EAA Chapter 430 Newsletter, October 2025

EAA 430 FLYER Serving Northern Olympic Peninsula OCTOBER 2025 From the Left Seat With President Ray Ballantyne It has been a great summer of aviation activities. We’ve had monthly flyouts, the annual poker run (read about that later), and three Young Eagles rallies. 155 youths were flown by 15 volunteer pilots on 6/14, 8/23, and 9/20. Over a dozen ground volunteers organized, set up, and managed the young people and their parents. We received help from other chapters who thought our rallies were very well organized. Congratulations to Bud and Tracy for another successful season. Lisa and I had the opportunity to fly to Silver City, NM recently to attend the Recreational Aviation Foundation Educational Conference West. Not only was it a great conference, but we met a couple; Matt and Holly Hagg from Arizona, that knew where Sequim is- specifically Diamond Point. That’s because Holly is Gordon Tubesing’s daughter! The world of aviation is truly small. It was amazing flying near the Grand Canyon and then seeing wild horses in Nevada. America allows us to freely fly where we choose within the rules. What a country! I hear that Aiden is thinking of putting together a trip to tour CubCrafters soon. Standby for more. MOSAIC is here. If you are a Sport Pilot, you will be able to check out in larger aircraft beginning October 22, 2025. If you haven’t started training yet, you could learn to fly single engine aircraft with less time, expense, and no FAA medical. If you own an experimental aircraft that you did not build, you can take a two-day class to teach you condition inspection authority. I hope these new changes turn out to be a big boost to general aviation. I’m getting all tuned up to call Chili Bingo on Thursday night October 23, 5:00 p.m. at the Fairchild Conference Room. There’s a Chili Cook-off for the first-place prize. Then it’s a donation dinner for the scholarship fund ($20?) and then $10 per Bingo card. Some good prizes are being donated and it should be a fun evening. Please don’t forget that the October Gathering on October 25 will start with a breakfast at 9:00 a.m. at the Fairchild Conference Room. The casseroles have been delicious and it’s a nice change of pace. After breakfast and a short meeting, we will learn about the very sleek VL-3 Evolution from a new owner – Rob Stephens. I hope to see you soon, Ray

EAA Chapter 430 - Board of Directors Nominees - Elections 2026 - 2027 Position / Office* (2 year term) Nominees (candidates) President Ray Ballantyne Vice President Rick Vaux Secretary Rob Stephens Treasurer Tracy Halsted Membership Tracy Halsted Young Eagles Bud Davies VMC/IMC Harry Cook Hospitality Kevin and Charlene Tracy Flyout Barry Halsted Scholarship Linda Priddle Newsletter Richard Howell Communications Erik Petersen Web Editor Richard Howell Programs [OPEN]

• Class I - elected, Class II - appointed by the President Page 2 EAA 430 Flyer IN THIS ISSUE From the Left Seat (Ray Ballantyne) Calendar of Events Board of Directors Nominees Chili Bingo!! UFO Sightings Poker Run Fun Chehalis Fly-Out!! Minutes of the September Gathering Chili Bingo Oct 23 @ KCLM Oct Gathering Oct 25 KCLM Conference Room Breakfast @ 9:00 VMC/IMC Nov 12 Mariner Cafe @ 7:00 pm BOD Meeting Nov 21 9:00 Mariner Cafe November Gathering Nov 29 KCLM Conference Room PAGE 1 2 2 3 4-7 8-9 10 11-12

Page 3 EAA 430 Flyer You’re invited to a Chili Cook-off and Bingo Night EAA430 SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER Join us for a fun night of getting together for some chili and fixings and then playing Bingo for prizes! We are hoping to raise money to provide scholarships for the EAA Air Academy and scholarships to help young aviators with college. Recommended donation for dinner is $20 and $10 for Bingo card. Contact Kevin Tracy to enter the chili cook-off at ktracy60@yahoo.com. Where: Fairchild International Airport Conference Room When: October 23, 2025 Time: Dinner at 5:00 p.m.

