August 2026
Issue 257
August 8, 2026
10:00 AM – 11:00 Meeting
President’s Corner
Bill Calvert
Chapter President
Hello Aviators!
Hopefully you’ve had a chance to enjoy our magnificent summer, getting out and making some airplane noise! The opportunities abound, and our Summer Picnic is just days away, this coming Saturday. Jungle rules apply; bring a side dish and be ready to share the good vibes.
Last month brought Air Venture 2026, with at least a half dozen of our own attending to represent 818 from the West Coast. I’m looking forward to hearing some of their tales of smoke (airplane and other) and new sights on the flight line.
Also last month, we completed the sale of our two most recent projects from team SkyFlight, and will now move ahead on the Zenith 601, Hummel 5 and the Cessna 150. Without missing a beat and after selling two airframes, we still have a full plate of building in store. Remember, the SF program is for the youth, but it runs because of the adult support. Consider becoming active and adding your skills or funds to the effort. Stop by, you will be amazed … !
Right after our picnic and towards the end of the month on the 22nd, our Young Eagle group will host another opportunity for orientation flights at BVS. We’ll be asking for your assistance, on the ground or in the air, so please set that day aside and join us for the fun. Again, if you don’t fly, we still need your help. Just like all aviation, planes don’t fly without maintainers and ground support. Be there!
The same day as our YE fly, AWO is hosting their newish Hometown Fly In. This is a shameless plug for another group doing their best to create a fun local event for aviators. They’ll have a breakfast, BBQ, and their main attraction, a flour bombing competition. It starts on Friday with the main event on Saturday. With some ingenuity, you can easily attend our YE Day and the AWO Fly In. Hope to see you there!
That’s it for now. In the limelight and behind the scenes and thanks to you, our chapter is growing and showing how it’s done in EAA.
Go fly, be safe, have fun!
– Bill
Picnic
Please plan to attend the annual EAA Chapter 818. Bring a Dish to share and relax in the presence of good friends.
Oshkosh 2026 Updates
Fisk! by Doug Seward
Guessing that all of you have heard of the “infamous” Fisk Arrival into Oshkosh. A bunch of YouTube videos are out there on it, FAA publishes annually a detailed Fisk Arrival NOTAM (which seems to be frequently ignored), and everyone that’s flown it has “a story”. The arrival procedure starts well west of Wittman Field, where you eventually overfly the small town of Ripon, then follow railroad tracks towards Oshkosh, eventually overflying a tiny little place called Fisk. There, the FAA leases a small plot of land, rolls in a small travel trailer with an awning for the hot summer sun, a few tables and chairs, and staffs the post with a team of ATC controllers with hand held radios and binoculars. All volunteers, from around the country, they monitor the southwest sky, identify and contact inbound aircraft, and when IDed with a wing rock, assign a landing runway. The pilot then turns due East for the N/S runways, or continues Northeast for the E/W runways. Fisk is a tiny little place, a small neighborhood really, out in the country, away from the hustle and bustle of Oshkosh. I’ve been out there a couple of times and it’s fascinating to watch the operation. One used to be able to park and walk to within a few feet of the trailer, but over the years, the neighbors
I’m calling it a success! For the first time in my memory, Chapter 818 had a coordinated group member presence at Airventure ’26. We first attempted to reserve and organize a “Group Campsite”, at Camp Scholler, but EAA rules proved to be a bit cumbersome. Bob Collins had hoped to attend, but had to drop out. Bruce had hoped to fly in again this year, but wisely turned back early due IFR conditions and reports of smoke at the show. In the end, Rowe and wife Bernadette, as well as Rick, drove the entire way, I airlined in to Chicago O’hare, then drove up, and Rod eventually arrived, having took the scenic route in his motorhome, and we then had a quorum. Five chapter members on the field! Everyone had particular things they wanted to see but 4 of us toured the entire flightline on day one from the Hummelbird booth down at ultralights, past Vintage, Boeing Square, the RVs, up to the Warbirds at the north end. Bernadette finally chose our dinner location, where we later watched a F8F Bearcat in civilian colors taxi up, shut down, then get wiped down by an army of volunteers. Day two we again joined up for a catered dinner and met a couple of International visitors. He was from Ireland, with a thick accent to match, she was born in Algeria. The thing was, they just couldn’t stop talking about how great USA was, similar to some World Cup visitors we’d heard about. So refreshing to hear!
Some Chapters have quite elaborate set ups in Camp Scholler every year. For us, out in the PNW, that would be a little more difficult for us to pull off, but with our three tents in a row, we’ve made a start. Hope to see you there in 2027!
Web Cams by Doug Seward
I’ve got a buddy over in Japan. A mechanic for Japan Air Lines, Yoshi speaks fluent English, has made many trips to USA, would love to attend Oshkosh at some point, just hasn’t made it work yet. He IS an avid fan of EAA’s Web Cams, placed strategically on the grounds, making it the closest thing for him to actually being there.
