Have you ever wondered how Chapter 512 came to be? Well, you are about to find out.

It seems several local EAA types were either members or began visiting Chapter 52 meetings at Sacramento. Ernie Nicolls, Dr. Earl Sanderson, and Dave Conrad were members when Bob O'Hara and Art Criss began visiting. As Bob and Criss were returning from a meeting in the fall of 1974, they began to wonder if there was enough interest around the Placerville area to form a chapter. Bob and the guys started asking around and soon had enough bodies rounded up for Bob to request chapter formation information from EAA national and begin working with the California Secretary of State for tax exempt corporation status. The group started meeting at Al Jesperson's hanger to work on getting the chapter started.

Finally the charter for Hangtown EAA Chapter 512 arrived, dated April 1, 1975.

Among the first really important items to be accomplished by the chapter was the design of a logo. Several ideas were submitted, but the one that best showed the Hangtown theme was the one drawn by Art Criss, the one in use today.

The original officers were: Dr. Sanderson, President; Bob O'Hara, Vice President; Aileen Nicolls, Secretary; Jerry Henley, Treasurer; Dave Conrad, Historian; and Art Criss, Designee.

Charter members were: Jack Snyder, Jess Frampton, Ernie Nicolls, John McPherson, Don "Jack" Armstrong, Brian Matthews, Robert Bland, James Kearns, Harold Peak, Mickey Maher, Fred Alleman, Cory Edgecombe, Warren Tufts, and Gary Diehl. Lynn Dean, FAA, was the first Honorary Member.

Family participation has been very important since the beginning, and still is today. Surely one of the main reasons for the continuous success and popularity of the chapter.