Site Last Updated: 6/23/09

Pioneer Aviators Project Jukebox

Jack DiMarchi

Project Jukebox is the digital branch of the Oral History Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Project Jukebox was originally developed using hypercard in 1988, with initial support from Apple Computer's Apple Library of Tomorrow program, and is a way to integrate oral history recordings with associated photographs, maps, and text. We have over 35 projects from throughout Alaska, each specific to a topic or an area and we are constantly creating more. We eventually hope to make all the recordings in our oral history collection digitally available. Permission and ethical issues about making people's recordings so widely accessible have slowed the process of putting more projects online. To access the jukebox projects that are currently online, click here. You can also visit the Rasmuson Library on the UAF campus to see all the jukebox projects on individual workstations.

 

The Pioneer Aviators Project Jukebox highlights stories related to the history of aviation in Alaska and the role aviation has played in changing our state's economy and transportation system. While there are many well-known pioneers in Alaskan aviation, we selected stories from some of the lesser known figures who also have left a legacy and who might otherwise go unheard.

This project includes recordings from the Oral History Collection at Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, as well as historic photographs and film clips from our collections, from other Alaska institutions, and from personal family collections.

This project was completed in June 2009 by the staff of theAlaska and Polar Regions Collections at Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (Karen Brewster, Marla Statscewich, and Stacey Carkhuff of Project Jukebox; William Schneider, Curator of Oral History; Robyn Russell, collection manager of the Oral History Collection; Dirk Tordoff and Michael Knavel of the Alaska Film Archives; Caroline-Atuk Derrick and Anne Foster of the UAF Archives; Marge Thompson of the Rasmuson Library photo lab; and Bob Forshaw, Paul Adasiak and Ulyana Korotkova of Alaska's Digital Archives). Thanks also go to Bob Jansen of Turtlelane Studios, Sydney, Australia and Mark Morlino of Rasmuson Library's IT staff for their technical expertise.

 

President's Hot Seat:

Pete Haggland

We have not picked a date for a summer picnic yet but it was suggested that it be on a Sunday. Let me know what the wishes are and I'll tell the
mosquitoes a wrong date so it will be bug free. Generally not too bad anyway and the food more than makes up for it along with the company.

Jim Drew’s name was submitted to EAA in Oshkosh for the wall. Jim was always very active in the Young Eagles program and teaching the new kids about flying. The QB group donated $185 along with the balance
from the Chapter and an indication from the flight Instructors group of a few more donations. Thanks to Roger for the paperwork and to all the others who have contributed!

Two things come to mind for the combined group of the Museum and 1129. The board has committed to include a history section in the programs
at the meetings. Everyone thought it was important to spread out both sections. History programs are an important part of our history.

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Call for Stories and Photos
EAA 1129 has a new newsletter editor who is looking for new material for the Newsletter.
Please consider a paragraph and a couple of plane project photos that you can submit for future
Newsletters. There are a lot of active projects out there and other members really enjoying
hearing about them. Submit your text and photos to Jack DiMarchi by email
(coregeoscience@gmail.com) or call with question 590-9332—and thank you.

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Chapter By-Laws

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Chapter History Lesson

Vickie Domke

EAA Chapter 1129 was founded in 1996 as a result, as I recall, of an offhand comment, “How come we don't have an EAA Chapter in Fairbanks ?”

Actually there was a chapter, but due in large part to the devastating economy in the 1980's the chapter had basically disbanded and disappeared.

The treasurer of that chapter gave the new EAA Chapter over $2000, the sum total of the previous chapter's bank account. That seed money allowed us the ability to incorporate, start a newsletter, pay our national dues, pay the mandatory insurance, pay postage and primitive advertising costs and basically get the ball rolling.

Each of the Chapter 1129 presidents has left an impression. Sterling Muth introduced us to ultralights long before the neighbors in North Pole ever began complaining about the noise. I remember him as an optimistic character, with a conservative don't-change-anything policy contrasted with his wild off the wall purchase of one of the first modern ultralights in Fairbanks.

Clay Cranor had the unglamorous task of wrangling the paperwork and incorporation paperwork to ground. His trademark laid-back style of leadership peaked with his presentation of how he preheated his Cub in the Early Days. “I just ran a hose from the car exhaust and up into the cowling…” We were a very low-budget group.

Dave Gardner probably wrote the second more modern edition of Robert's Rules of Order. His incredibly stable personality, sport coat and tie and look-you-right-in-eye honesty secured our honorary status with the IAAAF museum.

My presidency was built on the foundation of the previous presidents and supported by the solid Board of Directors. I learned that is ok to cry and show emotion when bad things happen to good people.

Pete Haggland has spearheaded our first really big project, building the Jenny wings. His booming voice is a great attribute at the Annual Banquet and he has reached out to other aviation organizations and helped our EAA chapter reputation as one to be considered when making aviation policy in the North Land .

Most of the original early 1996 members still regularly attend meetings, participate in Young Eagle events, eat pancakes at the Annual Breakfast and go to the Board Meetings even when they are not on the Board. Our Chapter has grown to almost 90 members with a reliable newsletter, bills to pay, wings to build, T-shirts to sell, kids to fly and a much anticipated Annual Banquet.

So, fellow EAA members, what's the Next Big Project?

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