It’s that time again! You are cordially invited to our 2023 Washington Seaplane Pilots Association (WSPA) annual splash-in at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base on Priest Lake.
Situated in lovely Cavanaugh Bay, our gathering will be held once again at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base (D28), home to Loel and Olson Fenwick. The base features docks, beach, and ramp space for both straight floats and amphibious aircraft - and, the recent addition of a new “pick up” float truck makes ramping easy for pilots on straight floats. For aviators on wheels, the Cavanaugh Bay Airstrip (66S) is located next door. Accommodations at both the airstrip and seaplane base include camping with restroom facilities. Since most of you will be camping, we encourage you to bring warm clothes for the evening hours. A headlamp will be helpful when traveling between venues and on site after dark.
We have historically had a great response to the event and anticipate this year the best turn out yet! For those who have attended in the past, we look forward to seeing all of you again. This year, we are charging $120 per person for members and their guests, and $135 for non-members and their guests. The fee includes camping, an event t-shirt, and all meals throughout the weekend.
Event Sponsor
We are pleased to announce that Aerocet is our event sponsor once again this year. Their sponsorship helps to cover the cost of event t-shirts, ice, the event banner, and event support staff, among other things. If you come across their folks during the weekend, please extend your thank you for their efforts and commitment to our organization and this event.
Event Details
This event brings seaplane pilots from all over the Pacific Northwest! Arrivals begin at noon on Friday and departures wrap up around noon on Sunday. Throughout the weekend, we have a dedicated air boss and volunteer wing walkers available to coordinate arrivals and ensure a safe and incident-free ramping experience.
As an attendee, you will be required to execute two agreements pertaining to the event: The first is the “Agreement to Assume Risk of Injury and Release of Claims.” The second includes the WSPA “Waiver of Liability.” Registrants can access these documents online by clicking this link, or scanning the QR code below:
We ask that you complete the waivers before arriving at Tanglefoot. All pilots and their guests must have signed them in order to attend. If you incur any challenges accessing the documents, we will have iPads available on site to help you through the process.
The Washington Seaplane Pilots Association (WSPA) will be providing meals throughout the weekend. Dinner on Friday and Saturday nights will be catered by Millie’s on Priest Lake. Friday evening will include burgers and brats with sides and dessert, and Saturday will include pulled pork and chicken sandwiches with salads, sides and dessert. Breakfast Saturday and Sunday will consist of a number of usual breakfast foods, including freshly cooked eggs, pancakes, and sausage, cooked by your Board of Directors!
Special Guests and VIPs
Friday evening, WSPA Board Secretary, Don Goodman, will deliver an illustrative presentation highlighting an ambitious single-day trip throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Saturday morning will feature a safety seminar, and a safety briefing regarding our splash-out to Mosquito Bay for lunch.
We are excited to announce our keynote presentation Saturday evening will be delivered by Tom Hamilton, Founder and President of Aerocet. Tom has a long history of innovation in aviation as past co-founder at Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft and is a leader in the aviation industry. The theme of his talk will be, “What works - Float designs to plane designs.”
Finally, we would like to thank Olson and Loel Fenwick for the gracious opportunity to once again utilize their private residence and grounds for this fly-in. This is truly a unique spot on earth and to show our appreciation, we would encourage you to practice “Leave No Trace” camping and respect for their personal property.
Arriving and Departing
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Arrival and departure frequency: Cavanaugh Bay Area Traffic Unicom 122.9.
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Once on the water, 122.9 for mooring and ramping instructions.
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Please practice safe piloting.
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Please land outside the water buoys around Blue Diamond Marina, which is just north of D28.
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Upon departure, please reduce RPM’s for noise abatement.
Volunteers Needed
No doubt some of you will be drafted or may just be inclined to help with meals and cleanup, which will be sincerely appreciated. For information on how you can help out, please contact Don Goodman, (360) 303-7076 or donaldjg56@gmail.com.
See you Soon!
This should be a fun event and we look forward to seeing all of you. If for any reason you encounter difficulty in getting to the splash-in or have a change of plans, kindly notify Amy Fenwick (562) 508-7939 or amykfenwick@gmail.com.
Agenda
Friday, June 23rd
12:00 PM Noon-to-sunset arrival (sunset is set for approximately 21:10)
6:00 PM Social hour and grill out to follow
7:00 PM "Water flying to all 39 Counties in Washington State" - Don Goodman
Saturday, June 24th
7:30 AM Breakfast at the hangar (provided)
8:30 AM Safety Seminar: "Surviving a Seaplane Accident/Incident" - Chris Popov, FAA Safety Team Representative. Note: WINGS Credit will be available. Register online in advance of the meeting and be sure to sign in at the event.
9:15 AM Mandatory Pilot Safety Briefing - Splash-out to Mosquito Bay, review of ground operations and procedures for marshaling aircraft to launch (Stuart Fenwick, Jack Jacobson)
10:30 AM Build your own sandwich and snacks (we supply the fixings)
11:00 AM Fly-out to Mosquito Bay on NE Priest Lake
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Lunch at fly-out location
4:00 PM Hosted social hour at the Fenwick residence
4:30 PM Loel & Olson Fenwick - Welcome to Tanglefoot
5:30 PM Dinner (smoked pork and chicken with sides and dessert) at the hangar
7:00 PM Keynote Speaker: Tom Hamilton, Aerocet, Inc. “What works - Float designs to plane designs.” Introduction by Matt Sigfrinius of Aerocet.
Sunday, June 25th
8:00 AM Breakfast will be provided at the hangar with sandwich fixings for your trip home. Departure at your convenience.
