Membership
ONLINE APPLICATIONShttps://eaa186.org/events/eaa-chapter-186-membership-online-application-2025/ To order a nametag, go to: https://eaa186.org/events/eaa-chapter-186-name-tag-order-form-paypal-only/. CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP FEES$30 Jan–Dec Single Member Dues$35 Jan-Dec Family Member Dues$12 for Name Tag and postage$12 – hard copy of Directory (printing & mailing)$2 surcharge if paying by PayPalContact Jerry Stueve for Membership info:g.stueve@ieee.org DID YOU CHANGE YOUR E-MAIL?Please advise Jerry Stueve, 703-624-0781 or g.stueve@ieee.org if any of your membership directory information changes. Thanks.
Member Gatherings
August 23 Member GatheringOur speaker was Erica Gilbert (https://www.gilbertaviation.com/), a CFI / CFII, FAA Safety Team Representative, and commercial TBM pilot. Erica’s passion project is AeroSafe, her YouTube series discussing aviation weather to help pilots fly more safely. She spoke about key weather safety topics for pilots: How to obtain a complete – and legal – weather briefing; understanding various types of clouds and how to handle them; thunderstorm formation and how to remain safely clear of dangerous storms; and exercising caution around outflow boundaries. We were also treated by a presentation from Dag Guessford about his time at Air Academy in July. Dag attended the session that was nine days long with the final three days coinciding with the
Young Eagles EAA Air Academy from Bob Prange
Parents: Information (dates, course content, ages, tuition costs) and on-line registration for the June and July 2026 camps are now available at https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/eaa aviation-and-flight-summer-camps These camps will fill up quickly. There are two separate camps: Explore Aviation Camp and Navigating Horizons Camp for either of two age groups, 14 to 15 and 16 to 18. Once you are registered and accepted for a camp, you can apply directly to the EAA for an EAA campership. Ray ScholarshipOur 2025 Ray Scholar Cliff Storey began his flight training in August at Aviation Adventures at Manassas. Our 2024 Ray Scholar Kobe Kerns is finishing his cross-country requirements and awaiting his checkride with a DPE. He is doing his Private Pilot training with the
IMC & VMC Meetings
We meet on the 4th Tuesday each month. IMC Club at 7 PM. VMC Club at 8 PM. Come for one or both sessions; we usually meet beforehand at 5:30 PM for informal dinner at the Panera Bread at Bristow Center. The IMC Club’s purpose is to promote instrument flying proficiency, safety and education through a community of pilots sharing information and fostering communications. You don’t have to be instrument rated to come to the IMC Club. The VMC Club, for pilots wishing to improve their VFR flying proficiency, is modeled after the popular IMC Club providing organized “hangar flying” with a focus on VFR procedures, regulations and publications. TR Proven and Chuck Kyle are our facilitators for these meetings
Culpeper Air Fest
The Culpeper Air Fest is Saturday October 11. We will take the Chapter 186 food trailer and grill to serve the usual burgers and dogs. This is a fund- raising event for us. Since the Ford TriMotor is not winging its way to the east coast this season, we have not had a chance to serve our culinary delights and raise some funds for the Chapter. We often have the longest line at our concession when next to other food trucks. We have a few volunteers, but we need more people to cook, sell food and staff our information table. This is an opportunity to spread the word about our Chapter. We will put the trailer in place the day
From the President, by Bob Prange
From the President by Bob Prange AirVenture 2025 was a success with good weather, another record crowd and some familiar and new aircraft in attendance. My first task on day one was to have our Chapter 186 directional sign installed on a post at the Blue Barn. Thank you to member Jim Heidish for making the sign. It is wrapped instead of painted and is a great combination of colors that stands out well. The Tuesday morning breakfast gathering provided for quick fellowship and a chance to compare plans for the week with other members. Member couples from Texas, Boband Judy Pastusek and Steve and Barb Wilson came the farthest. The ME-262 from the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach
Movie Night, this Friday, August 29th!!!
August 29 Movie Night at the Chapter House7:00 PM Join us next Friday night to watch: Apollo 13 From Wikipedia: The film tells the story of astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise aboard the ill-fated Apollo 13 for the United States’ fifth crewed mission to the Moon, which was intended to be the third to land. En route, an on-board explosion deprives their spacecraft of much of its oxygen supply and electrical power, which forces NASA’s flight controllers to abandon the moon landing and improvise scientific and mechanical solutions to get the three astronauts to Earth safely. Feel free to bring snacks to share. Popcorn, sodas, and water will be available. Manassas events are held at:EAA Chapter 18610629
Young Eagles from Bob Prange
Our next Young Eagles Rallies are:Sept 13 – Manassas at 0900Oct 18 – Warrenton at 1000Nov 8 – Manassas at 1200Dec 13 – Manassas at 1200 Ground and Pilot Volunteers: If you would like to be a Young Eagles volunteer (pilot or ground) go to events.eaachapters.org and click on “Volunteer Registration.” Submitting your information puts you in the volunteer database. About two/three weeks prior to a Young Eagles Rally, we prompt the events.eaachapters.org system to send an email to everyone in our Young Eagles volunteer database inviting you to click on “confirm” or “will not attend.” Expect an automatic reminder email again on Wednesday three days prior to the Young Eagles Rally asking you to confirm again that you are
Young Eagles Air Academy
Young Eagles Air Academy from Bob Prange Parents: Updated information (course content, ages, costs) and on-line registration for the June and July 2026 camps will be available beginning September 3, 2025. Registration will fill up very quickly in early September. Find information on course content, lodge accommodations and registration at https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/eaa-aviation-and-flight-summer-camps. Take this link now and click on Air Academy. You can get ageneral idea about these camps now by reading about the recent June and July camps. Then on September 3 you can read the updated information for the 2026 camps. Once registered for a camp, there are EAA camperships which help pay for the tuition. EAA Ch 186 also has provided tuition assistance in the past years. ScholarshipsBelow
Membership Gatherings
August 23 Member GatheringOur speaker was Erica Gilbert (https://www.gilbertaviation.com/), a CFI / CFII, FAA Safety Team Representative, and Part 91 commercial TBM pilot. Erica’s passion project is AeroSafe, her YouTube series discussing aviation weather to help pilots fly more safely. She spoke about key weather safety topics for pilots. This was posted as an FAA approved safety seminar which offers one FAA Wings credit. Gathering started at 10:00 AM with coffee and doughnuts at 9:20 AM. September 27 Member GatheringHow and when should we hang up the airplane keys? Member Glenn Shields will lead a panel consisting of a cross-section of our membership discussing aging and flying and figuring out how and when to call it quits. We have pilot