Happy Holidays, EAA Chapters and Squadrons!

December 2025 — As we look back on 2025, I want to extend our deepest gratitude for your remarkable leadership and unwavering commitment to your chapters and to the entire EAA community. Your time, energy, and passion have made an incredible difference — not only in the success of countless chapter activities, but in the lives you’ve inspired along the way. As I enjoy saying about our chapter leaders, “Volunteering doesn’t come in much bigger slices.” Thank you!

Our EAA chapter network is strong at 889 chapters to date, with additional chapters being formed monthly. Since the beginning in 1954, EAA chapters have excelled in supporting their local members with educational, social, and aviation activities, and not much has changed in these 71 years. Thank you for continuing to assist your fellow aviation enthusiasts in the areas of pilot proficiency and aviation education as we can never stop learning to be better pilots and aviators. Thank you also for your efforts in fostering a welcoming and inviting environment in your chapter and hosting all those social events which bring people out to the airport.

As the year-end approaches, perhaps now is an appropriate time to reflect on those EAA friends we lost in 2025. EAA chapters bring people together, creating tight bonds and relationships lasting many years and at times for decades. Let’s remember and honor members who have gone west and consider honoring those members with a special yearly volunteer recognition award at the local chapter level. What better way to make a forever memory for these special EAA chapter members who dedicated so much of their time to their chapter? Please consider finding a way to show appreciation to these important chapter members by recognizing your current members.

Our chapters are truly the heart and soul of EAA. Since 1954, they have been the local homes where the love of aviation is shared, nurtured, and passed down to future generations. We are especially grateful for your continued involvement in the EAA Young Eagles program and other youth engagement efforts. You are helping shape the next generation of aviators, dreamers, and innovators by opening the door to aviation and showing young people what is possible.

Near the end of each year, our EAA Chapters office staff ships out yearly chapter service awards to all chapters and squadrons. The recognition pins and achievement certificates are for you as a chapter to provide recognition to your members. Please be sure to share these items with your officers and volunteers and listed positions. Having nearly 900 chapters in the network, this is our method to recognize our chapter leaders.

Thank you for your leadership, your service, and your passion for aviation. EAA thrives because of volunteers like you. We know that you work hard throughout the year, and for that we are grateful. Chapters are what make our organization unique and are comprised of our most dedicated members. Thank you for being one of them and for your diligent efforts to guide and improve your chapter. It is truly a pleasure to serve you! On behalf of EAA here in Oshkosh, we are proud to have you as part of our family.

From each of us here in the EAA Chapters office, we give you the warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year!

Charlie Becker, EAA Lifetime 515808, Director of Chapters & Homebuilt Community Manager

John Egan, EAA 336835, Sr. Manager of Chapters

David Leiting, EAA Lifetime 579157, Eagles Program Manager

Grace Yakuber, EAA 1152632, Chapter Field Representative I

Christopher Gauger, EAA 746128, Chapter Field Representative I

Alison Egan, EAA 1521626, Chapters Administrative Assistant

Samantha Olson, EAA 797800, Young Eagles Program Assistant