Hello – EAA Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

February 2026 Chapter 179 Gathering
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:00 PM — “No Host” Dinner at BJs Restaurant & Brewhouse
6:15 PM — Introductions and Program
Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.

           Program:  3D Printing and Aviation – Pedal Planes and Flight Simulators
By Mike Paxson

Long time EAA 179 member Mike Paxson will cover a brief history and explanation of 3D printing followed by his printing journey over the past several years. He will highlight his original inspiration in flight simulators followed by the design and printing of PedalPlane accessories.
Mike has been 3D printing for the last several years. He originally delved into this hobby after viewing an online video showing how to print and build a replica Supermarine Spitfire Spade Grip for flight simulators.

Fast forward to today, he now prints these flight simulator controls and ships them around the country. In addition to flight simulator controls, he has designed and printed accessories for PedalPlanes using self-taught 3D CAD. These accessories have been featured in EAA179 PedalPlanes raffled at LOEFI and have found themselves in other PedalPlanes around the country.

Mike was introduced to aviation by his grandfather who after enlisting his help to work on or wash the aircraft would say something like, “Wanna go? We need to make sure it still flies!” Mike has been an EAA179 chapter member since 2017, served as LOEFI chair in 2019 and 2023, and shared a personal flight simulator for our Aviation Academy (ultimately donating it).

Where:  BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse at Cottonwood Mall 10000 Coors Blvd, Albuquerque.
Directions:   Head North or South bound on Coors Blvd to Cottonwood Mall, 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 programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.  We hope to see you there!

Hello – EAA Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

 January 2026 Chapter 179 Gathering
Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:00 PM — “No Host” Dinner at BJs Restaurant & Brewhouse
6:15 PM — Introductions and Program
           Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.

           Program:  “Over New Mexico and the Southwest” with Jeff Gilkey

Jeff Gilkey has been involved in aviation most of his life.  He flew hang gliders in Calif and NM in the 80’s and 90’s, including over 200 flights from the Sandia Crest. He studied aerospace engineering in college, and worked on navigation, guidance and control systems at Sandia Labs, retiring in 2016.  Since 2004, he’s flown his experimental light sport weight-shift control aircraft or “trike”, logging more than 2500 hours on cross country trips into nearly every corner of New Mexico and surrounding states.  For Jeff, the trike is the perfect flying machine, combining the intuitive natural wing controls of a hang glider, and the long distance, low speed cruise capability of an efficient engine with a large gas tank.

Jeff serves as Secretary of the Board of the New Mexico Pilots Association (NMPA).  He writes an “Obscure and Scenic New Mexico” column for their newsletter.  Jeff enjoys the pilot camaraderie met through the NMPA and believes it is a great way to create a network of friendly flying contacts across the state.
Jeff has been happily married to his wife Amy for 46 years, with 2 amazing adult daughters, Nyssa and Lindsay.  Jeff has also raised a series of golden retrievers.  He always wanted to fly with his dog in the back seat, but knowing that would terrify them, he opted for a life-sized toy dog.

Where:  BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse at Cottonwood Mall 10000 Coors Blvd, Albuquerque.
Directions:   Head North or South bound on Coors Blvd to Cottonwood Mall, 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 programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.  We hope to see you there!

Hello EAA Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

The December 2025 Chapter Gathering
Tuesday, December 16th
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:00 PM — “No Host” Dinner at Fiesta Azul Tequila House
6:15 PM — Introductions, Brief Program
Program — 2025 Chapter Awards & Optional Gift Exchange

Join us for our year-end holiday party. It is primarily a social event, full of holiday cheer and aviation camaraderie. A short program will present awards and reflect on the many 2025 accomplishments of our members.

We continue our lively tradition with an optional gift exchange ($15 limit) where those who bring a gift will receive a gift.  Anyone may participate. Regardless, plan to come and share some smiles and laughter with fellow aviation enthusiasts

Where:   Fiesta Azul Tequila House  View the online Menu.
                6910 Montgomery Blvd NE, Albuquerque

Directions: Restaurant is on south side of Montgomery Blvd NE, just west of Louisiana Blvd. Take Georgia St NE to access the main parking lot behind the restaurant.

Monthly Chapter Gatherings offer time to network and with programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.
Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.
We hope to see you there! 

Your Board-appointed Nominating Committee recommends these volunteer candidates, willing to serve starting January 1, 2026. Additional candidates for any position may be nominated from the floor by any current member in good standing during the Annual Membership Meeting. Self-nominations welcome. The election will be conducted at the November 2025 Annual Membership Meeting & Chapter Gathering.

If you are unable to attend in person, you may assign your voting proxy to any member in good standing. To submit your proxy, click here to open an eMail message. Fill in the blanks and Send it; it will go to secretary@eaa179.org.

Proposed 2026 Slate

President – Art Woods
Vice President – Gilbert Merriman
Secretary – Diana Volker
Treasurer – John DeWitt

Directors:
Alex Basinger (2 year term)
Kyle Reinhardt (2 year term)

Continuing as 2026 Directors: (not up for election this year)
Lance Hunter
George Young
Joyce Woods (as Past President)

For reference, here’s our current Board & Committee Leadership.
Board meetings are typically held one evening every odd month via Zoom. Any members are welcome and encouraged to participate. Various committee positions open – if interested, contact any board member.

Regards,
Art Woods, Jim Kessler, Lance Hunter
EAA 179 Nominating Committee 2025

Hello – EAA Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

The November 2025 Chapter Gathering
& Annual Membership Meeting
Tuesday, November 18th, 2025
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:00 PM — “No Host” Dinner at BJs Restaurant & Brewhouse
6:00 PM — Introductions
. . . . . . . . . Annual Membership Meeting
. . . . . . . . . Program:  “Super Duty!” with Gregg Cuoco (postponed from October)

Annual Meeting: Each year, chapter members in good standing vote to elect Chapter officers and Board Members for the coming year. For details, visit the Nominating Committee Report.

