March, 2021 ~ ~ Volume 46, Issue 3 ~ ~ EAA Chapter 569 Newsletter www.eaa569.org ~ facebook.com/eaa569 ~ Lincoln, NE

Meeting Announcement • We are resuming our traditional general meetings on the first nd Date: Tuesday, March 2 Tuesday of the month. • Next meeting March 2, 7:00pm Time: 7:00pm Seward Airport, Whisler Aviation. This is a fly-in location so if the Program: Greg Whisler weather is good saddle up the airplanes. Greg and his wife Terri own and operate • Prior to the meeting we will gather Whisler Aviation at the Seward Airport. at La Carreta Mexican Restaurant Besides all of the typical services an FBO for dinner at 6:00PM. It is located has to offer, they also specialize in the about 1 mile south of the airport on disassembly and transportation of non- Hwy 15 (3531 Progressive Rd, flyable or unairworthy aircraft. Greg will Seward, NE). share some of these adventures with us. • Agreed to offer an invitation to the Because Greg’s schedule can change in a NE Corvette Association to attend moment’s notice, please check the our breakfast when the weather Chapter 569 Facebook page or website improves. Airplanes and Corvettes before heading to the Seward Airport. (or display vehicle) sounds fun.

Place: Whisler Aviation I would like to continue to find more Seward Airport (KSWT) ways to involve youth in aviation in

addition to the Young Eagles events. Anyone who is aware of a youth that President’s Message has an aviation passion please let us know and help us get them involved. Tom Trumble EAA has other activities, besides Young Eagles, such as model building. It has been a long cold spell. My 172 is We would welcome volunteers to start so neglected it won’t speak to me. It just a program. sits in the hangar and looks sad. Tomorrow is the Crete breakfast which Please consider joining our chapter or I dearly love to fly to, but the forecast of renewing your membership. $20/year. low visibility and fog leads me not to See Cristi Higgins or visit our web site. plug the bird in tonight and drive to http://eaa569.org/ Crete. Several decisions were made at the last Our next business meeting is March business meeting on Feb. 16. Please read 16 at 7:00pm. This will be a Zoom the minutes for the details. meeting. We will send an email link. If Some bullet point items: you are unable to connect with a • The 2020 Christmas party was computer, the email will have phone officially canceled with the 2021 numbers that allow you to join the event scheduled for December 5th. meeting by phone. Page 2 of 8 EAA 569

Airplane-bike Touring many an old and picturesque mighty Elkhorn River has done to By Tom Winter building. Friendly people, too. The the town of Winslow. guy running the service station Planning helps. I often get on What if, when you land at a happily aired up my soft rear tire Google Earth, which is easier Nebraska airport, you want to from a compressor he had in the nowadays, just enter the town name explore the town? Take it from me, back of his truck. in the search box, click on the map, there are some great bike rides out At Scribner, you have a choice of then click on “satellite” at the lower there. Small town Nebraska is great small-town tours, because airport left, and zoom in. You can get close for bicycle tours, and the people you SCB is smack between Scribner and enough, if there is a highway, to see stop and chat with are delighted that Hooper. Skylar Steffes if there is a ride-worthy shoulder. the guy on the bike got there (Aeronautics Division Employee of This often doesn’t matter, as the (deliberately!) in an airplane. the Year 2019), will offer you a ride typical road from a small town Albion is a favorite, a three-mile into town. If your choice is Scribner, airport to the town is not heavily bike ride through rolling take him up on it. It’s no fun traveled! The road from Matt countryside, with pleasant stops bicycling three miles on Hwy 275. Christen’s shop at Pawnee City is along the way to admire, and even For biking, Hooper is the better two-lane blacktop, and you’ll be the to photograph the landscape, choice: ride straight east on County only traffic on it! Sometimes I call including a stop on the bridge over Road J four miles into Hooper. Matt to check on the grass strip first. Beaver Creek. There’s a Mom and Pop little Exploring Pawnee City, you will Red Cloud, as a bike ride, is barely restaurant at the edge of town where soon find a bike trail past steel worth mentioning, as you could spit you can refresh yourself with a soft sculptures, that are aptly titled from the airport to the town, but you serve cone. Don’s Barber Shop, on “Children at Play.” The Pawnee unfold the bike anyway, for the sake Hooper’s historic main street, is City bike trail ends up in the 710 of exploring Red Cloud. Park where I go to get my haircut. $10, Trail. Again, you’ll be the only anywhere. Drop in at Scott and you “look like a gentleman,” as traffic on it! Osborne’s bookstore for a Don puts it. (The Hundred Dollar What makes all this possible is a hospitable free coffee and Haircut!) Bicycle straight east 4 folding bike that you can throw in discussion. It’s the first building more miles and you can see what the the back of the plane. south of the Willa Cather Center. Ditto Falls City, which is also a “stone’s throw” from the town, but so many people have tried it that the road is “paved” with rocks as big as your fist. I learned to ride a bike 70 years ago, and never have I ever dumped a motorcycle but I dumped the bike navigating this rock-strewn route. The Mars Rover would not be safe to land on it. Philip Chaffee there at Brenner Field asked me if I would like to use the courtesy car. Next time, I’m going to say yes — and stuff the folder in the trunk so I’m not stuck with a car when I get Downtube Nova folding bike, in front of The Bluebird of Happiness, ready for to the town. Love the town, though. the ride and tour of Superior, Nebraska. Many an old and picturesque house, (continued on page 3)

