By STAN KASPRZYK

FlightLog Archive

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Aircraft Flown

Bremerton 2024 Formation Clinic - Aug 2024

The Bremerton Formation Clinic for 2024 was plagued by abnormally cool and wet August conditions, which provided lots of opportunities for quality ground training, but less than normal formation flying opportunities. Weather precluded three Navions from joining the clinic from California, and kept a T-28 from eastern Washington away. Even so, a number of good formation flights did occur that provided excellent practice and proficiency flying, including some first-time formation training in the mix.

Four Canadian Nanchangs arrived early on Thursday, allowing me to join them for a late afternoon lead practice flight in Tom 'Chox' Spreen's Nanchang C-FXMI before the weather turned. Once the weather cleared mid-day on Saturday, I instructed with Eric Johnson in his Navion from California, providing lead for another new visitor to the formation clinic, Trent Hendricks in his Varga Kacina. On Sunday morning, I led a flight in my Warrior with Kirstan Norris in my left seat and Trent Hendricks getting more wingman flight training in his Kachina. The Canadian Nanchangs had an eventful four-ship on Saturday, and were led by Roger Collins in his Navion for a 5-ship departure flyby on Sunday back to Victoria.

One ground highlight of the formation clinic was our Callsign Naming event, bestowing new (or changed) callsigns on those who displayed amazing skill and bravery (or was it buffoonery?) during the weekend's flying events. It was a rare all-Canadian event, awarding callsigns for Brodie Winkler - Chokin', Chris Walker - GITFO, Dave Gagliardi - POMO, and Brian Youmans - GUMP. You'll have to get specifics for the callsigns (or changed callsigns) from each of the honorees themselves, or over a round with the other attendees!

Thanks again to Roger Collins for the use of his hangar and facilities at Bremerton, and to Dave 'Prancer' Desmon and John 'Smokey' Johnson for clinic setup and coordination, Bob 'Baddest' Stoney and Dean 'Frito' Friedt for excellent ground instruction, and Colleen Hale for outstanding meal presentations.