We’re all about flying - how about you?
Join Aviation Explorer Post 62!
East Hill Flying Club, Ithaca Airport

If you’re someone between 14 and 20 who loves flying or wants to learn more about the exciting world of aviation, then our post is for you!

Post 62 meets on second Sunday of each month at 3:00pm at the East Hill Flying Club
Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, 62 Brown Rd. Ithaca NY.

We visit museums and airports, have guest speakers at our meetings to talk about what they’ve done in aviation - airline pilots or recreational flyers, instructors or students, controllers or drone pilots. We’ve visited local airports and air traffic control towers; gone to air shows; done ground school instruction… you’ll help plan what we do!

Here is our meeting and outing schedule through August 2019

December 9th - Materials Science for Aviators - Associate Advisor Mike Thompson will be leading various hands-on demonstrations of dislocations in Al alloys (from easily bent to aircraft hardening for structural use), shape memory alloys, polymer modifications to bounce or dud, jet turbine blades (high temperature section only - sorry), high temperature superconductors. If we’re lucky, the meeting will end by making liquid nitrogen ice cream.
January 13th - Glenn Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport - we’ll meet at the Flying Club at 11:00AM to drive to this unique museum in Hammondsport. Dedicated to the memory of pioneer aviator, Glenn Curtiss, the museum contains a priceless collection relating to early aviation and local history. The museum also features a 75-seat theater, large open area for special events and a museum store. In addition to seeing the museum displays and exhibits, visitors are welcome to visit the Restoration Shop, talk with volunteer craftsman and watch them work on historic aircraft.
February 10th - The Reno Air Races - Held every September just north of Reno, the National Championship Air Races have become an institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world. The National Championship Air Races is the last event of its kind, carrying on the tradition of the Cleveland Air Races of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. For one week, the high desert north of Reno becomes home to hundreds of aircraft, their pilots and crews. Flying Club Instructor Mark Sanford will tell us all about it, and show us some of his pictures he took at the Races.
March 10th - Ithaca Airport - Tour of Taughannock Aviation and Air Traffic Control Tower
April 14th - Ground School - we’ll learn some of the things you need to know to get your pilot’s license.
May 5th (rain date May 19th) - The Hudson River Corridor - There’s no city quite like New York City, and we’ll have the opportunity to fly beside its skyscrapers and circle the Statue of Liberty. Departure time will be determined when we line up volunteer pilots and airplanes.
June 8th (Rain date June 9th) - Reading World War II Days - The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum hosts a World War Two Weekend every year, featuring an airshow with warbirds of all varieties. “Diamond Lil”, one of the very few remaining flying B-24 Liberator bombers, will be there in 2019, along with the CAF’s B-29 bomber "FIFI" (one of only two left flying), and many more. Meet, speak with, and collect autographs from WWII veteran Special Guests, and hear their fascinating, first-person accounts, presented daily on stage and in the briefing tent. More than 1,700 WWII military and civilian re-enactors and dozens of combat and support units, representing many nations, will be all around you. See up to 200 military vehicles, from motorcycles to Jeeps to tanks - the biggest gathering in the country. Stroll around the sprawling encampments and experience what life was like for the "G.I. Joe's", "Tommies", "Diggers","Ivans", and "Jerries" in the field.
July 13th (Rain date July 14th) - Geneseo Airshow - date to be confirmed and details to follow when the National Warplane Museum releases them.
August (date to be determined) - Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome - The stars are the historic airplanes including our 1909 Bleriot, the oldest regularly flying airplane in the Western Hemisphere; the Fokker DR-I Triplane, the most famous fighter of WWI; and a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis. The Saturday “History of Flight” program highlights the Pioneer era before WWI, a WWI show teaser, and the Golden Age of Aviation in the ’20s and ’30s. The Sunday Show is our WWI dog fight spectacular with a hero, a heroine (Cheer!), the villainous Black Baron of Rhinebeck (Boo!), scenery, pyrotechnics and a WWI tank. The supporting cast includes many antique automobiles. Shows start at 2:00 and run until about 4:00.

Download a copy of our 2019 Schedule here (PDF)

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