EAA Chapter 865, Inc.
Promoting, Protecting and Preserving Sport Aviation. A 501(c)3 Tax Exempt Corporation
EAA Chapter 865,Inc.
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First, we are a chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. 
We are also a non-profit organization, formed to promote and encourage the sport and hobby of recreational aviation; to cooperate with and assist governmental agencies in the development of programs relating to aviation activities; to promote and encourage aviation safety in the design, construction, and operation of all types of aircraft; to encourage and engage in research for the improvement and better understanding of aviation and the science of aeronautics; and to promote and encourage grass roots efforts relating to aviation research and development.

   Randy Rentz was one of the organizers and first president. It was Bob Baird’s idea ( according to Randy ) to Start the chapter and he wrote the newsletter. Among some of the first members, were current members, Randy Rentz, Jim Jacobson, Joe Landy, Jim Martin, Dale Neddeau, and John Ryder. We met in various airport buildings, the east maintenance hangar, the room attached to the community hangar and the office attached to the east maintenance hangar.  Our original goal was to build a hangar, and to that end we began having fly-In breakfasts in the community hangar. Some years we sold as many as 500 breakfasts, other years were fogged or rained out. By 1995 we had enough money to purchase the materials from Midway Engineering in Dowagiac. On Oct. 11, 1995, we received permission from the MDOT to begin construction of our hangar (it sounds so simple now, but took a lot of paperwork). Under the guidance of Dick Haigh and the tenacity of then president, Jim Thompson, we were able to muster enough members to get the job done. Dick Haigh did most of the building of the door. 

 
Thanks to a donation by Dave Thompson, we were able to pour the concrete floor. We’ve had members come and go over the years. Many of our former presidents are no longer members. Mike Davis, Ed Hawthorn, Larry Clough and Marty Mottweiler come to mind ( I’m not sure what that means ). Some members who have passed away are, Bob Surgeon, Bob Petro, Larry Miller, Ray Staniford, and George  Lounsbery. On January 29, 1999, we incorporated as a Michigan Non-Profit Corporation. The next step would be to file with the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit. We now have an excellent facility, dedicated officers, a few less members, but many neat projects, some finished and some ongoing, to be proud of. Recently we’ve made an effort to camp together at AirVenture and have really enjoyed it. I hope that the current members can appreciate the hard work and dedication, put forth, by those who came before, to build the fine chapter we have today.