We had lunch at Joey's Diner.  The owner, Anna Pinto, is just 19 years old.  She not only owns and runs the diner but also the town's pizza and Italian food place, the Grape Vine. She employs more than 20 employees. This remarkable young lady epitomizes the kind of American we had in mind to defend as we labored in our military service.  We also shopped around the small town of Buhler and spent a few minutes with Gary Manear who with his wife LaVon provide visitors with a fine BBQ lunch along with some great bakery items.  Gary has personally rebuilt his restaurant on one of the original homesites of Buhler.  The land was settled in 1872.

We revisited Buhler and Joey's Diner and found that Anna Pinto (now 23 years old) is still managing a successful business as is Gary Manear and LaVon.  We especially enjoyed chatting with a group of senior citizens at Joey's Diner.  We then dropped in on Ferrel Starner who makes putters for golfers. He manufactures each uniquely designed putter completely by hand.

A beautiful day for a drive to the museum and library of one of the country's real heros, President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  A five star General in World War II, General Eisenhower was commander of the Allied Forces that achieved victory in the war with Germany.  The Museum, comprising 30,000 sq. ft. of space, is situated on the grounds of his boyhood home and provides a few hours of solemn contemplation while one browses over 32,000 artifacts of this uncommon man's life.   As we gathered in front of the mammoth statue of "Ike" situated in the center of the museum complex we could almost feel his presence.

Following a superb lunch at Mr. K's Farmhouse restaurant (where "Ike" liked to eat) on old highway 40, we visited a pair of unique museums.  Situated adjacent to the Eisenhower museum is the Heritage Museum, which also houses the Independent Telephone Companies Museum.  Artifacts dating back to the beginnings of the telephone technology are on display including an assortment of switchboards, telephone instruments and working models.

We visited the Vornado Fan Company and Museum on the northern edge of Andover.  The museum featured over 350 one-of-a-kind fans1.jpg dating back to the mid 1800's.  Many of these are on loan from various collectors.  Our host and tourguide, Alan Wicks, Director of Information Technologies, provided a superb historical review of the evolution of the electric fan from the early DC motor models to the current technology.  The company's 65 employees and produce over a half million items across 5 product lines.  A tour of this facility is on our recommended list.  Visit their web site.

The Oklahoma Land Rush began here in Arkansas City.  Settlers from all over awaited the opening of the Oklahoma Territory for homesteads in 1893.  They brought their families and possessions in wagons and when the shot rang out to open the area they raced for 160 acres of land they could call their own.  The museum commemorates the events and contains artifacts from that historic run.  One can even find mastadon fossils among the museum relics as well as a 1890's style schoolroom within the museum building.  It is apparent from the exhibits that life was hard in those days.  We also met our match in the form of Bea DeVore one of the volunteers who mans the museum.  She was quick of wit and matched our smart remarks with little difficulty.

We traveled to Arlington, a town of 395 people, to sample some great cooking at Carolyn's Essenhaus.  You cannot find better food than what's offered in a small town cafe.  Extremely friendly service and excellent meals.  From there we traveled to Hutchinson to visit the Reno County Museum.  The museum provided a backward look into the history of the county and while they had a number of "old items" on display each of us can remember using many of them in the past.  Interesting how quickly things get "old".  Following the museum we stopped in at our favorite watering hole ... the Newton VFW.  Here, too, the service is friendly and we always enjoy engaging the various members in conversation.

We had one of the world's greatest cheeseburgers at the Oak Tree Bar & Grill in downtown Augusta (15 miles east of Wichita) and then took a tour of the Augusta Museum and Historical Log Cabin.  The Museum and Log Cabin both suffered from the flood several months back but have been reopened.  They are replete with memorabilia from the late 19th Century and drove home,once again, what we already knew ... we have things a lot better today than our fathers and mothers had it.

