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By Larry |
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Hey Moe! Hey Curly! Look at that building, no that hang…, no I mean that Aviation Resource Center, it is almost done. You know, 90% complete with 90% to go. Yeah that’s it. In the Chicago area 20 years ago, EAA Chapter 85 had a great way of handling the interest of members and potential members. On Saturday the hangar was set up to work on the specific skill scheduled for that month. Each skill was one required for assembling one of those aeroplanes. In JANUARY, either at the hangar or at the sheet metal guy's house, the gang would get together and learn by actually drilling holes and bucking rivets in real aluminum plates. It was great because of the actual hands on experience. Kind of like a $300 weekend at Zenair's place in Mexico, MO where they have “you can assemble a rudder in a weekend” sessions. We would actually built two ribs and bend a spar and attach the ribs to the spar. Then take a piece of aluminum and attach it over the two ribs riveted to the spar and make a “D” tube. It actually looked like the leading edge section of a wing. In FEBRUARY, we would set up the welding booth and the gang would cut tubes of steel to make a 8 inch by 8 inch steel frame which we would then weld together. If you were really brave you would put in a diagonal tube to really make it like a “steel tubed airframe.” In MARCH, the Saturday class was set up for making wood frames 24 inches by 24 inches. We would also have a strip of wood in the middle of the frame to symbolize a wing rib in which we would practice rib stitching on later. In APRIL, as the weather turned warmer we would take the previous project of steel or wood and cover it with fabric. In MAY, we would take the aluminum project and paint it. The other steel or wood projects that were covered in fabric were taken through the steps necessary to finish the project just as if it were on the airplane. In June, July, August, September, and October we would repeat the classes as before. Nothing was done in November or December. During the course of the year there were projects in the club house/hangar that you could help the owner/builder with. We had a Vari-Eze’s, a Quickie I, a Sonerai II and an Aeronca Champ. You can see that all the areas of the building process were in the hangar. In Columbus, Ohio in Chapter 29, we had a club Aeronca Champ N443WB. WB stood for the Wrong Brother’s Air Force. After so many hours of volunteering you were given 1.0 hours of dual with the Chapter's Flight Instructor. I wonder if we could get a project aircraft like a Zenair 601XL and set it up to give flight instruction or rides to the volunteers who run a weekend class. With the Sport Pilot Certificate who knows how many “Pilots” we would have. The previous methods have worked and cover both building airplanes and flying them. It works and it really brings people into the chapter because they are learning by first hand experience; by actually doing it. The individual then decides if they are ready for the “bigger” project. What was really fun were the “Specials for the day.” Someone needed something special and we had a “seminar” on that need. Like welding in new barrels for the lift struts on the wings of a Piper Tri-Pacer. There is liability here but being a 501( c ) 3 organization, and for a small donation to the chapter we can restock our supplies and maybe pay for the electric bill. First and foremost we must finish the building. Flipping through some of the Yahoo groups chats about the ARC, we must remember what we are. We are not a full time school so getting an Airframe and Powerplant Certificate there would be tough. One needs 1,704 hours of full time school or work shop experience to obtain the minimum experience to get the A&P Certificate. Also there is a written and a practical exam involved. Again let us build the building and set up for doing Sport Aviation presentations. Maybe a “Pancake Breakfast” so we can show off our ARC(H) and have a little money “donated” so we can keep the lights on. As Curly said when he was asked if we can do this…Soitanly |