April 2018

EAA CHAPTER 145

SINCE 1962

Chapter Meeting: Saturday, April 14, 2018 – 10:00am

Riverview Airport (08C) in the big hangar

CHAPTER MEETING Gus Hawkins will tell us how to get “Back to the Cockpit”. He will help those who are afraid to get going again after an incident. Much of the focus of aircraft incidents is on what the pilot did wrong. There seems to be shame that somehow glues itself to the pilot, that is hard to shake off. But it does not occur in the area of driving cars….almost no one stops driving because of an accident. So why should that be in flying?

PRESIDENT’S CORNER I’ve been asked what an EAA chapter does…build airplanes… fly airplanes…have programs…or what? Yes, the chapter does most of these things, but it also increases the knowledge of its members and the community. And as we all know, knowledge can help us make this a better world. Here are a couple of examples of the chapter helping knowledge along. Your chapter is going to conduct an activity in May that will result in a number of Boy Scout earning their Aviation Merit Badge. The Chapter members volunteer their time and equipment to provide education to these scouts. Yes, the EAA chapters do help with the spreading of knowledge, via aviation. Another example of what EAA chapters do to further aviation knowledge is cooperating with each other. Ginger DeVillers, a WMFA teacher and Young Eagle coordinator for EAA 221, Kalamazoo, had three students who wanted to attend the summer Air Academy in Oshkosh, but needed scholarship money. EAA221 didn’t have enough so she contacted three other chapters in West Michigan and they pooled their Young Eagle credits to provide the funds to send the young people to Aviation Camp. (We are still looking for volunteers to fly them to Oshkosh) Yes, chapters do build and fly airplanes, but they also help spread knowledge in many ways. Many thanks to all you chapter members who help spread knowledge in so many ways. Cheers, Dick

YOUNG EAGLES The Young Eagle events for 2018 are coming together for this year. The Byron Center scout troop will be at Riverview Saturday, May 5, to earn Aviation Merit Badges. EAA145 is also working with EAA211 with Young Eagle rallies in Grand Haven. The West Michigan Flight Academy is planning Young Eagle activities in Plainwell and Sparta. Let me know if you are interested in flying or working on the ground, thanks, Dick

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Meeting

1 Prez Corner

2 Seattle II Cruiser

4 Website

6 Upcoming Events

EAA145 HANGAR -Herb Harney is working on the avionics and all the connections.

-Hangar space is available for anyone working on a project. Contact Dick Foster for details.

SEATTLE II – Round the World Adventure

https://www.seattleworldcruiser.org/ On April 6th, the Seattle II World Cruiser will start on the journey to celebrate and recreate the first circumnavigation of the globe by air.

In 2001, Bob Dempster and his wife, Diane, had just returned from flying a “Super Cub” vintage airplane from Seattle to Japan (via London, Saudi Arabia and Tasmania). They were looking for their next adventure when a historic flight snagged their interest. On April 6, 1924, four converted WWI torpedo bombers called Douglas World Cruisers left Sand Point — then Seattle’s Municipal Airport. They were The Chicago, The Boston, The New Orleans and The Seattle. Their mission was to become the first airplanes ever to fly around the world. The Boston’s engine failed between the Faeroe Island and Iceland and The Seattle went down in Alaska (in both cases the crew survived). But almost six months and near 70 stops later The Chicago and The New Orleans made it back to Sand Point and made history. “It was the second aviation milestone after the Wright brothers, it was that significant,” says Dempster, 67, who wants to celebrate that history by re-enacting the 1924 flight with Diane, his wife of 33 years, as his co-pilot. But before they could tackle the challenges of circumnavigating the globe in an open cockpit at 85 miles per hour and an altitude so low you can “see the color of the cars,” Dempster had to figure out how to build the antique plane himself. It took 12 years and help from The Museum of Flight, the McDonnell Douglas aerospace company — who manufactured the original planes — the Smithsonian and a number of other institutions. It also took the dedication of 50 volunteers. The Seattle 2 is powered by the same type of engine that powered the original Cruisers; a 400 HP Liberty V-12.engine. Many consider the engine to be the most important contribution the United States made to aviation technology during World War I. It was designed in just 6 days by Jesse G. Vincent of Packard and Elbert J. Hall of Hall-Scott in mid-1917 for the U.S. Government. Automakers Ford, Lincoln, Packard, Marmon, and Buick produced 20,748 Liberty 12s before the Armistice. The engine also powered the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic, the Curtiss NC-4, and the first plane to make a nonstop flight across the U.S. a Fokker T-2. Edo metal floats with water rudders will be used instead of the original non-steerable wooden pontoons. Durability of metal floats and better hydrodynamic design will better serve the Seattle World Cruiser on its world flight.

