EAA Chapter 563
The Beacon
October, 2022
At Saturday's chapter meeting, the nominating committee's slate of candidates for the board elections to be held in November will be presented. Any member is welcome to add their name to the ballots. The slate currently includes the existing board but with Killian Madeley to replace Ron Wright, who wishes to step aside.
Ron Wright has scheduled space at the Lariat Steakhouse for Saturday evening, December 17th. Nearly the full menu will be available, and your order will be taken there. In early November, he'll ask everyone for their RSVP.
Congratulations go to Chase Ehlers who's been awarded his Private Pilot license. He's the fifth Ray Scholarship recipient at the chapter, and all five have completed the program. Rob Meyer leads this program at the chapter, and Chase said his guidance was helpful.
Chase relates he had a little over 70 hours when he went for the check ride (and was wearing his lucky socks). While the examiner was nice enough, Chase found the exam stressful. Both the oral and flight portions took about 1½ hours, and the examiner complimented him on his soft field work.
Chase is considering both a career in aviation and going to Lewis University next year.
We have received a slot at for the 2023 OSH. If you know of a teen who'd benefit from the experience, do let us know.
Attendance fell off towards the end of summer. We made a brief presentation at Dunlap High School where there was some interest. Two teens from a private high school here in Peoria have also asked to join.
The teens have been studying engine options. Lead times and budget limit us to Rotax's 912 series or the ULPower's 350 series. Work continues on the fuselage, with the cabin area to be started this week, going in parallel with the work on the baggage bay in the tail cone. Last weekend, the steel parts were filed smooth and are now ready for pick up from the powder coater in Mackinaw.
Funding is currently in place for the airframe and powerplant, and we'll need to raise more for the avionics. Further contributions to this project will be matched by the Ray Foundation, and if you're with Caterpillar, their Foundation will match it yet again.
At the last chapter meeting, Killian Madeley talked briefly about the model rocketry and radio control work being done among his friends at Elmwood High School. He asked if the chapter would support a flight club at Elmwood High School, where there are wood and metal classes from which members could be drawn. It was agreed we would support them just as we do at Dunlap.
Once again, volunteers for preparing breakfast have been scarce. You might consider at least helping to clean up afterwards.
The VMC Club will meet in the hangar at its usual time, this coming Sunday at 6:30. The IMC Club meets the following Sunday at 6:00. For next Tuesday, the IMC Club has scheduled a fly-out lunch to Eagle Creek Airpark (EYE) near Indianapolis.
As reported by Midwest Flyer, fine weather brought a record setting 650,000 people to the international fly-in. Over 3000 airplanes were on display, including over 1100 home built aircraft.
At the mid-month breakfast, chapter member Jim Adams received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot award from the FAA. At age 84, he has flown without incident for 65 years, well exceeding the 50 required to receive the award. His wife Sandy, who covered the home base, was present as well.
To be nominated, three pilots had to endorse him, and one was an early airline instructor of his at Delta who's now age 93. Another endorsement was received from chapter members Vernon Martin (who flew with Northwest) and Kent Lynch. Kent introduced Warren Smith from the Springfield FAA's Education Outreach office, who then described the award. Honoring pilots of 50 years or more with a clean record at the FAA, the Wright Brothers Master Pilot award is the highest civil award given by the FAA. Jim's name will be added to the roll at the FAA's main entrance in DC.
Jim's uncle assembled fighter planes in WW-I, where his father also served. Later, this uncle introduced him to aviation. He received a scholarship to UIUC where he found they had a fine school of aviation, utilizing WW-II surplus Stearman trainers, the Cessna "Bamboo Bomber" twin, and an Aeronca spotter airplane. Jim first soloed in 1957 in Danville, in an Aeronca 7AC.
With the draft, he volunteered for the infantry, but his skills were needed other than at the front line. He was later invited to be an instructor at UIUC. There, Delta recruited him to be a pilot, where he met his wife, a stewardess, and he went on to fly for 33 years with them, including 27 years out of O'Hare. He captained Douglas DC-6 and -7 and Convair 440 piston airliners as well as the Convair 880, Douglas DC-9, and Boeing 727, 757, and 767 jet liners. He noted the 880 was a tricky plane to fly, and in those days, there was no simulator. You got in and took off with a stern but fair FAA evaluator. The general decline in the manners of the flying public lead him to retire. In the last month of his career, two drunks had to be strapped to a bulkhead for much of the flight and were arrested upon landing.
General Aviation remains his favorite part of flying, and he's owned a PA-12 Super Cruiser for decades.
Call Air A-2
Andy Plouse attended the Antique Aircraft Association's annual fly-in at Blakesburg, IA, where he photographed a few of the weird and wonderful old airplanes which attend, including this 1956 Call Air A-2.
Tim Threw has been busy in his RV-7. This past week he flew a fellow pilot from Switzerland up to view the Chicago sky line. Before that, he attended the large RV fly-in at Petit Jean in Arkansas. About 120 RVs gathered there, and he tried for the first time his hand at formation flying.
The FAA has approved an unleaded replacement for 100 LL fuel. While very useful in the past, the approval means lead now is just a way to increase sludge, prevent the use of modern synthetic oils, and create sticky deposits on valves.
Joe Ernst and Kent Lynch have been attending the Airport Authority board meetings. The Maui Jim hangar at PIA is empty, and the Caterpillar hangar will be underutilized. The airport has received an $8.5 million grant for runway improvements to 4/22. They are still debating the layout for the new control tower. PIA approach control will soon be in STL.
On the 24th, the LifeLine Pilots held a well attended benefit at the airport, to raise money for their operations flying the needy to medical facilities out of state.
A recent balloon launch from 3MY
eaa563.org
Mt. Hawley Airport, Peoria, IL