Welcome!
EAA Chapter 240 is an active community of aviation enthusiasts, promoting general aviation, offering educational workshops (welding, fabric etc) and sponsoring young pilots. Members have monthly flying excursions to places of interest.
Our Hangar, Workshop and Club Room are first-class and well utilized for the many events, workshops and aircraft construction projects undertaken by members.
Chapter Hangar & Club Room
The EAA Chapter 240 Hangar and Club Room is a unique and exceptional members facility, located at New Garden Flying Field (N57). Several aircraft projects can be accommodated in the hangar, outfitted with the tools, lathes and other machinery. The Club Room hosts our Chapter meetings, education seminars and presentations held throughout the year. Five times per year our ‘Increasingly Famous’ Pancake Breakfasts are held at the facility.
Technical Support
The Chapter boasts a complement of three Aviation Technical Counselors, and three Aviation Flight Advisors, available to support the membership in their aviation needs.
The expertise, experience and support of the membership is on-tap to new members who are contemplating building, buying, or getting involved in any aspect of aviation.
Aviation Spoken Here!
Whether it is promoting aviation to youngsters through the EAA Young Eagles program, hosting visiting aviators and aviation groups at our Chapter Hangar and Club Room, joining our monthly ‘fly-outs’, or simply the gathering of members to do some serious ‘hangar-flying’ over coffee EAA Chapter 240 offers fellowship, camaraderie and all the support of an active and motivated membership.
Our History
The chapter was chartered by EAA National on July 30,1965, as the “Wilmington Delaware Chapter 240” and incorporated in 1967 as “Chapter 240 Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc.” The operating name First State Flyers was used by the chapter when it operated in Delaware but rarely used now.
The chapter was incorporated in Delaware as a nonprofit nonstock corporation. The chapter became a registered educational nonprofit under section 501(c)3 of federal tax code in 2007. As such, contributions to the chapter are tax deductible donations.
The chapter activities were centered around Wilmington Airport (the current New Castle Airport) until the move to New Garden. The chapter held 6 pancake breakfasts and a large flyin each year but did not have its own facility for breakfasts, meetings or construction of aircraft.
In 2000, the chapter used about $30,000 of the money accumulated from the breakfasts and other fundraisers to build the facility at New Garden Airport. Since then, the chapter has regularly added amenities to the facility. The kitchen and clubroom were not part of the original build. Most of the construction has been with volunteer chapter member labor.
The land that the building sits on is owned by the airport. The lease the chapter has with New Garden Airport calls for a 5% interest in the building and improvements to devolve to the airport each year. After 20 years, the building and all improvements will be wholly owned by the airport but the chapter will continue to have the right to use it. The airport was owned by the duPont family until early 2007 when New Garden Township purchased it. Our agreement is now with the Township.
Monthly Membership and other meetings are held in the clubroom at the hangar or, in the case of severe weather, in the cafeteria at William Penn High School near New Castle, Delaware. Locations of meetings are announced here, at the EAA240 web site, or by email, or both.
In January 2012 our membership totaled 166, and we have five aircraft being worked-on at the Chapter hangar.
The rules of the chapter are few. There is no smoking in the building. All tools and books in the building are available for member use and are to be returned to where you found them. Every member who eats or drinks chapter food is to pay for it by putting money in the collections can.
The building is open to any chapter member and nonmembers if accompanied by a member. The combination to the lock on the side door is available to any member. . If you have other questions, just ask.
The Young Eagles program promotes the love of aviation amongst local children.
As we are an all volunteer organization, we look to our members to provide the leadership and enthusiastic support for all of our events.
Meetings are generally the first Monday of each month at the New Garden hangar. Visitors are welcome to any of these meetings.
New members are always welcomed. Interested in joining? Click here
For directions to the EAA240 facility, flight services (including local weather) and other information, please click here
