EAA Chapter 1288 Focuses on Next Generation
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Dennis W. Wilt, president of Chapter 1288, handing over the $2,000 check to William McInnish. (L to R: Chris Hinkle, assistant principal; Daniel Serrano, student; Wilt; Madison Hatzel, student; Jaramey Hamm, student; Robert Baer, student; Alex Demareyer, student; McInnish, program instructor.)
April 21, 2016 - EAA Chapter 1288 (the General Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. Chapter) is based at Valkaria Airport (X59) in Valkaria, Florida. The chapter has always been invested in promoting youth and especially their involvement in aviation.
The chapter has become involved with an exciting new aviation maintenance program located at Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida. William McInnish is the aviation technology instructor for the program. One of the programs McInnish is promoting is to provide airplane flights for his students and to fund field trips for younger students (fifth and sixth graders) to aviation-related activities. On April 12, 2016, the membership of Chapter 1288 voted to donate $2,000 to the Youth in Aviation Brevard program in order to fund many of these programs.
For many years the chapter has maintained a scholarship fund used to promote aviation activities for youth. It has provided scholarships for flight training and for attending the Destination Summer Camps at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida. In 2015, the chapter accepted the application of Nathan Curry from Sanford, Florida, for a week at the Destination Summer Camp. This year, the chapter accepted two applications for Destination Summer Camp and are sending Jaramey Hamm of Melbourne and Matthew Borowski of Palm Bay, Florida, to summer camp where they will have the opportunity to learn more about aviation.
For non-aviation sponsorships, the chapter sponsors Team Voltage 386 from Melbourne High School. Team Voltage 386 participates in robotics competitions locally and regionally.
