Blackhawk Tech Aviation Maintenance Program at Risk

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As many members and local pilots may know, the Blackhawk Technical College Aviation Maintenance program is being terminated after many decades. Several EAA Chapter 431 members are either graduates or former instructors of the program and many local A&P mechanics completed their training at the Rock County campus.

We received the following important message today from the Friends of BTC Aviation group regarding an upcoming BTC board meeting. Please read and make a point to attend.

Good Afternoon,

We have finally succeeded in getting a spot on the Blackhawk District Board’s agenda to so that we can publicly plead our case for rescinding the suspension of Blackhawk Technical College’s storied AMT program. The makeup of the Board has changed somewhat, which may be why the Board has accepted our request after all this time.

The November Board meeting will be held at the Beloit Center (600 Henry Road, Beloit – Henry Ave is off Hwy 51, the Beloit Center is part of the Eclipse Center complex,) at 6:00 pm on THURSDAY, 15 November.

We would very much appreciate your presence at this Board Meeting. Please pass this information along to EVERYONE you know – anyone interested in aviation, anyone who owns an aviation related business, veterans deciding on their private sector career, potential AMT students – EVERYONE. We want to pack the house! Please let me know if you can attend.

Regards,
Pam Thomas
262-642-7541
www.fobtca.org

Dan Wegmueller Series in The Monroe Times on Fairchild Restoration

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Subscribers to the Monroe Times and visitors to their website have been treated this summer and fall to an ongoing series of articles by features columnist, Dan Wegmueller. They chronicle Dan’s quest to restore his family’s 1939 Fairchild 24R and return it to flight. The restoration took place over the course of a year at the Brodhead Airport and involved a number of people from EAA Chapter 431.

The articles are published here in their entirety with permission from Dan and the Monroe Times. Pictures have been added here from Dan’s collection along with several airport photographers.

Read the entire series HERE.

Dan Wegmueller’s 1939 Fairchild 24R after restoration, July, 2012 at the Brodhead Airport.

Si Smith & Gene Calkins Featured in Local Magazine

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EAA Chapter 431 members Simon Smith and Gene Calkins, both of Janesville, are featured in the Fall, 2012 issue of “Great People, Great Stories; Life in Rock County” magazine. Gene and Si both talk about building and flying their airplanes.

To read the article, click HERE, then select the link for Latest Issue on the GPGS website. (Please note that in the photo captions, Gene and Si are transposed.)

2012 Grassroots Fly-In Roundup

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On Sept. 7-8-9, members of the Midwest Antique Airplane Club flocked to Brodhead Airport for their annual “Grassroots” fly-in, hosted by EAA Chapter 431. This continues to be an amazing event, with a unique and varied collection of airplanes from all over the country, some on their way to or from other events in the Midwest and others making the trip to Brodhead just to enjoy the company of fellow pilots for a few days.

Behind the EAA Chapter 431 pavilion at Brodhead Airport, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012

Weather was a bit of a factor this year, with rain on Friday afternoon keeping attendance down just a little. The evening fish boil was followed by a nice crowd around the campfire and a movie in the main building.

The infield at Brodhead Airport is filling up on Saturday afternoon. Photo courtesy of Lisa Braley.

Saturday was cool and sunny, a bit windy but still a great day for flying. The Brodhead High School Art Club put on a fantastic grilled pork chop dinner. A late line of thundershowers put a damper on the campfire but a few souls still braved the elements for another late movie. Chris Price and Paul Seibert took the video below Saturday evening from the wing of their 1931 Curtiss-Wright Junior, showing the field from above after some of the early departures.

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Sunday proved to be a perfect day for flying home, at least if you were headed south! Stiff north winds again made for challenging crosswinds on 9/27, but by 1:00 p.m. the airport was deserted and we put another great, long weekend in the history books.

Check out the picture gallery here, with pictures from Lisa Braley of Natural Moments Photography, Pat Weeden and Bob Pokorney. More pictures will be added int he next few days so check back.

Thank you to all the MAAC members for attending,  EAA Chapter 431 members for all the hard work, and the folks of Brodhead for putting up with a lot of great airplane noise for a few days.

September Meeting Presentation – Ultra-Pup Project

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A reminder for EAA Chapter 431 members and friends of the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 5, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

After a short meeting, the program will be a presentation of pictures and video of building and flying the Ultra-Pup, a ¾ scale Cub experimental airplane by member Bob Pokorney. Sounds like a great program, so plan on attending!

Boy Scouts Earn Aviation Merit Badge

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On Saturday, August 19, 2012, a group of nine Boy Scouts from Brodhead Troop 108 ad Beloit troop 608 spent the day at the Brodhead Airport with EAA Chapter 431 members receiving training for the Boy Scout Aviation Merit Badge.

Nine Boy Scouts earned their Aviation Merit Badge with the help of EAA Chapter 431. Chapter members Bill Weber (far left) and Brian Law (far right) are shown with the scouts.

After several hours of classroom instruction, the scouts got some hands-on training on several airplanes learning mechanical systems, pre-flight procedures and finally, a ride in a Cessna 172. All nine scouts surpassed the requirements for the day and earned their Aviation Merit Badges. Congratulations!

Thanks to chapter members Brian Law (classroom instruction), Bill Weber (Aeronca Champ), Ben Johnson (Cessna 172), Matt Smith (Cessna 180), Mike Weeden (pilot and ground school instruction), Mike Williams (Stearman C3B), Sue Faville and Bob Pokorney.

Chapter 431 member Brian Law conducts classroom instruction for Boy Scouts.

Chapter 431 member Bill Weber shows under the cowling of his Aeronca Champ.

The scouts got a chance to see Mike Williams’ Stearman C3B up close.

Matt Smith shows his Cessna 180 to the Boy Scouts.

Pietenpol/Hatz Fly-In Pictures

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The 2012 Pietenpol/Hatz fly-in is under way with clear skies and great weather. Saturday looks like more of the same weather along with plenty of forums, the silent auction and other activities.

Check out some pictures HERE

Finally, Some Rain

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After 18 days without measurable rain and nearly six weeks since significant rain, Brodhead Airport finally is getting dumped on Wednesday evening, July 18.

Early attendees of the 2012 Piet/Hatz fly-in are all secure but the quick photo below shows of some tense moments as the storm rolled in.

July 18, 2012 storm approaches Brodhead Airport