Ten young people became Young Eagles at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, FL with the help of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534.

These flights took place on February 1, 2025, under high but cloudy skies and very little wind. The cloud ceiling was around 3200 feet and possible rain had been forecast for later in the day.

This was not the typical Florida sunny, warm day that this state is famous for at this time of year. No problem for EAA Chapter 534, their volunteer pilots and ground crew had everything well organized and the Young Eagle Rally went off like clockwork.

The festivities began at 9 am. as young people along with their parents convened in the chapter’s hangar to fill out all the requisite paperwork.

 This was followed by an orientation to the Young Eagles and their parents given by Chapter 534 Vice President John Weber.   He then showed the kids how a preflight is generally done on a small general aviation aircraft, using his own Kitfox plane pulled up in front of the hangar.

After this, each child was assigned to an EAA pilot and they were escorted to the flight line ramp.

Each of the EAA Chapter 534 pilots volunteer their time, private planes, and fuel cost.  These planes are generally small single engine fixed wing aircraft seating from 1 to 3 passengers. 

Many times, the young person sitting beside the pilot will get a chance to experience the thrill of actually flying the plane themselves, under the watchful guidance of their EAA pilot.

These flights usually last 20 to 30 minutes. Since most of these kids live in close proximity to the airport the pilots will fly them over their neighborhoods so they can see their homes from the air.

After they land, it is always gratifying to see the wide smiles on the faces of these young people as they deplane.

It’s obvious they had a great experience.

At this point, the pilots escort their young crew members back to the hangar where they will debrief with their folks, and receive a commemorative certificate of their flight, as well an official log book, both signed by their pilot.

The motivation behind getting these youngsters up in the air in these small planes is to have them experience the wonder and freedom of flight.

  The hope is that this experience will inspire them to one day become a private pilot or cultivate an interest in some other area of aerospace.

It is well known these days that there is a need for both pilots and aircraft mechanics.

EAA Chapter 534 runs these free Young Eagle Rallies the first Saturday of each month weather permitting.  They are available to any young person ages 8 to 17.

If one of your children has ever expressed an interest in aviation check out your local airport to see if they have a EAA Chapter that runs these Young Eagle Rallies.

You can also go online to the National EAA organization located in Oshkosh WI. at www.eaa.org/youngeagles to find out more about this program.

There are also many other perks for a Young Eagle. One of the best is a free online Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course.

 This course teaches the basics of flying and prepares any flight student for the Federal Aviation Administration written exam necessary for completion of a Private Pilot’s license.  Furthermore, EAA will pay for the exam if they pass it. They also will pay for one free flying lesson at a flight school of their choice.

On this day, EAA Chapter 534 provided 10 volunteer pilots and their planes. Ten other chapter members were available to escort parents safely back and forth to the flight line, help with the paperwork, run the computer and explain aircraft building projects going on in the hangar.

If you would like more information about National EAA or EAA Chapter 534 you may go to the following websites, www.eaa.org and www.eaachapter534.org . 

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There was supposed to be a Young Eagles rally for young people on January 4, 2025 at The Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, Florida.

It was canceled at the last minute due to high gusty winds.           

EAA Chapter 534 always takes seriously any situation, including weather conditions, that might have a negative impact on the safety of the Young Eagle participants.

Needless to say, there were a lot of disappointed kids as well as pilots.  However, chapter members stepped in to save the day.

Vice President, John Weber, taxied his Kitfox to the front of the EAA hangar for a demonstration of how to preflight an aircraft.

Other chapter members explained to youngsters, parents and friends, some of the aircraft building projects in the hangar.

Probably the hit of the day for the kids was being able to take turns operating the two flight simulators. This was done under supervision of EAA Chapter pilots.

They learned how easy it could be to control an airplane in flight. 

The chapter wanted this to be a positive experience for them.  It wouldn’t be good to start them out in rough bumpy winds that might be frightening to them or cause concern for their parents.

EAA Chapter 534 always stresses safety first before the fun.

This chapter runs Young Eagle Rallies the first Saturday of each month, weather permitting. All those who were disappointed on this day, were invited to return the following month.

