State Aviation Journal Summer 2014
AirVenture 2014
GA Issues & Security Conference Formula-X Takes GAMA Competition Air Fare America SWAAAE
Auburn Aviation Center
Summer 2014
State Aviation Journal
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State Aviation Journal Publisher/Editor Managing Director Graphic Design Layout Design Photography
Kim J. Stevens Andrew Stevens Andrew Stevens Kim Stevens Shahn Sederberg Andrew Stevens
3535 S. Ball Street, #627, Arlington, VA 22202
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Photo by Shahn Sederberg
On The Cover
Contents From the Publisher
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Warner Headlines October WOW
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Rocketeers Wanted
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For Worlds Largest Competition
Auburn University Announces
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New Aviation Center
GAMA Competition Creates New Interest in Aviation Industry
Build A Plane, Founder Receive Crown Circle
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Andrew Stevens captures the diversity in aviation at AirVenture. From the Air Force Thunderbirds to camping under the wing of your aircraft.
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AirVenture 2014 Statistics Prove Aviation Alive & Soaring
Flight Sim and STEM
Allegheny County Hosts GA Issues & Security Conference
Air Fare America
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New Aviation Themed TV Show Planned
SWAAAE
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Important for Saitek Future
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Through the Lens
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The photography of Shahn Sederberg
Photos by Andrew Stevens
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Oshkosh - A Short Personal Recap By Andrew Stevens Page 48 Page 22
Annual Meeting Held on Queen Mary Summer 2014
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From the Publisher
From left to right during a round-table discussion on state aviation are David Greene, Wisconsin aviation director, Ray Rought, former aviation director from Minnesota and Randy Burdette, Virginia aviation director.
State Aviation Shows Renewed Vigor in Oshkosh State aviation officials for a long time have been actively promoting aviation and their states during the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) annual flyin and extravaganza in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, referred to for a number of years now as AirVenture. During the last couple of years there has been a renewed vigor by some officials demonstrated by their attendance and participation in activities designed to increase interest in the states and to draw attention to aviation opportunities available. For the last two years now, the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) has helped sponsor a forum to promote state aviation. Last year Virginia aviation Chris Willenborg director Randy Burdette talked about the many successful programs that were ongoing in his state and this year Vic Bird, Director of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission and Chris Willenborg, Administrator for MassDOT’s Aeronautics Division shared some Page 4
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impressive stats from their states. All argue that their states are not only friendly to general aviation but have taken steps to position them well in the future. This year the Oklahoma Aeronautics Vic Bird Commission is being recognized for a new aviation education program that is opening doors of opportunity for youth across the state. (More on that in the next issue of the State Aviation Journal). Massachusetts is touting a carbon neutral airport program that promises to have a significant impact in their state. Each year AirVenture is a perfect venue to announce new products, new initiatives, new programs and new designs. We invite you to read about just a few of them in this issue. Regardless of your interest in aviation there is something for everyone at AirVenture. It’s an event everyone should attend at least once and if you are in the industry, it will pay benefits each time you attend. I have attended for more than 15 years and have never come away disappointed. I have come away with new friends, new ideas and plenty of inspiration.
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State Aviation Journal Providence
Coverage of the 83rd Annual NASAO Convention & Trade Show Coming in October!
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2014 Wings of Women Conference
Warner Headlines October WOW By Penny Hamilton Dayton-Captain Emily Howell Warner, 2014 Inductee into the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF), is the keynote speaker for the 8th Annual Wings of WomenWOW Conference scheduled for October 3, 2014. “I am pleased to share my aviation experience and career at the WOW mentoring program for girls ages 13 to 17,� said Warner. WOW is held in conjunction with the NAHF annual Enshrinement dinner and ceremony which is slated for October 4 in Dayton, Ohio. The day-long WOW program opens at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) Theater. Young women are given the opportunity to explore and discover aviation careers. Girls meet successful women in aviation and aerospace. This important educational program requires pre-registration NLT September 20th. A small administrative fee of $15/girl includes a continental breakfast and lunch, conference name tag, T-shirt, special gifts and more. The application for WOW is on-line at www.nationalaviation. org Interested young women between 13-17 should mail their completed form and payment to Wings of Women Conference, National Aviation Hall of Fame, PO Box 31096, Dayton OH 45437, soon. According to long-time NAHF WOW volunteer, Betty Darst, participants indicate career areas they would like to explore-air traffic, aircraft maintenance, airport operations, airline security, aerospace engineering, astronaut, private, commercial, and military aviation and flight instruction. WOW teenagers receive a personal invitation to participate at a later date in an EAA-sponsored Young Eagles flight in a private airplane at Moraine Airpark, www.moraineairpark.com which is the closest General Page 6
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Captain Emily Howell Warner at the controls in a Frontier Airline jet in 1976. She is the featured speaker for the 8th Annual WOW-Wings of Women conference on October 3, 2014 in Dayton, OH. Learn more www.nationalaviation.org
Aviation airport to NMUSAF. Private and public partnerships to encourage young women to explore STEM careers fields as aviation and aerospace have been successful. According to MWM-Million Women Mentors (www.MillionWomenMentors.org), the wage gap between women and men is much smaller in STEM occupations than others. For example, female computer programmers earn $0.95 for every $1 earned by male programmers. Women in all occupations earn on average only $0.77 compared to $1 males earn. Women with STEM jobs earn 33% more than comparable women in non-STEM jobs. Research indicates career exploration in the teen years is beneficial. Some even suggest introduction to aviation topics as early as elementary school can build self-confidence and provide direction. By exploring the wide range of aviation and aerospace occupations, girls can learn about new opportunities. With awareness, they can assess their own interests and abilities to determine if they want to learn more about
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Rocketeers Wanted for World’s Largest Rocket Competition Challenge Registration Open for 7-12th Graders Registration is now open for the world’s largest student rocket competition, the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). Teams have until December 12th to sign up. The TARC competition is structured to emulate the aerospace industry’s design, fabrication, and testing cycle. Teams of three to ten students design, build, and fly rockets that meet challenging design requirements and exacting performance targets for altitude and flight duration. This year’s rules challenge student teams to loft a raw egg payload to 800 feet and return it to Earth safely with a flight duration of between 46 and 48 seconds. A new
rule this year requires rockets to separate into at least two sections during flight that must each land separately. The full contest rules and registration information is available at www.rocketcontest.org. The top 100 teams from around the country are invited to the National Fly-Off in May. The winner of the Fly-Off will compete against teams from the United Kingdom and France as part of the International Rocketry Challenge during the Paris Air Show. AIA and the National Association of Rocketry sponsor the contest in partnership with NASA, the Department of Defense, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and AIA member companies. For more information go to: http://www.rocketcontest.org/.
