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"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, "The Aviator" |
| Raffle set to raise funds for the MPA Recreational Airstrips Fund |
The raffle to raise funds for the MPA Recreational Airstrips Fund still has some tickets to sell. The MPA will raffle a Polaris Ranger LE which retails between $11,000 and $12,000.
Tickets are $20 each or six (6) for $100 and limited to 2,000 tickets. The drawing will be held at the 2009 Montana Aviation Conference.
The winner will have the option of applying the value towards a snowmobile, motorcycle or boat from Kurt's Polaris located in Seeley Lake, Missoula and Kalispell.
Watch for promotional displays at local hangar Fly-Ins around the state this summer. Tickets will be available through your local hangar and MPA officers.
For more information e-mail or call Wade Cebulski, 677-3219. |
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posted 07/16/08 |
Air traffic controllers offered braille pack |
A British airport has advertised for an air traffic controller - and offered those interested an application pack in braille.
The website for St Mary's Airport on the Isles of Scilly, off the southwest tip of England, says controllers need to be able to keep a close eye on the changeable weather as their work "is not over-dependent upon very costly and sophisticated electronic equipment". But applicants for the job could still ask for an application pack in large type, braille or audio format, newspapers said.
A spokesman for the local council said the wording was included on all job advertisements, while the Royal National Institute for the Blind praised its "good practice".
posted 07/16/08 |
| Kent Couch's helium balloon lawn chair success |
 Kent Couch, 48, lifted off from a pasture in Bend, Ore. Saturday, July 5, suspended in a green lawn chair beneath a collection of more than 150 giant helium-filled party balloons, and covered about 235 miles in about nine hours, landing in Cambridge, Idaho. Couch controlled his ascent and descent with a Red Ryder BB gun and ballast (in this case, 15-gallon barrels of cherry Kool Aid). Couch also carried two GPS units -- one for himself and one for the chair, just in case it got away again (last year, it blew away on landing). He also had with him a blowgun and steel darts ... and boiled eggs, jerky and chocolate. The balloons give about four pounds of lift, each. The chair and supporting structure weighs about 400 pounds, and one Couch plus parachute weigh in at about 200. The flight cost about $6,000 for aircraft and fuel, or in this case, the rig itself and the helium, a cost that was defrayed by "corporate sponsors," according to The Associated Press. "If I had the time and money and people, I'd do this every weekend," said Couch. "Things just look different from up there. You're moving so slowly. The best thing is the peace and serenity." His wife Susan added, "It's never been a dull moment since I married him." The flight was Couch's third.
In 2006, Couch had to parachute from his rig when overzealous balloon popping led to a too-rapid rate of descent. Last year, his flight took him 193 miles to northeastern Oregon, but his real goal remained a trip out of state. His successful trip this year was aided also by dozens of volunteers who wore fluorescent green T-shirts that read "Dream Big." It's often a dangerous mission. In this case, mission accomplished.
AVwebFlash 7/7
posted 07/07/08 |
| Canada wants taxes on top of aviation user fees |
U.S. pilots who have flown in Canada are now being told they have to pay taxes on the Nav Canada user fees they’ve already paid, retroactively, going back five years.
“We have always opposed user fees, and this latest insult shows just how flawed and inefficient the system is,” said AOPA President Phil Boyer. “How much is Nav Canada now going to spend to attempt to track down the pilot of the aircraft to collect this tax? A simple fuel tax makes so much more sense.”
AOPA is asking Nav Canada to waive the tax collection for U.S. aircraft operators.
Nav Canada is a private corporation that the Canadian government had spun off to run the air navigation and control system. It’s supposed to run like a business, charging fees for flight briefings, access to navigation aids, and air traffic control services.
But this “business” didn’t realize that it was supposed to collect “goods and services tax” at the time it sold its service to the pilot. Then the Canada Revenue Agency (their version of IRS) audited the books and told Nav Canada it was obligated for the taxes it should have collected.
