4-H Pasture Blaster! Aug. 26-28, 2011

Join us for the annual 4-H rocket launch located at:

922 W. Uncas Rd.
Discovery Bay, WA
Adults $3 for three days, KIDS FREE
This launch is open to the Public on our 84-acre launch site!
Hosted by Olympic Peninsula Rocketry - 4-H (OPROC), John Ludwig, 4-H leader.

Click here for details

Pasture Blaster a big success!

The 4-H Olympic Peninsula Rocketry Club (OPROC) celebrates its first Pasture Blaster in Discovery Bay, Washington. John Ludwig, 4-H leader, has an article coming! Check it out soon!

The Museum of Flight Provides History, Wonder, Possibilities

By Betsy Fradd WSU Extension 4-H

They created flight plans, experimented with inertia, and, from inside a flight simulator, flew from Seattle’s Boeing Field to Paine Field in Everett. Washington State 4-Hers discovered how pilots and scientists think and work at the Museum of Flight Sleepover in early May. Read More

Port Townsend Aero Museum honored Sunday as the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year: Jerry and Peggy Thuotte

By Fred Obee of The Leader

The collaborators behind the Port Townsend Aero Museum were honored Sunday as the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year.

Jerry and Peggy Thuotte, the co-founders of the museum, reacted with the humility they are known for.

"Everyone deserves this more than me," an emotional Jerry Thuotte told the chamber crowd at Fort Worden.

The Aero Museum, a new 18,000-square-foot, $2.5 million building with a graceful, arching roof, opened at the Jefferson County airport in 2007. It houses dozens of restored antique airplanes on three levels.

A former Army drill sergeant and a pilot for United Airlines for 33 years, Jerry, with his wife, Peggy, moved to Jefferson County eight years ago from Enumclaw with a love for restoring old airplanes and a dedication to seeing young people stay off drugs.

In Enumclaw, Jerry trained youngsters in the exacting task of restoring airplanes. In Jefferson County, at the urging of friends who had seen the results of Thuotte's mentoring, he and Peggy bought a hangar, secured contracts to restore old planes and invited young people to come to his shop to learn the craft. Peggy, also a licensed pilot, took on the books, pitched in on teaching aircraft restoration work, particularly fabric, and became a housemother to the young people who work at the museum. Together, they now have a collection of about 30 airplanes.

Read More

Peninsula Daily News article

Port Townsend Aero Museum mentors youth!

Jesaint Baril, 4-H Network News reporter, interviews Matthew Elmore and Matthew Vogel at the Port Townsend Aero Museum. The museum mentors youth from across the Olympic Peninsula through their work on vintage airplane restoration projects. Claire Turner, 4-H Network News reporter on camera, and Mark and Rusty (filming from the BizKid$ Public Television series.) You can see the 4-H video of this interview below!

Sydney Jackson presents at Women Fly!

The Women Fly! program at Seattle's Museum of Flight has attracted many Jefferson County 4-H members over the years. Each season we fill the 4-H van with eager female club members to explore a day of mentorship with some of the finest, most dedicated pilots in the world. It is an exciting day as these young teens hear the stories and career advise that these remarkable professional women share with them. Shown above is Sydney Jackson from the King County Sheriff's Office, helicopter Search and Rescue pilot. Sydney shared her passion for flying and especially wanted young women to know about the broad range of career roles available in law enforcement, including being pilot.

It's Women Fly!, The Museum of Flight’s annual special event for young women interested in aviation and aerospace careers. Girls were invited to participate in a day of motivational and career-oriented activities that allowed them to meet and learn from professional women working in a variety of flight-related careers. The day’s program also included a special luncheon, discussions, and multiple networking opportunities. Cost was only $5 per participant, payable at the event, though advance registration was requested. For more details go to www.museumofflight.org/womenfly, call 206-768-7141 or e-mail womenfly@museumofflight.org.

4-H goes to Women Fly! at Seattle's Museum of Flight!

Jefferson County 4-H members attending the Women Fly! program at Seattle's Museum of Flight are l. to r.: Hannah Tipton, Kathryn Allen, JoAnn Beard, Claire Beukes, Kristina Deffley, Emma Whitethunder and Phaedra Ward.

The Women Fly! program brings female aviators together with young women interested in aviation careers for a day-long mentorship experience. This year's program featured Margaret Ringenberg, Womens Air Force Service Pilot (WASP) from WWII, Capt. Karen M. Kahn, Continental Airlines pilot, and Laura Theodorson, McChord Air Force Base pilot. These three female aviators shared stories and advise during a dynamic and entertaining panel discussion at Women Fly!

Women Fly! panelists: Margaret Ringenberg, Karen Kahn and Laura Theodorson

Margaret Ringenberg began her aviation career as a ferry pilot with the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. She became a flight instructor after the WASP program was disbanded in 1944 and has been flying ever since. Tom Brokaw devoted an entire chapter to her in his book, The Greatest Generation.

Captain Karen M. Kahn is an extraordinary mentor and flight instructor who has written Flight Guide for Success: Tips & Tactics for the Aspiring Airline Pilot. She currently flies for a major U.S. air carrier and has flown the 727, 757, 767, DC-10 and MD-80 (now the Boeing 717). She is also an inspiring speaker who helps aspiring young pilots fulfill their dreams.

Lt. Col. Laura Theodorson is a pilot, flying C-17s out of McChord AFB, and a former C-141 flight instructor. She has distinguished herself recently with successful humanitarian flights to Antarctica where she flew under extreme weather conditions and challenges.

It was a delight to share lunch with these distinguished pilots and to hear their stories about career challenges, the fun and challlenging aspects of their jobs, how they balance family life with piloting, their favorite restaurants in various locations they fly to and more. These women definitely have a different perspective on life - from the air!

Michael Kopp presents at Women Fly!

Michael Kopp, pilot, shared his extensive aviation knowledge with Women Fly! participants and topped it off with a detailed tour of his impressive Cessna airplane. He is shown here with Jefferson County 4-H club members, JoAnn Beard, Phaedra Ward and Emma Whitethunder.

Michael gave an interesting and articulate presentation about turbo-charging, describing how the engine uses turbines to compress thin air into air more similar in oxygen content to lower elevations. The young women who heard his talk learned about the pressurized areas of a plane and how the compressed turbo-charged air is routed into these sealed areas to make it possible for humans to fly at high elevations without wearing oxygen masks.

Michael gave an inspiring lecture to these young women, sharing lots of detailed scientific and engineering principles with them and handling their questions with respect and sometimes a challenge! Thanks, Michael, for a great day at Women Fly!


Michael gives a lecture on turbo-charging engines and ice prevention on airplanes to participants in the Women Fly! program.

After a fun day at Women Fly!

Jefferson County 4-H members say goodbye after enjoying a fun day at the Women Fly! program at Seattle's Museum of Flight. They are in back l. to r.: Kathryn Allen, Hannah Tipton, JoAnn Beard, Claire Beukes, Emma Whitethunder, and Phaedra Ward. In front: Kristina Deffley.