EAA South Central Ozarks Chapter 1218

Address inquiries, information, suggestions, or criticisms to the editor, Fred Kalhoefer, Route 1, Box 71, Macomb, MO 65702; phone (417) 683-2870; e-mail redbaron@getgoin.net.

Hello, again! Yes, the dog days of summer are here and I can feel it. I'm having a difficult time just getting started with this newsletter. Not that there isn't anything of interest to report -- but I have to force myself a little in this heat. We had a nice meeting last July and we were all very happy to see so many aircraft arrive at Willow Springs airport. It seemed that there were more than usual -- or was it because yours truly for the first time brought the Piper Tomahawk to the meeting instead of the Fuji Subaru? We all enjoyed Ron's breakfast and discussed future activities of the Chapter. Nothing was firmly decided except the August and September programs. In August, we will hear reports from those who went to Oshkosh. Then, in September, we will have a "shoot out" between two naval aviators, Wayne J. Spence and Chuck Hiett, to see who can tell the tallest tale from their long careers in aviation. But not all of it will be funny. Wayne will show us some movies that he took while strafing North Korean gun positions in a Banshee and I personally know that war always has an aura of sadness to it since we loose loved ones and friends to war. I am sure we will hear about that also. So mark your calendar for the second Saturday of September when this will take place. If you have a video camera, bring it and record the event please. It would nice to make this a part of our Chapter history. In preparation, Wayne Spence sent me his bio so we'll all know who he is, and about his great flying career while in the Navy. Next month, Chuck Hiett will tell us about his career as a Marine pilot. I am telling you about this program now so that you'll have ample time to plan to attend this meeting. This month we will have our regular meeting on the second Saturday of August at the White hangar and hear impressions of AirVenture 2001. So come out, enjoy the breakfast and talk aviation with us.

Featured Member of the Month

Wayne Spence

Wayne Spence is a typical Ozarks native. Like most boys who graduated from high school (Willow Springs) during World War II, he joined the Navy in 1942, and was on active duty until February 1947. Between WWII and the Korean Conflict, he attended Southwest Missouri University and graduated before the Korean Conflict started. He also kept up his commitment to the Navy by staying in the active reserves from March 1947 to September 1949 with VF-70A in Olathe, Kansas. He then went back to active duty from October 1949 to June 30, 1960, and was from then on a member of the active reserves at the Naval Air Station at Alameda, California, where he was the C.O. of NARMU 876. In October 1972, Wayne Spence retired from the Navy at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, as a Lieutenant Commander.

Wayne lists the following types of aircraft he has flown during his long career in the Navy: Corsair FG1D, F4U-4 (1946-1949), F8F-2 Bearcats (1949-1950), F-80 (1950 -- Transition to jets solo), F2H-2 Banshee (1950-1953 -- 72 missions in Korea off the USS Essex CV-9), FJ-4B Fury North American Atomic Delivery Vehicle (1967-1969).

In addition to the above listed aircraft, Wayne has also flown the following: S2F (7 years), F6F-5, T-39, F9F-8 (1000 hours), SNJ-5 (1000 hours), SNB (750 hours), C-54, R4D-8, DC-3, Navy blimp, helicopter, PBY-5, TBM, Navy Apache, N2S, Staggerwing Beech, and several dozen civilian types.

Lt. Cdr. Spence did three tours in Europe, three tours to the Western Pacific, two tours to the Caribbean, one to the North Atlantic, and numerous other short ones.

But that's not all, folks. Wayne has also been a member of EAA for the past 40 years. He once built a Jeeny Teenie homebuilt, in the late sixties, "and put it in Dismal Swamp, Virginia. That's a story in truth." But I think we would all like to hear a little more of how that happened.

Member News and Activities
In the news department, I want to let you know (in case you don't already know it!) that my wife, Sue, your Webmaster, has soloed -- and even did it on Friday the 13th. But that's her style, anyway. This also shows us that it is never too late to learn something new, and what could be better than learning to fly? I know that Sue has wanted to do this for a long time and even wanted to be a flight nurse but money, kids and all the responsibilities of having a young family kept her from doing it. Now she has already logged several hours as PIC and looks forward to every additional hour. She takes note of all the other women pilots out there that she hears on the radio.

Bill Newton has finally gotten his Cessna 172 back and it is now hangared at Mansfield just a few minutes from his home. He is also very happy about this arrangement. In less than one year, three new airplanes have taken up residence at Mansfield Municipal.

