Ray Aviation Scholarship

from Bob Prange

In January 2025, Chapter 186 will apply to EAA to administer a 2025 Ray Scholarship for a $12,000 flight training scholarship. If we are selected to give another Ray Scholarship, we will begin a search in March for a motivated youth aged 16 ½ to 19 who would like to participate in a concentrated one-year effort to acquire his/her Private Pilot License. The selection process will begin with reviewing questionnaire responses from scholar candidates. We look at a candidate’s motivation, participation level in Chapter activities, level of completion in the Sporty’s Learn-to-Fly video series, participation in Young Eagles flights and Oshkosh Air Academy and any accomplishments toward flight training preparation. Possession of an FAA medical certificate is required for scholarship consideration. That is, a scholar hopeful should already have an FAA medical certificate in March for us to consider him/her. We cannot propose a Ray Scholar candidate to the EAA without an FAA medical certificate.

The scholarship gives $4,800 to start flight training, then requires soloing within 4 months to receive the next $4,800 and then requires completion of the FAA Knowledge Exam within 4 more months to receive the last $2,400. The Ray Aviation Foundation has partnered with EAA’s chapter structure to find and mentor flight training scholars with the goal of an 80% completion rate. Chapter 186 is 5 for 5 with our Ray Scholars beginning in 2019 when the program began. Thanks to all of our Chapter 186 volunteers who keep our Chapter active and visible. That helps us earn the privilege of administering this scholarship.

Chapter 186 applied in January 2025 to EAA to administer a 2025 Ray Scholarship for a $12,000 flight training scholarship. If we are selected in late February to give another Ray Scholarship, we will begin a search in March for a motivated youth aged 16 ½ to 19 who would like to participate in a concentrated one-year effort to acquire his/her
Private Pilot License. The selection process will begin with reviewing questionnaire responses from scholar candidates. We look at a candidate’s motivation, participation level in Chapter activities, level of completion in the Sporty’s Learn-to-Fly video series, participation in Young Eagles flights and Oshkosh Air Academy and any accomplishments toward flight training preparation. Possession of an FAA medical certificate isrequired for scholarship consideration. That is, a
scholar hopeful should already have an FAA medical certificate in March for us to consider him/her. We can not propose a Ray Scholar to the EAA without an FAA medical certificate.

EAA Air Academy 

from Bob Prange

If your child has already been accepted to any 2025 Air Academy session, either Explore Camp or Discover Camp, please let us know. We may be able to help with your tuition expense. If you would like your child to go to one of the
sessions we have already reserved and partially paid for (see below), please let us know. EAA Air Academy is a series of camps designed to introduce young people ages 14-18 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. All sessions are full however EAA Chapter 186 has three spots reserved
for kids that would like to attend. We can pay $500 of your child’s tuition. The child’s family will be responsible for transportation to and from the lodge.

Find additional information on course content, lodge accommodations and registration at https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/eaa-aviation-and-flightsummer-camps.

Explore Aviation Camp

*Session 1 (ages 14-15) – June 20 – 25, 2025 –
$1,300
Session 2 (ages 14-15) – June 28 – July 3, 2025 –
$1,300
**Session 3 (ages 16-18) – July 15 – 23, 2025 –
$1,650
Session 4 (ages 16-18) – July 25 – August 2, 2025 –
$1,650

Discover Camp

Session 1 (ages 14-15) – June 12 – 17, 2025 – $1,300
Session 2 (ages 16-18) – July 7 – 12, 2025 – $1,300

*Chapter 186 has reserved spots for two campers in  Session 1 of Explore Aviation Camp (Age 14-15).
If interested in sending your child to this camp, contact president@eaa186.org

**Chapter 186 has reserved a spot for one camper in Session 3 of Explore Aviation Camp (Age 16-18). If interested in sending your child to this camp, contact president@eaa186.org

EAA Air Academy 

from Bob Prange

If your child has already been accepted to any 2025 Air Academy session, either Explore Camp or Discover Camp, please let us know. We may be able to help with your tuition expense. If you would like your child to go to one of the
sessions we have already reserved and partially paid for (see below), please let us know. EAA Air Academy is a series of camps designed to introduce young people ages 14-18 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. All sessions are full however EAA Chapter 186 has three spots reserved
for kids that would like to attend. We can pay $500 of your child’s tuition. The child’s family will be responsible for transportation to and from the lodge.

Find additional information on course content, lodge accommodations and registration at https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/eaa-aviation-and-flightsummer-camps.

Explore Aviation Camp

*Session 1 (ages 14-15) – June 20 – 25, 2025 –
$1,300
Session 2 (ages 14-15) – June 28 – July 3, 2025 –
$1,300
**Session 3 (ages 16-18) – July 15 – 23, 2025 –
$1,650
Session 4 (ages 16-18) – July 25 – August 2, 2025 –
$1,650

Discover Camp

Session 1 (ages 14-15) – June 12 – 17, 2025 – $1,300
Session 2 (ages 16-18) – July 7 – 12, 2025 – $1,300

*Chapter 186 has reserved spots for two campers in  Session 1 of Explore Aviation Camp (Age 14-15).
If interested in sending your child to this camp, contact president@eaa186.org

**Chapter 186 has reserved a spot for one camper in Session 3 of Explore Aviation Camp (Age 16-18). If interested in sending your child to this camp, contact president@eaa186.org

Young Eagles

We had several aircraft and over 50 kids registered for Jan 11 but cancelled for high winds and icy ramps and have also had to cancel the February rally.

