Category Archives: 2024

Fly the Ford Tri-Motor – Apr 4-7, 2024

Many people joined us for Food, History, the Aircraft – TRIPLE Fun!

And Great Fun it was!

Saturday: No flying, so attendees visited hangar with Ford Model A Club

Thursday April 4:  2 – 5pm
Friday April 5 – Sunday, April 7:  8am – 4pm
Double Eagle II Airport, Albuquerque

Fly the Ford!   $99 Adults; $75 for 17 and under
Book Your Flight online!
Tickets are for a particular day, seating is first come, first served. Tickets can also be purchased on site.

Bring the family and your camera; history displays and viewing the aircraft is FREE. Also invited are period Ford automobiles for limited times, Fri – Sun.  Join us for hotdog lunch 11-1:30 Fri-Sun!

General History & Info – Ford Tri-Motor Tour

Directions to Double Eagle II Airport:   Take I-40 or Paseo del Norte west to Atrisco Vista Blvd.  Follow airport signs to main parking lot (FREE Parking).  7401 Atrisco Vista Blvd NW; Albuquerque, NM  87120

Join us to celebrate the visit of a 1929 Ford Tri-Motor 5-AT-E to Albuquerque, at the Double Eagle II airport (on the west mesa). This is an example of an aircraft that helped develop the first commercial air service across the United States. If you joined us in 2017-18, we hosted the “Liberty” Tri-Motor.  This is EAA’s aircraft with Eastern Airlines markings, tied to its history.  It flies at AirVenture in Oshkosh every year.

This relic of aviation history, affectionately called the “Tin Goose”, was the largest civilian passenger aircraft of its time.  Albuquerque shares this unique history, serving as a key stop along the 1920’s Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) route.  Still remaining are concrete arrows, foundations for navigation beacons which guided pilots along the route.

History Presentations and Displays

Friday – Sunday displays by the Albuquerque Cavalcade of Wings and the CCHS Airway Heritage Museum at the Grants-Milan Airport will highlight related aviation history.  Displays will include various model trimotor aircraft designs with ties to Albuquerque, early navigation methods, New Mexico’s TAT role, and remaining area beacon stations and concrete arrows.

EAA Ford TriMotor Inside

Experience the elegance!  EAA’s Ford Tri-Motor interior

EAA Ford TriMotor

Fly EAA’s Ford Tri-Motor at Albuquerque’s Double Eagle II Airport on the west side! 

EAA_Liberty_TriMotor

Get your photo with a flying piece of history!  Liberty Tri-Motor

For weather updates, check our Facebook page:  Facebook.com/EAA179

The Liberty Tri-Motor visited Albuquerque back in 2018. See the announcement and photos from that visit.

February 2024 Chapter Gathering

The February 2024 Chapter Gathering is
Tuesday, February 20th
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:30 PM — “no host” Dinner at Craft Republic, off I-25 at Jefferson
6:15PM — Program:  The Longest Flight in the X-15 Reconsidered                                          by Chris Gelzer

On April 20, 1962 Neil Armstrong made what turned out to be the longest flight in the X-15. It was not supposed to be that way. Typical flights were between 9-10 minutes: this one was 12:28. He has often been blamed for what happened and this is an alternate view.

Christian received his PhD in the History of Technology from Auburn University. He taught for several years before taking the job as historian for NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, in 2002. He has written or co-authored five books and edited another five, as well as published peer-reviewed articles and given public talks. He served as a technical expert for the theater release First Man. His wife was the chief historian at Edwards AFB and now works for AFOTEC, and

Christian has worked remotely since 2001. He is finishing his current book and hopes it will be available in 2024. It is about an alternate spanload to the elliptical, the one used in every airplane you’ve ever seen, touched, or flown on. Ludwig Prandtl, origin of the elliptical spanload (1918), published a second spanload theory in 1933 that remained virtually unnoticed. His ‘bell’ spanload is more efficient, experiences no adverse yaw, and has flown on a number of airplanes at the AFRC. Christian is also finishing his Sport Pilot certificate and has a Quicksilver GT-500 at Mid-Valley Airpark.