We stopped for breakfast at the Plainsman Restaurant in Blackwell, Oklahoma on our way to Bartlesville.  The Frank Phillips Museum at Woolaroc is a great place to spend an afternoon.  Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum Company, has a wildlife preserve nestled in the low lying hills of Oklahoma.  Within the 3,600 acre park are the Phillips Museum, a hunting lodge, petting zoo and a American Indian Heritage Center.  Displays in the museum include a superb collection of firearms as well as sculptures, paintings, and memorabilia from old west days.  Along the way we also stopped to visit Hominy where Cha Tullis, a Blackfoot indian, has spent many hours painting murals on the sides of various buildings.  In addition he has placed metal silhouettes of an indian hunting party on a nearby hillside.  The round trip of 370 miles was filled with superb sights.

Regionally famous for "fly-in lunches"...there is a grass landing strip where light aircraft could land and then taxi up to the restaurant.  The current owners have converted it to a Bed & Breakfast and we had a great meal there.  The wooden water tower was built for the train station in 1885 ... about the time this crew was born.

Jack Perry's 19,000 Square Feet of antiques and knick knacks from the "old days".  150 booths on consignment along with antique auto location service.  We enjoyed revisiting items from our past ... childhood toys, tools, and implements of various kinds.  Also enjoyed a meal served by an excellent waitress in the restaurant.

Had lunch at Bob's Grill on Main Street then walked across the street to the "Top of Oklahoma Museum." This museum is quite unique and displays the history of this small Oklahoma town from its earliest days as the home of a huge Zinc foundry. The museum has a open character where visitors may touch the various exhibits and artifacts. Many of the items brought back nostalgic feelings of our own early years.

Privately owned and operated by Leon Nelson - a one man band - he does it all, by himself.  He is the hard working and friendly sort that Charles Kuralt would have featured in his commentaries on America.

Al & Toni Bunting have a beautiful ranch near Burlingame.  Set in rolling hills, they maintain an idyllic lifestyle and a very well kept ranch.  This was one of our most enjoyable trips.  Be sure to visit the page we developed to display our day.

This is a fine restaurant serving generous portions of great country cooking at reasonable prices.... Dianna and Debbie provide a warm and welcoming dining room where you can enjoy conversation with those seated nearby.

An interesting museum dedicated to these famous photographers and explorers in the early part of the century.

Bob Dalton and his brothers Grat and Emmett, along with Bill Power and Dick Broadwell tried to rob the Coffeyville bank on October 5, 1892. Recognized by the townsfolk they ran into stiff resistance and during an 11 minute gunfight Bob, Grat, Bill and Dick were killed as they left the bank with $25,000.  The Museum contains many items from the Daltons as well as those from four of the defenders of the town, Marshall C.T. Connelly, Lucious Baldwin, George Cubine and Charles Brown.  Emmett served 14 years in jail and died at the age of 66 in Los Angeles.  A safe from inside the bank vault is on prominent display along with guns and other artifacts of the daring holdup.  The Chiefs really got into the spirit of the museum.

Feed pellets are manufactured to order for customers far and wide, owned and operated by Robert (Shorty) Schmidt.  Shorty brought his mill back into production following a devestating fire a few years ago.

Beautifully restored and maintained courthouse overlooking the town - built in 1872 of native limestone, it contains a beautiful curving three story wooden staircase of fine workmanship.  Visitors MUST visit the old jail cells behind the courtroom - it is a VERY interesting visit.

Driving to Dexter in Floyd's new Dodge minivan, we stopped for lunch at Gallaway's restaurant in Winfield where we had an excellent meal served by a skilled and friendly staff.  We arrived at Henry's Candy Company in Dexter, a small place that was founded by Tom Henry who originated the Oh Henry candy bar and who sold the recipe to the Curtis Candy Co. in the 1920's.  They produce 100 different kinds of candy by hand with an annual production between 65 and 70 thousand pounds.  Staffed by Evelyn Pudden and her daughters Tammie and Robyn (the third generation of confectioners) the store boasts a wide selection of candies which are produced on the premises.  Originally, Tom Henry who was born in Boston, MA, worked at making candy in Kansas City, MO; Chicago, IL; Fort Worth, TX; Hutchinson, KS; Blackwell, OK; Springfield MI; and Thomasville, GA before starting his own candy business in Little Rock, AK.

50 acres of Kansas beauty nestled among the trees...a well stocked lake...and the best country breakfast one can eat. Gerry Lampe has built a secluded hideaway and workshop since his retirement.  He built it by himself and he has done an excellent job.  Gerry would rather feed us breakfast than buy us donuts - we kinda like it that way too ... he's a great cook.