	And, on Friday, July 27, Bill Ghan hosted the readers' class which is sponsored by Laura Ingalls Wilder Library in Mansfield, showing the children and their accompanying parents the wing ribs for the Wright Flyer ("Vin Fiz"), and the Scampy biplane which belongs to yours truly and is presently being recovered in Bill's hangar.
Scampy Biplane

The City Council in Mansfield recently approved a new lease which will be offered all the pilots based there who wish to build hangars. Current lessees have the option to change to the new lease, which is very reasonable. We are all very grateful to the City for coming through for us in such a gracious manner. I am looking forward to helping the City of Mansfield, and all other cities in the area that have an airport to become more known in the aviation community of the State of Missouri -- and all over the United States. This is something that will have to be discussed in the Fall at one of our meetings.

"Bee" Young Eagles

"Real" Young Eagles
At our July meeting, James Wiley brought two young visitors and their dad. They expressed a real interest in aviation, so Jerry Luna, who is always willing to give kids a ride, took each one of them up for a Young Eagles flight. To Sue's and my surprise (because it happens so rarely anymore), two weeks ago we received wonderful "thank you" letters from the two boys. They are published here because they genuinely express the feelings and awe that most kids have for flying. Those of you who take part in the Young Eagles program will find these letters very special. To the Cope boys I would like to say, "Keep it up," with the attitude that you displayed to our Chapter. You can go far in life, no matter what your endeavors will be. Here are their letters:

"Dear Chapter 1218 Members,
"On July 14th I went to the Willow Springs Memorial Airport. I was invited to an EAA meeting by James Wiley. I never knew that I would get to ride a small Cessna. When we got to the airport, we got to meet James. After a few minutes I was suddenly asked if I wanted to go on a plane ride. I was shocked. I hadn't expected to actually get to ride in a small plane that day!
"They asked Jerry Luna, one of the pilots of the group to take me on a ride. He said yes, and I got in his plane with him. He told me about the controls. He started the plane and let me drive it to the end of the runway. Then he throttled up the engine. I was real nervous now. We got faster and faster and then we lifted off the ground. We climbed higher and higher until everything looked real small! I was still nervous but I was having a great time!
"While I was looking down at everything he asked me if I wanted to fly. I was nervous but I still did it. Afterwards we landed back at the airport. I had a great time riding in the plane. I am really looking forward to the the next time that I can get to fly! Sincerely, Matthew Cope"

"Dear Chapter 1218 Members,
"This is about my first flight. At first I was very nervous, but it got to be fun. When we got up in the air I never thought I would get to fly the plane and I never knew how close the West Plains airport was! Then when we landed, it felt weird walking on the ground. Thank You, Timothy Cope"

Both letters were neatly typed on the computer and each featured a pretty aviation graphic. We will save them as part of our Chapter history.

Safety Seminar
Last week Sue and I, Jerry Luna, Mike Vaughn, Mike White and Clint Allen (who was the sponsor) attended an Aircraft Maintenance Safety Meeting conducted by the St. Louis FAA branch office. The gentleman who conducted the meeting spoke to us once before at a meeting in West Plains. My impression after that meeting was that even getting in your airplane was a violation and a $500 fine! What a difference a year makes. This time the the presentation was very mechanic- and pilot/owner-friendly, focusing on problems that can occur when we don't know what we are doing, or are inadequately prepared for the task at hand. The theme of the workshop was: "You don't know what you don't know," and was very well presented. I am sure all of us could benefit from such a session, especially since it also focuses on what you, as pilot owner, can do maintenance-wise. He explained how to go about receiving permission to to some of the more complex tasks such as installing avionics and similar jobs on your airplane. But no matter what you do it always takes and A&P and, in some cases, an A&P-IA to oversee your work and sign it off or ask for corrections. I hope to see Steven Long come to one of our meetings. That means I was really impressed, because I usually want to run the other way when I hear the letters FAA. Marge, thank you for providing yummy high calorie refreshments as "brain food."

Historical Note
John Richardson Hill	A postscript from Sue: In recent years, I started researching my family tree. That was when my mother turned over some albums, scrapbooks and loose pictures to me that had been handed down to her. Apparently, a "flying gene" developed in her family as aviation progressed. Her oldest brother, John Richardson Hill, was in the Navy "Aviation Department" from age 19, during the late 20s and early 30s, and later became an airline pilot. One of her aunts, Ruth Mignon (Richardson) Fabian, was an early "hostess" with American Airlines. Since she passed away in 1932 "after a short illness" at age 40, this picture dates from 1932 or before. It is a newspaper clipping from a scrapbook made by another aunt.	Ruth Mignon (Richardson) Fabian (center)

August Meeting Announcement

We'll see you at the meeting on Saturday, August 11, 2001, at the White's hangar at 9:00 AM sharp!

Disclaimer: The content of this Newsletter is to provide information, schedules, and biographies of chapter members, and information of interest to aviation enthusiasts in the south-central Ozarks. No technical information or direction is offered or implied. Personal opinions or observations do not necessarily reflect the position of EAA Chapter 1218 or Experimental Aircraft Association.

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