I just couldn't resist making the phone call to the chapter meeting last Wednesday evening from my "southern command quarters." One thing I won't do again is talk about the weather and tell about now nice it is (or was) down here in Florida. Thursday it really changed and cooled down to almost long john-type temperatures. I've had to run the heat in our residential quarters the last two nights. For the month of April, this cold snap is unusual and I've had reports about the snowing up north. It IS April, isn't it? Or am I looking at the wrong month on the calendar?
Friday evening (April 6), Faye and I witnessed the arrival of a brand new Cub Crafters "Sport Cub" at this airstrip. The proud owner, Mr. Jeff Robb, waited two years for it. He flew the airlines to Yakima, Wash., a couple of weeks ago. Did local flying getting familiar with his new aircraft, then had to play and wait for the right kind of weather. Finally able to depart Yakima last Monday, April 2, flying a northern route across the Rockys, before heading southeast for Florida. What he has to tell about the trip I'm sure will make a good story as he was solo the while flight.
The aircraft is a beauty! The color is red top with the bottom white and black strip and numbers. It is Cub Crafters' deluxe paint scheme. The cockpit is "Cub" but fancier and neat. Side panels are metal and fiberglass and the top is a greenhouse panel. As I get a chance to really look it over, I'll be able to tell more about it. I believe the airplane will be on display at the big southern spring air show for a few days.
Word of warning for anyone traveling: the price of fuel, both auto and aviation, is on the rise! The big oil companies are at it again. This gives me concern about attendance at the coming fly-ins this summer. I believe the people will stay close to home, which could have some effect on the "main one" in July.
I talked with Doug Moncreiff on Saturday, April 7, and he gave me a very good report on the meeting. We've signed up a new member, too. Thanks again, Doug, for conducting the meeting.
I have several more topics to write about but I'll save them for future issues of the chapter newsletter. Three more weeks, then it's back to Indiana. I plan to be at the May meeting. See you then.
Gus
In Attendance: Tom Chapman, Dave Clark, Mark Eminger, Troy Grover, David Kopeschka, Steve Kopeschka, Jim Lewis, Doug Moncreiff, Michael Mossman, Ken Rahm, Bryan Ruberson, Kim Shumaker, Jim Snyder, David Stucker and Paul Vogel. If you were there but we didn't record it, let us know.
Guests: Edgar Meyer, Bill Myrtle, David Stucker and Jim Winings.
Treasurer's report: Vern Sullenger reports that the chapter has $1,812.26 in account plus $90 to deposit, minus $60 for the name tags.
Secretary's report: Michael Mossman gave a brief summation of the March meeting.
Vice President's report: We have made some recent changes to the program schedule, mainly so that we can tour the control tower in May We have some Young Eagles events coming up next month: Mount Comfort Airport will be flying Young Eagles on May, and our chapter will be flying Young Eagles here (2R2) in conjunction with Hendricks Co. Aviation, on Saturday, May 12. We will need volunteers for flying, ground control and paperwork.
Project Reports: Troy Grover says that the RV-8A in his shop is ready to move to the airport. Steve Kopeschka says he got motivated for the club visit so he went to Georgia for a workshop on TIG welding. Paul Vogel says his Sonex is scattered all over. Kim Shumaker moved to a new house at Twelve Oaks near Martinsville. Michael Mossman is considering converting his Zenair to a tailwheel landing gear.
EAA Work Parties: Dave Clark will be headed to Oshkosh on May 18-20, June 15-17 and July 13-15 for EAA work parties. He says that they always have fun there and help get the property ready for AirVenture. He usually takes his van so often he has room for extra riders.
New Business: The December meeting will be a Christmas party, tentatively planned for Bravo Italian restaurant on the northwest side of Indianapolis. We would go with pre-selected meals running about $17-25 per person. We will have more information at future meetings.
Program: After the business portion of the meeting, Troy Grover opened his Grov-Air builder's assistance center for a tour. See feature story at end of newsletter.
We have had many guests over the past few months and many people have expressed an interest in our organization. Look around and see if you have any friends, family members or acquaintance that are interested in aviation. Take the time to invite them as a guest to the next meeting. If you see somebody new, introduce yourself, welcome him or her, and invite them to sign up.
To get a downloadable PDF membership application see http://www.eaa1311.org/PDF_files/membership_application.pdf
Dues are Due!
Please send your $15 dues to the treasurer: Vern Sullenger, 1763 Ramsey Lane, Plainfield IN 46168, or give it to Vern at the next meeting. Make your check out to EAA Chapter 1311.
