February 2012

The annual MACTS Seminar was held on 1-21 & 1-22 at the Maryland Heights Centre. We furnished coffee, donuts and mini bagels for the event. I am proud to say that our Chapter had 25 members present for the Seminar.  Thanks to: Don Kramme and Harold Booher for their hard work and excellent coffee making skills. I would remiss if I did not thank my husband, Bob Crandell, for all of his help and support.

Gloria Bahn, the president of the Greater St. Louis Flight Instructors Association, and Dave Pressey both Gateway members, were gracious enough to allow me to speak to the group at the beginning of the Seminar.  I invited everyone to join the Gateway Chapter and explained the importance of State Aviation Day. Several applications were handed out and renewals were paid by a few members.  I consider this to be one of the best events we have in the aviation community.  The speakers are always top-notch and the vendors are supporting all of general aviation.

Of course, I have volunteered the Gateway Chapter to do it again in 2013.

On a sad note, we lost one of our members that weekend.  Matt Martin passed away.  He will be missed. Matt was a kind, quiet, Gentleman in the true sense of the word.

On to new things:  We have speakers in place for the rest of 2012. Please plan on attending the monthly meetings and bring a friend.

If you can, be sure to come to Jefferson City on March 27 for State Aviation Day.  General Aviation needs all of our support. Please read the MPA news for more updates.

Please mark your calendars for the convention:  6-9-2012 in Boonville.

A big thanks to Steve Pierce for adding the links to our website.

That’s it for now,

Respectfully,

Donna Crandell

OPERATION SMILE

Presented By:  Chris Erkmann, MD,CFI, Glider Rating,  C-182 Owner.  Chris will discuss his recent participation in Operation Smile in Guwahati, India, January 2012.

 When:  Wednesday February 15, 2012

Where:  Maryland Heights Community Center

Dinner:  6:30 Program 7:30 P. M.

We meet at Maryland Heights Community Center, 2344 McKelvey Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. The doors open at 6:00 and the buffet line begins at 6:30 followed by the program at 7:30. It is not necessary to dine with us to attend the program at 7:30 p.m. We are a friendly and informal group, and we do ask that you make dinner reservations by the Monday evening proceeding the meeting. Cost of the meal is $15.00 For dinner reservations call Jean Murry at 314-469-3541 or email Donna.Crandell@StaplesPromoProducts.com

First Flight:  Is your son, daughter, or grandchild interested in aviation?  Our Jim Byrnes First Flight Scholarship pays for an introductory flight with an instructor at a Metro St. Louis Airport.  Applicant must be at least 16 yrs old and submit a short essay on why they are interested in aviation.

DON’T MISS THE MACTS SEMINAR:

“Super Safety Seminar for the 2012 Midwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show (MACTS).”
Topic: MACTS Super Safety Seminar
On Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Location:
Maryland Heights Centre
2344 McKelvey Road
Maryland Heights, MO 63043

Description:
The Greater St, Louis Flight Instructors Association presents the 2012 Midwest Aviation Conference & Trade Show.  We have many exciting programs planned for the entire weekend including an expanded Saturday MACTS Program.  Lots of WINGS pilot proficiency program credits offered for attendees.  Visit http://www.macts.org/ and youtube by searching MACTS 2012 Promo.

To view further details and registration information for this seminar, click here.

Upcoming Events

See the Upcoming Events page

CHRISTMAS PARTY with Chinese gift exchange.

When:  Wednesday December 21, 2011    

Where:  Maryland Heights Community Center

Dinner 6:30  Program 7:30 P. M.

Please come an celebrate with us.

Please make your reservation by phone to : Jean Murry  314-469-3541  or send me an email.

We will have the Chinese Gift Exchange $10.00 gift.

Hope to see you all there.

Happy Holidays.

Donna

We meet at Maryland Heights Community Center, 2344 McKelvey Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043.  The doors open at 6:00 and the buffet line begins at 6:30 followed by the gift exchange at 7:30.   It is not necessary to dine with us to attend the program at 7:30 p.m. We are a friendly and informal group, and we do ask that you make dinner reservations by the Monday evening proceeding the meeting. Cost of the meal is $15.00  For dinner reservations call Jean Murry at 314-469-3541 or email Donna.Crandell@StaplesPromoProducts.com.

Upcoming Events

See the Upcoming Events page

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE

Presented By:

Bill Hopper – Owner Helicopter Services and Technologies, LLC, Helicopter Flight Instructor 25 years, former Associate Professor Parks College – Aerospace Technology Department.

When:  Wednesday November 16, 2011    

Where:  Maryland Heights Community Center

Dinner 6:30  Program 7:30 P. M.