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Back in November Jerry Mulliken Minutes of the Club Meeting grade school in April and another in and a newly-minted pilot Jeremy David City in May for the Boy Griffin flew in from Fremont to The meeting was called to order over Scouts. meet me at my hangar. Why? To Zoom on February 16, 2021 at 7:00 check out the folding bike that lives pm by President Tom Trumble. The EAA is offering $10,000 behind the seats of The Bluebird of scholarships. The recipient must be Happiness! So I demonstrated. Attending were: Steve Nast, Doug 17-19 years old and active in an EAA Maybe you are interested too. Volkmer, Lori Oliveros, Dennis chapter. The chapter also must be The procedure: Crispin, Don Osborne, Wayne Woldt, qualified and must submit the Open the right hand door, slide the Tom Winter, Jon Sullivan, Cristi candidate. Tom Trumble offered to passenger seat all the way forward. Higgins, Kermit Wegner, Tom coordinate. He is gathering To keep the seatback out of your Trumble and Jerry Mulliken. information. way, tie that seatback forward (I use a tie-down rope looped through the Treasurer Cristi Higgins is logging Rather than try to reschedule the handhold). Reach in, grab the bike, donations for Jim Fix and Mark December, 2020 Christmas Party for turn it upright, carefully pull it Werth memorial plaques for the the spring, it has been decided to through. Let the wheels roll over the Oshkosh wall, which cost $500 each. cancel it. A reservation will be made sill. Flip up the handlebar post and Dennis moved, Lori seconded motion by Tom Trumble at the Villa Amore cam-lock it. Shake the bike in to use chapter funds to make up any for Dec 5, 2021 for the Christmas midair like shaking a blanket. You donation shortfall for purchasing two party. hear the Snap! as it unfolds and plaques. Motion passed. locks. Raise the saddle post and A member meeting will be held cam-lock it. Unfold the pedals. Dennis Crispin moved, Tom Trumble March 2 at Whistler Aviation at Click click as they lock into seconded the motion to approve Seward. Greg Whistler will speak position. Hop on and ride! Seven February minutes. Motion passed. about his aircraft relocation service if speeds. I rode it around the apron, he is available. Tom Winter will then Jeremy rode it around the Lori Oliveros announced the bring 2020 chapter service awards to apron. Then I folded everything February 20 flight breakfast will give out. back up and stuffed it back in the proceed. plane. MAC 80 will have a play day on The Folders: Tom Trumble asked if he could invite March 27th, 11:00am at Seward. At the Monkey Wrench bike shop, members of his Corvette Club to a they recommended Dahon folding future Chapter breakfast. The Help will be needed this spring to bikes (usa.dahon.com). A Dahon breakfast committee did not have any relocate chapter equipment in Dean comparable to mine is $979, another issues with this. They would like to Hoy’s Crete hangar so Dean can at $899 though their site does list know in advance when this will close out the hangar. cheaper ones. My Cessna 150 flying happen. Tom will ask the club if they friend Jon Lindgren has a Bike are interested. Cristi Higgins moved, Tom Trumble Friday (bikefriday.com) “Handbuilt seconded the motion to grant $100 to in the USA,” and $1200. Brompton Doug Volkmer said the Chapter NDOT for the aviation art contest. (“Handmade in London since website now has a Builders Report Motion carried. 1975.” Website us.brompton.com) section. Three member projects are folders start at $1400, and go up to highlighted there. Check this section There being no further business, $2400. Mine is a Downtube Nova often as there will be frequent Cristi moved the meeting adjourned. (downtube.com), made in Avon, updates. Meeting adjourned at 7:50pm. NC. Still just $359, and better by actual comparison to the Brompton Tentatively, there will be a Young Respectfully submitted, and the Bike Friday. Eagles event at Seward for St Pats Jerry Mulliken, Secretary

