Here you go folks. This is the official kick off for our 2017 HSF event. All nessesary event info and pilot info is on our site. Please register for a numbers count. You will have ample time to ask questions and sign up for the STOL Drags if qualified once you arrive on site. This years event is going to be big so please make certain you understand arrival information, traffic patters and radio freqs. See you soon!

http://www.stoldrag.com



AKT

Very nice event information on the website! I am overseas deployed right now and cannot make it. This says that the Fly-in is held on private property. Do you know if it is possible to land and camp at dead cow lake at other times of the year? Any way to receive permissions?

Also, I think it would be a good idea to post about camping facility's. Such as are there showers available. Just things campers would like to know to prepare for staying there.

Thanks Much

LownSlow

lownslow79 wrote:Very nice event information on the website! I am overseas deployed right now and cannot make it. This says that the Fly-in is held on private property. Do you know if it is possible to land and camp at dead cow lake at other times of the year? Any way to receive permissions?

Also, I think it would be a good idea to post about camping facility's. Such as are there showers available. Just things campers would like to know to prepare for staying there.

Thanks Much

LownSlow

No showers, no facilities. It's a dry lake bed and nothing else. If you want something better bring it with you!

I kind of figured on that. However the Event organizers cannot and should not focus just on the STOL event itself. For a large gathering, anybody planning a trip is going to be looking for information on accommodations, as to plan accordingly. Just my 2 cents. Looks like a nice event. Hope to visit one year, just not this year.

I couldn't make it last year but went in 2015 and there were at least 4 if not 6 porto potties brought in for the event and at least one had a hand wash station as well.

There is a hot spring pond a short plane flight away if you really felt the need to get wet but it's probably better to just bring some baby wipes to keep clean for a few days.

This is more of a self sufficient fly it in fly it out, bring your own water kind of event. Reno stead, truckee, and Reno Tahoe are a relatively short hop away if you need to get out to fuel, eat, etc.

Cellphone coverage was unreliable for me (one bar intermittently on Verizon) so I wouldn't depend on being able to make any calls.

The surface is desert dry earth and dry lakebed, so auger style tie downs work well as do other tie down systems. The wind never picked up in 2015 but it sure could.

Temperatures fluctuate from 40-80 ish in a 24 hour period so plan for that. Kevin stocks a massive amount of firewood and there is a bonfire every night.

There are lots of people from different places, different skill levels, and there's something for everyone. Kevin is a great host and this a unique and special event.

Hope that helps fill in some blanks if you're planning on attending this event someday. It's getting to be a very popular event so I'd make sure to get the latest info from Kevin on comm and traffic procedures so that everyone can have a safe and fun time.

This is dry camp in the middle of the high desert, so conditions can be extreme and you will need to be self contained and plan accordingly. Easy flight to Reno from there and you can camp at the Hilton if you are concerned about showers, accommodations, room service and such. Otherwise, this probably isn't gonna be your thing...

CFOT wrote:This is dry camp in the middle of the high desert, so conditions can be extreme and you will need to be self contained and plan accordingly. Easy flight to Reno from there and you can camp at the Hilton if you are concerned about showers, accommodations, room service and such. Otherwise, this probably isn't gonna be your thing...

Appreciate your snarky reply....certainly not needed.

Sorry, wasn't meant to be snarky. This is a fun event and can be enjoyed by everyone, but people need to know what they're getting into. And yes, some folks fly out and get a room for the night, it is a valid option and there is nothing wrong with that if sleeping in the sage brush isn't your thing.

CFOT wrote:Sorry, wasn't meant to be snarky. This is a fun event and can be enjoyed by everyone, but people need to know what they're getting into. And yes, some folks fly out and get a room for the night, it is a valid option and there is nothing wrong with that if sleeping in the sage brush isn't your thing.

No worries, Maybe I mistook your comment tone. I am a contractor who lives in man camps and am all too used to dealing with ate up, grumpy men, who like to be a pain in the ass to everyone around them.