We meet at Maryland Heights Community Center, 2344 McKelvey Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043.  The doors open at 6:00 and the buffet line begins at 6:30 followed by the program at 7:30.   It is not necessary to dine with us to attend the program at 7:30 p.m. We are a friendly and informal group, and we do ask that you make dinner reservations by the Monday evening proceeding the meeting. Cost of the meal is $15.00  For dinner reservations call Jean Murry at 314-469-3541 or email Donna.Crandell@StaplesPromoProducts.com.

Upcoming Events

See the Upcoming Events page

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.

Our monthly newsletter is back, after a “brief” hiatus. Send submissions to Art Zemon. We are looking for a volunteer to mail printed copies of the newsletter to those who do not have email.

From the June 2010 Meeting

Elections were held and the new board (which is the old board graciously joined by member-at-large Rosemary Petrusso) was unanimously approved.

In July, we will try a joint meeting the the St. Louis chapter. We will meet at Air Associates at Spirit of St. Louis airport. The food will be catered by the Pilot Shop.

There will be an airshow July 3 & 4 at St. Louis Downtown airport. Both the EAA and the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum will have food. There will be lots of airplanes on static display along with thrills and chills in the air. This is the first time that Fair St. Louis has had an airshow since 2005. There are more details in the St. Louis Business Journal.

EAA chapter 32 (at Smartt field) has movie night on the last Saturday of each month and visitors are welcome. Festivities start with a pot-luck dinner at 6:30pm (and BBQ meat if you bring a small donation). Movies are projected on a BIG screen and start at about 8:30pm in the summer. The movies on Saturday night, July 26 are Memphis Belle and Memphis Belle, first the documentary from 1944 and then the movie from 1998. More details are available on EAA 32′s web site.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, July 7 at 6:30pm at Spirit of St. Louis airport, Air Associates, 18600 Edison, Chesterfield, MO. This is a joint meeting with the St. Louis MPA chapter. Phone your dinner reservations to Jean Murry at (314)469-3541 or email Donna Crandell.

Upcoming Events

Also see the Upcoming Events page.

The June Meeting was the Chapter’s annual picnic at Smartt Field. The event was held at “Fly Girl’s Diner” on the new owners first day. There were 47 members and guests in attendance. The food was delicious. The new owners did a great job in re-decorating the restaurant. Music was provided by Rick and Gene Albrecht’s group “One of a Kind”. We did elect 3 board members to 3 year terms they are: Steve Pierce, Harold Booher and Chuck Maggart. A good time was had by all.

The information on our July program is below. Please come and join us.

“FROM STEAM TO GLASS”

A Brief History Of Aircraft Instrumentation From the Wright Brothers To Glass Cockpits

Presented By Gary Liming - private pilot, BS Physics, MS aviation Safety, built his own CH801

(4 seat high wing STOL airplane) at Creve Coeur

When: Wednesday July 22, 2009

Where: Columns Banquet Center

Dinner 6:30 Program 7:30 P. M.

We meet at THE COLUMNS, 711 Fairlane, St. Charles. MO 63303. This is on the south service road for 1-70 just west of Fifth Street. The doors open at 6:00 and the buffet line begins at 6:30 followed by the program at 7:30. It is not necessary to dine with us to attend the program at 7:30 p.m. We are a friendly and informal group, and we do ask that you make dinner reservations by the Monday evening preceding the meeting. Cost of the meal is $15.00 For dinner reservations call Lana Maggart at 314-731-0199 or email donna.crandell@cepm-us.com.

John Bales

John Bales, Director of Aviation at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, regaled us with interesting tidbits about a local aviation treasure which we take for granted. Your poor correspondent scribbled as quickly as he could but Mr. Bales was a veritable fount of knowledge so these are just a few of the highlights. (In case you missed that subtle hint, it means that you should never miss another MPA meeting because nothing can substitute for actually being there yourself!)

Spirit of St. Louis Airport is the busiest GA airport in the central region, handling about 113,000 operations last year and, even so, they want our business: practice approaches, pattern work, touch & goes, etc. The airport exists to serve us and John strongly encouraged us to take advantage of it.

KSUS has had nine, consecutive perfect Part 139 certification inspections. No small feat!

Spirit Airport is a self-sufficient St. Louis County department, generating its income from wholesale fuel sales (not from landing fees or fuel surcharges on top of retail sales), real estate development and management. KSUS contributes about $400M to the local economy.

Langa Air has begun flight training operations at KSUS and is up to 7 planes. They are a part 141 flight school.

Money Saving Tips

John had two money saving tips:

1. If your aircraft is based in Missouri and has a gross takeoff weight of more than 3,000 pounds, you may be able to save on your local property tax. You aircraft is now classified as a “commercial” aircraft (even if it has no commercial purpose) which means that you only need to pay tax on the portion of the miles you actually fly in (over?) Missouri. See http://www.stc.mo.gov/, click on “Forms” and then on “Original Assessment Section” and then scroll down to the airline industry.
2. No Missouri sales tax is due on parts for airplane maintenance. Given the price of airplane parts, this can save you several dollars!

