THIS MONTHSat., April 13 @ noon

Elkhart, KS—EHABill Cotter will be hosting the April EAA Fly-In on Saturday, April 13th. Bill will provide BBQ brisket, table service and drinks. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. We hope you can make it, and bring a friend!FMI call Bill at 936-499-8042, wmpcotter@aol.comUNICOM/CTAF 122.8 WX AWOS-1: 118.025 (620-697-4973)Runway 4/22: 4900 x 60 ft., asphaltRunway 17/35: 4900 x 75 ft., asphaltElevation: 3622 ft., located 1 mile E of city

LAST MONTHJohn Jenkinson, III

EAA 377 Vice President

APRIL 2013EAA CHAPTER 377

Over 50 people attended the annual Crotts Air-craft fly-in at DDC. Quite a few aircraft flew in despite the windy conditions that were forecast.

Thank you to Zach and all the staff at Crotts for the hospitality, they do a great service for aircraft owners and pilots, with several locations.... and always make all of us fell very welcomed. It’s nice to see how a lot of their staff comes to visit and help out with the events.

This time around, it’s Elkhart. Bill Cotter will be making sure that you have a great time... I unfortu-nately will not be able to make this one because of a family member on Jana’s side is getting married, and we have to travel to the wedding. I had planned on being there... but in our house, there is a good balance of “give and take”.... and who am I to try to upset that balance? Besides, I KNOW which side of the bread is buttered in this house... hahahahaha.

As I write this, I can’t help but think about the staff at the control towers around the state that will loose funding and staff. Senator Jerry Moran put up a good fight in the Senate to get some priority to the sequestration and save Kansas controllers, but even-tually lost. Rochelle, (President of the KAA and man-ager of GCK) even traveled to Washington D.C. to help support the cause. I know that many of you would just as soon not fly into a controlled airspace, but they do provide a safety factor many times at busier airfields, and they have families to support also. I was spending quality time in my hangar last week, (ALL time spent in the hanger is quality time) when I heard a student pilot from out of the area... coming into GCK. You could tell he was a low time pilot, based at an airport with no CT, and was nervous. I remember being in that position.... going into AMA for my “first time’. Mike (GCK control-ler on duty at the time) was understanding an patient to help him along, and make him feel at ease, while keeping everyone in the airspace safe. After listening to the entire conversation from arrival to departure, I’m sure that student had more confidence, and was not as intimidated by Class Delta airspace, and that goes a long way in making another future GA pilot.

Also keep in mind, that some of our rural air-ports are training opportunities for beginning civilian and military pilots, and those practice flights help keep FAA funding alive for improvements at those fields. IF those airports (GCK is one of them) should loose their CT, those training flights, solo and dual cross coun-try’s, and others will stop, and that can hurt future im-provements that are planned. With sequestration and government spending under a microscope, many air-ports will have to rely on local government support for their improvements, and getting the message to local government that GA is important, sometimes is a big challenge.

I also had the chance to talk with the Junction City EAA club.... and they have quite a program in place there. If you ever get the chance, visit Marvin Hornbostel .... he’s the president for that chapter, and won the “Mechanic of the Year” last year at Oshkosh. After looking at the J3 he finished restoring, I can sure see why. Their chapter has use of a donated hangar for projects, and they host about 25 kids each month for classes on recovering fabric aircraft, flying, and mechanics. It’s a great story of a very active and successful chapter... and Marvin is a fun and interest-ing individual to talk to that has a passion for EAA and general aviation.

It might be fun to maybe schedule a flight from our chapter to one of their fly-ins to see some of what they do.... just a thought.

April 2013—page 2

F . Y . I .Chapter 377 normally meets on the second Saturday of each month. “Meetings” are normally fly-ins to different member airports, with a potluck at noon and short meeting following. December is the Club Christmas Party. Contact any of the officers listed to confirm meeting date and place. Anyone interested in recreational flying or building is encouraged to attend.

FLY PAPER is published monthly, normally mailed a week before each meeting/fly-in.

Annual membership in Chapter 377 includes one year subscription to FLY PAPER. Send $15 ($7.50 after July 1) to Wayne Melanson, Treasurer,

Readers are encouraged to contribute articles, photos, etc. by submitting them to the Editor/Publisher.Deadline for the May 2013 issue is May 2. OFFICERS:President—Bill Anton, 620-649-2797 or (c)649-7172, bnanton@pld.comV i c e P r e s i d e n t — J o h n Jenkinson III., 620-640-5688(c) johnjjenkinson@hotmail.comNewsletter Editor / Publish-er—Mary Shortridge620-275-6950maryshortridge@gmail.com203 Bullard Dr., Garden City, KS 67846Tech Counselor—Harry Bartel @ (H) 620.428.6221(C) 620.428.5440Treasurer/Secretary—Wayne Melanson, 620-624-8830, 1320 Jerry Street, Liberal, KS 67901wvmelanson@sbcglobal.net.

