Skylark Flyers Blog

In early March I got a call from a gentleman named Thom Mitchell. He’s from Vermont and is researching a restoration done by Mitch Spencer of Rutland. Thom was trying to find a Stearman that was originally issued to the Tuskeegee Airmen, and was reported to be displayed in a 1998 exhibit at the Smithsonian.

Thom found our phone number through a web search, and was originally looking for EAA Headquarters. It appears that our chapter site gets pretty high rankings in some searches. I told him I would give it a try to find the plane. I felt like the people on the PBS program History Detectives.

I learned that the plane is at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT. I did a bit more looking around, and see that it is actually owned by the Smithsonian, and on loan to the NEAM.
http://www.neam.org/inventory/airprofile.asp?ID=127

From what I read, Mitch intended to have the plane at the Smithsonian for a Black Aviators exhibit in 1998, but it looks like his car accident, which killed him, happened while he was still obtaining parts for the restoration. I couldn’t find information on the details of that particular exhibit, but it looks like the plane may not have been ready in time.

Here’s an article about an earlier incident when his car was stolen while it was full of parts and records on the plane.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1988&dat=19960909&id=DHsiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bK0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4068,821254

There is a plaque for Mitch on the EAA Memorial Wall in Oshkosh.
http://www.eaa.org/apps/obituaries/ObitDetails.aspx?ObitID=1962

It looks like there are only two other planes still in existence that are know to have been assigned to a Tuskegee group.

Plans are firming up for this year’s convention. An online meeting was held tonight, and here are some of the items discussed.

Chip sealing roads and pathways throughout main exhibit area including the Fly-Market.
Addition to Bldg C –more exhibit space for larger displays. Also 26 M+26 F toilets.
Paving down Whitman Rd down to near ultralight. The road will be moved next year for safety improvements at the ultralight runway.
New bike path from North 40 to the main entrance. It will continue around main entrance to vintage area. Continuing by Foundation Rd. to Waukau to Forest Home to Schaick Ave to Knapp St. to the Ultralight/ Red Barn entrance.

New North 40 Shower House 60 stalls. (40 with private enterances.) Flush toilets will be in shower building.

252 Electrical / Water hookups. 1st come, 1st served. No refund if leaving early.

New Trams that can hold 40 passengers. Lighting on trams for night operations.

More shade trees, as long as it doesn’t affect regular airport operations.

IAC building will have a new porch added which will be used for seminars. To be dedicated to Vicki Cruse.

New enhancements in the Warbirds area. Details to be announced soon.

50 DC-3’s have expressed interest in coming to Oshkosh
In the past, 8 at most have been there. Biggest challenge is parking them.
Formation will be lead by the DC-2. 40 DC-3’s in formation arrival

July 28th is the date of the 75th anniversary of the 1st B-17 flight. 5 will be in formation flights

Warbirds air show every day. Emphasis on Vietnam era.
Friday Jet warbird show.

Music – Chicago on Monday. EAA Concert Band on Wednesday, Lt. Dan Band on Friday.
Electric Airplanes – An exhibit building will be dedicated to electrics.

A special air show performer will be announced soon. (I’ll look for clues.)
Saturday night airshow July 31st including a wall of fire
Balloon launch and cluster balloon Saturday and Sunday morning between 6 and 7 AM.
Air Crane coming back.
Ultralight helicopter powered by hydrogen peroxide.

WWI replicas 5 from a museum in Colorado. Plus an SE5a replica.
A grass strip will be available again.

Bruce Crandall, Medal of Honor recipient will speak during the evening program.
100th anniversary of the seaplane.
50th anniversary of the Piper Cherokee

Burt Rutan, never one to hold back his words, was quoted in a Wall Street Journal editorial this week. Here he clarifies his comment.

Burt Rutan sets the record straight – Hyperbola.

The original letter that started this is here

That Burt Rutan memo to Congressman Wolf in full – Hyperbola.

The chapter is planning on chartering a bus to go to the Red Bull Air Races in Jersey City on June 20. With the grandstand ticket on race day, it looks like the cost of the trip will be about $100/person. It would be less to get general admission to the park, but I think you end up watching most of it on TV screens then.

The $100 is just an estimate until I hear back if a group ticket rate is available.

I know it’s not even Sun N’ Fun time yet, but for some of us, it’s already time to start planning for the EAA Convention at Oshkosh already.

Commercial airfares have started down for that time period, and it may be best to grab one if you’re going out by airline.

For the past few years, several members have rented a house about 2 miles from the airport. This works out to cost less than a hotel, but we need 5 to 7 people to make the cost reasonable to stay there. They’ve charged $300/night for up to 4 people. $350/night for up to 8 people. The Oshkosh Convention & Visitor’s Bureau maintains on online listing of private residences that are available to rent for that week. If we’re not going to stay at this house, we need to let the owners know as soon as possible so they can offer it to other people.

Things got confusing last year with different people staying on different days, so this year I’m only going to get involved if there’s a consensus on which days everyone will be staying there. This house rental requires a minimum 4 night commitment. There are other homes, or rooms within houses, that are available in the area for fewer nights. In the past we’ve stayed there Monday through Friday nights.

