Meeting was called to order by President Duane Boyd at the home/workshop of SkyWriter editor Erik Fjerstad at 1012.

There was no Treasurer’s report.

The Secretary’s report (Minutes of the February 21 Chapter Meeting and of the Board of Director’s Meeting) were published in SkyWriter and in the Website, and were not repeated at the Project Meeting. Secretary Bob Miller did announce that he had, not two hours previously, flown for the first time (his, not the airplane’s), a 1946 Aeronca Champ.

Old Business: Joe Seibold still needs 4 Personalities & Projects candidates to photograph and interview before he departs for cooler climes in early May. He is requesting those with completed projects first (makes for better photos than skeletal airframes and puddles of epoxy and pools of blood from sheet metal-slashed builders, is my guess). Erik Fjerstad provided copies of the Chapter Roster and of SkyWriter for pickup at the meeting.

New Business: At the Board of Directors meeting on February 21, it was determined that two new Board Members were needed, and that we are short of Tech Counselors. At today’s Project Meeting, Phil Peery, noted donut donor, quickly volunteered to become a Board Member. After a long pause with no other volunteers, as Stan Gorman was caught scratching his ear, it was decided that his hand was up and he became the other required Board Member. Norm Rodtke and Chuck Valade joined Gil Alexander and Eldon Helmer as Tech Counselors. Eldon doubles as a flight advisor as well. Joe Seibold reminds us that he will be among those running the Welcome Wagon at Airventure Oshkosh this summer, a service which will pick you up after flying in and transport you to where you want to go. Call (920) 230-7906.

Visitors:

Other: There were drawings for two aviation books as door-prizes.

Finally, Erik Fjerstad was able to expound upon his project, a quick-build RV6-A. This is an early kit (#69, manufactured in 1997) and, as such, does not have match-drilled holes to line things up. This was amply demonstrated by the second owner of the kit (Erik is the fourth), who riveted quite the wavy line on the original turtledeck and did not allow for the wing rib crimps when drilling for rivets. Erik started his project in 2007 as fourth owner. He already has acquired a Lycoming O-320 150 HP engine out of a Cherokee 140, and has acquired on the of the last available “almost constant speed” props from Clark Lydick’s Performance Propellers. This is a work of art, made from multiple laminations of hard rock maple held together with resorcinol glue, with a beautiful polyurethane finish. The claim to fame of this prop type is that it flexes under load, allowing more takeoff RPM, but then becoming coarser-pitched in cruise, without the weight and complexity of a constant-speed prop. The use of this wooden prop will remove the RPM restriction (with the certificated metal prop) on this engine, so more power is expected from this alone. Of course, a non-certificated prop will require a 40-hour fly-off instead of the abbreviated 25 hour time required of certificated engine and prop combinations. Erik has upgraded components (supplied by the third owner), such as RV-7 fiberglass fairings, and has already acquired the updated nosegear swivel. He is relocating the battery to the firewall, instead of inside the cabin, thus negating the need for heavy electrical cables penetrating the firewall. The quick-build kit did come with factory-sealed fuel tanks and spars match-drilled to the carry-through in the airframe. Erik was able to show us the canopy drilled and countersunk, and hung flaps and ailerons, complete with linkage. He also demonstrated some of the special tools and hardware used in his project: a flaring tool for hydraulic lines (brakes). This is different from the similar automotive tool, as aircraft flares are standardized at 37.5 degrees, whereas automotive lines are flared at 45 degrees. Also shown were a tubing bender, a box of hole-saver rivets, and a hand rivet squeezer which apparently generates incredible leverage out of phlogiston (or maybe sound engineering principles). Erik also employs a C-arm type hammered rivet driver and, of course, a pneumatic rivet gun.

This was one crowded garage, every available scrap of floor filled with aircraft enthusiasts enjoying coffee, donuts, hanger flying, and lots of camaraderie.

The Project Meeting officially adjourned at 1105, but the last stragglers were not chased out until about 1330.

The next meeting will be at the Ryan Field meeting room at 1000 April 18. This is expected to be a short meeting, as we have the opportunity to visit Ed Davis, who is finishing up his biplane project at his Ryan Field hangar and has offered to show it to us.

Respectfully Submitted by

Secretary Bob Miller