Vol. 10, No. 6 - June 20, 2008

Welcome to the June edition of EAA Chapter e-Gram. The flying season is in full swing and there are an amazing number of events scheduled each week. Encourage your members to use the EAA Calendar of events to find fun places to fly and don't forget to add your chapter's events to the calendar. www.eaa.org/calendar. Oh, and AirVenture Oshkosh is a month away. More on that in a minute.

Since 1953, EAA has strived to be a welcoming, friendly organization. From my experience, airplane people are some of the best people around and EAA chapter members reflect the passion and enthusiasm of EAAers. But there are always exceptions.

When an EAA member does not renew, we call to ask why. Recently, three "contact reports" showed up on my desk, all related to EAA chapters and dissatisfied members. All three noted that they didn't feel welcome in their local chapter. Each had joined EAA to be more involved in aviation on a local level. One said the chapter made "sport fliers" feel like second-class citizens." One said he flies a "Challenger Two and felt the chapter members make fun of pilots who fly small aircraft." The third said he "found the chapter very unwelcoming and felt you had to be part of the 'in' crowd to participate."

It may just be coincidence that these three reports arrived together and I don't believe it is a trend among chapters. However, as a chapter leader, it is important to reflect on how you set the tone for your chapter.

For example, the entire spectrum of aviation is represented at AirVenture. The same should be true of your chapter. Aviation is a small fraternity and these days we need to stick together to defend our privilege. But more importantly, being open and welcoming will help your chapter grow. The most successful EAA chapters have embraced all areas of General Aviation. Yes, some chapters are more builder-oriented; others concentrate on flying activities and others are more social. But each has recognized the benefits of being diverse.

So how does your chapter welcome guests at your meetings or events? Does someone greet them and make them feel welcome? Do you encourage them to come back, to get involved? How can you ensure the casual guest will feel the same camaraderie you do with your fellow chapter members?

It doesn't take much to make people feel welcome. A smile, a word of encouragement, genuine interest in who they are and why they fly. But it is equally as easy to make them feel like an unwelcome outsider.

 - Steve Buss, Manager, EAA Chapters

There are several Chapter events scheduled during EAA AirVenture:

• EAA Chapter Web Editor's Workshop, Wednesday, July 30, 8:30-9:45 a.m., Sporty's Pavilion #6, hosted by Laura Million, Webmaster for EAA Chapter 32 (St. Louis)
• EAA Chapter Leader's Workshop, Thursday, July 31, 8:30-9:45 a.m., Sporty's Pavilion #6, hosted by the EAA Chapter office.
• EAA Chapter Newsletter Editor's Workshop, Friday, Aug. 1, 8:30-9:45 a.m., Sporty's Pavilion #6, hoisted by David Hipschman, Director of EAA Publications.
• EAA Chapter Breakfast, Saturday, August 2, 7:30 - 9 a.m. NEW Location - EAA AirVenture Museum's Cessna Restoration Center, the future home of the Founder's Wing. Click here for details and reservations.

Young Eagles Forum, hosted by North Carolina Field Representatives Jim and Sandy Dukeman - Monday, July 28, 1-2:15 p.m., Dake Corporation Pavilion #1. Jim and Sandy are experienced Field Representatives and have hosted this forum for several years. Topics will include recruiting and organizing successful Young Eagle events.

EAA Young Eagles Leaders Workshop, Wednesday, July 30, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., PHP Conference Center tent. This annual workshop provides valuable tips and techniques from other volunteers and the latest information from the Young Eagles office. Lunch is included. Please register in advance here.

EAA Young Eagles Awards and 25th Anniversary of the EAA Air Academy, Wednesday, July 30, at EAA AirVenture Museum's Eagle Hangar. Young Eagles Chairman Harrison Ford will present the annual Young Eagle awards and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the EAA Air Academy. Doors open at 5 p.m., followed by dinner and the program at 7. Admission is free, but tickets are required. To get yours, click here.

