Weight A Minute . . .
In the specifications section of the June 2023 article on the Coach House Platinum IV, the gross combination weight rating (GCWR) is listed as 14,500 pounds, and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is listed as 22,000 pounds. I believe those numbers are reversed, as the GCWR should always be higher than the GVWR.
― Thomas Kassens, F463145
Kent, Washington
Editor’s note: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Our apologies for this oversight.
Our Recent Experience With FMCAssist
We joined FMCA a number of years ago and were almost immediately invited to join the Carolina Pelicans chapter. We have made many friends through the Pelicans. They handle registration and information at the Great Eastern Area Rally. We have been to a number of these rallies and served as co-chairmen for registration and information a couple of years. This allowed us to meet and greet many attendees. We have also used the Michelin Advantage tire program.
We have recruited several people to FMCA because of these benefits and numerous others available to our members.
We never expected to use the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program benefit; however, all that changed in the middle of March. We were in Davenport, Florida (about 550 miles from home), when my husband fell twice in our 40-foot motorhome. Initially, I attempted to help him get up, to no avail. He ended up being transported to the hospital on March 15 by ambulance to be diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. Having experienced a UTI myself recently, I quickly realized he would be too weak to safely drive us home in our motorhome at the end of March as planned.
On the recommendation of Tom Hoffmeier, one of the friends we met through GEAR, I called FMCAssist for their help on March 18. I was told that they could get us, as well as the motorhome and the car, back to our home. They said it would take 24 to 48 hours to set the plan in motion. The person at FMCAssist told me the information they needed to start the process, and I had it faxed from the hospital promptly.
I have always been able to deal with whatever challenges we have had to face, but because of the difficulty of dealing with the hospital, while trying to get the motorhome prepared for its trip home, I found myself on the verge of a physical and emotional breakdown. Our oldest son flew down on March 22 to help me.
Even though I made the arrangements very clear to the hospital care manager, I arrived the following day to find out they were releasing Ron and wanted to send him to a skilled care facility in the area. I had to file an appeal of release to allow time for FMCAssist to make the proper plans. Since the hospital had failed to provide FMCAssist the paperwork to show that Ron was able to travel, we missed the first opportunity to fly home (March 24); however, late that afternoon, the proper paper-work was faxed to FMCAssist.
Finally, on the evening of March 24, we got confirmed flight plans for our trip home to North Carolina. Ron and I were picked up at the hospital and taken to the Orlando airport. We both had wheelchair assistance meet us at the entrance to the airport, along with someone to push the wheelchairs as we navigated security, got something to eat, and were taken to our gate. We were treated quite well by the airline personnel. When we arrived in Wilmington, the driver arranged by FMCAssist was waiting at the end of the concourse. He helped us into the car and drove us to our home. Ron was using a walker, so the driver helped him into the house. Once we arrived home, we determined that Ron could recuperate there, without the need to go to a care facility.
Our son helped prepare the motorhome for travel as much as possible; however, time did not allow us to get everything done before we left. We have spent the winter in Davenport, Florida, for a number of years, and Tom Hoffmeier and his wife have been in the same park. Tom and another friend, Bill Jesse, took care of the things we didn’t have time to address before our departure. I left the keys to the motorhome with Bill, and he was able to give them to the driver who picked up the coach.
If we had been royalty, we could not have been treated any better on our trip home. No one plans to have medical problems miles from home, but the ease of dealing with FMCAssist was fantastic. It certainly made a very trying experience so much better. Everyone I talked to there during that week was quite supportive and showed concern for me, reassuring me that they were doing everything they could do to make our trip home as easy as possible.
The motorhome transport company was very professional and stayed in contact with us until the RV arrived home. One thing I was not expecting was that we did not even have to pay for the diesel needed for the trip home, and the motorhome arrived with the same amount of fuel it had in it when it left Florida.
If you own an RV, you need to belong to FMCA for so many reasons. Rest assured that if you or your spouse have a medical emergency when you are far from home, FMCAssist is there to help. They are extremely professional. We are so very grateful for all they did for us.
― Ron & Pat Knight, F407994
Sunset Beach, North Carolina
Call To Action Answered
We read with interest in your “Legislative Update‚ (July 2023) the information about DEF and the EPA and about the California Air Resources Board as it relates to the Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Program. Both issues can be detrimental for motorhome (diesel fuel) users. We have con-tacted our state representatives with regard to the CARB and have written letters outlining our concerns. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. May we suggest that you include these red alerts/calls for action in a regular column in the FMCA magazine. Many of us are happy to perform advocacy on behalf of all RVers. Thank you.
― Fran & John Peace, F451202
Oroville, California
Continued Advocacy Needed
The July 2023 “Legislative Update‚ article in Family RVing reported the results from the member survey regarding diesel exhaust emissions system issues that was undertaken in late 2021. For those of us with engines subject to the existing 5-mph derate schedule, it is helpful to see an objective analysis of the facts collected from this survey.
The latest EPA ruling, effective for new engines starting in 2027, significantly increases the 5-mph derate to a more practical speed, and thus substantially reduces the risk of being stranded by the roadside. However, the EPA, California Air Resources Board (CARB), and Cummins need further encouragement to make this change retroactive for in-service engines. FMCA should continue to champion this important issue.
― Steve Sohles, F350283
Hartfield, Virginia
Where Were You?
So, it was July 1963, and I was a fairly new Air Force navigator in MATS (Military Airlift Transport Service, or Might Arrive Tomorrow Sometime) and part of the only all-jet squadron in MATS. We had just taken off from Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland, going somewhere in Europe. After coasting out and settling down, the pilot said, “Hey, Nav.‚ (Now everyone knows that something stupid is about to transpire.) “I heard that there was to be a solar eclipse today. When will that happen?‚
“Let me check,” I responded.
A quick check of the Air Almanac showed the moon too close to the sun for observation (isn’t that another definition of a solar eclipse?). Let’s check. We were traveling 0.8 Mach east, the Earth was rotating to the west, and both the sun and moon were traveling at different rates, but a navigator is always crafty. I had been listening to music on the Newfoundland radio, and the announcer stated that the solar eclipse would happen at a certain time. I converted the local time into Zulu time, put up the periscopic sextant, placed a paper on the cabin roof, focused the sextant, put in the proper filters, and we watched the eclipse until sunset.
That is where I was when FMCA was founded.
― Larry Turner, F163595
San Antonio, Texas
Correction
The Contents page in the July 2023 issue incorrectly lists Mark Quasius as the author of the article about the No Boundaries 19.5 Rogue River Edition on page 66. That article was written by Bruce W. Smith. Mark Quasius did write the article about the Thor Motor Coach Windsport that appears on page 30. The bylines on the articles themselves are correct. Our apologies for this error.
We want to hear from you! Family RVing welcomes comments about articles published in the magazine or topics of interest to RV owners. Email readerswrite@fmca.com; mail to Readers Write, FMCA, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244. Please include your name, city, and state/province. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.