First a reminder: If you plan to come to the annual Holiday Party at the Lariat Steakhouse, please RSVP by December 1.
The November chapter meeting, this Saturday morning, is the Annual meeting which includes votes for the 2022 board of directors and the budget. Currently, the board as it stands will be offered for re-election—but anyone can volunteer at the meeting. For the members to review before the meeting, a copy of the proposed budget has been placed in the Members section of the web site.
As expected, Logan Turner was approved the first week of October to be our second Ray Scholarship recipient for 2021, one of only 37 second scholarships awarded this year. Congratulations, Logan! Since he has already passed a milestone in the training process, he has received a reduced scholarship of $6,000. He is also eligible for a free Zulu 3 ANR headset, if the supply for 2021 hasn't run out.
November 1 the Ray program opened for applications for 2022, and we plan to apply.
At the October meeting, Rob Meyer, who administers the Ray program at the chapter, gave an update. Jolene Miller is nearing her check ride but has been stetching her flying time to use more of the Ray program monies available to her. Logan will also need to fly off extra hours to use up his award.
Rob recently talked with the two previous Ray scholars from the chapter. Eliza Fletcher is at SIU and had recently showed up for the Thursday coffee. She remains excited about working towards her professional ratings. Jason Presley is at Embry University, where a covid infection seriously delayed work on his instrument rating. Currently, he's flying Part 61 instead of at Embry because it is less expensive. Brady Neuhalfen, who the chapter assisted outside the Ray program, has started at Lewis University.
A 4-H club leader in Morton has contacted the chapter, and tentatively we will host one of their meetings in the spring. After discussing it with the kids in her group, there may be 3 or 4 willing to participate in a chapter aircraft build for youth. We may have, then, enough kids to consider starting such a project. This will be a topic for the Annual Meeting. Also, her son would like to borrow aviation books from the chapter library this fall.
The Flight Club at Dunlap High School is another youth organization we support. They plan to make a short presentation after the November 20 breakfast.
The VMC Club meets this coming Sunday at 6:30. They will continue with the new meeting format, consisting of a Pilot Workshops scenario, followed by one from EAA.
The IMC Club meets meets the following week, on Sunday 11/13 at 6:00 in the hangar.
The chapter applied to HQ to work the breakfast line in Camp Scholler at the 2022 OSH. Chapters stand to earn a few thousand dollars in doing so. If we can't get the 12 people required, we'll solicit help from the neighboring chapters and split the proceeds with them. However, the recent Chapter Video from HQ was not correct—the applications open in the spring—so we'll apply again then.
Greg LePine has sold his miniature F4U Corsair, and its space in the hangar will be taken by Dave Fox's airplane for work on its gear, etc. Dave Jackson's Citabria is coming the second week of November for fabric work.
It's noted we still need a long term project in the hangar for next year.
The chapter's three newest members have provided introductions:
My name is Killian Madeley. I'm a sophomore at Elmwood High and I just recently took an interest in aviation. Right now my father and I are trying to schedule my medical exam so that I know I'll be okay to start flight training.
My father and I hope to be able to come down and help volunteer with chapter events and learn some things from all of the members. Personally, one thing in aviation that interests me in the future is supersonic commercial planes, like the Concorde. I look forward to meeting some members and being able to help out with whatever the chapter may need.
and Darrel Durig:
Way back when, I worked on the Army AH-1S Cobra gunship for six years and was an Army aerial observer for two. In 1989 we moved to Peoria, and I got my private pilot license as a Bradley Flying Club member. I flew recreationally for 30 years before retiring from Caterpillar in 2019 as an engineering manager. Then I started all over again as a commercial pilot flying aerial survey for a St. Louis company in the Turbo Commander. Today I fly Commanders at Byerly and do the occasional test flight on whatever comes along. I'm looking forward to meeting new pilots and learning about fixed wing maintenance and construction.
and:
My name is Ethan Hoevelmann, I'm 21 years old, and I'm a third year IBEW electrician apprentice. I don't have a whole lot of experience in aviation, but I'm very interested in building and flying. I'm hoping to start working to get my pilots license soon. I'm very interested in WW-I aircraft and hope to build a reproduction of one some day. Thank you for everything, and I'm excited to be a part of the chapter!
Ethan's father, J.J., has also joined the chapter. They are currently building a Pietenpol Air Camper and have been pointed to the stash of Pietenpol materials which are stored above the hangar washroom.
We have yet to receive the quote for canopies for the tables by the FBO.