EAA Chapter 430A Change of Plans Leads to a Sunny Fly-Out at Jefferson County
As July’s Fly-out Coordinator, I originally planned a fly-out to Pierce County Airport (KPLU) on July 22nd. I announced the fly-out three days in advance because I was closely monitoring the weather. At the time, the forecast called for clear skies, light winds, and temperatures in the mid-80s, which sounded like great flying weather.
However, as the fly-out approached, the forecast changed significantly. The day before the fly-out, temperatures in Puyallup were forecast to reach 97°F around the time we would be having lunch. I felt that would make for an uncomfortably hot afternoon, so I decided to change the destination rather than postpone the fly-out. With my work schedule, additional weather moving into the area later in the week, and the fact that July was quickly coming to an end, changing the destination seemed like the best option.
I considered both Westport (14S) and Jefferson County International Airport (0S9) as alternatives. I sent out an email explaining the change and let everyone know I was waiting for the updated TAFs before making a final decision. By 0100Z on the 21st, the forecast showed Westport becoming IFR to marginal VFR around the time we would be flying there. Because of that, I decided that Jefferson County International would be our destination, with lunch at the Spruce Goose Café.
The forecast for Jefferson County was looking much better, with clear skies, northwest winds around 7 knots, and temperatures in the mid-to-high 70s. On the morning of the 22nd, the weather continued to look great, so I sent out the final email confirming that the fly-out to Jefferson County International was on.
I had only received a few confirmations beforehand, so I wasn’t sure how many people to expect. When I arrived, however, I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few airplanes from our group and even more people. I also want to give a huge thanks to Scott Alair for going into the restaurant, arranging three tables together, and getting a headcount of everyone who would be eating. This was especially important because the Spruce Goose Café does not take reservations.
In total, we had 15 people, 9 airplanes, and 3 people who drove in. Those attending by airplane were Aidan Lara, Emily Westcott, Andy Sallee in Emily’s C-172, Kevin Tracy in his Ercoupe, Scott Alair in his Lancair Legacy, Ernie Hansen in his Globe Swift, Barry and Tracy Halsted in their C-172, Tim Alentiev in his RV-10, Richard Howell in his Sling 2, Bud Davies in his C-152, and Pat from the Bremerton chapter. Linda Priddle, John Ward, and John Meyers also joined us by driving in.
Overall, it was a great fly-out. We enjoyed a delicious lunch, excellent weather, good company, and amazing skies. Some of us even finished the afternoon with a delicious piece of pie!
From the August 2026 newsletter
Written by Aiden Lara.
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