May 2024 Gathering Minutes

Date: May 25, 2024

• Meeting social and sign-in 0930.
• Chapter President Ray Ballantyne called the Membership Gathering to order at 1000 at Sequim Valley Airport, hangar #15.
• Ray led The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag with 34 members and 1 guest attending.
• Guest(s): Kaylee Oldemeyer
• Emily Wescott shared about Sequim Valley Airport “Air Affaire”, August 24th - Saturday only. Dave Miller and Ray Ballantyne will help to park airplanes. Popular airplane rides will be back, in a classic Travel Air biplane. Dave Woodcock will be there with his Piper L-4 warbird.
• April Gathering Minutes were approved as written.
• Guest introduction was followed by congratulations to Gunner Rogers, Ava Petersen and Nathan Nelson for their academic achievements.
• Chapter membership has climbed to 102 paid members, with the “sliding window” for new members at 15. The chapter continues to grow.
• Correspondence:
• Dave Miller discussed the chapter’s efforts, working to secure grants for scholarships and, at some point, building funds. We’ve already been mentoring and applying Ray Scholarship funds, as well as for our ongoing academic scholarships recipients. We’re looking forward to opportunities for EAA matching funds for academic scholarships next year. We could qualify for two “matching” Ray Scholarships per year, worth a total of $11,000 to the recipients, if the chapter provides 25% ($2,750) of the total. A full Ray Scholarship is worth up to $12,000 with no matching requirement. One per year.
• Barry Halsted reported that last Thursday’s flyout to Forks attracted 6 airplanes and 9 folks. We can look forward to a June flyout to Friday Harbor and then to Concrete, in July.
• Gordon Tubesing took a few moments to tell us about Airport Day at Diamond Point - Saturday August 10th, from 1000 to 1700.
• The chapter treasury funds have approximately - $6k scholarship, $145k building, $3.6k general.
• New Business:
• Ray polled us to find out who was planning to attend AirVenture? An EAA member - Mike Skinner - from BC inquired about hitching a (shared expense) plane ride to KOSH. Please contact Ray if you’d like to offer a seat to Mike.
• Barry Halsted shared that the Sequim Valley Airport tetrahedron project is nearly completed. Friend of the chapter Richard Humpreys, has undertaken design and fabrication of a brand new one - affectionately dubbed, “T-Wrecks”. Barry called for volunteers to move the creation from Richard’s shop onto a trailer, immediately after today’s gathering. Remaining tasks are to mount the unit to the existing site at W28 and then paint it.
• Young Eagles - our first rally will be Saturday, June 1 at Sequim Valley Airport. 8 pilots (about 15 seats) have reportedly signed up to fly about 50 kids. Please consider volunteering yourself and your airplane for this and future events.
• Flying Start - this year’s event was postponed from May until Sunday June 2, 1300, at Port Angeles. About 30 candidates have registered. Pilots are needed for Eagle Flights. Please pitch in if you can. Contact Dave Woodcock.
• Project Reports.
• Harry Cook - Sonex Waiex B, main sections of the fuselage Cleco’d together
• James Russell - Cozy Mk IV, working on various Cozy projects for himself and others.
• Dave Woodcock - Ray and Lisa Ballantyne presented Dave with scale model of his Piper L-4
• Flying Experiences - One of our younger members, Aidan Lara, completed his FAA Private Pilot written exam with a score of 100%. Ray Scholarship recipient Gunner Rogers reported the successful completion of his long cross-country flight requirement towards his Private Pilot certificate training. Gunner’s written exam is upcoming.
• Items for sale - Bud Davies pointed out several items for sale that need new homes. Please make an offer for anything you’d like. Funds will contribute to our scholarship or building fund as you direct.
• Hospitality - Co-director Charlene Tracy asked for volunteers to sign up on any of several preparation tasks that would be helpful for future gatherings. Please contact Charlene or Kevin if you’d like to pitch in.
• Hanger Opportunity - Our chapter has submitted a proposal letter to the Sequim Valley Airport board of directors to request a long term, low or no cost lease for a site on the airport where we’d most like to build our hangar.
• Unofficial feedback, heard thus far, now appears to be somewhat less enthusiastic than what we’d initially encountered, with regard to the site - very close to where the existing single-wide trailer now sits.
• Several exciting architectural depictions of what a possible EAA Chapter 430 facility might look like at the airport, have been prepared by chapter member Melissa Laird and incorporated into the submissions chapter president Ray Ballantyne has produced and delivered to the SVA board.
• The business portion of the gathering was adjourned at 1056.
• Presentation - Harry Cook shared an inside look and a video about his service in the U.S. Air Force as a member of the front line F-4 fighter squadron - Black Knights.
• Burger Bash - Yet another wonderful lunch was prepared by Kevin and Charlene Tracy, along with Dave and Joan Miller and others. Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen!! Respectfully submitted, Richard Howell, EAA 430 Secretary