There are also several volunteer opportunities available during AirVenture. Click here for a description of what’s needed or look at the current schedule, then register to volunteer! For more information, contact Michelle Kunes at mkunes@eaa.org.

• AirVenture Preview - EAA President Tom Poberezny gives an overview of this year's annual Oshkosh gathering.
• Advance Tickets – Discount for pre-purchased admission is extended through June 30!
• Preliminary AirVenture Presentations and Workshops Schedule - Plan your schedule ahead of time.
• Special Offers for Pilots – For AirVenture-bound pilots.
• EAA Ride Share – Have a spare seat, or looking for a ride to AirVenture?
• Theater in the Woods Schedule – Informative, fun entertainment every night.
• EAA Fly-In Movie Theater Schedule – See great aviation flicks, with celebrity presenters, Sunday through Saturday.
• EAA Member Discounts – EAA helps make your AirVenture more affordable.

• EAA Chapter 1177 (Palmyra, WI), recently conducted a Young Eagles event in support of students who are taking EAA’s AeroScholars course. Read more
• EAA Chapter 582 (Toledo, OH) Honors WWII Veteran at “Plane Fun Fly-In. Read more
• EAA Chapter 79 (Spokane, WA) Celebrates IYED Read more
• EAA Member Helps Students Build Airplane Read more
• Have a story to share? Let us know at chapters@eaa.org.

Our online calendar of events continues to grow. There are currently more than 1,300 events available to view and there's literally infinite room for more. Feel free to add any of your chapter's upcoming events to the calendar at www.EAA.org/calendar/.

And for your chapter websites, you can link directly to the calendar. Banner links are now available in a variety of sizes at www.EAA.org/calendar/banners.asp.

We'll share an article or two that you can reprint in your chapter's newsletter. All you need to do is credit the original source if you use it.

This month we have two articles. First, an editorial on the cost of flying, What Does That Cost You, by Rob Steiger, EAA Ultralight Chapter 30 newsletter editor.
Word | PDF

The second article comes from Brian Lee, EAA Chapter 441 in Kent, Washington, who writes about packing an emergency tool kit for your airplane.
Word | PDF

For the list of other articles, click here.

From the initial messages we've received, EAA's 15th annual International Young Eagles Day on June 14 was a great success for many chapters. While it will be a few weeks before we have all the numbers of children flown, more than 150 Young Eagle events were scheduled, not to mention the countless one-on-one flights that took place. More than 125,000 Young Eagles have been flown on IYED alone since 1994, thanks to all of you! Also thanks to all - from the pilots and coordinators to the ground support volunteers and the many others who work so hard in support of Young Eagles - who contributed to another safe and successful day for IYED 2008.

Just a reminder, if you have registration forms from last weekend - or other recent Young Eagles events - please send them to us as soon as possible so your Young Eagles are entered into the World's Largest Logbook and your volunteer pilots receive credit for their flights. It's never too early to begin plans for your next Young Eagles event! FYI, the 16th annual International Young Eagles Day will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2009 (always the second Saturday of June).

EAA does not oppose renewable fuels per se, but the organization has a history of staunchly opposing blanket legislation or policies that require all fuels to include ethanol blends. Why? Because it makes suitable fuel unavailable for our members and others who require it. Ethanol-blended fuels produce harmful side effects on a variety of equipment (powered garden tools, etc.), boat motors and fiberglass fuel tanks, antique cars (fuel systems), and, of course, aircraft. Auto fuel STCs from EAA and Peterson Aviation expressly prohibit an STC'd aircraft to operate on fuel that contains ethanol.

Experience shows that the best way to combat unilateral legislative proposals for ethanol blending is at the grassroots level. EAA's Building a Grassroots Coalition to Support Ethanol-Free Autogas document provides a useful "handbook" for local chapters to develop successful campaigns based on the lessons learned from other past chapter efforts.