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EnstromHelicopterUnderNewOwnership
ENSTROM HELICOPTER UNDER NEWAND STABLE OWNERSHIP
Chuck Surack, founder of Surack Enterprises, announced last month that he has purchased The Enstrom Helicopter Corporation of Menominee, Michigan to rebuild the Enstrom brand into one of the leading American-made helicopter manufacturer as it once was. In a letter to the Enstrom leadership team, Surack shared his appreciation to the employees for their devotion and dedication over the years and particularly the last few difficult months.
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Surack is widely known for founding Sweetwater Sound, the largest online retailer of music instruments and professional audio equipment, growing it to a $1.5 billion business out of the back of his Volkswagen bus. His entrepreneurial spirit, business acumen, and enthusiasm for aviation are just a few reasons why under his ownership the future is bright for Enstrom.
Matt Francour, President & CEO of Enstrom said, “Earlier this year it looked as if MidTex Aviation would step in and buy Enstrom, but when they had unexpected problems securing the funding, Chuck was able to step in and save the company, which ended a lot of sleepless nights here for us in Michigan!” With the help of Carson LLP and Warner Norcross Chuck Surack, founder of Surack Enterprises, announced he has purchased The Enstrom Helicopter Corporation to rebuild the Enstrom brand into one of the leading American-made helicopter manufacturer as it once was. (Courtesy Surack Enterprises/Enstrom)
+ Judd LLP, the trustee’s attorney, the purchase was able to proceed quickly.
Additionally, Surack’s history with Enstrom dates to 2008 when he learned to fly helicopters and before even obtaining his pilot’s license, he purchased a brand new Enstrom 480B. Surack said, “I am excited to have purchased this outstanding company that manufactures helicopters here in the United States and employs workers right here in the Midwest.”
The Enstrom Helicopter Corporation joins the Surack Enterprises portfolio of aviation-related businesses including Sweet Aviation, which provides charter flights, training, and rental for fixed-wing aircraft, Sweet Helicopters which does the same for rotorcraft and is the official helicopter services provider of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Aviation Specialty Insurance, which insures the aviation industry including corporations, light aircraft, flight schools, drones & UAVs, and more.
Enstrom has maintained a reputation for safety, value and performance. The immediate goal will be to continue supporting pilots who already own an Enstrom helicopter by providing parts and support. The company is excited to start building helicopters again and is planning to improve and update the Enstrom helicopter fleet.
Surack Enterprises serves the Midwest by creating lasting job opportunities and resources for the community to thrive. Learn more at https://surackenter prises.com.
JET STREAM AVIATION PRODUCTS, INC Aircraft Detailing Products And Supplies Customer Service And Ordering Line: 972-542-2400 Or Shop Online at: www.jetstreamproducts.com
ROUNDING UP: YOUNG EAGLES EVENTSAT AIRVENTURE
The Young Eagles Volunteer Banquet is returning for AirVenture Oshkosh 2022. The location and scale of the event will differ from the traditional dinner. The event has been moved to the evening of Tuesday, July 26, and will now take place in the EAA Founders’ Wing, located within the EAA Aviation Museum.
This change of location has also greatly reduced the seating capacity. The EAA Founders’ Wing has a capacity of 240 guests, so pre-registration with a ticket will be required to enter the event. Tickets are still free of charge. Young Eagles coordinators and pilots should expect an email invite in mid-June. Due to the limited capacity, pre-registration will be strictly enforced. The traditional Young Eagles Luncheon has been canceled for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022.
This year marks 30 years since the Young Eagles program was launched at EAA Oshkosh 1992. EAA will be kicking off the Young Eagles 30th anniversary at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022, which will include a number of special AirVenture activities, including a day dedicated to the program. Thursday, July 28, will be Young Eagles Day at AirVenture Oshkosh. You won’t want to miss what EAA has in store!