educational requirements and scholarship and training possibilities. Sarah Benish, a former Young Eagle, recently received a GoPro Flight Scholarship at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. Sarah, now a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said, “I’ve wanted to become a pilot since I first came to AirVenture at age two, and I can’t believe my dream is finally coming true.” Obviously, inspiration comes at any age. Inspiration is what WOW offers. Conference volunteers know each girl who participates in this highly respected aviation career exploration program leaves with her head full of ideas and her arms full of resources to help her follow her own star path. For more information visit www.nationalaviation.org
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Auburn University
School Announces New Aviation Center Aviation teaching and research has a new face at Auburn University. It comes in the form of the recently announced Aviation Center on July 1, 2014. The new Aviation Center will continue Auburn’s long, successful history of teaching and conducting aviation related research ranging from flight training to aviation management to aerospace engineering. It will also focus on aviation related economic development in the state. Specifically, the Aviation Center plans to work with government and industry leaders to assist in economic development efforts. The aviation/aerospace sector is an important industry to the state. Airbus, Boeing, and GE Aviation are examples of companies already doing business in Alabama. The Aviation Center envisions playing a key role in the recruiting; retaining; and renewing, though innovation and research, of this critical industry sector. In other words, it hopes to align Auburn’s talents and resources with industry needs to create economic development opportunities. Too, University-wide education and research can be directed to meet industry needs. “By taking this approach, we now have an opportunity to better align Auburn’s aviation degree programs and research efforts with industry needs,” said Dr. Timothy Boosinger, the University’s Provost. “Auburn will support state leaders in recruiting new aviation and aerospace industry, retaining industry already in Alabama, and renewing industry through research and innovation,” said Seth Hammett, a member of the new center’s steering committee. Hammett, an experienced Dr. Timothy Boosinger pilot and flight instructor, has been a key player in state economic development efforts for many years, both as a former speaker of the Alabama Page 8
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House of Representatives and currently as Gov. Robert Bentley’s chief of staff. He also holds two degrees from Auburn University. A key ingredient to make this vision a reality is the Aviation Center’s steering committee. This committee is composed of key industry and University officials that will provide ongoing guidance to the Aviation Center. Along with Seth Hammett, John McGraw will be a member of the committee. John is currently Head of Regulatory Affairs for the National Air Transportation Association, he is the former FAA Deputy Director of Flight Standards, and he served as Test Director/Test Pilot for the U.S. Seth Hammett Army Aviation Technical Test Center and as a Flight Test Engineer for the U.S. Navy Rotary Wing Test Directorate at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River. John also has Auburn connections. He is an Auburn aerospace engineering graduate and is serving as Chair of the Aviation Management Advisory Board for the Harbert College of Business. Joining this industry talent are Auburn personnel selected by the Provost. Bill Hutto will serve along with Mr. Larry Fillmer, Executive Director of External Program Development in the Office of Vice President for Research and Economic Development; Dr. Joe Hanna, Associate Dean for Research and Outreach in the Harbert College of Business; and a representative from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. The input from this committee will be crucial to helping the Aviation Center reach its goals of economic development and enhanced educational opportunities. It may expand over time as input will be continually sought in an
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effort to match industry needs with Auburn’s educational and research capabilities. As a part of this process, opportunities to expand and enhance the student experience for Auburn students should be created. Aviation Center personnel expect to do this in two main areas: by strengthening the existing aviation programs and by integrating, through collaboration, the various, ongoing aviation oriented activities at Auburn. Aviation management and aerospace engineering have been taught at Auburn for over 80 years. The names of the programs may have changed over time, but the overall purposes have not change at all, which is to prepare Auburn students to be productive, creative members of the industry. Aerospace engineering is taught in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and the two aviation management degree programs are taught in the Harbert College of Business. The two programs in the Harbert College of Business are Aviation Management and Professional Flight Management. Students earning these aviation degrees have the advantage of obtaining a strong business background, which is attractive to employers. The Aviation Center’s expanded interaction with industry officials is expected
A press conference is held at the terminal.
to strengthen existing programs by better understanding industry needs, providing opportunities for student/industry interaction, and revealing needed research and training opportunities. A second way the Aviation Center plans to enhance student education is through creating opportunities for collaboration on campus. There is much aviation related activity occurring at Auburn. Several colleges are doing great work in the field of aviation. Aerospace engineering is an obvious example, but other colleges and departments are at work as well. For example, the College of Agriculture’s plans use of UAVs in research as well as the McWhorter School of Building Science. Too, the School of Kinesiology has been involved in aviation oriented research. Integrating these efforts where it is feasible can give students additional learning opportunities. The aviation management degrees in the programs will remain within the Harbert College of Business, even though the flight school, which is 141 certified and offers FAA reduced hours for a R-ATP, is now part of the Aviation Center. This is in partial recognition that Auburn Continued on next page. Summer 2014
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Aviation Center Continued from previous page. students can earn a minor in flight or just learn to fly for pleasure. In addition, the flight school trains citizens in the community as well. The Aviation Center will be led by a team of dedicated professionals. Provost Boosinger has tapped Bill Hutto as the Director. He currently serves as Director of the Auburn University Regional Airport, which is owned and operated by Auburn. He has over 23 years of experience in the aviation industry. Dr. Hutto also holds an aviation faculty appointment in Harbert College of Business; this will allow for ease of communication and a consistent vision for aviation at Auburn. Todd Storey has been named as the Assistant to the Director. He is also serving as Assistant Airport Director. Mr. Storey has an impressive background in aviation. He is a former CFI and served for many years as the Director of the University’s Air Transportation Department. Mr. Story holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate and is type rated in the Cessna 500 and 525 jet aircraft. The flight school will be under the daily direction of Mr. Wayne Ceynowa, Chief Flight Instructor. He has 41 years of experience in the flight training industry and has previously served in various capacities at the Florida Institute of Technology and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Excitement about the Aviation Center can also be seen in the response from the alumni, who have been very supportive. “We are tremendously excited about the announcement from Auburn University about the creation of the Auburn University Aviation Center. The Aviation Center will benefit the entire state of Alabama, region and nation,” stated Jason Mohrman, an Auburn graduate and United Airlines Captain. The momentum created by the announcement of this visionary approach to aviation is expected to continue. The State of Alabama and Auburn will directly benefit. Aviation Center personnel, however, expect the ripple effects to be felt beyond the borders of the state, which Page 10
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Dr. Bill Hutto
is customary in aviation. The “aviation family” has also generous shared with one another to advance the industry; the Aviation Center hopes to play a role in continuing this tradition as well. The telephone number for the Aviation Center is (334) 844-1942, the email address is auac@auburn.edu, and the website is www.auburn.edu/aviationcenter.
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EXCEEDING CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
Planning, design and construction
TOP: Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport | LEFT: O’Hare Modernization Program | RIGHT: Runway Extension, Louisville International Airport
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GAMA
Competition Creates New Interest In Aviation Industry Sunrise Mountain High School’s (Las Vegas, Nev.) FORMULA-X team recently won first place in the second annual GAMA (General Aviation Manufacturers Association) Build A Plane STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Competition. According to a GAMA press release, GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce stated, “We could not be more excited about this year’s winners…The students worked hard after school and on their weekends …and the principal chose to buy a more capable computer to allow the competition software to work. A note from GAMA to Sunrise Mountain High School (SMHS) Principal Grant Hanevold said it all, ‘It [the competition] was one of Pete Bunce my fondest moments as a school principal. Thanks for providing this opportunity for my students, and for the generosity of your board. This competition, and ultimate victory, will be life-changing for my kids. I can’t thank you and the board enough for what you do, and for the positive impact you are making in the life of a kid.’”
