Pre-registration for the fly-in is now closed, but never fear, if you didn't make the pre-registration deadline for the 2017 AAA/APM Fly-in you can still register at the event. We're looking forward to seeing you!

	Chris Buerk's 2009 Wittman Tailwind from New Hampshire		Mark Baker's 1944 Howard DGA-15P from Maryland (Tom Gehman photo)
	Glenn McGowan's 1946 Piper J-3 from Illinois		Kreg Anderson's 1946 Aeronca 7AC from Minnesota
	Mark Robertson’s 2014 Pietenpol Aircamper from Iowa (G.R Dennis Price photo)		Dave Allen’s 1934 Waco YKC from Colorado (Gilles Auliard photo)

Time does fly, and it’s now two days before the start of the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in.

The volunteers, directors & staff here at the AAA/APM, have accomplished much this summer in preparation of the event, and we hope to see those efforts pay off over the next week.

With a record amount of display aircraft pre-registrations (150+) and airplanes from as far away as South Carolina already on the field, we expect an outstanding turnout!

Our annual mowing party, the last big effort to get the field ready, went over a two day period (last Fri & Sat) and the airport looks Great !! However it was so busy that we got very few pictures of all the volunteers at work.

While we are talking about the airport, please note: though the grounds appears nice and green, due to a long extended drought throughout the summer Wapello county (where Antique Airfield is located) is under a burn ban. Ergo, there will be no open fires anywhere on the airport (they are already prohibited anywhere on the flight line). Please plan accordingly.

Don Parks taking a call during the mowing party.

Mike Townsley getting the APM’s Great Lakes ready to display.

APM President Steve Adkisson installing new doors on the Ground Loop Inn

Some of the crew at lunch

Jim Ashley’s Stearman from South Carolina bedded down for the night

As you can imagine, internet access at Antique Airfield is a little tough to come by, and is limited both in speed and capacity. To complicate matters further, our internet provider has placed a limit on the amount of data we can consume. This limit is sufficient for the day-to-day operation of Antique Airfield. Unfortunately, we will be charged overage fees when hundreds of our friends connect during the fly-in. So, rather than turn off WiFi entirely, we have elected to offer 2 hours of guest wireless internet access per 24 hours, for free. If you need more, we have 2 packages available for purchase in the office, for a nominal fee:

• $2.00 One full day of internet access (24 hours from when you first connect)
• $7.00 Wireless internet access for the duration of the Fly-In

Having to charge for internet access isn’t any fun. But there’s good news! In addition to the many other projects completed this year, we have also installed new wireless equipment! We have expanded coverage and added 5Ghz support. We've done a lot of work to make WiFi at Antique Airfield work well, but WiFi performance will vary depending on how many people connect, so please be patient if you encounter a momentary overload.

Coverage now extends around the Ground Loop Inn, the office, in and around the Mike Gretz Library of Flight, and to the North and to the East of Hangar 1. Some may even find it works over quite a bit of the field, too!

The AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in starts a week from today, but we already have our 1st arrival! Lyman Hatz in his wife Judy's 1941 Piper Cub from Wisconsin.

There are just a few days left to pre-register for the 2017 AAA/APM Fly-in, Back to Blakesburg and Back to Basics. You can register online or use the paper form. Here are the latest registrants!

	Mike Barg's (flown by Shane Vande Voort) 1941 Meyers OTW from New Mexico (Dave Miller photo)		Mark Flounders’ 1948 Piper PA-15 from Missouri
	Gary Granfors' 1953 Piper PA-22 from Minnesota		David Gubert's 2014 Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 from Michigan (G.R. Dennis Price photo)
	Jeff Moore's 2000 Hatz LB-1 from Indiana (G.R. Dennis Price photo)		Hank Galpin's 2017 Bucker Jungmeister from Montana
	John LaBarre's 1948 Piper PA-11 from Ohio (John LaBarre photo)		Ian Wayman's 1959 Broussard from Colorado

There's one week left to pre-register for the 2017 AAA/APM Fly-in, Back to Blakesburg and Back to Basics. You can register online or use the paper form. Here are the latest registrants!