C O M I N G U P . . .

ANOTHER ISSUETHANKS TO: AOPA, Bill Cotter, Ed Adams, John Jenkinson III, Kira Everhart-Valentin/SFEC, Kymberly Jenkinson, Mike Scheiman, Paul Fiebich, Richard Hawley, Scot Sudmann, Todd Crist, Tom Auerbach.

13 April—Bill Cotter hosts EAA 377 at Elkhart, KS. (KEHA)4 May—Young Eagles at Elkhart, KS. FMI contact Bill Cotter 936-499-8042.

11 May—EAA 377 hosted by the city of Montezuma, KS.June 3-10—CAF B-17 at GCK, Garden City, KS. FMI contact Rachelle Powell 620-276-1190 #38 June—EAA 377 hosted by Antons Flying UV. Near Satanta, KS (SN98)13 July—EAA 377 hosted by Cattle Empire, Sublette, KS. (19S).July 29-August 4—AIRVENTURE!10 August—EAA 377 location TBA.September 6 & 7—Showdown on the Plains BBQ and Airshow. Scott City, KS TQK.14 September—EAA 377 at Judy Ranch Fly-In. Gage, OK. (OK39)5 October— EAA 377 at Syracuse Annual Fly-In. Please note this is the FIRST SATURDAY. (3K3)9 November—Lyddons at Liberal, KS14 December—EAA 377 location TBA.To schedule, contact John Jenkinson III., 620-640-5688(c) johnjjenkinson@hotmail.com

The Commemorative Air Force will be bringing their B17 to GCK June 3-10. FMI contact Rachelle Powell 620-276-1190 #3. You are encour-aged to volunteer or make a dona-tion to help make this event a suc-cess.

FOR SALEED ADAMS, IA with Aircraft Services, GCK, has decided to sell his Vans RV4 tail, wings, and fuselage kits. All are assembled by Ed. New these kits would be $12K, Ed is asking $14,000 assembled.

Also available, USED, are Aeroquip 491 Hose Fittings. They consist of an AN818 style nut, an externally threaded 37* nipple and an internally threaded hose socket. Fittings conform to MS24587.Many sizes available, and an abundance of size 4 (1/4”)

FMI you may contact Ed at 620-276-3931 after 6pm.

PHOTO, RIGHT: BILL COTTER recently participated in Elkhart High School’s job shadowing project. RICKY BLOESSER worked with Bill as he performed the annual on his 172. After they got the plane back together, Ricky got to go on the “test flight”. Join Bill and help share the passion for flight on May 4, the Second Annual Elkhart Young Eagles Day.

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your

eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will

always long to return.”

HEARD IN THE HANGAR

April 2013—page 3

AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE: Charts. They’re one of the most fundamental parts of flying-but they can also be challenging to interpret, difficult to read, and sometimes head-scratchingly confusing.Based on our popular “Chart Challenge” series of online courses, it’s a refresher clinic where you get to put your knowledge to the test. We’ll quiz you on everything from VFR sectionals to instrument approach plates, and dig into the practical issues that come with them. We’ll cover:Ø Challenging questions about specific VFR and IFR charts Ø Critical tie-ins with real-world procedures and decision making Ø Analysis of tragic accidents caused by chart misinterpretation Ø Important “gotchas” you need to be on the lookout forYou can attend this seminar on April 25, 7-9pm at Yingling AIrcraft, Inc., 2010 Airport Road, ICT, Wichita, KS.

