From the Left Seat, August 2026

GACE Board Update — August 2026

Destination Report: Jaffrey / Silver Ranch (KAFN), New Hampshire

Recently, club pilot Jeff McArthur flew to Jaffrey / Silver Ranch Airport (KAFN) in New Hampshire.

Field data

Item	Detail
Elevation	1,040 ft
TPA	2,040 ft
Runways	16/34 (sloping chevron apron on 34)
Taxi	No taxiway. Self-announce when taxiing on the runway after landing and before departure.

Frequencies / facilities

Facility	Frequency
ASOS	135.875
CTAF	122.8
Boston Center	123.75

Fuel note: Before departing for AFN, read the comments in ForeFlight. Flight time is roughly 1:20 to 1:30. Lean properly to manage fuel flow, as AFN may restrict fuel purchases (the field is served by a single 300-gallon fuel truck). Call 603-532-8870 to confirm availability.

On the ground

After landing, we parked opposite the Quonset hut, signed in, and started the short walk to Kimball Farm. Follow the painted ice cream cones along the walkway to the farm; on the return walk, follow the painted biplanes. The farm has a café with a varied menu, as does the attached ice cream factory.

The parking lot is a local meeting place for farm tractor shows, antique and classic car shows, and Harley-Davidson motorcycle events. This is a country stop that many club pilots will enjoy.

Destination Report: Chatham, MA (KCQX)

Club pilot Frank Erbio reports on Chatham Municipal Airport (KCQX).

Item	Detail
Elevation	64 ft
TPA	1,064 ft
ASOS	135.875
CTAF	122.8
Boston Approach	118.2

Frank found Chatham a pleasant place to tour. The airport also has an outstanding restaurant on the field.

The comments section notes that bicycles are available to borrow, so riders can take on the Old Colony Rail Trail. If any club member rides the trail, please send Andrew the photos.

Fleet and Maintenance

The 2026 flying season was a rough one because of ongoing maintenance timing issues:

• 28E’s paint job was repeatedly delayed by the paint shop.
• 12S’s remanufactured engine arrived later than the manufacturer’s quoted delivery date.
• 12S also required a 50-hour break-in, which has recently been completed.

The club’s maintenance team

• Bob Schellberg: orders parts and consults on maintenance issues.
• Roy Mathews (A&P, IA): recently completed extensive troubleshooting on 28E’s alternator, regulator, and plug-in harness, and installed the new LED beacon light.

Next up for 12S: an oil change and a new LED beacon light.

These jobs are assisted by Tom Keller and former club treasurer Joe Leonard, with scheduling by Warren Miller.

GACE is fortunate to have a maintenance team willing to fly to airports without facilities, including:

• Block Island (prop strike)
• Goodspeed (starter replacement on 12S)

These efforts save the club approximately $10,000 annually in labor and downtime.

The club also thanks the volunteer pilots who flew cross-country break-in missions to get 12S back on line sooner.

Hourly Rate Review

Finally, the board has been asked to research a potential reduction in our hourly flight rate in light of a challenging economy. The board agrees with the request and is currently reviewing our options, including:

• upcoming insurance rates
• current market rental rates

Once these figures are available, a decision will be made and members will be notified.