Although the Air Academy sessions are all filled up for 2024, Chapter 186 has paid the first $500 to secure one spot for a 12 to 13 year-old in the June 16 to 20 Young Eagles Camp at the Air Academy Lodge in Oshkosh.  If you are interested in sending your Young Eagles participant to this 5-day camp, please email rsp10000@aol.com.  The family will be responsible to get the child to and from camp and pay the remaining $500 tuition cost.  Additional information about the EAA Air Academy is available here.

The EAA Air Academy is a series of camps (five to nine days long) designed to introduce young people ages 12-18 to the aviation world.  Kids stay at the EAA Air Academy Lodge in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  Experienced aviation instructors help them delve into flight through studies, hands-on demonstrations, flight simulation, and other exciting activities.  Campers will receive a ride in a Cessna Skycatcher or Skyhawk or a helicopter, weather permitting.  There are three age range camps, each given twice in the summer. The dates are as follows:

• Young Eagles Camp for ages 12-13 is five days long, held twice in June.
• Basic Camp for ages 14-15 is six days long, held twice in July.
• Advanced Camp for ages 16-18 is nine days long, held twice in late July.

Notice that the Advanced Camp first session overlaps three days into AirVenture and the second session overlaps with the final three days of AirVenture.

Click here for additional information on course content and lodge accommodations and to register.  Contact president@eaa186.org if you have any questions.

Parents:  It is a good time to look ahead to the 2025 Air Academy Camps, Keep in mind that 2025 camp dates and registration will become available this August 2024.  We will monitor this to keep you informed so we can avail this opportunity before the camps fill up.

It is that time of year again, so I will dedicate this month’s column to explain the Ray Scholarship process.  Chapter 186 has applied to EAA to grant a 2024 Ray Aviation Foundation Flight Training Scholarship.  Oshkosh will announce chapter selections in February.  If approved we will ask 16 ½ to 19 year olds with an interest in learning to fly to respond to a questionnaire addressing their interest in aviation, chapter participation level, level of completion in the Sporty’s Learn-to-Fly video series, participation in Young Eagles flights and Oshkosh Air Academy and accomplishments toward flight training preparation.  Since the scholarship requires certain progress milestones, we look for a scholar candidate with a strong commitment to spend the summer accomplishing their first solo flight before school resumes in August and a strong commitment to continue an intense pace of flight training once the school year resumes.  The EAA recommends 3 to 4 flight lessons per week.  Only one flying lesson per week makes progressing through the lessons difficult.  Look for more information soon once chapter selections are announced by EAA Headquarters.

The Ray Scholarship pays $11,000 toward the flight training costs of obtaining a Private Pilot Certificate. It is paid in three installments: initial, after first solo and after written exam completion. The required milestones are 

—First solo flight within three months, 

—Pass the private pilot written exam within six months,

—Pass the Private Pilot check ride within one year of receiving the initial funds.

An FAA medical certificate is required to be considered for the scholarship.  The EAA asks for two hours per month of volunteer time at the chapter during training.  Selection of a flight school is left to the parents and scholar.

The EAA selects a chapter to grant a Ray Scholarship based on the overall activity and accomplishments of that chapter.  We have been selected annually since 2019 because our membership keeps Chapter 186 thriving through many various programs.  Thank you to the chapter members for participating so that we may give out another $11,000 scholarship.  

Bob Prange, President, EAA 186

We have migrated to a new web hosting provider.  As with any migration, there is a chance that some features may not have moved over perfectly, so please let us know if you notice any issues.

Thanks for understanding.

From Chapter President, Bob Prange.

We learned some sad news late in March with the passing of Evelyn Marshall. She has been a friend of aviation in Virginia for decades having developed and managed several past and present airports. I remember seeing her at both Woodbridge and Manassas airports many decades ago, always business-like, always smiling. I cannot list all her accomplishments here but I will mention she was inducted into the VAHS Hall of Fame and did tandem parachute jumps on her 80th and 90th birthdays! Find more about Evelyn Marshall here:

https://www.bakerpostfh.com/memorials/evelyn-marshall/5167148/obituary.php
https://www.vahsonline.com/pdf/Evelyn-Marshall.pdf