Mar 28

Next Regular EAA 31 Chapter Meeting – April 3, 2019

The next EAA 31 Chapter meeting is only a week away. Mark your calendars! I received word today that our President, John, went to the hospital this morning suffering from severe pain! I just spoke with Randy Stout who heard that the pain in apparently not related to his heart or cardiovascular system and is still under investigation. I will let you know if I hear anything more definitive. In the meantime John has requested that you keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He will probably not be present at our upcoming meeting.

I don’t know who accepted responsibility for the pre-meeting dinner. Please let me know ASAP (541-914-8605) if you are the one, or know who the one is who accepted this responsibility. If I hear nothing, I’ll assume it was John as he often accepts when no one else does. If so, Bill Dewey will handle the meal and will do hot dogs and burgers. At one time this was old hat, but it’s been awhile and now will be considered a treat!

I will be doing the program this month. I have prepared a presentation called ” Six Decades of Change.” I will address the changes in technology, cost and safety in both general aviation and the airline industry. I’ll try hard to keep you awake! Bill Dewey will also talk to us about the repairs to our patio cover that was damaged from the recent snow storm. Be prepared to volunteer. It will take a fair amount of club participation to get this done in a cost effective manner, and be done in time for our Young Eagles event on July 4.

VP Gary

 

Mar 16

Wings and Wheels

Please extend to all of your membership this invitation to spend Saturday, August 17, 2019 with us at the 3rd Annual Wings and Wheels at Richland Airport (KRLD), Richland, Washington, hosted once again by The Port of Benton.

We are spreading the word to over 100 organizations from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia and after an turnout of nearly 2,000 at our 2018 event, we expect this years’ event to be even bigger. Once again, admission to the public and participants is FREE and entry of aircraft and vehicles for judging is FREE.

With military vehicles and warbirds, vintage cars and trucks, antique aircraft, modern show machines, motorcycles, hot rods and experimental aircraft we expect there to be something for everyone to appreciate. EAA Chapter 391 will be hosting a pancake breakfast from 7:00 to 9:30, and multiple food trucks and vendors will be on location for the remainder of the event. Hope to see you there!

For more information, please contact Scott Urban at (509) 551-0432 or John Haakenson at (509) 375-3060

Mar 15

EAA 31 BREAKFAST Reminder

Tomorrow 9:00 AM Saturday March 16th
I think we have enough Pancakes, Butter, Syrup, Bacon, Scrambled eggs, Sausage, Coffee, Orange juice, Hot chocolate, Milk. If not we can pick up whatever we need. Airplanes and flying. An EAA pancake breakfast is where you get this stuff. At the EAA 31 Hangar. S end of Hobby Field, Creswell Airport, Creswell OR. And only $8:00 bucks! Bring a friend.
Pres John

Mar 09

Another Possible Flying Club Airplane

As a lot of you know, a few members of Chapter 31 have been struggling to form a flying club using a basic 2- seat airplane. There is, in my opinion, a VERY NICE Alon Aircoupe for sale that is hangared at Creswell Airport. It has around 300 hours on an overhauled C-90 engine with new cylinders. These airplanes were manufactured with rudder pedals, toe brakes, nose wheel steering controlled by the rudder pedals. These airplanes were also originally manufactured with a 12-gallon header tank behind the instrument panel and two 9-gallon wing tanks that fed the header tank. This is one of the few things I never cared for in the design as it puts a fuel tank in front of you if you have a frontal impact collision! This airplane has an STC’d modification that removed the header tank and replaced the two 9-gallon wing tanks with 15-gallon tanks. The airplane has a full gyro panel and a wing leveler autopilot. I’d sure hate to see this one get away if there really is serious interest in forming a club/partnership. A few members have expressed an interest in the “club” and this airplane. However, I think there is only one really serious person at this time. That is Roger Welsh (541-747-5308 pt 541-521-8527). The seller’s phone number is 541729-0799. If interested, I would suggest calling the seller and then Roger and maybe coordinate an appointment to take a look at the airplane. Of course, if one of you is interested in the airplane just for yourself, I’d call the seller and talk to him. With the good weather hopefully just ahead, I would think this airplane would sell soon. Don’t lose out if you want a nice, inexpensive to operate, airplane.