EAA 2007 Calendars Now Available
May Meeting at Indianapolis Int'l Control Tower
Due to the potential size of the group and the tower's space, we will need to limit the tour to chapter members and one pre-registered guest per member. All chapter members are already pre-registered for security clearances; you will need to submit your guest's information to Doug Moncreiff (317-409-2673 or cdmoncreiff@sbcglobal.net), who is coordinating the tour with the FAA. If your guest is not pre-registered, do not expect the FAA to allow them in.
Directions from north and west:
Directions from east and south:
Note: There is a lot of construction going on but the workers should be finished for the day by 6 p.m. The facility telephone number is 317-228-5780 if anyone has any problems locating the tower.
Troy Grover Becomes a Flight Advisor
Congratulations on this new "rating," and thanks for stepping up to the plate with this new role. Our chapter has had a very high percentage of members with active building or restoration projects, and we are now seeing many of these members complete their projects. We're looking forward to a lot of new flight testing and believe that your efforts will help make these new first flights much safer.
Ultralight Pilot Transitioning Deadline
FAA recently published clarifying information that can help answer your questions. To find out "What really happens to a transitioning "Ultralight Pilot" on January 31, 2007?" go to: http://www.sportpilot.org/interest/ul_deadline.pdf.
Also see some tips for the process located on the EAA sport pilot website
Ford Tri-Motor Coming to Indiana
EAA Memorial Wall
Each year at AirVenture, a dedication ceremony is held on Sunday morning in this beautiful park-like setting that includes a special name recognition tribute and a missing man flyover.
Each inductee is also remembered in a memory album kept in the EAA Fergus Chapel. It is a wonderful way to honor those that have gone before us. Your contribution of $350 for the Memorial Wall is held in EAA's endowment in perpetuity.
For more information on how to submit a lost member for inclusion on the Memorial Wall please go to:
New Chapter Name Tags Available
There will be two simultaneous designs available for members. Those with an aircraft will be able to have a name tag with a photo of their aircraft in the lower left-hand corner. Members without an aircraft will have the EAA logo in front.
We have photos and/or illustration for perhaps a third of the members. For those that we don't have a photo or illustration, you'll be able to submit your own photo for use, with some limitations based on acceptable formats and content: we will need photos that will reproduce with reasonable clarity, and you will need some legitimate connection to the aircraft in the name tag.
Unacceptable formats: Word documents or PDF files with embedded photos. Photos printed from a laser or inkjet printer cannot be accepted. Digital photos with resolutions less than 640 pixels in width will not be used.
Acceptable content: Your current or recent aircraft (whole or fractional ownership), another aircraft of same make and model that you are building or an aircraft that you have a significant connection (flew it in a war or for the airlines, etc.).
Unacceptable content: Aircraft you didn't own or have any significant connection, non-aircraft subject (we won't use a photo of your car or dog, etc.) or any content in poor taste.
We'll start out with the tags that we have and update them periodically as we get more photos and/o project completions. If you have a photo that you would like to use on your name tag, please send an email to Michael Mossman at michaelandkatie@insightbb.com. We get it ready for the name tag.
About the Chapter Logo:
We've been using a logo for several years but it has never been officially adopted by the chapter or the board of directors. Perhaps it's time to decide what the chapter's logo should look like. We'd like to invite the chapter members to submit their ideas for a new chapter logo. This logo would be used on the front of the newsletter, chapter web site, all official correspondence as well as the name tags.
Contributors don't need to be artists, but the idea should be very clear. If your submission is chosen, we'll help clean it up for print and web use. The logo should be simple and work well with both print and web use. Bright colors are a plus.
If we adopt a new logo the design will be the property of the chapter. We'll reprint the name tags at that time.
Chapter 1311 Builders' Local Resource Directory
Your fellow chapter members are sharing their purchasing experiences with you by identifying their local suppliers. Glen Matejcek suggests the following sources:
Earl's Indy, 302 Gasoline Alley, Indianapolis IN 46222, 1-800-331-INDY http://www.earlsindy.com. Earl's is in Gasoline Alley, and specializes in hoses and related supplies and service. They also carry an extensive line of AN fittings and hardware, as well as some ducting and wiring supplies, such as SCAT and heat shrink tubing.
AED Motorsport Products, 5375 W. 86th St., Indianapolis IN 46268, 317-334-0569 http://www.aedmotorsport.com. AED is up on the NW side of Indy, and specializes in metals such as, 4130 chrome moly, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, FK rod ends and spherical bearings. They carry sheet, tubing, and various cross section bars, rods, and angles.
Chance Aviation, 4444 Decatur Blvd , Indianapolis, IN 46241, 317-486-8802, http://www.chanceaviation.com. Chance is a parts supplier tailored to the local FBO's, and does not have a full line of hardware in stock. However, they might have what you need on hand and keep you from waiting for a mail order delivery.
