Regular EAA Chapter 765 meetings are held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the EAA Hangar on Flightline Drive at the Kingman Airport.
   

EAA Chapter 765

CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES

Date: Tuesday, Apr. 10^th, 2007

Time: 7:00 pm

Place: EAA Hanger

Present: 

John Pool, Gary Rucker, Scott Brackett, Dennis Macklin, Rick Warren, Julia Downie, David & Colette Levinson, Mike Finnegan, Mike Bellis, Paul George, Gene Wolff and Joe Shelton.

Meeting called to order:

                John Pool, President

Secretary’s Report:

No changes to secretary’s report. Motion to accept by Gene Wolff and seconded by Paul George. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report:

Scott Brackett reported $3,157.10 in checking account with $31.82 in cash, giving a total of $3,188.92. Motion made to approve treasurers’ report by Mike Finnegan and seconded by Gary Rucker; carried by membership.

Discussion:

Old Business:

The main discussion was of our upcoming Young Eagles Day. We will have ‘walkers’ to take the students to the planes. Rick Warren will be scout merit badge coordinator and gave a presentation on badge requirements. An idea to provide box cameras to the kids to record their flight experience was brought up and considered a good idea. Gene Wolff will be Young Eagles coordinator. The need to support him by the membership is obvious. We need lots of volunteers.

John Pool gave an update on the heater. To date we have $1030.16 donated for its installation.

New Business:

Bill Aronson, a long-time member of EAA and our chapter passed away after a long illness. No other details regarding a memorial service is available at this time. Bill had an outstanding career in aviation spanning many decades. He will be missed.

Gary Rucker reminded everyone of the fly-in to Hurricane, UT, Saturday, April 14^th. He had two seats still available.

Next meeting is Tuesday, May 8^th at 7:00 p.m. with a hands-on building day, Sat. May 12^th at 9:30 a.m. Lets all come out and share our knowledge with each other.

Adjourn:

Motion to adjourn made by Scott Brackett and seconded by Julia Downie, carried by membership. We adjourned at 7:36 p.m.

* * * * * * * * * *

Kingman Airport Update

Elections for the Directors and members for the Airport Authority were held Thursday 19^th of April, but not without contention.  New board members elected and the Committees they will chair are:

Airfield Committee -   Tom Clark

Industrial Park Committee-    Mike Dom

Finance Committee-   Vearl Hanes

New members and the Committees they are assigned to are:

Airfield- Gary Rucker, Paul Wassell.

Industrial- Ron Bitney

Finance- Krystal Burge

Airport staff is now located in the old AV fuel building awaiting the construction of a new building.

Fire House and Administration building construction will start soon by Agate Inc.
Contract 2.2 million.

T-hangar bids were higher than expected with the low bid at $684,942.  Staff is looking at options.

Staff met with FAA at the Arizona Airports Association spring conference and is looking for the release of additional land not used for the airport.  – Scott Brackett

* * * * * * * * * *

Membership Meeting Agenda

Don Downie Memorial Hangar

MAY 8^th, 2007   7:00 p.m.

Meeting called to order:

John Pool, President

Welcome to Guests:

Gary Rucker, Vice President

Secretary’s Report:

Dennis Macklin

    Approval of Minutes     

Treasurer’s Report:

Scott Brackett

    Approval of Minutes

Old Business:

Young Eagle Day Coordinator report:  Gene Wolf

Scout’s Merit Badge Coordinator report:  Rick Warren

Potluck:  Each month EAA and KNG AERO CLUB – Dates to be announced

                  by e-mail or land-mail when date is known each month.  

Hangar Heater Update:  Permit approved – ready to move forward w/ electric,

                                             gas, and hanging of heater. 

New Business: 

           Meeting  Change :  Regular Mtg. 2^nd. Tuesday  plus one Saturday                                                            morning per month.  Purpose:   Aviation                                                                    knowledge sessions, fly-in, &   gatherings.

                                                 Doughnuts & Coffee will be served as incentive.

            Hangar Insulation:  Anyone w/ connections?

Next Meeting:

           Tuesday May 8^th 2007, 7:00 pm

            Saturday May 12^th 2007, 9:00 am

            Don Downie Memorial Hangar

Motion To Adjourn:

REMINDER CALENDAR

.