The new Chapter Young Eagles Coordinator, Jack Hickey, when consulting with other Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 pilots, noted that the wind conditions had picked up.  It was decided this might create problems for some of the light planes that would be used to fly the kids.

Jack Hickey and his wife Stephane, have taken over the position of Young Eagles Coordinator after Jodie Soule retired from that job after nine successful years.

Jack and Stephane had previously been Young Eagles coordinators for EAA Chapter 610 in Dayton, Ohio.

EAA Chapter 534 is sad to report that Jodie Soule passed away after a long illness. It seemed to her chapter friends that her commitment to the Young Eagles position had kept her going to the end of her life.  She will long be remembered as a valued member.

Young Eagle flights are available to young people between the ages 8 to 17. These flights last 20 to 30 minutes and are completely free of charge.

 EAA pilots volunteer their airplanes, time and fuel. Other chapter volunteers help with the paperwork, computer, and safe escort back and forth to the flight line.

After their flight the Young Eagle will receive a commemorative certificate of their flight and a Log book signed by their pilot.

They receive several additional perks, including a free on- line Sporty’s Learn to fly Course which will help them prepare for the Federal Aviation Administration written exam. This is a requirement to pass the Private Pilot exam. Upon successful completion of this course, they become eligible for one free flight lesson at a flight school of their choice.

All this is done to encourage a Young Eagle’s interest in aviation with the hope that one day they will become private pilots, or inspire their interest in some other area of aerospace.

For more information on the Young Eagles program go to www.EAA.org/YoungEagles.

SCN 7649 Getting ready for takeoff using the simulator. Alarik Schute, chapter treasurer doing the supervision.

DSCN 7650 Kids learn to fly using the EAA Chapter 534 Simulators. Bud Keil, showing the Young Eagle how to run the simulator.

DSCN 7652 Jack and Stephane Hickey, are the new Young Eagles Coordinators for EAA Chapter 534.

DSCN 7655 Chapter VP, John Weber, brought over his Kitfox for show and tell and to demonstrate how to do a preflight.

DSCN 4277 ( Circa 2019 file) ( R to L ) Jodie Soule, EAA Chapter 534  Young Eagle Coordinator– in red, and Joyce  Catarineau,keeping track of all the paperwork for a rally

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The aftereffects of Hurricane Helene concerned members of the Experimental Aircraft Association for their planned Fly-In Drive-In event.

As luck would have it the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg FL suffered no damage and Saturday morning September 28, 2024 blessed them with beautiful flying weather.

The storm that pummeled the west coast of Florida and a large area of the panhandle treated this part of Central Florida more gently, with a few rain squalls and winds in the 50-miles per-hour range.

Some area pilots must have still felt a bit skittish about pulling their planes out of their hangars and making the trip because only three aircraft showed up.

However, the large grassy area opposite the EAA Chapter 534 hangar filled up fast. It’s a good thing this event was billed as both a Fly-In and a Drive-In.

One attendee pulled in asking where the Leesburg Air Show was. When told there was no air show here today, he was quite perplexed because it stated on his cell phone that there was a show today. When he looked more closely at it, he discovered the air show was at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg VA.  Realizing that he could not make the show in time, he opted to attend the EAA Chapter 534 Fly-In breakfast instead.

Counting attendees and members there were about 60 folks who took full advantage of the blueberry pancakes, sausages and all the breakfast treats.

Tables and chairs were set up in tents in front of the hangar to shield everybody from the hot FL sun. Old friends and new friends got together and swapped a lot of flying stories and had a good time.

EAA Chapter 534 hosts two Fly-In Drive-Ins each year, in the spring and in the fall.  As this is a fundraiser, donations are appreciated and the money raised is used to support the chapter’s youth programs and projects being worked on at the hangar.

If you want more information about EAA and Chapter 534 you may go to the following web sites. < www.eaa.org> and www.eaachapter534.org

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It was a hot, humid, sunny morning with a few puffy clouds in the sky when 20 Young Eagles took to the sky in general aviation aircraft.

It was Saturday, September 7, when this group of young people converged at the EAA hangar at the Leesburg International Airport to experience the joy of flight in a small single-engine airplane.

