December 2017 All Hands Meeting - Happy Holidays!

Mingling before the meeting starts. Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello.

By 1st Lt Karin Hollerbach. Photos as noted. 

Members (from L to R: 1st Lt Chavez, SM Binninger, 1st Lt Fall,
SM Jones, 2d Lt Sharma) and guests before the meeting.
Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello. 

New member, SM Binninger.
Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello

A warm welcome to our two new squadron members: SM Binninger (new to CAP) and 1st Lt Ettingoff (transferring from Virginia Wing).

Squadron Monthly Recap

November was a relatively quiet month in terms of missions, but we did have one ELT mission in Stockton, with Maj Michelogiannakis (MP), Capt Hayes (MRO), 1st Lt Choate (MO) and 1st Lt Devine (UDF) participating. Congratulations to Lt Devine for his first Find in this mission!

On 8 November, the 129th Rescue Wing invited cadets and Group 2 CAP members to participate in orientation rides. Thanks to Capt Warmkessel (Watsonville) for organizing this event on our side. Participating from our squadron were Lt Col Tinnirello, Lt Col Glenn, Capt Gast, 1st Lt Hollerbach, 2d Lt Campbell, SM Jones, and SM Rainville.   This was my first ever ride in a helicopter, and I think I’m now really spoiled!  That was a lot of fun, especially with being able to ride with the side doors open the entire time and getting a whole new (and windy) perspective on flying! On our tour of the Bay, we also got awesome views of landmarks including the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Embarcadero, and SFO.

Lt Devine (L) receiving a ribbon for this Find from
Capt Hayes (R). Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello.

Lt Hollerbach (L) and Lt Kraus (R) discussing the finer
points of flying. Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello.

On 2 December, we had a Group 2 Flight Clinic, with Squadron 188 participants including Maj Blank, Maj Ironfield, and Maj Michelogiannakis serving as instructors, and Capt Brown, Capt Fenolio, 1st Lt Hollerbach, and 1st Lt Kraus as trainees. Click here for more info on this fun and very educational event.

On 17-19 November, many of our squadron members traveled to Ontario CA to attend the CAWG Educational Conference. Click here for more info.

Waiting for the meeting to start. Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello.

1st Lt Roberts (foreground).
Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello.

Members and guests at the holiday party after the business part of the
meeting. Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello. 

Members and guests at the holiday party after the business part of the
meeting. Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello. 

I Know About This: Better Pilot Series – Personal Minimums

Lt Choate on Personal Minimums. Photo by 2d Lt Roudnev. 

1st Lt Choate presented the current installment of this series, talking about personal minimums – inspired in part by last month’s SAREX at KLVK, in which we had unusual weather for California. This prompted Lt Choate to think further about different types of minimums related to weather and other factors, such as:

• Visibility
• Straight-in vs circling to a runway
• Winds and crosswinds
• Fuel reservers
• Altitude
• Recency and experience
• Familiarity with equipment
• Familiarity with an airport
• Takeoff and landing runway length
• Etc.

As a reminder to all CAP pilots: in some cases CAP minimums are more conservative than FAA ones. Every pilot needs personal minimums – what are yours?

How often do you revisit and revise (up or down) yours?  And you do make your revisions while you are on the ground, and NOT while you are out flying, right?!

New Regs

Maj Michelogiannakis on 70-1. Photo by 2d Lt Roudnev.

New regulations – everyone’s favorite topic!  Remember, the goal of our new regs is to increase safety.

Maj Michelogiannakis went through highlights of the new requirements, many of which include changes to the flight release process as well as qualifications for flight release officers. Please read the regulations in their entirety, as they are now in effect!  Also, we can expect a new California Wing supplement to come out in the next weeks/months.


Upcoming Events

Please join other CAP members at the Saturday 16 December Wreaths Across America event. The ceremony begins promptly at 9 AM, at the Golden Gate National Cemetery.  This is part of a national event, taking place simultaneously at national cemeteries throughout the country, to honor our fallen veterans. Click here for descriptions of the event from past years or click here for information about the Wreaths Across America organization.

Maj Fridell, photo by
Lt Col Tinnirello

The squadron will be dark for the rest of the year’s Tuesdays. The next All Hands meeting will be on Tuesday 2 January 2018.   Enjoy safe and peaceful holidays between now and then.

Mark your calendars: on 30 January 2018, the “5th Tuesday” in January, we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Squadron 188’s CAP Charter!

Congratulations to the following members for their awards, promotions and renewed or new ES ratings:

• Maj Fridell: Command Pilot: 2000+ hrs PIC + 5yrs as CAP Pilot; Red Service Ribbon (10 years)
• Maj DeFord completed Senior Operations Specialty Track
• Maj Michelogiannakis: renewed AOBD
• Capt Rivas: renewed F5
• Capt Stevulak: Red Service Ribbon (5 years)
• 1st Lt Choate: renewed F5 
• 1st Lt Devine: completed UDF and received a Find Ribbon (see above)
• 1st Lt Roberts Senior Safety Specialty Track
• 2d Lt Sharma’s promotion (from SM to 2d Lt)
• SM Jones: completed MS rating 
• SM Rainville: completed MS rating
• SM Binninger: Membership Ribbon for completion of Level I



2d Lt Sharma (2d L) being assisted with his new Lieutenant's
epaulets by family members and Capt Hayes (R).
Photo by 2d Lt Roudnev. 

• SM Mello: Membership Ribbon for completion of Level I

Happy holidays to all! Photo by Lt Col Tinnirello