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what's new at 3EX? (a lot, with your support!)
Excelsior Springs Memorial Airport has a long and interesting story, one that is not finished being told. Short Field Aviation, LLC (read our bios on the back!) is currently seeking approval from the City of Excelsior Springs to lease the airfield and renovate the facilities. The airport is uniquely positioned to become a popular day and weekend destination for the hobby pilot. These are some of the amenities and renovations we are proposing and currently planning:
IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION • complete renovation of the FBO building/lobby • exterior paint on hangars/FBO • addition of airport restaurant on 2nd floor of FBO • coffee and snack bar in lobby • flight instruction • maintenance/aircraft restoration services
PLANNED AIRPORT EVENTS • numerous one-day fly-ins • annual multi-day fly-in • themed dinner nights at restaurant • free summertime aviation movie nights • "Short Field Saturday" restaurant events and specials
FUTURE/LONG-RANGE PLANS • renovation/replacement of t-hangars • runway/taxiway repair • additional enclosed hangars
keep abreast of news and updates at www.thenew3EX.com for more information, email info@thenew3EX.com WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS WONDERFUL PROJECT!
who is short field aviation, llc? Short Field Aviation, LLC is an entity made up of husband and wife team Jim and Sarah Dickerson. Both are pilots with a passion for aviation and the "flying life" - and both would love to see nothing more than a wonderful "new old" grass-roots airfield rise to national recognition as a premier fly-in destination. Sarah Dickerson
Jim Dickerson
Sarah Dickerson brings a career of marketing experience to Short Field Aviation. A graduate of Avila University, Sarah has years of experience as a graphic designer and marketing manager. Her most recent corporate positions were as marketing manager for an engineering branch of one of the largest construction companies in the US, and the same position for a commercial real-estate development company owning millions of square feet of data center space around the country. She has been involved with every facet of marketing, from branding and corporate advertising campaigns to proposal management.
Jim currently owns Paradise Entertainment, which operates a business a lot of Excelsiorites have grown to love: Paradise Playhouse Dinner Theater. Having just completed its first season after reopening, it has quickly returned to the successful operation it was before original owners Frank and Cathy Parrino retired. With many sellout shows and record season ticket sales, Jim has also added a new twist the theater with the addition of special events such as concerts, magic shows, and comedians.
Sarah left the corporate world in early 2010 to grow her photography business. Sarah Dickerson Photography got its start in 2008 providing photographic services to small horse shows around the area and quickly morphed into one of the premier wedding and portrait photography studios in Kansas City, going from a (very) part-time business to a six-figure studio in only 18 months. Sarah’s success with the photography business continues, though she hopes to scale it back to accommodate her new role at 3EX. Her first love is aviation, and as a commercial pilot and flight instructor, she also brings a vast amount of aviation knowledge to the table. She describes her greatest achievement thus far actually being that of her flight students, who (so far!) enjoy a 100% checkride pass rate on their first attempt. She has had two of her flight students surpass her in ratings and go on to airline careers. Sarah explains her desire to renovate 3EX: “I grew up on the hill to the east overlooking the airport and distinctly remember watching planes fly from my back deck. My grandfather kept planes at Excelsior and my father learned to fly there. It has special meaning to me and I think it is set up perfectly to become a hugely popular grassroots airport for the hobby pilot, as well as Excelsior Springs being uniquely positioned as a destination for pilots with its varied attractions, downtown boutiques, and accommodations. I hope that this airport to once again blossom - who wouldn’t want to watch dozens of planes flying in to the field for an early morning breakfast on a gorgeous autumn day?”
A graduate of Park University, Jim has a strong background in public relations, broadcasting and communications. He has hosted a number of television shows, served as the spokesperson for a major metropolitan police department and provides play by play announcing during the high school football season for the WHB 810 Varsity Sports Network. He is the President and CEO of the Prime Business Group which specializes in helping business organizations achieve improved profitability as well as operational and organizational efficiencies. Jim is also a commerical pilot and and spent several years as an FAA Designated Operations Safety Counselor where he was named Operations Safety Counselor of the year in 2001. Although he flies mainly for business, he mostly enjoys flying with his wife Sarah in their antique 1947 Cessna 120. Jim talks about his hope for the future of 3EX: “Having been involved with aviation at a number of different levels and at a number of different airports (small and large), it is very clear that there is a huge resurgence in the smaller, hometown airports. Pilots involved in general aviation with smaller aircraft are looking for airports where they can fly and not have to compete with larger, faster aircraft. Additionally, these pilots are not unlike classic car owners, who like to take their airplanes out and enjoy them, interact with other like-minded aviators and aviation enthusiasts, and show them off. In today’s environment, the ability for the general public to be able to get up close to pilots and airplanes has become a rare opportunity. The New 3EX will make this opportunity available to all.”
keep abreast of news and updates at www.thenew3EX.com for more information, email info@thenew3EX.com