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Tehachapi Skywatch: George Sandy - A Tehachapi Aviation Cornerstone
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Posted by editor Wed Nov 30, -0001 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments To date, most of this column has been devoted to astronomy. However, it is intended to encompass all of aerospace. In the coming year, I'll be including more on aviation, particularly highlighting those citizens who make aviation an important part of our community.

George T. Sandy started an aerial photography business, Aerial Eye, Inc., at the Tehachapi Municipal Airport in 1970. That means he's still in business after 36 years, which is a long time for a successful business these days. Using his specially-equipped Cessna 177RG, he takes breathtaking photographs of the ground from the air, including a recent one of Tehachapi. He owns three hangers at the airport, the largest of which contains several aircraft, including a vintage Ryan military trainer, a Republic Seabee flying boat that he's restoring, and a one-man helicopter — of which there are only three known to exist — that he intends to restore and donate to a museum. His hanger also shelters a vintage boat and a Ford Model T, both meticulously restored. He loves sharing his treasures with others and opens his hanger to the public at least twenty times a year.

Sandy is currently president of the Tehachapi Society of Pilots and is active in the continuing development of the Tehachapi Airport. He has a keen mind for flying as well as the business aspects of aviation.

Originally from Massachusetts, Sandy first started flying with the Marine Corps in the closing months of World War II and has accumulated over 22,000 hours of flight time. He didn't see much combat in the Marines, but is very proud of his Good Conduct Medal, which isn't easy to earn in the Marine Corps. 

He is also proud of his membership in Pancho Barnes' Happy Bottom Riding Club, which was frequented by Chuck Yeager and made famous in The Right Stuff. The bar/restaurant/motel was changed into a private club so that Pancho could exclude those that she didn't like. As Pancho was quite particular about her friends, George has a right to be proud his membership.

Although 78-years-old, he has no plans to retire. Should he sell his current business, he'll start another.

If you know of other aviators that should be spotlighted, please let me know at hawk@ieee.org.

Manned space watch - Shuttle Discovery builds onto the space station
After a perfect night launch last Saturday, Space Shuttle Discovery is on a 12-day mission to International Space Station Alpha. The crew is adding a two ton, $11 million addition to the station and brought up a new crewmember. She is scheduled to return to earth on Thursday, Dec. 21.

Night Sky Watch
As we approach a new moon on Wednesday, Dec. 20, we should have dark evening skies. Though the weather outlook for this week starts off poorly, the latter part of the week should be clear.

Winter officially begins on Thursday, Dec. 21, at 4:22 PM. This is the point at which the sun appears most southerly in our sky. However, Jan. 3 is when the earth is closest to the sun in our not-quite-circular orbit. Therefore, our winters are a bit milder than would otherwise be expected. On the other hand, the Southern Hemisphere has hotter summers than they deserve. And yes, the opposite is true of June — our summers are moderated when we are farther from the sun and those in the south get harsher winters.

The Ursid Meteor Shower peaks on Dec. 22. This shower tends to yield faint meteors, and only about ten per hour. However, occasional outbursts have been seen.

Saturn rises late in the evening.

Jupiter, Mars and Mercury all rise in the early morning sky this week. 

Sunrise/Sunset (PST): 6:58 a.m./4:46 p.m.

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