March 2004

Welcome to Spring!
It looks like Spring is here. Yeah! We have a full schedule of things to do, too. We are now considering a Chapter hangar and continuing to build aircraft projects. The more flying airplanes, the better! Committees on both of these endeavors have been set up and the Chapter Hangar Exploratory Committee held a meeting Saturday, March 6, 2004. At the meeting, it was decided to poll the Chapter membership to get a reading of the membership's feelings on building a Chapter hangar. Enclosed with the printed version of this newsletter is a survey form to be filled out by paid members of the Chapter on this subject.

In the last couple of years the Chapter has held meetings at Ava, Mountain Grove, Gainesville, Mountain View, Mansfield, Willow Springs, and Johnston's Nest. We have flown over 1000 Young Eagles at these airports, as well as at Houston and a planned date at Thayer, which was cancelled for weather. The Chapter float has been in numerous town parades, and the flight simulator in many locations. Training classes have been held on licensing homebuilt aircraft and enforcement. A replica Wright Flyer has been built and flown. Numerous breakfasts, lunches, and dinners have been held. During these last several years the Chapter membership has grown fourfold. These "away from home" activities will continue even if we go ahead with the Chapter hangar project.

During the Committee meeting a lot of options were discussed, particularly in regards to the potential uses for the hangar. Also the Committee received some generous offers of materials and expertise, some from Committee members themselves. Knowing about these offers may affect your answers, so here is the list:

Photographs by Sue Kalhoefer
The Chapter Hangar Exploratory Committee met March 6, 2004. They considered the offer of a site for the hangar which was shown to some members who were present after breakfast on February 28. It is located on Ron White's property at Willow Springs Memorial Airport.

Ron White has agreed to lease some of his land at Willow Springs Airport to the Chapter on which to build the hangar. The Whites have also agreed to donate the metal panels to build the sides and roof of the hangar.

Benny Butler has agreed to donate the hangar trusses and to erect the hangar, and has produced a proposed plan for a 50' x 70' hangar. Thus, the bulk of the most expensive items of material and major construction has already been donated. The remaining major expense items will need to be purchased, and include concrete for the floor (estimated to cost $2.00 per square foot), the "C" channels, insulation, electrical wiring, and plumbing.

Before you decide that this is already a "done deal," we would like input from the entire Chapter membership. If a majority of responding members should think we don't need a hangar, then of course the project will be abandoned. If the majority of responding members think a hangar should be built, but in a different location, the project will proceed with that other location as the objective. The EAA publication, "A Primer on Chapter Hangars," states, "No project is worth losing members." Please use only the original form in answering the survey. Your support of the Chapter is appreciated. Come to the meeting and bring your completed survey form. If you can't come, mail it, the sooner the better, but the absolute deadline for receipt is April 2, 2004. The Committee will meet again on April 3 to tally and discuss the results. The Committee members are Berlin Batesel, Benny Butler, Kent Clotfelter, Ben Hurtt, Charlie Ward, Mike White, and John Zook.

The Homebuilt Aircraft Project Committee includes Dave Altis, Kent Clotfelter, Bill Ghan, Chuck Hiett, and Charlie Ward. We are looking forward to hearing from them at the March meeting.

Meeting Dates
The March meeting will be on Saturday, March 13, at 10:00 in Ron White's hangar. We've also begun setting up some dates and places for meetings during those wonderful flying weather months. April isn't set yet, but we will go to Gainesville in May and Mountain View in June. Young Eagles pilots, you'd better get ready.

		Photographs by Sue Kalhoefer
Attendees at the February meeting used midwinter as time to plan for the future needs of the Chapter.		Bill Ghan and Don Nevels accept a commemorative plaque from photographer Bill Easley, showing the Wright Flyer on January 10, 2004.

Young Eagles Flag
Speaking of Young Eagles, the Chapter has received a beautiful flag from HQ in recognition of having met and exceeded our 2003 goal for the number of Young Eagles flown.

Updating Our Patches The Chapter logo will change to reflect the successful flight of the Wright Flyer. New patches will be ordered showing the Wright Flyer superimposed over the Ozarks background. This is the modification made by Henny Christensen, that was used on the souvenir buttons which were handed out to visitors on December 17 and January 10. It caught on. The original patch was designed by Bill Ghan, and the quality of the resulting patch is excellent. That will be maintained in the new patch, of course.

Wright Flyer in Springfield
Day by day, we wait for word from Springfield-Branson Regional Airport as to when we should come do final reassembly of the Wright Flyer for display. They are waiting for a report from the architects about the structural load-carrying capability of the terminal roof trusses. It is likely that notice for a workday at the airport will come on short notice. Once the Wright Flyer is on display, we want to include pictures of it as the "final chapter" in the story to be told on the CD set. We have obtained the professional edition (allows us to copyright and sell the CD set without quibble) of software called Flip Album. It provides a very nice framework in which to display pictures and add text, and it runs automatically.

Photograph by Henrietta Christensen

It was a beautiful day January 31 when the Wright Flyer was taken to Springfield-Branson Regional Airport.

Schools & Simulator
It seems that word about the flight simulator has gotten around the schools in the area. Quite a few requests have been received to have the simulator brought to schools, along with a presentation on aviation. Sixth-grade students will be the primary target for a program. We will be working on a computer-based presentation. This may also be a good way to attract applicants for EAA's Aviation Summer Camp. We have 364 credits pooled toward a camp scholarship for an applicant.

Member News
Just before the last newsletter, a terrible loss was suffered by Chuck and Marty Hiett when their house burned down. Thank heavens no one was hurt. But everything was lost, and that's heartbreaking. They are now trying to decide what they want in the way of replacement housing.

Bill Newton is flying smoke patrol in spite of injuring his foot and ankle in a fall. He may be walking on crutches but, once in the airplane, he's in his element.

Millie Tausworthe says that Jim was contacted during the last week of February by the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. They want to enter Jim's book THE LAST CHASE to be considered for the prestigious William Young Boyd award as the best military novel of 2003. The winner of the award will be decided in mid-May 2004. How's that for exciting?!

New Members
We are happy to report that everyone who is active (and that's most of the membership) has paid their dues for 2004. We also have quite a few new members this year. We welcome Tom and Lynn Bentele, Richard and Rose Burks, Jim and Tina Evertsen, Gary Jordan, Rory Lozano, and Gail and Carol McCool.

See you all at the meeting Saturday. Don't forget your survey form.

March Meeting Announcement