Although it would have been a perfect day for flying, members of a Florida EAA chapter chose to stay ground bound to work on a variety of projects, including restoration of a C150, preparations for a new Sonex build, and much more.
Instead of taking off into clear blue skies with very little wind, members of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 at Leesburg International Airport (KLEE) in Florida decided to spend a late fall Saturday in the hangar.
The day started with a gathering of local young people, parents, and members of EAA Chapter 534 meeting to put together a sizable number of EZ-Up Inspection Cover kits. Apparently, they are beginning to sell like hot cakes, chapter officials noted.
A lot of amateur aircraft builders, as well as owners of certified aircraft, have had enough with pinched bloody fingers and torn fabric when they try to remove and replace their older inspection covers. The new covers allow pilots to inspect cable and mechanical connections within the wings and fuselage.
These new inspection covers come in two styles, dome and recessed aluminum. They can easily be painted to match any plane’s paint scheme.
Patty Wagstaff, the famous aerobatic pilot, has endorsed these inspection covers and uses them on her planes.
They were designed by Marty Harris, a member of EAA Chapter 534. A few years ago, he turned over the rights to the product to the chapter. This has been a successful fundraiser for the chapter, officials noted.
Periodically, the chapter’s aviation youth group, Squadron 534, and chapter members gather to form a production line in the hangar to gather the necessary parts and instructions in a small plastic bag to make up these speedy and bloodless kits.
As a one-time incentive for new young people to show up for the recent event, four prizes were awarded to the first four kids to arrive. The grand prize was a P-51 ready-to-fly radio-controlled model, with flight instruction to be given at the nearby Larks RC club. The other three prizes were aviation headsets donated by the chapter.
While all this was going on, other people were working on the restoration of a Cessna 150 D that will soon become the mainstay of a new flying club.
Some other folks were organizing and inventorying parts for the new Sonex aircraft building project that will be put together by the chapter’s youth group.
The Pietenpol crew was tinkering with the airplane’s controls and brought down from the loft the wings that had been previously built but needed their aluminum leading edge applied.
When the kids finished packaging the inspection covers, they each had a shot at using one of the flight simulators guided by the chapter’s newest Ray Scholarship winner, Abdiel Hernandez.
In the back room Mike and Samantha Tryg were banging and grinding away rebuilding some parts for their Grumman AG Cat G-164 biplane. They do aerobatics at air shows with pyrotechnics, while Sam does wing walking.
EAA Chapter 534 is a great place to hang out if you are interested in aviation. Membership is made up of active and retired pilots, experimental aircraft builders, and aviation enthusiasts of all ages. They fly kids on Young Eagle flights once a month and teach flight and aircraft building skills.
Not anywhere close to Leesburg, Florida? Look for a EAA chapter near you at EAA.org.
For more information: EAAChapter534.org.
Interested in finding out more about the EZ-Up Inspection Cover Kits, which sell for $14? Go to PlanePartsInc.com.
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