Thursday, July 28, 2022 – Young Eagles Day at AirVenture: • All Day –Thirty Young Eagles will take flight in a variety of airplanes, helicopters, and powered parachutes. To nominate a youth to fly as a Young Eagle, complete the nomination form on the EAA website, eaa.org, or directly at https://eaachapters.typeform.com/to/VC P5RMAo. • 1:30 p.m. –Young Eagles Mass Photo on Boeing Plaza – All Young Eagles pilots, chapter coordinators, ground volunteers, and former Young Eagles are invited. • 2 p.m. –Ceremonial Young Eagles flight to kick off the 30th anniversary of the program. • 7 p.m. – Young Eagles 30th Anniversary Panel and Presentation at Theater in the Woods.
Young Eagles can take a flight during AirVenture. (Courtesy EAA) Volunteers are invaluable to Young Eagles programs during AirVenture. (Courtesy EAA)
Week of AirVenture Activities:
· Free Young Eagles buttons available for pick-up at the EAA Blue Barn and Young Eagles 30th Anniversary exhibit adjacent to the EAA Learn to Fly Center. • Additional flight activities all week long • Commemorative shirt-and-hat combo available for purchase at EAA retail location. • Young Eagles prop cards will be available free of charge to pilots flying into AirVenture, so they can proudly display their Young Eagles flight total.
Last Call for Young Eagles Awards Nominations
EAA recognizes Young Eagles volunteers and chapter members for their personal commitment and contributions to EAA, Young Eagles, chapters, and their fellow members.
Now is the time to nominate those Young Eagles volunteers who have gone the extra mile to make the program so special. EAA and the GA community is indebted to these folks, so it is our responsibility to ensure they earn the recognition they deserve. There are several Young Eagles awards available.
Chapter Young Eagles Coord -
inator –Awarded to a Young Eagles coordinator nominated for their special commitment to their chapter.
Young Eagles Ground Support
Volunteer –Awarded to a ground volunteer nominated for their exceptional work during Young Eagles rallies.
Young Eagles Horizon Award –Recognizes the exceptional efforts a volunteer, chapter, or other organization provides in support of youth aviation.
Phillips 66 Young Eagles
Leadership Award – Presented by Phillips 66 Aviation, this award recognizes an outstanding volunteer or organization that has made significant contributions to the Young Eagles program.
Fine the Young Eagles Award Nomination form at eaa.org or directly at https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/c2944 924cc4b459781c3b32ad99b7f1f.
If you have any questions about a nomination or the form, contact David Leiting at dleiting@eaa.org.
Calling All Volunteers for Young Eagles Needs at AirVenture
Coming to Oshkosh this July for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022? If so, your support would be greatly appreciated. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available to you. • Young Eagles 30th Anniversary Exhibit –Located adjacent to the EAA Learn to Fly Center, the Young Eagles 30th Anniversary exhibit will feature highlights from the program’s history, information on becoming a Young Eagles pilot, and how to find a Young Eagles flight. This is the perfect location for Young Eagles coordinators, Young Eagles pilots, and longtime ground volunteers to volunteer. Find the volunteer
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Starliner Launches to Space Station
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Space Center in Florida. Boeing and ULA teams also provided support to controllers from Kennedy Space Center and Colorado, respectively, throughout the countdown to launch. NASA teams will monitor space station operations throughout the flight from Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“We are proud of our partnership role with Boeing in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and want to thank our mission partners as this is truly a collective accomplishment,” said Tory Bruno, president and CEO, United Launch Alliance. “The successful launch today marks the first critical step toward the future of humans spaceflight onboard an Atlas V and we look forward to the remainder of the mission and to safely flying astronauts in the future.”
Starliner was scheduled (after In Flight USA’s press deadline) to depart the space station Wednesday, May 25, when it will undock and return to Earth, with a desert landing in the western U.S. The spacecraft will return with more than 600 pounds of cargo, including Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System reusable tanks that provide breathable air to station crewmembers. The tanks will be refurbished on Earth and sent back to station on a future flight.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew.
EAA AVIATION MUSEUM JOINS BLUE STAR MUSEUM PROGRAMFOR 2022
The EAA Aviation Museum is participating in the annual Blue Star Museums program, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel and their families this summer.
The EAA museum is one of numerous Wisconsin museums involved in Blue Star Museums supporting the program. A list of the more than 2,000 participating museums nationwide is available at https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/bluestar-museums.
