Exciting Opportunity: Join Our New Chapter 1 Project!
As part of our Chapter 1 mission to promote and encourage public education about aviation safety in the design, construction, and operation of all types of aircraft, we’re thrilled to announce a potential new project!
We have tentatively accepted an exciting opportunity for our Chapter to participate in rebuilding a 1965 Champion Citabria 7ECA. This hands-on project offers a fantastic way for members to learn, collaborate, and contribute to aviation education while working on an aircraft.
Project Details:
When: Saturdays from 1 PM to 4 PM
Start Date: Tentatively February
Eligibility: Participants must be 18 or older and Chapter 1 members
We’ve surveyed our members several times about interest in new projects, and now that more details are available, we’re opening up sign-ups!
What to Expect:
For those who participated in our Zenith build, this project will feature a bit more structure. We’ll establish monthly goals and work together to achieve them in a timely manner. This structured approach will help us stay on track and make consistent progress.
How to Join:
If you’re interested in participating, please fill out the form linked below. We’ll share more information in February once our plans are finalized and ready to “take flight.”
Don’t miss this chance to be part of an exciting project that combines education, teamwork, and a shared passion for aviation!
PAST PROJECT
Zenith Cruzer Build
Our project had its start when EAA Chapter One inherited a partly assembled kit for a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer aircraft from its original owner, a gentleman named Christian Houser, who -- sadly -- died before he could complete the project. Our project began with a kickoff meeting in August of 2019, when the first team members signed up. Shortly afterward, the Chapter One executive team arranged for a workspace for the project in Building 29 at Flabob Airport, into which we moved the kit, our tools, and a long work table. This was accomplished with the considerable aid of Brian Duffield, who hauled everything to Flabob in his trailer. Other support came from Mark Durell, who rents space in Building 29 and who brought in a pallet rack to give us some storage. After we arranged the change of ownership of the kit with Zenith Aircraft, and after we secured our own copies of the drawings, we were ready to begin.
Our first build session came in March of 2020, with a gathering of six team members and our advisor, Jan Buttermore. We assessed the state of completion of the rudder-and-fin assembly that had been begun by Chris Houser, and then we started the task of finishing it. Shortly after this meeting, the state of California curtailed gatherings of people to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, so the project went on hiatus. We cautiously resumed our meetings in June, with all team members advised to wear face masks during the build session. We first resumed at a frequency of every other week, and then adopted a schedule of meeting weekly. Since June, the Cruzer build team has completed the fin-and-rudder assembly and the horizontal stabilizer. Along the way, team members built up their skills for drilling rivet holes, setting rivets, and reading plans.