The Pioneer Balloon Company manufactures and ships both latex and mylar balloons on a world wide basis.  Bob Wilson, Corporate Project Manager, gave us a tour of the 200,000 square foot facility.  The various machinery used to produce and package the balloons was designed and manufactured by Pioneer.  Pioneer's 212 Employees work three shifts making a very wide variety of balloon designs and shapes.

Contains a variety of displays depicting the growth of Kansas' oil industry from it's infancy to the present day.  Although we didn't capture their names we met two of the original "spudders" who were also visiting the museum.  Rugged, self sufficient and still youthful in their 70's...enjoyable conversation.

We enjoyed the company of several visitors to our weekly meeting on what was a beautiful spring day. Several of them accompanied us for lunch at the Cassoday Cafe and to the Emporia State College's Museums of Science and Geology.  The trip to the museums was followed by a couple of hours of cammaraderie at the Newton VFW - one of our favorite stopping places.

We visited the Greenwood County Historical Museum and were greeted at the door by Joanna Rentfro and Carlene Hibbard.  Against their better judgement they let us in to look around.  Dandy Don found a podium from which to preach to the rest of the Chiefs while Bill Packard played the organ.  There are a lot of interesting displays detailing early Greenwood County life at the museum and it can only get better when they finish construction.

The Z Bar Ranch was carved out of the flint hills in 1881 by Stephen F. Jones, a wealthy cattleman.  The ranch consists of over 7,000 acres of prime grazing and crop land.  According to the 1885 census, Jones had 30 miles of limestone fencing around his place.  There are a half dozen outbuildings in addition to the 11 room Limestone Mansion and 60' x 110' Barn.

Museum of the U.S. Cavalry throughout it's long and honored history ... also took an interesting tour of General Custer's home on base to examine home life in that era.

Dick, Doc, Ed, John, Don and Wayne went to the bottom of the biggest hand dug well in the world. Measuring 109 feet deep and 32 feet in diameter, the well was dug in the 1887 at a cost of $45,000.  After climbing back up we dropped in at the Hunter Drug Store in town to sample the soda fountain.  Many memories of days gone by filled the booth and counter.

We visited the Carriage Crossing restaurant for lunch and then spent some time in a great little hardware store in Yoder.   Everything you can imagine is there for sale.  Then across the street we stopped at Country Traditions a dandy curio shop if you can put up with the folks that sit around out front.  After lunch we drove on east to wander among a vast collection of yard statuary before continuing on to Halstead.  On our arrival in Halstead we visited the park that was the setting for the movie "Picnic" starring Kim Novak and William Holden then topped the day off with a dish of ice cream at Lu-Lu's Diner - a super little place that just stepped out of the fifties.

Chief Larry Pennington in Ft. Walton Beach FL suggested we drop in on this flour mill ... makers of the flour his wife and mother use ... Hudson Cream Flour.  We were hosted on a tour of the mill by the president of the company, Al Brensing, who has been employed there for 63 years.  His stories about the mill, his WWII exploits and life in general were as interesting as the mill itself.  1.25 million lbs of wheat are processed in the mill each year by Al's 32 employees to make some really fine flour.  Chief Pennington will attest to that.  The Stafford County Flour Mill should be noted for one other thing ... their hospitality!

Comprehensive museum of the U.S. Space Program ... a world class museum of man's efforts to conquer space.  A visit to the Cosmosphere is a must.  This is the site of the original Apollo 13 capsule and many other space artifacts.  The museum houses a definitive history of the US Space program.

A vast repository of records and other valuables from around the world. Located 650 feet below ground level in a still operating salt mine.  The President and COO, Mr. Lee Spence, provided us a superb personalized tour and a comprehensive briefing on the operation of the facility.  Lee is the kind of man you'd like for your neighbor....friendly, knowledgeable and engaging.

Styled after a Texas roadhouse, excellent food and highly practiced and capable wait staff.  A must for dining when in Hutchinson.

The reconstructed home of General Funston's youth ... 19th century American military hero from Kansas.  The adjacent city square also contains a well maintained and updated memorial to those who lost their lives in each of America's wars...a splendid display of community pride.

