Mooney pilots gathered for the fourth consecutive year at the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 hangar at the Leesburg International Airport (KLEE) in Florida on Jan. 13, 2018.
The EAA chapter hosted the Mooney Lunch Group in its hangar on a rather cloudy and cool day for Floridians, which limited the number of Mooney airplanes to six. They came from as far away as Stuart, St. Augustine, and Pompano Beach, Florida. The majority of pilots drove in because of the weather.
The total number of Mooney owners who attended was 22 and there were 12 EAA chapter members putting on the BBQ lunch and serving the meal. A good deal of hangar flying took place during the lunch.
EAA Chapter 534 has a large hangar at the airport, which makes it easy to host groups of this type. Ordinarily it is filled with aircraft project planes, which end up getting moved outside or pushed to one side. This is the same location from which the chapter runs its Young Eagles events and Youth Aviation program.
The group was welcomed by Jodie Soule, EAA Chapter 534 president, and David and Ruth Taisch, founders of the Mooney Lunch Group.
After the hangar lunch, the group was invited to the Taisch home in Tavares, Florida, to view their large backyard railroad diorama. This is Ruth’s hobby, but she said she does allow David to play with her trains.
Besides owning a Mooney aircraft, they also have a Lake amphibian that is usually docked in front of their home on Lake Harris.
(See a story on the couple by writer Amelia Reiheld here).