Where:  Craft Republic; 4301 The Lane at 25 NE; Albuquerque
Directions: From I-25 northbound, take Jefferson Exit 229.  Turn west (left) on Jefferson for .2 mi.  Turn Right on “The Lane at 25 NE”, then left into the parking lot.

Monthly Chapter Gatherings offer time to network with fellow aviation enthusiasts.  Programs are centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities. Chapter business is addressed in bimonthly online Board meetings.  We hope to see you there!

January 2024 Chapter Gathering

The January 2024 Chapter Gathering is
Tuesday, January 16th
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:30 PM — “no host” Dinner at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse
6:15PM — Program:   Hard Lessons Learned by Ted Hartenstein

Learn from Ted’s experience as an Air Force rescue pilot, Air Force Rescue Coordination Center supervisor, and crash investigator.  Ted will share stories from the 40 or so crash scenes he responded to, and dozens more cases he worked as a mission controller.

Ted is currently the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at Volcano Vista High School (VVHS) in the USAF Retired Reserve.  He served 14 years active duty as a combat rescue helicopter instructor pilot, 15 years AF Reserves including AFRCC mission controller/supervisor, 7 years Arizona Air National Guard as senior command post controller for the largest F-16 wing in the Air Force, 10 years in Spokane Fire Department as FEO/Paramedic, 11 years in Pima County Sheriff’s Department as Deputy/Detective including fatal traffic collision investigation, and about 8 years of varied commercial aviation including cargo, passenger and medevac.

Ted flies an RV-8 and frequently shares his passion for aviation. He’s an active EAA Young Eagle pilot with our chapter and was instrumental in getting the VVHS Guitar group to perform at LOEFI 2023.

Where: BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, Cottonwood Mall, 10000 Coors Blvd NW, Albuquerque
Directions: North or South bound on North Coors Blvd to Cottonwood Mall, 10000 Coors Blvd NW. Take the Cottonwood Loop around to the south end of the parking lot. BJ’s is in a building of its own.

Monthly Chapter Gatherings offer time to network with fellow aviation enthusiasts.  Programs are centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities. Chapter business is addressed in bimonthly online Board meetings.  We hope to see you there!

Double Eagle Aviation Academy (DEAA 2024)

EAA Chapter 179 Presents
Double Eagle Aviation Academy 2024
June 3 – 7, 2024 at Double Eagle II Airport
A great group of students attended this year’s DEAA.
Click here to download DEAA 2024 Photo History (.pdf)

Our 10th Double Eagle Aviation Academy (DEAA) offers another fun and challenging week at the airport!  Students ages 14 – 17 will explore a future in aviation. Students will learn about many facets of flying and airplanes:Download DEAA 2024 Poster

  • learn about career opportunities in aviation from professionals
  • learn and practice reading weather reports
  • learn how to control pitch, roll, and yaw
  • learn the importance of balancing weight in the plane
  • learn and practice interpreting the instrument “Six Pack”
  • learn how aluminum structures are designed to be strong
  • learn what is inside the motors of airplanes
  • learn the legs of a traffic pattern
  • learn and practice communicating at non-towered and towered airports
  • learn and practice assembling a simple electrical wiring circuit
  • learn and practice riveting and rolling aluminum to make part of an aileron
  • learn and practice conducting an aircraft pre-flight inspection
  • learn and practice planning a flight
  • visit the Double Eagle control tower

Doors open at 8:15 AM with time to meet pilots and spend time seeing and talking about different airplanes each morning. Class starts at 9:00 AM. Morning and afternoon snacks and lunch are provided. Each day ends at 4:15 PM. Each student receives a workbook for future reference. If you are interested in aviation, this is an exceptional opportunity to discover the vast possibilities. On Saturday, students are invited to fly with a volunteer pilot on a route they plan during the week.

Questions?  Let us know.  Contact us at deaa@eaa179.org 

Download DEAA 2024 Poster    

 

PAYMENT for Accepted Students only:   PAY $200 TUITION HERE