Superb German restaurant ... great jagerschnitzel and real German potato salad.  A home like atmosphere...friendly and accommodating.

Rollin & Patti Karg maintain a glass blowing facility in nearby Kechi.  Jim, John, Matt, and Geoff demonstrated their considerable talent while making large glass objects with multiple colors and in varying shapes.  They worked the molten glass over and over until each piece was perfect.  Barbara Wade, the manager, advised us that the shop is open to all who want to observe this art up close.

Hartley raises Bass, Catfish, Blue Gills, Crapie, Crawfish, Grass Carp and Minnows.  Clark has 13 ponds (one as large as 10 acres) for people to fish.  He stocks them well with Bass and Catfish.

One of the most interesting tours we have taken to date. Don manufactures pulleys for John Deere and other large agricultural equipment manufacturers.  He has a staff of employees who have been with him for many years and who are obviously dedicated and quite proficient. Their plant is spotless, personally engineered and mostly self sufficient.  These are real American workers at their best!

The Chiefs travelled to Fort Larned to to visit the old fort that was used in the 1800's to protect travelers and mail routes across the plains.  The Park Rangers at well preserved fort provided us with personalized tour of the various buildings.  We wandered around the Officer's Quarters and the troop's barracks.  We were well impressed with the hardships of the times - particularly the sweat box which was used for discipline.  Soldiers would be placed in the box for up to 8 hours for various infractions.  The Clinic has been refurbished to the period and one gets the feeling of 1800's military life when standing among the beds and individual equipment.  The blockhouse was built to withstand raids by local indians although no raids were recorded.

We went FISHING at Bernie's lake.  Chief Bernie Carbon has a place about an hour's drive east of Wichita where we spent the day fishing for bass to use to stock Chief John Hayworth's lake.  We caught quite a few fish and Bernie's grandkids accompanied us.  Once again Dandy Don, our New York City bred urban cowboy, surprised us by catching the most fish.  We enjoyed a great BBQ and the typical banter that goes on when we get together.

It was a beautiful day for a drive to Jim's Studio some 220 miles north of our hangout in Wichita.  Sporting our new magnetic door signs, we headed north, stopping for breakfast at our favorite cafe in Cassoday.  Jim Brothers and Terry Baldwin (whose foundry casts Jim's sculptures) are the kind of patriotic Americans that make this country strong and it was a pleasure to meet them and tour their facilities.  This was one of our best trips and we are proud to share it with our visitors.  Our trip to the college town of Lawrence also included a visit to the local historical museum and a stop at a coffee shop.  Lawrence has a bustling downtown area with tree lined sidewalks and picturesque sights.  All in all, the studio and foundry will remain one of our favorite trips thanks to the hospitality and obvious patriotism of Jim and Terry and their respective crews.  

Traveling north to Lindsborg, you come across this great little town, between Salina and McPherson.  Lindsborg really cherishes its Swedish heritage and numerous craft shops display original works of Swedish art.  The Applequist REO Auto Museum contains dozens of fully restored and operable automobiles from the early part of the 20th century up to a relatively modern DeLorean.  Housed in a renovated service station, these beautifully restored cars bring back memories of simpler days.

We traveled to KSU to visit the athletic facility.  Shawn Carlson, Assistant Manager, toured us through the entire facility and described how it serves virtually all the needs of the students engaged in the athletic program.  Adjacent to the football stadium is the locker room, training room, where Jeff Ferguson gave us a detailed explanation of the medical side of the team's training, and the 9,000 sq. ft. weight room which houses a myriad of equipment.  Chief Hayworth demonstrated his unorthodox technique for lifting weights and Chief Kohl demonstrated the one-hand power lift. Chief Bill Quint was pleased to meet one of the smaller KSU Defensive Lineman, Malcolm Woolridge, and Bill gave him some pointers on how to "pump himself up".  We then assembled on the field and formed a scrimmage line that would no doubt strike fear in the hearts of any opponent.  This was another great trip for the Chiefs. The KSU athletic program is something we can all be proud of in Kansas.

