 managed to control the plane enough to walk away from the landing. Questions that are common in these situations are: Could this forced landing have been avoided? Possible, but the reports are not out and the cause of the power loss is still under investigation. Would a longer runway have helped this situation? Of course—the more runway we have in front of us as pilots, the better! After the situation was over, was everything handled appropriately? Yes, after assessing the needs of the crew, all the appropriate phone calls were made. What are those calls? In this case, the FAA ROC was one of the first calls. Their department triages incidents and accident reports and places the event with the appropriate department or agency. Of course, this is after any emergency needs are met. After a brief conversation with the FAA, the NTSB was consulted and made the decision on how to proceed. In this situation, the NTSB did not need to be involved on site and released the aircraft to be moved. Why was the aircraft out in the RPZ for almost a week? It was decided that it was best not to move the aircraft until a new wheel could be affixed to the plane. This was to reduce the risk of further damage to the airframe and the RPZ. It was determined that the aircraft did not pose an obstruction to flight and was moved as soon as practical. Remember: If you witness a runway excursion—or are involved in one—please notify the proper authorities so we can ensure the safety of everyone using an airfield. Vending Machines Many of the airport users have made comments that it would be nice to be able to grab a cold drink or a snack and not leave the field. This is especially the case outside of the restaurant hours. The airport is happy to announce that we now have vending machines in the terminal building. These vending machines are provided by a local company, Eagle Vending originally based in Auburn and now in Loomis. The owner personally set up and stocked the machines with what he hopes the airport users will like the most. If you have any special requests please let us know. Safe flying! Tyghe Richardson Your Airport Manager Auburn Airport City of Auburn, CA (530) 888-8174
Tyghe Richardson, Airport Manager
Dillon Holloway and his instructor and dad, David Holloway
As the prop turns
Nolan Bojescu and CFI Scott Woodland
Mike Duncan, Sunshine Flyers
"Kiki" Kopp and her family in front of the C-130
Labor day is upon us and the summer is over. The kids are going back to school. The days are getting shorter. Now may be a good time to take a short vacation because the crowds will be less and perhaps the hotels will be cheaper and that money can be used to put gas in your airplane. While the rest of us are planning that late summer vacation, the students have continued to move forward with their adventure in aviation. Greg Len was able to pass his Private Pilot knowledge test with a great score and is moving forward with his flying. Rain Wrenn was able to pass her Instrument Ground Instructor and Instrument Ground Instructor knowledge tests. Nolan Bojescu and Josh Fuller were able to fly their first solo with Scott Woodland and Peyton Brothers as their respective instructor. Dillon Holloway, who just passed his Instrument Rating last month, passed his Commercial Rating with his dad (David Holloway) as his instructor. Dillon has been the recipient of several AAA scholarships. AAA scholarship recipient, Sheae Payne, earned her instrument rating with Holly Brusa as her instructor this month. And yet another great success from a AAA scholarship recepient, Danielle Colburn, earning her Private Pilots License in just under four months of training! While not a new rating, Kristen “Kiki” Kopp will be leaving her CFI position for Maxwell AFB to fly a C-130 for the Air Force. Eventually she will fly out of Moffett Field. Her mentor for getting into the National Guard is pilot examiner Anthony “Judge” Tisdale. Congratulations to all on a job well done. When was the last time you thought about the bad habits you may have fallen into? Do you taxi with the proper control inputs for winds? Do you do your run up into the wind? Do you taxi with too much power and have to drag the brakes? Do you land in a crosswind with the wing lowered into the wind and the nose pointed straight down the runway? Do you have a stabilized approach on final or are you constantly changing air speeds in the pattern? Do you have the confidence to recover after being upset in turbulence in the mountains or wake turbulence from another aircraft ahead of you? The thing I want to write about this month is about the very basic airman ship skills that would help you gain the confidence to deal with these situations. From student pilots to airline pilots, the accidents that I have been reading about all seem to lack some of these basic skills. They all seem to have poor speed control, lack of a stabilized approach, lack of stall-spin awareness, poor rudder control and control coordination, and the inability to recover from extreme unusual attitudes as a contributing factor. It is not only me that is noticing this problem but the FAA as well. With guidance from the FAA, the Air Force military flight training syllabus, CHP recommended training for pilots, and many airlines, the Auburn Aviation Association has come up with a program to help you become a better pilot. While designed for the instructors to learn and teach it; it is open to everyone. It is approximately three hours long and conducted in a tailwheel aircraft. The reason for the tailwheel aircraft is because it helps to show you the effects of torque, P-factor, and asymmetric thrust, and adverse yaw, and the need for rudder. Additionally, near the end of the three hours, some of the unusual attitude recoveries might go into the aerobatic category. At the end of this training you will have opened a new door to the adventure of flying and become a better pilot with a greater understanding about how to fly an airplane. Well that is about all for this month. Good Night Miss Daisy. The Prop Turner Mike Duncan
