A pot-luck dinner is scheduled for Saturday August 12 from 4 to 6. We'll eat at 5, and a movie will be shown in the hangar afterwards. The food theme will be Italian. The chapter will provide plates, utensils, and drinks.
Youth Programs
At the July chapter meeting, an appeal was made for donations to our Lincoln Land Community College scholarship for aircraft mechanics in training. It was noted that about half the LLCC graduates remain in central Illinois.
Teri Brandt reports her students who attended the last Young Eagles flights have expressed interest in joining our Aviation Explorer Post. We are expecting cooperation from the local Scout council this year in recruiting for our post, which will begin about one month after school starts.
Donations for both the LLCC fund and the Post are requested.
Treasury
There has been stable to slight growth in net worth. There are 53 paid memberships. The donation to Lincoln Land plus the purchase of electronics (TV, etc.) were an additional expense, but income is ahead, and those expenses are being covered. There are no youth expenses yet. The budget is more or less on track, all things considered. Donations received are $951 to date, with only $20 earmarked for Youth programs.
From checking $6000 was moved to the Vanguard Global Fund (VHGEX). Income from the new, longer term investments such as these (acting as something of an endowment) have helped the budget.
At the July meeting, it was noted that Young Eagles expenses incurred by the pilots is not in our budget. Our thanks to our pilots who donate their time and money.
IMC Club
Tom O'Toole leads this club and reports:
During the prior meeting we challenged ourselves to fly KPIA to KCTK, and a return flight of KCTK to KPIA. Several of us in attendance met the challenge, and we discussed in detail the aspects of each individual's experiences.
A non-member, Reggie Campbell from Bloomington, IL was in attendance. Reggie works for FedEx as an aircraft mechanic and is in the process of obtaining his instrument rating.
We closed the meeting watching an air safety video on an IFR aircraft accident, followed by a quick discussion of some idea's as to the cause.
Next IMC meeting is scheduled at 6:00pm on the second Sunday of August the 13th.
Donations
A Buck's Jukebox has been received from Ron Vice as well as 9 fluorescent light fixtures. Morrie donated a tape player as well as a converter to HDMI. (The analog inputs to the TV don't seem to function correctly.) Morrie's converter allows us to use all the VHS tapes in our library.
All the uniforms Dewey Fitch donated have been taken by the local Air Guard base for display in their museum.
Correction: In the last newsletter it was reported Morrie had donated a stick welder. It was, instead, an acetylene tank. The stick welder was received from Al Phipps.
Volunteers
We need kitchen help for the breakfasts in August through to the end of the year.
National
We are now the proud owners of a lightly used TIG welder, courtesy of HQ. These had been used at OSH for a few years, but new units were received, so out with the "old." It will be available for loan for your welding needs.
National asked again if we would host the Tri-motor. We lost money the last time despite hours and donations put in. Financial support is no longer required from hosting chapters, but there may be no suitable hangar available at PIA. The last word was the Tri-Motor may be down for maintenance some weeks this fall, so the offer may be withdrawn.
Oshkosh
Tim Threw was the first chapter member to Oshkosh, arriving in his RV, and received a mug and a patch in recognition.
Tim Threw's RV at OSH
In the last newsletter it was mentioned two P-47's were to be flying at Oshkosh this year, but poor weather at their base in Tennesse prevented them from leaving. The grandson of a P-47 pilot killed in Italy in ground attack did talk of his several year search for the remains of that airplane. Attending were friends they had come to know in Italy during the search.
An elliptical wing was parked here.
Kip and I had also hoped to see Collings Foundation's recently restored Spitfire IX, but all that remained was the outline of its elliptical wing in the grass. I hadn't seen a picture of this particular airplane, but one could tell from the grass it was equipped with cannons.
The Blue Angels put on their usual, ear splitting performance, for the better part of an hour. This left less time for the more enjoyable sounds of the WW-II piston planes (sigh).
They should have been flying this instead.Hey, LePine: Grumman figured out it's simpler to bend the mains than the wings.Unused plans are in our library.
There was a fine example of the Davis DA-2 in the homebuilt area. Our chapter library has unused sets of plans for many classic homebuilts, including this one. You're welcome to start construction any time.
The big news at Oshkosh was Kip and I finally found a kit airplane in which we can sit comfortably, the Rans S-20. We'll take flights in the factory demo airplane at next month's Midwest LSA Expo in southern Illinois. Let me know if you'd like to ride down with us.
Members
Waldo and Liz Born have rejoined the chapter. He and his wife are looking to buy a C-150. We now have 52 paid memberships.
At the July board meeting it was agreed all living charter members will be given Honorary memberships from now onward.
Several members of the chapter have purchased memorial spots for Guy Snyder and Jerry Peacock at OSH. The ceremony was at this year's OSH.
Mickey Madding (309-657-5564) is selling for $8000 the unfinished Pereira Osprey II project of her late father. She reckons it is 3/4 complete, although from the photos received that may be optimistic. Construction inspections have been done. The project will have to be removed from a basement.
The hull is well along, including the glassing of the nose.The flying surfaces are framed.
Airport
3MY
New locks have been installed on the hangars. Ours will still use the keypad locks. Those needing key blanks for the new locks on their hangar can obtain the correct ones from the chapter.
The Airport Authority has been cleaning the airport and removing unapproved items, such as trailers. They are still working on bids for paving and are looking for grants for new fencing.
The forlorn Black Mooney at the north end of the field was purchased as scrap by the local mechanic to be stripped, but he managed to find a buyer, none other than the airplane's original owner. It has been broken down and trucked back to the Carolinas, where the owner plans to restore it.
Pekin
In the last newsletter, it was mentioned that Steve Kensinger (309-648-8100) from Sunshine Fabrications welded up an aluminum fuel tank for Greg LePine's project. It should be noted that not all welders will work aircraft components. He and Nick Keith at Pekin are planning to manufacture an LSA.
