A Message From Our Chapter President, Ron Fritz (June '05)

Here we are, almost halfway through the year. I hope most of you have at least started those projects that you waited, through the cold weather, to get started. Before you know it, the colder fall days will be here and you will have to go full speed ahead to finish them before the winter snows fall. Ah, such is life.

With the later sunsets our days are adjusted to take advantage of the extra daylight each day. The same pretty much occurs with chapter meetings. It’s more fun to sit on the deck at the Sparta airport and relate stories rather than get the chapter meeting started. I think we will be doing that for a couple months. My choice for a meeting program this month fell through at the last minute and I’ve been unable to replace it at the time of this newsletter writing. I have an idea but haven’t worked on it yet. I guess you will all have to wait and see what has come about.

Our chapter has obligated itself to take part in the Sparta Days festivities and we will again be assisting the Lions Club in the annual pancake breakfast on July 17th. Keep that date in mind and do your best to help us out on that day. We do benefit financially and the money earned pretty much runs the chapter for the year. We’ll be talking about this at the June meeting and will have to have most of our plans finalized by the July meeting.

In case you haven’t experienced it, the Sparta airport lounge is a pretty active place during good flying weather. There is usually a good gang of airport “bums” present and there is a good bit of great camaraderie going on. Drop in and join in on the fun.

See you at the meeting...

May (2005) Meeting Minutes

EAA chapter 704 met at 7:00 p.m. on 5/9/05 for a regular meeting. The meeting was held at the Sparta Paul Miller Airport lounge. There were 25 members present.

President Ron Fritz called the meeting to order and reviewed the minutes of the last meeting as printed in the newsletter. He announced that we now have 35 paid members in the chapter.

There was $1725.57 in the checkbook along with $50.00 cash on hand. $40.00 was collected for dues and calendar sales. (Later $10.00 was added from the 50/50 raffle)

President Fritz asked for an update on the newly formed Sparta Pilot’s Association. Kathy Hakeem reported that there had been no meetings recently but they were in the process of polling neighboring airports to get a sense of what the relationship might be between airport management and the pilots at their locations.

A discussion followed about various projects in progress amongst the members.

P.J. Bevelacqua collected for a 50/50 raffle, which was won by Homer Teitsma.

After a brief break for snacks the group reconvened to hear Mr. Harvey Alley give a very interesting description of the early development of airmail service in West Virginia and Pennsylvania area. He told of how a dentist, Lydell Adams, from Chicago devised a method of picking up and dropping mail sacks from a moving, low flying, airplane. First they used a drag cable with a grappling hook on the end and later developed a boom arrangement. This was being done in the mid 1930’s and actually accomplished a surprising number of pickups and drops with very few mishaps. The service was called All American Aviation, which later became U.S. Air as we know it today.

Mr. Alley, who in times past had developed several slide programs involving a 3-screen presentation, offered to return in the future with other discussions for our interest.

Meeting adjourned

Jay Dean, Secretary/Treasurer

DATES TO REMEMBER

JULY, 17
Sparta - Paul C. Miller Airport (8D4) 7:30 - 11:30 am

Dawn Patrol Pancake Breakfast in conjunction with Sparta Town & Country Days with tractor pulls, lawn mower races & radio control airplanes airshows during festival days.

Sponsored by EAA 704 & Sparta Lions Club.
Call 616-887-5744.

July 25 - 31
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005!
Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, WI

A Message From Our Chapter President, Ron Fritz (May '05)

Now that spring is finally here many of us can dust off the flying machine and go about defying the laws of gravity. I might even dig around in my hangar to see if the Mooney is still there.

I spent the past Friday (April 29th) at Oshkosh and the Vintage Airplane Association Board of Directors meeting. These meetings are always a lot of fun as I get to rekindle friendships with many of my old friends and, also, learn of the happenings around VAA and EAA. I can assure you there is a lot going on behind the scenes that most members don't know about. In short, they are really looking out for all of you. You can all be thankful for that.

With the warmer weather and daylight saving time, we will be able to spend some of our meeting nights outside. It might be a good time to invite EAA guests to the meetings, to show off their flying machines. If any of you know of someone who has an interesting antique, classic or experimental airplane, invite them to join us. It is always an incentive to see what someone else has done which generally gives us the confidence to go forward with our project(s).

See you all at the May meeting...

April Meeting Minutes

The regular meeting of EAA Chapter 704 was held at 7:00 pm on Monday April 11, 2005 at the Sparta Paul C. Miller Airport.

The March minutes were read and approved. The treasurer reported $1697.57 in the check book with $50.00 cash on hand and $40.00 received in dues and calendar sales before the meeting was called to order.

President Fritz brought several items to the floor for discussion. He commented on the work week-end projects held at Oshkosh. Those interested could fill out applications with several week-ends to choose from.

President Fritz also commented on the Pancake Breakfast held at the airport in conjunction with Sparta Community Days. We work along side the Sparta Lions Club and share the profits.

The subject of the Sparta Pilot’s Association also came up for comment. President Fritz noted that the EAA Chapter 704, as an organization, would not be associated with the SPA but individual members of the chapter are free to join and show support for the concerns brought forth by the SPA.