Several of the Chiefs were invited to compose a panel at the Airman Leadership School.  The 29 students presently enrolled in this first stage of Professional Military Education represent the best young men and women in the Air Force today.  Staff Sergeant Gerri Finan, who would later receive the John L. Levitow Award for excellence in scholarship and leadership, is shown here along with other students who asked some very interesting questions.   The courtesy and hospitality of the ALS was remarkable and we look forward to visiting them again for another panel discussion.  We learned later that the students specifically invited us to attend the Graduation Ceremony and we were honored to do so.  The ceremony and banquet was an extraordinary event. After the Honor Guard posted the colors the students led a tribute to our POWs and MIAs.   (Read the Tribute)

We had an opportunity to spend a half hour with Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) during his visit to McConnell AFB.  The Senator had heard of our activities relative to the Pilot-For-A-Day Program, the Family Support Program and the Base Golf Course renovation program and asked to put us on his agenda.  Senator Roberts spoke at length on the status of the Iraq war and our present intelligence efforts.  He also met with families whose spouses have been deployed in support of the war.  The Chiefs shared their views with him regarding military issues, health care and survivors insurance programs.

We visited several locations in McPherson thanks to the hospitality and scheduling by Judy at the McPherson Chamber of Commerce. We first spent part of the morning going over the restoration project of the local Opera house with AnnHaritatos. The opera house is an 1888 construction which has been placed on the national register.  Then across the street to see the intricate detail of John Snell's huge model train layout in the basement of Belli Brothers music store.  Following a great lunch at the Main Street Deli we traveled to see Gene Copeland's Heritage Museum, a place of infinite variety.  Gene and his son Rick have put together a vast collection of memorabilia, tools and implements from as far back as the mid 1800's.  We could, no doubt, have spent a full day talking and browsing with Gene and Rick but had to hurry on to visit McPherson College's Auto Restoration Program.  Robert Vaughn gave us a personalized tour of the program and we were enthralled with the beauty of their restored autos.  The craftsmanship is exquisite and it's obvious that their benefactors are certainly putting their money where it counts.

Cobalt boats enjoy a worldwide reputation for quality and style. The company was named the 1999 Exporter of the year by Governor Graves.  We visited the manufacturing facility and were given a superb tour of the 216,000 square foot plant.  The largest employer in Neodesha, Cobalt enjoys a stable family of employees. Pack St. Clair, the Chairman and CEO, began the company 30 years ago after attending a trade show in Chicago and has built his company into a model for others to emulate.

Ed, Bill, Don, Floyd and Dick visited Dick Russell's vintage bi-plane, a 1943 Myers OTW 160, (only 102 were produced beginning in 1936) which he recently purchased in Las Vegas.  Dick flew the airplane back to Newton where he hangars it along with his 1957 Cessna 182A.  An avid and accomplished aviation buff, Dick has a wealth of stories and a varied and most interesting background.

We visited the Campus Granary sponsored by the Bethel College Women's Association in Newton.  Marie and Martha demonstrated various methods of weaving wheat into intricate designs.  The delicacy of these weavings has to be seen to be fully appreciated.  Some samples are shown here for your enjoyment ... Photo #1  Photo #2  Photo #3

Lots of name brand stores dealing direct from the factory....typical of other factory outlet malls.

We visited the Alfred P. Murrah Building Memorial in Oklahoma City and the adjacent museum.  The 168 victims (including 19 children) of this terrorist act are remembered by the empty chairs in this tasteful national memorial.  A reflecting pool highlights the memorial.  The stark reality of the bombing is vividly displayed in the museum.  We then visited the 45th Infantry Division Museum in the northern part of the city.  A variety of tanks, vehicles and weaponry are permanently displayed and the exhibits are well maintained.  Throughout the museum the hardships and sacrifices made by our military are evident.  Many never came back from the battles the 45th fought ... fought to secure our freedoms and the freedoms of our children.  These sacrifices must never be forgotten.

This is an outstanding hands-on museum of aviation, space, dinosaurs, photography, sculpture, the environment and science.

The Chiefs travelled to Olathe, Kansas (by way of the Cassoday Cafe) to play golf at Heritage Park Golf Course.  This was a fairly challenging city owned golf course with water and thick rough on most holes.  Following golf we stopped by Dandy Don's daughter's home in Olathe for a great BBQ dinner (chicken, ribs and brisket) prepared by Don's son-in-law, Jamie LaRue.  Their neighbors Kim and Ken Keller joined us for an hour or two of fun and laughter.