Hopefully I will get up there next year. It's within reach of Las vegas and I may contact the owner to ask permission to land there some time when I get back to that side of the world.

- Lownslow

Darn, gonna miss this year. That week I'm in Portugal, on a six day bicycle tour of the Alentejo region.

My colorful hot rod 182 will miss beating up on all the skywagons.

Have fun and be safe y'all!

Pierre

PS Kevin, your STOL-DRAG race has made my plane a bit famous. I was at the Oshkosh seaplane base and a guy asks me if I had it on wheels last fall. I said yes. He said "I snapped a photo and sent it to my buddy back home because I like the paint job. My buddy said he's pretty sure he saw that plane race in the desert and it is one "sick" performer!"

Good thing I have two twenty-something sons, so I know that "sick" was a compliment!

one of the reasons i get real picky about which fly in or event I'm going to go to is how many are going and the experience of the flyers going... you can get a feel for these things by some of the posts and questions asked by people who aren't even going or may just show up...Kevin does a fantastic job of organizing this event and making it the great fly in it has become but like so many Johnson Creek fly ins I fear it's gotten too big for my criteria... that said,,,,, have a nice fly in .....

iceman wrote:one of the reasons i get real picky about which fly in or event I'm going to go to is how many are going and the experience of the flyers going... you can get a feel for these things by some of the posts and questions asked by people who aren't even going or may just show up...Kevin does a fantastic job of organizing this event and making it the great fly in it has become but like so many Johnson Creek fly ins I fear it's gotten too big for my criteria... that said,,,,, have a nice fly in .....

I went last year. Got there Wednesday morning and had to leave Friday morning. Was a great time. Yes there were a lot of folks. Everybody I talked to was really nice. I may or may not go this year as that depends on the salmon run on the Oregon Coast. I recommend it to you Butch.

Tim

Oh i have no doubt i would enjoy everyones company. Mostly great folks it just takes one or two who push the rules or do something stupid to ruin or spoil the event and the odds of that one or two attending go up substantially at a large fly in with so many new pilots and first timers

What is the GPS location of this event?

SDPilot wrote:What is the GPS location of this event?

N40.14/W119.91

We have a lot a really great companies joining us once again this year. Cub Crafters has stepped up their game big time. You will see quite a presence from them this year.

Airframes Alaska is once again giving away a set of tires, YOUR CHOICE!!!

We spent $5000 on fireworks yesterday. Your not gonna want to miss the show this year!

Currently working on a band and a beer tent.

Hope to see you soon!

Please make certain to register at:

www.stoldrag.com

Akt

Has anyone been out to Dead Cow since it rained last week?

Was out there on Saturday and Sunday . It's good to go .

Hi folks!

October is here and we are officially 3 weeks out from our 8th annual High Sierra Fly-in!! Please make certain read this entire email. Don't just scan over it.
This years gathering of backcountry aviators is setting up to be quite the show! We have pilots coming from Australia, Europe, Mexico, Great Britain and all points around the US.
I cannot begin to stress how important SAFETY is us. Its honestly the only thing that matters to me! Its paramount!!
As we draw near, many of you are asking questions. There is no such thing as a bad question, so please do ask away. You can also finds lot's of good beta on one of the social media forums about the fly in.


