9th Annual Fly-in Pancake Breakfast held at Classic Jet Center in Willoughby

Anyone claiming the Chapter 5 Experimental Aircraft Association’s Ninth Annual Fly-in Pancake Breakfast wasn’t a hit due to less-than-ideal weather wasn’t paying attention.

With dozens of people showing up at Classic Jet Center at Lost Nation Airport in Willoughby as early as 8 a.m. to get the event’s traditional breakfast, the promotion of aviation was still celebrated by adults and kids alike, even though take-offs and landings were limited.

“The ceiling’s a bit low today for many airplane rides,” said Chapter 5 President Tim Connor, referring to the maximum conditional density altitude an aircraft can reach. “The low clouds and low visibility are factors, and 900 feet is not good enough to fly under, unless you’re flying instruments. Typically, we’d give out many more rides, through our Young Eagles program, more than just two or three. But the kids are having a good time. So, today, instead of flying in for some flapjacks, everyone’s driving in.”

Experimental Aircraft Association, based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a global organization of about 250,000 members, with 1,000 chapters, 900 in the United States alone.

Originally started with the aim to assist people building amateur planes, EAA has grown to an organization that engages in pilot advocacy and the restoration and conservation of vintage aircraft and “warbirds,” historical military aircraft operated by individuals and civilian organizations.

Chapters typically tend to specialize in one area, Connor said.

“Our chapter is a builders chapter. We have a pretty good-sized shop in Middlefield, with two builders bays and additional shop space for people that may be working at home in their own shops. We operate a highly capable shop where members build, restore and maintain our aircraft. We run this Young Eagles program to get kids involved in aviation.

“Homebuilders in the United States produce, in a year, more airplanes than all the small aircraft commercial manufacturers put together,” Connor said. “People think that amateur homebuilding is kind of a weird, little thing, and it’s not.”

Natalie Gibson, of Mentor, dismissed the weather as inconsequential, and, with three of her friends, enjoyed the variety of planes, and activity stations, including a scavenger hunt, on display.

“I want to be a pilot when I grow up,” she said. “I want to fly the world.”

Natalie’s mother, Maggie, called the event “cool,” adding she and Natalie used to watch planes fly in from Lost Nation Sports Park.

“With this event, we can get even closer,” she said. “Natalie brought some friends because she didn’t want to take a ride alone. Plus, who doesn’t like pancakes?”

Even though the weather disappointed, the purpose of the event remained strong, according to 50-year pilot, EAA board member and “kitchen master,” Don Cunningham.

“Local people have never seen so many people in this hangar before,” he said. “We need to get people interested in aviation, and if you can get kids interested, the parents will follow. This is an impressive showing. We want to be accessible. That’s what Young Eagles operates for.

“And it remains important because there is a shortage of pilots out there and a big shortage of aircraft technicians. This event provides a great opportunity for young people to get up close and personal with professionals and to watch them fly.”

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