How It Started “After learning about a Glasair Aviation Sportsman kit which was available to be built, I thought what if we got this kit and got our companies together to get kids to build it?” explained Bunce. So, in 2013, GAMA partnered with Build A Plane, a nonprofit organization which encourages aviation and aerospace education to support STEM education through aviation in high schools throughout the country. In addition to Build A Plane and Glasair, various aviation companies have partnered with GAMA for this comPage 12
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petition. “This competition provides great excitement for the kids and adults alike. It’s great to see them engaged and excited about trying new things. It also keeps private aviation alive. In my opinion this competition can’t grow too big,” says Build A Plane Executive Director Debbie Phillips. “In an industry where businesses are usually competing against each other, businesses came together for this competition and offered so much support. We [aviation businesses] know that general aviation in the United States is not really growing, so businesses worked together for the future of aviation,” explained Glasair President Nigel Mott. In its first year, the competition attracted 27 schools from 22 states. This year, the second year of the competition, interest in the competition more than doubled – there were 79 entries from 33 states plus Washington, DC – nearly tripled compared to just a year ago. Once the schools have entered the competition, they received a complimentary “Fly to Learn” curriculum, which comes with flight simulation software powered by X-Plane. Then, according to a GAMA press release, “Teachers… guide students through the science of flight and airplane design, completing the curricula in approximately six weeks Nigel Mott in the classroom or in four weeks through an accelerated program. Each high school [applies] what they learned by modifying the design of a Glasair Sportsman airplane that seats four adults. The schools…then compete in a virtual fly-off, which [is] scored on aerodynamic and performance parameters while flying a specific mission profile. The competition is based upon Glasair’s popular Two
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to Taxi program where those who purchase the kit of the four-place, high wing, metal and composite aircraft can then build the plane at Glasair in Arlington, Wash. Volunteer co-advisor for Sunrise Mountain High School, John Kanuch explained “The competition was challenging and the perfect vehicle to illustrate all of the crucial points of managing a real-world test project. The experience the students gained from their two-week aircraft build…is almost indescribable.” Kanuch, who is a US Air Force (USAF) F16 test pilot and former instructor at the USAF taught the students “… the fundamentals of aerodynamics and aircraft design. In addition, we used the principles of test planning, test management and test conduct to optimize our winning submission.”
Sunrise Mountain High Considering this is the second year for this competition, this is even a bigger win for Las Vegas and the state of Nevada because the city and the state have been ranked among one of the worst public education systems for the past two decades. A January 2014 Quality Counts gave Nevada a grade of “D” for a “chance for success index” – the lowest possible rating. “I truly believe that this experience has changed their [the students] lives forever. Living in one of lowest income communities in the country, the Las Vegas area, had limited their vision. This experience has opened a new door for them [the students], especially with aviation opportunities. For most of them, they could not picture themselves doing anything but working in a casino…but now they all want to be pilots, engineers or be in some other type of aviation career. They also now see how math comes to life in the real world,” explains participating mathematics teacher at Sunrise Mountain High, Thitya Pathakkhinang, who also served an advisor for the winning team. Sunrise’s FORMULA-X team won the competition by a wide margin. When announcing the winner, Steve Taylor,
president of Boeing Business Jets and GAMA Chairman explained that the team’s design was impressive. In addition to building the airplane, the teams also submitted a one-page essay about their increased knowledge of STEM. In its essay, Sunrise High wrote, “We will always remember this amazing experience and some of us are already thinking about becoming pilots and engineers.” Reza Karamooz, an engineer from Penn State University and the founder and president of the Nevada Business AviaReza Karamooz tion Association explained that the team used a structured approach to win the competition. After learning the rules and the computer file for the modification of the aircraft for the competition, they flew the unmodified aircraft many times to find its baseline performance capabilities and overall strengths and weaknesses. The team then determined the major factor to increase the Aviation Challenge Score was the increase of the payload capacity of the aircraft. “Since we were not allowed to modify the brakes, we had to find out the heaviest weight that the aircraft’s standard brakes could stop on a short grass strip. After many iterations, and several trial and error studies, we concluded that if we designed an aircraft with a maximum gross weight of 9000 pounds, we would have a good chance of winning this competition. To achieve this goal, we calculated the wing surface areas and a horizontal tail that could lift the 9,000 pounds aircraft and an engine that could accelerate the aircraft quickly enough for a successful takeoff on the given runway,” explained Karamooz. The aircraft was flown low to the ground to take advantage of “ground effect” which reduced drag, reduced fuel burn and increased speed. The size of the vertical tail and rudder were increased in size in order to control the airplane at slower speeds. The team named its plane the Super Sportsman 9000 because they achieved their goal
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The team poses for a photo on Day 2.
GAMA Continued from previous page. of designing a plane with a 9,000 pound gross weight to complete the required mission. “This team just struck me – they deserve huge kudos for what they achieved,” states Mott.
Benefits Beyond Aviation Bunce stated that the competition exposed the SMHS students to general aviation and brought them out of their shells. In fact, one of the students had never even stepped foot on an airplane. According to Bunce, it is well worth participating in the competition because the students learn all of the aspects of aviation – design, building, flying and the maintenance. Karamooz explained, “This competition is a great catalyst for getting schools engaged in the aviation industry…It exposes the students and teachers to the scientific approach on how to solve an engineering challenge. This exposure to the scientific approach to problem solving is a priceless lesson that will greatly benefit the students in their lives and careers, far beyond this competition. And, most of all, for students in low-income and disadPage 14
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vantaged areas, it inspires students to get involved in an activity that keeps them off the streets, and focuses their boundless energy on possibly the most life-changing after school club ever offered.” In addition to instructing the students about the technical aspects of building an aircraft, such as setting the tension of the control cables and ailerons and learning avionics like checking the circuits and display sensors, Mott explained the students gained self-confidence because they faced the challenges and met them and built an aircraft. The aviation industry has faced tough times lately with very little job growth, and Nevada is no different. “Nevada’s Aviation industry has historically suffered, amongst other reasons, due to a lack of trained workforce. Continued on next page.
Students talk with U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA), who visited during the build.
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Build A Plane and Founder Recognized with Crown Circle Award Build A Plane and its founder, Lyn Freeman, were recognized on Tuesday, July 30, with the Crown Circle Award, presented by the National Coalition for Aviation and Space Education (NCASE), during Teacher’s Day at EAA AirVenture 2014 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Crown Circle Award was established in 1969 and recognizes commitment, performance and outstanding leadership in aerospace education. Build A Plane programs give students a real world, hands-on experience that often creates a lifetime love affair with aviation. Now in its 11th year, Build A Plane has donated more than 200 airplanes to kids across America, with additional programs in Africa, India and Canada. Freeman joins aviation pioneers in the Crown Circle, such as Chuck Yeager and the late Scott Crossfield, as well as nationally recognized educators from classroom teachers to school administrators, college professors, and industry and government leaders. “This is an unbelievable honor to have Build A Plane uttered in the same breath with names associated with the Crown Circle Award and NCASE,” said Freeman. In 1998 Freeman became editor-in-chief of Plane & Pilot magazine where he ultimately founded the organization. The award was presented by Kim Stevens, Interim President of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), representing the NCASE Board of Directors. Judy Rice, NCASE President said the organization is proud to welcome Build A Plane’s leadership and vision
NASAO Interim President Kim Stevens, left, presents Lyn Freeman, Founder of Build A Plane, with the Crown Circle Award. Photo by Andrew Stevens.
