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Message From the President

TWO RASCALS FAMILY E-2 RARE FAIRCHILD

M AY / J U N E 2 02 1

Serial Collector

Messa ge From t he President

SUSAN DUSENBURY, VAA PRESIDENT

Opening up the Vintage Grounds at E A A AirVenture

AS YOU READ THIS, those of us here at Vintage are buried deep in preparations for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021. In this the most unusual of years we find ourselves deeply involved with special COVID safety measures. It is a real balancing act of preservation of the AirVenture culture while maintaining common sense as well as government-recommended and -required safety protocols. Of course, the COVID precautions are based on the guidelines at the time of this writing, but even so we are not expecting any major changes between now and the start of AirVenture.

Some of the COVID precautions that you can expect are very familiar to all of us. For example, throughout the AirVenture grounds masks will be strongly recommended if you are unable to social distance. And, increased physical distancing will be encouraged in all areas. Vintage in Review will have reduced seating, and all Vintage buildings will have a reduced capacity. The Vintage Tall Pines Café will have reduced seating indoors (We will finally get to use our new tables and chairs!), and we will be placing picnic tables outside as a backup for our diners. (I’m trying to not lose sleep over the impact of a rainy day on all of our planning!) In-depth information on COVID mitigation procedures at AirVenture 2021 is available at EAA.org. Once on EAA’s website click on “AirVenture COVID Updates.”

On a more refreshing note, Tall Pines will be offering a limited menu of “grab and go” items at our new takeout area that will be entirely separate from the normal breakfast area and line. Look for the “Grab and Go” or “Takeout” signage. We have not finalized the menu yet, but I am advocating along with other choices some type of fresh fruit and a simple healthy choice takeout snack box.

In June 2021, and for the first time in two years, our talented and dedicated volunteer maintenance team chaired by Mike Blombach will arrive on the EAA grounds at Wittman Regional Airport to make some muchneeded repairs and improvements on our buildings located throughout the Vintage area. I might add that even though we have been absent for basically two years, the buildings have been regularly inspected for anything that would need immediate attention. Typically, Vintage has three work parties before the fly-in every year. This year we will host two work parties as the EAA grounds will not be open for volunteers until June 1. As a side note, 15 to 30 Vintage volunteers are on hand for these events. We always have a lot of fun. (Any of you Vintage types are welcome to join in on the fun! Just call Amy Lemke at 920-426-6110 for info.) The first order of business this upcoming June is to install large overhead fans in the Vintage Hangar to complement the roof vents that were installed last fall by subcontractors. We will also be making a few improvements on the VAA Red Barn, making some minor repairs both on our buildings and on the Vintage grounds, as well as adding a splash of paint here and there. Landscaping will be completed just before the fly-in.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 64 May/June 2021

STAFF

Publisher: Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and Chairman of the Board Vice President of Publications, Marketing, and Membership: Jim Busha / jbusha@eaa.org Senior Copy Editor: Colleen Walsh Copy Editors: Tom Breuer, Jennifer Knaack Proofreader: Meghan Plummer Graphic Designer: Cordell Walker

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CONTACT US

Mailing Address: VAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Website: www.eaavintage.org Email: vintageaircraft@eaa.org Phone: 800-564-6322

Visit www.eaavintage.org for the latest in information and news.

Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Association and receive Vintage Airplane magazine for an additional $45/year.

EAA membership, Vintage Airplane magazine, and one-year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association are available for $55 per year (Sport Aviation magazine not included). (Add $7 for International Postage.)

Foreign Memberships Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars. Add required foreign postage amount for each membership.

Membership Service P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 Monday–Friday, 8 AM—6 PM CST Join/Renew 800-564-6322 membership@eaa.org

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