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EAA-292 Brief History

7S5, Independence Oregon

  • 1964, Independence Airport established

  • 1965, First meeting of interested members

  • 1967, Official founding of Chapter, 26 members

  • 1967-1988, Chapter Meetings in various places (Corvallis, Lebanon, Albany and Independence)

  • 1988, Chapter Builds a hangar on Cherokee Taxiway at 7S5

  • 1990, Jake Thiessen, President

  • 1990, Bob Schwarzler leads 1st Young Eagles Rally

  • 1998, Builds Chapter clubhouse , Bob Schwarzler manages the project

  • 2000, Apply for 501(c)(3)

  • 2000, Noon Patrol Project began

  • 2003, Completed 12 Nieuports

  • 2004, 95 Young Eagles flown

  • 2006, 1st Van’s Homecoming & Fly-In hosted by 292

  • 2008, 1st Chapter in USA with a Flight Simulator, Organized by Chuck West

  • 2011 – 2016, David Ullman President

  • 100+ Young Eagles each year

  • 2015, EAA Chapter Leadership training at 292.

  • 2016, Saturday Youth Build completes the first Youth Build project, a Sonex managed by Bob Schwarzler

  • 2017, South Hangar Expansion Project Managed by Al Cleveland & Henry Bartle

  • 2017, 50th Anniversary, “Total Eclipse” Fly-In

  • 2017, Kickoff of VMC & IMC Clubs Organized by Mike Short

  • 2016, Al Cleveland President (Mike Kelley, President in Training)

  • 2017, Chapter hosts the 1st STOL Expo

  • 2017 Ernie Moreno wins the Tony Bingelis Award

  • 2018, (through 2022), Mike Kelley President

  • 2019, 1st EAA Gold Chapter Award

  • 2019, Saturday Youth build completes Zenith 701

  • 2019, Chapter’s first Ray Scholar, Anders Walters, achieves his Private Pilot’s License

  • 2020, Paid Membership exceeds 200

  • 2021, EAA 292 hosts Breakfast at AirVenture (Oshkosh), 9 Aircraft and 32 members attend

  • Ernie Moreno earns Major Achievement Award

  • 2022, 2nd EAA Gold Chapter Award (2020-21)

  • 2022 Chuck West manages the Purchase and Install of a Redbird FMX simulator.

  • 2022, holds 5th STOL Expo and also the Second Ever Public Showing of the VANS RV-15 prototype (after KOSH).

  • 2022, Third Youth Build aircraft, a VANS RV-12iS nears completion under Al Cleveland’s direction.

  • 2022, Active Membership is around 230+

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