FROM SCOT SUDMANN—When you go for your flight physical, remember to take your confirmation number to your physician. (You must complete an official FAA application form via MedXPress before your appointment. Upon completion you will be given a confirmation number, but it does not mention that this number is needed by the Aviation Medical Examiner.)FAA SAFETY MEETING—Mark your calendars and join us at the Scott City, KS Spencer Flight and Education Center on Tuesday, May 7th at 6:30 p.m. for “Are You a Controller, or Are You Just Losing It?” - a presentation from the FAA Safety Team’s James Lamb. Come learn about how to stay safe and maintain control during ANY flight! All public and pilots are invited to attend - no charge. We’ll see you there!FROM MIKE SCHEIMAN, GCK TOWER—Latest news on tower closings, is that all 149 Contract Towers will remain open until at least 6/15. GCK is assured to remain open until September, when the annual budget for the FAA is again reviewed.ELISSA SHORTRIDGE ‘s flight was delayed by an hour. Turns out the airline gives the first time flyers a personal cockpit tour, complete with sitting in the pilots seat. Evidently one child was not completely potty trained, and it took an hour to find a seat replacement.VERA FOX is recovering from knee replacement surgery 3/25. She should be back at home now. We wish her a SPEEDY recovery! If you would like to drop her a note, her address is RR2, BOX 59, Lewis, KS, 67552

FROM PAUL FIEBICH— While flying 3/27 just for fun I took some photos of a controlled field burn. Although not that unusual in Kansas, the aerial photos might be.

FROM TOM AUERBACH—24-Hour Self-Serve AvGas 100LL now available at Ponca City Regional Airport, Ponca City, OK. The self-serve pump is located on the northeast corner of Hangar 6, north of the Terminal Bldg.

More pictures and story in the online version of FLY PAPER.

April 2013—Page 4

Carpe Diem (seize the moment) We don’t get many opportunities to meet first-hand, friends of aviation from another country. This story describes a recent experience when others and I did. While attending a Mid-America Antique Air-plane Group (MAAG) meeting, many responded to a request for pilots to display our planes for a Chinese Delegation at a local airport. A group of 9 government (representing the equivalent of our FAA), industry, and university personnel from China had been visiting to understand General Aviation (GA) in the U.S. We were asked to personally demonstrate an aspect of GA they were unlikely to have otherwise seen. March 12th, 2013 I and many other pilots made preparations at our individual airports for our flights to Stearman Field (1K1). During March in Kansas, win-ter still had a solid hold on us. Although the snow was gone, it was cold. At 10:30 AM I departed Selby Aerodrome’s grass runway 17 in my open cockpit AirBike with the temperature almost reaching 40 degrees and a steady 15 mph southerly wind. Following the takeoff, I turned 180 degrees and headed north. Thankfully, the tail-wind shortened my flight time during the 25-mile trip to Stearman Field. However, the trip was still long enough for me to get thoroughly chilled even though I had dressed properly. At this temperature, I simply cannot put on enough clothes to stay warm and still function in the cockpit. On these winter flights, the warmest I will ever be is when I step out of my truck upon arrival at the airdrome. Flight mission The delegation hoped to learn about our avi-ating system, then apply that information with the in-tent of modifying the Chinese Government’s restrictive rules affecting the general public. Their current system severely limits potential growth of their budding avia-tion community. The potential for sales, support, and instruction, in the private sector is huge. One Chinese visitor told me that persons needing vision correction are prohibited for taking flight instruction. However, if they obtain a license outside of China, they then can pilot an aircraft in China. During their time visiting the U.S they vis-ited the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, FBO’s, flight training schools, and the FAA at Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport. One thing they hadn’t seen since their arrival was how the “everyday Joe” fit into a nation wide aviation system that includes military and commercial planes. This is not possible in China. To this end, the Beechcraft Corporation ar-ranged for a show-’n-tell of GA airplanes and pilots, followed by a buffet luncheon at one of our premium pilot watering holes; Stearman Bar & Grill, located in Benton, Kansas which of course, is on Stearman Field. (http://www.stearmanfield.com/index.pl?id=2280&isa=Category&op=show) Our involvement and their enthusiasm About ten local pilots accepted Beechcraft’s request to display their planes and respond to the visi-

tors’ inquiries while they viewed them. Our planes in-cluded Cessnas, Pipers, Beechcrafts, a Fokker DR-1 replica, and two homebuilts; a Fly Baby and my Air-Bike. With my AirBike Single, I represented the plane on the lowest economic scale of privately owned air-craft. Production planes represented the scale’s other end. Since this was a free lunch combined with a chance to display our planes, those of us having avail-able time could not turn down the opportunity! Hey there IS such a thing as a “free lunch!” The visitors capitalized on the opportunity to view our planes up close, sit in the cockpits and have their picture taken. Their expressions displayed un-questionable enthusiasm. They all wanted to capture that “Kodak Moment.” Cameras clicked with the fre-quency of mating cicada bugs. My AirBike seemed to capture the most attention with visitors lining up for their turn to sit in the cockpit. They had a ball, and found it hard to believe that regular people could enjoy and participate in a flying activity such as we do. We in the U.S. are so absolutely fortunate! Some had never flown in an airplane smaller than a commercial airliner, while visiting Beechcraft; they had that opportunity. Seeing our small private planes was a real treat for them. Some even donned my helmet and silk scarf! One person did make air-