Like any self-respecting aviation enthusiast, I’ve watched Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick more times than I can count. (If you haven’t seen them, stop what you’re doing right now and go do that.) Those pilots, both on-screen and in real life, have always felt like they’re in a league of their own, defined by their confidence, focus, and discipline. Fast forward to 2024, when I met Don Wolfe. Like everyone who has the pleasure of talking with Don, I found myself captivated by his stories of flying the F-100 in the Ohio Air National Guard. Don is one of those special individuals who can not only uplift you in a single conversation but also make you feel like anything is attainable with the right mindset and skillset. After I expressed my interest in joining the Guard, Don graciously arranged a visit with a buddy of his at the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. Owen White and I were invited to tour the unit and get a firsthand look at what it’s like to fly F-15s. We flew Don’s 180 for the short hop to Fresno International, practicing good old-fashioned pilotage along the way—because with Don, everything is a learning opportunity! At the FBO, we were greeted by Don’s buddy “Depot” Jameson and escorted onto the base. Possibly the coolest part of the experience was watching Don slip right back into shop talk and transform into “Wolfman.” Hearing the exchange of stories between the two of them made it clear to me that once a fighter pilot, always a fighter pilot. We were lucky enough to get an up close view of the cockpit, observe a takeoff for an instructor checkride, and later join a (nonclassified) debriefing in the room the Fresno pilots use for critical reflection, before making the trip home. A huge thank you to Wolfman and Depot for organizing such an incredible day and for continuing to support the dreams of young aviation enthusiasts.
Danielle Colburn, AAA Scholarship Recepient
once a fighter pilot
The story goes that a tourist is visiting the Seattle area. Looking at the grey, rainy day, they turn to a local and ask, "What do you do here in the summer?" The local thinks for a moment, and replies, "Well, if it happens to fall on a Saturday, we have a picnic." Yes, the Pacific Northwest is known for its wet weather . . . . even in the summer. Consequently, when I was planning a flying and bicycling trip to the region, I needed to watch the 10-day forecast for a window of about five days that would allow not only for VFR flying, but also for dry riding. Call me a wimp, but bicycling in the rain didn't sound like the makings of a fun trip. Fortunately the mid-July weather cooperated and that window of clear, dry days opened up for me. Launching out of Auburn first thing in the morning, two legs of less than two hours each put me in the town of Port Angeles by mid-day. A friendly local at the Port Angeles Airport (KCLM) very kindly offered me a three-night parking spot in his hangar, which kept my airplane from being exposed to the elements. My first two days of bike riding were an out-and-back on the Olympic Discovery Trail, with an overnight in Sequim, Washington. The Olympic Discovery Trail meanders along the coastline of the Olympic Peninsula, up onto the coastal bluffs, through a peaceful area of small farms and rural residences, and crosses over the Dungeness River. My second night was back in Port Angeles, and the following morning found me walking my bicycle up the gangplank and onto the deck of the MV Coho. The Coho is a 341-foot ferry that operates to Victoria, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island. The hour-and-a-half crossing of the Juan de Fuca Strait dropped me off only a handful of blocks from the Galloping Goose Trail. This 34-mile rail trail was named for a famous gasoline-powered passenger car that operated on the line in years gone by. Pedaling the Galloping Goose Trail was really the main reason for my trip. It's a quiet, peaceful, shady tunnel through the thick canopy of trees, and has a good hard-packed gravel surface. As the trail roughly paralleled the coastline, there were filtered views of blue water to my left. Near the end of the trail, I rode into the small, waterfront town of Sooke, BC, which was my next overnight spot. Day four was a backtrack on the Galloping Goose Trail, and a ferry ride back to Port Angeles before pedaling out to the airport, loading up, and launching for home. July is high tourist season in the region, and lodging options are not plentiful so, aside from the other planning that you want to do, hotel reservations are a good idea. But it was a trip that, at least temporarily, took me into a different world. A world filled with cool days, blue water, green trees and the crunch of the gravel trail beneath my bicycle tires.
