Longtime EAA Chapter 431 member and EAA life member since 1969, Otis Lokken of Madison, passed away on Thursday, January 2, 2020. His obituary is here:
https://www.ryanfuneralservice.com/notices/Otis-Lokken
On the same day, EAA published a video about the Lokken family’s Champ and its recent restoration. Watch that video here:
This is our fifth year of producing the popular EAA Chapter 431/Brodhead Airport full-color calendar, and this one looks better than ever. Its a 12-month wall calendar with a main photo for each month, plus smaller fill-in photos to keep you entertained. The dates for all meetings, work days, and fly-ins are listed as well.
Calendars are $15 each plus $4.00 shipping (First Class Mail). You can save on shipping and pick one up at any Chapter 431 meeting or event, or by stopping by the Kelch Aviation Museum during the week. Order online HERE.
All photos in the calendar were taken at or near Brodhead Airport in the past year. Special thanks to everyone who contributed, and to this year’s winners, Doug Tomas, Dave Swartz, Allen Penticoff, Shelly Tumino, and Nigel Hitchman.
If you have questions about ordering or picking up, or if you want to order in bulk, please call 608-897-1175 or e-mail webmaster@eaa431.org.
The board of directors of EAA Chapter 431 will meet Monday, November 18 or the annual budget meeting. Come and voice your input.
We’ll meet at 6:00 p.m. in the chapter building at Brodhead Airport.
Don’t forget that the monthly gathering of EAA Chapter 431 switches to Saturdays this month and our next one is Saturday, October 5 at 9:00 a.m. in the chapter clubhouse at Brodhead Airport.
Also on Saturday, we will hold the annual officer elections. Nominations and voting are both done in person during the meeting so come out and make your voice heard. Current officers whose terms are expiring are:
President – Ben Johnson
Vice-President – Joe Snow
Secretary – Brian Law
Treasurer – Pat Weeden
Afterward, the monthly chapter video from EAA headquarters will be shown.
See you on Saturday.
Chapter members and friends of Brodhead Airport, our next scheduled work day is Saturday, August 31 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. The usual preparations for the MAAC Grassroots Fly-In are on the schedule along with several other maintenance items.
As usual, we have created a detailed information page for those attending the 2019 MAAC Grassroots Fly-In.
Even if you’ve been coming to Brodhead forever, please take a minute to review the following page:
https://www.eaa431.org/2019-maac-grassroots-fly-in-information/
Spring weather in southern Wisconsin can only mean one thing; its time for EAA Chapter 431’s annual Community Pancake Breakfast. Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 19 from 7:00 a.m. to noon at Brodhead Airport.
All you can eat pancakes are $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for kids under 10. The breakfast includes scrambled eggs, two sausages and choice of beverage.
Kids age 8-17 can take a Young Eagles airplane ride and the everybody can watch the airplanes land on our grass runways.
One of the UW MedFlight helicopters will be flying in mid-morning and be open for display, weather and duty permitting.
Fritz Badertscher, a charter member of EAA Chapter 431 and a regular pilot and fixture at Brodhead Airport for many years, passed away April 25, 2019 at age 77.
Fritz was one of the original nineteen EAA members who started chapter 431 in January, 1973 and helped spur the growth of Brodhead Airport into what it is today. He was a regular flyer, taking his first airplane ride in an Ercoupe flown by Bill Earleywine, the founder of the airport, in 1947. His yellow and red Aeronca Champ gave many rides in the 1970s, and he later flew a Cessna 120, Aeronca Chief, and two different Piper Cubs until recently.
Fritz and Phyllis Badertscher with daughter Ann with their Aeronca Champ at Brodhead Airport, 1974.
A local dairy farmer, Fritz and his family brought out the heavy equipment to build and extend runway 27 in the mid-1970s. He also took care of the annual fertilizer application and other work requiring a skilled machinery operator. His contributions to the success of Brodhead Airport are countless.
Fritz and his father Garde built the extension for runway 27 in the mid-1970s.
The entire Badertscher family has been deeply involved in the Brodhead Airport, with Phyllis serving on the Hawk-Aire and Chapter 431 boards, and their daughters learning to fly as well.
Daughter Nora’s first passenger was Fritz in 2013.
Fritz Badertscher’s full obituary can be read here:
https://www.dlnewcomerfuneralhome.com/notices/FredricFritz-Badertscher
A free seminar on Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or Drones will be held at the Brodhead Airport on Wednesday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Craig Czerwinski, FAA Safety Team Member and leader of Gateway Technical College’s sUAS (Small Unmanned Aircraft System) Program will discuss drone safety tips and the options for flying your drone safely and legally as a hobbyist under the Special Rules for Model Aircraft (Section 336) as well as commercially as a remote pilot under the FAA’s Small Unmanned Aircraft Rule (Part 107). He will also discuss sUAS registration requirements, the B4UFLY app, and answer your questions. There will also be a display of several sUAS/Drones for the attendees to look at.
This seminar is free and open to the public. All attendees are asked to register in advance at the link below or by calling 608-897-1175.
https://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_details.aspx?eid=91253
EAA Chapter 431 in Brodhead is sponsoring a Private Pilot Ground School course for those interested in taking the FAA knowledge test toward a Private Pilot license.
The 13-week course will be taught by Dr. Hannah Silber and will meet Monday evenings for three hours, beginning in May. Course cost is expected to be $100.
For more information or to register, contact EAA Chapter 431 at 608-897-1175 or webmaster@eaa431.org.