Join Us for EAA Chapter Leadership Training

September 2025 – As summer fades into autumn, the time draws near for EAA chapters to elect new leaders or reelect incumbent ones. Whether you are new to chapter leadership or experienced in the role(s) you serve in, you bear an important responsibility in not only helping your chapter grow and succeed, but also in supporting and promoting general aviation. To help chapter leaders like you to succeed, EAA provides chapter leadership training every year.

Over the next several months, the EAA chapters staff will present several chapter leadership training events for chapter leaders like yourself to attend. Regardless of your level of experience, these events are excellent opportunities to help you become a better chapter leader and to learn how to improve your chapter and make it grow. These events also allow you to meet and network with other attending chapter leaders, many of whom may be experiencing the same issues and triumphs as you are.

Chapter leadership training covers a variety of topics that are important to chapter leaders, including (but not limited to):

• Hallmarks of successful chapters
• Growing and retaining chapter membership
• Chapter programs and activities
• Chapter resources
• Chapter insurance and risk management
• Fundraising and financial management
• Nonprofit and tax-exempt basics
• Chapter media, such as newsletters, websites, and social media
• Public relations

There are three types of chapter leadership training events that you can attend:

• Chapter Leadership Academy – This two-day interactive event is hosted at EAA headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Attendees can stay on-site in EAA lodging, while the leadership classes take place in the EAA Aviation Museum. All on-site lodging, meals, and training are provided for FREE; attendees merely need to pay for their transportation to and from EAA HQ. This event will provide the maximum leadership training experience for chapter leaders. In addition to training, attendees are invited to an after-hours tour of the EAA Aviation Museum and a tour of the Sonex Aircraft facility in Oshkosh. Three academies are hosted each year.
• Chapter Leadership Boot Camp – This-one day interactive event is hosted by EAA chapters around the United States. It includes most of the training material offered at the Chapter Leadership Academy in Oshkosh, including all the fundamental information your chapter needs to succeed and for you to become a better leader. Lunch is provided courtesy of the host chapter. Seven boot camps are hosted each year.
• Virtual Chapter Leadership Boot Camp – Presented each March, this event is perfect for chapter leaders who are unable to attend any of the in-person academies or boot camps. The virtual boot camp consists of two four-hour webinar sessions covering all the material we present at in-person boot camps. You can watch the virtual boot camp live, or you can watch the recordings afterward.

Attending one of these events is akin to drinking water from a firehose. A wealth of chapter-related information will be presented. EAA will share all the presentations with attendees after the event has concluded so you can revisit them and share them with your fellow chapter leaders. Some previous attendees have come back to future academies and boot camps so they can relearn the information presented, and often they bring new leaders from their chapters to absorb chapter-related knowledge as well.

Check out the schedule below of our chapter leadership training events for the 2025-2026 season:

Chapter Leadership Academies

• October 23-24, 2025 (Thursday-Friday)
• January 24-25, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday)
• April 11-12, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday)
  

Chapter Leadership Boot Camps

• Saturday, November 8, 2025 – Ray, Michigan (Detroit) – Hosted by EAA Chapter 13
• Saturday, January 31, 2026 – Orlando, Florida – Hosted by EAA Chapter 74
• Saturday, February 7, 2026 – Pacoima, California (Los Angeles) – Hosted by EAA Chapter 40
• Saturday, March 28, 2026 – Independence, Oregon – Hosted by EAA Chapter 292
• TBD – Arlington, Texas – Hosted by EAA Chapter 34
• TBD – Lebanon, Tennessee – Hosted by EAA Chapter 863
• TBD – New England – Hosted by EAA Chapter TBD

Virtual Chapter Leadership Boot Camp

• March 3-4, 2026 (Tuesday-Wednesday)
  12-4 p.m. CST each day

Attending one of these events will also provide a Chapter Recognition point for your EAA chapter. This is a small but important incentive to further encourage chapter leaders to join these events. Successful EAA chapters have strong leaders, and strong leaders are forged with the help of our chapter leadership academies and boot camps.

Each year, hundreds of EAA chapter leaders attend our academies and boot camps. Read below for some of the encouraging testimonials we have received from attendees in recent history.

Chapter Leadership Academy Testimonials

“This just gets better every year. All members of our leadership team have attended and bring back new ideas and methods to improve our chapter. … Attendance has contributed to significant growth in both membership and activities for us.”

– Charlie Bates, EAA Chapter 129 President

“I can’t say enough positive things about the quality, enthusiasm, and abilities of the EAA chapter support personnel. The leadership academy provides excellent guidance to help us promote aviation locally and change lives of people and especially youth in positive ways. It’s not just the outstanding presentations but also the opportunities to converse with the presenters individually and meet and network with other chapter members. Thank you for your commitment and professionalism!”

– Kent Johnson, EAA Chapter 410 President

“Thank you! The best part of the academy is getting to know the chapter staff. I have attended before and was amazed at how many new things I learned about resources available to chapters. Keep doing what you are doing. It is encouraging to see young chapter leaders here to learn more about making their chapters better.”

– Chuck Sandager, EAA Vintage Chapter 13 President

“The training this weekend was INCREDIBLE!! I am genuinely excited to take everything back to my chapter and implement the ideas that were discussed. We learned so much from the other chapters as well and our network has grown. The speakers were excellent, and the accommodations were top notch. I would recommend this academy to every chapter leader — the information provided is priceless. Thank you for stoking my passion for aviation!!!”

– Wendi Knox, EAA Chapter 132 Board Member

Chapter Leadership Boot Camp Testimonials

“I always learn something new at boot camps! The staff does a great job sharing info on all programs. They are always enthusiastic and knowledgeable. There’s always lots of opportunities to network with members of other chapters. Thanks for an inspiring day!”

– Barbara Walters-Phillips, EAA Chapter 74 President

“This was incredibly informative and complete and should be mandatory for chapter officers. Covered the practical and legal aspects of running a chapter in a very informative way. A lot of information presented in a relatively short time, but not overwhelming. Great to have other chapter leaders present to give their opinions and experiences as well. Very well done and definitely worth the attendance.”

– Greg Cameron, EAA Chapter 1614 President

“I have been at two other boot camps during my 8 years as a chapter leader. This session was another great presentation with a great update on all things EAA. I was able to accompany my Young Eagles coordinator who was our chapter’s sole leader who hadn’t been to boot camp yet. Hopefully after this boot camp, he will be a good candidate for increased responsibility in our chapter. I think after attending a leadership boot camp, it will be less intimidating to become a new leader.”

– Hal Getzelman, EAA Chapter 12 President

“Being a newly elected board member for Chapter 32, I was very impressed with the information provided during the boot camp. It definitely was a lot to process in a day, but I would highly recommend it to anyone involved with their local chapter.”

– Jennifer Skikas, EAA Chapter 32 Secretary

What are you waiting for? Join us in Oshkosh, on the road, or online for one or more of our chapter leadership academies or boot camps! You will return home from these events with a wealth of information, a head full of ideas, and a renewed desire to make your EAA chapter succeed. The success of our chapters will allow us to spread The Spirit of Aviation and keep aviation alive and thriving for generations to come.

Learn more about EAA’s chapter leadership training at EAA.org/ChapterTraining. If you have any questions, please call us at 800-564-6322 or email us at chapters@eaa.org.