Pilot Shop Reopens

The new Spirit Pilot Shop opened (new business, same old location) on May 1. Stop by Monday-Friday 8:00-7:00, Saturday 8:00-5:00, or Sunday 10:00-4:00.

New Newsletter Editor

It has been my pleasure to write this newsletter for the past two years and now it is time for someone new to step forward, dance his or her fingers across a keyboard, and dazzle us with wit and information. Are you the one? It takes me about an hour a month to write these few lines and another hour for Candy and me to print and stuff the 26 copies in envelopes for the members who don’t have email. Updating the web site is trivial and I’ll be glad to show you how. Journalistic fame and fortune await; all you have to do is say, “Pick me! Pick me!”

May Meeting

The Thursday, April 14, 2009 meeting will be at The Columns. Joe Dobronski will give a presentation on his 10,000 mile delivery of a Cessna U-206 for Wings of Hope, flying from Spirit Airport to Botswana, South Africa, in December 1992.

Phone your dinner reservations to Jean Murry at (314)469-3541.

Free WINGS Flight Training

“Fly safe” is more than just a saying to Rick Albrecht. He is generously offering up to three free hours of WINGS-related flight training to all Gateway MPA members. Contact Rick at adv.av.training@sbcglobal.net for full details.

Upcoming Events

You can always find the latest list of upcoming MPA events on our web site at http://gatewaypilots.org/upcoming-events/.

This year, all meetings on are the third Wednesday of the month except in December. See the upcoming events page for weather minimums and times.

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Gateway Pilots Web Site

Did you know that there are good things on the web site that did not make it into the newsletter? Drop by www.GatewayPilots.org.

Ray Kerr

Ray Kerr, Spirit of St. Louis Tower Front Line Manager, shared his views on safety, air traffic control, safety, flight, and safety with us. Not surprisingly, his perspective from the top of the tower is vastly different from what we see from behind the windshield. First and foremost, everything about his job is about our safety. Ray is always perplexed by pilots who get annoyed with him for doing his job. After all, at the end of the day, Ray will certainly go home to his family and his job is to assure the the pilot goes home, too.

Phraseology is a critical piece of the safety which air traffic controllers provide and Ray illustrated with a simple example: You are inbound in the clouds on an instrument approach to runway 9, just 1 mile from the threshold. Another airplane radios the tower that he is “ready to go on runway niner.” Is that airplane really sitting “on” the runway or did he mis-speak and he is really “at” the runway, safely behind the hold-short line? At some airports, particularly when the visibility is low, the tower controller may not be able to see the airplane in question which leaves the controller in a quandary: does he tell you to “go around,” adding 20 to 30 minutes to your flight and significant expense, or does he assume that the pilot “ready to go on runway niner” simply misspoke? The regulations are quite clear: you are going around in the interest of safety.

Ray explained about the four positions which comprise an air traffic control tower: flight data, clearance delivery, ground control, and local (what we colloquially call the “tower” controller). Ground control is the most difficult, since that controller needs to have a mental picture of the largest area and the greatest number of airplanes.

Visits to the tower are still possible but please phone first (314)890-7280. All visitors should be at least age 12. To get the best appreciation of the tower, you might want to visit as many as three times: once when the people are not busy, so you can really learn about what is involved with each position; a second time when the tower is busy, perhaps on a sunny Saturday afternoon; and a third time when the weather is IMC.

April Meeting

The Wednesday, April 15, 2009 meeting will be at The Columns. Our guest speaker will be John Bales, Spirit of St. Louis Airport Director.

Phone your dinner reservations to Jean Murry at (314)469-3541.

Safety Tip

Remember pre-flight planning is always important to the safe outcome of every flight. TFR’s, ADIZ, NOTAM’s, etc., per 91.103, “all available information concerning that flight.”

FLY SAFE   Rick  adv.av.training@sbcglobal.net

Free WINGS Flight Training

“Fly safe” is more than just a saying to Rick Albrecht. He is generously offering up to three free hours of WINGS-related flight training to all Gateway MPA members. Contact Rick at adv.av.training@sbcglobal.net for full details.

Upcoming Events

You can always find the latest list of upcoming MPA events on our web site at http://gatewaypilots.org/upcoming-events/.

This year, all meetings on are the third Wednesday of the month except in December. See the upcoming events page for weather minimums and times.

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Gateway Pilots Web Site

Did you know that there are good things on the web site that did not make it into the newsletter? Drop by www.GatewayPilots.org.

Did you know that there are good things on the web site that did not make it into the newsletter? Drop by www.GatewayPilots.org.