Build A Plane Executive Director, Debbie Phillips, pins an award on Lyn Freeman’s lapel.
in promoting aviation/aerospace maintenance careers through innovative program development and execution to the Crown Circle.
Continued from previous page. I am using this win…to inform the state lawmakers and industry stakeholders and inspire state’s educators and other schools in Nevada to join the after-school Aviation Club program. This win proves that any group of students, from any background or school have the aptitude and ability to take on any challenge and win. …whether a team wins the competition or not, all teams win by having their students complete the process, states Karamooz.
The SMHS students had their horizons literally broadened with this competition. As Kanuch explains, “The students from Las Vegas are completely isolated from the aviation industry. Las Vegas’ economy is based on tourism and gambling. The school system is one of the worst in the nation with pathetic graduation rates. By winning this competition, they [the students] were actually able to see the world outside of Vegas. They met good people and saw amazing aspects of the aviation industry.”
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Allegheny Co. Hosts GA Issues Conference
Attendees were served-up a full course of general aviation and security issues.
The General Aviation Issues and Security Conference (GAISC), organized by the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), was held July 13 - 15 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Attendees arrived from all over the U.S. to listen to presenters and participate in sessions ranging from 20:1 Approaches to Airport Sustainability. “This year’s General Aviation Issues Conference has helped to identify some of the key issues facing small airports as we move into the next FAA Reauthorization,” said Justin Towles, Director, Regulatory Affairs for AAAE. Attendees also heard from a panel of association executives from all segments of the aviation industry. Moderated by Paul Meyers, a Principal with Aviation Management Consulting Group (AMCG), the panel discussed today’s top general aviation issues and tomorrow’s challenges. “Each year, I look forward to facilitating the discussion on the state of the general aviation industry” said Meyers, who started this year’s session by talking about the costs and benefits of general aviation. “Beyond convenience - being able to fly when, where, and with whom you choose - and saving time, general aviation is about freedom. But that freedom comes at Page 16
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a cost - time and money,” said Meyers. “Sometimes we need challenges to inspire us to continue to fight the good fight.” In many ways, Meyers acknowledged, “that’s what this conference is all about - equipping folks to fight for and defend the freedom we know as general aviation.” Panel members included Towles, Bill Dunn, AOPA, John McGraw, NATA, Richard Doubrava, NBAA, Kim Stevens, NASAO and Stephanie Saracco, Allegheny County Airport Authority. Al Pollard, director of the Martin State Airport for the Maryland Aviation Administration, said this year’s General Aviation Issues and Security Conference was a tremendous success. “Thanks to our many panel members for taking the time to share their expertise with our attendees,” said PolAl Pollard lard. “Thanks also to our gracious host, the Allegheny County Airport Authority and to all the AAAE staff for all that they do for us, not only with this conference, but each and every day!”
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The keynote luncheon speaker was Andrea Vernot, President of Air Fare America, LLC. (See related article on page 19.) Air Fare America combines three of television’s most successful genres – food, travel and treasure hunting (aka picking) – in an entertaining format that reveals the fly-in destinations pilots have frequented for years, but are practically unknown by the general public. Ms. Vernot believes that TV programing is prime time for an original food and travel show with an aviation twist. Immediately following the conference, AMCG conducted the Sponsor Assurances, Leasing Policies, and Minimum Standards Workshop (SALPMSW). With the Airport Sponsor Assurances and other compliance requirements serving as a foundation, the workshop examined leasing/ rents and fees policies, minimum standards, and rules and regulations and delved into the intricacies, subtleties, and challenges of developing (or updating), implementing, and enforcing these documents - which AMCG refers to as “primary management and compliance documents” (or Continued on next page.
Mario Mairena, Sr. Government Relations Manager, AUVSI, left and Elliott Black, Director, Airport Planning, FAA.
Left to right are Justin Towles, Janet Skelly, AAAE, Kim Stevens, NASAO and Paul Meyers, AMCG.
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range of compliance issues,” said Meyers. Throughout the workshop, Meyers said they examine key issues such as exclusive rights, economic nondiscrimination, self-fueling, TTF activities, and independent operators. “We also discuss recent case studies (including complaints and determinations made under 14 CFR Part 16), and provide relevant real world examples.” Next year’s conference will be hosted by the Port of Portland. The following year (2016), which is also Downtown Pittsburgh as seen from Mt. Washington. Photo by Kim Stevens the tenth anniversary of the conference, will be hosted by Centennial Airport in Colorado - the host of the inaugural event held Continued from previous page. in 2006. It is anticipated that the conference will return to PMCDs). the East Coast in 2017. Meyers said that he and Jeff Kohlman, another Princi“This is the eighth year for the GAISC,” said Meyers. pal with AMCG, have been conducting this workshop, “It’s great to see folks from all segments of the industry on behalf of the American Association of Airport Execuworking together - in this unique general aviation forum. tives (AAAE), for sixteen (16) years. “During the workIf you manage an airport, an aviation business, or even, an shop, we’re able to sit down, roll up our sleeves, and help aircraft and you deal with general aviation issues, you’ll airports - from across the country - work through a wide benefit by attending this conference.”
GA Issues
Jeff Kohlman , AMCG and Marilyn Gauthier, Tampa Int’l Airport.
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Scott Gray, Executive Director, Washington County Airport and Stephanie Saracco, Superintendent, Allegheny County Airport Authority.
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NEW AVIATION-THEMED TRAVEL SHOW LAUNCHES PRODUCTION Original cable program aims to introduce millions to airport destinations By: Andréa Vernot
Imagine Inspiring Millions to Fly “Here’s an idea for a reality TV show we’d be sure to DVR: A pilot, a chef and a treasure hunter head off in an airplane to visit the coolest small airports across the country, sampling the food at the airport restaurants, meeting interesting airport characters and discovering the incredible airplanes and historic items inside the hangars.” Those words were penned by Flying Magazine’s senior editor Stephen Pope this past April. I met Steve at Sun ‘n Fun and the TV show he referred to – Air Fare America – was something I created in 2011 after many visits to local airports in my home state of Maryland.
Thanks to the insight of hundreds of pilots, aviation enthusiasts and industry insiders around the country – and with the backing of plane-owning investors -- Air Fare is now in production with a partnership of experienced broadcast, marketing and Hollywood executives.