CHINESE CONNECTIONFrom Paul Fiebich

Photo byBeechcraft employee Laura Sandovol

April 2013—Page 5

plane noises! They were as excited as any EAA Young Eagle I let sit in my plane and manipulate the controls as part of their ground school. One visitor commented that he was going back home and establishing an air-port like this! Many commented this was the best day of their U.S. visit! I think we achieved our goal as good hosts. I distributed AirBike business and postcards. Hopefully my website, paul.fiebich.org, will get many hits from their visit and AirBike Ace will gain a reputa-tion in China. Do they need Hun Hunters in China? I obtained a business card from one visitor, Dr. Yang Rui ph.D. of the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China, and hope to correspond with her. In doing this, I would continue to promote GA and provide a connec-tion to the “average Joe.”

The Stearman Bar & Grill dining area provided an excellent venue for this gathering. The rooms were filled with aviation memorabilia hung on the walls, huge R/C model planes gracefully dangled from the ceiling, large screen monitors showed a variety of programs, as well as a video of John Moore’s aerobatic routine. Our group of about 30 people met in a reserved room featuring a circular fireplace complimenting a full view of the displayed planes and runway. A delicious buffet dinner was provided during which we talked with other pilots and made connections with a few Chinese visitors. Their interpreter spoke fluent English while others used a combination of hands and broken Eng-lish to communicate. It was a challenge, but with a great deal of patience and willingness to understand, it worked. Following dinner everyone retired to Beech-craft employee Randy Shield’s airpark home for des-sert and a chance to see his 1947 Stinson Voyager restoration project. Some of us taxied our planes to his front yard while the Chinese visitors took a char-tered bus. Conversation continued as the Chinese ex-amined the Stinson, a Beech Flying Club A36 Bonan-za , and my AirBike parked in the driveway. Cameras continued to click. A ping pong table was uncovered and several visitors immediately started a game. Flying home All too soon it was time for us pilots to leave. When suiting-up, my leather jacket’s zipper broke. No amount of re-zippering would make it stay closed. To fly in this condition would have quickly turned me into a man with more than a stiff upper lip! To solve the

problem, a roll of 100 mph (duct) tape was put to use sealing me shut. It didn’t look too swift, but it worked. As each plane departed, it circled the runway and made a high-speed low-level pass to the visitors’ enjoyment. In true AirBike Ace fashion, I did my high-speed pass at 60 mph with the smoke on. What I lack in speed was offset by how long it took for me to fly past the crowd. They had time to take plenty of photos! Later I was told that while intently watching, they excit-edly raised their hands over their heads and let out a cheer when the smoke came on. It must have been neat to see. The flight back to Selby Aerodrome was into a headwind now approaching 20 mph, which wasn’t unusual. I later learned that 30 mph gusts were re-corded. During one gust, my heading was involuntari-ly changed about 30 degrees. That’s when I grabbed onto a wing brace! I don’t like that kind of excitement. It was a bumpy ride and a bit over my comfort level. I was glad to land safely and hangar my trusty airplane. This was another successful mission; it was quite an experience. It was fun being part of a group to help pro-mote aviation and its excitement to appreciative peo-ple from another country. I love this flying stuff!

Paul D. Fiebich, a.k.a. AirBike AceEdited by Randy Shields

Editor’s Note: Due to space and time constraints, I had to pull several photos, and really crunch the type size. Please view this article in the on-line verion, and see the extra pho-tos. Thank you, Paul, for working so diligently to make my deadline.

EAA CHAPTER 377Mary ShortridgeNewsletter Editor/Publisher203 Bullard Dr.Garden City, KS 67846

First Class Postage

SATURDAY, APRIL 13Elkhart, KS — EHAPotluck at Noon!

TODD CRIST had this view of Greenland out his window on 3/28.

CHINESE CONNECTIONFrom Paul Fiebich

Visitor and Fokker DR-1Stearman Field Restaurant at Benton.

Paul’s high speed pass taken by Randy Shields.

CHINESE CONNECTIONFrom Paul Fiebich

Photo by Laura SandovolPhoto by Laura Sandovol

Beechcraft employee Jim Wilkinson taped Paul up for the ride home. Photo by Marilyn Johnston.

CHINESE CONNECTIONFrom Paul Fiebich

Visitor in the Airbike. Photo by Marilyn Johnston.