Program: From last month’s synopsis: “Greg awaits a DAR visit as we go to print. He recently moved his masterpiece to the airport and will provide an update on his build.  Since he last presented, everything has come together! The airplane now has an instrument panel, interior, Honda engine, and 5 bladed prop!
But wait ‘til you see his flashy wrap! WOW—stop by his hangar if you’re out at the airport.  It’s a beauty!”

But now .. he will soon fly his beauty, if he hasn’t already. Come out to hear his story.

Where:
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse at Cottonwood Mall 10000 Coors Blvd, Albuquerque. Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.

Directions:   —    North or South bound on 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 programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.
Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.
We hope to see you there!

Hello EAA Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

The August 2025 Chapter Gathering
Tuesday, August 19th
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:00 PM — “No Host” Dinner at BJ’s Restaurant @ Cottonwood Mall
6:15 PM — Introductions
. . . . . . . . . Program:  “R&R Canopy” with Jim Kessler

From 5pm, enjoy a Slideshow of members’ experiences at the Inaugural Roswell National Championship Air Races!  If you have race photos to share, bring them on a USB drive.

This presentation is about the experience of replacing one of the most difficult components on a Vans airplane, the canopy. Jim Kessler will discuss his experience in working with plexiglas, the canopy frame, Vans construction instructions and 30 year old drawings. Entertainment is guaranteed!

Where:  BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse at Cottonwood Mall 10000 Coors Blvd, Albuquerque. Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.

Directions:   —    North or South bound on 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 programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.
Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.
We hope to see you there!

Hello EAA Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

The August 2025 Chapter Gathering
Tuesday, August 19th
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:15 PM — “No Host” Dinner at BJ’s Restaurant @ Cottonwood Mall
6:15 PM — Introductions
. . . . . . . . . Program:  “New Construction is Easier than Remodeling” with Bob Waters

Bob Waters, past chapter president and long time member acquired a Velocity aircraft two years ago.  After considerable inspection and improvements, he took it up for a first flight in April 2025. He will talk about his experience with this airplane which he summarizes with, “you have to check everything when you don’t know what you have”.

Bob got his A&P credentials (Aircraft & Powerplant) in June 2021 and has had plenty of opportunity to apply his skills to this Velocity project.

Where:  BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse at Cottonwood Mall 10000 Coors Blvd, Albuquerque. Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.

Directions:   —    North or South bound on 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 programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.
Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.
We hope to see you there!

Hello EAA Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

The July 2025 Chapter Gathering
Tuesday, July 15th
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:15 PM — “No Host” Dinner at BJ’s Restaurant @ Cottonwood Mall
6:15 PM — Introductions
. . . . . . . . . Program:  “Riding the Wind ..” with William Hill

Bill Hill will be our Guest Speaker this month.  He is a Gentleman of Extraordinary Character and Abilities. He is a glider pilot and author, known for his book “Riding The Wind: A Lifetime Of Flying” and his participation in the movie “Cloud Street, Soaring the American West”. He is also a former air traffic controller and air ambulance pilot, and has logged over 21,000 hours of flying time.

From  Emilio: “Our Program this month, on 15 July, will be presented by Bill Hill.  I have know Bill for some years.  He has stories that will enthrall you and thrill you and they seem to be never-ending!  You should make an effort to be at our Social Gathering this month, enjoying the fine foods at BJ’s Restaurant, and then settle back to hear Bill tell his story!

Check out his book – “Riding The Wind: A Lifetime of Flying”.  He is a movie star, in addition to being a former Air Traffic Controller, Air Ambulance Pilot, and Airline Pilot, and now a Glider Pilot, accumulating more than 20,000 total hours of flight time.

Where:  BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse at Cottonwood Mall 10000 Coors Blvd, Albuquerque. Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.

Directions:   —    North or South bound on 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 programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.
Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.
We hope to see you there!

Hello Chapter 179 Members and Friends – Join us!

The June Chapter Gathering
Tuesday, June 17th
Join us – in person!  Visitors Welcome

5:00 PM — “No Host” Dinner at BJ’s Restaurant @ Cottonwood Mall
6:15 PM — Introductions
. . . . . . . . . Master Pilot Award Presentation

Art Woods will be presented the Wright Brothers Master Pilot award by Joe Kluk of the Albuquerque Flight Standards District Office. Art will also share his personal flying story, with highlights of over fifty years of flying.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award–is named in honor of Orville and Wilbur Wright who were two American aviation pioneers credited with inventing, building, and flying the world’s first successful motor-operated airplane. The Wright Brothers made the first controlled, sustained flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft with the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The brothers were also the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible.

To be eligible for the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, nominees must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a U.S. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificate.
• Have 50 or more years of civil and military piloting experience or 50 or more years combined experience in both piloting and aircraft operations.
• Up to 20 years of the required 50 years may be U.S. military experience.
• The effective start date for the 50 years is the date of the nominee’s first solo flight or military equivalent.
• The 50 years may be computed consecutively or non-consecutively.
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Have NOT had any airman certificate revoked.

Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.

Where:  BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse at Cottonwood Mall 10000 Coors Blvd, Albuquerque

Directions:   —    North or South bound on 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 programs centered on exchanging experiences and ideas about aviation – airplanes, flying, and flying activities – rather than the chapter business which is addressed in bimonthly Board meetings.
Arrive anytime from 5:00 and dinner is not required.
We hope to see you there!