Other sources
McKinney Corp., Lafayette, IN http://www.mckinneycorp.com. Specializing in parts and materials for the drag racing community, they stock a wide variety of 4130 steel and 6061 aluminum tubing, AN hardware, NACA scoops, and other items.
Check out our online directory at http://www.eaa1311.org. Click on the link "Homebuilder's Resources" on the left. Note that all resources listed are merely suggestions; as a chapter we do not endorse any of them. Our recommendation: "Caveat Emptor" (let the buyer beware).
Young Eagles Numbers Increase
Every year the magazine recognizes those EAA members who flew ten or more Young Eagles in the previous year. This year chapter members Michael Mossman, Jim Snyder, Vern Sullenger and frequent contributor Susan Zellers were listed. Thanks to these pilots for helping the EAA achieve another milestone.
Not mentioned in the article were those pilots who flew nine or fewer Young Eagles; their contributions are appreciated by the EAA, our chapter and most definitely by the kids that flew with them.
Unfortunately, the article was unable to recognize by name the special contributions of the folks who do the ground support. The men and women who handle the scheduling and paperwork, direct traffic, assist passengers in boarding and unboarding, do the running and leg work, just don't have a statistic that makes it to the pages of a magazine. Sometimes these volunteers work under less-than-ideal conditions, such as standing out on the hot tarmac under the sun or in stuffy, non-airconditioned rooms. Even worse, a few have to take some abuse from parents who don't appreciate the conditions of a "free ride." Even though the magazine doesn't mention you, we haven't forgotten you or your contributions. We thank you for making it possible that the Young Eagles program achieves the fantastic results that we've grown to expect.
Van's Hits the Big Five-Oh-Oh-Oh
Helping to get to this monumental number were several Chapter 1311 members, who built and flew an RV when the numbers were much more modest. Chapter members completing at least one RV include Jon Byrum, Bart Ng and Vern Sullenger (RV-7A); Troy Grover (RV-6 and others); Ken Hill (RV-9A); Jim Lewis (RV-7A); Gary Reynolds (RV-6A); and Larry Rush (RV-6A and others).
As of the date of this article, the number of flown completions hit 5,085, and might surpass 5,100 by the time your read this newsletter.
That number is certain to increase with additional assistance from chapter members as we have a number of RV projects in the works. Members with known projects in various stages of completion are Tim LeBaron (RV-8, plus a restoration); Glen and Robin Matejcek (RV-8); Paul McCord (RV-4); Doug Roever (RV-7), and Kim Shumaker (RV-9A).
EAA's VISA Card Features ACS&S Discounts
New EAA Finance Program Launched This Year
The EAA Finance Program has also been aggressively supporting the special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA) market. As the light-sport aircraft industry continues to develop and change the face of recreational aviation, the EAA Finance Program will continue to review the aircraft entering the market in order to support those aircraft that have been accepted and certified by the FAA. This is all part of EAA's mission to make aviation more attainable and affordable to its current and future members.
To obtain more information on the programs offered by the EAA Finance Program, call AirFleet Capital at 866-808-6040.
Time to Mobilize Against User Fees
The arguments for the User Fees have been well-documented in the aviation press, but ultimately the airlines are attempting to push the costs of maintain the air space onto general aviation, which will severely affect when and where you can fly — unless you pony up for every time you need service. The bottom line is the bottom line: they want you to pay more for the system that we have already been paying for through our aviation fuel taxes and general taxes!
The EAA is asking all members to take the initiative to head off these user fees. To do so we need the congress to hold the line on user fees. The EAA has written a sample letter to our senators that members can customize to fit their specific needs. We are storing three formats of the sample letter on the chapter website for you convenience. For a Microsoft word document, choose user_fees_2007_letter.doc. For a text file for your own layout program, choose user_fees_2007_text.txt. And if you prefer to write the letter by hand, we also have PDF file, user_fees_2007_letter.pdf.
The EAA strongly recommends that you send the letter by mail; expect that the senators and congressmen get tens of thousands of emails and don't take them very seriously.
Please step up and write your congressmen, and let's stop this onerous push to User's Fees now.
April 2007 newsletter continued onto Section 2
April 2007 newsletter ends on Section 3
Once again it's time for Chapter 1311 members to ante up with dues. The chapter's board of directors set the 2007 dues at $15 to help meet the chapter's on-going expenses. Since we don't have any chapter fund raising events, we need to pay our EAA assessments, insurance, web site maintenance, and other internal expenses with what we raise from dues.
Chapter 1311 has a limited supply of 2007 EAA calendars. These calendars feature a fantastic aircraft photograph each month and look great in your shop, hangar or over your desk. Price is $12. See Vern Sullenger or Michael Mossman at the chapter meetings to get yours.
