Beacon - July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

This is the semimonthly email newsletter from the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 54 of Lake Elmo, Minn.  If you have difficulty reading this information, view it on the chapter website. Unless otherwise noted, all events occur at the Chapter House, at the south entrance of Lake Elmo Airport off Manning Avenue. Find fly-in and drive-in information here.

Young Eagles
Smoked out again

It's been a rough Young Eagles season for Chapter 54 so far. For the second month in a row, the event had to be scrapped because of weather. Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires kept visibility under 5 miles on Saturday July 12. Volunteers waited the 4-mile visibility to improve, but it didn't as Young Eagles and their parents waited patiently until the event was called.

Had flights been possible, the teams still would have been challenged as only three volunteer pilots were available to fly more than 40 kids.

At least the kids and their parents were able to hear from chapter legend Leif Erickson, who conducted his What's Next program for those interested in learning more about aviation.

The squad did have a respectable turnout of ground volunteers, led by Vicky Moore, who will be honored at Oshkosh as the national Young Eagles Ground Crew member of the year. She'll be moving fast at Oshkosh. She reports the Swift banquet is being held at a nearby restaurant the same evening as the Oshkosh awards ceremony.

The next Young Eagles Day will be Saturday August 9.

Ray Scholarship
It takes a village to raise a pilot

Another year, another (almost) new pilot! Elisha Redmann, our 2025 Ray Scholarship recipient, soloed on July 14 at Lake Elmo Aviation. Thanks to the work of his CFI, along with Ray Scholarship coordinator Bruce Olson, Elisha is making tremendous progress on his way to becoming a pilot. Congratulations!

The scholarship program is funded by the Ray Foundation, managed by EAA, and administered through the EAA chapter network. Through the program, EAA is able to provide deserving youths up to $11,000 to help cover flight training expenses. EAA received $1.8 million from the Ray Foundation for 2023.

Since the program’s introduction in 2019, more than 730 scholarships have been provided to young people with a passion for aviation. The current pilot certificate completion rate for Ray scholars is 81 percent, with approximately 240 more scholars currently in-flight training.

Over the last two years, two of Chapter 54's scholarship recipients have pursued their pilot certificate. Anna Chase , soloed in June 2024, passed her written exam in October, and passed her checkride in January 2025.  See more photos of Elisha >

VMC Club
Question of the Month
Weight and balance calculations for light general aviation aircraft can be critical for ensuring flight safety. Aircraft-specific software applications available on the market today can make performing weight and balance calculations much easier and less prone to mistakes. Before using such a software application, what action must the pilot take? Answer

There was a good turnout for the monthly meeting on July 14, no doubt because the speaker was Minnesota Aviation Hall of Famer John Mohr. We also had quite a number of visitors and young people interested in aviation and learning to fly. During the business portion of the meeting, Marlon Gunderson went over plans for the upcoming pancake breakfast, announced our Ray Scholarship recipient soloed that same day, and invited members to attend (virtually) the next Board of Directors meeting on August 4.

Then it was on to John Mohr, who grew up in the Crane Lake area and took his first airplane ride in a J-3 Cub on floats with his father as a one-year old. He soloed at age fourteen and received his private license in 1970 and other licenses followed. In 1972, Mohr constructed a home-built helicopter using a boat outboard motor. He built four others over the years. He flew for the Einarson brothers at International Falls, hauling fishermen from camp to camp, making ambulance flights and instructing. In 1975, he purchased a Stearman biplane, restored it and soon began to perform aerobatics at local events. He moved to Orr, MN and started his own flying service. He was then hired by North Central Airlines to fly the DC-9. Today he is flying for Delta Airlines. In addition to his airline career, Mohr continues to fly exhibitions all over the world. Mohr has received many showmanship awards and has run his total flight time to 37,000 hours. Read more >

Air Academy
Chapter scholarship/campership application process about to open

Young people interested in applying for Chapter 54 assistance to attend the 2026 sessions of the EAA Air Academy in Oshkosh should be preparing for the application process, which opens on August 1.   It is to an applicant’s advantage to apply early in August due to competition for limited funds. The Board of Directors will begin consideration of candidates at its next meeting.