I know it may be tough to make a commitment this early, but I’d like to grab one of those $200 airfares if they pop up.
Please contact a chapter officer if you want to be in on this.

Here’s what we’re planning for this coming year!

Dates         Organization            Event                            
2/20          EAA Chapter 1310        Pancake Breakfast (Skylark)
3/20          EAA Chapter 1310        Pancake Breakfast (Skylark)
4/13-18       Sun 'N Fun, Inc.        Sun 'N Fun Fly-In, Lakeland, FL
5/8           EAA Chapters 166 & 1310 Young Eagles Flight Day (Brainard)
5/15-16       Hampton Fly Market      Hampton, NH - Hampton Airfield (7B3)
5/22          EAA Chapter 1310        Safety Seminar (Skylark)
6/04-06       Joint Effort            Boy Scouts Centennial Jamboree ( Hebron Fairgrounds)
6/10          EAA Chapter 27          Young Eagles Rally ( Meriden) (Thursday?)
6/12          EAA Chapter 1035        Young Eagles Rally (Rain Date 6/13) (Danielson) 
6/19          EAA Chapter 166         Fly-In (Windham)
6/19-20       Red Bull Air Races      New York/Jersey City
6/26-27       RI ANG                  Airshow - Thunderbirds - Kingston, RI
7/10          EAA Chapter 1310        Cookout (Skylark)
7/17          Joint Effort            Bradley Aviation & Space Day (CT ANG & NEAM)
7/26 - 8/1    EAA                     EAA Convention - Oshkosh
8/14          EAA Chapter 1310        Corn Roast (Skylark)
8/21-22       Mass. ANG               Airshow-Thunderbirds - Westfield, MA
9/19          EAA Chapter 324         Simsbury Fly-In (Rain Date 9/26)
9/25          EAA Chapter 1310 & 166  Skylark Young Eagles (Rain Date 10/2)
10/9          EAA Chapter 1310        Taildragger & Vintage safety seminar (Skylark)
12/3          EAA Chapter 1310        Holiday Dinner

Everyone I talked with last night thought the chapter/airport dinner last night went very well. We had 46 people attend, and with the temperature last night in the mid-20’s with wind at about 15 kts, I think it’s safe to say everyone appreciated not being in a hangar that’s hard to heat.
The annual chapter awards were presented to the officers along with:
Web / newsletter editor-Charlie Falke
Technical Counselors-Mike Koczera and John Laroche
Young Eagles Coordinator-Jack Hilditch
Special awards were presented to Donna Weaver and Bill Kulle for their help at our fundraising meals throughout the year. They received a certificate, along with a golden spatula.
Chuck Cohen will receive a certificate for flying the most Young Eagles this year at 34.

Since we’re going to the Royal Buffet for the airport and chapter Christmas Dinner, I feel it is necessary to make sure the members know the best strategy for getting your money’s worth at the dinner.

The All-Inclusive All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Guide « Eating The Road.

It looks like GA is being lumped in the same category with DC-9 aircraft since I don’t see any distinction.

http://greenhellblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/boxer-801.pdf

On Page 16
“Part-B Mobile Sources
“Sec. 821. Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards for Mobile Sources.

Pursuant to section 231(a), the Administrator shall promulgate standards applicable to emissions of greenhouse gases from new aircraft and new
engines used in aircraft by December 31, 2012. Not withstanding any requirement in section 231(a), the Administrator, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall also promulgate standards applicable to emissions of greenhouse gases from other classes and categories of aircraft and aircraft engines for such classes and
categories as the Administrator determines appropriate and in the timeframe the Administrator determines appropriate. The Administrator may revise
these standards from time to time.
‘‘(2) Standards under section 231(a) applicable to emissions of greenhouse gases from new aircraft and new engines used in aircraft, and any later revisions or additional standards, shall achieve the greatest degree of emission reduction achievable based on the application of technology which the Administrator determines will be available at the time such standards take effect, taking into consideration cost, energy, and safety factors associated with the application of such technology. Any such standards
shall take effect after such period as the Administrator finds necessary to permit the development and application of the requisite technology.

On Friday, aviation legend Bob Hoover spoke at the EAA Museum. I’ve heard parts of his life story before, but there’s always a few new, or forgotten, items brought up.

Bob was a test pilot during WWII. He relentlessly kept working for a combat assignment, but his flying skills were in too much demand testing planes before they became operational. One assignment had him testing planes after they were repaired from battle damage. Another period had him testing the first 60 P-51’s that were going to North Africa.

He finally got that combat assignment in Algiers, but then got reassigned to training and ferry flights. He led a flight of P-40’s from Algiers to Sicily.

During a mission, he was attacked by Folke-Wolfe 190’s. He felt that one that was 90 degrees to him wasn’t a threat since that would have to be a very difficult shot to make, but he did get hit. He had to invert the plane to bail out, but he came out of that uninjured.

After the war he was able to use his experience test flying planes that were built by the enemy.

If you ever get the opportunity to hear Bob speak, I recommend not letting the opportunity pass by. You’ll probably regret missing him.