His overall commitment to the EAA is unsurpassed. He is the chapter “go to guy” on all aviation topics, but it doesn’t stop there. His vast knowledge on many other subjects makes J.J. Banks an inspiration to all who know him. He is a modest soft spoken person and at times very humorous. When you need an answer, go to JJ. He truly exemplifies the true spirit of aviation.

JJ’s involvement in our Young Eagles Program is ongoing. He had flown young Eagles for ten years from 1988 through 1998 in two of his RV-4’s. He would brief the youngsters on the flight to be taken and then depart, letting the Young Eagle take the controls and find their way back to the airport. Can you imagine how exciting that must have been?

In 1998 he had a stroke that has kept him from the left seat. Some folks may have stopped their involvement right there, but JJ continues volunteering on every Young Eagles event that the Chapter has.

 JJ has fully supported all Chapter activities and has given his time freely.

JJ has spearheaded the following Chapter projects:

1) The restoration of a 1946 Aeronca

2) The building of an RV-6

3) The building of a N3 Pup

4)  The building of a Quad City Challenger Challenger

5) The current Zenith 701 project                                        

Military Service and Service to the Aviation Community

JJ’s Military service was with the 8^th Army Air Force, Air Depot # 2, Warton, England where he spent one and one half years repairing aircraft from 1943 to mid 1944. When repairs were no longer needed due to the rapid production of aircraft at that time JJ guarded German prisoners in Reinburg, Germany. After the German surrender JJ was sent to Okinawa, where he guarded Japanese prisoners until he returned home in 1946.

JJ worked on the first VOR Station in Pennsylvania on Bangor Mountain in Stroudsburg. The station was named Tannersville VOR with a frequency of 114.2. It was functional between 1951 and 53. It could be tuned in all the way from Washington, DC while on the ground. The station was too powerful and interfered with other stations having the same frequency so it was taken out of service in 1953-54. Frequencies were hard to come by in the early VOR days.

JJ went on to work on fourteen more VOR stations throughout the country, the furthest being Paducky, KY., constructing roofs and ventilating systems. JJ would fly three workers home each evening if the jobs were within one flying hour of Stroudsburg, PA. If the jobs were more than an hour away, his crew would stay until the job was completed.

JJ also flew from Stroudsburg, PA to Washington, DC to pick up Senator Rooney for a dinner engagement that the Senator had in E. Stroudsburg, PA. He did this in a Cherokee that he had sold to a friend a few weeks before the trip.

Personal Achievements in Aviation

JJ worked for Glen Martin, building the B-26 from 1941 thru 1942. In 1946 he worked for ERCO (Engineering and Research Corporation) building the Ercoupe.

Some of JJ other personal achievements were winning a Zenith model flying contest, held when he was in high school, at the 109th Infantry Armory. There he kept his model flying without hitting the ceiling or walls of the Armory for four minutes and twenty seconds. Five rubber bands, a custom made specially pitched prop and the correct rudder deflection were the deciding factors. He said that was the start of his aviation career.

JJ flew gliders with Mickey Meinhoff, who left Germany to work with the US Space Program as a machinist. He flew gliders, which were winched then catapulted, from Pegasus Airport. JJ’s longest solo glider flight was four hours and fifteen minutes in a Sweitzer 126. He said he had to come down because he was freezing and had to, you know….pee!

In 1986 JJ built a Mong Bi-plane which he completed himself.

Also to his credit, JJ has built two RV-4’s; one in 1987 which he completed himself and another in 1990 with Jimmy Giatrakis. On the latter project, Jimmy bought the kit while JJ purchased the engine.

JJ holds a private, glider and instrument rating.