This was the Fall opening of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534’s monthly Young Eagle Rally.

Starting shortly after 8:30 a.m. the parking lot opposite the hangar began to fill up and kids streamed into the hangar to sign up for some flying fun.

They were followed by excited and anxious parents to see what this event held in store for their children.

For some of these young people, this would be the first time they had ever flown in any airplane. For others, it was a chance to have another entry in their Young Eagle logbook.

What is this Young Eagle mania all about, some people might ask?

This is a free experience to introduce young people ages 8 to 17 to what it is like to be able to step into one of these small planes and experience the wonder of flight.

These flights are provided by EAA all over the world through their local chapters. To date, over 2 million Young Eagle flights have taken place.

The motivation for doing this is to acquaint young people with the freedom and experience of flying. The hope is that one day, as they mature, they might want to become licensed private pilots or kindle an interest in some other area of aerospace.

Some of the other free perks Young Eagles acquire, other than a Commemorative Certificate of their flight this day and a log book signed by their pilot are too numerous to enumerate. 

Young Eagles or parents are encouraged to visit the Young Eagles website for the complete list of advantages open to them. < www.youngeagles.org>

Becoming a Young Eagle unlocks a lot of advantages for them, such as a free Sporty’s online Learn to Fly Course to learn the basic knowledge they would have to know to pass a Federal Aviation Administration written exam. Furthermore, EAA will reimburse the student upon successful completion of the test.

After completing the first three volumes of Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course, they are entitled to one free flight lesson at a flight school of their choice.

EAA also sponsors Scholarships to learn how to fly such as the Ray Aviation Flight Scholarship which will award up to $11,000 to be used for flight instruction. These are awarded through qualified local chapters to young people ages 15 for gliders and 16 to19 for a private pilot’s license.

To date, EAA Chapter 534 has been honored to award six of the Ray Aviation Scholarships, resulting in six new licensed pilots.

If you are the parents of a young person who has a strong interest in aviation, the type that will never miss a chance to look skyward at the sound of an airplane overhead, you should contact your local EAA Chapter to see what they have to offer.

On this day at the Leesburg International Airport, the chapter provided seven EAA pilots and their private planes to fly the Young Eagles. There is never any charge for this. They volunteer their time and pay for their fuel.

The chapter also provided eight other members to handle the paperwork, run the computer, and explain the building projects going on in the hangar to the kids and their parents.

If you would like more information about National EAA or EAA Chapter 534 please go to the following websites; www.EAA.org and www.EAAchapter534.org

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Isaiah Kadletz of Mount Dora, FL has received the 2024 Ray Aviation $11,000 scholarship awarded by the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534.

A formal award presentation was held on May 11, at the Leesburg International Airport before the chapter’s monthly Young Eagle rally to honor this conscientious young man.

Isaiah has been active in Chapter 534’s aviation youth program, Squadron 534 for several years. He attends regular Saturday work sessions in the chapter’s hangar and works closely with several of his adult mentors.

For the last couple of years, he has been learning the necessary skills needed to build an all-aluminum aircraft.

He has worked closely with Wayne Broadfield, a certified Airframe and Power Plant aircraft mechanic, and Mark Banus building a Murphy Rebel single-engine plane.

Isaish’s interests are diverse, he is interested in learning how to fly as well as how to build and repair aircraft.

He took his first Young Eagle flight at the age of eight with EAA Chapter 534 at the Leesburg International Airport. Now at age 16 he will begin flight instruction at the same airport.

His long-term goal is to become a missionary pilot. To get there he says he wants to get his Private Pilot License, instrument rating, seaplane rating, and tailwheel endorsement.

The $11,000 Ray Aviation Scholarship will help move him along the path he has plotted for himself. This will help pay for a large portion of his initial expense for flight training.   He will do this at Sunair Aviation at the Leesburg International Airport in Florida.

The Ray Aviation Scholarships are provided by the Ray Foundation and are managed by the National Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh WI.

If you would like to find out more about the Ray Aviation Scholarship, go to the following website,

< www.eaa.org/RayScholars >

The scholarships are administered through affiliated and prequalified local EAA Chapters. EAA Chapter 534 has been qualified by the national organization and has had the honor to award the Ray Scholarship on five previous occasions and Isaiah’s will be number six.

