Fly-Out to Orcas Island: Picnic, Ice Cream, and a New Pilot at the Controls

Saturday, August 1, 2026 · By Barry Halsted (adapted from the September 2026 newsletter)

In August, several airplanes and 15 members and friends of EAA Chapter 430 flew to Orcas Island for a picnic. The weather was excellent, apart from some smoke from fires to the north.

Most of the group came from Fairchild in Port Angeles, plus Sequim Valley and Blue Ribbon in Sequim. Regular Tim Alentiev flew in from Crest airport on the other side of Puget Sound. After the group photo, everyone settled in at the picnic tables. The airport is a popular one, so we got to watch plenty of other airplanes come and go.

Fly-out group at the picnic tables at Orcas Island airport

A highlight of the day was who was flying. Jazmin Stamper, who recently earned her private pilot certificate, flew Barry, Tracy, and Alejandra Stamper over in Barry’s Cessna 172, then flew them home to Sequim Valley afterward.

A smiling young pilot in the left seat of a white high-wing Cessna with passengers aboard

After lunch, nearly everyone took the pretty 20-minute trail into Eastsound for ice cream. Tim found bikes at the airport and rode instead.

Fly-out group with ice cream cones in Eastsound

Attending were Bud Davies, Scott Brooksby, Scott Alair, Alan Millet, Richard Howell, Tim Alentiev, Mark Long, Emily Westcott and her friend Jeff, Ken and Skip Brown, Barry Halsted and Tracy, and Jazmin and Alejandra Stamper.

Two fly-out attendees standing on the grass in front of a yellow and blue low-wing homebuilt airplane

Want to come along? Watch the Events calendar for the next one, or email flyout@eaa430.org.

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