Now, The Seattle II is ready to take flight. All this is in preparation for the planned departure date of the around-the-world trip on April 6, 2018, the 94th anniversary of the original flight. There’s plenty more testing to be done in the coming year, including safety checks and test flights. This week, local FAA Aviation Safety Inspector Guy Shinkaruk, was taking his time looking over everything from the specialty “flying wires” (those crisscrossing wires that are strung between stacked wings on vintage planes) to the wooden propeller and the 1920s engine. Shinkaruk has been inspecting planes for over 30 years. While he sees plenty of vintage planes built from kits, he’s never seen anything like the Seattle II. “This is all handmades’ and one-offs,” he says as the Seattle II’s silver body winks in the sun behind him. “This didn’t come out of a box.” While historical details and accuracy are important to Bob Dempster, there will be significant differences between the 1924 and 2018 flights. Materials have been updated for safety (nonflammable cloth, GPS and stronger steel). The destinations will also differ slightly. The 1924 flight landed in Baghdad, Aleppo and Karachi, cities that in 2018 will probably be replaced by more stable alternatives. But some things never change — weather patterns still dictate the same time frame and route. “(You’ve got to) get through Japan before typhoon season starts and through India before monsoon season starts and across the North Atlantic before early winter sets in,” says Dempster with a far-off look that makes me think he’s already imagining himself in the cockpit. While a love of flying and aviation history is the primary motivation of this project, the diplomatic implications are not lost on Dempster. He hopes this trip, like the first one, will “link the world in a peaceful way.” “It’s not any less important now than it was then,” he says. And it may be even more so.

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH: http://aerovie.com/ Aerovie is a flight planning application.

You can visualize your weather with

Aerovie vertical weather profile, radar

forecasting, and more. There is a free

version and a couple of paid level

versions

GRAND HAVEN FLY-IN Everyone is welcome! The Grand Haven Aviation Association Dawn Patrol Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast and Lunch

Saturday, June 2, 2018 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Grand Haven Memorial Airpark (3GM) Pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee and juice will be served for breakfast. Hot dogs, chips and

pop for lunch. We are expecting plenty of interesting aircraft and activities. Rain or Shine! Young Eagle Flights (subject to weather and available planes/pilots)

Fun for the whole family - come join us for a great time! Contact 616-842-4430,

3gmghaa@gmail.com, or visit our Facebook page for more information. www.facebook.com/GrandHavenAviationAssociation Sponsored by the Grand Haven Aviation Association

WEEKS RESTORATION HANGAR TRIP There are 14 people signed up to make the annual (27th year) EAA145 trip to the Weeks hanger

in Oshkosh, on April, 20-22. We will be working on the EAA B-25, “Berlin Express”…this is the

same B-25 worked on by the Chapter during its first visit in 1990.

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EAA Chapter 145 website: www.145.eaachapter.org EAA National website: www.eaa.org Riverview Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Riverview-Airport/115468211816419

DUES ARE NOW BEING COLLECTED Dues of $35.00 are payable to "EAA CHAPTER 145" and can be mailed to Bob Swietek at the address listed at the end of the newsletter or brought to the monthly chapter meeting. If you need to make any updates on your contact information, please include the tear-off slip for member data and update with your payment.

UPCOMING EVENTS April 10-15 Lakeland Florida SUN-N-FUN Apr 14 Riverview Airport (08C) Meeting – ‘Back to the Cockpit’ – Gus Hawkins April 20-22 Oshkosh (KOSH) Week’s Hangar Work Weekend May 12 Riverview Airport (08C) Meeting – May 19 Brooks Field (RMY) Dawn Patrol Fly-In Breakfast May 26 Fremont (FFX) Dawn Patrol Fly-In Breakfast EAA#578 June 2 Grand Haven (3GM) Dawn Patrol Fly-In Breakfast June 3 Coldwater (OEB) Dawn Patrol: Branch County Memorial Airport June 10 Lee Bottom (64I) Lee Bottom “Sinful Sundays” June 10 Mason Jewett (TEW) Dawn Patrol Fly-In Breakfast EAA#55 June 21-24 Park Township Paramotor PPG Fly-In June29-Jul2 Watervliet (40C) Watervliet Fly-In / Camp-In Weekend July 1-5 Battle Creek Airport Battle Creek Airshow & Balloon Festival July 23-29 Oshkosh (KOSH) OSHKOSH!!!! Aug 18-19 Chicago, IL Chicago Air & Water Show Aug29-Sept3 Ottumwa, Iowa Antique Airfield Fly-In www.antiqueairfield.com September Michigan Air Tour www.michiganairtour.org

If you know of events that should be on the event calendar, please e-mail them to me If you would like to be on the e-mail list for meeting and event reminders, or if you would like to receive the newsletter

electronically, which is full color and delivered days before the print version… please send your e-mail address to: randall.houtman@dematic.com

The 2018 Officers for EAA145: President, Dick Foster (538-8849 c172foster@gmail.com) Vice President, Bruce Whitman (897-9846 bwhitmanpe@gmail.com) Secretary/Treasurer, Bob Swietek 6962 Bridgewater Dr. SE Grand Rapids,MI 49546 (676-2951 airdale69@aol.com)

Newsletter Editor, Randy Houtman (randall.houtman@dematic.com)

Treasurer’s Report: (as of Apr 3st)

Liabilities: $3500.00

Cash: $190.85 Checking: $78.07

Savings: $4104.91 Total: $4373.83

Website Editor, Bill Willyard (wgwillyard@att.net)

EAA CHAPTER 145 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION / RENEWAL FORM

DUES ARE $35.00 PER YEAR – JANUARY 1st to DECEMBER 31st Name ________________________________________ Co-Pilot / Spouse _______________________________ Address ______________________________________ City __________________________________________ State / Zip _____________________________________ e-mail address _________________________________ Home Phone ___________________________________ Work Phone ___________________________________ National Membership # ___________________________

Aircraft Owned _________________________________ ______________________________________________ Projects / % Compete ____________________________ ______________________________________________ Bring this form to the next meeting or mail to: EAA Chapter 145 Treasurer 6962 Bridgewater Dr. SE Grand Rapids, MI, 49546

Experimental Aircraft Association – Chapter 145 – Grand Rapids, Mi