Now a regular “business” would likely have to pay for this mistake out of its own pocket. Not Nav Canada. It’s attempting to track down every aircraft that’s flown in its airspace in the last five years and retroactively collect the tax from the aircraft owner. (Five years because of the statute of limitations. Nav Canada hasn’t collected the tax since it formed in 1999.)
“Chasing after customers who have paid for services in full is poor business practice,” said Boyer. “This burden shouldn’t be placed on the backs of pilots who rightfully believed that they had completely fulfilled their financial obligations to Nav Canada.”
Boyer said that the logistical effort necessary to collect the service tax on air traffic service charges was “an excellent example of how fee for service or privatized air traffic control systems are flawed. The expenses incurred by Nav Canada just to collect revenues are much higher than the truly minor cost of collecting revenues through a fuel tax.”
AOPAePilot 7/4
posted 07/06/08 |
| EAS flights to resume in three Montana cities |
A Wyoming-based airline plans to renew Essential Air Service to Lewistown, Miles City and Sidney in early September.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has given Great Lakes Aviation permission to change the hub from Billings to Denver for those flights, which are to resume on Sept. 3.
Great Lakes, of Cheyenne, Wyo., is taking over the EAS contract held by Big Sky Airlines before it ended operations on March 8.
The DOT said it agreed to the hub change because it did not increase Great Lake's subsidy and the communities do not object to the change. Great Lakes can revert to the Billings hub if the new service pattern doesn't generate enough revenue to cover its costs, the DOT said.
The service includes 12 one-stop round trips to Denver each week from Lewistown and Miles City and 17 one-stop trips to Denver from Sidney. The stops can be in Wyoming or Nebraska, under the Department of Transportation order.
DOT said it expects service to resume soon in Havre, Glasgow, Wolf Point and Glendive, with the hub to remain in Billings.
The federal contract for service to all seven cities is $8.2 million per year.
"EAS is critical for a lot of folks in Montana," said Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont. "So it's good to see the Department of Transportation and Great Lakes have reached an agreement on getting the first flights off the ground. However, I'm going to continue working to make sure this plan, and any future plans, receive the stamp of approval from those who rely on this service the most, Montanans."
posted 07/06/08 |
| Weco-overhauled Aircraft Parts Cited in FAA Notice |
The FAA’s scrutiny of Weco Aerospace Systems of Burbank, Calif., has taken a new turn with the issuance of an FAA Unapproved Parts Notification. . The document paints a broad stroke under the affected products statement, citing hundreds of “aircraft components and instruments approved for return to service by Weco, Inc.” The beleaguered company, acquired by Gulfstream Aerospace a year ago, was an FAA Part 145 and EASA repair station supporting the corporate, helicopter, airline and military aircraft industries. The agency underscores in the document that regulations require type-certified products to conform to their type design, adding, “Aircraft owners, operators, maintenance organizations and parts distributors should inspect their aircraft, aircraft records and/or parts inventories for any aircraft components or instruments approved for return to service by Weco.” While the FAA stopped short of declaring all of Weco’s work unairworthy, it specifies, “If you find any of these components or instruments installed on aircraft, you should take appropriate action. If you find components or instruments in existing inventory, we recommend you segregate them to prevent installation until their eligibility for installation is determined.”
AIN Alerts
posted 07/06/08 |
| New flight-plan rule took effect June 29 |
As part of FAA's ongoing effort to harmonize its paperwork and procedures with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the form for filing a flight plan has changed, but only for IFR flights that include RNAV arrival or departure routing. Pilots filing VFR or filing IFR but without the RNAV arrivals or departures, can continue to file using the usual flight plan format. Pilots filing point-to-point (RNAV direct) and "T routes" also are not affected. The format change, which took effect at 0900 UTC June 29, was made to help expedite the FAA's transition to a new en route computer system for Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Click here for the text of FAA's Letter to Airmen. Pilots affected by the change can find more information, including FAQs and step-by-step filing instructions, at the FAA Web site.
