Friday, August 10, 2007 - Aerobatics Ace Mike Rinker to Speak

Aerobatics Ace Mike Rinker Explains Why He Does It

    Today, Rotarians welcome Mike Rinker—to take us into the Wide Blue Yonder and talk about G-Forces, Loops and Whirls, vintage aircraft and the craziness behind his fondest hobby—Aerobatics.
    More specifically, Mike will talk about a recent trip to Grenada, Spain, where he took part in the 24th World Aerobatic Championships. The U.S. team finished 4th overall. Mike finished 19th overall in the world and 16th in the men’s standings out of 51 total pilots representing 12 countries.
   Mike began flying in 1984 and became Bill Eliott’s corporate pilot in 1987. Mike got the aerobatics bug by flying with Bill in a Belanca Citabria doing some basic stunts.  In 2002, Mike purchased a Pitts S2B and started competing 8in regional and national competitions.  He purchased his own Sukhoi in 2003.  Last weekend, Mike performed during Opening Ceremonies for the Babe Ruth Southeast Regional Tournament.

Coach Jason Simpson Previews UTM Season

  Next week, Rotarians greet second-year UTM Skyhawks football coach Jason Simpson, whose team posted a 9-3 record last year and won the OVC Regular Season Championship and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament. For the first time since 1989, the Skyhawks found themselves in the national polls. Coach Simpson finished fourth in the annual voting for the Eddie Robinson Award as the nation’s best coach.
   The Skyhawks open the 2007 season Sept 1at Hattiesburg, MS, against #24 Southern Mississippi, picked to win the Eastern Division of Conference USA.  The Skyhawks are rated as high as 17th in national preseason polls.  OVC coaches have picked UTM to finish third with five players--Don Chapman, Jessie Burton, Billy Krause, Adam Hansen and Nate Watson—selected preseason All-OVC.  2007 promises to be another exciting year at UTM!

Exchange Students Visit Rotary

     Last  week, Rotary Exchange Students Rachel Triplett and Julia Schulz discussed their recent trips to Germany and America.    
     The program began with Rotarian Bob Regen discussing the 13-Year Old Babe Ruth Southeast Regional Tournament, which started in Union City last Friday and ended Tuesday night with North Florida crowned as regional champs.  The team from Tallahassee will represent the Southeast in the Babe Ruth World Series in Virginia starting next week. 
     As for the Exchange Students, Rachel Triplett spoke first about her five week trip to Germany.  Julia offered commentary as a series of photographs from her trip were displayed, including the original Romeo and Juliet balcony, the Alps, a piece of the Berlin Wall, Point Alpha (a place U.S. troops stayed while in Germany), German salt mines and castles, and an underground concert hall. 
     “I had a wonderful time and want to thank your club very much for this wonderful opportunity,” Julia said. She was joined on her visit to Rotary by her parents, Teri and Dr. Jeff Triplett.
     Julia amused Rotarians when she started her Show and Tell with a photo from the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg. From Tennessee, Julia’s travels in America included a trip to Destin, Florida, some time on the beach, a visit to the Hard Rock Café and dancing to the YMCA.  Of course, Julia couldn’t come to Tennessee without making a special pilgrimage to Memphis and Graceland, the home of the Elvis Presley.  She also visited the Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis and trips to Reelfoot Lake and Kentucky Lake. 

Coming Attractions

8/24        UCHS Football Coach Jimmy Fishel
8/31        Bill Lawrence—Pre History and Archeology of Reelfoot Lake
9/7          TBA
9/14        Congressman John Tanner
9/21        Dr. Shirley Raines—President of the University of Memphis & Former
                 President of Memphis Chamber of Commerce
 

 Happy Birthdays

8/11        Scott Critchlow
8/11        Dwight Phillips
8/13        Matt Goodrich
8/15        Richard Davidson
8/15        James David Kendall

  Happy Anniversaries

8/12        Roger and Juli Williams
8/16        Richard and Cherri Davidson
8/16        Barry and Janet Keathley

Aerobatics:  The demonstration of flying maneuvers for recreation or entertainment.

    Many aerobatic maneuvers involve rotation of the aircraft about its longtitudinal axis (rolling) or the pitch axis (looping).  Some complex maneuvers, such as a spin, also require that the aircraft be displaced around a vertical axis, known as yawing.  Maneuvers are often combined which demands a higher level of skill from the pilot, but greatly increases the spectacle of an aerobatic flight sequence.

Optimist / Pessimist

The optimist invented the airplane. 
The pessimist invented the parachute!

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