Vintage AirMail Newsletter - The adventure lives on...
Geoff Says…

Geoff Robison photo

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Here’s hoping that you all have a wondrous and happy Holiday Season!

Welcome back to the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association’s Vintage AirMail e-Newsletter.

By now, many of you have heard the news of an amazing change in the Leadership of the EAA. Jack Pelton (former CEO of Cessna) recently agreed to serve as the CEO of the Experimental Aircraft Association. On November 6 the EAA Board voted to install Jack as our CEO.

This announcement has been strongly embraced by the Membership, and is certain to allow us all the opportunity to enjoy strong leadership well into our future. Thanks for signing on Jack, and I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to continue to work with you In the future.

On top of that amazing news the EAA Board also appointed Charlie Precourt (two-time Commander of the Space Shuttle) as Vice-Chairman of the Board. Charlie will work closely with Jack and serve as an independent liaison between Jack and the Board. I cannot express to you the excitement in my bones to be able to work with a team of leaders of this caliber.

2015 will surely go down in the record books as one of the best years our organization has experienced in all our years as an association. Since this past Spring we have witnessed an absolute explosion of activity in and around the Vintage Community at Oshkosh.

In one year we have now executed on a record number of Capital Projects that we have had on our list for many years. Much of this success is directly attributable to the unprecedented generosity of our Vintage Members!

We can never properly thank the many members for this amazing generosity, Many thanks to each and every one of you who have supported the Tall Pines Café upgrades. The new concrete floor under the tent was clearly well supported and appreciated by a good number of Vintage folks who continue to donate the necessary dollars to see this project through to the Phase III construction of a pavilion on this site.

In fact, during the Vintage Fall Board Meeting in November the construction of the pavilion was approved by the Vintage Board of Directors. Construction is to be soon underway and is scheduled to be completed in early 2016.

So, as you can tell here your vintage organization has executed on some very large projects this year, and this will continue with our goal of creating the very best of facilities for the enjoyment of our members during AirVenture for many years to come.

Again, we would have never been in a position to execute on this many capital projects without the generosity of our Membership, and you are all greatly appreciated.

Erin Brueggen has now been on the scene for an entire year as our Executive Administrator and she has accomplished a ton of detail work to make our association the best it can be.

Erin continues to prove herself to be a wildly valuable asset to the VAA organization. Again, myself, as well as the entire Board of Directors are very impressed with what she brings to the table in addressing the routine daily challenges of the operational responsibilities of the Vintage Association

Erin is an amazing Administrator, and she truly has the Spirit of Aviation and we are truly fortunate to have her on board!

The Vintage Airplane magazine continues to be a very popular Member Benefit. Every time I read a new issue of Vintage Airplane, I am very impressed with the quality of the magazine and the content. The photography, the articles, the color, the cover and back cover, I mean it is all very well done. Jim Busha and his amazing team continue to exceed all of our wildest expectations.
www.vintageaircraft.org

Remember, It is never too early to begin your planning to attend the “World’s Greatest Aviation Event.”

Thanks for being a Member, and we hope to see you at Oshkosh 2016, July 25th. through July 31st.

Yes, the adventure lives on!

Geoff Robison

President, EAA Vintage Aircraft Association
EAA Life Member 268346
VAA Life Member 12606

In This Issue:

“Give us Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses…” of USED BOOKS

Your Vintage Aircraft Association is seeking donated old and/or used books with an aviation theme for the AirVenture 2016 VINTAGE BOOK STORE.

Used Books PhotoAll proceeds from the sale of books will be used to enhance the Vintage experience during AirVenture and to provide a conduit for out of print aviation history books and technical manuals for our members and guests.

The Vintage Aircraft Association is a non-profit educational organization under IRS Code 501c-3. All donations are tax deductible.

Books can be sent to the following address at any time: VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION, 3000 Poberezny Road, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Attn: Erin Brueggen/Vintage Bookstore.

YOUTH IN ACTION: Luke Lachendro

Luke LechandroI met Luke Lachendro this past summer at AirVenture. In the Vintage area one of our board members, David Clark, put together a group of four young men and asked them to present a forum on youth in aviation. Luke was one of the four.

These young men gave an excellent presentation providing the audience with a glimpse of how each started in aviation, their goals, and how they expect to achieve them. When finished, they answered questions from the audience. In short, it was a very successful hour. We on the Vintage board felt like our Vintage Youth Ambassadors program was truly being launched… (read more)

Vintage Board Approves Permanent Tall Pines Cafe’ Pavilion

At their November 2015 meeting the Vintage Board of Directors approved going forward with the final phase of Tall Pines Cafe – construction of a permanent dining pavilion.

Tall Pines PavilionAfter members and guests were so pleased with the new concrete floor at AirVenture 2015, a number of Vintage members started a capital fundraising campaign to construct the final phase. Enough contributions have come in to begin this project. We expect that if this level of member participation continues, we will open the brand-new Tall Pines Cafe debt-free at AirVenture 2016. (read more)

Board Sets Meeting and open Town Hall in Atlanta, GA area on February 27, 2016

Peachstate AerodromeFEBRUARY 27, 2016.
SAVE THE DATE. The VAA Board of Directors voted to hold a winter board meeting in the Atlanta, GA area. This meeting will be followed by an open Vintage Town Hall Meeting where VAA members and board members can share ideas and get to know each other better.

Jack PeltonOur special guest at the Town Hall will be Jack Pelton, EAA Board Chairman and recently named EAA CEO. Vintage Board member Ron Alexander will be hosting the February 27th meetings at Peachstate Aerodrome (GA2) near Atlanta (roughly an hour south of ATL). More details will be released on our website and in a special edition of the Vintage AirMail e-Newsletter. All Vintage members are invited to attend.

December Mystery Airplane

This two-place light plane was introduced to the aviation community in the mid-thirties.

December Mystery Plane

Click here or on the image above to view full size, to submit an answer, and to see our past mystery airplanes. When sending replies please disclose as much information as possible about the aircraft’s development, specs, performance and history.

October Mystery Solved

October Mystery Plane

The only correct identification of the October Mystery plane – the Johnson Uniplane – was received from Bradford Payne. He wrote:

The October Mystery plane Is a Johnson Uniplane. It was designed by Richard B. Johnson of Chicago, IL. Mr. Johnson was issued U. S. patent #1,887,411 on November 8, 1932 for the airplane. One prototype was built (serial number UNPN-1), and was registered as NX13680 in 1934. (read more)

Tech Tips: Wood Glues and Finishing Wood Surfaces

Ron Exalendar PhotoCertainly, the type of glue used in wood construction is of the utmost importance. Glue is the material used almost exclusively as a means of joining wood in aircraft construction.

A component part is considered joined satisfactorily if the strength of the glue joint is approximately equal to the strength of the wood itself.

The Aircraft Woodwork Technical Manual states “A strong glue joint is characterized by complete contact of glue and wood surfaces over the entire joint area, with a continuous film of glue between the wood layers, unbroken by air bubbles or foreign particles. The details of the gluing operation control the result.” (read more)

EAA Vintage Aircraft Insurance

EAA Insurance

Antique, classic, and contemporary aircraft are a special class of aircraft. EAA Insurance Solutions has specific solutions for Vintage Aircraft Association Members. (learn more)

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The Adventure Lives On…