The Olympic Discovery Trail
Dozens of Bikes on the Foredeck of the MV Coho
Along the Galloping Goose Trail
galloping on the goose
Doug Fee, AAA Secretary
I’ve decided one of the best ways to fly and have fun is for a group of people and multiple planes to fly off for lunch, to a fly-in, or both. And a group of us did just that Saturday, August 16th. Don Wolfe in his Cessna 180 flying Claire Delany and her friend Carter. Andy Robinson in his Cherokee 6 had Barb Karsting, Kacie Molzahn and Pete Morrill. And I flew with Tyghe Richardson and his son, Alex, in his Mooney. We originally were going to fly to LLR (Little River) above Mendocino for a Fly-In, but the marine layer was pretty thick so we decided to fly to Ukiah for lunch. Andy was familiar with the area and knew the perfect restaurant. Be-Bop’s Diner was a cute 50s diner with really good food and fantastic milkshakes. One of the important aspects of a fly out is to enjoy the haute cuisine that restaurants offer. Barb apparently enjoys the occasional milkshake, she claimed that she hadn’t had a milkshake in several years…. After a leisurely lunch, we headed back to the airport. Don and his crew headed back to Auburn. The marine layer was better than earlier, so we decided to give it a shot. As copilot, I experienced flying through the clouds for the first time. What an incredible experience! It’s hard to put into words that moment when we entered the clouds and came out the other side, I probably reverted to being a 10-year-old. We landed at LLR and were greeted by the airport manager on his bicycle. Although it was late in the day, we were welcomed with open arms and told to enjoy the food. I have to say, I haven’t done a lot of fly-ins and the ones I have done were bigger airports. I was so impressed with the warm welcome and fun conversations. Little River's open day attracted some interesting aircraft based on the airfield.There was a Stermme S12G motor glider on show. This has an interesting configuration - retractable propeller at the front, with the engine mounted behind the pilots in the middle of the fuselage. With an impressive wingspan of 82 feet, one might think that the aircraft would be hard to find a hangar, however, the owner demonstrated how the wingtips are removed then the midsection of the wing is able to articulate and allow the wings to cross and reduce the wing span to around 33 feet, allowing it to fit into a standard 40 feet wide hangar. Pete, Kacie’s friend, who is 6’5” was interested in this motor glider, and the owner graciously allowehd him to climb into the cockpit - with some adjusting of the seat, Pete was able to just about fit inside. The main hangar, where the food was set up, had a photo of multiple P-51’s flying including Old Crow signed by Bud Anderson. Next to it was a wonderful old photo of Dean Laird. For anybody who may not know, Dean, I believe, was in the Navy. Dean and Bud went to high school together and were lifelong friends. I was so excited to see the photos. I asked some people there about the photos and if anybody knew either of them. I ended up having a lovely conversation with a lady telling her stories of Bud and Dean. In return, from my own experience; helping Kelly put on Bud’s birthday parties and seeing them both at multiple events over the years. I was pleasantly surprised to see how excited she was to hear about them. Although it was a short visit, we all enjoyed walking around, looking at aircraft on display and meeting some really nice people. Eventually, it was time to go home. On the upwind and banking over, the ocean, with its beautiful fog, came into view off to our right. This is another moment where I reverted to a 10-year-old. The view was absolutely beautiful and one of the best moments I’ve ever experienced. I was scrambling to grab my phone and get a few shots. The winds back at AUN were quite challenging both in gusts and jumping around. Tyghe did a great job touching down safely. We all put the planes away and met back up at the barnstormer to check in and say goodbye. I took Barb home, excitedly talking about the day all the way to her house. This is one of those days where I am so thankful to be in aviation and appreciate the friends I have. Next time you have a chance to fly in, especially a small airport, you might be pleasantly surprised at what a great day you have.