Shortly after arriving at Camp Scholler, setting up my tent, I walked over to the airfield to check things out, and texted him I’d arrived, and was checking out the Ultralight area. He was online at the time, and pulled up the Ultralight Web Cam. It took a number of texts back and forth, and awhile for me to locate the actual camera (not really that close to the Ultralights at all). But eventually, while sitting in his living room in Tokyo, Yoshi takes a screenshot and texts a picture of me on the grounds at Airventure. Only at Oshkosh!
Sidebar: I later spoke with the owner of the vehicle I was standing next to. Turns out he’s a former KC-135 squadron commander who had aerial-refueled the SR-71 when it did a fly-by at the show a few decades back. Only at Oshkosh!
Sky Flight Update
Dan Holden
Sky Flight Coordinator
Sky Flight Activities
Speakers Schedule
Frank Ray
Chapter Vice President
Members have already volunteered to provide speakers (or to speak themselves) at over half of our 2026 monthly gatherings. See the list below—the speaker or topic is in parentheses, if known. You can volunteer for one of the open slots; just send me an email.
| August: Picnic | September: July: Brandon Holdeman (All About Rotax) |
Young Eagles
Scott Bushnell and Richard Lewellen
YE Coordinators
The August 22 Young Eagles rally is coming soon, and pilots and ground crew are going to be needed, as the registration opened on the first day of the month and is fully booked as of yesterday including 5 on the waitlist. All members are encouraged to attend and participate.
Scott Bushnell
Rick Rathbun
Membership Coordinator
Safety Corner
Ross Mahon
Safety Coordinator
Safety Corner
Safety Corner is on Summer break!
Don’t forget the benefits of the ASRS (Aircraft Safety Reporting System) reporting for near-mis type incidents, and when you think you may have done something that doesn’t fit the regulations…. Read more here:
ASRS – Aviation Safety Reporting System
Here’s a list of some upcoming webinars and in-person presentations. Click on a webinar title to go to the registration page. And for the most up-to-date list and registration links, check out the chapter’s calendar at http://skagiteaa.org/calendar/.
The EAA webinars are listed at https://www.eaa.org/eaa/news-and-publications/eaa-webinars.
Treasurer Report
July 1 -31, 2026
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FINANCIAL REPORT July 1-31, 2026
Submitted by, James Nichols EAA Chapter 818 Treasurer
Meeting Minutes
Kerry Taylor
Secretary
EAA Chapter 818 Board Meeting
July 11, 2026 Meeting Minutes
The BOD Meeting was called to order at 9:00 AM at the Skagit Airport terminal meeting room by Bill Calvert, President.
Chapter Officers present:
- Bill Calvert, President
- Vice President, position currently vacant
- Kerry Taylor, Secretary
- James Nichols, Treasurer
- Ross Mahon, Safety
- Rick Rathbun, Membership
- Jay Findlay, Hangar Manager
- Ed White, Website Technical Administrator
- Bruce Fox, Tool Crib Manager
See Sign-In Sheet attachment for other members present.
Meeting Minutes: The board and general meeting minutes for May 2026 were accepted and approved.
Sign-In Sheet Announcement: Rick and Kerry have created a meeting sign-in sheet. At each meeting, attendees should review their contact information, make any needed corrections, and initial the sheet to confirm it is accurate.
Job Descriptions: Job descriptions for chapter positions have been completed but remain subject to revision. Bill would like to post the working document on the website so members know who is responsible for each role. He stated that the by-laws identify four board positions—President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer—plus Young Eagles. Discussion followed regarding the number of board positions and the Young Eagles role. Ross noted that the by-laws list five positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Young Eagles, and one at-large member. A motion was approved for the Secretary to review the by-laws and, if a change is warranted, present it to the full membership for a vote.
Vice President position: Now that Bill assumed President position, Frank Ray has agreed to accept the Vice President position per membership approval.
Speaker’s List: Today’s speaker will be Ross in place of Brandon.
Treasurer Report: June was quiet, but July has been very active. A $45,000 wire transfer for the sale of the Zenith 701 has been completed, and a $90,000 check is expected for the sale of the RV-12. Under the donation agreement, the $45,000 will be allocated directly to Sky Flight, though total Sky Flight funds will be reduced by ongoing purchases, including the Zenith 601 tail kit. Reimbursements for members who donated funds toward the initial purchases of the RV-12 ($50,000) and Zenith 601 ($5,000) will be completed by the next chapter meeting. Discussion followed regarding allocation of the remaining $40,000, use of general funds, future Sky Flight funding, budget authority after funds are allocated, and expense tracking and reporting. Concerns were raised about added administrative burden and reduced flexibility to respond to time-sensitive opportunities. Bill asked whether the chapter should continue relying on occasional temporary funding from individual members and whether a more standardized accounting method should be used. Ross recommended adding a budget line item for the hangar. A motion was approved to form a committee to determine budget structure and allocation procedures within the framework of the chapter by-laws, both for the chapter as a whole and for Sky Flight specifically. The committee will include the Secretary, Treasurer, Sky Flight, and Hangar Manager positions.
