Aeronca Aviators Club…
…is now officially back! Originally founded by Joe and Julia Dickey, who published a very informative and enjoyable newsletter for many years before retiring from the aviation world. We resolve to bring you a new version of this venerable name with new contributors, experienced Aeronca owners, flyers, mechanics, historians, and enthusiasts.
This is a self-supporting endeavor, backed by the administrative tools, experience and resources of the Bellanca-Champion Club. Except for the back-office and some staff in common, this Club is a separate entity formed specifically to serve Aeronca owners, pilots and admirers; as such it needs your support both as members and contributors.
The initial staff (or cast of characters, as we refer to ourselves) will be comprised of:
Robert Szego, President of the Bellanca-Champion Club;
Cy Galley, Editor-in-Chief of B-C Contact! has consented to be Editor of The Aeronca Aviator;
Tony Markl, L-16 rebuilder, fabric recover instructor, tailwheel and (low and slow) formation instructor, has offered his technical support;
Carl White, Aeronca Editor of B-C Contact!, author of the Aeronca Corner column, who has restored a good number of Champs and Citabrias.
Also contributing will be Charlie Lasher, author of several books on Aeroncas and STCs, Bill Pancake, renowned Aeronca expert, Jim Spee, our West Coast connection, Tony Buttacavoli with his inspiring prose, Joe Abrahamson, who hosts the Aeronca sector of the Cactus Fly-In and many more. We welcome and will recognize your contributions.
Our aim is to provide the Aeronca world with an international organization devoted to the marque, and dedicated to the reborn Aeronca Aviators Club’s long-term future. The first step in this process will be the publication of the “flagship” of the organization, a quarterly newsletter. In this regard, the staff of the Bellanca-Champion Club brings with them the ability and track record of the past six years, which began with a 16-page newsletter that has grown to the current, well-received B-C Contact! of 28 pages and still growing. A Preview Issue of the Aeronca Aviator will be distributed at Sun ‘n Fun 2004, at the Vintage Aircraft Type Club tent.
The AAC website www.aeronca.org will also grow with time and membership growth, providing not only an entry point for those on the internet, but gradually increasing its technical content. A longer-term goal is to establish regional Fly-Ins for our members and guests for face-to-face contact with each other and provide venues to show off their aircraft. Many other programs, limited only by imagination and finances, will be added as resources allow. We invite all Aeronca fans to join us and help us grow into the very valuable organization we hope to become. Your commitment now will allow us to commit the resources that will be required – all new memberships will run effective July 2004 – the date of our first full newsletter.
Aeronca Aviators Club
PO Box 66, Coxsackie
NY 12051
518-731-3131
For more information, contact Robert Szego, Cy Galley, Tony Markl or Carl White at staff@aeronca.org, or visit the website at www.aeronca.org.