EAA Chapter 863: News

Root Beer Floats

This Sunday, August 24th, we will include root beer floats with our 4:00 BBQ. Come and enjoy a good time with chapter members and friends.

Fall Classic Fly-In

Begin planning to attend our annual Fall Classic Fly-in at the Lebanon Municipal Airport(M54), Saturday, September 20th, 2008. Enjoy the sights and sounds of Antique, Classic, Homebuilt, Light Sport and Warbird aircraft. Food, fun and fellowship always abounds at our Fly-ins. Trophies will be awarded for most catagory and class aircraft. Biplane rides will be available as well as helicopter and fixed wing. Special fuel discounts will be given by RediAir Flight Support during the event. For more information contact RediAir 615-444-0031.

Sunday Cook-Outs

The chapter is hosting Sunday cook-outs until the end of flying season, most likely the end of September. In order to make it so families with young children who need their naps can attend, we will start serving around 4:00. This is a good time to hop a ride or offer rides in members' planes as well as socialize with each other.

Salute to Veterans event pictures posted

The event was a success thanks to our various sponsors, lots of hard work, and exceptional volunteers in all areas ranging from warbird owners to ground support, and from re-enactors to current military personel. I have begun to post various pictures that have come in from the event and I will continue to update the album as more come my way.

D-Day World War II Memorial Event and Salute to Veterans

Gates open at 10:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday June 7th & 8th ,free to the public, on the west side of the Lebanon Municipal Airport immediately behind Home Depot. Opening ceremonies at 11:00 a.m. Saturday with events through 5:00 p.m.. Sunday, opening events will commence at 12:00 p.m. and continue through 5:00 p.m. Food and drinks will be available from vendors on site. WWII aircraft from Basic, such as the Boeing Stearman PT-17, through advanced fighters , such as the North American P-51 and Republic P-47 will be on display both days. We will have the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force's P-51 Mustang on site both Saturday and Sunday for rides. Rides are 20 minutes long for $895.00.

Extremely Sad News

Today at 12:30 PM, Hamilton Cartwright and Bob Lloyd lost their lives in an accident near Seale, AL while on their way to Sun 'n Fun. Our community has lost very dear friends today. The NTSB will not arrive on the scene until tomorrow, so there is no official word on the cause. You may view WTVM's website for more details at http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=8132303. Please keep Susie Cartwright and family and Bonnie Lloyd and family in your prayers. A forum is available to share your thoughts and prayers.

Tennessee Aeronautics Art Contest

Our annual Young Eagle event, The Tennessee Aeronuatics Art Contest, is Saturday, May 3rd at 10:00 in the Baugh hangar at M54. We need planes, pilots and ground crew. Please come and join the fun.

New Member

Please welcome Katherine Michaela Cartwright to our chapter. She is also the newest family member of James and Deborah Cartwright. She was born on the 25th of March at 12:05pm. She weighed 6lb 13oz and is is a very healthy baby girl.

Congratulations to James and Deborah!

Chapter Forum

The new Chapter 863 Forum is up and running. Log in and check it out. Ask questions, discuss topics, and check back often.

New Members

Please welcome Byrom Stacey and Blaine Peterson as our newest chapter members.

Mt. Juliet Noon Rotary Club

Gary Piper will present the WWII Memorial event to the Mt. Juliet Noon Rotary on March 31st. They have already gotten on board with support and will provide sponsorship contacts, ROTC contacts and veterans.

Welcome to our new website. EAA863.com and EAA863.org is now working!

The new web URL is now working. We need to finish checking out the site. I am fixing bugs as quick as I see them. If you find something that is not working please email James Cartwright and let him know. Excuse the mess as we continue to grow the new site.

Reserve a ride in the P-51 Mustang or the SBD Dauntless!

We have a WWII P-51 Mustang and a SBD Dauntless scheduled to come to town in June. Both of these planes have dual control capability allowing the pasenger to fly the plane. There are two ways you can either ride or fly these magnificent planes.

1) Make a minimum donation of $25 to EAA Chapter 863 and hold tight to your rabbits foot. (The odds are a 1 in 250 chance to win)

2) Purchase a scheduled ride. There are limited guaranteed flights available. The cost for 20 minutes “in the air” for the P-51 is $895 and the cost for the SBD is $525. Contact your local EAA 863 chapter member for details and times available.

These WWII planes are available for you to fly at the D-Day Memorial hosted at Lebanon Municipal Airport on June 7, 8, 2008. Only 500 drawing tickets will be available, two names will be drawn, so it means a 1 in 250 chance of winning a once-in-a lifetime experience. To enter the drawing, a minimum $25 donation to EAA Chapter 863 will secure one ticket. For a $100 donation, you will have 5 entries. Your donation is fully tax deductible and supports several aviation programs for children including “Warm Wings” where we present winter coats to 70—100 local needy children, feed them lunch and fly them in our planes.

The drawing will be held on May 31, 2008. Your flight will be June 7, 2008. You NEED NOT be present to win. Two names will be drawn. The first name will choose which plane he/she will fly and the second name will fly the other plane. If weather or other situation will not allow the planes to come to Lebanon, we will fly you to Dixie Wing Commemorative Air Force home field in Peachtree City, GA to experience your flight.

For more information contact :Gary Piper (615) 480-6471 eaa863@mac.com

The Lebanon City council has approved the D-Day Memorial Event.

The Lebanon City Council meeting was held on Tuesday night, February 19th and the official approval for the D-Day Memorial was given.

D-Day Memorial June 7 - 8, 2008 Lebanon Municipal Airport Lebanon TN Free Admission
We are losing our WWII Veterans at a rate of well over 1,000 per day. Within five years it is likely that they will all be gone forever. EAA Chapter 863 (Experimental Aircraft Association, Lebanon, TN) is hosting a FREE memorial to honor and remember those brave men and women of the “Greatest Generation”. WWII re-enactors will be encamped presenting a “Living History” equipped with preserved vehicles and armament. A tribute to “Rosie the Riveter” and the war effort will be on display. Several Warbirds will be on display including a P-51 Mustang and a Dauntless SBD which are available for you to co-pilot. Veterans will be there for you to meet and thank. Food will be available and other displays and presentations are being contacted and signing up for your experience.

For more information contact: Gary Piper (615) 480-6471 eaa863@mac.com