by J. Rion Bourgeois, chapter president Breakfast report
The February breakfast saw 122 adults, 28 kids, and 20 complimentary (volunteers) served bacon, sausage, eggs, grits, blueberry pancakes, orange juice, and coffee. This was up from 99 adults, 21 kids, and 13 comps in January, when we didn’t cover the cost of groceries, due in part to the avian flu decimating the hen population. Eggs have returned to a more reasonable price, and we increased the price of breakfast from $7 for adults to $10 for adults/$18 for couples. This was the first price increase in 8 years. Kids’ price remains $5. We netted enough at the February breakfast to cover the cost of groceries and one month’s hangar rental.
I have started using a real measuring cup to cook the grits, so they were thicker and therefore better this month. See, you can improve on a good thing. Try ’em, you’ll like ’em. However, if you are averse to Southern cuisine, I can quickly convert a serving of grits into a more refined dish of Northern Italian polenta for you.
With our ever-growing number of regular breakfast volunteers, we are becoming more efficient. We were up and running and ready to serve by 7:35 a.m. this month. We are building a great team. You can volunteer to pitch in and help on a regular basis, or just occasionally, on our website at EAA105.org. We have open slots every month, so don’t be shy about signing up.
An ICON A5 amphibious LSA from Camas was the only fly in aircraft I noticed this month. Not surprising as the weather was such only a duck could love.
Monthly chapter meeting report
Almost all of the chairs were filled in G-1 this month on February 9, 2023 (second Thursday of every month). The opening riddle was: “why was the scarecrow given an award?” Answer: “because he was found outstanding in his field.” No one solved it.
The program was small Continental boxer engines. Chris Riedener made a powerpoint presentation on the different iterations, and Bill Jepson showed us the innards of a run-out C-85. A Continental 0-200B engine powers our Bearhawk LSA with an interesting history. It is a pusher model that was used on a small blimp in California. The passengers disembarked before the pilot had tied off. He tried to hold it down and was pulled aloft then fell to his death. The blimp drifted away and was forced down into the hills by the downdraft of a law enforcement helicopter. Vanessa has an 0-200 in her beautiful Piper Cub. The lower end of these engines are very durable. Reno racers in the smaller class really spin them up. The chapter’s C-120 project has a C-85 with a flanged crank. This is a very desirable engine because it generates top power at a relatively lower rpm and can turn a large prop, therefore, is coveted for use in the backcountry.
Dinner was Costco pepperoni pizza, picked up and delivered by Benton Holzwarth. We also looked over the significant progress being made on the C-120 project. Work sessions are every Saturday in Hangar G-1 if you want to join in or look over the chapter’s library.
We haven’t settled on a March meeting presentation yet, so if you have any suggestions for March or thereafter, please let me know at info@EAA 105.org.
Membership stats
As of February 8, 2023, the chapter had 87 members who are current on their dues. Our Mailchimp newsletter e-mailing list includes 138 additional names of members who were previously current during the period 2014 through 2022. We have
359 total subscribers on our Mailchimp newsletter e-mail list. Only 57 listees have unsubscribed since the list’s inception in June of 2021. You can sign up for the newsletter and/or pay your dues electronically on our website EAA105.org under the “Contacts” tab. Automatic renewal is available. Don’t worry about being called and bugged to volunteer for breakfast if you pay your dues. We don’t have to do that any more thanks to Cliff’s management of our Mailchimp e-mail list and the number of regular volunteers. We have been able to fill the roster without having to call and bug you ever since Cliff developed the current system. So you can pay your dues and support the chapter without fear of retribution. You can, of course, volunteer for the breakfast even if you aren’t a dues-paying member of the chapter.
Calendar of upcoming events
Upcoming events, including the Poker Run (8/27/23), Pie Auction (11/9/23) , and Holiday Banquet (1/12/24) are on the chapter website EAA105.org under the “Calendar” tab. If you haven’t already, add them to your own calendar. Hope to see y’all on March 4 at the next breakfast.