Our next Young Eagles Rallies are:

March 8 – 1200 Noon at Manassas

April 12 – 1200 Noon at Warrenton

May 10 – 0900 AM at Manassas

We are now using the EAA’s new website for event management for our Young Eagles Rallies. To become a Young Eagles volunteer, ground or pilot, proceed to events.eaachapters.org and use the “sign-up” feature using your eaa.org login info. That just gets you on the list of possible volunteers. Let Bob know you have signed up so we can send you
an invitation to volunteer for a specific event. You can volunteer without signing up, but you will not get important changes/updates about the YE rally. Ground and Pilot Volunteers: 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.” This helps us determine the staffing level so we can set the number of kids that can register for a ride. Expect an automatic reminder email on Wednesday three days prior to the Young Eagles Rally asking you to confirm again that you are still planning to volunteer. This gives us updated staffing level info.

Pilot Volunteers: EAA requires current EAA membership and current Youth Protection Program training and background check to fly Young Eagles. Unfortunately, no notice is given before your 3-year YPP training expires, so it can be a surprise to discover you are not eligible just before a Young Eagles Rally. Please go to your EAA.org account and look under “My Account” and “Training Information” to see your YPP date of expiration. When training is needed, a link will take you to the training module.

Ground Volunteers: EAA requires a minimum portion of our ground volunteers to have current
Youth Protection Program training and background check. Please go to your EAA.org account and look under “My Account” and “Training Information” to see your YPP date of expiration. When training is needed, a link will take you to the training module.

Young Eagles flights are available to kids between ages 8 and 17. We normally hold our rallies on the second Saturday each month. We use two time slots 12:00 Noon and 2:00 PM in the colder months. Parents can register at events.eaachapters.org beginning at 8:00 AM on the 1st of each month.

Chapter 186 Young Eagles Coordinators
David Richards
Bob Prange

IMC and VMC Meetings

with special note from TR and Chuck

Jon us for our monthly IMC and VMC Meeting today starting at 7:00 pm! Optional informal dinner at 5:30 at Panera at Bristow Center.

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 but the attendees are encouraged to participate with their knowledge and experience. Each one-hour meeting earns you one credit toward the FAA Wings Pilot Proficiency program.

*Folks, at this time TR and Chuck are sort of a single point of failure for IMC/VMC Club activities. We have found on occasion that we each have activities that conflict with Club meetings. So far other activities have been optional and Club meetings proceed as usual, but this may not always be the case. Having a third Club Coordinator as backup would be very helpful to us. If you would like to help out by becoming IMC/VMC Club Coordinator and (optionally) an FAA SafetyTeam representative, please give Chuck Kyle a call at 703 439 0836 or email to deke.kyle@gmail.com. It’s a great way to be more involved with the Chapter and meet some great Chapter members.

Thanks! TR and Chuck

Our speaker this month will be Chapter member John Fontaine sharing the journey of building his RV-12iS.  John grew up in an aviation family with a father and uncle as  airline pilots and helped his father build a Varieze in 1977.  He now has a son flying for Delta Air Lines.  John retired from a 33-year career with United Airlines two years ago and first flew his RV-12 in December 2023.

Join us at 10:00 AM for the meeting and 9:20 AM for coffee and doughnuts.

Bob Prange

The February 8th Young Eagles rally has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Please join us for the March 8th Young Eagles Rally.

The February 8th Young Eagles rally has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Please join us for the March 8th Young Eagles Rally.

Movie Night at the Chapter House!!!

The first movie night at the chapter house for 2025 will be this Friday, January 31st at 7:00 pm. Popcorn and soda will be available. Feel free to bring treats to share.  Movie will be a 1980s aviation classic!

Joint Chapter Young Eagles Workshop

by Ann Toole

OctoberSkies was a great joint chapter experiment. It was a gathering of talent and resources with the aim of providing a deeper and more involved aviation experience for high school students interested in aviation.

When four Virginia EAA chapters — 186 National Capital-Manassas, 231 Richmond, 1099 Shannon, and 1563 Gordonsville — that value education and enjoy sharing their knowledge with our youths joined forces with Luke Curtis and his daughter, Kristen of Shannon Airport, Kim Anderson and the Virginia Department of Aviation with the Icon seaplane and a flight simulator, and Jeremy from Appalachian State University, magic and synergies happened.

This was the brain child of Judy Sparks of EAA Chapter 186. Her dedication over the years to promoting aviation is unmatched.

On October 12, 2024, 13 high schoolers worked to create a lighter-than-air aircraft. The lesson came from AeroEducate.com, and Jeremy and his team did a great job with this lesson! Lots of smiles, fun, and learning were had by all!

After completing the task (all groups came up with different ways!), the groups flew their aircraft around a predetermined course. Courtesy of Luke and Kristen, the students enjoyed a free tour of the Shannon Air Museum and learned more about the history of aviation!

After lunch, students received individual Young Eagles flights, spending lots of time with their pilots and learning more about airplanes and aviation. Students also spent time learning how to read sectional charts and plotting a course to familiarize them with the procedures involved in typical cross-country flights.

At the end of the day all students and adults were happy, satisfied, and exhausted! Everyone left with big smiles and students were overheard saying, “That was great!”

This was a first for us and we can’t wait to do it again!