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The Happy Bottom Riding expectations befitting her status in Club: life. Her family pushed her, at age The Life and Times of Pancho nineteen, into a marriage with Harold Bickford Barnes Calvin Rankin Barnes, a clergyman President, IAC/MAC 80 ten years her senior. The marriage by Lauren Kessler only lasted a few weeks before they Here we are coming into spring separated, living completely apart with Daylight Savings time starting Book before divorcing twenty years later. Leaving her young son in the care March 14 and Spring officially Review starting on March 20. If you haven't of a nanny, she went on a personal had much flying time over the last adventure, riding a burrow across year why not get some dual Mexico. Her traveling companion instruction scheduled or perhaps By Dennis Crispin jokingly called her Pancho. She look at getting an additional rating? liked the nickname and used the The sky beckons and we ought to be “ was a force of name Pancho Barnes for the rest of ready for those future flights. nature, a woman who lived a big, her life. IAC/MAC 80 will be meeting on messy, colorful unconventional life. She was avid about raising and March 27 at 11am in the Seward She ran through three fortunes, four training dogs and horses. Some of Airport (KSWT) administration husbands, and countless lovers. She her dogs performed in western building. We plan to gather, go to out flew Amelia Earhart, movies. With a connection into the lunch then have flying and outsmarted Howard Hughes, out movie business, she occasionally evaluation sessions in the afternoon. drank the Mexican Army and out worked as a cameraman and script maneuvered the US Government.” editor. Her ability to meet people Long range wx looks favorable. We will also take some time for So begins a promotional effort for soon developed connections and planning the upcoming Midwest the book The Happy Bottom Riding friendships throughout the movie Aerobatic Championship June 24- Club: The Life and Times of Pancho establishment. 27 at KSWT. As with all EAA Barnes. Suddenly enthralled with aviation, activities we welcome anyone who Author Lauren Kessler published she learned to fly, becoming one of wants to be involved! the work in the year 2000, the latest the first twenty American women to This is an excellent opportunity to of several books on the amazing hold a pilot’s license. Her money come and see what aerobatic flight Pancho. Information on her also allowed her to buy nice airplanes, is about in a relaxed setting. appears in other histories and working her way up through a series Whether in the air or on the ground biographies, mostly aviation of craft until eventually she owned a there really is something for related. Pancho appears as a minor Travel Air Mystery Ship. The everyone in the aerobatics with the character in the movie The Right Mystery Ship was a powerful racing International Aerobatic Club or Stuff and in the TV movie Pancho plane, only four were ever built. The IAC. Like Warbirds and Vintage we Barnes. The part of Pancho was plane made her the fastest woman are all part of EAA. played by sweet, lovable, pretty on earth. Valerie Bertinelli, probably the She was a contemporary and biggest example of miscasting in the friend of Amelia Earhart and the history of movies. other well-known women pilots of Florence Leontine Lowe was born the era. Pancho set several speed in 1901, the daughter of an ultra- records, participated in women’s air wealthy, old money, socially races and was instrumental in the prominent family. As a rebellious organization of the first women’s child, she totally rejected the aviation groups. manners, dress and social (continued on page 5)

