Vol. 10, No. 4 - April 29, 2008

The Calendar of Events is a great example of using technology to help us all get more out of flying. Technology can also help expand our knowledge, too. EAA is the original support group for builders and enthusiasts and since 1953, our magazines have been packed with information. Now technology will help you get more from your membership.

We have moved the entire digital archive of Sport Aviation magazine from 1953 through 2006 - more than 59,000 pages, including the early Experimental newsletters typed at the Poberezny house, every great aircraft photo and every valuable homebuilder’s hint to the EAA members-only website. It’s all searchable by date, keyword, and subject.

But we need your help. Just like the Calendar of Events, we want chapter leaders to try out the new EAA Sport Aviation online archive. This will allow you to get a sneak preview of our exciting new resource, plus help us do the essential “beta testing” to identify and fix any bugs.

So visit http://members.eaa.org/home/saarchive/ (log-in required) and give it a test flight! Browse through it. Print a page or two. Try a goofy command. Search for mentions of yourself or your chapter over the years. Then send your comments to info@EAA.org with "SA Online" in the subject field, so we can address any issues that may arise and make the final tweaks. We’re aiming to finish this beta test period by the end of May, so thank you in advance, and we look forward to your comments!

One last note: If you’ve tried to reach Chapter Administrator Brenda Anderson recently, you know she is out of the office on an extended leave as she and her husband, Eric, recently adopted a little girl, Madeline. We congratulate the Andersons and we assure you we’ll do all we can to fill in while Brenda is on leave. 

The third in an ongoing series of EAA Chapter Leader's Academies was held April 18-20, in Oshkosh. The weekend session was attended by two-dozen chapter leaders from around North  America. Read more
(See a great video about the Leader's Academy.)

Tom Poberezny shares chapter leader's letter
A participant in April Chapter Leader's Academy wrote to EAA President Tom Poberezny about his experiences in Oshkosh. Tom thought so much of it that he e-mailed it to the entire EAA staff. Here it is for you to read:

What has EAA Headquarters Done for Me Lately?
On an overcast day in April, I arrived by car at what many consider the centre of aviation universe: Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It was eerily quiet as a gentle drizzle of rain fell on the deserted airport. The place was devoid of airplanes asleep on the ramp and there wasn't a soul in sight. Strangely, it reminded me of the feeling I have had exploring abandoned aerodromes from the Second World War. (Read the rest)
  

Our online calendar of events continues to grow on a daily basis. There are currently more than 1,300 events available to view and there's room for more. Feel free to add any of your chapter's upcoming events to the calendar at www.EAA.org/calendar/.

If your chapter has a website, you can also link directly to the calendar. Banner links are now available in a variety of sizes at www.EAA.org/calendar/banners.asp.

In each issue of EAA Chapter E-Gram, we'll share an article or two that you can reprint in your chapter's newsletter. When reprinting, please credit the original source. For the list of articles, click here.

This month we have two selections, each in Microsoft Word and PDF formats to make it easy for you to use. First is an editorial from EAA Chapter 1410's newsletter written by Paul Gregory. The article provides an interesting view on aviation from a newcomer's perspective. One of the best ways to grow aviation is to be open and welcoming to anyone who shows an interest.  Word | PDF

The second article is actually from EAA Chapter 1000's website. It is a timeless article on building a standardized worktable.  Word | PDF

Enjoy!

Jonathan Trainor knew aviation would be part of his life after his Young Eagles flight in 2003. Recently, Jonathan joined the ranks of former Young Eagles who are now pilots and flying Young Eagles themselves.  Read more

Share your Young Eagle success stories with Steve Buss at sbuss@eaa.org.