September 14th, 2003
9th Annual Cross Country Rally
Our 9th Annual Cross Country Rally was held September 14th, it started out a
cool morning with a light breeze and ended up to be a glorious day for
flying.
Seven teams arrived and attended the Pilots meeting, six teams actually got
in the air and five teams arrived at the finish line flying 105 miles cross
country from Sterling to Greeley Colorado. No one made it non-stop but it wasn't
for a lack of preparation or trying! It was also the first year a
"gasser" completed the rally. Target time was approximately 2
hours 5 minutes from take off to touchdown.
This event would not have been possible without the efforts of the Contest
Director Dr. Phil Pollock, and his team which included Ray Zen, Roy Jelniker and
someone else... We would also like to thank the Valley View Flyers from Greeley
for their support, interest, assistance and most of all FOOD!
We would not have been as successful as we were without the contributions of
the following supporters: Things With Wings - Greeley Colorado, RC
Enterprises - Commerce City Colorado and Sykes Enterprises - Sterling
Colorado, thank you all so much for your support and generosity.
 |
Pilots meeting prior to the Rally, the CD (the balding guy
:) even told everyone WHERE the checkpoints were going to be!! |
 |
Pilots getting anxious to hit the air. |
 |
Team 1 - Preparing for launch. |
 |
Here's Team RC Enterprises, they donated fuel for each team
and several more gallons for the raffle. These guys Rock! Their
other planes are T-34's and they know how to fly 'em.
Thanks for EVERYTHING guys!!
|
 |
This guy is practicing as though he's already in the air. |
 |
Team 7 - A hard luck story but that Stik made it to the
finish, not in one piece but it made it!
What was it guys? 3 crashes and a muffler that JB Weld couldn't cure?
|
 |
Teams Preparing For Launch, 3 minute intervals |
 |
Team 3 entered this beauty!
Plane was built for the Rally, a "gasser" with an 85oz
Cooking Oil Jug for a fuel tank duct taped to the fuselage. Cant see it
well from the picture but it was as "pretty" as you'd imagine.
Heard later on that day, all this plane needs is a toilet brush to be
complete.
|
 |
Here's Team 3 |
 |
Team "Foos" from Greeley |
 |
Team "Leonard" from Greeley. Three 24oz tanks in
the fuselage. |
 |
Team "Peck" from Sterling and Greeley. Three 24oz
tanks in the fuselage. |
 |
Team RC Enterprises travels in style. |
 |
3rd Place Finishers - Also winners of the
"Whiners" Plaque. Somehow they "missed" the turn to
the airfield and lost 11 minutes. Great guys though!
|
 |
2nd Place Finishers Team "Foos"
Well Done!
|
 |
1st Place Finishers Team "Leonard"
Nicely flown, only 30 points in deductions I believe.
|
 |
We've all landed, now the stories come to life! |
 |
No, wait one last plane... This Stik looked like it had been
ack acked to death. 3 seconds after this picture the landing gear
collapsed.
But they made it, cardboard, electrical tape, weeds and all!
Thanks guys!
|
 |
Waitin' on the grub! |
 |
Leonard won this plane donated by Things With Wings in
Greeley. He ran so fast with it, I never did see what kind of plane
it was.
Congratulations and Thanks to Things With Wings. |
 |
RC Enterprises from Commerce City very graciously donated 8
gallons of fuel for our raffle. Thank You for your fantastic contribution!
Oh and the RC stands for "Really Cool" sez so on their
label. And these guys are "really cool" |
 |
Oh man I blew it, I wrote this gentleman's name down and
lost the paper! He was a checkpoint timer and won this Macintosh Computer
donated by Sykes Enterprises in Sterling Colorado.
Thank you Sykes! |
It was a terrific day, Valley View hosted our landing and festivities in
grand fashion and we owe them a big thanks! A fun fly followed and then we went
back to the Sterling field for two more flights before dark, man what a way to
end a day!
Thanks to everyone who flew, drove, timed, cooked, planned, built, donated,
hauled, well you get the idea. Until next year!!!!
Previous Rally Pics
Return To SMAA Events
