EAA Chapter 72
Newsletter - May 2026
Message from the President
We had a great April. The weather was good for Young Eagles, and we had a very good turnout. We were able to get a flight for 31 kids. The fly market was a bit underwhelming, but we had an amazing turnout for coffee and donuts. We heard back from several members who wanted to attend the fly market, but they were volunteering on the ramp. So, we will find a way to deconflict it from Young Eagles in the future. For our normal monthly meeting, we ended up with three different topics; George talked about the Ray Scholarship, Mark talked about Aerolab, and Randy ran the Phase 1 presentation. I hope everyone enjoyed the discussions. We had some rather good talks in smaller groups over lunch once things settled down. That brings up an important point on the Ray Scholarship, get those applications in. The deadline for submissions is 16 May 2026.
We have some good discussions lined up for our Learn to Fly event coming up on 16 May 2026 from 9am – noon. I hope everyone gets the date right. I’ve already talked to several people that have seen some announcement going out for the day before. So just to set the record straight, it will be held on the third Saturday, which is 16 May. I won’t be able to attend, as I have a prior commitment out of state. We all know you’re in good hands. If you have that neighbor that has talked about aviation, get them out to the event, and we should be able to get them an Eagle flight. This event is for everyone, but only adults can fly that day, due to licensing. We have 2 pilots booked right now, so we could use a couple more. Please consider volunteering, as we also need more ground crew. Unfortunately, the ramp tour of aircraft from around the airport won’t be on display this year. We decided to focus on the EAA Chapter and stick to the classes and discussions inside the hangar, and there just was not enough support to continue outside.
June 20th is our project tour, and I have several people lined up to display their projects. If you wish to join the list of presenters, then send me an email at president@eaa72.org, and give me your name and address. We look forward to seeing everyone’s projects. Quick reminder, the schedule will be 9-noon for on-airport hangar tours. From noon to 1pm, we’ll break for lunch at the MLAA hangar and be using the grill for the first time this year. Beginning at 1pm, the offsite project tours will begin. These will be located in everyone’s garages, tough sheds, basements, etc. So, we look forward to seeing everyone’s projects and any unique working environments. The biggest point here is to keep building, no matter where you are.
We’re still looking for an Event Coordinator, so please consider that opportunity.
I was contacted by someone that is looking to rent a propeller balancing tool. I asked around and no-one had one or knew of one on the field. So, they were planning on renting it. I checked and those rentals are usually for a week. If we can coordinate these types of activities, then two people could split that rental for the week and knock out two props to get balanced or possibly three people. It’s just a matter of coordination!
I saved the biggest announcement for the end. Our new website is now live, so please go check it out and poke around. There is a login option at the top right, and you get your own profile with paid membership. You’ll notice several new functions like the Tool Crib, Forum, etc. We are starting an EAA 72 owned tool crib, and we’ve already started listing tools that each of us is willing to loan out. There’s also a new Forum function, so that we can coordinate things like rental of that prop balancing tool. We also now have control of our Facebook group. There will be more information posted there very soon so, please look for the group and join EAA Chapter 72. I hope you like these new features for our chapter. We look forward to your feedback and assistance in expanding these resources.
Bill Epperson Jr, PresidentYoung Eagles
We were able to fly about 2/3 of the Young Eagles who signed up for May 9. The final 1/3 had to b e rescheduled due to the high winds that developed before 11 am. Thanks for your support and understanding.
Adam Pendleton, Young Eagles Coordinator
Chapter 72.5 Activity
This past Saturday the 72.5 kids constructed wing ribs.
Aircraft feature of the month
Rich Wilbur
I was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on September 9, 1952. I grew up in an aviation household, as my father, Joe Wilbur, built his own aviation business, (Wilbur’s Flight Operations), from the ground up in 19XX. Our family flying business was based at Merrill Field, a small airport near downtown Anchorage. From an early age, I spent nearly every waking moment in the hangar and on the runway, listening, learning, and absorbing everything I could about flying. My favorite part was listening to pilots tell their stories, (Hangar Flying); an experience that would later prove invaluable.
I logged my very first flight at the age of 12 in an Aeronca Champ. Each summer thereafter, I logged another flight as a birthday present from my parents. By the age of 15, I began actively pursuing flight training and obtained my student pilot’s license. At that time, the flight school had replaced the Aeronca Champs with the Aero Commander Darter and the Aero Commander Lark.
My first solo flight came at the age of 16 at an uncontrolled airport across Knik Arm from Anchorage, a small gravel strip known as Goose Bay. I flew the Aero Commander Darter for that milestone flight. The Aero Commander 100, known in various models as the Darter Commander and Lark Commander, was an American light aircraft produced in the 1960s. It was a high-wing monoplane of conventional design, equipped with fixed tricycle landing gear.
Because the Aero Commander Lark was more readily available, I transitioned my training to the Lark at Merrill Field, which is a very busy tower-controlled airport. The Aero Commander 100/180 Lark was introduced in 1968 by North American Rockwell as a competitor to the Cessna 172. It featured a 180-horsepower Lycoming engine and a distinctive swept tail, offering noticeably better performance than the earlier 150-horsepower Darter.
During my first solo flight in the Lark at Merrill Field, while climbing out at approximately 200 feet, the engine suddenly began to sputter. Without hesitation, I suspected a magneto problem and switched the magneto selector from “both” to “left”. The engine immediately began running smoothly again. I continued flying the traffic pattern and landed without incident. Later, it was discovered that the internal gears in the magneto had failed. I suppose you could say that all those hours of “Hangar Flying” really did have their benefits.
I received my private pilot’s license on my 17th birthday and knew by then that aviation would be my life’s work. After graduating from East Anchorage High School, I attended Northrop University in Los Angeles, where I earned my Airframe and Powerplant technician certification. I then returned to Alaska and flew a wide variety of aircraft, including single-engine airplanes, multi-engine airplanes, floatplanes, and even helicopters.
Throughout my Alaskan aviation career, I worked for several prominent companies, including Wilbur’s Flight Operations, Valdez Airlines, and PenAir. My roles included Flight Instructor, Captain, Chief Pilot, Check Airman, Director of Operations, and Director of Training. During this time, I instructed a beautiful young woman named Jeanne. She not only earned her pilot’s license but also, eventually, a marriage license! Jeanne and I were married on March 3, 1979, and together we raised two children, Mark and Lindsay.
After more than 20 years of flying in Alaska and logging over 14,000 flight hours, I decided to pursue flying in what Alaskans refer to as the “Lower 48”. Our family relocated to Colorado, where I began flying Boeing 737s for MarkAir, based in Denver. As anyone in the aviation industry knows, circumstances can change quickly, and the following year I began flying for Western Pacific Airlines in Colorado Springs, the city I still call home today.
I later flew internationally for Express One International, operating throughout Europe, Mexico, and the United States. In 2003, I joined what would become my final and favorite Part 121 Airline, JetBlue. I was based at JFK, which became my home away from home, for more than 14 years.
By the age of 65, I had accumulated over 32,000 flight hours. On my final scheduled airline flight, I was joined by my wife Jeanne, my son Mark, my daughter-in-law Heidi, my daughter Lindsay, and my three grandsons, Cody, Grayson, and Ryan. As they say, the rest is history. I continued flying for JetBlue as a delivery pilot until May of 2020.
Editor’s Comments:
Rich has been working on two Waco restoration projects at KFLY but has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness which has devastated his progress. We wish him the best as he gets through each day, one at a time. God bless Rich Wilbur.
Randy Loyd, Newsletter Editor