Re: Hurricane Charlie and Lakeland

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
Richard RIley > wrote:

> The latest storm tracks show Charlie set to skim Pinellas County
> around noon tomorrow. That's not good news for Lakeland, since it
> will be hit by the north east corner of the storm. Lakeland will get
> the worst rain and winds.
>
> I'll have a candle lit for all the folks there.



All the planes on our ramp at Spruce Creek have either found hangars or
flown elsewhere. I presume that it is the same throughout Florida.

My fingers are crossed, as the eye appears to be heading our way,
although Charley will probabpy lose a lot of punch as it travels over
land.

[Clyde Torres]

"Orval Fairbairn" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Richard RIley > wrote:
>
> > The latest storm tracks show Charlie set to skim Pinellas County
> > around noon tomorrow. That's not good news for Lakeland, since it
> > will be hit by the north east corner of the storm. Lakeland will get
> > the worst rain and winds.
> >
> > I'll have a candle lit for all the folks there.
>
>
>
> All the planes on our ramp at Spruce Creek have either found hangars or
> flown elsewhere. I presume that it is the same throughout Florida.
>
> My fingers are crossed, as the eye appears to be heading our way,
> although Charley will probabpy lose a lot of punch as it travels over
> land.

I wouldn't bet on it, Orval. I'm looking at the TV and the storm is now
close to Haines City. It is still packing a big punch.

I'm glad all the airplanes at Spruce Creek are hangared or flown out. I
heard some airplanes got mangled in the Port Charlotte area.

The storm definitely took a turn toward the east, although it is still
within the projected path that they predicted.

CT

[Rich S.]

"Clyde Torres" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> I wouldn't bet on it, Orval. I'm looking at the TV and the storm is now
> close to Haines City. It is still packing a big punch.
>
> I'm glad all the airplanes at Spruce Creek are hangared or flown out. I
> heard some airplanes got mangled in the Port Charlotte area.

I sympathize with those who, for one reason or another, were unable to
protect their aircraft or to move them to a safe location

Looking at it in the light of reality, there will be engines and other
goodies available when the insurance companies put the scrap up for sale on
Barnstormers.com.

Rich "It's an ill wind that blows no good." S.

[RobertR237]

>Richard RIley > wrote:
>
>> The latest storm tracks show Charlie set to skim Pinellas County
>> around noon tomorrow. That's not good news for Lakeland, since it
>> will be hit by the north east corner of the storm. Lakeland will get
>> the worst rain and winds.
>>
>> I'll have a candle lit for all the folks there.
>
>
>
>All the planes on our ramp at Spruce Creek have either found hangars or
>flown elsewhere. I presume that it is the same throughout Florida.
>
>My fingers are crossed, as the eye appears to be heading our way,
>although Charley will probabpy lose a lot of punch as it travels over
>land.
>

Just saw the nightly news which showed one twin being picked up by the winds
and several other GA aircraft destroyed. Did not look good.


Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)

[Vaughn]

"Rich S." > wrote in message
...
> I sympathize with those who, for one reason or another, were unable to
> protect their aircraft or to move them to a safe location

Why? Those people generate insurance losses that cost us all money.
>
> Looking at it in the light of reality, there will be engines and other
> goodies available when the insurance companies put the scrap up for sale on
> Barnstormers.com.

And the insurance companies will make up for their loss with higher
premiums; a direct expense for owners, and additional costs to FBOs which will
immediately translate into higher rental rates for non-owners.

> Rich "It's an ill wind that blows no good." S.

You are right about that!

Vaughn

[bci]

One of the Tampa TV stations flew their helicoptor to Lakeland to get
it out of the storm. The 6:00 news has pictures taken from the
helicoptor which would indicate the airport may be in better shape
than the one in Punta Gorda, which is the location of awful pictures
you're seeing on national news.

Betsy

[bci]

Charley's damage..... The Lakeland airport is west of worst damage.

Clips from newspaper articles
-----------------------------------------------------

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040814/BREAKING/408140439

First light Saturday confirmed in jaw-dropping detail what Polk County
residents and rescue crews already suspected: Hurricane Charley left a
15-mile wide swath of often severe damage, stretching roughly from
Bartow to Frostproof and north through Haines City and the Four
Corners area.

Lake Wales appeared to endure the worst of the storm, which buffeted
parts of the county with 100 mph winds and killed at least two people,
according to police and public safety officials.
..........
The Lake Wales Municipal Airport was virtually "obliterated" by the
storm winds, sheriff's officials reported.

