Chapter 431 of the Experimental Aircraft Association is located on one of the best grass airstrips in the Midwest open to the public. Brodhead Airport is home to generations of aviators and the airfield is busy throughout the year.
The mission of Cheeseland Chapter #431 is to “Promote Aviation in the Brodhead Area”, and we are active in educational outreach by hosting sport plane building seminars, Young Eagle airplane rides for students, sponsoring the Boy Scout Aviation merit badge and providing EMS fire/rescue training for local first responders. Chapter 431 also hosts three major “fly-in” events every year, a Community Pancake Breakfast, a three-day Pietenpol/Hatz convention in July and a private three-day gathering of the Midwest Antique Airplane Club in September. For relief from cabin fever, we also hold a Groundhog Chili Ski Fly-In on the first Saturday in February.
Chapter meetings are on the Calendar of Events page, normally the first Tuesday of the month during summer months and the first Saturday during the winter.
Chapter Officers for 2022: President, Mike Weeden; Vice President, Ben Johnson; Secretary, Larry Clements; Treasurer, Sue Faville.
Chapter Directors for 2022: Brian Terry, John Bernstein, Ron Zweifel, and Dave Qualle.
Cheeseland Chapter 431 is based at the popular Brodhead Airport in southern Wisconsin and hosts several fly-ins each year. The membership is very active in homebuilding and restoration.
History
On January 17, 1973 The Experimental Aircraft Association granted charter to Cheeseland Chapter 431, Inc. Several local people were actively involved in pursuing charter status for Brodhead. The nineteen charter members were:
| Fritz Badertscher | Robert Reis |
| Donald Cooley | Wheeler Searles |
| Robert Earleywine | Kenneth Segner |
| Robert Green | Gerald Steiner |
| Kent Jornalien | Francis Saunders |
| Vernon Knezel (Sec./Treasurer) | Richard Weeden (President) |
| William Knight (Vice President) | Stanley Wraight |
| Ralph Klassy | Donald Wichelt |
| Leonard Kitchen | Robyn Wichelt |
| Robert Paulik |
Chapter members formed two corporations, Hawk-Aire and Eagle-Aire, and purchased the airport housed on 69 acres from the Wheeler Searles estate.
In the late 1970s the corporations purchased an adjacent 10 acres to make a 3200 x 150 foot wide east/west runway (9-27).
In 2013, Chapter 431 received tax exempt status as a non-profit charity under IRS section 501(c)(3). Donations to Cheeseland Chapter 431, Inc. are tax-deductible.