National Experimental Aircraft Association
Responds to Mogollon Airpark’s ‘Public Notice’ in Mogollon Rim News
Letter to the editor:
In the March 3 edition of the Mogollon Rim News, a public notice was published regarding Young Eagles flights by EAA Chapter 1044 at the Mogollon Airpark. This notice unfortunately contained a number of inaccuracies that demand a response.
The Experimental Aircraft Association has responded on several occasions to requests for proof insurance for Young Eagles operations. This is the same proof of insurance certificate provided for hundreds of Young Eagles flight rallies nationwide, at both public and private airfields, and meets all legal requirements. The Mogollon Airpark Homeowner’s Association is welcome to contact our insurance brokers and underwriters, which are listed on the certificate and cover thousands of events of all kind around the world each year, for confirmation of this fact.
EAA has worked with our insurance underwriters to set adequate and prudent insurance levels for Young Eagles operations at all airports throughout the country. More than 70,000 young people fly on Young Eagles flights each year, with the 2 millionth Young Eagle since 1992 flown just last summer. For each of these flights, high standards of safety are maintained. That includes providing our chapter’s insurance accepted by aviation facilities nationwide, except for Mogollon Airpark. Why the leadership or the homeowners association is demanding coverage 20 times beyond best industry practices is baffling.
Equally baffling is why leadership of an airpark, which one would assume supports aviation, would want to prevent aviation activities at its facility. It appears that the leadership is determined to set successively more demanding obstacles to recreational flying -not matched anywhere in the country- at facility designed for expressly that purpose.
We are happy to continue working with the airpark homeowners association, but as it felt the need to publicly state it’s perspective with its inaccuracies, we must respond to set the record straight.
Sincerely,
Dick Knapinski, Director of Communications
Experimental Aircraft Association
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Chapter Sponsors FAA Wings Seminar
On Saturday, April 8, 2017 our Chapter 1044 hosted a spring FAA Wings seminar at the Airpark presented by FAA FAASTeam Lead Fred Gibbs. The topics of this seminar were piston engine management, including LOP and ROP operations. There was also a look back at 2016 Arizona fatal accidents. The seminar was well attended and received and another is in the works for this coming fall. Thank you to all those attended, including guests from the nearby communities of Taylor and Payson.
Mogollon Airpark HOA Board of Directors Passes Resolution
to Prohibit EAA Chapter 1044 Activities at Airpark
At the September 10, 2016 meeting of the Mogollon Airpark Board of Directors, a resolution was passed to prohibit EAA Chapter 1044 from holding any activities at Mogollon Airpark, including pancake breakfast fly-ins and Young Eagle events.
Director Warren Brown first circulated his draft of this resolution one year ago at the September 2015 meeting. At the most recent meeting, the initial draft submitted was directed at “any organization, club, corporation or individual” wishing to use the Airpark. A discussion ensued and It was then noted by several in attendance at the meeting that the entire content of the resolution beyond the first paragraph exclusively addressed EAA Chapter 1044. Director Brown then withdrew the motion and made numerous edits to his resolution during the meeting, most notably revising the motion to apply ONLY to EAA Chapter 1044 and ONLY to taxiways and runway.
The revised resolution passed by a vote of 7-1 with Director/Treasurer Davis the sole nay vote.
Click HERE to read the notice dated September 14, 2016 sent to EAA Chapter 1044 and the accompany resolution from Board President Pat McLeod.
Former EAA Chapter 1044 President Bob Boyd went up with Edd Weninger in his T-34 yesterday morning. Bob was a Naval Aviator, but he was in the last class that trained in the SNJ, and never had a chance to fly the Mentor. So Edd remedied that situation.
Bob has built at least two airplanes and did a fine job running EAA Chapter 1044 for many years.
Paul Taylor flew wing in his RV-8.
-Dennis Collins
2016 EAA Major Achievement Award
It is with great pride and joy that we share with you that Ellen Randoll, our Chapter 1044 Treasurer and Acting Secretary, has been awarded the 2016 Major Achievement Award by the Experimental Aircraft Association. Ellen and her husband Curt are currently en route to AirVenture in Oshkosh and she will be recognized at the EAA Awards Breakfast on Saturday, July 30, 2016.
Ellen was nominated by EAA Chapter 1044 member Paul Taylor this past May. Although all of us in the Chapter know of Ellen’s diligent hard work and dedication to the success of our Chapter, we wanted to share with you the text of Paul’s nomination. You can read Paul’s nomination submission by clicking HERE.
Below is a video of the presentation of Ellen’s award.
EAA Chapter 1044 Selects First Aviation Scholarship Recipients
OVERGAARD, AZ— Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 1044 has selected two local teenagers to receive fully-paid scholarships, including tuition and roundtrip airfare, to the EAA Advanced Air Academy summer 2016 program.
The Air Academy offers young people the opportunity to meet and work with aviation professionals, while living and learning the arts, sciences, and lore of aviation in both classroom and workshop settings.
They join many other young people in the aviation program. Several days of the Academy take place during the world’s largest and most exciting aviation event – EAA AirVenture 2016. Participants in the EAA Air Academy come from around the United States and several foreign countries.