........
The Lakeland area was largely spared the worst of the storm, though
falling trees did cause damage to homes and vehicles. Several large
oaks fell in the area around Lake Hollingsworth.
------------------------------------------

Orlando Sentinal

Charley also flipped about 40 of the private planes parked at Orlando
Executive Airport, so damage estimates are likely to be in the
millions.

A large, vintage DC3 also lifted off from its moorings in the high
winds Friday night and plowed through two sets of metal airport
hangers filled with planes.

Kim Showalter, who with her husband, Bob, owns Showalter Flying
Service at the airport, said damage at the field was the worst since
the flying service started in 1945.

....
The Lake Wales Airport, famous for its skydiving facility, was
destroyed with most of its aluminum hangars blown across the site.


---------------------------------------

Palm Beach Post......

The Lake Wales Municipal Airport, southwest of the town, took one of
Charley's strongest punches in Polk County. All of the small airport's
hangars were badly damaged and will have to be destroyed and rebuilt.

The largest hangar, which belongs to the Florida Skydiving Center, had
its roof collapse. The group made seven jumps Friday before the storm
approached, then put the skydivers put their lone plane inside the
hangar. A gust of wind later pushed the plane several yards forward,
just before a ceiling beam fell to the floor, right where the plane
had been parked.

"The entire skydiving community will help us rebuild," said aircraft
mechanic and Lake Wales resident Tim Meyer.

Mark Gibson, who builds self-powered ultralight planes at the
airport, lost his main hangar as well. After surveying the damage,
which included several of the small aircraft that had been tossed
about by the strong winds before landing upsidedown or on their noses,
Gibson quardened off his hangar with a homemade sign: "No
Tresspassing, Insured by Smith and Wesson."

Betsy

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
"Clyde Torres" > wrote:

> "Orval Fairbairn" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > Richard RIley > wrote:
> >
> > > The latest storm tracks show Charlie set to skim Pinellas County
> > > around noon tomorrow. That's not good news for Lakeland, since it
> > > will be hit by the north east corner of the storm. Lakeland will get
> > > the worst rain and winds.
> > >
> > > I'll have a candle lit for all the folks there.
> >
> >
> >
> > All the planes on our ramp at Spruce Creek have either found hangars or
> > flown elsewhere. I presume that it is the same throughout Florida.
> >
> > My fingers are crossed, as the eye appears to be heading our way,
> > although Charley will probabpy lose a lot of punch as it travels over
> > land.
>
> I wouldn't bet on it, Orval. I'm looking at the TV and the storm is now
> close to Haines City. It is still packing a big punch.
>
> I'm glad all the airplanes at Spruce Creek are hangared or flown out. I
> heard some airplanes got mangled in the Port Charlotte area.
>
> The storm definitely took a turn toward the east, although it is still
> within the projected path that they predicted.

The eye passed directly overhead abpout 11:30 Friday night. AWOS
reported 90+kts at one point (until the power went off) My house just
regained power and phone about 2PM today. I lost about a half-dozen
shingles, a couple of broken tree branches and a couple of pushed-over
hibiscus bushes, My neighbors lost an oak tree and several broken oag
limbs. A few houses suffered demolished pool cages and damaged roofs --
mainly from trees. A lot of trees were downed -- mostly diseased trees
-- one fell atop a man's new Ford Mustang, which is now toast!

Two planes remaind tied down outside, but they faced into the wind and
appeared (from a distance) to be undamaged.

The news from other airports is not so good, although I have no
first-hand knowledge (yet).

[Darrel Toepfer]

Orval Fairbairn wrote:

> Two planes remaind tied down outside, but they faced into the wind and
> appeared (from a distance) to be undamaged.
>
> The news from other airports is not so good, although I have no
> first-hand knowledge (yet).

Glad to read of another that faired well... Links from a friend in Palm
Beach, The PB Post has links to 100+ storm related photos:

Port Charlotte airport:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/24.html

Ultralight No Tresspassing - Smith & Wesson:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos2/99.html

Another gun owner:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/32.html

Displaced Manatee - Toto, We're Not in the Gulf Anymore
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/35.html

Charlotte airplane:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/47.html

Lake Wales Skydiving center:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos2/98.html

Arcadia airplane:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/14.html
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/15.html

This building was built a few years ago as a shelter for storms:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/16.html

Welcome to Arcadia
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/6.html

[Andy Asberry]

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 13:52:25 -0700, Richard RIley
> wrote:

>The latest storm tracks show Charlie set to skim Pinellas County
>around noon tomorrow. That's not good news for Lakeland, since it
>will be hit by the north east corner of the storm. Lakeland will get
>the worst rain and winds.
>
>I'll have a candle lit for all the folks there.