	Vaughn Lovley's 1935 Waco YKC-S from Minnesota (Brent Taylor photo)		Mark Staudacher's 1935 Waco YOC from Michigan (G.R. Dennis Price photo)
	Kevin Brown's 1941 Interstate S-1A from California (Dave Miller photo)		Richard Keyt's 1942 Ryan ST3-KR from Texas (Ed Hicks photo)
	Corwin Day's 1947 Luscombe 8A from Indiana (G.R. Dennis Price photo)		Brian McCay's 1954 Cessna 195B from Virginia
	Edwin Cooper's 2006 Hatz CB-1 from Texas (Jack Fleetwood photo)		Brian Aukes' 1930 Stearman 4E from Iowa (G.R. Dennis Price photo)
	Les Gaskill's 1938 Piper J-2 from Iowa (Dave Miller photo)		Les Gaskill's 1946 Piper J-3 from Iowa (G.R. Dennis Price photo)
	Dan Bergstrom's 1982 Wittman W-8 Tailwind from Minnesota (G.R. Dennis Price photo)		Stephen Mineart's 1946 Stinson 108 from Iowa (G.R. Dennis Price photo)
	Suzy Kryzanowicz's 1948 Aeronca Sedan from Michigan (Dave Miller photo)		Bill Rasmussen's 1929 Golden Eagle Chief from Illinois (Gilles Auliard photo)
	Michael Bowen's 1942 Ryan PT-22 from South Carolina		Carl Morgan's 1946 Aeronca 7AC from Missouri
	Gerald Resh's 1940 Aeronca 65-TF from Arkansas		Jim Patchett's 1942 Fairchild PT-19A from Tennessee
	Keith Givens' 1948 Cessna 170 from Indiana (G.R. Dennis Price photo)		Rob Bach's 1998 Super Clipper from Wisconsin (Dave Miller photo)
	Jay Billmayer's 2017 Bucker Jungmeister from Montana		Laura Bach's Bentzen Sport from Pell Lake, Wisconsin

The Nebraska chapter is holding their annual fly-in at Seward, Nebraska this coming weekend, August 25 through August 27. Come to the fly-in and then fly on to Blakesburg!

The Texas Chapter is holding the 55th Annual Fly-In in Gainesville, Texas on October 13 and 14th. Fly-In or Drive-In for a weekend of celebration with static displays, vendors, fuel discounts, door prizes, food and music! Gainesville is located in northern Texas on I-35, six miles south of the Oklahoma border.

Texas Fly-In detailed flyer.

Outstanding was the group of volunteers that showed up Sat (Aug 19th), as well as the work accomplished, to help prepare Antique Airfield for the upcoming AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in (Aug 30th - Sep 4th).

Here’s a list of what was worked on/accomplished:

• The cleaning and re-arrangement of the Bunkhouse.
• Cleaning and organizing (with more to do) of the APM Fly-Market
• Electrical work & upgrades in both the APM Restoration Center & the Ground Loop Inn (for the Coffee House)
• More work on the displays for the 6th Air Force room in Powell Hall.
• Cleaning and stocking the APM Gift Shop.
• Work on the North shower house.
• Cleaning & painting the floor in the 24th Fighter Sqd. Mess Hall.
• Painting the cowling for the APM’s pre-war Aeronca Chief.
• Further upgrades to the wi-fi & Internet service.
• Plus various other projects.

Thanks to the following for coming from MN, MO & IA to help: Mark Lancaster, Luke Pieper, Jeff Claypool, Dan Quinn, Doris Gretz, Holly Vanorny, Jessica Fuller, Mark Flounders, Harve Applegate, Aaron Klugherz, Rick Gritters, Les Gaskill, Mark Robotti, Bill Sheperd, Marcy, Ben, Brent & Robert Taylor, plus a special appearance by Ken Marth!

