Gateway Pilots

Seeking Part-Time Mailman

We are looking for a volunteer to mail printed copies of the newsletter to those who do not have email. Are you the one? If so, contact Donna Crandell.

From the August 2010 Meeting

Jeremy Cox introduced us to the newly formed St. Louis Aviation Forum. The Forum aims to bring together all parties which are interested in aviation in the St. Louis metro area.

The Greater Saint Louis Air & Space Museum is holding its annual golf tournament on Saturday, October 2 at Grand Marais Golf Club in Centerville, IL (in the Frank Holden State Park). Cost is just $50 per person.

St. Claire airport needs traffic. It may close. Fly there!

Smartt airport will hold an open house September 25-26.

The next Missouri State Aviation Day will be in March 2011. MPA has already committed to it. Do plan on attending and inviting your legislator(s) to attend, too. This year, Donna simply emailed her legislator and mentioned that she would be there. The legislator came by.

State MPA will print new address books soon. Send updates and corrections to Sharon Vaughn.

The 2011 MPA Annual Convention will be in a hangar at Grand Glaize-Osage Beach Airport to reduce costs. The day will probably include a pancake breakfast followed by meetings and wrap up with a catered dinner. The 2010 convention costs were over $500 per couple, which was simply too expensive. It will probably be the second Saturday in June 2011.

The October MPA State meeting will be a fly in at Rebel’s Bluff airport, outside Mt. Vernon, MO. It is a grass strip but you can also land at Mt. Vernon and they will pick you up. The fly-in will be from 11:00 to 3:00 and the MPA meeting from 1:00 to 3:00.

MPA State has created a task force to look at revitalizing the whole organization. Don Crandell is on the task force. Talk to him (or Donna) if you have any ideas! The goal is to get members to come back to the meetings. Rosters look good but meeting attendance is down and people are dropping out. We need ideas that are different from what we are doing now.

Presentation on the Commemorative Air Force

FIFI B-29 Superfortress

Craig O’Mara, operations officer of the Commemorative Air Force – Missouri Wing, gave us an overview of the CAF. The CAF is largest warbird operator in the world with about 150 planes. Including FIFI, the only flyable B-29 Superfortress, and the only flying SB2C Helldiver. The CAF’s mission is to keep memory of the WWII pilots alive.

The Missouri Wing flew their B-25 to the Doolittle Raiders reunion at Wright Patterson. The Air Force had resurfaced the old Wright field just for the reunion. Seventeen B-25s flew in formation at the reunion, perhaps more than had flown together since WWII. It was truly impressive.

If you want a ride in a warbird, getting involved with the CAF can be one of the least expensive ways to do it. The museum at Smartt Airport is open Saturdays 8:00 to 3:00 or 4:00 and sometimes on Thursdays, too. The public is always welcome. Please do come look at the planes.

Two of the wing’s planes are flying, the B-25 and TBM. In addition, they will have their L-3 will be flying soon.

The CAF’s annual hangar dance is set for Saturday, September 18. Come celebrate with 700 or 800 of your closest friends (and friends-to-be). There will be lots of costumes and the 26 piece brass band Sentimental Journey. Cost is $15 in advance, $18 at the door.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, September 21 at 6:30pm at the Columns Banquet Center.

Dave Pressy, Chief Flight Instructor and Chief Pilot at St. Charles Flying Service, will discuss Light Sport aviation. Dave presented the FAASTeam Light Sport Seminar in the fall of 2009. He was also the GSLFA New Flight Instructor of the Year 2007.

Upcoming Events

Also see the Upcoming Events page.