Clyde Carpenter
Clyde is the President of EAA Chapter 40 at Whiteman Airport (KWHP) in Pacoima, CA. (Los Angeles County). He has been a part of 3 chapters since 1999, Chapter 84 in Snohomish, WA (he was their Board Member-at-Large and Newsletter Editor), Chapter 88 in Wichita, KS and now Chapter 40. He is a Youth Minister/Advocate, musical instrument repairman and a Commercial Pilot and has worked at a senior executive level in the health benefits industry. Dedicating 35 years of work in various youth ministry and youth programs, he is passionate about providing a better future for youth where they can realize their dreams, acquire a solid foundation for life and help them build a better future for everyone. EAA Chapter 40 has been a wonderful place for him, working alongside amazing teams of youth and talented mentors. He looks forward to supporting the amazing programs and people of the Experimental Aircraft Association. He loves to meet people, learning about their dreams and experiences and he welcomes anyone to feel free to contact him at any time.
Clyde grew up watching aircraft soar over Wichita, KS, “The Air Capital of the World” which has 5 airports within the city limits, including an active US Air Force base. His father, a physicist and software engineer, would often take his family to Wichita’s Mid Continent Airport (KICT) to sit at the end of the terminal, watching aircraft take off and land while they ate a picnic dinner. He watched everything from Cessnas, Beechcraft, Stearman and even F-4D’s from the “Flying Jayhawks” of the Kansas Air National Guard. During Junior High, Clyde saw his first film of Missionary Aviation Fellowship sharing about their “back-country” flying and dreamed of the day he would take flight.
As a teenager of only 15, his brother’s first grade teacher Mrs. Carpp offered him a flight in a Piper PA-28. Carolyn Carpp, the first female Pacific Northwest Regional Director for NIFA, would give him that first push to get his wings. She took him and his friends for many flights and loaned/gave him pilot supplies and books to read on learning to fly. Just after high school, as he started college, Clyde became a Christian, which led to a degree in Christian ministry with a focus on Youth. This led to many friends in the various missionary aviation communities which he is still an active supporter of today. It still took some time but thanks to her continued support and the amazing people at EAA Chapter 84 such as WW2 veteran and Boeing Test Pilot, Harley Beard, who told him to get out of his chair and fly, he took flying lessons at Northway Aviation on Paine Field (KPAE) where they built 747s and 777s. Clyde now holds certificates for ASEL-Private, AMEL-Commercial, numerous endorsements and is an active Advanced Ground Instructor and is working on his Instrument Ground Instructor certificate. While he did not realize his dream of flying for Mission Aviation Fellowship, he is grateful that God has given him a place to share his love and passion for flight with so many people.
Clyde’s favorite aircraft include the SPAD XIII which he intends to build a replica of, the P40 Warhawk, the F4U/FG1 Corsair, the X-29 and the F-14. His favorite twin is the Piaggio Avanti. Then the venerable Cessna 152 is always his go-to airplane for fun flights. He has had the privilege to briefly fly a C-45 and just before his private checkride, Larry S from EAA Chapter 84 took him for a ride in a Starduster Too. Chapter 84 really played a big role in the final push to get him off the ground. “EAA is the very best place to find the inspiration to achieve your aviation dreams.” He looks forward to paying all this forward in EAA.
