Meetings Gatherings
# [Suggested Gatherings Page Text]
Monthly Chapter Gatherings
EAA Chapter 288 holds regular monthly meetings featuring guest speakers, aviation safety briefings, member project updates, and community fellowship. Join us as we build connections across the local flying community!
* When: Typically the 3rd Thursday of each month (Social time/food starting at 6:00 PM; Meeting begins at 7:00 PM).
* Where: EAA Chapter 288 Hangar, 215 Cessna Blvd (Spruce Creek Fly-In), Port Orange, FL.
Upcoming Highlights
* December 17, 2026: Annual EAA Chapter 288 Christmas Party & Year-End Celebration.
Recent Meeting Recaps
* September 17, 2026 Meeting:
* Business & Projects: Reviewed updates on our new hangar interior storefront wall, upcoming A/C installation, and the matching fund campaign (which has raised over $11,000 toward a $30,000–$60,000 donor match). Kirsten Kasper also introduced our upcoming youth STEM *AeroEducate* program rollout.
* Featured Speaker: Dr. Gary C. Kessler delivered an eye-opening presentation on *“GPS Jamming and Spoofing in the Aviation Environment,”* discussing modern navigation threats and signal disruptions.
* August 20, 2026 Meeting:
* Special Guest: Welcomed new Spruce Creek resident Rear Admiral Thomas Wall, USN (Ret.), former Commander of Submarine Group 9 and NATO Submarine Force, who shared insights on leadership and submarine operations.
* Chapter Updates: Covered our 5-year hangar lease renewal, facility upgrades (fans, separation curtains, and pilot lounge plans), and fundraising milestones.
* July 16, 2026 Meeting:
* Featured a casual Chapter Hot Dog Supper for members, families, and guests, followed by an essential aviation safety briefing led by Jim Stone and John Foster.
* June 18, 2026 Meeting:
* Celebrated recent student solos by chapter members and heard a gripping presentation from retired airline/Navy pilot Jeff Edwards, who detailed how he successfully handled a real-world inflight engine failure and emergency landing in his RV-8.
* May 21, 2026 Meeting:
* Awarded our annual donor and Ray Scholarships (congratulating recipient Cameron Lounsbury). The evening's keynote speaker was retired US Marine Corps Colonel and NASA Space Shuttle Commander Ken Cameron, who shared fascinating stories from his spaceflight missions and international docking programs.
