American West Coast Pulsejet Meet, April 30

[Mike Everman]

OK, don't have a date yet, but want to meet in central California sometime soon for a long weekend of running engines. Should be big fun. Bill Hinote, Chris (resosys) Brick and I make it three so far.

Any takers?

[Dave]

Mike
What would be the closest commercial airport to where you plan to meet? Sometimes it is cheaper to fly to the west coast than it is to fly half way across NY state. Just let me know where and approximately when and I will see what rates are out there. Besides it would be nice to see the sun while being beaten senseless by high level pulse jet emissions.
Dave

[hinote]

Mike
What would be the closest commercial airport to where you plan to meet? Sometimes it is cheaper to fly to the west coast than it is to fly half way across NY state. Just let me know where and approximately when and I will see what rates are out there. Besides it would be nice to see the sun while being beaten senseless by high level pulse jet emissions.
Dave

I'm still hoping to have access to the small airport at Avenal, CA. It's off Interstate 5 about 10 miles, 1/2-way between San Fancisco and Los Angeles. Mike, I'll confirm the availability this weekend.

Check the rates into San Jose Airport--they're probably the cheapest, and if you rent a car the 2-hour drive isnt too bad.

Closer airports for commercial flights are at Fresno, and Bakersfield--but the airline cost will probably be much higher.

I'll be bringing my mini-Escopeta (see the post "SCCA Meet"), and the thrust stand I've built.

Bill H.
Acoustic Propulsion Concepts

".......some day soon we'll be flying airplanes powered by pulsejets."

[Bruno Ogorelec]

Do set a date, please. Getting there from Europe takes some planning.

[Mike Everman]

Ah, Bruno, don't toy with me! If you do make the journey, you and your wife (if she tags along) can stay at my house at the front and back end of the trip, and you can have a spot in my spacious camper at the meet. Hmmm? Could cost you only airfare and grub. Same offer goes for you, too Dave Long, or the canucks, or any euro's that can stand me.

[Bruno Ogorelec]

Mike, thanks! Big of you to offer this. You're a bit far away and travel will probably turn out to be expensive (I wish I were a travel agent still -- I used to have 75-percent discount on airfares!) and business has not been brilliant of late etc. etc. -- but there's a tiny possibility I might up and do it. Alone. My wife says she'd be bored silly. She's probably right. If you can arrange to have Tom Cruise around, she might reconsider, though. I'll go check airfares to san Jose now. Are you talking of an April date or what? I probably won't be able to come for one reason or another, but I have to try. Damn, I have to disappear for a few days somewhere or my head will explode; might as well be California.

[Mike Everman]

Round trip Zagreb to Los Angeles: $1,303. Not too bad. Window or aisle?

[Anthony]

Oh how would I like to be there, as a spectator but still!

However, that's too costly for my poor self... Heck if I'd have enough "spare" money I'd get metal-working equipment first!

[mk]

Oh, yeah. Please send a/the possible date/s and I'll see wheter I can leave "Fort Europe" the first time in my life.
I really plan to do some kind of trip between end of civil service (next week) and the beginning of studying physics (end of September). Well, my budget isn't too high, but spending some of the bugs I saved shouldn't be wrong, should it? But I don't/cannot promise anything here.

[Mike Everman]

Oh that would be so cool if you could come, Marten, and sorry you can't, Ant'ny. My camper can probably sleep 6. LOL I've got extra tents and bags, too.

Marten, if you decide to come, you can ship any engines you want to run to my business... in fact anyone on a tight budget can camp at my offices before and after the meet, so you just need to get here.

Bill and I are checking into the weekend of the 30th of April. So far, looks a "go". It's at a small rural airport. Bill can describe it, I know little other than it's 2.5 hrs away from me, and they won't mind the noise.

We're planning to have full thrust stand capability, low and high, video, hi-fi sound recording, TIG and gas welding equipment, and I have the use of a machine shop only an hour away for emergency repairs.

[Mike Kirney]

Poor Bruno! Last time I looked, YOW to LAX was $130 CDN one way. Flights originating from YYZ are probably the same or maybe even cheaper.

[milisavljevic]

Hello Marten:

If you are thinking about attending the 'Big Show', then so will I! You can not make m&m's, if you only have one 'mk' at hand!

Here is my deal: if you can reach any of the following airports, then I will greet you there, transport you to and from the meet, and then deliver you back to that airport in time for your return flight. It is best, if you plan to take Mike Everman up on his generous offering of lodgings; if needed, I can cover the cost of your meals, unless you are the German equivalent of a sumo wrestler! This means that you only need to make your airfare; the list of airports that I am providing will help you find the lowest price.

Speaking of airports, here is the list:
Vancouver, BC
Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
San Francisco, CA
Oakland, CA
San Jose, CA

My preferences are Vancouver and San Jose; however, you may find lower fares flying into one of the other airports. If you have not already noticed, all of these airports lay in a (reasonably) straight line along the west coast. I have to drive past all of these cities whenever I travel down to the San Jose area on business; it is not too much trouble for me to rescue you from any of these locations.

And to Mikhail, aka nanosoft: I know that you are not able to attend; nonetheless, I am also extending my offer to you. I can easily reach your town, and meet your parents: they can see for themselves that I am a perfectly normal human being; and drive you to and from the 'Big Show' down south.

Post here, if your folks are willing to consider my offer. In any event, keep up your fantastic efforts with pulsejet engines, and computer graphics. You have a lot of talent!

Best regards,
M.

PS: For those of you who have just wet your panties, and you know who you are, have no fears! I am not returning to roost in, under, or over, 'the cuckoo's nest'. Consider this a small 'drive by fruiting'. All greybeards may return to their knitting now.

Coordinates for Avenal airport, a haven for sailplanes: latitude 36° 00.23' N; longitude 120° 08.53' W; elevation 788', 240 m.

[Anthony]

OK, I just looked at the prices, for fun.

With Air Canada, in the month of April (for myself), from YQB to LAX through YYZ, return from LAX through YUL to CYQB.

Total : 631$ CAD with taxes, flying on Dash 8, Airbus A319 and A320, or 534$ if I take off from Montreal (then, add a couple bucks for the bus)

With United Airlines, the lowest I got was 505$ USD from Montreal...

[Mike Everman]

Knit one, pearl two, damn, gotta change my Depends.

[Mike Kirney]

Anthony, what about Jazz or Tango? Their fares are usually half the price of Air Canada, even though they are all really the same company. Greyhound usually offers a $68 anywhere-to-anywhere special during the summertime. If the meet happens then, you could hitchhike down to Plattsburgh or Albany NY and hop the bus there for $68 then a mere 80 hours later you can step off in Los Angeles. Sadly, that special rate is not valid for cross-border travel.