“EAA wanted to be involved in this program to say thanks to those men and women currently serving our country in the armed services, and to their immediate families who sacrifice so much to support them,” said Ron Connolly, EAA Aviation Museum director.
The 2022 free museum admission offer is good from Armed Forces Day (May 21) through Labor Day (Sept. 5). It is not valid during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh week (July 23-31).
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
The EAA Museum carries many exhibits, including Corsair: Korean War Heroism; WASP: Women Flyers of WWII; Huey: The Workhorse of Vietnam; The Engle Collection and the Borman Collection. Several sections of the museum are dedicated to specific areas of aviation and aviators, including Pioneers of Flight, Homebuilts and Van’s RVs, SpaceShipOne, antiques and classics, air racing and aerobatics, innovations in aviation and flight and, the everpopular among the youngest visitors, KidVenture Gallery, where the exhibits and activities are highly interactive.
EAA Museum hours are Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Extended opening hours are in effect during AirVenture, July 25 through July 31, and at other times by special arrangement. Adjacent Pioneer Airport is open on Saturdays and Sundays from the first weekend in May until the second weekend in October.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Pioneer Airport is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit the EAA Museum website at https://www.eaa.org/eaa-museum or call 920-426-4818. The EAA Aviation Museum offers airplane rides, dependent on weather conditions and volunteer pilot availability. Call the museum at 920-426-4818 after 10:30 a.m. on the day you’re planning to visit to confirm flight operations. (Courtesy EAA Aviation Museum)
Young Eagles Events at AirVenture
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sign-up sheet at eaa.org (or directly at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e 4fafad2ba57-blue1). Lunch will be provided for the morning shift. • EAA AeroEducate –Do you enjoy talking about aviation with families and youths? If so, consider volunteering to share EAA’s AeroEducate program with young people at one of our volunteer stations! It’s simple and fun! If you’re interested, please contact Paul Maloy at pmaloy@eaa.org. Whichever shift you choose, lunch will be on us as you feed hearts and minds about the exciting opportunities of aviation! • EAA Blue Barn – Blue Barn staffing includes being on site during AirVenture to assist visitors in learning more about chapter life and the various chapter-related programs and activities, especially the very popular Young Eagles program. Sign-up on the EAA website, eaa.org (or directly at https://www.signup genius.com/go/30e0e4fafad2ba57-blue1) to assist with set-up and teardown. Samantha Olson (Courtesy EAA)
By Samantha Olson
Hi everyone, I’m Samantha, the newest Young Eagles program assistant here at EAA. I started my employment journey at EAA in May 2021 as the seasonal communities administrative assistant, doing work with AirVenture forums and SportAir Workshops. Once AirVenture 2021 was through, I was hired on full-time into my current position within the chapters department. My EAA roots go back as far as I can remember.
Growing up in Berlin, Wisconsin, only 20 minutes from the EAA Aviation Museum, I was exposed to the world of EAA and aviation at a young age. Working here at EAA has been a full-circle journey for me. EAA has always had a place in the Olson household. There were many Sam Lyons airplane paintings found throughout my childhood home that Dad had acquired at AirVenture over the years. My grandmother had worked in the museum gift shop when I was very young, so my father would take us to the museum to visit her and to explore KidVenture. In addition, my father and I would go to AirVenture almost every year since I was born, missing only two in my life. It was the most exciting week of the year to us; AirVenture and aviation was the thing that would bring my father and I together.
Working with the Young Eagles and Eagle Flight programs, I get the opportunity to help spread the love and true spirit of aviation. While I never had the opportunity to become a Young Eagle myself, my older brother took his Young Eagles flight at Pioneer Airport here in Oshkosh once he became of age, so I knew a bit about the programs coming into my position. I was brought into the chapters family and it reignited a spark in me for the Young Eagles program, almost as if I had my own flight. This program also continues to spark the dreams of more than 2 million kids to date, and shows them the possibilities are endless, and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this inspiring program.
Learn more about EAA’s Young Eagles Program at https://www.eaa.org /eaa/youth/free-ye-flights or on the EAA website at eaa.org. AirVenture is slated for Monday, July 25 through Sunday, July 31. For event information, including tickets and trip planning details, visit eaa.org/airventure.
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