There are a lot of folks flying, some things to remember:
- Please read all of the necessary pilot informaiton on our web site at STOLDrag.com. I have also attached the pilot info here. You will see that our TRAFFIC PATTERN IS RIGHT TRAFFIC. This is not standard but we do have a reason for it.
- There are NO STRAIGHT IN APPROACHES TO THE LAKE BED. TPA is 4800" The lake bed is 4062'. FLY THE PATTERN ALTITUDE
- All traffic frequencies are posted on the pilot information sheet. Please do abide by them. Once you are within a 5 mile radius of the lake bed CTAF is 122.725
- We will have a full time ATC on the ground at the lake bed to help keep things in order for your safety.
- In the event you fly in during the races, you may be asked to hold until cleared to land.
- Use "Dead Cow Traffic" TPA is 4800" The lake bed is 4062'. FLY THE PATTERN ALTITUDE
- Additionally we if you are outside of that 5 mile radius area you can pick your on freq or use these depending upon your location
West of 360 &180 degrees use CTAF 123.45
East of 360 and 180 degrees use CTAF 123.40
- Please do not carry on long extended conversations on these. We have too many fliers that may need to communicate. Please keep it short and to the point.
- DO NOT USE YOUR N NUMBER FOR CALLING. USE TYPE AND COLOR!! That way pilots can look for and identify your aircraft.
- We hold Pilot safety briefings daily at 8am around the fire pit. Please make certain to attend and don't be late. This is your best way to find out about the days events, fly outs, etc. Listen for the air horn. You will know its time to attend the briefing. These are very important for our success.
-All aircraft should have props stopped once your within a 100' or more of the camp area. WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS RUNNING AROUND!!!! Help your fellow pilots move aircraft in and out of camp parking. This is critical!!!
- Thursday is the official start to HSF. Many of us will be there on Wednesday setting up. Thursday is an arrival day and fly out day for many of you looking to explore. There are a lot of options. You can learn more at the 8am briefing.

- THERE ARE MANY KIDS RUNNING AROUND. PLEASE BE ATTENTIVE TO THAT WHEN YOU ARE TAXING YOUR AIRCRAFT, DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE, MOTORCYCLE, 4X WHEELER, ETC!!! REMEMBER LITTLE PEOPLE ARE HARDER TO SEE AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOT'S OF THEM AGAIN AT THE FLY-IN.


STOL DRAG RACING
- Friday is a race day. We will be doing time trials, head to head racing for those that have never raced before and look to get there feet wet (so to speak). Its also a practice day. We need volunteers!!!
- We cannot promise that you will be racing on Saturday UNLESS you have an extremely unique (Brossard, Beaver, Wilga, Stearman etc. You get it) OR if you have a fast time on Friday. We just have too many folks wanting to race. Trust me when I say, I want everyone to get a chance to race but its starting to get serious and we need to find our champion. Current 2016 Champion Steve Henry is calling out all fliers. He and Cory Robin, the 2015 STOL Drag Champion are grandfathered into Saturdays Races. Bottom line, you need to be fast to run on Saturday.
- Rules and Mandatory Race meeting is 1030am both Friday and Saturday.
- Rod Elliot has once again made and incredible prize for the STOL Drag along with the CAVEMAN RANCH and CAVEMAN PROPELLERS. Just wait until you see the incredible prizes for the STOL Drag Champions this year.


CAMPING:
- Remember this a camping event. RV's, trailers, tents you name it. They will be here! We do have a 550g potable water tank this year and others are bringing in 50g drums of potable water for your use. Yes you should still plan on bringing in with you everything that you need (water included) but again we will have water available.
- It can get COLD at night! Dress properly. Last year we saw 19F over night and it got cold. Daytime temps are in the mid 60's to as high as low 80's if we are lucky. Odds are it will in the 20's at night and 60's in the day. Thats the norm. Sleeping needs to be warm so think about your kids at night.


PORTAPOTIES:
- We have a lot this year and they will be cleaned during the gathering. I your own TP!!! We also have wash racks


