This year is winding to a close and I’m left wondering where the year went!Looking forward to 2026, I would like to plan for some chapter social events besides the monthly Display Days and Young Eagles flights. We’ll have a springtime lunch event at the airport and if that’s well attended perhaps another in the fall? And now that more pilots are attending the Display Days we should incorporate some lunch fly-outs to follow those events.
One thing we will be doing soon is a “roll call”. Not having collected dues for several years now it would be interesting to see our actual membership roster. Subsequent reactivation of dues collection will also help determine the viability of our Chapter, not so much from a monetary perspective, but as a measure of interest.
In other news around the airport, Drew Detsch has sold his beautiful Pitts Special N21JH to a young woman in Southern California. Upon the eve of its departure, I asked Drew to tell us a bit about this airplane that he had flown, raced, competed, modified, and maintained for 43 years:
Clint McHenry, the dean of competition aerobatics found Lulu for me in Florida. In 1983 she was what was then referred to a Super Pitts.I took a second mortgage on my house to buy her.
We’ve had a great life together with marvelous adventures as an active competition pilot in the 80’s & 90’s as well as a Reno Racer where we took 1st place in the Silver in 1991.
Our last acro competiton was in 2014, since that time she’s been mostly just a sport plane with occasional acro and those wonderful tight patterns at KHWD.
Turning 75 this year, I realized that after 43 years without a scratch on her it was time to hang up my helmet.
Lulu has been purchased by a wonderful young acro pilot who can’t wait to transition into her. She’s in for a great adventure.
As for myself, I’ve purchased a 1943 Interstate L-6 from a restorer. As soon as the transponder is installed I’ll be back in the pattern.
- Drew Detsch
(In 1982, with a younger Drew)