I don't live near the coast but this is something I've wondered about
for years.

A hurricane is not like a freak tornado or hail storm. We have been
tracking this thing since its birth. Why do owners not move their air
worthy aircraft out of the path or at least farther inland where the
winds are likely to be less damaging? Almost any plane could reach
safety in 3 or 4 hours. To a lesser extent, same question for boats.

It just makes sense to me to get off the track when you can see the
train coming.

[Matt Whiting]

Andy Asberry wrote:

> On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 13:52:25 -0700, Richard RIley
> > wrote:
>
>
>>The latest storm tracks show Charlie set to skim Pinellas County
>>around noon tomorrow. That's not good news for Lakeland, since it
>>will be hit by the north east corner of the storm. Lakeland will get
>>the worst rain and winds.
>>
>>I'll have a candle lit for all the folks there.
>
>
> I don't live near the coast but this is something I've wondered about
> for years.
>
> A hurricane is not like a freak tornado or hail storm. We have been
> tracking this thing since its birth. Why do owners not move their air
> worthy aircraft out of the path or at least farther inland where the
> winds are likely to be less damaging? Almost any plane could reach
> safety in 3 or 4 hours. To a lesser extent, same question for boats.

Could it be that said airplane owners are busy moving their families to
safety?


Matt

[nooneimportant]

I'm attending one of the major flight schools down in FL, not too far from
Charley's Path, as it was all i saw was rain, not even much wind, nevermind
just 50 miles away it was raining destruction. They decided not to evacuate
our aircraft primarilly cus there wasn't really a place to take them! Bonnie
had torn across the panhandle area/northern peninsula, and there was still
significant convective activity in her wake, not exactly something you want
to fly through. We were already on the opposite side of the peninsula as
the landfall, moving inland would have meant moving to a higher risk area.
Now lets consider what's going on with the family. Is it more important to
move a replacable airplane hundreds of miles away, possibly leaving your
family behind to face the storm on their own, or is it more important to
Board up your windows, secure your home as best as you can, get your family
to safety, and somewhere along the lines find 15 miniutes to run to the
airport and do the best you can to secure the plane? I for one put my
priority on the family then the airplane. Sadly its a nasty choice to make,
cus most insurance companies will NOT cover damage induced by a hurricane,
so if the airplane is trashed, and they still owe 100k on it they are
literally screwed. On the other hand the airplane is a lot easier to
replace than a dead spouse or child that you left behind and didn't
adequately protect.

Now while i sit safely in my premanufactured apartment building wondering
weather it will meet the same fate as those buildings down in Punta, I have
to wonder why peopel are still allowed to buy mobile homes down here,
figured Hurricane Andrew would have taught enough lessons about that.
Surely there is some way to creat cheap housing that won't blow itself to
bits when the wind gets nasty.




"Andy Asberry" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 13:52:25 -0700, Richard RIley
> > wrote:
>
> >The latest storm tracks show Charlie set to skim Pinellas County
> >around noon tomorrow. That's not good news for Lakeland, since it
> >will be hit by the north east corner of the storm. Lakeland will get
> >the worst rain and winds.
> >
> >I'll have a candle lit for all the folks there.
>
> I don't live near the coast but this is something I've wondered about
> for years.
>
> A hurricane is not like a freak tornado or hail storm. We have been
> tracking this thing since its birth. Why do owners not move their air
> worthy aircraft out of the path or at least farther inland where the
> winds are likely to be less damaging? Almost any plane could reach
> safety in 3 or 4 hours. To a lesser extent, same question for boats.
>
> It just makes sense to me to get off the track when you can see the
> train coming.

[Pete]

Has anyone heard if there was any damage at Lakeland, and if yes, how
severe?

Cheers & thanks,
Pete

"Rich S." > wrote in message
...
> "Clyde Torres" > wrote in message
> . ..
> >
> > I wouldn't bet on it, Orval. I'm looking at the TV and the storm is now
> > close to Haines City. It is still packing a big punch.
> >
> > I'm glad all the airplanes at Spruce Creek are hangared or flown out. I
> > heard some airplanes got mangled in the Port Charlotte area.
>
> I sympathize with those who, for one reason or another, were unable to
> protect their aircraft or to move them to a safe location
>
> Looking at it in the light of reality, there will be engines and other
> goodies available when the insurance companies put the scrap up for sale
on
> Barnstormers.com.
>
> Rich "It's an ill wind that blows no good." S.
>
>