Because the May meeting program is a tour of the new control tower at Indianapolis International Airport, the meeting location and time has been changed for this meeting only. We will meet at the control tower at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2, 2007.
There is an orientation room below the tower level that has a good view of the airport. We will be able to see runway-taxiway activity from this room before and after the tower level visit. We will be touring the tower in groups of eight to ten people.
From US40/National Rd. turn south on Bridgeport, then yield right onto West Perimeter Road. Follow West Perimeter to Stafford Road and turn left, across the bridge to Midfield Terminal Road. Turn left on Midfield Terminal Road through the gate/flashing light/construction area. About a mile is the left turn-in for the tower. Follow that to the Tower gate and use the squawk box to call for entry.
I-456 to I-70W to the 6 Points Road North exit. Take 6 Points north to Stafford Road, then turn right. Continue east to Midfield Service Road and turn left, through the gate/flashing light/construction area. About a mile is the left turn-in for the tower. Follow that to the Tower gate and use the squawk box to call for entry. (This way is a little longer but less congested/confusing by avoiding the airport terminal area.)
At the April meeting, Troy Grover announced that he has been accepted by the EAA as the chapter's first Flight Advisor. Troy has built and assisted in building a number of aircraft, and has performed the initial flight test of many of these.
From ChapterEgram
Ultralight pilots who registered with one of the four FAA recognized ultralight organizations before September 2, 2004, but missed the January 31, 2007 deadline, or pilots who registered AFTER September 1, 2004, still may use the aeronautical experience (flight hours) they obtained in ultralight vehicles to meet the experience requirements to obtain a sport pilot certificate.
EAA's Ford Tri-Motor is scheduled to be at Elkhart IN (EKM) June 7-10, then headed down to Columbus IN Airport (BAK) on June 11 through 13. This is a unique opportunity for aviation fans to see this 68-year-old working relic of airline history. Even better, visitors will have an opportunity to ride in the "Tin Goose." Rides are $50 to the general public, but EAA members pay only $40.
From ChapterEgram
EAA's Memorial Wall is a lasting tribute to those aviation enthusiasts who have "gone west." These special people are memorialized on a beautiful wall constructed of stones brought to Oshkosh by EAA members from all over the world.
At the October meeting, Gus Gustafson asked that the chapter consider having some name tags made for members to wear during the meetings. Most of us only see the others only once a month or so and don't know each other very well. Gus thinks that name tags could help with the recognition process.
We've finally got our design and purchased a large quantity of lanyard-style name tag holders. These won't ruin the fabric like the clip-on style would. We'll be able to start using them at the May meeting.
Acceptable formats: Scannable analog photos, or digital photos in JPG, TIFF, EPS, Photoshop composite formats. Digital photos will need to have resolutions from 640 to 2600 pixels in width.
We've all been around town trying to scrounge up a few AN bolts or perhaps some 4130 tubing to finish a last-minute weekend building or repair project. How much easier would it be to know where the best supplies of quality parts and materials are?
In the April 2007 edition of EAA Sport Aviation, the magazine reports on the annual state of the Young Eagles program as it completed its 15th year of service. The association's stellar program has recorded more than 1,300,000 Young Eagles rides since its inception, which is more than 86,000 per year.
No, Van's Aircraft isn't five thousand years old! It's rapidly becoming a well-known fact that the five-thousandth Van's RV flew recently. An RV-8 built by Steve Fromhals in San Antonio TX made the milestone number; later during the same day yet another RV recorded its first flight.
From EAA Chapter E-Gram (January)
Help EAA keep the fun in flying by applying for and using the official EAA Platinum VISA card, issued through EAA partner U.S. Bank. Choose from one of three designs: EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast; a Piper Cub; or the EAA logo. New cardholders also receive the opportunity for the low interest rate the first 12 months. The EAA VISA entitles cardholders to a discount with EAA flagship partner Aircraft Spruce & Specialty. (Up to 10 percent; restrictions apply to avionics.) Additional partners will be added to the program in the future. EAA receives a portion of each purchase made with the card to help support its educational and youth activities. Visit U.S. Bank's secure sign-up for more information: http://www.usbank.com/eaavisa
By Brenda Anderson, EAA Chapter Administrator
The EAA Finance Program provides a wide array of programs to meet the needs of our members looking to finance experimental aircraft (kit and airworthy), light-sport aircraft, piston, helicopter, and jet aircraft. EAA and AirFleet Capital have created a program that offers a variety of options that are constantly changing to meet the needs of members.
The airlines, some FAA administrators and others in federal government continue to push for user fees as their perceived way of balancing the FAA's budget and provide additional funding for modernization of the air traffic control system.