Chapter 431 member and Brodhead Airport bum Ted Davis has a nice write-up in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on his New Standard D-25 and summer barnstorming tour.
Don McMakin
We received word that Don McMakin passed away Tuesday night, April 17, 2012. at age 93. Services will be held Saturday April 21, 2012 at McCorkle Funeral Home, 767 N Blackhawk Blvd., Rockton, Illinois. A visitation will be held at the funeral home from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Think of a story or make a comment about Don, as this will be an audience participation service.
Don’s obituary is HERE.
Don McMakin in his hangar, summer, 2011
Don is a long-time fixture at Brodhead Airport as well as the early history of aviation in the Wisconsin/Illinois state line area. Locals and visitors to the airport will remember Don’s 1929 Butler Blackhawk, the 10th built out of a total of eleven. Don bought the airplane in 1942 to build time in a 200+ hp airplane in order to be a civilian flight instructor during WWII. After the war, the airplane was sold, but many years later was re-acquired by Don and son Kent and fully restored to flying condition.
Don McMakin's 1929 Butler Blackhawk
In later years, Don was commander of the airport’s garbage barge during fly-ins and work days. Anybody who has attended a recent fly-in at Brodhead Airport has heard the putt-putt of Don’s ubiquitous antique John Deere tractor pulling the trailer full of garbage cans and volunteer garbage chuckers.
Don McMakin driving the garbage patrol during a 2011 work day.
Don remained active in antique restoration right to the end, working on several Wright J5 engines and other aircraft projects on a daily basis. His presence at the airport will be missed.
Ground School Class to Begin April 18
EAA Chapter 431 would like to announce a Private Pilot Ground School class starting Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This will be a 10-week class held at the Brodhead Airport (C37) in EAA 431’s Chapter building.
This ground school class will be conducted with a certified flight instructor (CFI) and the cost $125.00. EAA 431 has generously provided both the facilities and instructor for you to get started with your pilot training now!
The class is limited to 15 students. Contact Brian Law (lawful3@gmail.com) of EAA 431 to confirm your place in this class. Students are taken on a first come first serve basis and payment secures your seat in this class.
Jeff Taylor to Speak at April Meeting
Jeff Taylor from the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics will be our guest speaker at the regular monthly meeting on April 7th. Jeff’s presentation is called, “The Approach and Landing Challenge“.
The program will focus on improving your knowledge and skill during the most critical phase of flight – Approach and Landing. NTSB Statistics verify that the vast majority of accidents and incidents occur in the approach and landing phase of flight. Learn about ways to avoid having your name published in one of their reports.
The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Chapter building. Bring a guest!
Airway Beacon Work Day
After the regular monthly chapter meeting, members grabbed paint brushes and got the first coat of orange on the base section of our airway beacon tower.
Ski Fly-In Pics
Despite a week of melting snow and mild temperatures, the runway stayed firm enough for about a dozen airplanes to make the trip to Brodhead and make our chili (non)ski-fly-in a success. Thanks to everybody, flying or driving, who made the effort to come out.
Here is a video of a flight around the patch in Gene Calkins’ O-200 powered Kitfox. Click on the direct YouTube link to watch in HD.
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…and member Bob Pokorney’s photo album of the day’s happenings is HERE.
This Aeronca Sedan came up from Lake in the Hills, Illinois.
Cessna 185 with wheels and skis.
Piper J-3 Cub
Groundhog Chili Ski Fly-in is February 4th
EAA Chapter 431’s annual Groundhog Chili Ski-Fly-in is coming up on Saturday, February 4.
Come join us at the Brodhead Airport for a bowl of chili, flying and good fellowship. Serving starts at 11:00 a.m.
Field Condition Report:
Wednesday: Warm weather has turned the field wet and sloppy with large areas of standing water, shallow wet snow and deep snow. Transient operations are not recommended.
Check out pictures from last year’s ski fly-in HERE.
Beacon Tower Work Days
Restoration of our memorial airway beacon tower is now underway as a winter project.
We will have scheduled work days at the chapter hangar on the first and third Saturdays through March (except February 4 due to Groundhog Chili fly-in).
UPDATE: The February 21 work session saw the base section of the beacon tower blasted and primed. See picture below from Brian Law.
Barnstorming, New Standard Style
A nice article in this month’s Atlantic Flyer Magazine features Brodhead’s own Ted Davis and his D-25 New Standard biplane.
New On-Line Store
Looking for your own Brodhead Airport T-shirt or sweatshirt? Need a Chapter 431 sticker for the tail of your airplane or car? How about the member cookbook?
Our inventory of shirts, patches, stickers and other items is now online. You don’t have to wait for our next fly-in to get your EAA Chapter 431 swag. Check it out at the Store link above or click HERE.