Page 4 EAA 430 Flyer There was a UFO sighting at the Mariner’s Café in Sequim, WA, on September 8, 2025, when a customer at the café witnessed a group of UFOs eating breakfast together. This group of pilots, the best kept secret in aviation, is an organization founded in 1982, currently with 1,700 members worldwide, representing global membership in all 50 states, as well as U.S. territories and several other countries Each member of the United Flying Octogenarians (UFOs) holds an airman’s flight certificate in a fixed- or rotary-wing, sport, balloon or glider aircraft and exercises the privilege of pilot in command after reaching the age of 80. The current president of the UFOs, Ken (Brownie) Brown, meets with 7-10 local UFOs for breakfast on the second Monday of every month, where they spend time sharing their aviation stories. UFO members are encouraged to meet for local breakfasts, lunches, and regular get-togethers to promote the fellowship of the organization. There are regional fly- ins throughout the United States. President Brownie and his wife did a three-week road trip throughout the Pacific NW, visiting UFOs in five states. Brownie attends UFO regional events on the East Coast, along with having a booth each year at the Puyallup Trade Show. For several years, Friday Harbor has hosted an annual UFO fly-in, always a well-attended gathering. For pilots 75-79 years old who still fly, there is a UFO Auxiliary Wing they can join. Currently, there are 11 active UFOs in Sequim, Diamond Point, and Poulsbo, many of them 430 EAA members. The purpose of the UFOs is to promote longevity and safety in aviation; to represent the interests of senior pilots worldwide; to inspire youth to fly; and to promote fellowship among senior pilots. For more information about the UFOs, visit the website ufopilots.org

Page 5 EAA 430 Flyer UFO Fly-In at Paso Robles UFOs touring aircraft at a Paso Robles museum Breakfast With the UFOs

Page 6 EAA 430 Flyer UFO booth at the Puyallup Trade Show Sharing a cottage with Silver Wings At Sun ’n Fun, Lakeland, FL Bill Shepard, Adine and Keith Kretschmer UFOS meeting Alberto Alves, Mayor of Danbury, Conn Adine and Keith Kretschmer with Ernie and Jeanne Hansen in Lakeland Lunch in Friday Harbor

UFO Members Fly Around the World In September 2024, two UFO pilots, Bob Bates and Barry Payne (Baz), landed in Tacoma, WA as part of their Around The World flight in Barry’s Piper Comanche ZK-BAZ, commemorating a similar flight 100 years ago. They started their flight on June 1 from Papua New Guinea, landing at Tacoma Narrows Airport (TIW) on September 9. Brownie contacted UFO members in the area, asking them to meet and greet Bob and Barry. Several members from various towns in the area showed up, despite the inclement weather, driving instead of flying to the airport. When their plane touched down, Bob and Barry were greeted by a group of several UFOs who spent several hours hearing the story of their flight. Because of weather limitations, the two pilots left Tacoma on September 11, earlier than planned, to finish their flight, heading to the Alaskan Aleutian Islands, Russia, Japan, Guam, and ending in Papua New Guinea at the end of the month. Bob is from Papua New Guinea, and Barry is from New Zealand. For additional information regarding this Around the World Flight, see the EAA September 2024 newsletter. https://eaa430.org Page 7 EAA 430 Flyer

Page 8 EAA 430 Flyer This year’s Chapter Poker Run was a bit different than the previous four (yes, we’ve had five poker runs now!). In addition to our own Chapter 430, entry forms were sent to nearby EAA chapters with an invitation to participate. Qualifying to enter the event required that participants must visit 5 of 15 airports listed on the entry form during the months of August and September. And 19 did! Following our business meeting on September 27, chairs and tables were rearranged and players took their seats. Two games followed. Those from EAA Chapter 430 were: Aidan Lara, Emily Westcott, Richard Howell, Rob Stephans, John Ward, Harry Cook, Ernie Hansen, Jeanne Hansen, Sid Vandiver, Ray Ballantyne, Lisa Ballantyne, John Meyers, Barry Halsted, Dave Miller, Joan Miller, and Kevin Tracy. Nate Miller from Tacoma Narrows appeared at the last moment, and Pat Barrett from Bremerton qualified but was unable to attend due to an unplanned appointment. Jasmine Stamper stood in for him. The games worked like this: Entrants paid a $20 entry fee and Tracy Halsted, the game’s dealer appeared, suitably dressed with her dealer’s visor, dealt 5 cards to each from a six-deck shoe. Those who had been a part of the chapter’s September flyout to Chehalis received an additional (bonus) card as well to be used in the first game. Bonus card recipients returned a card of their choosing and the game continued. All players examined their 5 cards and decided which, if any, they wanted to exchange in an effort to improve their hand. The dealer accommodated their desires at the cost of $5 per card, after which the players poker hands were revealed. The holders of the two highest ranking poker scores were identified and their prizes were awarded! A second game followed, without bonus cards and again the holders of the two highest ranking poker scores won prizes! Game 1 First Place: Ray Ballantyne won the 7 Cedars Stay and Play overnight, dinner and golf round for two. Second Place: Kevin Tracy won a $100 gift card from Dupuis’ restaurant in Port Angeles. Game 2 First Place: Kevin Tracy won a $100 gift card from Tedesco’s restaurant in Sequim Second Place: Barry Halsted won $25 gift cards from Auto Zone and The Co-Op in Sequim. Although collecting passport stamps from only 5 qualifying airports were required, some participants visited more. After all, the annual Poker Run is an incentive to get out and fly our aircraft. A special prize was awarded to Emily Westcott and Aidan Lara who flew Emily’s Cessna 172 to all 15 airports listed on the entry form! The poker hands were fun for the audience as well as for the players, and the money($540) collected provided a generous addition to the chapter’s scholarship fund. With the games over, the September chapter meeting closed and a Burger Bash followed, served by Dave Miller. Barry Halsted 2025 Chapter 430 Poker Run

