There was no Chapter meeting in December, but HQ has made available all the recent Chapter Videos they have prepared, and December and January are available to watch. In the December issue, they announced a series of webinars on homebuilding airplanes which are to be presented over 5 days in late January. Here's more information they asked be included in chapter newsletters:
This event is an opportunity for a new person to jump in with both feet and learn a lot about the wonderful world of homebuilding. We will cover areas like getting started successfully and techniques when building with sheet metal, composites, steel, and wood. But it won't be just for the newbie; we are offering in-depth talks on panel planning, engine selection, FAA certification, flight testing, and selling a homebuilt aircraft. There will be something for every builder, whether you are just starting out, knee deep in a project, or just received your airworthiness certificate—it is going to be a great learning opportunity.
EAA is working with industry experts, kit manufacturers, and other subject matter experts to provide top-notch material for builders. The sessions will be live and allow plenty of time for attendee questions. Recordings will be archived and available to EAA members for review.
EAA Homebuilders Week is possible through the generous sponsorships of Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co., Dynon, Scheme Designers, Inc., and Van's Aircraft, Inc.
As for a Chapter meeting in January, Illinois would rather we not, so we won't. All chapter events are again cancelled this coming month.
In other Covid news, Ken and Ann Lynch didn't let the cancellation of the annual holidays banquet stop them:
Ann thought it would be nice to acknowledge the folks that couldn't get to the hangar due to Covid. So we got small poinsettias like we had as centerpieces last banquet and gave them to the three Buehler guys and Sam Sisk. We then added the over-80's group with Dick Barthel, and I have one for Ron Wright if we can corner him. On us in the chapter's name.
Kudos to the Lynch family.
Congratulations to Brady Neuhalfen who passed his Private Pilot check ride on December 4 at Marshall County Airport. We have been providing financial support to Brady throughout his training. He was one of our Ray Scholar candidates last year and as a runner up received a $1000 scholarship from the chapter. Later in the year a number of chapter members contributed additional funds to help him get to the check ride. All along, chapter member Barry Logan provided instruction and an airplane at a good rate. Brady is a Senior at Henry High School and has applied to eight aviation universities for the fall of 2021. His story was recently published in the local newspaper. Parts of a note he addressed to the chapter follows:
... I also would like to say how much I appreciate the support I have been given from all of you to help me achieve my goals. Not only did you make me feel like home... The financial aid... lifted such a burden off of my flying... I hope to see you soon once the coronavirus gets more under control.
Brady is the third area high school senior to obtain his ticket in the 2020 calendar year with the help of the chapter, joining Ray Scholars Jayson and Eliza.
Marty Vogel, who provided the crane to place the concrete picnic tables up by the FBO, donated some Microsoft flight software along with the computer, foot pedals, yolk, and speakers. Greg contacted Mrs. Brandt of the Dunlap High School Flight Club, and she in turn notified the club president, Mark VanDewiele, who stopped in at the hanger and picked everything up. Mark said the club is doing well and despite Covid they are still meeting. The simulator is up and running, and they are looking forward to 2021.
The week after Sam Sisk donated a metal shear and brake, Tom O'Toole and Dick Barthel began clean up of the shear.
The following day Ron Wright de-greased it to prepare for paint, and by the end of the week Andy P. was putting on the final touches with the paint.
Good work, gentlemen.
The crew then set upon the brake, and soon the chapter had a metal working shop.
Thank you, Sam Sisk!
Greg plans to add a lock to the shear and the brake to keep overly curious kids from lopping off sundry bits.
To comply with our hangar lease, the board has agreed all airplanes and projects stored in the hangar will be required to carry hull insurance. While the hull insurance will have to name the airport and the chapter as additional insured parties, we've learned this provision costs nothing extra to the airplane's owner. Our chapter's insurance from HQ covers liability for "incidents" inside the hangar, so projects need not carry liability.
Your editor was once at the gift shop of the Imperial War Museum Duxford trying to keep his young son from accidentally knocking model airplanes off the tables, when an older gent tapped me and pointed to an even older gent sitting alone trying to sell books at another table: "That's Winkle Brown!," a name which didn't ring a bell. I then followed my son a few more times around the shop and took him outside. Months later, searching for some book in my shelves, I noticed my copy of Wings of the Navy, by one Eric "Winkle" Brown—doh!
I've wished I could have that chance at Duxford back. A few minutes chat and a signed copy of one of his books would have been a treasure. He was a man who flew with Ernst Udet before the war and interviewed Hermann Göring after it, a fighter pilot who survived the sinking of his aircraft carrier, and who went on to become one of the most accomplished of all test pilots. A copy of a video documentary on his life is in the chapter's library.
At recent Holiday Banquets, the president has asked each of the four principle officers to summarize what was accomplished by the chapter over the past year. With the pandemic causing that banquet to be cancelled, each was asked to give their summary here. (Greg prepared a full summary, so there is some overlap with the other three.)
Let's look back at some of our chapter accomplishments in 2020. This past year has been more than challenging as we worked through a pandemic. However, we saw many accomplishments due to the hard work and tireless efforts of our members. I'd like to take this opportunity to recognize some of the achievements and give a shout out to those who made them possible.
First off, I want to thank Tim Threw for keeping the "flight office" clean and presentable.
Ann Lynch helped the chapter in setting up the matching funds through the Caterpillar Foundation program for chapter members who are current and retired CAT employees. Through her efforts, and generous donations from current and former CAT employees, about $2,000 in matching funds has been received this past year. This was a big deal! Thanks, Ann, for helping to make this happen and for continuing to supply the egg-topping goodies that spike the breakfasts!
