From its beginnings in the late '50s, Chapter 54 of the Experimental Aircraft Association has served aviation enthusiasts, dreamers, aircraft builders, pilots, would-be pilots, and individuals interested in helping young people become aviators in the East Metro of Minnesota's Twin Cities.
We hold a gathering on the second Monday of each month at the Chapter House at Lake Elmo Airport (21D) to talk aviation and socialize. On most Saturdays, we're open for coffee and doughnuts and a Wings safety seminar to help members be safer pilots. We provide Young Eagles rides and aviation scholarships. We help people who are building airplanes. But you don't need to be a pilot to participate in our activities.
Please come to our next gathering as our guest. Let us know you're coming so you can be properly greeted and introduced to the chapter.
MAY GATHERING |
 The next membership gathering will be held on Monday May 12 when Sebastien Heintz of Mexico, Missouri, known worldwide as the owner and president of Zenith Aircraft Co., a leading aircraft kit manufacturer, joins us. He was honored by the Experimental Aircraft Association on October 16, 2024 with his induction to the EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame. Zenith has continuously grown in popularity amongst homebuilt aircraft enthusiasts. The company also hosts monthly workshops to introduce new aviators to the world of homebuilt aircraft. Heintz was the 2017 recipient of EAA’s Freedom of Flight Award for his contributions to aviation and the recipient of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association’s 2017 President’s Award. He continues to be an active sport pilot and enjoys sharing the joys of homebuilt aircraft. A social period begins at 7 and the program starts at 7:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend. More information > |
Board of Directors
Monthly member meetings to start earlier
At its monthly meeting last night (May 5), the Chapter 54 Board of Directors voted to move the start time for monthly meetings to 7 p.m., starting with the regular meeting in July. Under the proposal the social hour will move to 6:30 p.m. Chapter President Marlon Gunderson, who authored the change, said he noticed members were already seated and ready for the night's presentation at 7 p.m. at recent meetings and that recent meetings had run late. The change will not affect next Monday's meeting, nor the June meeting, which is the annual chapter picnic, which already starts at an earlier time.
In other Board action, the chapter officers voted to end the practice of allowing parents of Young Eagles to walk near the airplanes to take pictures of their kids. The move came in response to the question of whether we need to still be posting pictures of Young Eagles on the website if parents already have taken pictures. It has been a growing practice to allow parents near airplane as long as they're escorted by ground crew. YE Coordinator Dale Seitzer indicated he'd be more comfortable for safety reasons limiting access to the ramp.
Jeff Dale, the chapter's education coordinator, reported on a planned tour of the airport by Farnsworth students, scheduled for May 20 from 10:30 to 2 pm. Chapter members with hangars and something interesting inside are encouraged to volunteer to be a tour stop.
Considerable discussion took place on the future of the chapter's tool crib. President Gunderson has been trying to find chapter members who would be willing to house some of the larger items, donated by Vicky Moore, and making them available to members in need of their use. No members have responded. The Board had no appetite for a proposal to sell the tool crib and Gunderson suggested members aren't reading his quarterly President's Letter and he intends to try an email appeal.
Status updates were heard on planning for the August pancake fly-in fundraiser. Several members visited Eau Claire's chapter breakfast where attendance was about 800, the goal of Chapter 54's planning. The next chapter planning meeting is May 14.
And, finally, a proposal to clarify an item on the chapter's bylaws on chapter dissolution was pulled after questions about the process surfaced that were not answered by either the original article nor the proposed change. Presently, the bylaw says the chapter "may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority vote of voting members in good standing of this organization." That wording does not clarify if that's total membership eligible to vote (i.e. "voting members") or the majority of members who vote. The proposed change to "“This organization may be dissolved if approved by two-thirds of members voting,” clarified that, but directors questioned how much notice of a vote should be given. The proposed change was pulled for reworking. See minutes >>
John Ostrem's Musings
Why are we the Speed Holman Chapter?
