Chapter 88

About Us

Welcome to our Chapter

 

Whether you fly, build, restore or simply enjoy airplanes and aviation, you are welcome to attend our events and join our chapter. We are a group of aviation enthusiasts, aircraft builders, and pilots who get together with like minded people to share ideas, exchange information, encourage safety, serve the local aviation community and have a lot of fun doing so. Please come to our next meeting or event as our guest.

 One does not need to be a pilot, aircraft owner, or builder to be a member of EAA. An interest in aviation is the only qualification one needs. We have various programs and activities of interest to all.

 The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) was founded in 1953. These individuals were brought together by their interest in building and modifying aircraft. Experimentation and innovation were the keywords in the early years and they still ring true today. The EAA has come to include aerobatics, classics, warbirds, ultralights, helicopters and manufactured aircraft and is now composed of over 1000 Chapters in 21 countries. 

Chapter 88 has a rich heritage. Wichita, Kansas, has considered itself the "air capital of the world" since 1928. It is not surprising that Wichita would have an EAA chapter; what is surprising is that it did not have one before 1960. Bob Stevens was an inspector at Boeing's Wichita facility, but he was also an EAA member and homebuilder. The Baby Ace that he built was customized to include a small window near the floorboard that allowed his dog Biscuit Eater a good view while flying with his master. Bob's enthusiasm for the EAA "infected" local aviation enthusiasts John Berwick, Arlo Schroeder, Hugh Beckham, Tommy George, and Marion Unruh, among others, with each going on to build at least one homebuilt. Eventually Bob helped round up enough members, and "Jayhawk" Chapter 88 received its charter in 1963.
 
The growing chapter decided the next year to host its first fly-in at the airport in the nearby town of Newton. The event attracted attendees from as far away as Texas, including Ray Hegy in his little El Chuparosa biplane. If you've ever seen that diminutive bipe in the EAA museum, you can appreciate the determination it would take to fly it cross-country.
 
For the next six decades, Chapter 88 continues to be a monthly connection for Kansas EAA members and faithfully held its annual fly-in each year on the weekend nearest to the Fourth of July. The past few summers have been extremely hot, even by Kansas standards, which influenced the chapter to move the 50th anniversary fly-in to October in recent years. Our members include those who are building aircraft, flying aircraft, and enjoy being around aircraft.

For more information on our chapter, please contact our president via the contact information provided in the sidebar.

 

About EAA

Our chapter is part of the worldwide network of EAA chapters. EAA embodies the spirit of aviation through the world's most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA's 170,000 plus members enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. To find out more about EAA and our programs and services, please visit our home page at EAA.org.

EAA’s local chapters are about people, bringing together individuals interested in learning more about aviation as well as sharing their own knowledge.

Chapter members are involved in a variety of social and educational activities, including Young Eagles rallies, fly-ins, building seminars, and more, to build awareness in the community.

 

 

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