Food, Travel & Treasures: A Thriving TV Trio Air Fare America combines three of television’s most successful genres – food, travel and treasure hunting (aka picking) – in an entertaining format that reveals the fly-in destinations pilots have frequented for years, but are prac-
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Air Fare America Continued from previous page. tically unknown by the general public. We believe TV programing is prime time for an original food and travel show with an aviation twist. Consider the marketplace: • In 2012, the Food Network had its most watched year since debuting in 1994, making it a top 10 cable network for the fourth year in a row. One of the longerrunning series, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, commands a weekly audience of 1.2 million. • Over at the popular Travel Channel, two very successful, highly rated shows also combined food and travel. Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Adam Rich’s Man v. Food garnered millions of viewers per episode before their hosts left for other projects. • Rounding out the concept are ‘picking’ shows. History Channel’s Pawn Stars and American Pickers are currently in the top 10 of all original cable series with 5.8M and 5.2M viewers weekly in Q1 2014. The number of potential viewers and visitors for Air Fare America is vast. Compared with the number of licensed pilots in the U.S., it isn’t difficult to imagine that this original cable program will introduce huge new audiences to aviation – particularly general aviation. While shows with food, travel and picker themes are hits for networks and cable, nobody has coupled those themes with aviation. Until now. Award-Winning Entertainment Team Pilots Air Fare In September 2013, I joined forces with Washington, D.C.’s Interface Media Group (IMG) to make my idea a reality. Together, we built an entertainment company to create, license and shape Air Fare America into a longterm, sustainable venture. Our mission is to inspire aviation, food and travel enthusiasts to experience our nation’s treasure trove of local airports, restaurants, and attractions -- on the ground and in the air. Air Fare brings the fun of food, flying and travel together in a single destination for both aviation lovers and the larger community. Page 20
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Working with IMG’s Emmy-award winning producer Joel Westbrook, we are developing a series that strikes a cord with pilots and industry insiders eager to see Air Fare take flight. After debuting Air Fare America at Sun n’ Fun this spring, we secured our lead investor. A successful Hollywood business owner and pilot, Evan Green was intrigued by Air Fare’s unique twist of aviation with a popular programing format. After meeting and learning about our team’s entertainment capabilities, he was convinced we had a winning formula and signed on as our primary investor. Two additional backers quickly followed and production is now underway.
Seeking High-Flying Reality Stars With a proven concept, sound business plan and experienced leadership in place, we’re moving forward with one of the most critical steps: On-air talent. We are currently looking for a trio of hosts: Pilot, picker and chef. A casting notice posted on Facebook and www. AirFareAmerica.com details Air Fare’s host qualifications and application process.
Come Fly with Us We are confident Air Fare is both inspired entertainment and an excellent business and marketing venture. I invite you to follow our journey or fly with us. Whether connecting with us on social media, becoming a sponsor/advertiser, or joining our team as a shareholder/ producer, we welcome your involvement. For information on investing and marketing opportunities, contact me directly at Andrea@AirFareAmerica.net. The author is creator, president and co-executive producer of Air Fare America. A former Maryland government official, Andrea and her husband Brent Burkhardt live on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where they operate Choptank Communications, a marketing and public relations practice. They are frequent patrons of their two local airport restaurants, Kay’s Airport Café (CGE) and Sugar Buns Bakery (ESN).
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Evan Green, President of Paskal Lighting and powered parachute pilot, checked out a few Air Fare America landed at Sun ‘n Fun in 2014 to ask pilots where they fly for food and aircraft at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh August fun. Shown l to r, Joel Westbrook, executive producer, Andrea Vernot, creator/president, and 1, 2014. Evan is a lead investor in Air Fare Katherine Vences, associate producer. Photo by John Slemp, Aerographs Aviation Photogra- America. Photo by John Slemp, Aerographs phy. Aviation Photography.
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SWAAAE
An Annual Airport Conference… On an Ocean Liner? By Scotty Malta After many years of light-hearted kidding about doing a conference on a cruise ship, the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (SWAAAE) held its 68th Annual Summer Conference July 20-23, 2014 themed, “Navigating a Sea of Change” on a ship… the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Karl Zittel, Airport Operations Supervisor of the Long Beach Airport led a team of enthusiastic coworkers and committee members to produce an excellent conference in a one-of-a-kind conference center. The conference attendees stayed in the staterooms and all conference venues were in the various ship’s ballrooms and salons with such names as: Grand Salon, Windsor Salon, Queen’s Salon and Kings View Room. The conference started with special guest speakers AAAE President and CEO Todd Hauptli and long-time SWAAAE member and current AAAE Chair, Randy Berg. The keynote speaker was Kurt Robinson, President of Robinson Helicopter Company who delivered quite a tale of how Robinson Helicopters came into being and why they are still going strong today. Other topics included: Airport Issues Roundtable; Wildlife Issues; Update on UAS Integration into the NAS; Van Nuys Runway Rehabilitation Case Study; Strategic Business Plans for Airports; Update on FAA Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS); Safety Management Systems (SMS) and Hot Topics in Aviation with discussions about: Airline Issues, Santa Monica Airport - Status Update and Eminent Domain… a really packed and very informative program! The Monday evening social event was at the beautiful Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and started with a very touching time of family reflection, sharing, personal stories of gratitude and a time of true togetherness as a SWAAAE Family during the first ever “Lean on Me” moPage 22
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ment. The culmination of the SWAAAE Annual Summer Conference is the “President’s Banquet” where various awards are presented and the change-over of officers occurs. The following professionals were recognized by receiving the following SWAAAE awards: Wanamaker Award – Chris Kunze, Retired, former Director of the Long Beach Airport. Chris also received awards, certificates and resolutions from various elected officials, community leaders and Randy Berg, AAAE Chairman… his recognition was well deserved and very emotional Award of Distinction – Jon Faucher of Mead & Hunt Corporate Award of Excellence – CommuniQuest, owned by Christine Eberhard Airport Executive of the Year – John Martin, Airport Director of SFO Aviation Excellence Award – Jorge Rubio, C.M. of Ventura County Airports President’s Award – Jessica Mullen, C.M., P.E. of C & S Engineers, Inc. Outgoing SWAAAE President Casey Denny went through the ceremonial transfer of the SWAAAE President pin to incoming President Eric Peterson through their respective wives and President Peterson gave his incoming president’s address.
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During the general membership meeting held on the final day of the conference, President Peterson acknowledged the SWAAAE Board of Directors: President – Eric Peterson, C.M., C.A.E., Santa Clara County Airports 1st Vice President – Richard Smith, C.M., C.A.E., LA County DPW Aviation Division 2nd Vice President – Gary Mascaro, C.M., C.A.E., Scottsdale Airport, (just elected) Immediate Past President – Casey Denny, A.A.E., C.A.E., Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Director, Arizona – Judy Ross, A.A.E., C.A.E., City of Phoenix Aviation Department, (just elected) Director, Nevada – Mike Dikun, C.M., Reno-
AAAE National Board Director – Rod Dinger, A.A.E., C.A.E., Redding Municipal Airport AAAE National Board Director – Scott Malta, A.A.E., C.A.E., Castle Airport AAAE National Board Director – Barry Rondinella, A.A.E., C.A.E., Los Angeles World Airport
And Chairs of the various committees: Ethics – 1st VP Richard Smith Bylaws & Procedures – 2nd VP Gary Mascaro Nominations – Casey Denny AAAE Accreditation – Jennifer Maples Credentials – Judy Ross Historical – Jessica Mullin
Incoming President Eric PeterHot Topics in Aviation Panel: Left to right are Jeffery Hartz, Mead & Hunt, Jon Stout, Sonoma County – son received the “President’s Charles Schulz Airport, John Pfeifer, AOPA Regional Manager and Harjinder Chima, Deputy State Attorney, Plaque” from Immediate Past CalTrans. President Casey Denny.
