BREAKFAST CLUB OF GRAND RAPIDS
Established 1936 – John A. Collins, President
EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON, GRAND RAPIDS DOWNTOWN
Big E's Sports Grille
710 Monroe Avenue NW, Grand Rapids
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 – 7:00 AM
4.5 acres of what appears to be total chaos. This is the “roof” or flight deck of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
When the two flags of Foxtrot and Corpen are hoisted on an aircraft carrier, the entire Carrier Group swings into action. This is the recognized signal that the carrier is preparing for flight operations. The ship swings into the wind (corpen) and maximum speed (25+ knots) to launch and recover aircraft. Accompanying ships maneuver to take their assigned positions.
The noise level increases as a swarm of individuals in different color vests begin to maneuver aircraft in preparation for launch. The deck-edge elevators bring the required aircraft up to the flight deck, where they are fueled and loaded with ammunition.
Our resident flight authority, Phil VanderWall, will show us how the chaos is actually a well-orchestrated ballet, both for launch and recovery of aircraft.
Invocation: Eric Nelson Introduction: Paul Chardoul
Naval Aviation
"Grey things are invisible. Apparently it’s just total luck that planes manage to find aircraft carriers in the middle of the ocean." ~ Nick Hancock
"Changing the direction of a large company is like trying to turn an aircraft carrier. It takes a mile before anything happens. And if it was a wrong turn, getting back on course takes even longer." ~ Al Ries
"Obviously, I was challenged by becoming a Naval Aviator, by landing aboard aircraft carriers and so on." ~ Alan Shepard
