Change of Meeting Day

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Please note that beginning in February 2019 our monthly chapter meetings will be held on the third Saturday of the month. The social gathering and meeting times of 3:00 and 3:30 p.m. will remain the same.

We looking forward to seeing you at our next meeting on February 16.

Thank you!

2019 Air Academy Scholarship

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Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 EAA Air Academy

Have you always wanted to know more about aviation and airplanes? Have you ever considered becoming a pilot, aircraft mechanic or engineer? When you hear an airplane, do you look up to the sky? Then you should attend the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Air Academy in Oshkosh, Wisconsin!

Camp Activities Include:
 Aircraft Construction (welding, sheet metal work, fabric covering & more)
 Ground School (fundamentals, aircraft systems, preflight, weather)
 Learn about aviation history
 Visit EAA AirVenture Museum
 Fly EAA’s flight simulators
 Watch flight demonstrations
 Experience the thrill of flight in both an airplane and helicopter!
 Attend AirVenture Convention (over 601,000 attended last year)!

Requirements for Advanced Camp:

 Must be age 16-18 (as of July 2019) and reside in Heber-Overgaard area
 Completed a Young Eagles flight (we can arrange one for you)
 Available to attend camp from July 16-24, 2019
 Application Deadline is: February 22, 2019

Scholarship Includes:
 Tuition
 Airfare (Phoenix—Appleton or Green Bay, WI)
 Shuttle (to camp from the airport and back again to the airport)
 Lodging/Meals (Air Academy Lodge)

Click HERE for more information and an application.

Chapter Holds Welding Workshop

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On Saturday, six members of our Youth Build group attended a chapter-sponsored TIG Welding Workshop presented by Daniel Hurst. Daniel teaches the welding program at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, AZ, has 30 years’ experience in the welding industry and holds 25 certifications from the American Welding Society. He and Harald Grovers were gracious enough to travel up to Overgaard and share their expertise with our enthusiastic members. Not only was it a fun-filled day, but everyone came away with a newly-learned skill.

Be sure to check out the video for highlights from the day!

Snowflake Junior High Visit

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This past Wednesday, our chapter hosted 20 students from Snowflake Junior High School. Along with science teacher, Mike Eilertson, the students were able to see first-hand the chapter’s Youth Build Project, restoration of a Kitfox aircraft.

During the visit, chapter Youth Build participants Matthew Robinson, Gwen Phillips, Isaac Tudur and Jordan Pariga took the lead and described the restoration process to the those in attendance. The old fabric has been completely stripped from the wings and fuselage, which gave the students the rare opportunity to see the actual tubing structure.

Afterwards, EAA chapter members Pat and Dave Forbes displayed their Van’s RV-12 SLSA. As the students gathered around, Dave presented information about the aircraft, kit-building and aviation in general.  Mr. Eilertson volunteered that the school would like to possibly build an RV-12 as part of an after-school extracurricular activity in cooperation with other organizations such as our EAA chapter if grant funding could be secured.

Other chapter members also were present and spoke with the students about the aviation field as a career or avocation.  Topics included flying professionally for the airlines, aeronautical and electrical engineering, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, and “just flying for fun” as a private pilot. Ellen Randoll, chapter Secretary-Treasurer, followed up with a brief summary of the imminent workforce shortages in every area of aviation, both commercial and military, and the abundance of career opportunities looking forward.

Before leaving for the day, the students visited the nearby hangar of chapter member Dennis Collins, who is currently building a Van’s RV-8, and got to see up close the aluminum fuselage – often called the “canoe” – under construction.

Based the interest and enthusiasm of the students, aviation’s future is definitely looking bright!

A few more pictures from the SJHS visit…