Theodore William (Bill) Aronson—Feb.25, 1932 to Feb. 6, 2007

I was introduced to aviation at the tender age of three.  My father, who had been active in aviation since 1926, started taking me to the many airports that existed in the Los Angeles area in the 1930’s.  To name a few, there were Western Ave., Dyeers, Grand Central, Bellflower, Central, Vail Field and Culver City Airport.  The latter being where I started flying at age 13.

In 1935, we moved to Shannon Hills Airport.  Our house was located right on the airport property, much to my delight.  We often had different airplanes tied down on our front lawn. One of my favorites was the Sopwith Strut and a Half.

The airport was operated by Owen Cook.  He took care of the flight end and my dad ran the maintenance shop.  I spent all my spare time at the airport, needless to say.

At age 3 ½ , there was a nice lady who used to fly into Shannon Hills Airport and set me on her lap and give me candy and gum. My father told me later in life that “nice lady” was Amelia Earhart. She was taking instrument dual with Paul Mantz. I think she was flying a Lockheed Vaga. I vaguely remember a bright red airplane. A lot of famous people flew in and out of this airport.

In 1936 we move to Culver City. Dad bought a house there with an oversized garage, and contnued to rebuild airplanes. I was building model airplanes by age five.

In 1945 dad built a shop hangar at the Culver City Airport, and I went to work for Pete Leaman as a “gas boy.” My paycheck went all towards flying time. My first dual was with Cliff Bantel, in a 65-hp Porterfield. Later progressing to a Ryan PT-22--my favorite airplane at this time.

I met many famous people there such as Wrong Way Corrigan, Howard Hughes, Benny Howard, Howard Batt, Edgar Bergen, who was a great tipper, also Dick Powell and June Allison, who’s plane I kept polished.

One of the many famous airplanes built on the Culver City Airport was he Aero Commander Twin which was designed by Ted Smith. I had the privilege of bucking rivets on this plane and watching it from its inception as a mock-up through the first test flight.

In 1947, dad sold out and leased the Santa Suzanna Airport. We had a pretty short runway with 60-foot power lines on one end and only a 1760-foot runway. It was too short to operate a flight school out of. So we moved on to Fillmore. There was great interest in an airport in Fillmore, so dad leased 60 acres and planted a 600-foot wide by 3500 foot long turf runway. Dad tried to establish the funding for this airport, and ran up against a lot of opposition from the city council.

The Conejo Valley  Airport was available for lease in 1948, so we jumped at the chance to lease it.  The location was spectacular, and the view even better. Dad ran the airport till 1953 at which time he turned the whole operation over to me. I operated the airport successfully till 1958. That was my greatest year for selling new airplanes. The Aero Commander 500 model was the easiest to sell.

I soon left the FBO for two reasons, I could get only a two-year contract on the airport, plus I was offered a good job with one of the Aero Commander buyers who had an aircraft parts business.  I worked there a year. Soon lost interest because it took away from my flying time.

I then took a job at the MGM studio in special effects. Liked the money, but didn’t like the politics.  So I took two weeks vacation to finish the fabric job on the prototype Stits Playboy N8K. While test flying the Stits, I decided to fly to Oxnard for some pie and coffee and happened to run into C. G. Taylor, the famous designer of the Piper J-3 and the Taylorcraft airplanes. He came out and looked at my Stits and said, “You do pretty nice work, would you be interested in helping me for a couple of weeks.?” Needless to say I was on cloud nine and said “yes” even before I knew what the project was.

C. G. showed me some drawings for a two-place, side-by-side fiberglass Canard. They had just barely started this plane. It was in the mold making process at the time.

After two weeks, he asked me if I’d come aboard and work for him full time.  I asked, “How much money?” He gave me a figure and I said “yes.”  I was in charged of that project until completion.  Next project was the Saturn Meteor Twin as well as the Canard, when time allowed.  The Twin took priority.

One of the backers on the Twin cornered me one day and said, “We should build our own airplanes. You design it and I will finance it and help you build it.”  I was all for it. I gave C.G. two weeks notice. I headed for the high desert and leased the Miller Ranch Airport.  Two months after I moved into the hangar, my backer had a massive heart attack and died in his sleep.  That put me back in the FBO business again. I considered going back to work for C.G., but there was too much conflict with family relations employed by C. G.  He offered to lay them off if I came back, but I decided to take the chance and start out on my own.

The runway at Miller Ranch Airport in Lancaster, California, was on a separate piece of property and my landlord failed to pay taxes, and it was bought out from under him. The man that bought the property was a famous optical  manufacturer. He came to me with a proposal. He wanted me to stay on the balance of the airport property as he had an option to buy it. He offered to pave a runway and make other improvements, so I could keep the FBO. I operated there for 7 ½ years. The improvements never happened.