Tammy Meredith, and Co-Writer Andy Robinson (photo credits to Andy Robinson) Aviatrix
three planes, a diner and a marine layer
Click here to see how your membership and donations impact young aviators.
JOIN US! General membership meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month. Guests are welcome, but membership is reasonable and your support helps us to give scholarships to young people getting started in realizing their dreams. There are several membership options. A subscription to our monthly Propwash newsletter comes with membership.
LIFETIME MEMBERS
We thank our lifetime members for their donations to the AAA Endowment
Gold $2500 Silver $1500 Bronze $750
Endowment Fund Corporate Sponsors
Clarence "Bud" Anderson Noah & Raneta Mackenroth
HONORARY LIFETIME MEMBERS
Jerry Severson & Nancy Benjamin Jason Bell Shawn & Juliette Bickford Adam & Fran Brodel Matt Dicicco Bob & Allison Dobransky Peggy Dwelle Tom Dwelle Doug & Yvonne Fee Dale Head & Winnifred Ward Randy & Lisa Leys Casey Long Mike Long Christian & Michelle Madsen Patricia & Neil Munro Aaron Murray Tom Murray Tim Nilsen Tim Pinkney Mike Shoemaker Ash Vidal Don & Lori Wolfe
GOLD LIFETIME MEMBERS
SILVER LIFETIME MEMBERS
Andy Anderson Mike Duncan Steven Hogge David & Stephanie Holloway Keenan Kokoul & Leah Kokoul Ben Marsh Jay Selby
BRONZE LIFETIME MEMBERS
Scott & Sharon Woodland Mark Pilkington Richard Anderson Cleve & Ida Spring Mike Sullivan Peter Hastert Joanie & Wayne Mooneyham Chris & David Haven Kyle Kokoul Gary & Darlene Mourning Richard Anderson Mark Pilkington Doug & Nancy Van Howd Joe & Ann Bittaker Chris Luvara Ken Ristuben Doug McDougall & Rosemarie La Rocca Cameron & Gina Thompson Mario & Molly Dinucci Paula Celick & Larry LaVerne
Aaron & Shasta Adam Gavin Alder Nebil Almakdeshi Andy Anderson Don & Mona Anderson Thomas, Colton Arbogast Jacob & Natalie Armtrout Mark & Sharon Bateson Frank Bell Jack Bell Jordan Benedict Elina Bergstrom Brett Bickerstaff Claude & Diana Biddle Cristian Bivens Douglas & Shelli Bolsover Adrian Boyer Elen Brandt Noah Brandt Fran and Adam Brodel Brandon Brown Michael Brown Brooklyn Brown Kelly Bruno Aaron & Heather Burns John & Hilary Burns Julia Carey Matthew Carlson Kenzie Carpenter Kristina Caroll Kyden Carpio Andrew Chubatenko Bill & Diann Cola Randy Crockett Pat Dallam Amanda D'Amour Collin Davis Rick Davis Sara Davis Claire Delaney Brandon Dever Helen Dobeck Micah Doe Eric & Kera Dolan John & Kathy Donlevy Will Dougherty Oscar Drahos Jessi Dreschler Rick & Linda Duste Ken & Judy Dwelle Shayden Eagleheart Kent English Athena Eriksson Jeff & Katie Erkel Michele White Family Jim and Marilyn Feller Dan & Susanne Flom Dan & Karen Foster Elmer & Mary Ann Frank Darcy Brewer & Greg Gappert Sydney