Mike Parry

Memorable Day for the Chapter & Airport

Tuesday’s Air Show was always a gamble. It involved major commitments by the Airport (performers, airport prep, parking, safety services and much more). The Chapter also opted to gamble. At the previous Air Show we served 400 Hot Dogs, running out of food in the late afternoon. We gambled this time on selling 600 Hot Dogs, a BIG step up, but needed more prep, additional equipment and a bigger volunteer team to make it happen.

The Air Show was a major success for the airport and township, with an estimated 4,000 attendees enjoying an afternoon of great flying, foods and entertainment. It was great to see the airport so busy, with major crowds enjoying a traditional airport air show. Congratulations and thanks to Jon Martin and his team, who organized and executed the event so well.

EAA240 was there, and our Hot Dog team worked through the day and evening to prepare, set-up, cook and serve the 600 Hot Dogs (with a bottle of water and bag of chips). It was hot, demanding work, with lines forming to get our food. We exhausted our food supplies – all 600 hot dogs – by 7:15pm. Which was good timing as by that point we were exhausted too!

Our food sales plus generous donations from our guests cleared more income for the Chapter than the past three Pancake Breakfasts combined, as they did last time too. But we also got a chance to meet with the local community, and had fun interactions with people and enjoyed the team working the Chapter is so capable of. A great day all-round!

The income from the Hot Dog sales plus the donations will fund a major part of the Chapter Flight Training Scholarships the Board has initiated for 2024, getting more kids into flight training and GA, a goal of the Chapter.

Special call-out to the EAA240 Hot Doggers Team 2024: Chuck Shipman, Lee Blazejewski, Ralph & Helen Dooley, Ken Hess, Jay Jacobs, Reagan Jacobs, Lynne Parry and with Dave McKenzie, Lisa Murray and Vance in close support. These folks made it happen for the Chapter, for our membership and for the student pilots who will benefit from their volunteered efforts.

Is this great Chapter or what?!

Mike Parry

Pancakes and Kids in Flight!

We closed our spring/early summer season of Pancake Breakfasts and Young Eagle flights in style with a strong turnout, with a combination of loyal local breakfast fans returning for more, plus a good number of Fly-Ins from local airports and EAA Chapters, plus several Young Eagle families.
Chuck Shipman had correctly forecast our food consumables needs and purchases for the morning and we ended complete serving 140 breakfasts with just about zero carry-over, with no shortages during our very busy morning. Way to go Chuck!

Our loyal patron breakfasters continue to offer positive feedback on our food and our service, and we have come to recognize many of the returning families and kids. Through the morning Tony Zecca’s pancakes (his first time!) were getting accolades from our guests.

A display of Military Vehicles, orchestrated by Bruce Roberts, added a new dimension to the morning’s attractions and go the attention of many of the younger breakfasters. Thanks Bruce!

Favorable flying weather conditions and a TFR-less weekend also meant we could offer flights to our Young Eagles. Thirteen kids braved the heat as they waited for a flight on one of four of Chapter member aircraft, supported by our ground crew and Registration Team. In all, a Chapter team of 10 brought smiles to a bunch on new young fliers this weekend.

The Chapter Breakfast Team who planned, procured, prepared, cooked, served, cleaned and restored the hangar at the close worked in very hot conditions to ensure the success and value of the morning from both a community and fund-raising perspectives. The Chapter Breakfast Team comprises 12 members, with additional members helping during set-up and wrap-up.

So this weekend, a combined team of more than 22 Chapter members contributed to a highly successful Saturday morning for over 160 guests who came to our Chapter for a fun morning of community, aviation and good food! And EAA240 delivered.

On behalf of the entire membership and our guests, we thank all 22 members volunteers who, despite the heat, made this happen in style! Fun too!

Mike Parry

Crab Cakes!

Fourteen Chapter members flew to Kentmorr Saturday for a Crab Cake feast at the marina restaurant. Beautiful day, some challenging crosswinds into the grass airstrip but a very enjoyable lunch and walk around the marina, a key boating destination on the Chesapeake Bay.

More photographs here (and more will be added as they come in).

Mike Parry

Call out to Chapter Members

Saturday June 22nd is the date we hold our last Pancake Breakfast & Young Eagles event before our summer holiday break. Our Breakfasts have increasingly taken on a role as a community event, promoting the combination of general aviation, the Chapter and the airport…..all of the things we joined the EAA for. Many local families frequently join us and give us positive feedback on the food, the service and the atmosphere generated by the combination of our Breakfasts and Young Eagle flights (when we can get off the ground!). We – the volunteer team – and our regulars have fun and enjoy the unique atmosphere of an airport breakfast, served in an airplane hangar/workshop. We generally cover our costs and on most occasions make a healthy addition to Chapter funds. All good.

That all said, actual Chapter membership attendance at recent Breakfasts has been pretty disappointing, with our 12-strong volunteer team (yes, that’s what it takes!) forming the main body of attending membership at these ‘Chapter’ events! This reduces somewhat the community aspect of the event and, of course, greatly reduces the number of breakfasts we serve and impacts the overall financials. Meanwhile, the volunteer effort involved remains the same for 50 breakfasts as for 150. But it’s dispiriting to serve so few breakfasts requiring the same effort level. 

The ask? Join us. Come for breakfast. Bring neighbors, friends and family. Enjoy the food. Relish the company of people who like to come to the airport and the Chapter. Add to the aviation conversations. Offer to help. Clean a table. Serve some coffees or OJ’s. Consider arriving around 1030 to help us restore the hangar at noon. Thank the volunteer team who do this on your behalf.

For June, we have an added attraction of a display of Military Vehicles which should prove a draw for visitors and breakfasters. You might like them too.

See you there I hope. The volunteer members will be there.

Mike Parry, President EAA240

Mike Parry

Gettysburg Address = W05

Despite a shortage of New Garden-based pilots for the Gettysburg fly out, seven members, which included three pilots, flew from three airports and met up in Gettysburg. First, they attended EAA1041’s pancake breakfast. Including today’s headcount in the Chapter’s 2-day event, fourteen volunteers worked and sold over 1,200 breakfasts….impressive! The event has a dedicated breakfast following. LOTS of fly-in attendees as well.

As the group prepared to head to the museum late-morning, the planned club car was found to be devoid of a current PA inspection. So, EAA1041’s club president loaned his 7-passenger “BioDiesel Choo-Choo Mobile” to the group for the day! The vehicle had a custom-painted train & railroad theme, and came with a LOUD realistic train horn! Was that fun!

Off to the Gettysburg museum where a 2-hour tour back in time to the Civil War unfolded. PLENTY of historical trivia was leaned that folks didn’t know about that war. A site, indoors and outdoors, worth visiting!

Lunch in the Dobbin House Tavern in town was most welcomed it was served in the basement eating area where it was nice and cool! There was some good discussion about the day’s lesson. The group wanted to walk the grounds of the cemetery after lunch, but the day was long and hot, so a decision was made that it was time to head home.

EAA1041’s president met the group back a W05 where more idle chit-chat and a final goodbye were made, and thanking the president for use of his vehicle and hosting the membership. Lots more to share with others that the day’s group will do over time! Really, a very good day, …a very special time.

Stay safe up there!

J Jacobs
Flight Leader