by Geoff Robison, VAA President
VAA Life Member 12606, EAA Life Member 268346
Welcome back to our new updated format for EAA Vintage Aircraft Association’s Vintage AirMail e-Newsletter. Our newsletter team has worked hard for several months to update and modernize our AirMail format to make it easier for you to read and enjoy. I hope you enjoy reading it.
The 2016 planning for the Vintage portion of AirVenture is coming together quite nicely again this year, and we are certain to have yet another banner year for the VAA. Your Board of Directors met at the Candler Field Museum in Williamson Georgia for our winter Board Meeting in late February. The Peach State Aerodrome is a fascinating place to walk around as the odor of old aviation is always in the air. They have an airworthy Jenny on the field and one of our very deserving Vintage Volunteers won the raffle for a free flight in the old girl. It turned out that this was Pat Blake’s very first open cockpit flight, and all indications were that she thoroughly enjoyed her time in the old Jenny.
The Vintage Board decided back in November that we should conduct a Town Hall session immediately after the Vintage Board Meeting in Georgia. Any and all EAA and VAA Members were welcomed to attend, and it was a great success. We had nearly 200 Members and well over 50 aircraft in attendance. EAA President & CEO Jack Pelton gave the crowd a very thorough update on the EAA / AOPA legislative initiatives currently pending in the US Congress relevant to the PBOR2 proposed Legislation. Then Jack and I conducted the Q&A portion of the session which went on for nearly an hour. All and all this was a very productive session, and is assuredly something we should consider repeating in future years. AirVenture 2016 features and attractions.
The EAA Features and Attractions Committee have been very productive recently. I recommend that you sign-up for EAA’s weekly e-Gram newsletter and preview each edition to stay up to date on everything being planned for AirVenture 2016. All of the latest news about what will be featured at Oshkosh 2016 can be found here.
We in the Vintage arena are planning to host two very rare aircraft to this year’s event. We are hopeful that we will be hosting a fully restored original airworthy 1909 Curtis Pusher, as well as an original fully restored 1935 Eaglet. These two “flying aircraft” are certain to be featured in the Vintage Fly-by during the week of Oshkosh 2016. Two quick reminders here: Please consider a donation to the Vintage “Friends of the Red Barn Fund” for 2016. This fund is the primary resource that allows the VAA Organization the opportunity to continuously fund important improvements to the Vintage grounds and the many Membership amenities that make the Vintage experience the best it can be for our Members each year at AirVenture.
Also remember to consider shipping us or bringing us any of your old aviation publications or books in support our “Vintage Book Store” that is located in the Bill & Myrt Rose Memorial Park near the Vintage Hangar. Remember, It is never too early to begin your planning to attend the “World’s Greatest Aviation Event.” Visit the AirVenture web pages for all of the latest news and how to properly plan your trip to Oshkosh 2016.
Thanks for being a Member, and we hope to see you at Oshkosh 2016, July 25th through July 31st.
Always remember, we are better together. Join us and have it all.
Yes, the adventure lives on!