By the way, I have no personal interest in seeing this airplane sold. I am not a representative for the seller nor any potential buyers. I’m just an EAA member and airplane builder/owner who’s trying to help a group of interested people find and fly an inexpensive and safe airplane.

Gary

Mar 07

EAA 31 March Meeting Minutes

EAA 31 March 6th 2019 Meeting Minutes
Before the meeting the oven element in the stove died. Gary Ludeke volunteered his stove to heat up the Lasagna in his oven. We started dinner late.
Meeting began at about 7:20 with the pledge of allegiance. There were 14 members and guests present.
Bill Dewey will compile a list of materials for repair of the patio cover. John Kuehl will get a new stove element.
Greg Hughes of Van’s Aircraft did an excellent presentation. Here are some of the things we learned about Van’s history and development: It began with modifications of the Stitts Playboy. Soon we had the RV1 with metal wings. RV2 was never finished. RV3 was the 1st real “RV”. RV4 put the RV’s on the map.
RV 9 unusual. RV 10 4 place. There are over 10,000 RV’s known flying. 2,000
RV 10s kits sold. RV 14 most popular since 2013. RV’s 7,8,9, 12 still selling. The newer kits are “no jig” CNC shaped and punched in Aurora. Quick builds sub assemblies are done in the Philippines and shipped back to Aurora.
Van’s has a great new web site (check it out). Among new developments are the new MOSAIC initiative. Potential certification of demand built kits (which would make them “not” experimental, allow commercial use, flight training etc.)
Potential changes in Light Sport. Higher weight and speed, IMC certification and more.
Davis Dayton (young guy U of Az who was in charge of the EAA’s one week wonder of an RV 12 at Airventure 2018) spoke about the “Teen Flights” Hillsboro and Airway science for kids. Looks like a great step forward for getting young people into aviation.
There was not time for the Chapter Video Magazine. 7 minutes of the Smothers Brothers “I am a pilot” (funny stuff) was shown instead.
Thanks to Jim Origliosso for getting this great presentation, Rod Johnson for the meal and taking notes, and Gary Ludeke for use of his oven. Our next get together will be Saturday March 16 2019 9:00 AM Pancake Breakfast $8.00 bucks. The weather should be better. Those that were concerned about the atmospheric conditions for this March missed a great meeting. Pres John.

Mar 06

EAA 31 March Meeting Reminder

Don’t forget.  Tonight’s the night!  Greg Hughes of Van’s Aircraft will Share about what’s happening at Van’s as well as a little history of the company and where they’re going in the future.

Dinner 6:00 PM    $8.00

Meeting 7:00 PM

See you there.  Bring a friend.

Pres John

Mar 02

EAA 31 March 2019 Meeting Announcment

On Wednesday March 6th 2019 our meeting will consist of a number of items:

The recent HEAVY snow pack did in portions of the Clubhouse/Hangar patio cover. We need to make plans for materials, repairs and replacement.

Greg Hughes of Van’s Aircraft in Aurora, OR. is our featured speaker.

Greg is the Director of Community, Media and Marketing at Van’s Aircraft. Van’s is the largest provider of kit airplanes in the world. The company was founded in 1973 and since then more than 10,200 Van’s RV aircraft of various models have taken to the skies, and many more are under construction. Greg’s job includes working with the community, designing and developing the Van’s brand, web and social media presence, and a variety of other tasks. Van’s is a small company, so he also wears the “IT Management” hat. He’s been a pilot for more than 10 years and is currently building an RV-8A.

March Chapter video, time permitting.

This month Lasagna, Chili, Salad and Garlic Bread courtesy of Rod Johnson

6:00 PM Dinner Only $8.00 bucks.

7:00 PM Meeting. At the south end of Hobby Field/Creswell Airport, Creswell OR.
Bring a friend – see you there.
Pres John