2025 Tax Return: Bob Savage reviewed the ongoing work to complete the Chapter’s 2025 tax return. As required by federal regulation, each board member received a copy. Because of the hangar donation, the Chapter was required to file the more extensive Form 990, and Form 998 was completed to address the hangar’s tax value. All Form 990 returns must be filed electronically through an approved vendor. Bob recommended improving future financial documentation by providing more detailed monthly and annual accounting reports, listing each Sky Flight project as a separate line item, and completing donor documentation. This will be Bob’s final year preparing the return, but he is willing to train the person selected to handle future filings, most likely the Chapter Treasurer. Bill recommended that Bob and James create an SOP to capture expenses and streamline administrative accountability for annual tax filing. Rowe offered to build an Excel spreadsheet to track and populate expenses for each Sky Flight project. James noted that Google-based spreadsheets can also be shared and do not need to reside on a single computer.
Secretary: New sign-in sheet now used to crosscheck each member’s contact information at every meeting, and to provide a list of members that attended the meeting.
Young Eagles: Bill reported that Scott purchased promotional items. Wristbands were given to Air Venture attendees and should be presented at the show’s “On Call” location. The next Young Eagles event is scheduled for August 22, and Frank will announce it in a Chapter Blast. The final venue has not yet been confirmed, although Danielson’s hangar worked well and may be used again if available. For the record, Bill asked Larry to prepare and send a certificate of appreciation to Dave Danielson.
Scholarships: Jeanne has coordinated with National and arranged a printout of the process and what is offered regarding a Ray scholarship; she believes we have a good chance for an award since we are already a Gold Star Chapter. She is also working on possibly restructuring the Chapter scholarship process in general.
Membership: Rick has printed up temporary nametags for use with our logo and web site. He intends to order permanent nametags next month.
Webmaster: Ross is digging into the web site as we speak as the new webmaster. Ed explained a “comedy of errors” regarding the newsletter due to misinterpretation of the screen directions; should be corrected going forward. And since they basically work on the same platform, Bill encouraged Ed and Ross to work together.
Sky Flight: Dan reported that the Zenith 701 sale is contingent on completion and signoff of the condition inspection, which Jay is coordinating with the FSDO. Dan will conduct the first flight, and Cloey will complete the remainder of Phase I. Bill Post purchased the RV-12, pending completion of four open items needed for the special airworthiness certificate. Because FSDO support would be delayed by two months, the inspector who completed Rod’s airplane agreed to inspect the RV-12 pro bono, except for travel expenses, saving the Chapter an estimated $800 to $1,000. Dan will coordinate this effort while Bruce is at Air Venture. Jay asked whether the board needed to vote formally on the sale of the two aircraft, prompting Bill to emphasize the need for new budget structure and allocation procedures. The consensus was that, until the newly appointed committee defines and approves a new process, the Director of Sky Flight had authority to approve the aircraft sales as originally understood. Dan also commented on the recent Mustang II donation, noting that he needs time to review the acquisition and will report back.
Hangar: Jay mentioned some housekeeping items which will be announced during the general membership meeting.
August Picnic: Stu, Rod and Jeanne are all on board for coordinating the effort and will coordinate with Bill for resourcing and venue.
The meeting ended at 9:58 AM
Submitted by Kerry Taylor, Secretary
EAA Chapter 818 General Meeting
July 11, 2026 Meeting Minutes
The General Meeting was held in the Port meeting room at the Skagit Airport terminal and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance at 10:09 AM. Meeting was chaired by Bill Calvert, President.
Members in Attendance: Chapter Officers Bill Calvert (President), Kerry Taylor, (Secretary) and James Nicols (Treasurer), as well as about 24 members and guests attended the meeting.
Guests: John from Oak Harbor attended as a guest. He is retired from the Air Force, currently flies as a 747 captain with Atlas, previously owned an RV-8, began an RV-10 project, and has recently started an RV-14.
Build and Project Updates: Members shared several recent project updates. The blue John Black engine has been installed in a Model A. Rick reviewed the rapid installation of wings on his RV, followed immediately by wing installation on Bill’s Murphy Rebel, with both completed in under two hours. Bruce recently converted his S19 from a fixed-pitch propeller to a constant-speed propeller. Bill’s Rebel is about a month from registration and will then be ready for inspection, with a likely first flight this summer. James will attend LSRM in Monterey in late August and will be able to sign off on condition inspections for ELSA and SLSA aircraft. One member also reported that AI was very helpful in diagnosing an engine vibration issue.
