Welcome to EAA Chapter 54. We speak aviation!

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.  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.

From the Flight Deck
Challenges in the year ahead: Can you step up?

This month marks the start of my second two year term as President of EAA Chapter 54.  What I’m most proud of accomplishing in these two years is to have resurrected, after a seven--year hiatus, the Pancake Breakfast Fly-In as a chapter service to the community and as a fundraising event. This would not have happened without the amazing support and work of Bob Collins and Jay Schrankler, and for a handful of other volunteers who stepped up as team leaders, and then for the bulk of the membership being willing to spend a morning of their fleeting summer to volunteer on one of the teams.

I hope to continue with our signature event this year (second Sunday of August again) but in order to do so I will need to find someone to fill the critical role that Bob Collins has played as event co-chair and kitchen manager.  It’s time for someone new to take this role this year.  Until someone steps forward to take this role, the event can only be considered a tentative plan.  Please consider taking on this role and give me a call to discuss.

There are many other chapter accomplishments to be proud of the past two years.  We’ve kept our chapter ‘Gold’ status which is critical for getting the privilege as a chapter of selecting a local Ray Scholar.  Our Gold status is built on the strength of our Young Eagles efforts, our Pancake Breakfast fundraising, our Air Academy scholarship awards, our stable of Tech Councilors, our award winning website & newsletter, webinar and VMC club chapter events, and our outstanding offering of programs at our membership meetings (thanks to Jay’s talent and dedication).   Read more >

Board of Directors 
Membership records, Ray Scholarship dominate Board of Directors meeting

The EAA Chapter 54 Board of Directors met on Monday January 5 with few pressing issues to consider on a normally sleepy time of year for the chapter. The bulk of the discussion focused on organizing and maintaining membership records, a critical step considering member Mark Shanahan has assumed the role of membership coordinator. Secretary Ed Trudeau has been doing the bulk of the recordkeeping which includes sending out emails to expiring members and updating the EAA's Roster Management System (RMS). It was unclear, however, how expiring members eventually get listed as "expired" and their privileges of membership terminated. For example, several members currently listed as "active" have not paid dues in nearly a year. It was suggested that perhaps that the entire "start-to-finish" process be handed to the membership coordinator and this will be discussed offline. Compounding the problem is the number of members who don't read their emails.

In other business, Vice President Jay Schrankler listed scheduled programs for the coming year. President Marlon Gunderson said Schrankler will take over the February meeting while Gunderson is out of the country, but there is, so far, no one assigned to handle the March meeting.

Ray Scholarship coordinator Bruce Olson revealed that his committee has selected a recipient for the Ray Scholarship from four individuals who had applied for the flight training program. "It's no fun telling the young people who weren't selected," he said. There was discussion about whether it's a good idea for applicants to study for and take the written exam prior to receiving the scholarship, but there now appears to be a penalty for doing so. President Gunderson said he would rewrite the Ray Scholarship section of the chapter's website.

The name of the scholarship recipient is not being announced until the chapter learns whether it was selected for funding from EAA headquarters.

Our favorite aviation moments of 2025

In the January issue of Chapter 54's newsletter, The Beacon, a handful of members select their most memorable aviation moments of last year.  "The Beacon" was posted on New Year's Day as well as emailed to all active members. If you did not receive a copy in your inbox, please check your junk folder and be sure newsletter@eaa54.org is on your safe senders list.  If you'd like to view the newsletter online, you can find it here.

All chapter news and stories >>