Those Are the Biggest Pancakes I Have Ever Seen

April 2019 - II had the pleasure of visiting EAA chapter 1310 in October 2018 after participating in a nearby EAA Chapter Leadership Boot Camp sponsored by EAA chapter 166 located in Hartford, Connecticut. Chapter 1310 members participating in the Boot Camp graciously invited me to their home airport called Skylark Airpark (7B6) the following day located in East Windsor, Connecticut. It turned out to be a great day to fly, and due to the generosity of the chapter members, one that I would never forget. The variety of classic, vintage and contemporary airplanes at the little Skylark Airpark is a sight to see. On that day, a gaggle of chapter members with myself in tow, flew to a local airport diner for breakfast. My ride out in Gill Wilcox's Stinson Voyager along with the ride back in Bob Welch's Cessna 175 on amphib floats checked the box for fun, not to mention getting a hop in an original Tiger Moth piloted by Bill Kulle. Flying over the patch work quilt-like farm fields housing old red tobacco barns on a cool October day took me back in time.

The good people in chapter 1310 are working hard to raise the remaining funds needed to build their chapter hangar, and a pancake breakfast is always a great way to earn a few bucks. The pancake breakfast serves many purposes besides fund raising as it provides a fly-in destination for area pilots, a drive-in destination to share airport activities with the local community, and simply a fun event for the chapter members. Having a chapter hangar can be so helpful to chapters to provide full-time access to both meeting and work space. Having a chapter home is one of the final ways to help take a chapter over the top in terms of offering value added activities for its' members. Having space to host presentations, meeting, build sessions, potluck dinners, youth programs, etc. is a fantastic asset. These locations create a sense of chapter pride and open the members up to many new opportunities.

Being the first "Blueberry Pancake Breakfast" for the chapter, Chapter member Ken Godin explained that "it was big fun". An unexpected healthy crowd for the chilly March New England morning required chapter members Maria Devins to keep up with pancake batter demand while Jim Glista busted eggs, and Jim Wyssocki managed food supplies. Ken Godin pointed out to that it is Bill Kulle in the photo pouring and flipping the blueberry pancakes. For me, those are the biggest pancakes I have ever seen.

I encourage folks to visit EAA chapter 1310 at Skylark Airpark for their monthly gatherings scheduled on the second Wednesday of each month, become involved with the chapter, and enjoy the biggest and best pancakes.