Paul Kovalak, newly elected president of the Sparta Pilot’s Association (SPA) said there had been two meetings so far with about 50 pilots showing interest. The SPA has established a mission statement and a plan of action. He pointed out that there are several airport rules changes being suggested by certain parties that the SPA will oppose inasmuch as they appear detrimental to general aviation as practiced at Sparta Miller Airport. One of the major issues is the freedom of the pilots to perform FAA approved maintenance on their own aircraft on the field. There were other issues as well. The SPA is in the process of polling surrounding airports to establish ways of comparing Sparta with other airports. Some group discussion ensued.

Jim Reeds discussed his Zenith project and showed one of the construction manuals. Several others described their projects.

Dar Nederveld gave a humorous account of his experience of getting his airplane painted by a fellow in Arkansas. The whole episode, from initial contact through the trip down and back, made for quite a story.

P.J. Bevelacqua held a 50/50 raffle which was won by Dar Nederveld -perhaps rightly so in recompense for his delightful Arkansas adventure story.

Ron Fritz showed a number of slides following the history of civil and military aviation from its infancy through more modem times. As usual, Ron puts on a very good show with excellent slides and informative as well as very interesting commentary.

Meeting adjourned: Jay Dean, Sec/Treas EAA 704

2005 Michigan Aeronautical Chart Errata Update

For the latest info check out the MDOT Aeronautical website

A Message From Our Chapter President, Ron Fritz (April '05)

I’m going to start out this month’s column with an apology for not arriving in time to lead the March meeting and not having time to conduct the slide program that was supposed to be presented. We’re going to try to do that program at the April meeting. I’m sure Kathy Hakeem did a fine job in leading the meeting in my absence.

As most of you are aware, there are some concerns about the situation at the Sparta airport and many of our members are joining the Sparta pilots association. It’s nice to see so many aircraft owners and pilots willing to step forward and indicate their concern for the future of the airport. At this time, the chapter, as a specific entity, will not be a part in any actions that might affect airport rules or regulations unless they specifically involve our presence or activities at the airport. That isn’t our function as an organization. We do, however, hope we can always be a positive presence on the field and can affect changes to the benefit of all aviation minded people. Since so many of our members are coming forward to join the new association, we will include ongoing status reports during our business meetings.

I also wish to thank those members who came forward to reimburse the chapter for the cost of their meal at the chapter banquet in February, after they had not been able to attend.

I’ve noticed an increased enthusiasm on the part of many of our members. Several of our members are demonstrating a desire to start new projects or dust off projects that haven’t been worked on for a while. That is very heartening and I hope we can encourage others to join in on the fun. I think, as a chapter, we can expand this enthusiasm to include others who might have been fearful of starting a project in the past. I’d like to reserve a space in the monthly newsletters to report the activities of our members.

See you all at the April meeting...

What Our Members Are Doing

Paul Kovalak and Paul Zimmer have been investigating the Mustang II as their building projects. The have visited a nearly finished plane in Muskegon and were planning to visit the distributor to make a final decision as to whether or not to go ahead with their projects.

Paul Spetosky has finally gotten his 1950 Beechcraft Bonanza back to the Sparta airport. He and John Gill flew in the final leg recently and Paul will be tearing into the plane to get it back into license after a lengthy period of inactivity. Work will begin in earnest after he and Ethyl return from Florida and the Sun-n-Fun Fly in.

Jim Reeds has ordered kits to continue building his Zenith 701. You might remember visiting Jim’s workshop some time ago to view his progress at that time and also to view a demonstration of riveting.

If anyone is working on a project that we are not aware of, please come forward at a meeting to enlighten us as to its presence.

Images of the Past...

Umbaugh Gyrocopter at Myers Airport, Tecumseh, MI - June 1966



De Haviland Rapide, British Army Parachute Team in Germany - Spring 1968

A Message From Our Chapter President, Ron Fritz (March '05)

The chapter banquet came off well when 43 of our members traveled to the Swan Inn for a nice meal and an evening of camaraderie. Our program was given by Roger and Marilyn Doane, who put on a slide show of one of their flying trips to Alaska in their Stinson (pictured below). It was a nice evening for all who attended.

The night wasn’t completely without its problems, as we had to pay for the meals of all of those who had made reservations but didn’t show up. If you were one of those who didn’t attend and didn’t cancel your reservations, please consider the chapter’s problem. We’ll take this up in more detail at the March meeting.

Meeting programs are a concern of mine and I would appreciate your input as to what you would like and make any suggestions if you have an idea. I can bore you with movies and slides for the entire year but that isn’t really what is best for the chapter. Give us your ideas.

ATTENTION CHAPTER MEMBERS!

The 2005 EAA Chapter 704 Calendars are still available.

The price has been drastically reduced to $5.00 per calendar, Please help our chapter out and get yours today.

We have plenty left and must sell them to recoup the cost of printing.

Please stop by the airport lounge and pick one up today (See Vic, Brita, or Chris).

Fly To Alaska

After dinner was served, we viewed a slide show presentation of a trip to Alaska made by Roger and Marilyn Doane in their Stinson.


Roger narrated the presentation with many interesting stories from the adventure





Chapter President Ron Fritz talks to the attendees.