The Flypaper. Mike Eppley, February Speaker by Jim Cunningham. Learning Fabric Work at Oshkosh by Ben Schneider. Inside this issue: February, 2012

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1 The Flypaper February, 2012 Since 1962 Mike Eppley, February Speaker by Jim Cunningham Runway safety continues to be an FAA priority, and for good reason runway incursions continue to be a problem (although the safety record in this regard is improving). On February 16, the FAA will hold a runway safety meeting at the BMI Fire Department on the east side of the airport from 10AM-1PM. Most of us will be at work during the meeting, so we asked if Mike Eppley, Air Traffic Manager at BMI, would be our guest speaker and bring the meeting to us instead and happily he accepted. Precise adherence to proper ground and runway operational procedures is vital for safety, and a review of ever-changing procedures and terminology will make our airport safer. This is an excellent opportunity to keep current and ask Mike any questions you may have about ATC here at BMI. Inside this issue: Tanya Flies Hawaii, cont 2 President s column 3 Fuel Prices 2 Secretary s Report 6 Valentines Day Fun 4 Chicken Wings 4 Calendar of Events 6 Learning Fabric Work at Oshkosh by Ben Schneider Photo by Jeff Point Fabric covered airplanes have always intrigued me, both from a nostalgia stand point from the way it was done in days gone by, and also from a new technology standpoint, as some of the lightest airplanes built are fabric covered. I was told early on, the cheapest thing to add to an airplane that will increase its efficiency, is lightness. In keeping in regular contact with Chad Jensen, since his move to EAA headquarters in Oshkosh, our conversation made its way around to the Sport Air Workshops. Chad is building a Wittman Tailwind, and he too was interested in fabric covering, and needed to learn about it for his project so we signed up for the class together. I made the pilgrimage to Oshkosh, with the intent of spending time with my friend Chad, and learning about covering airplane parts with fabric. The first evening, I was able to spend with chapter member and VP Jim Cunningham, and air racing legend Bill Brennand. Jim and Mr. Brennand were doing a live webinar from EAA, moderated by Chad. It was quite a surreal experience to get to hang around EAA headquarters, and see the action from behind the scenes. Early the next morning, Chad and I went for some breakfast, and then off to the Founder s Wing at the museum for an opening presentation and some more coffee. We then split into groups, and our fabric class was headed to the Weeks Hangar to spend all day Saturday, and most of the day Sunday. Opening the door from the cold Wisconsin morning air, I stomped my feet clear of snow on the rug, and looked up to see the tail of the B-17 Aluminum Overcast about 5 feet in front of Photo by Ben Schneider me. The airplane is in for some winter repairs, along with two Ford Tri Motors, the sweepstakes Cub, a Bell 47 helicopter, and a Curtis Jenny in the middle of an extensive restoration. I don t think I could dream up a better place to take a class about airplanes than in that hanger under the wing of a B -17. Jim and Dondi Miller of Aircraft Technical Services were the instructors for our class, and I must say, I certainly can t imagine how they continued page 2

2 Fabric Class, con t (From page one could find better teachers than we had. Both Jim and Dondi are experts in this field, and were very helpful, presented the material in a way that made Photo by Brady Lane it easy to understand, and were very entertaining along the way. We met lots of great people, had loads of fun, and learned all about fabric covering. We split off into groups to work, and covered ailerons of a DC-3. Those old control surfaces had been covered more times than probably any aircraft structure was intended to be covered, but we covered them again. It was a great learning experience. Chad had the assignment from the instructor right away on the first day, that he was to remember to ask the question "but how strong is it?" at precisely 2:50 PM on Sunday. In Chad s defense, everyone was having so much fun, and learning so much that it was almost 4 before Chad threw out his assigned question. To which the instructor said "I'm glad you asked, let me show you." He then led the class to stand on the fabric between the ribs. All at once. about 6 people on each aileron, all standing on the fabric we had just finished carefully putting on. It bowed and stretched, but not one tear or hole. After getting off the fabric, we watched as it tightened back up to its original shape. I was quite impressed. If anyone is interested in learning any aspect