and EAA chapter 800
HAWK and EAA chapter 800 are separate organizations that work hand in hand to get and keep the kids interested in aviation careers.
This newsletter was delayed because of numerous exciting things happening with both organizations that carried over in to March. I will start with the March happenings then back up to January.
Braden is now a Private Pilot
He passed his check ride with flying colors. Braden is HAWK’s first official in-house trained pilot. There will be more pilots shortly.
Sterling H-HAWK’s CFII was invited to attend the AOPA Bob Hoover awards ceremony in Washington DC. Sterling was fortunate enough to sit at the table with Mr Vangrunsven and his wife. (yes the VAN’s aircraft owner that has over 10,000 airplanes flying and another 4000 plus in construction). Sterling had a really good time and really represented HAWK. Sterling was fortunate enough to rub elbows with all the VIP’s in aviation- lucky guy!.
Courtesy Eddie Clements, Photographer
Programs like bringing a Helicopter to an EAA meeting really helps keep the kids interested. Jake M(15) talked about his hot air balloon instruction at the meeting and how excited he is to be able to start feeling like he can fly it. He is getting good and should be able to get his Private pilot’s license this summer when he turns 16. He is getting close to doing his solo flights and has his Student Pilot’s license. A little more instruction and he will be ready to solo – he just needs to get his written test out of the way. One big problem in Ballooning is the lack of Designated Examiners. There are not any balloon Designated Examiners in Colorado and the only ones are in most of the west Utah and New Mexico. It seems that there is getting to be a lack of Designated Examiners in all phases of General Aviation.
The EAA chapter meeting also dealt with figuring out how the EAA Chapter 800 and HAWK trip to Oshkosh will be handled; what kids are going and who will be mentors to oversee the kids. Another discussion concern’s the funding and logistics for the trip. This will be the third trip for the organizations. The kids are lining up to go and are really excited.
The next topic was the MAY 18-20, 2018 Mack Fat Tire Jamboree. EAA Chapter 800 with HAWK’s help is feeding the attendees and their solicited help at the chapter meeting. Anyone wanting to help please contact EAA 800 president Kim Neibauer or Ken and Jerry Hurt. The Jamboree is always interesting. Mack has free camping and airplane parking areas on a nice manicured grass area. Plus there is an evening bonfire and other goings on during the event. Bring your airplane and come play or if you do not have an airplane still come enjoy the festivities. (I would bet J F could easily win the short takeoff and landing competition).
Now the HAWK Happenings
As mentioned above Braden’s work has paid off he is now an official pilot! He is HAWK’s first in-house trained pilot. He is starting his next rating – his instrument rating plus his Hot Air Balloon rating. (Braden turned 17 in January).
Logan has now soloed in the family 172 and is working on his hours for his Private. He turns 17 in August and should be ready for his Private about the same time.
Jake and Christa should have their Hot Air Balloon private’s before years end.
The Kids are learning!
The Cherokee flies instruction regularly.
Braden took his checkride with Lynn French the Designated Examiner. He chose to give him the test in the HAWK Cherokee. So far, Braden seems to finally be in harmony with the weather gods. Braden plans and the weather turns on him. Lynn French issued Braden one of the last paper student pilot certificates before the IACRA program went into effect. So far, thanks to generous donations of cash, airplanes and other items the HAWK kids can afford to fly the Cherokee for nearly free as long as they work in the shop and earn their time. Five hours in the shop gets them one hour plus $10.00 for insurance for flight time in the Cherokee. Braden is the caretaker of the Cherokee and rounds up the younger HAWK kids to clean it, keep it nice and shiney and now he can fly them. Sterling is the mentor and instructor in the Cherokee. Jerry F is the AP/AI that keeps the maintenance current.
Courtesy Eddie Clements, Photographer
HAWK’s January and February consisted of working on the Zenith 701. The 701 was moved into the heated build hanger and the wings are temporarily installed. The engine mount and engine are installed and now all the logistics of where to mount oil coolers and the new Zenith factory radiator is in process. The airplane was weighed (583 pounds) as it sits nearly complete- only the cowl and a few small parts were missing. It looks like it will be around 625 pounds when completed. It should really perform as light as it is. The Pega Daedalus wings make putting the airplane together interesting- they are totally different than the Zenair wings- longer with a different airfoil and with slide out slats. Pat and the 701 kids are doing a very nice job on the airplane. Tim Allen and his daughter Kaitlin made Carbon Fiber wing root fairings to fair the wings into the fuselage. They look awesome! Tim plans on making a Carbon Fiber cowl to help keep the weight down. Hal Stockman with Zipper Big Bore donated his time to check out the 912 Rotex going into the airplane. Hal purchased the pusher Rotex 912 exhaust that did not fit on the 701. Zenith is making the correct exhaust for the 701. The Zenith 701 is turning into a really nice airplane. Hopefully the 701 it will make Oshkosh 2018- that is the goal. 90 percent done 90 percent left to go. The crew working on the 701 primarily consists of Kaitlin, William M, William A, Collin, and Jake, with mentor’s Pat W and Tim A overseeing the project.