Greene Akash Guha Luke Givens Christopher Hale Breaunna Herrera Doug & Nancy Van Howd Andrew, Susan Hufford Kadie Jacobs James Jacobson Jake Jensen Jaian Jiminez Kenneth Ferreira Jr. Lyle & Jane Kelsey Marleen Wekell & Steve Kendall Steve Kendall Clinton Keyte Chuck & Maggie Kluenker Erik & Diksha Knierim Christine Koenigsecker Luke LaHue Carey Laine Cade Lawley Steven Lease Kyle Lehr Rogelio Leon Casey Long Dion Louthan Bob & Carol Lund Ray & Linda Lux B M Brayden Maaske Renata Mackenroth Patrick Marquina Jeanie Marshall Frank & Debralyn Martinez Charlie Marzo Shane McAlister Mia McKnight Tammy Meredith Rob & Teri Miller Nick Moore Christopher Morales Chase & Natalie Morgan Samuel Muntean Karsten Murphy Michael Murphy Paul & Kendall Mutz Nathaniel Olchefske Derek & Kerri de Oliveira Derek De Oliveira Rory Ondracek Tenley Ong Adriel Palaia Elizabeth Paval Vladimir Petrovich Holly Polito Bonnie Potter Parker Pugno Bill & Nanci Radakovitz Austin Rich Alex Richardson Tyghe Richardson Bethany Robarts Andy Robinson Dave Rohlfes Steve Roselle David M. Dwelle & Jeffrey Roth Benjamin Rubash Bart Ruud Ben Samp John & Beverly Samp David Sanborn Mark Sandoval Mikaela Sawaya Martin & Dawn Scheyhing Amanda Schroeder Jay Schroeder Troy Sheldon Bob & Stephanie Snyder Tedd & Diana Stiles Shem Suleiman Randy Winn & Nicole Sunseri Sydney Sunseri-Robertson Ann Sweeney Caleb Switzer Brianna Tennis Connor Townsend Camile Tricomo Larry Uzelac Philip Vardara Gary & Clytie Vogt Andrew Van Wagner Christian Watt Pete Hnat & Susan Webb Stewart & Roxana Wells Vaclav Vyvoda & Ingrid Westin Jeff & Melanie White Michelle, Paul, & Owen White Walt & Bonnie Wilson Randy Winn
Scholarship Winners/Lifetime Members
GENERAL MEMBERS
OFFICERS President - Chris Haven - president@auburnaviationassociation.org Vice President - Dan Flom - vp@auburnaviationassociation.org Secretary - Doug Fee - secretary@auburnaviationassociation.org Treasurer - David Dwelle - treasurer@auburnaviationassociation.org BOARD MEMBERS Past President - Doug McDougal - pastpres@auburnaviationassociation.org Scholarship Director - Don Wolfe - flyfund@auburnaviationassociation.org Assistant Scholarship - James Jacobson - skyfund1539@gmail.com Membership Director - Daniel Colburn - membership@auburnaviationassociation.org Publicity Director - David Sanborn - publicity@auburnaviationassociation.org Propwash Editor - Mike Duncan - duncan7kcab@sbcglobal.net 5AC Chair - Ken Dwelle - 5ac@auburnaviationassociation.org Board Member at Large - Joanie Mooneyham - joaniemoon05@gmail.com Donations Coordinator - Nancy Benjamin - don_benj@pacbell.net Special thanks to Brooklyn Brown for laying out the newsletter and David Sanborn for managing distribution of the newsletter.
2025 AAA Board