The Dealer - Stacking the Deck?? Hmmm - Maybe she did… The Fearless Flyers hit all 15 airports Page 9 EAA 430 Flyer

Chehalis Flyout By 9:00 on September 17, ForeFlight’s current and forecast weather for the day’s flyout to Chehalis was good and the “flyout is on” announcement was sent out. Overnight, enough pilots reported they planned on coming that I needed to advise the restaurant. Unfortunately, at 9:30 and 10:30 calling the restaurant resulted in no personal contact. So I left a message on the make-a-reservation telephone number saying I expected about 15 in our group would be arriving about 12:45 for lunch and headed out. I took advantage of an available seat in Rob Stephan’s new VL3. We cruised down VFR on an IFR flight plan at 5000 ft, doing about 150 kts TAS on 6 gallons/hr. Going home at 8000 ft TAS was 155 kts, still on 6 GPH. Pretty cool, huh? Arriving at Chehalis we found a herd of flyout-ers there and waiting. A few more landed shortly thereafter. Aidan Lara, Emily Westcott and Keven Tracy (Emily’s C172), Bud Davies (C150), Scott Alair (Lancair Legacy, Harry Cook (Piper Pacer), Richard Howell (Sling 2), Ken (Brownie) Brown (RV-9A), John Ward (Pipistrel Sinus), and Rob and I in Rob’s VL3 Flew in for flyout lunch. Sid Vandiver (who is now working on his Private License drove in from Olympia. In addition to the eleven of us from Chapter 430, Tim Alentiev (RV-10) flew in from Crest Airpark, and Pat Barrett flew in with Mike Latta in Pat’s Interstate Cadet flew in from Bremerton (EAA Chapter 406). And from the Chehalis EAA Chapter 609, Jeri Mainero with husband Scotter, Curtis King, and David Vandewater joined us. Jeri is the chapter’s president. It was really cool to have the folks from neighboring areas get together with us. We all trooped over to the Riverside Bistro, taking them by surprise. My reservation message was never read, and although I was advised that the restaurant would appreciate 2-3 days’ notice they provided great service and we all had fine meals. This flyout was the last before the Poker Run finale to be held at the Chapter 430 meeting on September 27. With the exception of Rob (who just received his airplane days ago), I believe the Chapter 430 pilots will all be participating in this event. Pat Barrett planned to join in but, after collecting the required WPA passport stamps found he ad a meeting that day. He will, however, elect a stand in so he will be represented at the game. Ernie Hansen planned to be part of our Chehalis group but he had an appointment preventing that from happening. Ernie had, however, collected the five passport stamps required for the Poker Run all in one flight on Wednesday. See, it’s never too late! The weather going home was good but the smoke from the fire west of Bremerton had increased. It spread out to the north but at lower altitudes presented no problems. We all had a good time and lots of socializing. Barry Halsted Page 10 EAA 430 Flyer