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Combining her aviation interest Priding herself on her strength and A guest, returning from a trail ride, with her movie connections, she not afraid of hard physical work, she complained that his bottom was not worked on the Howard Hughes film, threw herself into farming. Even happy. Pancho jumped on the idea Hell’s Angels, flying her Travel Air running a hay bailer by herself that and named her business The Happy to record the sound tracks for the normally took two men to operate. Bottom Riding Club. aerial combat scenes. She organized When the oncoming depression After the war, the base at Muroc – the movie stunt pilots union and lowered the price of hay to eventually to be named Edwards Air became the only female member. unprofitable levels, she expanded Force Base – became the test and Through it all, she became a rather her operations to include a dairy and development location for the new notorious character, never then a sizeable hog feeding generation of jet airplanes. The test exhibiting the manners, attire or business. Always one to do things pilots, like and Bob morals expected of a young woman. up in a big way, she soon had herds Hoover, would become legends in But her drive and personality netted of quality Holstein and Guernsey the aviation world. her a wide range of friends, dairy cattle and she scoured State Testing the airplanes was an particularly in the aviation and Fairs to find top line Hampshire exacting and dangerous business. movie communities. hogs. Numerous other ventures The pilots, engineers, and At an early age, she inherited her were tried, including horse and dog technicians relaxed and let off steam mother’s estate which included two breeding activities. Some were at Pancho’s. Pancho reveled in this luxurious houses. One large house successful, most were not. new group of friends and expanded included a swimming pool, stables Her farming operation was next her contacts. and a horse track. The other house door to an Army Air Corps bomb The Happy Bottom Riding Club was a 23-room mansion. Both range known as Muroc. The post became one of ’s premier featured an extensive domestic consisted of a couple dozen tents watering holes with guests flying staff. and was probably the worst duty into the airstrip and making the Pancho’s houses became the hang station in the entire U.S. Army. The short drive from Los Angeles. There outs for her extensive crowd of soldiers were always welcome at were dances a couple times a week friends. An out of work pilot or an Pancho’s house, often spending and an annual rodeo. actor between jobs could stay for their off-duty hours eating in the big Pancho employed a bevy of days or weeks, eating her food and dining room where she fed the ranch stunningly attractive young women drinking her liquor. Ruckus parties hands. to serve as bartenders and went on at all hours, sometimes Then World War II came along. waitresses which added to the ending with guests swimming nude The farming operation prospered, atmosphere. With all the features of in the pool. The neighbors often and the Army base expanded into a the business, still the greatest filed complaints. major training facility with several attraction was the personality of squadrons of aircraft and a couple Pancho herself. A second, even larger, fortune thousand troops. Pancho met the It was always party time at came her way, this time inherited demand with a bar and restaurant. Pancho’s where the good times from her grandmother. A seemingly By time the war was over, the flowed as fast as the cheap booze inexhaustible wealth is not complex had expanded into a (smuggled in from Mexico without inexhaustible when one has sizeable business. It would grow to paying taxes.) The business would Pancho’s talent to squander it. As include two bars, a restaurant, a surely have been closed by the the money started running out, she barracks for the female help, horses, authorities had it been in a lost the houses, several cars, her stables, a swimming pool, a motel, a metropolitan area. Pancho was not horses and even her beloved Travel dance hall, a rodeo arena and a above doing totally outrageous Air. private airport. In addition, there publicity stunts like the fully nude Salvaging what funds she could, were larger barns for the ongoing “Lady Godiva” that rode through she went into the California Desert dairy and livestock operations. the arena to close the rodeo. and bought a small alfalfa farm. (continued on page 6)

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Things went along well for a few grow feed crops and had to buy stock was more than one woman years until a new commanding grain and hay for her stock. could handle. She was served a general came to the base. The Pancho moved into a small, summons for animal cruelty for not general did not like his personnel rundown house. In the front yard keeping some horses properly fed. hanging out in such a notorious she parked a new airplane and a big, Pancho had the ability to run place and he and Pancho got into a awfully expensive boat. Both successful business as evidenced by few fights. Things escalated into quickly deteriorated into the dairy and livestock ventures. court battles. Then the Air Force uselessness in the desert climate. The Club must have been somewhat decided they wanted to extend their It was the plan to recreate the financially sound, or she would not runways across Pancho’s property. Happy Bottom Riding Club, but the have been able to continue the Pancho refused to sell and the properties were too remote and no constant expansion. But she had government responded with an one else was interested. Several absolutely no knowledge of eminent domain action. Things got other business ventures never got financial management. She ran her hot in the courts for a few years as beyond the dream stage. businesses on a cash basis, paying Pancho fought, serving as her own Life started going downhill the bills out of a pocket full of attorney. rapidly. Several medical issues money and keeping no effective The judge finally ruled in favor of ended with a double mastectomy. records. She simply spent until the the Air Force. The legal wrangling Three marriages had quickly pocket went empty then took out had tied up the courts for months failed, and she had indulged in loans and mortgages without any and cost Pancho and the dozens of affairs, both short term plan for repayment. Once, in court, government great sums of money. and long term. Her fourth marriage she was asked about the financial Then tragedy struck. A fire started finally offered stability and status of one of the businesses. She in one of the buildings and quickly something akin to love. But after the testified that she had no idea if it spread to the other structures. loss of the club and the move to the was profitable or not, but that she Everything was lost, Pancho’s desert, that union ended in a nasty had great fun running it. house, buildings, furnishings, divorce action. Battling California’s Some of Pancho’s old circle of equipment, and a lot of expensive community property law in court, friends rallied around her, often saddles and tack. The dogs were Pancho got the real estate while her dropping by to help with ranch rescued, but several valuable husband got a wrecked Cessna chores or taking her out for a decent thoroughbred horses died in their airplane. meal. stalls. Pancho was able to sell the mineral Eventually she lost almost With the payment from the rights to her properties which everything. Now in her 70s, she government and the insurance pay afforded her a small monthly moved from the shack into another off, Pancho had another fortune to income. old decrepit house. At least this one squander or to finance starting over. Suddenly Pancho was the target of had lights, heat and running water. She tried to do both. dozens of lawsuits seeking payment There she lived in total squalor, Pancho went another twenty miles for years of unpaid bills. There were neglecting such basics as personal out into the desert and went on a actions for taxes that went back for hygiene and proper nutrition. purchasing spree, buying up great decades. She tried to fight them in Then the world rediscovered amounts of near useless land. Her the courts, but almost always lost. Pancho Barnes. She started purchases included a store, gas With judgements against her she receiving invitations to speak before station and café in a nearby small began selling off such properties as aviation and historic groups. She town. she could. She moved into a desert would clean herself up, have her She moved her livestock and farm shack which featured a dirt floor and favorite wig styled and even dress equipment to the new ranch, but the no utilities. appropriately for the occasion. At soil was so poor that she could not Unable to hire ranch help, she the events, the guests found her to

