Treasurer--Warren Krabbe; Secretary----------OPEN

Web Site--Earle Richardson www.eaa229.org; Young Eagles & Tech Inspection----Mike Bauer (new phone 863-670-0385); Shop Foreman-----Dick Ripper; Membership Chairman--- OPEN

Newsletter distribution is via email to each person, an electronic copy on the website and a paper copy on the hanger bulletin board. Target distribution is shortly before the monthly First Saturday meeting. The Newsletter is just fact, fiction, rumor, a mistake or opinion <G>.

One definition of volunteering for the Chapter is: -hold office or a position; -raise or donate money; -expend personal effort or contribute usable stuff. EAA Sport Pilot magazine broader stated goals are: -Promote Access to the Dream of Flight; -Prepare for the Future of Aviation; -Preserve the Heritage of Aviation; -Protect the Right to Fly.

President Tom Olson has volunteered 229 to run the Flea Market at the coming Veterans Day Picnic under the Oaks at GIF. Please give your name on Saturday to Tom if interested in helping.

Guessing that of the 84 current membership -- only 18 are under 60 years of age.

--maybe 19 are over 75. --29 are not residents of Winter Haven/Auburndale.

--Maybe 19 are 10 year or longer volunteers with some others having volunteered between 3 to 9 years. --Excluding SNF, the past year had an estimated 12 people volunteering time, effort, money or usable stuff. Looking back to 1998 there were about 102 members….

More Food for thought : So what's the Shop Problem ? -old, failing equipment? -inexperienced users? -available training? -irresponsible users? -cost vs number using? -hours available? -access? -or really nothing for amateur shop?

Feel free to complain and do nothing <G>....Conrad's to someone for cleaning sink, sweeping floors & maybe fixing another light switch. Lemons for food left out for mice and junk on table..

Data from the shop sign in sheets between 10/6/07 and 5/13/08 indicated 37 members signed in 532 times over 218 calendar days.. The following people accounted for 1/3 of the sign-ins: Ripper 79, Westerman 71, Mallette 61, Beisner 60, Campbell 60, Krabbe 38. Four are current builders. Per request from the General Membership recently, sign-in sheets were reinstalled at the front door. Please sign-in.. You also might note anything broken, etc.

My Eye Opener a couple of weeks ago (not updated for recent fuel price decreases however): due to increases in fuel, hanger and insurance costs coupled with flying less hours, my cost/hour has increased almost five fold in the 5 years of flying…For the statistically interested: I'd have to spend 34% more to fly my previous 100 hours/year in order to lower my current cost/flying hour by 50%. Hope wife never figures it out <G>.

Best wishes to Steve Megill recovering from his recent surgery. . Jim Newman's brother-in-law, Ricky Jones is an experienced welder, machinist and anxious to help. X-member Wayne Degellke (sp) stopped by on his new Gullwing cycle. He recently scrapped his unsold UL and got $103 for the Aluminum. He has the fully equipped Rotax (possibly a 447, electric start) available for sale. Meanwhile his wife Ginger, rides his old VW trike to work almost every day.

Met retired Pan American 747 pilot Wally Hoffman who had a story of flying with Wes Rose in a helicopter at 500' all the way to Michigan. Got kind of interesting going through the Tennessee mountains as they had to follow I-75 closely since no place to land otherwise. Wes has since relocated his copter repair to Fort Meade.

Someone ran through the south gate and totaled it. Rumored FAA findings are causing turmoil at GIF. Details in The News Chief (Winter Haven) Newspaper of Sunday 10/26/08. http://www.newschief.com/article/20081019/NEWS/810190299