Announcements, News & Updates: Frank Ray was elected Chapter Vice President by voice vote. Ross will serve as today’s speaker in Brandon’s place. The August meeting will be the Chapter picnic, so there will be no regular monthly meeting. Carter is scheduled as the September speaker, with the topic to be determined. Bill has created several new positions and revised job descriptions with input from those currently doing the work; the updates will be posted on the Chapter website soon.
Chapter Video Magazine: National EAA monthly video played.
Treasurer: Sky Flight has sold two airplanes, receiving $45k from the Zenith 701 and a promise of $90k for the RV-12.
Secretary: In collaboration with Membership, a new sign-in roster will be available for each meeting to ensure we have the most accurate membership contact information. Members are to initial to confirm attendance.
Young Eagles: The June 13 event went well, and another event is planned for August 22. If David Danielson’s hangar is available, the Chapter will use the same setup as before, with added meet-and-greet activity at Hangar 400 and a couple of Chapter airplanes on display that are not flying in the event. If the hangar is unavailable, the event will be centered at the terminal building, with reduced activity likely at Hangar 400. Scott requested a dozen pilots and at least six ground volunteers. Registration will open about two weeks prior, on or around August 1. Frank will also coordinate a Chapter Blast two weeks before the event. The two AirVenture wristbands were awarded to Bruce.
Chapter Web Site: Ed is making strong progress on the website, which is taking shape with updated content and useful information. Ross noted that Larry continues to support the site, but a transition is underway and may involve some bumps along the way. Larry has moved to Missouri, and Dan and Cloey plan to fly his airplane to his new location sometime this fall.
Scholarships: Jeanne is the new scholarship coordinator and is getting up to speed on the process. She plans to revise the Mischke procedures to provide more structure. She has also learned a great deal about the National Ray Scholarship, which the Chapter intends to pursue in the near future.
Membership: Rick has temporary name tags available for guests, new members, and members who forget theirs. He welcomed input on the design and noted that changes can still be made. After returning from Oshkosh, he plans to place an order for name tags for new members. Members who have lost their name tags or do not have one should let him know so a replacement can be included. The Chapter currently has 51 active paid members.
Sky Flight: James reported that the RV and Zenith 701 have both been sold. The RV was purchased by Bill Post, an active flyer and member of the Lynden chapter. The Sky Flight program continues to work well, with three aircraft now acquired and sold through donations, purchases, and member support. Although the program requires significant effort, it has become a successful ongoing enterprise that benefits the local aviation community and youth programs. Bill Wooding is providing hangar space to store completed aircraft, which has freed up room in Hangar 400 for active work on the 601 and Hummel projects. Proceeds from the Zenith 701 sale will help move the Cessna 150 project forward, with the hope that it can eventually serve as a training aircraft for Sky Flight, Young Eagles, and the Mischke scholarship program. In the interim, a 172 currently undergoing an engine rebuild may be made available for Sky Flight until the 150 is complete. The Hummel H5 project is also progressing. Rather than purchasing a wing kit, Ross and others plan to build the wings from scratch, providing a more traditional learning experience while still using the CNC router to create forms, jigs, and ribs. The aircraft has a Volkswagen engine, which will be preserved while it awaits installation. The group also discussed interest in future projects that would broaden the program’s experience base, including tailwheel, tube-and-fabric, and composite aircraft. Potential projects will be evaluated based on their fit with the program and financial practicality.
Hangar News: Jay provided several housekeeping reminders for the hangar. Items left in the hangar for an extended time should be claimed promptly or they may be donated. Members were also reminded to make sure the restroom door is fully latched after use, as it has occasionally been found open overnight. The shared computer table and workbench should be kept clear for common use; members should remove their materials when finished so important documents or tools are not misplaced. Jay noted that these are small issues but addressing them consistently will help keep the hangar organized and make it easier for everyone to work.
Pot Pourri:
- Ross’s recent newsletter article was acknowledged, along with a reminder to continue sharing safety-related items and other useful content.
- Mark Burns will take over photography duties from Larry.
- Members were reminded to contribute to the coffee fund when enjoying coffee and donuts.
- The Chapter is looking for help with public affairs and social media, including advertising and gathering information for the newsletter in coordination with Ed.
- Lyle Mooney was noted as serving as librarian and historian.
- Stu reviewed plans for the August picnic. The Chapter will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob, and members are asked to bring side dishes, salads, casseroles, or desserts to share. The group discussed possible locations and favored holding the picnic under the trees near the terminal, with the hangar as a backup location if weather requires a change. If the location changes, notice will be sent the evening before the event.
The meeting ended at 11:04 AM
Submitted by Kerry Taylor, Secretary