While you need to inform Chapter 54 of your intentions to seek a scholarship by filling out this application, you will need to apply directly to the Air Academy for acceptance to one of several camps. EAA opens applications at the beginning of September for camp sessions in the summer of next year. You will know prior to that date whether you are receiving a Chapter 54 scholarship and can indicate that on the Air Academy application to the EAA.

Aside from personal / contact information, the Air Academy application asks the following 5 questions:     (Answers must not exceed 2000 characters each)

1. Why do you want to attend Air Academy?  

2. What aviation experiences, education, or training do you have to date?

3. What aviation interests do you have and/or would like to gain from your EAA Air Academy experience?

4. What aviation career goals do you have that could be further advanced from your experience at the EAA Air Academy?

5. How did you learn about EAA Air Academy?

To apply for an EAA Chapter 54 scholarship for EAA Academy, applicants should prove the answers they intend to provide to the Academy for these above 5 questions, and also answer the following questions:

1. Are you or family relation a member of EAA Chapter 54, and if so for how long?

2. What EAA Chapter 54 volunteer activities or fundraising efforts in support of youth education have you or a family member participated in, if any?

3. Have you had a Young Eagle flight at an EAA Chapter 54 Young Eagle Rally?

4. How did you learn of EAA Chapter 54 scholarships for EAA Air Academy?

Applicants for financial assistance can enter their information here.  Please note that providing information on this form is only for the Chapter 54 financial assistance. Applicants will still need to apply directly to EAA for acceptance to an Academy session.  Links to the national EAA application will be provided on the Chapter 54 website as soon as it is available.

Facilities Report New air conditioners installed in Chapter House

July tests our mettle, what with the heat and humidity that it brings and the July meeting could've been a member roast, but for the decision of the Board of Directors this month to invest in new air conditioners for the Chapter House. One of the old air conditioners didn't work at all (and tripped the circuit continually) and the other one blew only air, not cool air.

Fortunately, Menard's had a sale and while they are intended for windows and not through-the-wall installation, we only use them about 4 or 5 times a season. We roughed in existing openings, widened drywall where needed, and installed a rubber membrane along the wall framing to prevent condensation from damaging the exterior sheathing. 

The flaw in the plan on Monday night was that we didn't get them turned on early enough to counter the stinking hot day outside. The lowest we could get the room was 78. As the facilities director will be out of town at the next meeting, we'll need someone to turn them on around noon on August 18 (assuming we need them for the BBQ). We will also need volunteers to take the staging for the pancake breakfast down between the 10th and 18th, put the tables away, and put the chairs back up for the meeting (or you can just leave the tables up for people to eat at for the BBQ if we're not putting up the big tent and moving the tables across the street).

Over the next month or so, existing drywall will be repaired and painted (anybody got a small piece?), additional sheathing will be placed outside, insulation will be added to gaps, and new trim around the opening will be installed.

Chapter elections
Ask not, what your chapter can do for you...

Because you already know, or else you haven't been paying attention. No, the need now is for chapter members to step up and help run the chapter. Per our bylaws (available here), August is when we canvas officers and members to see who would be interested in standing for election to the Board or in an officer position. So far, we're losing the vice president, web/newsletter editor, and facilities director. President Marlon Gunderson has indicated he'll run for one more term. But all positions will be on the ballot. We have not had anyone indicate a willingness to take on any responsibilities from membership, and we are required by the bylaws to present the ballot in September.

One other item on the ballot will be changes to the bylaws that were approved by the Board of Directors in June. Most involve eliminating outdated bylaws, including one mandating Board of Directors participation on standing committees. The chapter no longer has standing committees. Another emphasizes that the chapter's website, rather than the newsletter, is the official location for chapter news, and one proposed change focuses on what happens to chapter assets in the event the chapter dissolves.  

Anyone interested in stepping up for the good of the chapter's future should contact Marlon Gunderson.
Related item:
My Life in EAA

Board of Directors
July Board meeting minutes

Eight members of the Board of Directors participated in the July meeting on July 7. The Board meets (virtually) on the first Monday of each month. A relatively light agenda greeted the participants. President Marlon Gunderson reviewed the previous month's highlights, including the Farnsworth hangar tour, efforts to distribute flyers for the August pancake breakfast fly-in, and a review of the June membership meeting.