MARCH’S FLY-IN AT DDCPHOTOS FROM BILL COTTER

STORM IDENTIFICATION/SPOTTER TRAINING

The National Weather Service in Dodge City provides storm identification/spotter training sessions each spring. These sessions are done in cooperation with county Emergency Management agencies across the area. All training is free, is open for anyone to attend, and is not designed for just storm spotters. Anyone with a desire to learn how to identify severe weather and to learn about the dangers from these storms is encouraged to at-tend. The programs last about 90 minutes. Counties that will have training include: Barber, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Rush, Scott, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, and Trego. For the complete listing, check out http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ddc/?n=SpotterTalks

April, 2013 - UpcomingDay City, State Time Location01 Location Undetermined (Clark Co) 7:00pm CDT TBD02 Sublette, KS (Haskell County) 7:00pm CDT Basement meeting room at the COOP04 Kinsley, KS (Edwards County) 7:00pm CDT 4H building at the fairgrounds08 St. John, KS (Stafford County) 7:00pm CDT Courthouse Annex building - 210 East 3rd10 Ness City, KS (Ness County) 7:00pm CDT Emergency Ops Center - 105 S Pennsylvania11 Elkhart, KS (Morton County) 7:00pm CDT Morton County Civic Center - 400 E Orchard16 Coldwater, KS (Comanche Co) 7:00pm CDT High School - 600 North Leavenworth17 Wakeeney, KS (Trego County) 7:15pm CDT 4H building at the Fairgrounds

For girls and boys interested in airplanes and flying

First Flight Event STEP 1

May 4, 2013 Registration @ 8:00 AM

Civic Center Elkhart, KS

Ages 8-17 Parent must accompany

Must pre-register for event by May 2, 2013

Forms available at Civic Center Phone Contact: Bill Cotter 1-936-499-8042

For more information:

http://www.youngeagles.org/flightplan/flight.asp

Mark your calendars and join us at the Scott City, KS Spencer Flight and Education Center on Tuesday, May 7th at 6:30 p.m. for “Are You a Controller, or Are You Just Losing It?” - a presentation from the FAA Safety Team’s James Lamb. Come learn about how to stay safe and maintain control during ANY flight! All public and pilots are invited to attend - no charge. We’ll see you there!

Aircraft and Pilotsof all shapes & sizesWELCOME!

2013

BIPLAN

E FLY-­‐IN

NATION

AL

18 - 363,495'

2013

NATION

AL

Drag your tail on our GRASS RUNWAYSThursday, May 30 - Sunday, June 2

NO CROSSWINDS

05- 23

1,927'

31 - 13

1,915'

3JC Freeman FieldJunction City, KS

Aircraft and Pilotsof all shapes & sizes

CAMP WITH YOUR AIRCRAFT - SHOWERS ON THE FIELDFree Shuttle Van for visiting pilots available during the National Biplane Fly In.

THURSDAY 5:00 pm - Hamburger cook out at EAA Hangar for all Vendors, Pilots and Guests.

FRIDAY 11:30 am - Fly out Lunch & Museum Tours hosted by Abilene Aviation Wing of EAA 1364.5:30 pm - Brats Picnic for Vendors, Pilots and Guests at Millennium Bank Hangar.

6:30 pm - Presentation: "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Flying Formation"SATURDAY 7:00 am - Pancake Feed. Aircraft Judging begins.

11:00 am - Formation Contest Briefing. 12:00 to 1:00 pm - Formation Flights Judging2:00 pm - Ice Cream Social Fly Out to Jim & Debby Clarks Prairie Cottage Airport - 8KS8

5:30 pm - Awards Presentation in Millennium Bank Hangar6:30 pm - haywagon shuttles down grass runway to historic Rathert Stadium for dinner

and Junction City Brigade Baseball game. Free tickets for Pilots and Crew.SUNDAY 7:00 am - Continental Breakfast & Coffee for departing Pilots and Crews.

WELCOME!