of aircraft repair, building, or restoring, I strongly urge you to take a Sport Air Workshop. They are a great resource provided by the organization, and are truly a great value for the cost, and you get to meet other builders with similar interests, and the setting is unbeatable. Tanya Flies in Hawaii, con t from January The interesting thing, besides flying over a live volcano of course, was that there were also a lot of helicopters doing the same thing we were. They were buzzing around below us looking at the lava vent as well. They stayed below, so we were out of each others way. On the last pass around the vent, Jon took the plane so I could get a good look at the vent. We could see a little lava flow then! Bright red and orange! How can you beat that? Amazing! From the volcano area, we headed east toward Hilo. The land quickly changed toward very deep green on this side of the island. One of the wettest places on earth, and it looked it. Such a lush green! Jon said he loved this side of the island for their jungle areas. He d spent quite a bit of time in the jungle while in the service of the U.K. so I could understand why he d be drawn to the Hilo area. He even rents a house in a jungle-like area. Hilo is so beautiful, with tons of waterfalls coming off the mountains toward the ocean. The water was amazing with falls from the cliffs plunging down into the surf; not just a couple of waterfalls, dozens and dozens of them. The moisture in the air produced an amazing rainbow. Priceless!!! There were a couple of valleys that we flew up close to. The clouds were pretty low at that point, or we could have flown back into the valley and done some turns about a point to spiral up over the top of the land. Turning toward the northwest, the terrain changed and once again, became more arid, except for where the clouds were lying on the mountain tops continuing to provide that beautiful green color. The winds sweeping through the mountain peaks created quite a bit of turbulence in our otherwise smooth ride. On the north-west part of the island, we flew over an airport/landing strip. It looked like a really nice runway with nice paint and lines, however, there was nothing else there! No buildings, no hangar, just a nice place to land if you needed to put down somewhere. The C172 was a bit of a bucking bronco at that point with the winds coming from the mountains. Even with the winds pushing us out and bumping us around, the plane was still easily controlled. My stomach, however, was beginning to complain about the rockyhorse ride. However, we began to see more resorts that are north of Kona, and that was our queue to call in to the Kona airport that we were on our way back in. It was also the time to start getting set up for our descent and landing. There was a Cessna Caravan coming in behind us, so we did a 360 degree turn to let him go first and I then set up for landing. I got a bit low and slower than I d have liked for a good approach. I stalled just a little bit on landing and planted the plane pretty firmly on the runway I wasn t sure how well I d do, landing a high-wing plane after all these years, but it wasn t as bad as I d feared it would be. Still, I d like to have done better. The taxi back in went well and I managed to park the plane respectably. Three point one hours. Sure didn t seem like it. It was the longest I ve been PIC for a single flight and Area Gas Prices BMI-Image $5.79 Pontiac $5.70 Champaign $6.40 Peoria $5.62 Lincoln $5.35 ss Decatur $6.23 Pekin $5.12 Lakeland Oshkosh $5.37 ss $5.24 ss GAS Prices Data from Airnav.com 2/8/2012 Page 2 The Flypaper

3 Las Vegas and More by Jack Holland Dec. 26 (2011) Christine and I took the girls to Las Vegas. It was all new to them and fun to show them around and see some good shows and one not so good. I hadn't been Photos by Jack Holland there for several years. I wasn't to excited about going downtown but sure glad I did. I think we had as much fun there as the strip. Bethany and I did the zip line over Fremont Street. What a racket, people lined up waiting for one or two amongst all those rocks! Then back to town and I couldn't go there without meeting 'The Old Man' from Pawn Stars. I caught up with him in the parking lot. I said hi, asked to shake hand, and he did. But he did not say ONE word to me. He looked at me like he looks at Cory and Chumly. "Just get away and leave me alone!!"...'the Old Grump!' He is handling fame very well. The highlight for me was meeting Rick Dale and all his crew at Rick's Restoration. Now those guys are a class act. Ron met us at the door and started telling us about there new place. Everyone there is friendly, all willing to show you around, talk about what they are working on and if you buy a hat or shirt Rick will autograph it for you! We saw a lot of the projects I have watched them restore in previous shows. Definitely one of my favorite shows on the History Channel. Wish I still had the pedal airplane I had when I was 50 years closer to a kid then I am now, I would ask Rick to restore it! hours, they take your money, shoot you down the zip line and they do that all day long. Then the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam, wow! That is one big hole in the ground! Just an amazing site, or at least to a flatlander from Illinois. They should have started a conservation farm plan out there a long, long time ago. I don't think I could grow a stalk of corn ANYWHERE