Emmett Kelly was a famous circus clown "Wearie Willie" in the early and mid 1900's and became an icon in his trademark hobo getup.  Born in Sedan in 1898 he went on to entertain millions in the circus as well as on TV.  Kelly was also a consummate artist and some of his works are displayed from a visit he made to the local school house in 1967.  The Museum houses many items from the past as well as a 1,500 piece whiskey decanter collection.

 We visited the Kansas State University College of technology and Aviation in Salina.  This was one of those superb trips that deserve a separate web page on this site.  Click the wildcat logo to go there now.

We first visited the range last year when we joined a group of fine young Forward Air Controllers as we positioned ourselves on a hilltop where they guided Air Force aircraft and crews for practice bombing and strafing of targets only a kilometer away.  Great action and professional team work by all involved.  Today we visited and watched as two F-16s were guided in to bomb a truck convoy and other targets.  We joined the 184th Bomb Wing (Kansas ANG) Chief's Group for lunch and a day at the range's target areas, administrative facilities and scoring complex.  The 184th runs an outstanding bombing range and counts some fine Chiefs among its ranks.  While at the range we also visited the grave of Henry Green, a Buffalo Soldier, who settled the land in the 1800's.  Henry's gravesite is located on the range and is cared for by range personnel.

Home of Billy & Ellen Backues - Billy lives on 420 acres of land where he raises about 30 head of registered black angus cattle.  He and Ellen are old friends from Boeing where several of the Chiefs worked.  Great hospitality and a fun conversation.  Billy and Ellen show what "retirement" should be like.

Jim Hood , 1944 B-24 Flight Engineer, 1969 Kansas Teacher of the Year, 1989 Kansas Teacher's Hall of Fame Inductee, was one of two survivors when his airplane was ditched in the North Atlantic during WW II.  He returned to St. John, KS to teach High School Science.  The 80 year old scientist has now opened his own nationally known Science Museum in downtown St. John and we visited with him for over 3 hours.  He guided us through the development of electrical evolution from telegraph, telephone and radio technology up to and including the use of lasers to transmit communications. Jim is first and foremost an EDUCATOR.  His amiable manner and quick wit give him an extraordinary capability to teach visitors when they visit his museum.  Jim's museum is also the site for daily meetings of locals who share coffee and chat similar to our Council of Chiefs meetings.  Along the road to St. John we passed through Pratt, KS where they exhibit a unique sense of humor.

We attended the induction of another of our members into the Kansas Air National Guard Hall of Fame.  CMSgt Bernie Carbon was inducted for his lifelong dedication to the Guard, to his community and to the nation.  It was a pleasure to participate in honoring our friend and comrade as the second member of our group to be so honored.  In 1999 CMSgt John Hayworth was also inducted.  We even cleaned up a bit for the occasion.

We were fortunate to visit two great military museums in one day.  The Kansas National Guard Museum is a superbly designed and maintained museum. It reflects the proud history of the Kansas National Guard and contains memorabilia from all wars from the Civil War forward.  The Combat Air Museum likewise reflects a good portion of the history of American combat aircraft and equipment.  Our gracious hosts conducted a personalized tour of both facilities located at the former Forbes AFB.

We traveled east to the small town of West Mineral (southwest of Pittsburgh, Kansas) to see Big Brutus, the second largest shovel in the world and the largest west of the Mississippi River.  It was used from 1963 through 1974 to remove the underlayment of rock and dirt to expose the coal beneath that layer.  As we rounded a bend there it was... BIG BRUTUS and although it looked big from there it was even bigger when we got up close to it.

We traveled to downtown Wichita to visit a new Museum housing the variety of collections.   This museum is not very widely known within Wichita but it's well worth a visit.  Ancient treasures from pre-historic times through early Egypt through the settling and development of the United States can all be found here.  The museum houses one of the finest collections of sarcophagi in the world as well as relics from the Conquistadores and up through the American Revolution period.  Marvel at the size and ferocity of authentic Triceratops and Tyrannsaurus Rex skulls.

