Membership Information

Requirements

We welcome all young men and women who are at least 14 years old and have finished the eighth grade. He or she can remain in the Post as an Explorer until their 21st birthday. Then, they can become one of the Post's adult advisors, passing on their knowledge and enthusiam to the next generation of Explorers.

Meetings

We meet at 7:30 pm on the first and third Mondays of the month, between September and June. We also spend the last week of July volunteering at the EAA AirVenture Convention in Oshkosh, WI. For this reason, and to allow for the other summer activities that most members have, we only meet the first Monday in July (for an Oshkosh Prep Meeting) and the third Monday in August (for a New Year Planning meeting). Meetings are usually completed by 9:00 pm sharp.

Meetings are held at the Chicago Executive Airport Office at 1020 S. Plant Road, Wheeling, IL  60090.

Fees and Dues

High-school age members are expected to participate in all the Post activities and are considered "Active Explorers." They pay and annual registration fee of $15 which takes care of BSA enrollment and insurance. The monthly dues of $35 covers most Post activities including field trips and 3 to 4 flights per year. Some additional activities, such as soaring, and AirVenture have an additional fee to offset the costs.

"Senior Explorers" are those who have graduated high school, but are not yet 21. Since they are often away at college or working a full-time job, they are not expected to participate in all the Post activities. Instead, they are welcome to participate as frequently as they are able on a pay-as-you-go basis. Senior Explorers pay an annual fee of $35 and no monthly dues. However, they pay a fee for any field trip, flights, or other activities they may participate in.

"Guest Explorers" are youth who do not satisfy the membership age requirement. As an unofficial guest of the Post, they are able to attend meetings, learning activities and field trips as long as they are accompanied by their parent or guardian. They are not able to participate in the Post's official flights or AirVenture camping until they become an Active Explorer. There are no fees or dues for Guest Members.

Uniforms

Although we're part of the Scouting organization, we don't go in for fancy uniforms with lots of patches and badges. Instead, we simply have a red polo or T-shirt with the Post logo. Embroidered polo shirts cost about $25. The Explorer is expected to wear this uniform to all meetings and activities.

Fund Raising

Like most youth organizations, we need more money to operate than we collect in dues, which means that we need to raise additional funds. But unlike most other groups, we DON'T sell any popcorn, cookies, candy, or anything else. Instead, we wash airplanes and have tons of fun while we do.

Once a year, on Columbus Day, we get together at the airport and wash some of Windy City Flyer's airplanes. In exchange, they provide us a credit that we use toward our flights throughout the year. Since this event is a primary source of funds for the Post, all members are expected to participate.

Further Information

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact:

• Michael Haupt via E-Mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone at: 1 (847) 736-5812, or ...
• Mike Rogers via E-Mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone at: 1 (847) 612-7194

Interested in Joining?

The following forms and information documents are used to inform both the Explorers and their Parents about the Post activities and to register new members. Each new member needs to fill out these forms, have them signed by their parents or guardians, and submit them to the Post Chairman at one of our meetings.

To make the download process easier, we have grouped the info and forms below into two packets.  The files are contained in two ZIP files, one for the information packet and one for the forms.  Once you download them to your computer, you can extract them into the individual files so you can view them, fill them in, and print them on your PC.

(NOTE: All of out online forms are in Adobe PDF Format, and many of them can be filled in on your computer and printed to save a lot of hand writing.  You will need the Adobe Reader Program on your PC to view, fill in, and print these forms. If you do not have Adobe Reader on your computer you can download it from adobe10reader.com.  If you have problems with any of the files you may want to download and install the latest version of Adobe Reader on your PC.)

[INFO] Aviation Explorer Post 9 INFO Packet

This packet contains the following information about joining our Post:

• The New Member Checklist - This info outlines all of the forms and requirements to join the Post
• Aviation Explorer Post 9 BYLAWS (Revised Oct. 2010) - This is a copy of the Post BYLAWS that outline the structure and of the Post and also sets the rules to be followed by Post members.
• Aviation Explorer Post 9 Fly Along Plan for 2011-2012 - This is the information that outlines our proposed Official Post Flying activities for the coming year. It also lists both the aircraft and pilots that will be flying the Explorers during these flights. While we have a very aggressive flying plan, changes can and will occur during the year due to both weather conditions and aircraft availability.

[FORMS] Aviation Explorer Post 9 FORMS Packet

This packet contains all of the forms that need to be filled out by a new member and his/her parents to register the member with the Learning for Life Program, provide us with contact info, and cover important insurance information.