At the Leesburg, FL chapter young people who wish to compete for the Ray Scholarship must be active within the chapter’s aviation youth program, appear for an interview by the scholarship committee, and prepare an essay as to their interest in aviation. The committee then makes a recommendation to the board of directors of Chapter 534 for their approval.

Chapter 534 is proud of all that Isaiah has accomplished so far and wish him well on his journey to become a missionary pilot.

If you would like to know more about EAA Chapter 534 you may go to their website at, < www.eaachapter534.org >

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Twelve young people got a pleasant surprise at their Young Eagles Rally by experiencing flight in a fixed-wing aircraft and a jet-powered helicopter.

This took place at the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 based at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, FL on March 2..

EAA Chapter 534 tries to run a Young Eagle event for kids once a month to give them the experience of taking a flight in a small single-engine aircraft.

Lately, the chapter has had problems with weather that caused cancellations or rescheduling of these events. It also looked dubious that this one might be a washout as well, due to a strong cold front bearing down on Central Florida.

At 7 am on Saturday, chapter VP John Weber took a close look at the weather and concluded they could squeeze it in before the storm hit the area. It turned out, it was a bit cloudy but with a ceiling between 4 and 5 thousand feet and little wind, everything was a go.

Twelve prospective Young Eagles, their parents, and friends poured into the EAA hangar to complete the paperwork and be assigned to a chapter pilot and plane.

Festivities began with a demonstration of how a pilot would do a preflight for their aircraft. Chuck Troutman taxied his newly built Zenith 601 to the front of the hangar for this. Student pilot and Squadron 534 youth group member, Nick Hopkins, went through the procedure and explained what to look for.

The chapter does this as a routine. Each pilot is responsible for doing this on their planes before the Young Eagle Rally.

These rallies are promoted by the National EAA in Oshkosh, WI, and carried out by local chapters worldwide. They are open to kids aged 8 to 17.

The motivation for this is to have children experience the thrill and wonder of flight in a small general aviation aircraft. For many of these young people, it is the first time they have ever been in any plane.

The hope is that this experience will kindle an interest in aviation so that later on they might want to become private pilots themselves or become interested in some other aspect of aerospace.

Due to pilots all over the world aging out and commercial pilots retiring, there will be many aviation opportunities for these kids in the future.

Young Eagle rallies are free. Volunteer EAA pilots provide their time, planes, and fuel at no charge.

During these 20-to-30-minute flights, the kids learn a lot about what makes an airplane fly and might get a chance to get the feel of the controls under the watchful eye of their EAA pilot.

Upon completion of the flight, each one of them will receive a commemorative certificate of their flight and an official logbook signed by their pilot.

Additional perks include a free EAA Student Membership, free access to Sporty’s Learn to Fly online course, and $130 toward an hour of dual instruction at a flight school of their choice, just to name a few.

On this day EAA Chapter 534 provided six pilots, flying five fixed-wing single-engine planes and one pilot of a jet-powered helicopter.

There were also 15 EAA chapter members available to help with the paperwork, and computer, escorting folks back and forth to the ramp and explaining the aircraft projects going on in the hangar.

EAA Chapter 534 also has an active aviation youth program called Squadron 534. When parents and children discover this, the Young Eagles event may become the catalyst for joining up.

Here they will work alongside chapter mentors learning how to use tools properly, build and repair experimental aircraft, and have access to the chapter’s flight simulators. This is a great way to keep that interest they may have in aviation moving forward.

If you would like to learn more about National EAA you may go to the following website, www.eaa.org. To find out more about the Young Eagles program, go to www.youngeagles.org.

For information about Mid Florida EAA Chapter 534 in Leesburg FL, go to www.chapter534.org.

EAA Chapter 534 is a tax-free 501C3 organization able to receive cash or in-kind donations of support.

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Five years ago, Rosie Rivera had her first flight in a general aviation plane. On September 16, 2023 she was in the pilot’s seat when Chapter 534 of the Experimental Aircraft Association held a Young Eagles Rally at Leesburg International Airport.

