Aviation Explorer Post 8

05/28/2026

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Marvin J. Miller, a long-time Scout Advisor and CFI whose service to Post Explorer Squadron 8 began in 1981 and continued for more than 40 years.

Many of today's advisors and Scouting families did not have the privilege of serving aside Marvin, but his legacy and name remain part of Post 8's fabric.

Those who knew him remember him as jovial, welcoming to all, humor, expansive aviation knowledge, and steady volunteerism leaving lasting marks on generations of young people seeking the thrill of flight.

Marvin's decades of service touched hundreds of lives, careers, and leadership journeys. Post 8 approaches nearly 75 years in Topeka, reminding me that our history has been shaped by volunteers who gave not just their time, but their heart. ♥️ Marvin was one of those people.

We are grateful for his many years of dedication and humbled by his family's request that memorial contributions be made to Aviation Explorer Post 8. His support of Post 8 will continue to help carry forward the mission he served so faithfully.

Our deepest condolences go to his wife, Louise, his family, his friends, and all who knew and loved him.

I've heard enough pilot terminology to know that Mr. Miller will enjoy clear skies, smooth air, and a kind tailwind earned only by a life so faithfully flown.

https://www.ppdfuneral.com/obituaries/marvin-miller

View Marvin J. Miller's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

05/27/2026

We're deploying the landing gear for the big annual "Flippin' Flapjacks for Fueling Future Flyers Fundraiser." (Don't worry, the pancakes are far more amazing than my marketing!).

When: Morning before Father's Day. See our Events page, and now we've made it SUPER easy to add to your calendar!

Click to save this event to your calendar and send out invites to your friends for breakfast (yes, our nerdy volunteer parents are attempting a bit of webmaster geekery... how'd we do?!):

https://hangar.post8.org/events/pancakes/

We're dangerously close to running out of F's... if you can't Fly-In to KTOP, then Drive-In, Walk-In, Bike-In, or Crawl in.... into pancake bliss!

A Photo Album of last year's event is located under the Events menu of the Post 8 home page.

💡 Add this to your calendar before the pancakes file a flight plan without you (or before we use up all the F's!).

05/16/2026

Last week, Post 8's Aviation Explorers had the honor of washing this beautiful warbird: a North American T-28 Trojan trainer named "Check Mate."

One Scout commented how special it felt to stand beside an aircraft with so much history and be trusted to make it shine. A pilot shared a thought with the group:

"You never truly own a vintage airplane... you simply become the caretaker until it passes into new hands."

Between cramming for high school/college finals and learning navigation skills and flight computer usage in ground school, the Scouts had an blast shining every inch of this aircraft under last week's warming Kansas sun.

Some aircraft leave an impression long after the wings dry. This one simply said it best itself: Check. Mate.

04/18/2026

Many Post 8 Air Explorers first caught the aviation bug thanks to the Combat Air Museum. It's time to help them celebrate a milestone!

Has it been a few years since your list visit to the museum? This Saturday, April 25, from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM, they're hosting a 50th Anniversary Celebration. Clear your family for a takeoff of a full day of fun!

Pancake breakfast by Perkins American Food Co. (Topeka) - $8 donation. Hamburgers from 12p–4p (free-will donation).🍔

Radio-controlled airplane demos, hatchet tossing (I'm assuming not aimed at the aircraft, mostly), and a Fly-in market sale featuring plants, garden goods. Possibly "lightly pre-loved" aircraft parts if someone's aim needs a little more practice *ahem, ahem* (but there's always the gift shop if not).

Whether you're an aviation geek, a history buff, or a foodie who appreciates pancakes served with a side of Pratt & Whitney and Blue Angels nostalgia, this is a great way to spend your Saturday and gain points with your family.

Oh yeah! ADMISSION IS FREE! (But you'll empty your wallet for pancakes). Support a fantastic local museum, and help celebrate 50 years of keeping aviation history alive!

P.S. This is not a Post 8 event -- we're just giving props to our favorite Topeka museum, but we'll have a booth there providing information for teens who may be interested in joining Post 8. Stop by and say "Hello!"

04/14/2026

We had visitors last Saturday! Not lost dogs this time....real humans!

Marvelous women from the Northeast Kansas chapter of The Ninety-Nines, Inc, International Organization of Women Pilots presented. The 99s are dedicated to advancing aviation, education, and mentorship. Founded in 1929 with Amelia Earhart ( Earhart Hangar Museum) as their first president in 1931, the 99's now have nearly 8K members across 44 countries. That's A LOT of logbooks!

The NEK99s shared what they're all about: Supporting women in aviation, flight training opportunities, promoting safety, education, comradery, and inspiring the next-gen of pilots (Post 8 Scouts, that means you! 👀)

They also briefed us on the upcoming Air Race Classic (June 23), where pilots race across the country with handicaps based on aircraft performance. Winning is about strategy, planning, and knowing how to make the wind take you at 100% throttle. ("Find the tailwind" is the classified intel on how to win).

Fun stat we learned: Women now make up 7.7% of pilots in 2025, up from 5.28% in 2015 (FAA data). That's a serious climb rate. They also left us with this gem (while casually glancing at the "seasoned" folks in the room): "It's never too late to start flying." Challenge accepted, as soon as I figure out how to navigate my shopping cart out of the Wanamaker Sprawlmart.

Our second guest was former Post 8 Scout William Willhite (2018 to 2022). He is now chasing big dreams in Naval Aviation. William earned his Private Pilot License right here at Post 8 and came back to share his journey, reminding our Scouts: You will mess up; learn from it; keep flying anyway.

He shared stories of learning under CFI Mr. Kingman, washing airplanes (a proud Post 8 tradition), working airshows, and that unforgettable first cross-country to Emporia.