The F35 bonanza donated by the Lovelace’s was evaluated after the donation became official in January. The airplane looked good and the leather interior was really nice. Once we got past the pretty there were numerous issues that needed fixed due to years of sitting, potentially costing a lot of money. (Airplanes do not do well with non use especially if left outside to the elements – they are made to be used). The radios were old and out of date. The big item was the propeller. It had a big AD on it and after chatting with propeller shops it was determined that the HAWK piggy bank was not near big enough to handle the estimated cost to just do the AD, much less do the rest of the needed repairs. To comply with the propeller AD alone the cost could be from minimum of $4,000 just to comply if everything was Ok to as high as $14,000.00 if the blades were bad. A friend with the same prop just spent $8,000 to get his propeller updated to do away with the AD (the AD is due every 5 years unless updated). HAWK CFII Sterling flew N3815B a lot in the past and said the airplane would not work to train the kids. The kids could not get complex airplane time because it had a throw over yoke and no brakes on the passenger side. Using it for instruction was out. The cost to get it flying was extreme. The fact the airplane only has a value of around $35,000 in real good shape made the cost of repair prohibitive. HAWK had two offers for the airplane and the members decided in a special meeting to accept one of the offers rather than take the risk of fixing it and marketing it with HAWK’s limited funds.. The Items that needed fixed were items that the kids could not do in house, so from an educational standpoint it was not a good investment. The airplane now has a good new home with someone repairing it to use it as their personal airplane. (HAWK was not going to let it be scrapped). And HAWK has a few more dollars in its account. Again thank you Mr and Mrs Lovelace.
Courtesy Eddie Clements, Photographer
HAWK member Ron Huddleston and his wife were so impressed with how the members of HAWK handled N3815B and that the HAWK group wanted to see it continue to fly rather than scrap the airplane they decided to donate their airplane to the program. In February the Huddleston family donated the 2014 Arion Lightning that Ron built to HAWK. (Actually it is a Huddleston Lightening on the registration). The airplane needed a condition inspection and some minor work which the kids can help with. By HAWK doing the work to get it in the air. With Ron’s blessing the plan is for the airplane to be available for sale at Oshkosh 2018 with the funds going to educate the HAWK youth in aviation. Ron Flew P2V Neptunes off aircraft carriers and is a retired from United Airlines and is aware that most kids can not afford to fly due to today’s costs. He is a HAWK member and is doing his part to get kids into aviation. Ron donated the funds to do the Cherokee interior and really believes in kids being the future of general aviation. Thanks Ron and Gayle for your support. Jerry F is currently doing the condition inspection with any kids he can steal from other projects to help.
The balloon is flying regularly and several HAWK kids should have their private certificates by the end of 2018. The chosen kids can fly it at no expense to them. (totally free including fuel and instructor) The program is like an aviation scholarship for the chosen HAWK kids that will be old enough to get their Private Pilots certificates within a year or add it as a type rating. The kids can solo it at 14 and get their private at 16 years old. The kids chosen to fly the balloon must crew it, work in the HAWK shop regularly and must attend the free HAWK ground schools each month. Currently Jake M, Christa, Braden, are working on their Private pilots license. Michelle H is the mentor and Eddie C is maintenance and instructor. William M got HAWK’s second inflator fan running. William is also turning into HAWKS engine mechanic and is currently repairing a 20 hp John Deere lawn mower motor that HAWK will sell for operating funds. ( I will say going through the IACRA program to become a recommending instructor was enough to drive a grown man crazy.) Without Sterlings help I would have given up. With Sterling’s help and after 2.5 hrs of trying to get my address recognized I became a Recommending Instructor- what a pain! Seems the records show my home address as a business since I use it to repair balloons and IACRA will not take a business address. Thanks to Sterling my official address for IACRA is now 5 miles SW of Fruita- go figure)?.
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The HAWK 172 is being reskinned due to the hail damage to all the top surfaces. The wing is in the Cessna wing Jig and is being taken apart. Solomon B is removing the damaged firewall. Christa and Collin have removed the tail and are currently reskinning the wing and control surfaces. Collin, Solomon and Logan are the crew working on it with Shay and Eddie as the mentors. This is a big project and will be years in the making but will make an exceptional 172.
This program really shows the kids how to do aircraft type sheet metal work. And is very active. There are about 20 boxes in various stages of construction plus more than 10 finished. Tristan, Ryan, his brother , and Collin are doing a very good job on their boxes and should progress to aircraft work shortly. Collin is working on the 172 mentored by Christa.
Courtesy Eddie Clements, Photographer
Watch for Beth Stanton’s article on the HAWK program in the MAY 2018 issue of Sport Aviation- it should be interesting.
HAWK is growing rapidly!