This Saturday, August 26th and 27th will of course be the annual mowing party, so plan on bringing your tractors, riders, mowers, weed eaters and other implements of destruction to help have Antique Airfield looking it’s best for the Fly-in. If you can come help for a few hours or all day please let us know!

Bill, Mark L, Mark R and Luke working on sorting, and storing electrical supplies for future use.

Les (aka “Sparky”) working on an electrical upgrade for the Dave Warren Coffee House.

Lunch!

Marcy, Jessica & Doris work on getting the APM Gift Shop ready.

Holly & Aaron painting the floor in the 24th Fighter Sqd. Mess Hall.

Dan & Ben working on cleaning/organizing the APM Fly-Market.

Rick trying to hide.

Mark L spent the afternoon getting the new cowling (built by Rick Gritters) painted and ready to re-install. Here’s the lower cowl...

And here’s the nose bowl.

Another GREAT group of volunteers showed up throughout last week to help prepare Antique Airfield for the upcoming AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in (Aug 30th - Sep 4th).

Much was accomplished and the list includes:

• New insulation and door seals installed on the APM Restoration Center hangar door.
• The cleaning and arrangement of the APM Restoration Center.
• Moving & installation of the shop equipment & tools in the APM Restoration Center.
• Finish repainting of the “Keep the antiques flying” sign.
• Completing the 6th AF room in Powell Hall.
• Cleaning and organizing the APM Gift Shop.
• Cleaning the main museum annex.
• Work on both the N and S shower houses.
• Cleaning & organizing the Mike Gretz Library of Flight.
• Moving, arranging and evaluation of the Adkisson Hangar project.
• Plus various other projects

Thanks to the following for coming from MI, MN, MO, IL & IA to help: Tim Verhoeven, Eric Fritz, Ken Marth, Mark Lancaster, Luke Pieper, Kim & Samantha Claypool, Dan & LuAnn Quinn, Holly Vanorny, Bill & Ryan Weyers, Mark Flounders, Harve Applegate, Steve Adkisson, Gary Van Farowe, Bob Tejchma, Steve Black & grandson Fletcher Marcy, Ben, Brent, Robert & Barry Taylor, plus a special appearance by Les Gaskill!

We'll be holding another work day next Sat, Aug 19th. If you can come help for a few hours or all day please let us know!

Earlier in the week, Steve Adkisson, Gary Van Farowe, Bob Tejchma & Ben Taylor tackled putting new insulation & door seals on the APM Restoration Center hangar door. This necessitated removing all the door skins, cutting, fitting & installing the insulation, followed by re-installing the door skins.

It took one day to do the top half of the door.....

....And another day to do the bottom half.

The APM’s Great Lakes & Corben Baby Ace parked in the early morning sun on Saturday, as work was getting under way in the Restoration Center.

First order of business, install the new air compressor.

Then to Hangar 1 to move the APM’s, shear, brakes, roller & lathe. Here Dan and Luke make ready to move the lathe.

Deciding where to place everything in the Restoration Center shop.

Another load of tools & equipment heads to the Restoration Center. Besides the APM's equipment, Aaron Klugherz, Brent & Ben Taylor have put much of their personal equipment and tools on loan to the Restoration Center.

The Adkisson Hangar was sorted, moved and stacked to evaluate, in preparation for the future re-assembly of that structure.

Kim & Sam Claypool (along with a friend of Sam’s) completed the re-painting of the "Keep the antiques flying" sign. It looks great!

Sweeping, followed by a power washing, and the Restoration Center is ready to be transformed into the “Runway Cinema” during the upcoming AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in.

The Restoration Center hangar door with new insulation and new seals all completed.

There is a bit more equipment to move in, and we need to do some more arranging, but the shop portion of the Restoration Center is beginning to look like....well, a shop!