by J. Rion Bourgeois

Breakfast Report

        We served 268 at  the April 5, 2025 and 235 at the May 3, 2025 EAA 105 First Saturday of the Month Pancake and Grits Breakfasts.  Our cadre of regular breakfast volunteers who have earned their embroidered aprons continues to grow. Mike Whelan is now the designated Greeter at the breakfasts.  Note that chapter members who wear their name tag to the breakfast get a $1 discount.   The next monthly breakfast is June 7, 2025, serving from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with a YE event to follow out of Hangar G1.

Monthly Chapter Meeting Report

The program for the regular second Thursday of the month chapter meeting on Thursday, April 10, 2025 was another visit to the Teen Flight Hangar at KHIO.  Teen Flight is conducted under the auspices of Airways Science for Kids, a 501c(3) charitable organization that provides the opportunity to local high school students to build an RV-12 kit in Swede Ralston’s old hangar, now owned by the Port of Portland and considered a historical site.   Many of the mentors teaching the students are members and directors of EAA Chapter 105.  Dick Van Grunsven is the lead mentor and introduced Aaron Faegre of ASK and the other Teen Flight mentors present and described the program, which has built nine or ten RV-12s so far.   The  kids who want to participate must commit to every Saturday during the school year to work on the aircraft.  It takes them on average two school years to complete the aircraft which is then sold by ASK to fund the next kit. 

The chapter’s May program was a visit to the Van’s Aircraft factory on the Aurora State Airport.  The highlights of the visit was first a presentation by the FAA to chapter member Ron Poe of the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for having over 50 years of flight experience without having any airman certificate revoked.  The award included the presentation of two plaques and a complete copy of Ron’s voluminous FAA record. The award was celebrated with cake.

Next, Shawn Ell, Chief Operating Officer of Van’s AC, introduced many of employees, which now includes Marc Cook, formerly editor of Kitplanes Magazine, as E-Commerce and Media Manager.

Then there was a presentation by Van’s AC Chief Engineer Ryan Johnson and Van’s Design Engineer Brian Hickman on the status of the RV-15 project.   This is the first high winged aircraft in the Van’s Aircraft range.  It is a two-seater for which STOL back country operations, including float operations, is a major mission.  They have been refining the design, including the revolutionary shock absorbing landing gear for which Van’s AC has been awarded a patent, with Brian Hickman designated as the lead designer of the landing gear.   The wing has been load tested beyond design parameters, and includes a new flap with integrated vortex generators.  There are sacrificial removable leading edges on the horizontal stabilizer to cope with gravel dings.  The latest iteration of the wing includes dual wing tanks with a maximum capacity of 60 gallons.  They had an example of the wing spar on display, which is very light for its strength with a lower parts count compared to earlier Van’s AC kits spars.  They are working on having the latest prototype flying at this year’s Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.   Ryan was obviously and understandably proud of the aircraft and his design crew.  (This writer is very eager to fly in the aircraft,  and has volunteered to serve as movable ballast.) The RV-15 presentation was followed by factory tours led by Shawn Ell and Greg Hughes, Van’s AC Sales Manager.    

        The next monthly chapter meeting will commence with supper at 6:30 p.m. on June 12, 2025 in Hangar G1 at Twin Oaks Airpark followed by a presentation by Bruce Rose on his Double Eagle LSA.  Be there or be square.