EAA Chapter 186

Thanks to American Airshow Review visiting Warrenton-Fauquier Airport - KHWY while we were doing our Young Eagles event, we got more lovely pictures of some of our Chapter’s aircraft in action! Our visitors enjoyed the other aircraft too, especially the aerobatic ones putting on impromptu airshows in the aerobatic box, the classic Stearman selling rides, and the jump plane releasing parachutists to brighten up the sky while kids were waiting to fly!

Over 40 of us started this Saturday with pancakes, sausage, and blueberries for breakfast!

Our speaker this morning is Captain Benjamin Ayivorh, US Air Force. Many of you remember his Dad, the late Niiben Ayivorh based at Manassas Airport. Captain Ayivorh has a great story to tell. He began his Air Force career maintaining the F-16 with assignments including the USAF 16th Weapons School and the Thunderbirds Demonstration Team. He then went on to earn his Officer commission and has flown the F-15C/D Eagle, T-6 Texan II and T-38C. Benjamin’s beginnings with flight started at a young age from flying with his father who dreamed of becoming a pilot as a young child growing up in West Africa.

See what fun stuff you’re missing if you’re not joining us? Come to Manassas! Our Chapter meetings are the fourth Saturday each month, usually with coffee and donuts at 9:30 followed by a speaker at 10:00.

Taking a break from the super cold outside, 32 of us are thoroughly enjoying a presentation by Doug “Smash” Yurovich, Col, USMC (ret), former F-18 Pilot and Co-Founder and Chief Instructor at Piston2Jet Flight School.

"Smash" has flight experience in over 70 types of aircraft, including the F-4 Phantom, F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, and the AV-8 Harrier. He served as a US Navy, Marine Corps Detachment, Test Pilot at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station and has the distinct honor of being the first ever Marine to command a US Navy Carrier Air Wing. At Piston2Jet Smash serves as Safety Director creating, managing, and improving safety-of-flight guidelines and procedures. He's a distinguished member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and is the Chief Test Pilot at Piston2Jet.

His first story came from flying backseat with none other than Canadian test pilot Chris Hadfield — later to become famous as a Space Shuttle and ISS astronaut (and musician!) — in spin testing, complete with a jaw-dropping video. Wowsa! He followed that up with the incredibly scary story of his ejection from an F-18.

We do this fun stuff every fourth Saturday from 9:30 to noon; come join us sometime!