It was time to move on for two reasons. They built the Fox County Airport, which had a lot of nice qualities such as a paved runway and parking ramps, etc. They also started the construction of Highway 14 freeway between Lancaster and Rosamond which rerouted traffic away from Miller Ranch Airport.

At that time in 1966, the Rosamond Airport was for sale. I negotiated for and was successful in acquiring the property with two other partners, “Doc” Patton and Samuel Ramsey. We formed a corporation and were on our way to fulfilling my dream. I’ve always said, “If you are going to be in the airplane business, it is best to own the real estate.”

First thing we did was pave a runway, taxiway and ramps; then came the maintenance hangar. I personally, with my two mechanic helpers, did the runway with desert mix of oil and natural soil. It is twice as strong as asphalt and lasts a lot longer.  This was quite a chore, but I’m proud to have done it. The cost was a third of what they wanted for asphalt. It lasted 18 years before we coated it again.

We put in a full FBO operation which included a certified radio shop, FAA certified flying school, which included sailplane, commercial and flight instructor ratings. To the best of my knowledge, we were the only FAA certified glider school in the United States. We also painted airplanes, did fiberglass, wood, steel tubing, and metal repairs and construction. Also did a fair share of movie work and sub-contracting from Edwards Air Force Base.

In the back of my mind, I wanted to make this airport always stay an airport. The only way I could figure to do this was to make an airport subdivision out of the property. A skypark with houses and hangars in the back yard off the taxiway. It took me five years to get this project through the county for approval.  Most of the delays weredue to the Sierra Club and politics.

This project started in September 1980. Building permits were ready in April 1985. At permit stage my partner Ron Tennant, an architect on the project, and I sold the development company and construction rights to a contractor I had known for 25 years. (I felt my aviation background didn’t qualify me to do a construction project.)

We sold the property to the contractor and in the dealings we retained the FBO property (approximately 7 acres). In order to fund this project, the note holders on the property subordinated to a 2.6 million dollar loan for development of 60 homes with hangars, and utilities.

The subordination on the FBO was $100,000, which was to be paid by the contractor on July 2, 1986. The loan was based on fraud as the guarantor who co-signed the loan had special financial conditions added to this loan that were not made known to the note holders.  The Savings and Loan did not make  known to the land note holders that there was a $300,000 debt the guarantor owed for a personal debt on another project. The condition of our loan was that the Savings and Loan would subtract the $300,000 off the top of the 2.6 million dollar loan.

The contractor did not reveal this condition, which I later found in legal documents from the courts.  The project financing by the Savings and Loan was contrary to the Truth and Lending Laws.  It is the duty of the S&L to notify note holders of any special conditions such as paying someone else’s debt on a loan manipulation such as this.

I had a litigation against the contractor since 1987 which was pre-empted by the RTC.

The fraud outlined in the above should have put the note holders back in first mortgage position.  The Federal Government set up the RTC (Resolution Trust Corp.) to protect depositors from bad banking practice.

I spent over 25 years grooming the airport and the residential project.  This was my life savings and retirement.

It seems to me that the Federal Government should have looked at my retirement position as they did the depositors.  They knew for five years that the S&L’s were in serious trouble. They keep bailing out the crooks and the honest people like you and me lose their property and constitutional rights because the government gave the RTC a free hand to do anything they want regardle3ss of the law or ethics.

The RTC is nothing  but a high-paying welfare organizarion that caters to unethical attorneys. The RTC attorneys are nothing but 1990 carpetbaggers.

This foreclosure action went on from 1987 to December 7, 1994.  My Pearl Harbor Day!!!

The RTC money supply is endless.  They have collected $35 billion of the $200 billion the taxpayers have put in the RTC fund. I consider this misuse of the taxpayers’ money.

On August 29, 1995m we were notified by our neighbors that the FBO and residential property was now in the ownership of a Real Estate Investment Corp. The shock of learning this from a friend and not my attorney was a bit overwhelming to say the least. The injustice that has been done here is unbelievable. I had put my life and soul into this airport and Skypark, and it has all been taken from me by our Government.

Now I know how the Indians felt when their land was taken from them by the Government. At least they are getting compensation and some land back. I guess if you are Swedish, you aren’t even a minority; you just don’t count at all.