Tahoe Airport Authority Director, Northern California – Jon Stout, A.A.E., C.A.E., Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma Co. Airport, (just re-elected) Director, Northern California – Ron Elliott, A.A.E., Stockton Metropolitan Airport Director, Southern California – Selena Birk, C.M., Los Angeles World Airport, (just re-elected) Director, Southern California – Jorge Rubio, C.M., Ventura County Department of Airports Director, At Large-Outside of California – Currently Vacant Corporate Director – Jessica Mullen, C.M., P.E., C&S Engineers, Inc. Corporate Director – Arpit Malaviya, ProDIGIQ, Inc., (just elected)
Legislative – John Pfeifer Membership – Selena Birk Resolutions & Recognition – Liliana Valle Scholarships – Veroneka Reade Technology – Wes Davis Awards – Jonathan Hudson Winter Conference in Monterey 2015 - Jonathan Hudson Summer Conference in San Jose’ 2015 – Vicky Day The State Aviation Journal congratulates SWAAAE on its excellent Summer Conference on the Queen Mary and would like to express a hearty well done and congratulations to all award recipients and newly elected and continuing SWAAAE Officers and Board of Directors.
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EAA AirVenture 2014
Experience the Spirit of Aviation AirVenture 2014 marks the 5th year in a row that the State Aviation Journal has provided daily updates from Oshkosh as well as expanded coverage in the e-magazine, featuring the expert photography of Shahn Sederberg and SAJ staff members of father and son, Kim and Andrew Stevens. Subscribe now to the State Aviation Journal to make sure you don’t miss any of the exciting content being planned for the coming year. Advertising opportunities are available www.stateaviationjournal.com
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EAA AirVenture 2014
Statistics Prove Aviation is Alive and Soaring By Guy Roginson I had the opportunity fly in and attend the world’s largest airshow this year, AirVenture 2014, in Oshkosh, Wi. I was quietly pinching myself as we wagged our wings over our first VFR waypoint. Ground control sounded more like a Grand Marshal at a parade and the feeling was electric as we got ushered in behind a bevy of incoming aircraft. It was perfectly orchestrated chaos and all of our slow flight experience was quickly called upon as our Cirrus SR20 took its place behind a beautifully lethargic biplane. “Welcome to Oshkosh, fall in behind the bi-plane, maintain safe separation and don’t extend over the water. Land on the green dot.” Did he say fall in behind the BI-PLANE and maintain safe separation? A World War II era, open cockpit bi-plane and a glass paneled Cirrus essentially flying in formation. That’s Oshkosh. Woo-hoo! More than 500,000 people attended this phenomenal event, reflecting a five to six percent attendance increase over last year. EAA Chairman, Jack Pelton stated, “Certainly the Thunderbirds’ first performances at Oshkosh helped the attendance, as Saturday and Sunday (August 2-3) saw 20 percent attendance increases from similar days in 2013. There was another factor, too – a renewed sense of optimism that was reflected in people coming to Oshkosh to celebrate the world of flight. You could feel it among the attendees, exhibitors and our 5,400 volunteers whose work made the event possible.” To provide you further scope of this immense aviation event, here are some other staggering statistics from AirVenture 2014: Total aircraft: 10,000+ aircraft arriving at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. Total showplanes: 2,649 (308 more than in 2013) – including 997 homebuilt aircraft, 1,050 vintage airplanes, 303 warbirds, 122 ultralights and light-sport aircraft, 91
seaplanes, 40 rotorcraft, 38 aerobatic aircraft and 8 hot-air balloons. Commercial exhibitors: More than 790 International visitors registered: 2,081 visitors registered from 69 nations, with Canada (505 visitors), Australia (416), and Brazil (194) the top three nations. (NOTE: This total includes only non-U.S. visitors registered at the International Visitors Tent, so the actual international contingent is undoubtedly larger.) Media: 917 media representatives on-site, from five continents. Statistics source: EAA Communications
HAI HELI-CENTER at AirVenture. Photo courtesy of HAI.
Helicopters, Simulators, and New Tech at AirVenture 2014 Another standout at this year’s AirVenture 2014 was the HAI HELI-CENTER and the growing presence of the helicopter industry at an airshow that for years has been predominantly a fixed wing event. The HAI (Helicopter Association International) Mission is to provide its members with services that directly benefit their operations, and to advance the international helicopter community by providing programs that enhance safety, encourage professionalism and economic viability while promoting the unique contributions vertical flight offers society. The two-story HAI HELI-CENTER outside display showcased half a dozen helicopters, including Airbus Helicop-
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Helicopters Continued from previous page. ters’ EC145 with interior by Mercedes Benz, three from Enstrom, a French-built Guimbal Cabri G2, and a Bell 47. Inside the HAI HELI-CENTER, we discovered the latest in helicopter simulation technology by X-Copter (www.xcopter.aero), an Arizona based aviation tech company which produces the latest in advanced helicopter flight simulators for the primary flight training market. The XCopter’s massive HD screens, touch screen technology, and incredibly crisp graphics lured even the most staunch fixed-wing fanatics. And, during the show, our eyes were once again fixed on rotors as Chuck Aaron’s Red Bull helicopter completed aerial maneuvers no other helicopter can do while also grabbing a close up view of a Cobra gunship from the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, and Carter Aviation’s groundbreaking PAV-II slowed-rotor compound aircraft across from the HELI-CENTER. If you want to know more about the world of helicopters, check out HAI at www.rotor.org . Another two companies that caught our attention at AirVenture 2014 were OpenAirplane and Pilot Edge. OpenAirplane was founded by Rick Rakic. And, if you don’t know Rakic and OpenAirplane, you should. The OpenAirplane (www.openairplane.com) motto is “Renting Airplanes Just Got Better.” And, as a renter of airplanes, I agree. Here’s why: 1. They are making easier to find, book, fly, and pay for aircraft rental right on your desktop, your tablet, or with your smartphone. 2. You can skip the local checkout. Rent the same make and model airplane you fly at home, from great airports all across the U.S. This “universal check out” system is taking off and everyone we spoke with agrees. They’ll save you money on your renter’s insurance policy too. 3.Its free for pilots to join. That’s it. Simply pick out the plane you want to rent, let’s say its a Cessna 172. Get checked out through OpenAirplane’s universal Page 26
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HAI President, Matt Zuccarro flys the X-Copter
check out system and then rent any Cessna 172 anywhere in the US that is a part of OpenAirplane’s program. If you’re a renter, you’ve probably already started looking at OpenAirplane’s website before finishing this article. Another exciting new company we discovered in Oshkosh this year was PilotEdge. PilotEdge (http://www. pilotedge.net ) completes the simulation experience. It is basically live, simulated ATC (air traffic control).Whether you’re a simulation fanatic, flight student, flight instructor, flight school, or educational institution, you can sign up for PilotEdge for as little as $4.95 per month and have your simulation experience completed with real time ATC communications. This is some very cool stuff. For schools looking to truly complete the simulation experience while also providing an additional tool to teach aviation language and multitasking to their students, this is it. AirVenture is an amazing experience. If you get the chance to go, make sure to check out all the aircraft (airplanes and helicopters), new technology, and new companies. You’ll be blown away by the passion, ingenuity, and sheer size our our nation’s aviation community. If you’re truly lucky, you’ll get to wag your wings and hear ground control say, “Welcome to Oshkosh, fall in behind the biplane to don’t extend over the water!”