It was a warm sunny Florida morning in Leesburg, FL when eight eager and excited kids entered the EAA Chapter Hangar along with their parents and friends to take part in the September Young Eagles Rally.

These Young Eagles events are sponsored by local EAA Chapters throughout the world to introduce young people ages 8 to 17 to the joy of flying in small single-engine aircraft.

These introductory flights are free. The chapters provide volunteer member pilots, their private planes, and ground volunteers to ensure that everybody has a great experience.

The motivation behind the rallies for these young people, and their parents, is to learn more about General Aviation.  This will inspire the kids to become licensed pilots or kindle an interest in aerospace. For many of these young people, it is the first time they have ever been up in a plane of any type. 

As time goes on, and they become older, the hope is they will select careers as pilots or some other related aerospace vocation.

Currently, there is an acute shortage of pilots and aviation mechanics and over the next 10 to 20 years there will be many employment opportunities in the aviation industry.

During these flights which take around 15 to 30 minutes some of those young people may actually get a chance to fly the airplane for a short time under the watchful eye and guidance of their EAA pilot.

Upon completion of their flights, they will receive a commemorative certificate and an official logbook signed by their pilot.

They also receive several other free perks, such as an online Sporty’s Pilot Shop Learn to Fly Course. When they complete this course, they will be eligible for a free flying lesson at a flight school of their choice.

 They receive free admission to more than 300 science and technology museums and free student membership to the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

If their interest is peaked enough, they may want to join the EAA Chapter 534 aviation youth program called Squadron 534. Here they would learn more about aviation, such as how to use tools for building and repairing aircraft as well as aerodynamics.

 Through this program, they could compete for a Ray Aviation Scholarship which would provide a grant of $ 11,000 to pay for the cost of flight instruction at a flight school of their choice.

On this day EAA Chapter 534 provided six chapter pilots and their private aircraft and 10 ground crew to do the paperwork and escort kids and parents safely to and from the ramp.

This was a very special day for Rosie Rivera, a 2021 Ray Aviation Scholarship winner and now as a licensed private pilot, she was to fly two Young Eagles.

 While pursuing a nursing degree in college she has earned a Seaplane rating, an instrument rating, and is currently working on her Commercial rating. Her aviation goals are to become a Certified Flight Instructor and Missionary Pilot.

Rosie was applauded by the other EAA Chapter 534 Pilots and welcomed to their ranks.

If you would like to learn more about EAA Chapter 534 or National EAA you may go to the following websites. < www.eaachapter534.org > or < www.eaa.org >

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A vintage 1947 Stinson single-engine aircraft was donated recently to the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 based at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, Florida. James Ellrodt of Tavares, Fl donated the plane.

Ellrodt had heard about EAA Chapter 534 and their work with young people, by teaching them how to build and repair older aircraft. He felt that his donation of this plane would continue to encourage some of the local young people to become involved with aviation.

EAA Chapter 534 has a long history of accepting donations of damaged aircraft, older planes, or unfinished aircraft building projects. The owners of these planes or projects no longer fly or have lost interest in completing their building projects.

This chapter has an active aviation youth program that works with young people who have expressed an interest in aviation, either becoming a private pilot or some other aspect of aerospace.

The chapter has within its adult membership a number of people who have expertise in aircraft building and repair and provide mentorship for young people.

The kids are taught how to use tools properly, work with adult mentors fixing airplanes, and learn the basics of aerodynamics.

Over the years the chapter, with the help of their National EAA organization, has been able to grant five Ray Aviation Scholarships to deserving young people from this area. These scholarships provide enough money for them to earn a private pilot’s license at a flight school of their choice. Currently, the Ray Aviation Scholarship grant is $ 11,000.

EAA Chapter 534 also has a Young Eagles program that provides airplane rides for free in single-engine general aviation aircraft.

The chapter’s pilots donate their time, personal aircraft, and fuel to take young people up in their planes to experience the wonder and freedom of flight.

By participating in this program the kids, ages 8 to 17, get many additional perks such as a free online Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course to prepare them to take the Federal Aviation Administration written exam, and a free student membership in EAA.