As the donations chairman, I thank all who gave generously and supported this cause:
As you may recall, in 2018, I put out a plea or goal to have picnic tables next to the FBO. Richard LaHood said he knew that the owner of Culver's in Morton was getting new tables, and he asked the owner if we could have the old ones. Three of the tables were donated to us!! Kent Lynch, Rich Gilbert, Ron Wright and I went to Morton, dismantled the tables and packed them on a trailer and brought back to store at Mt. Hawley (where they sat for two years while we discussed with the Peoria Airport Authority what was needed). This past summer, three concrete pads were poured, the units were assembled, and with Marty Vogel's crane, the tables were set in place! Karl went the next day to level the tables, and it took him some time because people were sitting at all the tables! People can now enjoy just coming to Mt. Hawley to sit and watch planes take off and land. Great job to everyone involved in this laborious project that is a great addition to Mt. Hawley. Gene Olson has agreed to provide canopies in 2021.
This past October, Roy Paget brought a political guest for our breakfast. After he introduced her, he told us about his involvement in the Sankoty Lakes and Resort in Spring Bay, and that he was helping set up a sea plane operation. Thank you, Roy, and keep us posted about the project.
Let's not forget that Dr. Kathy Arkwell and Rich Gilbert had a motivational talk with Eliza Fletcher, one of our Ray Scholars who was affected by the Covid pandemic. Eliza said that talk helped inspire her to complete her training. Way to go Kathy and Rich!
Under Rob Meyer's leadership, Morrie Caudill helped Jayson Presley (another of our Ray Scholars) pass his ground work. Hats off to Morrie and Rob!
Karl Kleimenhegen has kept the VMC club going as has Kent Lynch with the IMC Club, under Covid conditions. Karl and Kent, you've gone above and beyond!
Dick Barthel, Rich Gilbert, and Bill Larson formed the nominating committee for officers. They couldn't convince anybody else to run for offices, so they ominated all the current officers and board.
Many thanks to Dick Barthel, Morrie Caudill, and Ann Lynch who, as the audit committee, always put our treasurer through his paces to account for every penny. And, speaking of Dick, since they have sold their house and moved into a senior living place, he seems to have more time on his hands and has volunteered to do "most anything" around our hangar and chapter as, he says, "while keeping my feet on the ground." Dick is also a current IFR pilot.
There is no way this chapter could survive without members who step up and volunteer of their time, and the officers and board members who are more than willing to give of themselves to make the chapter a success.
Karl has done an outstanding job as secretary and with the web duties—which has been a time-consuming job in researching for the host and reformatting—and with the monthly newsletters, and keeping us "legal" and on track in all areas.
Rob is our treasurer, financial adviser and Ray Scholar chairman and coach extraordinaire. After tendon surgery, Rob continued his duties as Treasurer, even during physical therapy. All of this he has done while building a Onex.
Bob is my right-hand man for taking over all of the kitchen functions and becoming the procurement officer. He's an expert with internet sales of our donated items—which is a time-consuming endeavor.
Let's also give a big thanks to our Board Members who are doing an outstanding job:
Our membership increased this year as we welcomed new members: Noah Baker, Andy and Loreena P., Nichole Garber, Nicholas Keith, Kraig Love, Roger Neuhalfen, Chris Petersen, Jason Presley, and Joe Troglio.
Lastly, but certainly just as well-deserved, I want to thank our flight advisers Marty Martin, Tom O'Toole, Ron Wright, and our technical counselors, Nick Keith, Bill Larson, Marty Martin, and Terry Moushon.
As you can all see, there are many "teeth" on this chapter's gear.
Looking ahead to 2021:
By attending the Peoria Airport Authority's monthly meeting, I am always bragging about our chapter and how we can help Mt. Hawley Airport look sharp. If you have any comments or suggestions, you can always come to me. Be on a look-out for a derelict metal airplane that we can mount on a pole at the entrance to Mt. Hawley Airport. Gene Olson and the Board like the idea!
Because of the coronavirus outbreak and health restrictions, we were had fewer breakfasts this past year—hoping that soon in 2021 they can resume, maybe by February.
Be on the look-out for new members—would be great to increase to 100 by end of next year! Only qualification is they need to be plane nuts!
Hopefully, after this pandemic, we can spruce up the bathroom and kitchen. (Volunteers anyone?)
Because of the coronavirus, there was no holiday party this past year, but let's keep the faith and hope for a better 2021 where we can, again, enjoy a holiday party that will be even merrier!
Keep yourselves healthy, and your wings level!
After trying the new web site service from HQ, our site was moved to a commercial hosting service. In rewriting the web pages for the new site, an effort was made to improve the presentation on screen sizes from smartphones to desktops as well as on printers. After the transition, cataloging of our archive of old chapter newsletters was finally done. Digital sources for about 20 years worth were available, and with the help of Morrie Caudill, these were converted to PDF and added to the new site.
The chapter received from Bill Hounshell a great number of books on aviation to be added to the chapter library. He also donated the bookshelves on which they had been stored, and I also donated a pair of bookshelves. My kids helped me secure these new bookshelves to the east wall of the hangar, and we then built doors to keep dust off the books stored on Bill's largest shelves. Keith Claypool generously took the time to arrange by topic all the books in the library.
Filing of government reports, taking the meeting minutes, and preparing the newsletters were the other work done.
2020 Chapter 563 Financial Summary:
We hope to be selected again in 2021 to administer a $10,000 Ray Scholarship for a local flight trainee and provide training and financial support for additional youth student pilots.
Have you sent in your membership renewal?
In last month's newsletter, a review of a few of Ron Wright's past projects was promised, but this newsletter is getting lengthy, not to mention late, so this will be saved for February.
The Airport Authority has room in their budget to purchase two canopies for the picnic tables which the chapter installed this summer by the FBO. Next year's budget may allow for the third.