EAA Chapter 153

05/24/2026

This Memorial Day, honor the legacy of America’s veterans by joining Warbirds of America, a community dedicated to preserving military aviation history. Your membership supports the restoration, operation, and education surrounding historic military aircraft while connecting you with fellow aviation enthusiasts, pilots, veterans, historians, and volunteers who share a passion for keeping these stories alive. Warbirds of America is also committed to inspiring younger generations to get involved—whether by volunteering at events, helping on flightlines, learning aircraft history, or becoming the next caretakers of these legendary machines. From exclusive member programs to unforgettable experiences at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and aviation events across the country, there has never been a better time for new generations to step forward and help preserve America’s aviation heritage. Join today and help “Keep ’em Flying.”

05/09/2026

I think I found my next calling!

✨🛩️ Most people don't know it was him.
The wildflower meadows in the foothills north of Denver?
The ones that look like someone painted the valley in May and June?
One man's doing.
From his biplane.
For twenty years.
Walt retired from postal work in 2003 with a pension, a 1939 biplane, and a question:
"What do I do with the rest of it?"
He'd grown up watching the hillsides change.
Less color every decade.
Development eating the meadows.
He didn't fight it.
He flew. 🛩️
Every spring, starting April, Walt fills the backseat cockpit of his biplane with bags of wildflower seed mix.
Native species. Not ornamental.
Blanket flower. Lupine. Indian paintbrush. Columbine.
Colorado native plants.
He maps his routes carefully.
Comes in low — 50 feet — over recovering meadows and disturbed lands.
Scatters seed by hand over the side.
Two to three hours per flight.
Twice a week, April through June.
Every year for twenty years. 🙌
His wife asks: "How much have you scattered total?"
Walt: "I haven't counted."
She has.
She estimates 800 pounds.
In twenty springs.
Over the foothills north of the city.
Hikers photograph those meadows.
Artists paint them.
A local photographer made a calendar from them.
National Geographic ran a photo of one in 2019.
Nobody knew about Walt.
He didn't tell anyone.
He just flew and scattered and came home for dinner.
His granddaughter finally posted about it on Instagram.
It went everywhere.
Media called.
Walt agreed to one interview.
"Why did you do it?"
He thought about it honestly.
"I had a plane.
I had time.
And the flowers were disappearing.
It didn't seem that complicated." ✨
The universe puts retired postal workers in biplanes for a reason.
Sometimes the whole point of the flight is what you put into the world on the way.
🔥 Type "SCATTER SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL" for Walt — 20 years of seeds from 50 feet up 👇

05/09/2026

Something to memorize.

05/08/2026

A reminder that tonight will be for the birds!

Hello friends of EAA 153,

Do you enjoy all the pretty Birds flying around all over or do they scare you sometimes?

On Friday May 8th at 7:30 pm(7:00 to hang out) we will flock over to the Schaumburg Airport's lower level meeting room. We are pleased to welcome back Lou Wipotnik, with his timely presentation "Avoiding Birds-On the Ground and In the Air".
After his presentation we will discuss airplane building and restoring, recent flights and any aviation stories and good airplane jokes you may have.

Our annual Picnic is planned for Saturday May 30th at 12pm(Sunday if we get a monsoon). The Chapter will supply drinks, plates, a main entree like submarine sandwiches and some sides and if you feel like bringing something else to share, please do. We are a hungry group. Bring your friends and family, especially if they like to cook.
This year we will picnic in 3 adjoining hangars with 3 beautiful airplanes(a RV-10, one of a kind Trella T19 Speedster experimental biplane and a Cessna 180) at DuPage airport hangar E-7. You can take RT 64 to Kautz or Keil, then to S. to Tower Rd to hangar row E6 and E7 and park by the Pedestrian Gate. Then honk call or yell so we can let you in. You could bring a chair if you want(we have some).

We need to commend the RAF and our friend Mike Purpura for working with Illinois to consider reopening the old closed airstrip adjacent to the beautiful downstate Giant City State Park.
They would like you to fill out this survey to see if there would be interest in it's reopening. It won't take long and it would be great to have a fly-in camping destination in that beautiful section of our Land of Lincoln. Please help.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nwgia7qOPEaE9TFxIQ-QBeDGmC-Kd0VEviqLIx8sa8NUOVY4Qk9NTlJJNjNUR1ZWNldNTVg2MDNPMy4u

See you soon,,

Bob Brandt
847-274-3193
[email protected]

05/01/2026

Hello friends of EAA 153,

Do you enjoy all the pretty Birds flying around all over or do they scare you sometimes?

On Friday May 8th at 7:30 pm(7:00 to hang out) we will flock over to the Schaumburg Airport's lower level meeting room. We are pleased to welcome back Lou Wipotnik, with his timely presentation "Avoiding Birds-On the Ground and In the Air".
After his presentation we will discuss airplane building and restoring, recent flights and any aviation stories and good airplane jokes you may have.

Our annual Picnic is planned for Saturday May 30th at 12pm(Sunday if we get a monsoon). The Chapter will supply drinks, plates, a main entree like submarine sandwiches and some sides and if you feel like bringing something else to share, please do. We are a hungry group. Bring your friends and family, especially if they like to cook.
This year we will picnic in 3 adjoining hangars with 3 beautiful airplanes(a RV-10, one of a kind Trella T19 Speedster experimental biplane and a Cessna 180) at DuPage airport hangar E-7. You can take RT 64 to Kautz or Keil, then to S. to Tower Rd to hangar row E6 and E7 and park by the Pedestrian Gate. Then honk call or yell so we can let you in. You could bring a chair if you want(we have some).

We need to commend the RAF and our friend Mike Purpura for working with Illinois to consider reopening the old closed airstrip adjacent to the beautiful downstate Giant City State Park.
They would like you to fill out this survey to see if there would be interest in it's reopening. It won't take long and it would be great to have a fly-in camping destination in that beautiful section of our Land of Lincoln. Please help.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nwgia7qOPEaE9TFxIQ-QBeDGmC-Kd0VEviqLIx8sa8NUOVY4Qk9NTlJJNjNUR1ZWNldNTVg2MDNPMy4u

See you soon,,

Bob Brandt
847-274-3193
[email protected]

04/19/2026

The time is approaching!

The time has come! Register now for Aviation Day for Girls! Register here: https://forms.gle/juKSQKN3rK3mNeJx6

04/19/2026

This will be fun!

Jeopardy Night at Schaumburg Airport!! ✈️🎉

Kick off the evening with a ground lesson, then put your knowledge to the test with Aviation Jeopardy — covering everything from aerodynamics to regs.

All experience levels welcome 🤍
Bring a friend, grab some pizza, and come be part of the community.

📍 Holiday Airways FBO
🗓 April 23 | 6–8 PM
💵 $7 pizza (cash only)

Let’s learn, connect, and have some fun. See you there!

04/04/2026

Windy out there?