The chapter meeting on 4/1 was very well attended, including a fellow who'd flown up from Palmyra for breakfast. John Schuler gave a fine presentation on recording your flights with video equipment, nicely formatted through his Mac laptop (and displayed on the chapter's TV). He's based here at 3MY and flies a heavily modified (40 STCs) SuperCub. On YouTube he's the Cubonaut, and you can find many of his videos stored there. The talk started with his interests in aviation from childhood, and he joined EAA in 1968. The camera options on the market were discussed next, where GoPro and Garmin are the leaders. He noted the GoPro has a wider angle lens, which does give a bit of fish-eye effect. Both brands integrate GPS readings into the recording, although these are easier to access in the Garmin. Still pictures are taken along with moving images. Mounting the cameras seems to be ok with the FAA, who considers them "temporary." For supplies, he suggested NflightCam, and in addition to cameras they sell clamps for a wing strut, etc. Clips from his videos included landings at the numerous crop duster and other private strips around the area. He invites visitors to stop by his hangar, number 36.
Cameras on John Schuler's SuperCub
Our Open Hangar Day for pilots based at 3MY was not very well attended.
Bloomington has offered to host the first annual joint meeting of the several central Illinois EAA chapters. The scheduling for that is not set, but it will not be in May as first discussed.
Youth Programs
Pilots and ground crew are still needed for the Saturday 5/6 Young Eagles flights. The chapter meeting that day will be cursory to allow you to help out.
Our scholarship fund was emptied with the last donation to the aircraft mechanics training program at Lincoln Land Community College. We are soliciting new donations for the fall school year. (See the Volunteers section below for information on one way you might contribute.)
Treasury
The chapter's net worth is stable and donations are steady. Beyond the one time TV expenses and the annual LLCC donation, we are breaking even in operations. Upon closer examination, the breakfasts are found to be profitable after all.
IMC Club
Kent Lynch's report on the first IMC meeting:
Two members attended the first meeting of the proposed IMC Club on April 17. Tom O'Toole and Kent Lynch were present. It was decided to make this an ad hoc club rather than a formally sanctioned EAA chapter until we see how many members are interested in attending. Tom led an exceptional training session on IFR charts and trip planning. I learned a lot about new procedures that have been instituted since my initial training in 1980. We will try another session on May 22nd at 9:00 AM in the chapter hangar.
Donations
The TV now has a nice, fitted cover purchased through contributions made by members Wright, Gilbert, Martin, Meyer, Caudill, Larson, Fitch, Threw, Pilon, Vice, LePine (in no particular order).
National
Headquarters has announced the Weekend Work Parties in preparation for this year's Oshkosh fly-in.
Volunteers
We still are month to month on volunteers for the breakfasts. It would be very nice if someone would take over the running of these.
The people organizing the Marshall Co Fly-In Breakfast on Father's Day (June 18) are requesting volunteers from our chapter. Volunteers will be offered a particular job and time slot. In exchange, part of the proceeds from the event will be sent as a donation, in our chapter's name, to a worthy aviation organization, such as the scholarship fund at Lincoln Land college. The donation will be in proportion to the hours worked. Please contact Steve Jones with the Marshall County Flyers at (309)634-8439 to volunteer.
Members
Welcome new members David and Sarah Anderson, from Dunlap.
Currently we have 48 members for 2017.
Projects
Greg LePine has an update on his 1/2 scale W.A.R. Corsair which he acquired as a project 6/2015.
I've had a few visitors to the hangar and the first thing they notice is "hey this is one of the W.A.R. Corsairs and it’s got aluminum on it instead of fiberglass." After reading lots of stories about guys covering these in foam and glass and weighing too much, I got this idea: "What if I covered mine in aluminum?" After doing some weight estimates, it is doable.
October 2016: After assembling the rudder and elevator frame and attaching them to the main tail section, the tail cone was also attached and clearance issues were worked out.
November: Rudder and elevator removed, Mylar was clecoed in place for a pattern, which was transferred to construction paper. After all the pattern work was completed, these were transferred to aluminum sheet and the real work started. Aluminum was cut, trimmed, drilled, deburred, dimpled and flush riveted to the control services.