We took a great tour of the B-29 restoration effort at the Boeing Wichita facility.  Dick Ziegler, Project Director for the effort, briefed us on the extensive effort being undertaken by hundreds of volunteers.  The aircraft was completely disassembled and stripped then treated for corrosion after having set for decades in the desert.  Ultimately, the B-29 will be totally restored to flyable condition through the efforts of Ziegler's all volunteer crew.  Their effort can be tracked at their web site.  Following the B-29 tour we took in the Hutchinson Space Museum a subsidiary of the Smithsonian and enjoyed the exhibits and the Apollo 13 capsule.

We participate in the annual Veteran's Day parade in downtown Wichita.  Davis-Moore Dodge Dealership provided as our conveyance although four of us chose to walk and hand out candy to the kids along the route.  We have a great time and have happily made this an annual event.

Kirk Clayton gave us a first class tour of the 19,500 sq ft facility where they produce peel off decals for a number of major companies including Burlington Northern Railways, Tracker Boats, Fisher Boats and Procraft Boats.  Raw stock is ultimately changed into beautiful decals using various processes and high quality, labor intensive efforts of less than three dozen employees.  Eagle also produces multi-colored silk screened clothing.  The company maintains an interesting web site.

We stopped in the Big Dog Motorcycle Factory and saw how 166 employees manufacture 80-100 beautiful and powerful motorcycles each month.  Built to high quality specifications, these handsome machines are the envy of many.  Unique hand painted designs are expertly applied while engines are meticulously assembled for final assembly within the facility.

We visited the Cessna manufacturing facility in West Wichita as the guests of Duane Ellingson, Director of Production.  We meandered through the various production lines for the Citation CJ1, CJ2, and CJ3 as well as the Citation Ten and the newly developed Soveriegn. The sprawling Cessna campus was most impressive to this group of Chiefs most of which were aircraft maintainers in their earlier lives.  The quality built into the Cessna products was obvious from the outset where we examined the metal bond area where skin panels were prepared, to the final sell-off of the completed airplane.  

We dropped in on a local foundry to take a look at how the Wichita work force supports other manufacturing entities.  Grede Foundries provide castings for many Ford, Catapiller, General Motors and Bobcat vehicles.  The Wichita plant is one of 9 foundries owned by Grede - a Milwaukee based corporation.  Employing 242 people, the local plant produces over $30 million in sales each year using three induction furnaces each of which generate over 2,600 degrees F.  Operating around the clock, these furnaces provide the molten metal which is poured into "green sand" molds from which the castings are produced.  Gail Poe, Personnel Services Supervisor and Kerri Davidson, Safety Supervisor gave us a thorough tour throughout the plant and were very well versed in every aspect of plant operation.

We visited the B-1B Bomber flight crew simulator at McConnell AFB.   The highly sophisticated simulators are equipped with hydraulic actuators which react to the movements of the control stick in the cockpit.  Sitting in the Pilot's seat in the simulator is as realistic as it gets.  Each of the Chiefs took the controls under the watchful eye of our guide SMSgt John Dock.  We flew a orientation flight from Aviano AB, Italy and it was highly stimulating and most interesting.  Each remarked at the realism of flying one of America's finest bomber aircraft.

We visited the "Pilot For A Day" program at McConnell AFB ... a program hosted by the 184th Bomb Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard ... The Council of Chiefs was so impressed with this program that we have become sponsors.  You MUST read the program description and view the photo gallery.

Our trip started out with a visit to our favorite program - Pilot For A Day - where the latest of 35 kids was inducted as the "pilot" for the day.  Following the ceremonies we traveled north to our favorite restaurant in Cassoday where we presented Debbie and Diane with our token of appreciation.  We then headed back to Wichita for a tour of the NMF America facility. This company does shot peening of various aircraft structural components to provide greater material strength.  Our Tour Guide, Larry Hohl, NMF America's Quality Control Manager, pictured in the center described the various stages through which the components proceed.

Rodger Nurnberg recently opened the President's Museum in Old Town and we dropped in to look around.  The museum is privately funded and contains displays of each U.S. President along with a bust, a rundown of their biographical information, and significant events occuring during their presidency.  In addition, there are displays of each First Lady and statehood information for each of the 50 states.  A separate room contains a fairly large collection of memorabilia and books on the Presidents and their administrations.  We found this to be an interesting visit and very well done for a privately funded effort.