Sep 27, 2025 Chapter President Ray Ballantyne called the Membership Gathering to order at 1015, hangar #15 at Sequim Valley Airport. ● Ray led The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag with 40 members and 4 guests attending. ● July Gathering Minutes were approved as written. (There was no Gathering in August - Air Affaire weekend.) ● Correspondence - none mentioned. ● Welcome Guests - Nicolena Hutchins and her daughter Evangeline, Dennis Warth, Nathan Miller ● Chapter member Genna Nickel has earned her Private Pilot Certificate! Reports ● Treasury Tracy Halsted - (Ray) Our chapter funds are reflecting $5622 for scholarship, $7154 operating and over $200,000 in our building fund. ● Membership Tracy Halsted - Paid membership is now at 112. ● Build and Fly Richard Howell - Richard has emailed a group of parents who’ve continued to show interest in a workshop. A specific date, location and program will be offered very soon. ● Young Eagles Bud Davies - (Tracy Halsted) 41 kids were flown by 5 pilots at our last rally. ● Fly-out Barry Halsted - Our trip to Chehalis was fun. 19 people attended, including 12 from EAA 430 Olympic Peninsula, 3 from EAA 406 Bremerton and even 4 from EAA 609 Chehalis. ● Our Poker Run fundraiser has attracted 18 contestants. Old Business ● Building Committee - (Ray) ○ The committee is paused, for the moment, with no signing of the Sequim Valley Airport lease agreement. ● EAA Chapter 430, Vice President Rick Vaux, took a moment to express thanks and appreciation to folks who have tried to help him continue to be active in aviation, and that he’s coming to terms with not being physically able to - as he would like (and suggesting that perhaps we shouldn’t concern ourselves with trying to involve him anymore? Ok-. Hmmmmm. We’ll see how well we do with that!) ● Hospitality Charlene and Kevin Tracy - Charlie asked - for volunteers (food prep and other tasks) to please make themselves known through the signup sheet. Our next month’s membership gathering will feature breakfast at the Fairchild Airport Terminal Conference Room in Port Angeles. ● VMC/IMC Club Harry Cook - Last club meeting had 27 attendees - a record! We share good piloting knowledge and a bit of fun. Air Affaire Emily Westcott - Thank you to all those who attended and participated Page 11 EAA 430 Flyer EAA Chapter 430 Membership Gathering Minutes

New Business ● Olympic School - A request for a fundraising prize donation - an airplane flight. ● Chili Bingo Night - Our scholarship fundraising effort will feature Bingo and Ray’s excellent repertoire of Dad Jokes. And – the plan is to have a chili cook-off. Please see Kevin and Charlie, to enter your chili. October 23 at Fairchild Airport Terminal in Port Angeles. ● New Aviators Update o Sid Vandiver - logged 15 hours of flying experience, so far o Genna Nickel - achieved Private Pilot Certificate, August 22. Considering pursuing scholarship and other funding toward an instrument rating. o Jazmin Stamper - completed first solo flight. Preparing for cross-country flight, written exam. Jazmin shared a bit about her experience at this year’s EAA Air Academy in Oshkosh, including a couple days of AirVenture. o Nathan Nelson - Father Norm reported that Nathan also attended EAA Air Academy. He’s currently engaged in the programs at Port Townsend Aero Museum and has logged about 10 hours of flight time. He recently was able to fly in a Cessna 162 SkyCatcher and also enjoyed a flight in a Bell 47 helicopter. o Aiden Lara shared that he (and Emily Westcott) flew to all 15 of the Poker Run airports. ● Chapter member Cenk Özer briefly shared some stories about himself and his flying history. ● Projects o Harry Cook - Sonex Waiex B, AeroVee engine assembly. ● The Business portion of the gathering was adjourned at 11:16 ● Poker Run Fundraiser - Tracy Halsted, assisted by Dr. Scott Brooksby, masterfully MC’d two rounds of intense poker playing. o The 1st round, 1st place prize - generously donated by Seven Cedars, was a complete Stay and Play package at their hotel and golf course properties, was won by Ray Ballantyne. o The 1st round, 2nd place prize - a $100 gift certificate, very generously provided by Tedesco’s, was won by Kevin Tracy o The 2nd round, 1st place prize was also won by Kevin Tracy - a $100 gift certificate donated by Dupuis’ Restaurant in Port Angeles. o The 2nd round, 2nd place prize was won by Barry Halsted - two $25 gift cards from AutoZone. o Aiden and Emily received a special prize - a $25 gift card from Swain’s General Store

• for their achievement of collecting passport stamps at all 15 of the qualifying poker run airports. ● We enjoyed our final burger feast for the summer season! Kevin and Charlie were joined by David and Joan Miller, and others, to deliver great food and a wonderful time. Thank you all! Respectfully submitted, Richard Howell, EAA 430 Secretary Page 12 EAA 430 Flyer EAA Chapter 430 Membership Gathering Minutes