December-January: Forward rudder and elevator, same program that was just completed in November. The moveable elevator and rudder were done on a work table-bench. These had to be done in place. Mylar is really not the best material for this but did work for rough patterns, which were transferred to construction paper then to aluminum. And because the tail wheel is over 3 feet off the floor, to keep the fuselage level and square, one has to do all this while on a ladder. It would have gone faster if I had made a scaffolding around the entire project like Boeing would do. After all the above was completed, the trim tab was installed.
February: Align and square all side, belly, and turtle deck formers (side bulkhead). This is done so the aluminum sheets will lay flat.
March–April: The belly is started with construction paper. I now have the belly, sides, and top turtle deck all covered and clecoed. It is finished drilled but not deburred or riveted which is next on the list.
June-December 2017: Will do fuel tank construction and center section ribs and flaps. Keep your wings level, and I will be at Oshkosh but not the project.
Side note: It takes a lot of discipline to do this. Good thing I'm retired as my typical day is 0800-0400PM. 0800-0900 is coffee and review of the day before and today, a half hour sandwich lunch break is taken and at about 3 or 3:30PM the hangar BS and questions starts. So it's a 5-1/2 actual work day out of 8 hour day, 5 days a week.
Aluminum work on the aft fuselage
Airport
3MY
The WiFi at 3MY was down for about a week in mid-April. Creative pleading by Greg got the airport to finally bring it up again.
The Airport Authority is offering a Fish Fry on Friday May 12 from 3 until 5. It's open to all tenants at 3MY, including all members of 563, plus to any pilots who fly in. They are providing the food, and it's BYOB. Let them know if you plan to attend by calling Jenni Davis at 697-8272 ext. 100. She'd also like to know what other airport events you might be interested in this year, eg a pizza party open house, a games night, etc.
Kent Lynch attended the recent Airport Authority board meeting: "The bids will be let for the rest of the apron paving project and runway repairs/resurfacing. There was also discussion on the fence replacement project with an estimate of $400,000 for a 10 foot fence topped with razor wire and a two foot buried component facing the mobile home park. Additionally, the airport authority is considering an interim fence around the north and west sections of the airport that has minimal fencing. This would be a 4 to 6 foot fence with a 24 foot gate to allow access for the farming operation. The long term desire is for a 10 foot fence, however this is dependent on grant money from the state, which is considered doubtful this budget cycle."
Allmond Aviation's fleet for flight training and rentals is now a 152 and a 172, the latter replacing the Archer.
Peru
A final note that the TBM Gathering is Saturday 5/20.
CTK
The 59th Annual Fly-in/Drive-in breakfast at Canton is on 5/21. Breakfast is $6 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Airplane rides will be available, and there will a car show in the parking field.
C75
The 50th Annual Father's Day Fly-in/Drive-in breakfast at Marshall Co is 6/18. Breakfast is $6 for adults and $4 for kids but free to those under age 6; arriving pilots eat free. There will be airplane and helicopter rides, and for the kids there will be face-painting, etc. Unlike most years, the safety seminar will not be the following Monday evening. Instead, there will be an AOPA Rusty Pilots Seminar on Saturday 6/24.
breakfast, in the hangar, to be followed immediately by a chapter meeting which will be kept very brief to accommodate members helping out with the Young Eagles event
5/06 (Sa) 9:00-12:00
first Young Eagles flights at 563
5/12 (Fr) 3:00-5:00
3MY Fish Fry given by the Airport Authority for all tenants (including all 563 members) plus any pilots who fly in; RSVP 697-8272 ext. 100
5/20 (Sa)
TBM Gathering at Peru. Please note: Enough members are planning to be there that no board meeting will be held this day.
5/21 (Su) 7:00-12:00
59th Annual Fly-in/Drive-in breakfast at Canton (CTK)
5/22 (Mo) 9:00 AM
second meeting of the IMC club, in the hangar
6/03,04 (Sa,Su)
Cavalcade of Planes at Bolingbrook Clow (1C5), homebuilts to warplanes plus a small museum on the field