4 Valentine s Day Celebration on Saturday, February 11th The Chapter s annual Valentine s Day celebration will be Saturday, February 11th, from 7-9 at our Gathering of the Eagles event. And, again this year we have something very special for the ladies. For the first 12 ladies in attendance, we ll have a long-stemmed red rose, in a Chapter coffee mug, amply filled with some sweets! Not sure if you can be one of the first twelve to arrive? Not a problem, we ll still have coffee mugs (without a rose) available to ALL attendees while supplies last!! Its time to bring your spouse along and enjoy the specially decorated hangar, great food, and a fun time. Yes, it is a few days early...but this is YOUR chance to surprise that special someone with an early Valentine s Day Earnest Thorp Donates Airplane to Wings of Hope Tower Conducts Safety Exercise Long-time aviator, Chapter member and WWII pilot Earnest Thorp has donated his Cessna 150 to the charitable organization, Wings of Hope, headquartered in St. Louis, MO. Earnest has been flying since 1941, successfully completing 70 years of flying. Wings of Hope uses aviation in its charitable activities. Wings of Hope provides life-saving healthcare, education assistance, micro-loans for women-owned businesses, sustainable food programs and every manner of Humanitarian programs. All are implemented to eventually raise the poor out of poverty. The Bloomington Control Tower, in conjunction with the FAA will be contucting a Runway Safety Action Meeting on Thursday, February 16th from 10:00 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Bloomington Fire Station number 6, located just across the street from the Bloomington Tower. The audience is everyone that operates on the airfield, including pilots, airport security, emergency crews, and others. You re invited...its a great learning opportunity.

5 Hawaii, con t Tool of the Month Working Together I didn t actually go anywhere! I was surprised that I didn t really feel that tired and that I really really enjoyed how the plane flew. I feel guilty, but it flew must better than my Archer very light touch, smooth on the input and it trimmed soooo nicely! So, we got to fly all the way around the island to see the varying terrain and the beautiful colors of the ocean and land. We are so grateful everything worked out for us to get to go on that flight. Our thanks to Jon for his help and guidance around the Big Island. What an amazing adventure!!! Hi, Aviators! With Spring just around the corner, it is time for all of us to think about the 2012 flying season, and getting ourselves in shape for it. A good start this year would be with the 2012/Lightplane Safety Seminar in Springfield. The day-long event features a number of speakers, including representatives from the FAA, EAA, and several manufacturers of aviation parts and accessories. This year, Rod Hightower, EAA President will speak. A big loss for the airport occurred last month. Bloomington Avionics has moved to The Champaign Airport, ending approximately 30 years of presence at CIRA. We wish Greg Vail and his employees well in their new location, but they ll be sorely missed on our airport. Thankfully, they re just a short flight away. Its not a matter of if...its a matter of when. Regardless of whether you re a airplane owner, homebuilder, or you like to hang around airports...sooner or later you ll need a first aid kit. Whether its patching up a Cessna Flap Groove in your forehead, or testing that exhaust pipe to see if it is hot, you ll find plenty of uses. And, it can be yours at the Thursday night meeting all for a buck. It will work just as well around the house, too!! President s Column by Linda Doornbos Sun n Fun is not far off it begins at the end of March. With avgas prices at the $6.00 mark, S&F is a great destination by commercial air. With some judicious shopping, you can get an airline ticket to Orlando or Tampa for about $ each way. Hotel rooms and rental cars are plentiful in Florida, so it is practical and affordable