Vice President Jay Schrankler outline his plan for membership programs for the coming months. September will feature a presentation on combat helicopters with Barry Hammarback  telling the Huey story. October features The Perlan Project by Dan Johnson. AME and chapter member Matt Cooper will talk to us about aeromedical issues in November.  November will also feature chapter elections. The December holiday party constitutes that month's program (location TBD).  Bob Laughley of LEA (tentative) and Pete Hall on the Mystery Machine (tenative) make up the January and February plans. Schrankler indicated he'll continue planning programs  into 2026 because he didn't want to "leave Marlon hanging."

The treasurer report indicated a $1053 negative cash flow for the month, owing primarily to the annual payment of $963 to the Metropolitan Airports Commission for rent and $371 for building maintenance. A special shoutout and thanks to member WoonYi Hanson who donated cash gifts he received for his birthday to the chapter. WoonYi is participating this month at the EAA Air Academy at Oshkosh.

Secretary Ed Trudeau said there are 94 "active" members, 81 whom are current. There were 8 renewals in July (renew your membership now!) 

Under new business, Jay Schrankler said he'll conduct transponder checks on August 16 at 10 a.m. The chapter will receive a donation for every check he performs. Also, as previously noted, the Board gave approval for the purchase of new air conditioners at the Chapter House.

You can find the minutes of the July Board of Directors meeting here.

John Ostrem
The Gossamer Condor

In the aviation business it’s usually all about speed - but wait - not so fast! Thinking about the slowest airplane to ever fly, it turns out to be the human-powered “Gossamer Condor” from the late 1970s.

The pedal-powered plane was capable of sustained flight, winning the $95,000 Kremer Trophy. In 1959, Henry Kremer, a wealthy British engineer working with the “Man Powered Aircraft Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society” in Europe, outlined the criteria for the valuable prize. Various engineers had tried unsuccessfully to win the prize for 18 years.

Then, American Paul MacCready, AeroVironment, Inc., designed and built the Gossamer Condor in 1977. After just six months of trial and error he trusted hang-glider pilot Bryan Allen to attempt the record. A human-powered plane was required to fly a 1.15-mile figure-8 course with a 10-foot bar at each end, one half mile apart. Allen, a 137-pound bicycle racer, with no FAA pilot's license, navigated the 96-foot, 70-pound Mylar and aluminum airplane around the course in Bakersfield, California. The flight lasted six minutes, averaging 11 miles per hour. Read more >

Next gathering
It's Oshkosh Time!

The next membership gathering will be held on Monday August 18 at 6 pm (note new date) with the annual BBQ and hangar tour. The evening will also feature members who went to AirVenture in Oshkosh. If that's you, please plan on bringing and talking about your photos and experiences during the event.

For those unable to attend but want to experience it anyway, we recommend EAA Radio, which is run by a volunteer group of students from St. Cloud State University. Live video cameras of the grounds of AirVenture are already running.

For those attending, why not take advantage of opportunities to help make Chapter 54 even better!

• Visit the EAA Blue Barn to meet the EAA Chapters staff and volunteers, learn about chapter programs and activities, attend daily forums, and do much more that will help you grow and improve your chapter. Learn more ›
  
  
• Join us for the annual group photo of chapter members at the Brown Arch on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Add to Calendar
  
  
• Visit the Chapters Pavilion in Camp Scholler to eat a pancake breakfast hosted by an EAA chapter. Chapters will be hosting pancake breakfasts each morning from Saturday, July 19 to Saturday, July 26, 2025. Profits from the breakfasts will be given to the host chapters, so your meal purchases will directly support EAA chapters.
  
  
• Meet with EAA Lifetime member and tax attorney Patti Arthur for assistance on your chapter’s nonprofit and tax-exempt issues. There are still some openings available for consultations at the EAA Blue Barn. Sign up now ›

✅ Sign Up for a Chapter Leadership Academy! — Join us in Oshkosh for a two-day interactive workshop that will help you become a better chapter leader and provide valuable information that will improve your chapter. (Read about one Chapter 54 member's experience.)

• October 23-24, 2025
• January 24-25, 2026

Sign up now! › 

The E-Beacon is a semimonthly newsletter highlighting news items from Chapter 54. If you no longer wish to receive the email, you can unsubscribe by sending an mail to facilities@eaa54.org.