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Flight Sim and STEM Important for Saitek Growth By Andrew Stevens Each year AirVenture presents all types of unique opportunities when venturing throughout the grounds. This year I happened to make my way through a couple of the hangars to check out some of the many exhibit booths that were there, and by complete accident I stumbled across a company that I have dealt with before in my position as a journalist for the entertainment site I write for. The name of the company is Saitek, creator of flight sticks, controls, rudder pedals, and even a Cessna branded accurate yoke handle that can be found in a Cessna light aircraft. These controls can be used in numerous flight simulations like Microsoft Flight Simulator X and X-Plane 9 & 10. It was just a couple of years ago when I first dealt with Saitek while reviewing a game called Damage Inc. on the Xbox 360, along with the Saitek Pacific AV8R that came with the game. That of course was one of my favorite projects working for the site because it was aviation related. And who doesn’t have fun with flight sticks and simulations? Unfortunately I’ve remained fairly busy with other projects since enjoying my time with Damage Inc., so when I came across the Saitek booth I was pleased to learn more about its current projects which include a lovely new flight stick called the X-55 Rhino and the Cessna branded yoke. These are great for both entertainment and actual in-home simulation experience. It’s amazing to see how in-depth and thorough some of the flight simulations are these days. It’s gone well beyond the stage I once knew where it was primarily for entertainment. Now it’s so easy for pilots and enthusiasts to get their hands on some pretty hardcore simulations that give the fantastic sensation of flight from their home computer
room, and Saitek helps turn those simulations closer to reality with their flight sticks and controls. But to provide you with just how useful these items are to pilots and aviation enthusiasts, I’ve interviewed the lead public relations employee with Saitek, Monty Rimorin. Q: For those who don’t know, what is Saitek and what type of role does it play in aviation? Also, tell us about your new products such as the Rhino X-55. A: Saitek is the worldwide leader in flight simulation hardware. We make a wide variety of hardware from yokes, pedals, radio panels, switch panels, trim wheels and different types of throttle quadrants. What makes us stand out is that a majority of our products are built specifically for the home market that is interested in GA [general aviation]. Our pieces are modular so you can build your flight rig setup however you wish. They’re also affordable while still being durable and made of high quality materials. We even offer a range of Cessna licensed products (yoke, pedals, trim wheel) that look and feel exactly like the real thing. Saitek also offers a variety of entry level flight sticks and, for the more advanced combat/fighter sim pilot, the X-series of H.O.T.A.S. (Hands On Throttle and Stick) systems. Our latest entry is the X-55 Rhino, with a stick and throttle styled after the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The X-55 burst on to the scene early in 2014 and has been flying (no pun intended) off the shelves. We’re barely keeping up with the demand for the X-55. Not only is this due to flight sim being as strong as ever but also with the rise of PC space sims such as Star Citizen and Elite: Dangerous. Q: You also have the Pro Flight Simulator Cockpit. What
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Saitek
Continued from previous page. can you tell us about that and how has the response been? A: Well, even though Saitek’s strengths are in modular products that you can configure yourself, we listened to the community and to the flight schools that are interested in a one-stop turnkey solution for a cockpit. To that end we recently developed the perfect cockpit shell, called the Pro Flight Simulator Cockpit, which will seamlessly house all the Saitek products needed for a complete GA trainer cockpit styled after Cessna Skyhawk and Piper Archer. It’s perfect for scenario training in an IFR environment without having to actually go to the airstrip and buy avgas. The cockpit frame is made from full black anodized metal sheets up to 5mm thick and is covered by a beautiful black leatherette glare shield. We offer the fully loaded Pro Flight Simulator Cockpit now on our website for interested flight schools and FBO’s who are interested in flight sim and sharing its benefits with its students and members. We also offer just the cockpit shell itself for the Saitek enthusiast who already owns some of our hardware and wants to upgrade their rig into the ultimate Saitek experience. Q: Saitek just recently completed its second year at AirVenture, setting up a nice booth that featured its flight sticks. The booth also featured chairs from PlaySeat and computers from Origin PC. How appealing was the entire setup for your visitors during AirVenture 2014? (I’m sure it grabs a lot of attention!) A: Saitek always gets a lot of attention! Plenty of people tried out our Pro Flight Simulator Cockpit demo which has you take off and land a Cessna 172 from KSAN in San Diego. As you mention, even more people were interested in our cockpits with the PlaySeat, Origin PC and X-series HOTAS’s. There’s nothing like a comfortable chair with your throttle on the left and the stick on the right as you enjoy next-gen graphics flying an F-18 or Page 28
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F-22 at Mach 1. This year we had a gentleman from Egypt offer to buy the entire left side of our booth: the Playseats, the Origin PC’s, the Saitek X-52 and X-55 HOTAS’s, even the TV’s and the tables they were on! He wanted to pack the whole thing into his Gulfstream 650 and take it home. Unfortunately we had to let the nice man know that we would be needing them for the rest of the show. He still bought a couple Rhinos and yokes and pedals though. Q: What type of crowd do you normally see and how does the experience at your booth help capture the hearts of those who fly or just love aviation? A: We receive a wide variety of individuals at our booth, younger and older, beginning pilots to seasoned vets, jet
pilots, helo pilots, barnstormers, aerobatic pilots. We’re seeing people from all over the globe too. It’s often an eye-opening experience for them to sit down and see just how far and how close to reality the latest software and hardware has become. Q: How important are flight simulation games and flight sticks to the aviation industry? What type of stories have you heard from people who’ve purchased your product? A: It’s very important. The FAA has stressed continually that scenario based training is becoming essential for working towards your pilot’s license and for keeping current. And being able to have the tactile feedback you get from actual controllers, switches, and dials just can’t be
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replicated with a mouse and keyboard. We talked with a flight instructor out of Chicago who keeps a much more expensive simulator at his school. This simulator is mostly controlled with mouse and keyboard. He also has his Saitek cockpit that he put together at home himself. Nine out of ten students prefer the more wallet-friendly Saitek cockpit and express how much having genuine hardware to touch and familiarize yourself with helped them when they were actually flying. Q: Also, have you heard many stories about young adults getting more excited about flying through simulation flight games and using products like Saitek’s flight sticks? A: Absolutely. We’ve all seen it; the younger generation is always more computer savvy and better at computer applications than the previous generations. It’s staggering how short a time it takes a young pilot to become proficient at aviation basics and advanced maneuvers when flying the newest sims using Saitek hardware. I’ll give you an example. Recently, we had a junior aerobatic pilot practice at our booth practicing snap rolls in an Extra 300 on our X-52. One of the kids was watching him in awe and said he wanted to try it. So the junior pilot gets out of the seat and lets the kid have a shot. The junior pilot starts by teaching him how to maintain a level heading, then a few minutes later moved on to the technique and timing for a snap roll. “Wow,” the junior pilot said to me. “The kid learned way faster than I ever did! I could take him up right now and I bet he could pull off a snap roll with no problem.” Q: What has been Saitek’s approach to aviation education and getting young kids interested in a possible career in aviation? How has Saitek helped in that area? A: Well, one of Saitek’s goals is to introduce more eyes and younger minds to aviation and flight sim and we believe by growing in this area it’s a benefit to everyone. And with the surging interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) curriculum in our schools today to produce a more technically educated America tomorrow, its only common sense that aviation is something we should focus on exposing our kids to as aviation hits on all four elements of STEM.
