Chapter Meetings
Join us April 13 for our monthly Chapter gathering at the Port of Skagit conference room, 15400 Airport Drive in Burlington. Our guest speaker will be Peter Hunt, a former Navy pilot and a local author. Peter will talk about his book, The Lost Intruder. From Peter’s blog (peterhuntbooks.com):
On a windy, Autumn day in 1989, a U.S. Navy A-6 Intruder crashed off the shores of Whidbey Island, Washington. Despite a comprehensive, four-ship search for the attack jet with advanced sonar systems and remotely operated mini-submarines, the Navy came up empty handed.
Former Navy pilot Peter Hunt knew the lost Intruder well. The jet came from his squadron; he had flown it from the deck of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger. Standing in the squadron ready room, Hunt listened to the radio transmissions as the accident unfolded: the hydraulic malfunction, the aborted mission, the futile attempt to lower the landing gear, and finally the violent ejection into Puget Sound. Puzzled by the failed Navy search, Hunt long imagined the thrill of finding the A-6 and accomplishing what the U.S. Navy could not.
But time was running out. At age 43, Hunt was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. After ten years of worsening symptoms, no longer permitted to fly, and barely able to scuba dive, Hunt knew that he was losing the battle. Desperate for a rallying point to prove to himself that life still mattered, Hunt struck out in 2014 to find the missing A-6. Naval Aviation, deep technical wreck diving, high seas exploration, and one man’s optimistic refusal to quit converge in a salute to life’s possibility. The Lost Intruder soars in a triumph of the human spirit—see what it means to be alive.
Last month Austin Harris reviewed the procedures for operating in the Whidbey Class C airspace. A recording of the presentation will be posted on the Videos page as soon as it’s ready.
As we have discussed many times before, we do not want anyone to get infected with the COVID 19 virus if they attend our monthly gatherings. That means that if you are sick or know you have the virus do not attend. If you are concerned about getting the virus while being in proximity of other Chapter members then you need to act in your best interest.
Check out the EAA’s Chapter Video Magazine; click here.
Videos of Past Presentations
We’ve recorded some great presentations from our monthly chapter gatherings. Go to our Videos page or our YouTube channel to view any of these presentations.
Do you wonder what other EAA chapters are up to? Fly-ins, burger burns, fundraisers or presentations are some of the activities you can find.
See the Helpful Links tab above to see links to other chapter websites and newsletters.
SKAGIT EAA CHAPTER 818 REGULAR GATHERINGS:
- 10am – Second Saturday morning of every month in the “Port of Skagit Hearing Room” at the Skagit airport (KBVS), 15400 Airport Dr, Burlington, WA 98233.
- 11am – Program
- Monthly Board Meetings are held via Zoom, usually a week or so before each monthly meeting. If you’d like to join just ask any board member for dates and Zoom credentials.
- See our calendar here for events of interest: http://skagiteaa.org/calendar/
UPDATES: If you have news or events to add here please contact: Larry or Brad (see contact tab for address).
WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT
Our group of aviation enthusiasts, made up of pilots, mechanics, CFIs, retired veterans, and interested persons meets once a month at the Skagit Regional Airport to discuss mutual interests, share current aircraft projects and safety information, and to be enlightened by a featured speaker with an adventure or two to share.
We also host “Spot Landing” contests, barbecues and pancake breakfasts, and weparticipate in other local fly-ins, such as in Anacortes, Arlington, and at Mears Air-Field located in Concrete. Owning or building an aircraft is not a prerequisite for membership; an interest in aviation is all that is required, and a desire to become involved with a great Chapter.
One of our most anticipated events is flying children & teens from the ages of 8-17 years of age, for free, through our Young Eagles Program sponsored through the EAA Organization in Oshkosh, WI. Multiple times a year, pilots volunteer their time, their aircraft, and the expense of aircraft fuel to ensure that any child can experience the thrill of flying. This event requires just as many “ground-crew” volunteers as pilots. On the average, we fly 60 children every year in the late summer time during these one-day events.
We work closely with the the Skagit Airport Support Association (SASA), the Heritage Flight Museum, the Port of Skagit and other area aviation related outfits to help build a healthy, vibrant, innovative, and safe community of aviators.
