PRESIDENT’S LETTER – – August, 2020

EAA92 Members and Friends,

Here we are in our sixth month of COVID-19 “distancing” and other safety measures, and although several chapters have done some tentative events, generally speaking EAA chapters have backed off to virtual meetings and/or inactivity.  The COVID infection rates continue to be too high for people to want to risk participation in non-essential group activities.   We hope you are all still doing well and staying safe during the current epidemic.  As before, our current and upcoming chapter meetings and events will continue to be “virtual” for the indefinite future.

We have had several on-line Zoom sessions and webinars to replace the normal monthly meetings, and will continue to do so as long as group gatherings remain inadvisable.  We had a Zoom session in May – an IMC Club session with Doug Stewart; a Zoom session in June – a VMC Club session with Jay Mason; a webinar in July – Benefits of Home-Based Simulators, with Gary Schank.  We have no event planned for August, but in Sept we will have a Zoom chapter meeting – a group discussion on what sort of aviation activities everyone has been engaged in during the COVID period.  In October, one of our members, Hugh Cook, will give a presentation on the building and test flying of his recently completed RV-8.  Check the Events page on our website periodically for log-in details for the Sept and Oct events.  If someone has additional ideas for webinar content, or would like to make a presentation via Zoom or webinar for our chapter, please let us know and we will get it set up.

As mentioned in our previous newsletters, both Planes of Fame and Yanks Air Museum closed their doors in April during the lockdown.  Planes of Fame has now re-opened on a limited basis for an “Outdoor Experience”, but Yanks remains closed.  Other aviation events, continuing into the Fall, are being postponed or canceled until next year.

Our Young Eagle events are also on hold until the crisis passes.  We still have an October Young Eagle rally on the calendar, subject to change if needed.  I have followed news from EAA on chapter activities, and watched local chapter news, and I do not see any indication of resumed Young Eagle activity so far.

One local chapter, Chapter 1 at Flabob Airport, has scheduled several events to which everyone is invited.  They held a Poker Chip Run fly-out in July, and have a campout at Oceano Airport planned for late August.  If you want to participate in the Oceano campout, see the details below and contact Jim O’Brien to reserve a spot.

EAA CHAPTER 1 “SONS OF BEACHES” FLY OUT TO OCEANO AIRPORT (L52) AUGUST 21-23, 2020

$50 PER PERSON

AIRPORT CAMPING $15 PER NIGHT

INCLUDES FOOD FRI, SAT, SUNDAY MORNING

RSVP REQUIRED !!!

Arrive Friday/Saturday – fly home Sunday.  Breakfast and lunch at campground.  Tri-Tip BBQ dinner Saturday night!  Massive fun!!!  Great people!  A DO NOT MISS event!

Call 951-847-5600; email: redwhitechamp@me.com to RSVP.

The other thing we can all still do is fly – provided we do it solo or with a family member or with someone we are already in close contact with.  There is nothing better to clear your head and remove the effects of cabin fever than some time in the air.  Traffic is still very light, but picking up in the last several months, and airport restaurants are now generally open for distanced seating or take-out and with extra sanitation precautions.

Flight schools have re-opened, with extra sanitation measures in the aircraft and the FBO office, and independent flight instructors are flying with selected students, so you can probably get a flight review or IPC if you need one. The AME’s are once again doing aviation medicals, and A&P’s in California have been considered an essential occupation since the beginning of the restrictions, so you can get your aircraft annual or maintenance done as needed.

Hang in there; stay safe; thank you for all your support and we look forward to seeing you at future events.

Until next time  – – – – Jim Randall, President, EAA92