With the help of youngsters and members restoring the old Stinson, it will be returned to airworthy condition. When completed it will be sold and any profit will be applied to the continuation of the chapter’s aviation youth program.

EAA Chapter 534 is a 501-C3 nonprofit organization so any financial or in-kind donations are tax-free.

The chapter is indebted to James Ellrodt for his generous donation.

If you would like to find out more about EAA Chapter 534 or EAA National you may go to the following websites, < www.eaachapter534.org > and< www.eaa.org> .

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The National Experimental Aircraft Association recently awarded its top local chapter recognition honor to Leesburg’s Mid Florida EAA Chapter 534 with the Gold Medallion for 2022.

EAA National in Oshkosh WI charters local chapters throughout the world to bring the spirit of General Aviation, aircraft building, and the wonder of flying to the local level.

They continually challenge the local chapters to be all they can be. They encourage them to achieve goals that will help them get the message out that building aircraft and exposing people to flying will produce more pilots and interest in Aerospace.

They do this by setting up a Chapter Recognition Program based on a set of 10 criteria each chapter must achieve to receive top honors. They give one point for each criterion based on an annual report. They also provide a bonus category for extra credit and will give another point for those chapters that do something extra.

Some examples of the criteria are, growing membership, Young Eagles rallies, offering Ray Aviation Scholarships and hosting public events like Fly-ins and Pancake Breakfasts.  For a full listing of all these goals you may go to < www.eaa.org/chapterrecognition >.

EAA Chapter 534 received a score of 10 out of a possible 11 points which qualified them for the Gold Medallion. They will also receive a gold banner that can be displayed in their hangar.  This chapter has won awards in the past, in 2019 they won the Silver and during the Covid years of 2020-2021 they won Bronze.

This is a very active chapter at the Leesburg International Airport that has a membership of 100 members. These EAA members belong to the National organization and EAA Chapter 534. Theirs is a diverse membership of aircraft builders, current and retired pilots, and aviation enthusiasts both young and mature. Members come from all over Lake County with a large contingent from The Villages.

Chapter members make a successful organization. They are all volunteers: pilots provide their planes for Young Eagles at no charge for anything, the chapter provides free meals for the aviation youth members on Saturday, and others spend hours building and restoring aircraft.

This chapter has been fortunate to have aircraft donated that have been in various states of repair that can be returned to airworthy condition and sold to help finance the aviation youth program. They are a non-profit 501 C- 3 organization, so they can receive tax-deductible donations.  

They run free Young Eagles flights for young people each month, have an aviation youth program called Squadron 534, and have aircraft building projects for both adults and youth members. To date they have sponsored four young people who have won Ray Aviation $ 10,000 Scholarships for flight training. They have been authorized to select a young person for the 2023 Ray Scholarship by the national organization.

Aircraft building usually takes place at the EAA hangar on Thursday and Saturday and the aviation youth program meets from 10 am. -1 pm. on Saturday.

 If you are a pilot, aircraft builder, or aviation enthusiast and are looking for a place to scratch that aviation itch among like-minded folks, come on down.  The EAA hangar is located at the west end of the airport. Turn off RT 441 onto Wilco Drive then take your first right and you will see it.

If you would like to find out more about EAA Chapter 534 or the National organization you may go to the following websites, < www.eaachapter534.org > or < www.eaa.org > .

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The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 visited JKE Works, Inc. of Mount Dora, FL on Mar. 25, 2023, to see how the restoration of the Lockheed Vega 5C was coming along.

EAA Chapter 534 members have been invited to Jim Kimball Enterprises over a number of years to see the projects they have underway. JKE is a family operation started by Jim Kimball back in the 1970’s that specializes in restoring single-engine vintage aircraft.

As time went on, this company earned a reputation for restoring and building aircraft to museum standards. This business is carried on within the family by Jim’s son Kevin and grandson Kallin. 

Over the past few years, chapter members have been lucky enough to follow the restoration of a 1929 Lockheed Vega belonging to Kermit Weeks, the owner of Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, FL.

 Although this plane looked pretty good on the floor of the museum, it was no longer airworthy. Kermit knew of the reputation of JKE and turned the restoration project over to them.