Academy activities will include flight experience, workshops, and classroom study. EAA’s Director of Museum & Museum Education, Bob Campbell, says, “The EAA Air Academy teaches young people new skills and instills a pride of craftsmanship. More importantly, it develops their leadership potential and broadens their understanding of both aviation and themselves. The EAA Air Academy is a benchmark of personal experience…and an aviation experience that will last a lifetime.”
EAA Chapter 1044 chose as our first two scholarship recipients Tobias Tomlinson, a freshman at Mogollon High School, and Tristen Martineau, a senior, also attending Mogollon High School.
Larry Driver, Chapter President said, “These scholarships would not have been possible without the generous support of the community, including the Heber-Overgaard Chamber of Commerce.”
Chapter Vice-President, Curt Randoll added, “One of the missions of our Chapter is to provide youth with an educational opportunity to learn about aviation and aviation history. This isn’t about sending kids to summer camp – it’s about opening their eyes to new experiences and potential new career paths. The Air Academy fulfills this mission, and being able to send two youths this year, the first year we offered the scholarship, is fantastic.”
Anyone interested in attending any of EAA’s Air Academy Programs, should write to: Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc., Resident Education Office, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086. Applicants need not be EAA members. The prime consideration is an interest and enthusiasm for aviation.
Funding for our Aviation Scholarship is through various fundraising efforts. EAA Chapter 1044 has recently received tax exempt status as a non-profit charity under I.R.S. section 501(c)(3). Under the new I.R.S. non-profit designation, donations to Chapter 1044 are now tax deductible.
For more information on EAA Chapter 1044, please visit our website at eaachapter1044.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/eaa1044.
EAA Chapter 1044 is based at Mogollon Airpark. In addition to our aviation scholarship, which is part of our youth education program, the Chapter has a very active homebuilder community with about a dozen aircraft in various stages of construction or refurbishment…everything from experimental Super Cubs to Bearhawks to RVs and Rans.
Newest EAA Chapter 1044 Young Eagles
On March 19, 2016 both Tristen and Porter Martineau received their Young Eagles flights from pilot and Chapter Vice President Curt Randoll. As evidenced by the picture, it’s obvious both were thrilled with their first rides in a small aircraft. In addition, Tristen, along with Tobias Tomlinson, were recipients of the Chapter’s first scholarship and will be attending EAA Air Academy and AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in July. Congratulations to both! Click on the link below for a short video of their big day!
Martineau Young Eagle Flight Video
Heber-Overgaard Chamber of Commerce Presents Check To Chapter
Larry Driver, EAA Chapter Pres.; Cyd Chilleen, Chamber Mgr; Curt Randoll, EAA Chapter V-P; Norm Johnson, Chamber Board Member; June Call, Chamber Pres.
Christmas came a little early to EAA Chapter 1044. This week we were presented with a check from the Heber-Overgaard Chamber of Commerce.
Funds were raised during the Tall Pines Raffle and were distributed to numerous area organizations as part of the Chamber’s “Share With The Community Project.” This donation will enable our chapter to send a second area youth to the EAA Air Academy Summer Camp.
A BIG Thank You to the Heber-Overgaard Chamber of Commerce!
Keeping the Torch Burning
Conner Simpson’s Young Eagle flight in Paul’s RV8
Conner Simpson’s great-grandfather Archie Taylor learned to fly in Phoenix in 1938, served as an Army Air Corps pilot in World War II in the 1940’s, in the Korean War in the 1950’s, and in the Vietnam War in the 1960’s.
Conner’s grandfather Paul Taylor was a U.S. Air Force pilot in the 1970’s, 80’s, and 90’s. He then flew for Southwest Airlines for another 19 years.
Conner may be the one to keep the family aviation heritage alive. He took a “Young Eagle” flight with his grandfather Paul on October 13, 2015. They flew for 30 minutes in the gorgeous RV-8 that was built by Conner’s grandpa.
Conner is ten years old and a fifth grader at Cimarron Springs Elementary School in Surprise, AZ. “Conner did all the flying except takeoff and landing. We had built a fort in our backyard from big cardboard boxes and he was able to see that as we circled over the airpark. Conner has flown with me since he was two years old, but this was his official ‘Young Eagle’ flight.”
Paul Taylor, England 1984
Archie Taylor, Republic of Vietnam, 1965
Archie Taylor in back of Paul’s, RV8 in 2007 at age 91
Cancellation of the 2015 Pancake Breakfast & Fly-In…
The Whole Story
At the September 12, 2015 Mogollon Airpark Board of Directors meeting, recently-elected board member, and EAA Chapter 1044 member, Gene Meng made the unsolicited statement that “EAA cancelled the pancake breakfast.” While that is true, it is only part of the story. Read more…
Mogollon HOA Board Member Warren Brown
Circulates Draft Resolution to Restrict EAA Activities
At the September 12, 2015 Mogollon Airpark Homeowners Association board meeting, homeowner and newly-elected board member Warren Brown circulated a draft of a proposed resolution he will submit to the board for adoption at the November meeting. This resolution seeks to significantly curtail our activities as pilots and as EAA Chapter 1044 of the Experimental Aircraft Association. You can read the text of the draft resolution by clicking here. Please note that this is a scanned copy and the only additions are the inclusion of “(sic)” to indicate this is an exact transcription and that the errors were contained in the original draft resolution.
