EAA Chapter 430 Membership Gathering Minutes

Date: Nov 29, 2025

Once again, our monthly membership gathering kicked off with a delicious breakfast buffet. Thanks to our Hospitality team of Kevin and Charlene Tracy and other generous volunteers. Chapter President Ray Ballantyne called the meeting to order at 1010, in the Wm. R. Fairchild Intl. Airport terminal conference room.

Ray led The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag with 27 members and 3 guests attending. October Gathering Minutes were approved as written.

Welcome Guests - Brenda Sahleen, Wells Hutchins and Brian O’Conner (today a new member).

Correspondence

• EAA published an article, penned and submitted by Aiden Lara and Ray Ballantyne, about the recent fly-out event to Roche Harbor that was nicely coordinated by Aiden.
• Chapter member Emily Westcott was recognized by the Sequim City Council for her decades of beautifying Sequim, along with an article appearing in the Sequim Gazette.

Old Business

• Treasury Tracy Halsted - (Ray) Our chapter treasury is reflecting about $4800 in the scholarship account, a bit under $2000 in checking and a little over $230,000 in our building fund.
• Membership Tracy Halsted - Paid membership is now at 114.
• EAA Chapter 430 has been reaching out to help several of our local Civil Air Patrol cadets as they work their way through the (online) Sporty’s Private Pilot Ground School course. Free access to the course is a benefit of the EAA Young Eagles program and available to all kids who fly at our rallies.
• Fly-out Barry Halsted - The November Arlington (KAWO) event was almost a bust because of the weather. A low cloud ceiling, particularly near Port Angeles, kept quite a few pilots and their planes on the ground. The December destination might turn out to be Forks (S18).
• Building Committee - (Ray) is back at work considering options, but has nothing specific to report at this time.

Chapter Elections

Slate of nominees/candidates was recited by Ray Ballantyne.

• President - Ray Ballantyne
• Vice President - Ernie Hansen
• Secretary - Rob Stephens
• Treasurer - Tracy Halsted Ray noted that because each of our Class I board positions - President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, have only had a single volunteer/candidate, our Chapter Bylaws require only a simple majority show of hands by the members present is needed to confirm the board.

Ray asked for a show of hands in favor of accepting the candidates as our new board. All but one member (who appeared to be dozing off) raised a hand. Asked for a show of those opposed - no hands raised.

We have a Board of Directors for a two year term - 2026 through 2027.

New Aviators Update

Ray summarized about several of our members who are working towards their aviation goals, including Sid Vandiver, Gunner Rogers, Genna Nickel, Nathan Nelson and our 2025 Ray Foundation Scholar Jazmin Stamper - who was, during the gathering, out on the ramp preparing her Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft for her long cross-country solo flight(s), one of several technical requirements for Private Pilot training.

Projects

• Not a lot of detail, but there are a number of aircraft building and restoration projects underway. The CAP squadron would like to set up a flight simulator and could use some help, including assistance with selecting and acquiring a suitable laptop computer. Erik Petersen has offered to help. There will be no regular chapter membership gathering in December. Instead - our EAA Chapter 430 Christmas Holiday party is planned for Saturday, December 20th - 5:00pm. A buffet-style dinner is planned. Tickets will be $50 per person. Look for your invitation in your email inbox. Contact Tracy Halsted or any board member for information. The Business portion of the gathering was adjourned at 10:45. Today’s program - Ray Ballantyne summarized and also showed portions of a new EAA-produced video about MOSAIC.

Respectfully submitted, Richard Howell, EAA 430