The Chiefs participated in the annual Wichita Veteran's Day Parade again this year.  We decorated Chief Brown's truck with the American and U.S. Air Force flags along with a few signs to tell who we are.  We walked the parade route down Main street passing out candy to the kids and cards to the parents.   We also met a true Iraqi War hero, PFC Patrick Miller, the parade's Grand Marshal.  In spite of the cold temperatures the crowd was enthusiastic.  One person stated that "If soldiers willingly defend us in deluges of rain, searing desert temperatures or tropical heat and humidity, or in bitter cold and frozen snow and ice, we can damn sure show up despite a little chilly dampness and applaud them as they parade by."  With support like that we can do ANYTHING!

We stopped in to the Wichita Shirt & Cap Company and met with the owner Roy Hammar who personally conducted a tour for us.  Roy showed us the silk screen process as well as the embroidery process.  The quality of their product is superb and Roy exhibited justifiable pride in his plant and empolyees.  The embroidery process allows simultaneous stitching of up to 15 shirts and hats or visors and they have customers throughout the country.  The company employs over 30 people, has over $500,000 invested in equipment and grosses over $2 million per year.

Midwest Corporate Aviation is housed at Jabara Airport and is the provider of Life Watch services as well as corporate flights.  Pat Ayers, Chief Operating Officer, hosted us with a very informative briefing of the company's operations as well as conducting a tour of the hangars and maintenance facilities.  The company consists of some 70 employees, flying and maintaining a number of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

We Dropped in on one of the only 2 companies in the US which manufactures component parts for player pianos.  Durrell Armstrong has been in this business since he wrote a research paper in high school over a half century ago.  He has customers all over the world and can provide music rolls as well as parts.  Along with a half dozen employees, his shop is equipped with various machines as well as player pianos in various stages of restoration.

Housed in the old municipal building, the 4 stories of artifacts date from the mid 1800's to the early part of the 1900's.  Visitors can follow the evolution of the city through the various articles on display including a full scale display of a turn of the century Drug Store and one of only 8 remaining Jones automobiles which were manufactured in Wichita.

We decided to go to the Zoo on what was a beautiful spring day. The Sedgwick County Zoo is a very fine attraction in northwest Wichita and has recently opened an Australian exhibit featuring a wide variety of Aussie wildlife.  It is interesting to note that "man" is the only animal that feeds and protects other animals out of kindness.  The zoo is high on our recommended list for places to enjoy on a nice sunny afternoon.

We dropped in on the GE Engine Services plant and were welcomed by Mike Talbert and Scott Branine who conducted a tour of the facility.  The plant overhauls over 300 jet engines a year for military and commercial customers and can turn a T-700 / CT-7 engine around in about 30 days.  Comprising 400,000 square feet, the facility formerly housed the Crayola crayon factory and GE now employs 968 people from around Winfield and the surrounding area 140 of which work in the plant we visited. A larger facility is located at Strother Field a few miles away.  Scott and his people undertook a tremendous task of converting the factory from a crayon factory to one that assembles F-110 engines as well as performing the CT-7 engine overhauls.  We were impressed with the cleanliness of the plant, the universal smiles on the faces of the employees and with our discussions with Rich Strickley and Greg Norwood.

The Chiefs travelled to Yates Center (population about 1,500) to eat lunch at Frannie's restaurant.  Frannie's is located 3 flights up over the Light Hardware Store just off the courthouse square and she is only open from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Frannie (in her mid 70's) offers a home cooked entre' and a drink for $1 and an excellent meal it is.  A generous helping of her pie will run you another $1.  There is only one menu item on any particular day and you have two choices ... take it or leave it.  We highly recommend you take it.  The menu for the entire week is hand written on single sheet of notebook paper and is posted as you enter the door.  Following lunch we wandered around the square and toured the Courthouse.

Situated off US 96 in Yoder, an Amish community, the restaurant provides excellent food at very reasonable prices and the portions are quite plentiful  The restaurant is ultra clean and neat and the wait staff are very accommodating.