No. 1
Vol. 2
C l e a r e d f o r Ta k e o f f Lance Brownfield Editor-in-chief
As we circled over my dad’s mechanic shop from just under 1000 feet, I texted him to come out to the parking lot. When he came outside, we tipped the wing to him before we flew on back to Arkadelphia. After the detour, I took the controls back from Cody Barbery and we headed back to Arkadelphia’s Dexter B. Florence Memorial Field. He took us down for the landing then let me take off once more. We followed the left hand traffic pattern to make another approach. I was supposed to land this time, except the Maule we were flying was just a little bit harder to control than anything I’ve ever flown. I gave controls back to him just to ensure a safe landing then I taxied us back to the hangar. Our one hour flight took us from Arkadelphia to Hot Springs and on to Malvern before returning. Although I don’t have a license, I’ve flown an old Cessna around a few times with a friend. In true flight instructor fashion, Barbery let me take the left seat in the cockpit and fly for most of the time we were in the air. Barbery is a recent graduate of Henderson’s aviation program and a former flight instructor. The 23-year-old is from a small town near Fort Smith called Greenwood. He started flying when he was 18 while beginning the program at Henderson, although he’d taken discovery flights when he was 16. He has an older brother
in planes regularly and go to airshows in Fort Smith. They used to live next to the airport in Fort Smith, but moved when Barbery was just 2 years old. Barbery’s father actually started training to become a pilot as a young man, but walked away from it when he started his family. When Barbery started the program in 2016, he and the rest of the aviation industry had no idea that a thing like COVID-19 would shake things up just as he graduated. Barbery was able to become an instructor before his senior year and finished his studies on time even with the disruption caused by the coronavirus. “It never crossed my mind,” Barbery said. “It never crossed any of our minds.” The industry, however, is not new to upheaval, with a major change happening about every 10 years in recent history. 9/11 and the 2008 recession were two of the biggest blows to the aviation industry. COVID-19 may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for many who wish for a more stable line of work. According to marketwatch.com, the industry was already set to be seriously understaffed in the near future before COVID-19 shut everything down. On top of that, an aging workforce means that more young pilots are needed to replace the baby boomers who’ve already pushed back retirement once before. That means there are definitely going to be enough jobs for pilots like Barbery once the industry recovers.
Photo by Lance Brownfield Henderson owns almost 20 planes and is the only aviation program in the state.
and two younger sisters, but he is the only pilot of the family. His love for flying was nurtured by his father who was a travel agent. The family would go on trips
“Ya know, the airline industry, the travel industry as a whole, is a sensitive industry.” Barbery said. “It’s fragile. It can be knocked down real easily, but it can
May 13, 2021
Rainbow Croc Crook Lance Brownfield Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Lance Brownfield
Cody Barbery runs through his preflight checklist before taking off from Arkadelphia’s Dexter B. Florence Memorial Field
On Thursday, May 6, a man picked up and walked off with every copy of last week’s Oracle CE. Caught on surveillance footage b y t h e H S U P o l i c e D epartment, the perpetrator grabbed the stack of newspapers mid-morning from outside of the Oracle office in the Garrison building. The university police have not released the footage of the theft as of yet. According to police, the suspect looks to be an 18 t0 25-years-old Black male around 6 feet tall with an athletic build. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants. Perhaps, however, his most noteworthy feature is his rainbow colored Crocs-like shoes. This is the fourth instance of newspaper theft this academic year, and the first time that the suspect has been caught on camera. The value of the most recent heist is estimated at $1,500. If you have any information on the suspect or the thefts, please contact the HSU Police Department by calling 870-230-5098.
Photo by Lance Brownfield
Cody Barbery stands in front of a Maule owned by Henderson at Dexter B. Florence Memorial Field.
be brought back up real eas- just a narrow margin. Rook ily. I think you’re gonna see is the faculty sponsor of the a bigger need for pilots.” fraternity. “Keep the horizon a quarHenderson’s aviation ter way up the windshield to program has steadily grown stay level,” Barbery said as I to meet this demand. The started to let the plane drift university’s almost 20 downwards. planes are constantly in use With his reminder, I as more and more students pulled back on the controls take up the program with to pitch us back up where the average plane getting 50 we needed to be. Barbery to 100 hours per month. As has the same cool demeanor the only aviation program in the air that he has on the in the state, Henderson gets ground. As we make our students ready for the job final approach, he continues market in as little as 1000 to teach me more about the flight hours, while most aircraft. other routes into the field, or Barbery has stayed busy sky, take up to 1500 hours. despite the lack of work “Cody was one of our best across the industry. After flight instructors,” Charles finishing up as a flight inRook, a professor of avia- structor, Barbery took a job tion said. “And I’ve had him in Texarkana with a comin class. He’s been a stellar pany called Airborne Flying student. I just gave him a Services. He mostly gets reference for a job interview called out for air ambulance for an airline.” flights, but the company also According to Rook, Bar- charters private flights. He bery was President of Alpha also still works as a flight Eta Rho, the worldwide instructor on the side. aviation fraternity, during His plans for the future his junior year. Henderson’s are to fly for a company out chapter is actually the sec- of Fort Smith called Arkanond largest in the world by sas Best Freight (ABF). Go-
ing corporate means that he can be home every night and have holidays off, whereas for commercial pilots, holidays are the busiest time. His position at Airborne allows him to rack up hours in a Piper 2XL and a Piper 3. These multi-engine hours are necessary for him to qualify for a future job at ABF. The majority of his 1300 hours in the air is single-engine time. “My end goal was always flying for a corporate company,” Barbery said. “They actually called me and said they’ll need two more guys in the next three years. COVID-19 has certainly caused some turbulence but it’s nothing the industry can’t handle. While the future is uncertain, Barbery is well prepared and has a positive outlook on his career going forward. Landing a good job can be tricky, but Barbery is a pilot, after all. “Anyone can fly an airplane,” Barbery said. “But it takes a pilot to land a plane.”
Photo by Lance Brownfield
The most recent in a string of newspaper thefts was caught on camera by the HSU Police Department on last Thursday. The estimated $1,500 worth of newspapers was carried off by an individual in rainbow colored Crocs-like shoes.
Portrait of Maurice Horton Sr. Unveiled at ceremony
Photo Courtesy of hsu.edu
Ed Martin, professor emeritus of art at Henderson was commissioned to paint the portait of Maurice Horton – the first African American to recieve a degree from the university.
Photo Courtesy of hsu.edu
Maurice Horton’s family poses besides his portrait. The painting made by Ed Martin, professor emeritus of art at HSU, celebrates the man as the first African American to receive a degree from the university.