EAA Chapter 1218

The crew was somewhat down today after they found eaa will not allow our project to be displayed at air adventure - oshkosh.  Uncompleted aircraft projects are no longer allowed at air adventure.  Even educational chapter projects.  Even though eaa is honoring pietenpol's 80 th anniversary and our project is a pietenpol.  I bet a lot of people would have looked at our project to see how a pietenpol is put together.
Two of our crew were going to take the piet to oshkosh.  Ben hurtt offered the use of his truck to pull the trailer.  The chapter voted to pay the fuel expenses and some lodging for two members.  Plans were made.  Now it is all over.  One of the two members that were to take the piet to oshkosh will now not go to oshkosh this year.
Sorry the piet was not done for oshkosh, so that goal is a failure.  The project was to be an educational project for our chapter 1218 members, to be displayed at oshkosh to honor pietenpol.  Construction was started april 28 th.  There is only so much four or five workers can do in three months.  Three workers were at the hanger almost every work day.  Of the construction workers three had built aircraft before.  Another member was an a&p.  Another member owned and maintained his own airplanes many years and worked with a a&p some.  These people did not need the education.  So the education objective was a total failure for our chapter.  Our efforts to display at eaa was also a failure.
However the project itself is quite good.  Some day it can be a great example of the pietenpol line and will honor its designer.   We have to keep up the construction effort and get the job done.  The chapter has too much invested to let the piet languish, delay the completion, and perhaps not be completed.   The chapter voted for and financed the project.  That is a leap of faith and is only one way that this chapter is one of the best. 

Jerry and Rory applying the wood stringer parts to the fuselage in preparation for covering.