The New EAA.........again?

[steveinindy]

Only takes 10 members to start your own chapter.......

That was my own thought. I have thought about starting my own chapter because my interests are not simply in assembling a kit. It would be nice to have a chapter for folks who are interested in the design of new aircraft and improvement of existing designs. However, I don't know whether there are enough folks with similar interest around here to justify a "local" chapter per se.

My experience has been the folks at these gatherings were snobbish or more interested in the lunch than airplanes. I've had more fun hanging out with the locals at the little strip where I keep my plane. Some of them belong to EAA but have no local chapter. WTH, maybe it's me!

Perhaps it is me as well, but I have had a similar experience over the past 20+ years (since I was a kid) insofar as the "snobbish" attitude of some clubs (usually those built around fans of a particular model). The issue is that I don't see folks who are interested in the lunch as being a bad part. I have learned more about aviation over lunch with folks who have far more experience and/or knowledge than I do than I have ever learned in a cockpit. There's more to aviation than just airplanes I guess is my take on it. I could be missing the point though...

[Kyle Boatright]

Start with page 1 (Commentary) of December 2013 EAA Sport Aviation magazine.

I read 80% of it as the short version of how Pelton got the job, and 20% as his "all is well" message.

Whether or not all is indeed well will be dermined by actions, not by two paragraphs at the end of Pelton's first column. My intent is to sit back and watch for 6 months. That'll tell the tale.

[FunInAviation]

Our Chapter is strong, and is growing larger every month. We have over 300 on our roster. What's the secret? Bringing people together to socialize as much as possible. Coffee, donuts (food) and bull-sessions. Check it out:

http://www.eaa1246.org/coffeeanddonuts.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GbcTLt0MXc

[Bob Collins]

I haven't read the Pelton column yet. I can't seem to turn away from that great story on page 102.

[Lindberg]

I haven't read the Pelton column yet. I can't seem to turn away from that great story on page 102.

That is why you start a book or magazine from the beginning and not the end. But anyway, my comment was really more to see if there was an inside story. My opinion is that Jack Pelton is a great choice to guide EAA as we "Airventure" into the 21st century. I feel good about this move. Seems like there are many EAA members who have been unhappy with the direction that we have been going. I know too many former members who no longer belong. I'm here with my dues and bags of cash to be spent at Airventure each year until "death do us part" but I think it is healthy for some to be critical when they think something is "rotten in Oshkosh."

[Bill Greenwood]

"58"
There are many, most people in EAA or AOPA or similar organizations that are interested in flying, but not in building their own airplane. Many if these folks like to share with other pilots, owners, and just fans of flying, even if that means hanging around an airport or having a cookout lunch together, etc.
Everyone at a car show or boat show is not interested in building one themselves.

I have been a partner in building a kitplane, a Starlite, and it was enjoyable, and educational. But flying it was more interesting, it was single seat, and I was the test pilot. My partner, Warner Giles did most of the work. He had the time, more motivation, and I hurt my knee just after we started the building.
We got the kit out of the crate, and much of it was 2 fuselage halves split along a vertical axis. We epoxyed them together, and in just a couple of hours we had the basic shape of an airplane, less wings.
I was somewhat dubious about gluing two halves of a plane together, that I was going to be flying, but once the epoxy dried, it was so hard you could barely sand the excess off. I quit worrying about that part of the airframe strength.

Anyway, I glad we did it, but that is a small part of what I have enjoyed in 35 years of flying. The planes I have gotten to fly and the great people that I have met in aviation are far above just that homebuilding experince.

Of course, there are homebuilts that are far more than the little plane we built, about 254 lbs with a Rotax 337. And it flew nice, and the engine ran fine, even the sound is not too inspiring.One tough moment was trying to find a parachute small enough to fit me and that compact cockpit also.
And either way, it would be nice if a chapter could welcome all who have any interest in our kind of flying.

You mentioned that you found some chapter members snobbish, but you say you are only interested in scratch built planes, as if there is something wrong with someone who builds from kit.
Is that an feeling on your part that makes it hard to find a group to fit in with?

[Frank Giger]

Sorry but I have tried to become active in three different chapters and have not found success. My experience has been the folks at these gatherings were snobbish or more interested in the lunch than airplanes. I've had more fun hanging out with the locals at the little strip where I keep my plane. Some of them belong to EAA but have no local chapter. WTH, maybe it's me!

That's too bad; I guess I just got lucky with mine - it's the exact opposite of what you describe, except we like to eat lunch while talking airplanes and building them.

And it goes to my central idea about the organization; it's not the headquarters, it's the chapters that determine the real outlook one has on the organization and the impact it has on one.

[58boner]

[QUOTE=but you say you are only interested in scratch built planes, as if there is something wrong with someone who builds from kit.[/QUOTE]

Back up the bus. Never said that. In fact my next plane will probably be a kit. What I said in a previous post was something to the effect that the preponderance of kitplanes has changed the demographic of the EAA. There are now a lot of folks in the organization who did not build their plane, don't plan to ever build a plane, and don't want to build a plane. The only reason they have an experimental aircraft is because they bought a Vans RV-whatever someone else built because of the cost savings of operation.
These folks are not as interested in tech type articles but more inclined to be interested in the articles about flying. More flying, less interest in building an alternator from a coffee can!
And by the way chapter three was one of my less pleasant experiences although that was 20 years ago. My impression at the time was it was a bunch of Northwest Airlines pilots who didn't have time for anyone who wasn't cruising at their flight level.

[EZRider]

Jack is going to be good for the EAA. I think he is one of us, even though he came from Cessna. As far as the Chapters, I think you get out of them what you put in. I felt like an outsider at first, but as soon as I asked for help I was overwhelmed with responses. EAA is different than the old days, but so is everything else in this world. I love seeing all of the mix of aviation at Oshkosh! There is something there for everyone.

[steveinindy]

More flying, less interest in building an alternator from a coffee can!

My impression at the time was it was a bunch of Northwest Airlines pilots who didn't have time for anyone who wasn't cruising at their flight level.

You get the same attitude if you are interested in exceeding 5,000 ft AGL or want to talk to ATC around some chapters. It's just a matter of finding the right one or if you can't (and aren't willing to accept a middle of the road chapter), starting a new one.

There is something there for everyone.

So far as I understand it, that was Paul's original intention for the organization.