To that end, Saitek is proud to endorse non-profits like Vision of Flight out of Orlando, FL who have weekly flight sim demonstrations at various schools, from elementary to college, and after school programs. They’ve helped many youngsters in encouraging them to learn more about aviation and to obtain their own PPL’s. Q: What is the overall goal of Saitek and what can we expect from the company in the future? A: Overall, we want to maintain our position as the market leader in flight sim hardware by continually listening to our community’s desires and to help lead and inspire a new generation of aviation and flight sim enthusiasts. In the future, expect more bleeding edge technology in our simulation equipment… particularly I’d like to see us enter the glass cockpit realm and offer simulation equipment for that purpose. The ultimate experience is having a simulator at home that is a dead ringer for the cockpit you have in your aircraft. And that’s why Saitek works with all the major flight sim developers, to deliver products that are easy to install and use. Plug-and-play in any application, that’s what we strive to achieve. Q: Lastly, what does Oshkosh mean to you and how important do you feel it is to have a booth there? A: Extremely important. Being at Oshkosh feels like being in the epicenter of the aviation universe. We get to keep up on the latest developments in aviation and flight sim and we get to meet our very enthusiastic supporters and listen to their stories and concerns. Looking forward to next year already! So if anyone is looking to get some extra flying hours in while at home through simulation or just want to unwind with a more entertaining flight game or space sim, be sure to check out http://www.saitek.com for more videos, information, and links on how to buy its product. Also, we’ll be getting our hands on some of the product here soon that will allow us to share our experience with you in the next issue. So be on the lookout for that. And always, if you ever have any questions about the hardware, software, or computers be sure to email me at Andrew@ stateaviationjournal.com.
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4 1 0 2 s n e e r v u e
t t S n e w V e r r i d A s by An o t o Ph
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Otto the Helicopter goes for a spin
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AirVenture 2014 Moments – A Short Personal Recap By Andrew Stavens
It says on the bottle that “You know you’re in Wisconsin when you see the Spotted Cow”, so when I see the Spotted Cow that must mean it’s another year at AirVenture. Spotted Cow is a wonderful beer from New Glarus, and it’s a tradition for my Dad and I to drink one on the night of arrival, and maybe a few more throughout the week. That’s always the best way to kick off another year at AirVenture, and 2014 was yet again full of wonderful moments thanks to the unique atmosphere that the world’s greatest aviation celebration provides.
The author and his father at AirVenture 2014.
I love that I get to experience my favorite week out of the year with my Dad and share that same love for aviation with him. It’s because of him that I’ve come to love this industry so much. So it’s fun to have that time up at Oshkosh together and discuss the events of the day, and then of course follow it up with a cow! This year I also got to share this amazing week with my wife for the first time and let her experience what the hype is all about. I say hype because I’ve talked her ear Page 48
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Kate Stevens admires the designation on the tale.
off about AirVenture ever since we met, and now she was able to find out why. Aviation has not been a significant interest of hers beyond getting her from point A to point B. But with a spirit for adventure and a love for learning new things she has joined me at various airshows over the years. She has seemed to enjoy them, though you could tell she was not totally enthralled with the experience. However, it didn’t take long for her interest to peak and to realize that AirVenture is so much more than just an airshow. She quickly observed and appreciated that AirVenture is a vibrant environment of innovation and education, in addition to fantastic entertainment. She was intrigued by the efforts at KidVenture and College Park to instill a passion in young hearts for aviation and to encourage entrance into the many fields that the world of aviation offers. She actually started brainstorming idea after idea and asking me questions I had never even thought about. I’m now starting to wonder if she’s going to pursue some type of enterprise in aviation education. That’s AirVenture for you. There’s a niche for everyone. AirVenture 2014 also added a few more new moments for me. I grew up watching Top Gun and would always listen to that soundtrack, especially when playing flight simulators and with model aircraft. I flew through the danger zone many times! So it was great to have Kenny Loggins at AirVenture this year and, of course, he played his iconic “Danger Zone” tune for the crowd. It was fun, but I was left wanting an F-14 to fly over and buzz the crowd
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while he played. Now that would have been awesome! This was also the first year that I got caught out in the rain. I didn’t get totally drenched as I was riding on one of the trams at the time, but I still ended up getting pretty soaked. Still, the weather was fantastic this year and I welcome the rain showers over the exhausting heat any day. And, of course, nothing beats the magic of Friday night when Veterans are flown in and welcomed back from a day trip to D.C. by fire trucks shooting water over the plane and a crowd of people cheering for them by waving flags and applauding the heroes that they are. Add that with the backdrop of a gorgeous sunset and a boogiefied band (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) in an atmosphere filled with planes and hot air balloons? It can’t be beat. Friday nights are so special at AirVenture. Lastly, I’ve seen some pretty amazing firework displays, but oh my goodness, nothing can beat the fireworks I saw this year at AirVenture. The entire fireworks display was a marvel that totally mesmerized you (not once, but twice – as the show is performed on both Wednesday and Saturday). But a portion of the display that I was particularly impressed with was set to one of my favorite AC/DC songs, “thunderstruck”. The fireworks intensity and presentation was timed perfectly to this epic song and I, along with the rest of the crowd, was aptly “thunderstruck” by
this amazing display of pyrotechnics that filled the night sky. Oh, what enjoyment that was! So, to wrap it up, it was another amazing year at AirVenture where I yet again experienced new things and expanded my understanding of an industry that I’m beginning to love more and more every day. I am already looking forward to AirVenture 2015 in anticipation of new opportunities to expand my knowledge of the aviation industry and to do my part in promoting the great world of aviation to others. AirVenture 2014 was another fantastic experience. Oh, and the Thunderbirds were there too for the first time. Cheers!
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