This plane is a single engine, monocoque fuselage or single wooden shell, with a large cantilevered parasol wing, all covered with plywood.  This was then covered with fabric and painted.

 This Vega was a popular seven-passenger aircraft, and in its day was used by notable aviators such as Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post. This particular plane was constructed by Lockheed as the first “Executive” Vega for an oil company.

 Later it served for some time flying passengers and cargo in Mexico.  It also was used for aerial survey work and as a test plane with General Electric refining radar. There were close to 135 Vegas built and now only six are known to exist.

Back in the 1920s and 30’s many aircraft were constructed from wood, usually spruce, birch or mahogany. The use of aluminum in airplane construction came later.

 Strange as it may seem to some people, even today there are many amateur aircraft builders still using wood, adhesives of various types, and Dacron fabric to construct small general aviation planes in their garages or hangars. Many of those folks are EAA members.

Currently, the Vega’s wing and vertical and horizontal stabilizers have been restored, varnished, and will at some point be covered with more modern fabric and painted.

When the old plywood skin on the large 41-foot wing was removed it was found that the old glue once used had pretty much failed and the old fragile plywood peeled off quite easily.

 Surprisingly, the supporting structure and ribs were still sound and could be reused. New plywood and current FAA-approved adhesives would hold it in place much better.

 Then comes the plywood story.

Since this aircraft’s construction was certified by the government in 1929, it has to be restored to the same specifications approved at that time. The plywood specified was vertical grain Sitka Spruce. The Kimballs checked with their aircraft plywood supplier to see if vertical grain spruce ply was available.

The supplier said it is not common, but he could make it if the proper veneers were supplied.  He provided the name of a veneer cutter for Kevin to contact.

If they had tried to use what was available on today’s market, they would have to get a new certification from the FAA and that could take years. But there was no guarantee they would ever get the certification.

The only solution for JKE was to find vertical grain Sitka Spruce plywood on their own. That was going to take time and money.

Kevin spent several months in search of large Sitka Spruce lumber required by the veneer cutter. In the end, he bought up trees still growing in Alaska. They were harvested, cut into cants, dried and barged to the lower 48, then trucked to the veneer cutter in Indiana.

Once the veneers were cut, they were shipped to the plywood manufacturer and pressed into 60-plus sheets needed for the wing and tail repairs. The search and acquisition took 16 months.

Kevin said, “There are wood parts in the Vega’s wing that came from Sitka Spruce trees that began growing before the United States was a country.”

While some of the substructures of the old aircraft was still reusable, the plywood wing and tail skins were not.  Nearly all of the hardware also was removed to be used in the refurbished plane.

However, when the old plywood skin on the fuselage was removed, they discovered that many of the bulkheads, or diaphragms that supported the skin, were in bad shape.

 It appeared that this airplane had been in some accidents in the distant past and some questionable repairs would never pass muster.  Long story short, all of the wood in the fuselage would have to be replaced.

Currently, all new laminated bulkheads and other underlying wooden structures have been reproduced using factory drawings and some of the cabling and controls have been put in place. The right side of the fuselage has its molded laminated skin attached. The left side will be completed when all cables, controls and seats are in place.

The instrument panel will contain the instruments you expect to find in the original 1929 version of the Lockheed Vega. The exact engine has yet to be determined but it will be a Pratt and Whitney R1340 – 500 hp engine that was available at that time.

The plane will likely be painted in Wiley Post’s livery as Winnie Mae, just as it had been at Fantasy of Flight.

People keep asking Kevin when the plane will be finished and returned to flying status. That is always a hard question to answer when you are rebuilding a plane like this to such exacting standards. It will be done when it’s done to the satisfaction of the crew at JKE and Kermit Weeks.

The members of EAA Chapter 534 appreciate the opportunity to follow the development of this project and look forward to seeing the finished product someday.  We know it will be worth the wait.

If you would like to learn more about JKE, and the Kimballs, you can go to the following website, www.jkeworks.com.

If you wish to learn more about National EAA or EAA Chapter 534 go to the following websites, www.eaa.org  and www.eaachapter534.org .

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