found that caring for her remaining (continued on page 7)

Page 7 of 8 EAA 569 still be the Pancho that they had Our thoughts and prayers go out to Didn’t get a 2021 EAA calendar? known and loved. She was still a the Jim Fix family. Jim was a long Tom Henry has an extra one. He great storyteller with a quick wit and time member of Chapter 569. He also has a share in an RV-9A for a sharp memory of the people and passed away on January 30th. Jim sale. His contact information is on events of the golden age of aviation. was known nationally for his page 1 if you’re interested in any of Her presentations were filled with propeller work out of his Lincoln these. the salty language that she was based shop, Fix Prop Shop. He gave * * * famous for. an interesting presentation on One day she failed to show up for propeller safety and maintenance at Did you see the Mars Rover descent a speaking engagement. The sheriff a Chapter meeting a few years back. and landing? How cool was that! If sent a deputy to check on her. He He commented then that when a you didn’t see it, click here. found the house littered from wall to prop arrived in his shop, he could wall with trash and garbage and a guess what type of plane it came off * * * dozen dogs running about. Pancho of. was on the bed. The coroner would say that she had been dead for at least a week. The hungry dogs had started to eat her body. There is now a room at designated as the Pancho Barnes Room. Each year, for many years, her old friends held a party in her memory on the ruins of the Happy Bottom Riding Club. The book’s three hundred pages are beautifully written and an easy Jim and his wife Janice regularly read. There is extensive attended Oshkosh promoting their documentation on the sources of Hi-Tech Seat Foam. material. Included is an insert of Chapter 569 would like to add Jim’s Events historic photos. If you have an name to the EAA Memorial Wall at interest in early aviation, a quest for Oshkosh. A donation of $500 will Mar-Apr, EAA Webinars. Click here 20th century history or simply want secure a name and inscription on the for more information. to read about a unique, utterly wall. If you would like to donate to fascinating personality, then this help make this happen, contact our Apr 13-18, Sun 'n Fun, Lakeland, book is well worth your time. Treasurer Cristi Higgins. Her FL; http://www.sun-n-fun.org/ contact information is on page 1. Jun 20, Nebraska State Fly-in, Hangar * * * Hastings, NE (KHSI) The Builders Report page is up and Chatter running on the Chapter 569 website. Jun 24-27, Midwest Aerobatic You can get to it by selecting Championship, Seward, NE (KSWT). Builders Report from the top of the If you would like to volunteer, contact A BIG thank you to Dean Hoy for home page. Thanks to the builders Harold Bickford @ 402-274-7530. donating his Bendix King Handheld who have submitted reports (and Transceiver to the Chapter. This those that said they will). We’ll Jul 26 – Aug 1, AirVenture, will come in handy for Young Eagle keep this updated as reports come Oshkosh, WI rallies. in. http://www.airventure.org/ * * * * * *

AndPage finally8 of 8 … Oshkosh SeaplaneEAA Base 569

Perhaps this 1949 Cessna 195B will be returning to Oshkosh in 2021. Right now, Oshkosh as well as Sun ‘n Fun are on schedule. Click picture to enlarge. (Photo contributed by Dennis Crispin)

John Cox 2279 County Road 2425 DeWitt, Nebraska 68541-2518