FOOD:
We have you covered for dinner on Saturday night and Sunday mornings breakfast! This gathering is very important to us. We do not create this to make money. Your generous donation allows us to continue. Last year we had a fair amount of folks that did not donate AND THATS OK however, in order to make certain we have enough food, those that have donated need to come and get a dinner and breakfast priority ticket. Its the only way to make certain that those of you who have donated get feed first. Even if its only a 1$ donation. The money truly does not matter to us. I hate this part because its not meant to single anyone out or make anyone more important than the other, we just need to make certain we have enough as our little gathering is growing leaps and bounds!
Upon arrival come find us at the Flying Cowboys / Air Response flags and RV camp area. That will also be headquarters for all of your additional needs such as clothing, information, raffle tickets, etc.
We have a big fireworks show planned for Saturday after dinner and after the big raffle. We have some great prize and once again Airframes Alaska has provided us with BW's of your choice. Additionally, we have more prizes than I could list here in one email so make certain you come by headquarters to get your tickets.
We also have a live band, Forget the Roses. They are a country rock root band that Im certain your going to enjoy.
We have a heated tent with beer. We are not selling the deer. Its FREE and again your donation is very much appreciated! We are not promoting drinking and flying so make sure your responsible!!! We are however promoting General Aviation and good times with like minded folks!


DRONE PILOTS:
Fly responsibly! Do not fly over or near the runway at anytime! Period. Campers are also not a big fan of drones flying over camps either however we do respect the idea of getting your shot to remember your experience. We recognize its part of it but again fly responsibly.


RC PILOTS:
This year we need to move you guys to fly at the south end of the field. We did have a few RCs get close to the approach end of the runway last year and that just cannot happen. We love having you with us but again we cannot afford to have a drone or RC get away from you as it could cause havoc. Thank you!
Make certain your kids go and see these folks as they have lots of goodies for the kids!


Paramotors:
You guys have the same landing area as last year. Between the runway and camp area. Fly responsibly and safe. Do not fly over the runway at anytime and stay well below the downwind traffic for obvious reasons.


DOGS:
Please leave your dog at home!!! I love spot but this is not the place for him unless you are a responsible pet owner and understand airplanes and dogs. Just please don't let them roam is all.

Clothing:
We have T Shirts and Hats this year. If you would like to purchase your T or hat in advance please send me an email through the paypal link on the STOLDrag.com site to order yours in advance. There you can order as many as you like and we will have them waiting for you upon arrival. No need to worry about wondering if they will be left. Do this ASAP as it will also help with our number count. We are placing the final order for T's on Monday the 2nd. In the event you order after we will still hold your shirt or hat, but again ordering soon will greatly help us get an accurate order.

Aircraft:

The lakebed can accommodate just about any type of aircraft. BRING YOUR TIE DOWNS!


Liability:
I have not invited any of you to attend. We have told the world that we are holding an awesome fly in and you are choosing to attend. By choosing to attend you are accepting ALL RISKS AND LIABILITY We are doing our part to ensure the safety of those that choose to attend but again YOU are responsible for all and any actions that you choose. This is the most important part of this letter. We cannot have an incident or this fly in will be over. You need to take on an exceptional level of risk by flying in to participate and police one another. Remember, this gathering is on PRIVATE PROPERTY. If your actions are found unacceptable, you will kindly (maybe not so kindly) be asked to leave. I stress we cannot have any loose cannons or incidents. Use the runway and fly the right traffic pattern at all times. NO EXCEPTIONS. USE YOUR RADIO. AVIATE AND COMMUNICATE!!! Everyone thanks you!


A big THANKS goes out to all of the Flying Cowboys, Air Response, Ross Parton, Tobe Smith, Carl Petron, John Whitish at www.CubCrafters.com , Richenda at AirFrames Alaska, Cory Robin, Johnny Walker, Tony @ TK1 Shock Monster, Jack at Man Wielding Fire, Peter Norman, Emmet Smith, Juan Browne, Stol Aircraft Magazine, backcountrypilot.org, supercub.organd so many more.


See you soon!
Kevin Quinn

The big show is an hour long this year! It’s gonna blow your mind...literally!

Rod and Hunter have made an incredible trophy for our Stol Drag Champion


Sneak peak at this years T shirt






Please make certain to read all of the details above. It’s a big year for us and safety is at the forefront of our concern!

Looking forward to seeing you in the desert!

AKT




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