BIPLAN

E FLY-­‐IN

= Tail Dragger HeavenGRASS RUNWAYS +

Drag your tail on our GRASS RUNWAYS

www.nationalbiplaneflyin.com

When Huns Attack !!FROM PAUL FIEBICH

The Selby Airdrome’s air raid siren’s slow, deep-throated wailing tone immediately caught my attention. It increased in pitch until reaching an ear-splitting scream signaling all available pilots of an incoming Hun attack. My AirBike was the only serviceable plane in the hangar; others were either undergoing annual condition inspections or making repairs from previous missions. I would be the sole responder. Following a pre-flight inspection, a can of fresh petrol, and all nine yards of ammo belts, I was soon rumbling down the sod runway to meet the challeng-ers. Climbing out over the “aromatic” horse manure compost pile and clearing the trees bordering the runway, I banked to the east and anticipated con-frontation. Remaining below 500 feet AGL to minimize my presence in the sky, it didn’t take but a minute to see

where trouble was. Or, as I approached, where it had been. Billowing white smoke on the near horizon told me I was already too late. In the spring, the previous year’s grasses, now dead, still covered the fields making them brown and tinder dry. The fields, adjacent homesteads, villages, and barns are particularly vulnerable to fire in the springtime. This season represents an opportunity for the Huns and reflects on their cunning and savagery. Using incendiary bombs, the Huns had decimated almost a square mile of farmland. Once fire started nothing could be done to put it out, all the farmers could do was contain and prevent it from burning more than grass. While scanning the area for casualties, I avoided flying through the ember-laden smoke. Thankfully, the damage was limited to the fields. While searching the area, I did see another AirBike that had been removed from its hangar and pushed onto a cultivated (non-burnable) field. Fortunately the fire did not reach its hangar. The AirBike must be a newcomer; the last time I saw this one, it was 500 miles away in Illinois. Further investigation is necessary; we may have been sent a reinforcement! There will be more on this discovery later. There wasn’t much I could do now as the damage was already done and the Huns had departed before I arrived. With a wing waggle to those on the ground and their raised shovels in reply, I returned to the Selby Aerodrome with my same ammo load but less fuel. Photos below taken from my reconnaissance camera tell the burning field story.

KANSAS AVIATION MUSEUM FROM PAUL FIEBICH

Hi All, The Kansas Aviation Museum's opening day and dedication of the Boeing Learning Center was a "Home Run." Over 100 persons (official count not available yet) attended which included families, indi-viduals, couples, grandparents, and local dignitaries. Regular daily admission applied and we sold over 16 annual family memberships! The Kansas Aviation Museum is continually garnering a larger spot on the Wichita map of interesting venues. The entire museum was open all day, museum volunteers provided tours and on-the-spot instruction to flight simulator users. I volunteered half of the day in this room and the other half giving tours. This photo was taken by holding the camera above the control tower roof. This was a busy place all day, near day's end I had just about lost my voice. Adults enjoyed the Cessna 210 cockpit simulator as well as the kids. Both of these persons (father and son) are pilots and had no trouble managing the controls. Most of the people I instructed had never flown or used a flight simulator. Obviously this mother is used to multi-tasking as she comforts her daughter AND flies the simulator. I think women would make great pilots because they are used to maintaining focus regardless of numerous distractions. Some museum volunteers provided hands-on aviation related activities to kids. This boy is making an air-powered glider. The fuselage is a straw. The "pilot" holds a smaller straw in his mouth and inserts it into the plane's fuselage from the rear. A quick puff of air sends the glider on its way. The wing is an actual airfoil shape, not a flat piece of paper. The control tower was in use by kids watching the monitor which provided a tower view of the Cessna 210 simulator on the runway and taking off. They could also talk via walkie-talkie to the pilot. A weather station displayed appropriate data. A view out the window is a panorama of the McConnell AFB where real airplanes are constantly taking off and landing. Local dignitaries (L/R) included a representative from Boeing Aircraft Co, the museum director, Board of Directors President, Wichita Mayor and our District Councilman . The play area includes this climbing/sliding/crawling device (resting on a thick cushioned pad) two cockpit simulators, various "busy boards" and a coin operated jet similar to those found at retail stores. One of the two cockpit simulators. Initially used to train new owners of an airplane, now gutted of the electronics but kids can sit in the cockpit, manipulate the control wheel, move levers and use a lot of imagination to pretend. The play area is made to look like the inside of a hangar with the corrugated sheet metal wall covering, signage and lighting. The tower monitor shows the airplane rolling down the runway, a walkie-talkie is to the right and the weather station to the left. A script is on the counter, this enables the pilot and tower controller to com-municate with reasonable dialogue. An identical sheet is in the cockpit, see the third photo above.

It was a very successful day for exposure, a TV station was on site and had a short segment on the evening news, kids had a great time, parents enjoyed themselves, some visiting the museum for the first time, and the volunteers had an opportunity to display another of their combined efforts. This will end the occasional "progress reports" for this facility, hope you enjoyed seeing the growth.