We wrapped up the day with a good old-fashioned plane wash and wax. Curiously, the 99's and Mr. Willhite had already executed a flawless departure... must have been a change in winds.

We are cheering you on, William, as you pursue your goal of flying the F-18 or EA-18 Growler. Come back and give us a ride when you get one (or at least tell us more about the EA-18!).

We wish the NEK99s the best of luck in the race, and thank you for your generous donation to our program! We're hoping to see future Post 8 pilots join your group and then come back to impress future scouts with their cross-country stories.

Thanks to all for inspiring our Scouts and their aviation dreams.

04/12/2026

Post 8 Photo Albums... Live!

It has been a few weeks since Spring Break and Easter gave Scouts time off from the hangar, but memories of past events continue stepping through our heads.

"Tower, requesting clearance to view Post 8's Swing Dance Photos!"

If you joined us for the 2026 Swing Dance back in February or want to see the vintage vibes we've launched a "Photo Album" feature on the Post 8 website.

You can find it under the Events tab on post8.org, or fly direct here:
📸 https://hangar.post8.org/photoalbums/

We'll try to capture photos from future events. Time flies faster than a tailwind at 10K feet, and we want a place to look back at the fun, growth, and memories.

If we see strong interest (that means you clicking and shares on Facebook!), we may dig through the hangar archives and post photos from past adventures, assuming we can find them in the right "flight log". 😄

Taxi over and enjoy the snapshots of Post 8 in action!

Welcome to the Post 8 Photo Hangar. This is a growing collection of snapshots from dances, flights, fundraisers, and other adventures where cameras bravely attempted to keep up with the people and planes. Browse the published albums below.

03/15/2026

Today's Post 8 meeting had two surprises, both four-legged.

It was the first time in a few weeks that I sat through ground school, and the class topics have really....taken off (I swear I'm not using AI to write this; if you knew me, you already understand). Today was a continuation of VOR navigation.

While rationalizing I'd missed several weeks of class due to naps in the hangar while brainstorming future Facebook posts, I discovered how far behind I'd fallen. Instructor Ainsley ended class with the question:

"What is your location on V280 northeast of Hutchinson Regional if your VOR receiver indicates you are on the 350° radial from the Wichita VOR?" 🤯

If you know the answer, post below. I'm trying to figure out my vector, Victor. (Hint: there are three choices in the slide.)

Meanwhile, unexpected visitors arrived. 🐾

Two beautiful dogs wandering the airfield were discovered attempting an unauthorized taxi onto runway zero woof 8. Friendly as could be, but clearly lost, and one was wearing an e-collar tighter than an over-torqued sheet-metal screw.

Their confidence made them appear like they were ready for VOR navigation test questions.

An airfield is no place for wandering pets, so the dogs were routed to our hangar, given water, pats, reorganized our mechanic's toolbox, peeked in on the pilots' Saturday safety meeting, and then were driven (not flown 😏) to Helping Hands, with hopes they can be scanned and hopefully reunited with their owners.

Scouts exited the building on the opposite side to avoid stressing our four-legged guests in the hangar, but scouts pressed their wet noses against the hangar window in awe of the rare site of advisors doling out head-scratches [...to the dogs]. Airports are fascinating places, but not safe for animals to roam, no matter how fluffy.

If you have pets, consider microchipping them so they can find their way home if they wander off. At the very least, attach a license, an airport safety vest, Garmin navaids, and a pair of air marshalling flashlights.

If anyone recognizes this adorable pair, Helping Hands has them checked in.

03/10/2026

Let there be light... nah, make it THREE lights! 💡💡💡

The front of the Post 8 Hangar is now illuminated by three brand-new ramp lights, thanks to the efforts of Advisors/Parents Mr. Morgan and Mr. Johnston.

The old configuration consisted of one fully-collapsed light and two dim ones, with a bonus portal in the wall for bird exploitation.

Installing the new lights wasn't just a lift-and-screwdriver job. They calculated the coverage for proper nighttime lighting. The ramp is now bright enough that scouts won't accidentally preflight the wrong airplane or taxi three times in search of our hangar. 😎

Personally, when I stare at them I see five lights, but that is only because the new ones are bright enough to leave spots in my vision. (Give a 👍 if you understand the Star Trek reference. No Cardassian interrogation required!)

Thanks again to Mr. Morgan and Mr. Johnston for helping make the hangar safer and brighter. And seeing how close they were to all that peeling paint, I suppose our next project involves scraping and painting.

Anyone want to help? If you have old painting supplies or know where to get high-quality paint at super-low-quality paint prices, let us know!

03/02/2026

A few of our Post 8 scouts and advisors had the opportunity to attend Aviation Day at the Kansas State Capitol building today. It's an event that brings together aviation leaders, advocates, leaders and manufacturers to highlight the importance of aviation in our state and future workforce.

Thank you to everyone who represented Post 8 and took time to attend, learn, and share the passion for aviation. (I hope you guys at least taught some swing dance moves while you had a captive audience!).

Shoutouts to:
KDOT Aviation
Kansas Department of Commerce
Kansas Highway Patrol

02/22/2026

The plan was to write a full after-dance report, but the crew is currently operating on AVgas fumes and leftover swing music. Zzzzzz...

WIBW captured the magic better than our sleep deprived brains could anyway, so here's tonight's recap!

Huge thanks to everyone who came out and made the Post 8 2nd Annual Swing Dance unforgettable. Thanks WIBW Melissa Brunner for your station's reporting! To bed said Fred.

Aviation Explorers Post 8 is an organization that offers training and flight education for youth interested in becoming pilots or working in the aviation field.