to go commercially. Considering the time and dollar savings, it may be the best bargain of the season. And, if you pick the right day, you ll get to see the Thunderbirds fly. Our Chapter Officers met in late January to discuss a wide variety of topics. We re getting organized for a great year, and we re looking forward to Chapter activities planned for Don t forget our Valentine s Day gathering on Saturday, February 11th. It has become a tradition for members to bring their spouses out for The Gathering of Eagles, from 7-9 a.m. Chad Jensen Assumes Additional Responsibilities As the newly appointed Homebuilt Community Manager at EAA headquarters, Chad has been very busy with his new duties. In a recent announcement from EAA, Chad s duties were described as Chad will also represent our special interest communities, including Homebuilt Aircraft Council, Ultralight Council, IAC, Warbirds, and Vintage by providing them a seat at the senior leadership table for the first time in decades. From eaa.org January 26, EAA President/CEO Rod Hightower had a challenge for members of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) as he spoke at their dinner Thursday evening in Sebring, Florida. "I think this industry has a great opportunity for outreach to aviation enthusiasts and new pilots to help us grow the aviation community," said Hightower, who joined LAMA members during the annual U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring. "We all need to work together to grow participation in aviation." Hightower's remarks also stressed the importance of the EAA chapter network and highlighted the appointment of "Miracle of the Hudson" pilot Jeff Skiles as EAA's vice president of chapters and youth education. Hightower added that the popular Chapter Leadership Academy will begin to travel around the country, with regional academies that allow more chapter leaders to participate. EAA's newest program, Eagle Flights, will provide free introductory flights to pilots over the age of 18, and Hightower announced it will come to life later this year. He noted that recent research by AOPA showed that the greatest number of new pilots are certificated over the age of 35 and a large percentage of those pilots buy an airplane within 18 month February, 2012 Page 5

6 Calendar February, th EAA Chapter 129 Monthly Meeting-CIRA, Hangar F-15 at 7:00 pm March: 3rd The 32nd Annual Illinois Ultralight & Light Plane Safety Seminar 15th EAA Chapter 129 Monthly Meeting-CIRA, Hangar F-15 at 7:00 pm 26-31st Sun n Fun, Lakeland FL. April: 19th EAA Chapter 129 Monthly Meeting-CIRA, Hangar F-15 at 7:00 pm May: 17th EAA Chapter 129 Monthly Meeting-CIRA, Hangar F-15 at 7:00 pm COOKOUT From: Terry Wendling 1402 Bird Court Normal, IL TO: Secretary s Report by Tanya Leahy The January, 2012 meeting of the EAA Chapter 129 was called to order by President Linda Doornbos. Linda passed around sign-ups for cooks. Announcements were that Lary Hatfield volunteered for grocery purchase and setup and Ed Dorner has volunteered to take breakfast money on Saturday mornings. The Five Minute Video was a message for EAA President, Rod Hightower regarding some recent changes to the EAA organization. The Treasurer s report was approved and with one correction and approved amendment, the Secretary s report was approved. For the Tool Crib report, Ben Schneider has created the book of tools available to be loaned. He asked Chapter members to consider a $5.00 donation to the Tool Crib when borrowing a tool. Please provide Ben with a priority list of tools for the crib. Old Business: The Chapter has approved the purchase of a memorial for Tom Swearingen on the Memorial Wall at Oshkosh. Donations are still being accepted. Young Tom Swearingen attended the Chapter meeting and administrate the paperwork for the memorial for his late grandfather. The wording for the wall will be Tom Swearingen, A Pillar of Chapter 129. To align with EAA.org Chapter web sites, in 2012 the Chapter 129 website now has a new website: 129.eaachapter.org. It has been a fairly smooth transition to the new site. Web Master Keith Doornbos encourages members to please sign up as members on the new site as memberships do not carry over. New Business: Four Young Eagles Rallies have been scheduled for Irv Scott, the 2012 Young Eagles Coordinator will get those dates on the web site. Linda has made sure the Chapter bylaws are now posted in the Members site of the Chapter web site. Chapter 129 Officers Linda Doornbos President George Wilts Tech Counselor Irv Scott Treasurer Tanya Leahy Sec y Keith Doornbos NL /Web Editor Irv Scott YE Coordinator Ben Schneider tool crib coord Chad Jensen Tech. Counselor Jack Holland--Tool giveaway coord We re on the Web at: page 6