The FAA site also includes contact information, with e-mail addresses and phone numbers, to answer any questions. The changes will affect only about 10 percent of general aviation flights, says AOPA. Lockheed Martin flight service station specialists will be trained to help pilots file the new flight plan. "The ICAO flight plan is necessary because it collects more detailed information about actual avionics equipage and aircraft capability," said Melissa Rudinger, AOPA vice president of regulatory affairs. "This in turn allows ATC to match the most efficient routing to the aircraft capabilities, resulting in better service to pilots."
AOPAePilot
posted 07/06/08 |
| Suddenly it's 2002: TSA brings back gate-side screening |
One of the most unpleasant airport security aspects seen in the months following 9/11 is making an unwelcome comeback. If you are flying in or out of a US airport this summer, you may find Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) conducting random additional screening at airline gates.
The screenings -- part of TSA's awkwardly-acronymed Aviation Direct Access Screening Program (ADASP) -- may include checking passenger identification and boarding passes, conducting physical searches of carry-on luggage, using handheld explosive detection units and screening of individuals.
The checks are not announced in advance... and can occur at any gate, at any time. Screeners may also board aircraft to conduct searches (above) or pat down ramp personnel
In addition, Behavior Detection Officers (or BDOs... yet another unfortunate TSA acronym, that to our ears sounds more like a personal hygiene issue than a job title -- Ed.) will accompany the TSOs during some of the screening activities to provide an additional layer of security. BDOs screen travelers for involuntary physical and physiological reactions that indicate stress, fear or deception.
"TSA recognizies that an individual exhibiting some of these behaviors does not automatically mean a person has terrorist or criminal intent," the agency helpfully points out. "BDOs do, however, help our security officers focus appropriate resources on determining if an individual presents a higher risk or if his/her behavior has a non-threatening origin."
posted 07/06/08 |
| U.S. Air Force proposes quadrupling the Powder River MOA |
The Air Force has proposed expanding the Powder River MOA to almost quadruple its current size and creating new low altitude (500 foot AGL-17,999 foot MSL) MOA airspace that would overlay 31,700 square miles of Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. The Air Force also proposes adding 37,800 square miles of new high altitude (18,000-60,000 MSL) Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace (ATCAA) and reconfigure the existing PRC MOAs and ATCAAs. Part of the proposal is to allow supersonic flight above 10,000 AGL within the proposed proposed Powder River Training Complex (PRTC).
The PRTC will extend 390 nautical miles from the edge of Billings airspace (near the intersection of I-90 and I-94) east to the edge of Bismark, ND airspace. They plan to authorize the use of training chaff and flares throughout the new and modified airspace, something that should concern ranchers and land managers below the PRTC during fire season.
There are no provisions for airborne access to Ashland, Baker, Broadus, Colstrip, Hardin or any of the more than 40 private airstrips in southeastern Montana. Flying to check your cattle or to fly to another town for a visit will put you in competition for the airspace with B-52s and B-1Bs. This expansion will affect all pilots in southeast Montana and it is important that you find the time to attend the scheduled open house meetings.
Part of the proposed changes to the existing PRC is the increase in number, frequency and variety of sortie-operations. The use of the entire proposed PRTC for Large Force Exercises (LFE) of four to more than 20 aircraft during scheduled exercises and the support of additional ground-based simulated threat emitters under the MOAs. The authorization of supersonic flight above 10,000 AGL and allowing training chaff and flare deployment mentioned earlier are part of the proposed changes.
The Air Force did include two narrow corridors to navigate through the proposed PRTC but someone flying north/south could end up flying many miles out of their way to the corridors. Anyone flying east/west would be out of luck and have to deviate many, many miles out of their way.
Resources initially identified for analysis in the EIS include (but are not limited to) are:
- Airspace Operations—Airspace, noise, air quality and safety (ground and air)
- Natural Resources—Physical and biological resources
- Cultural Resources—Cultural, Native American, traditional and historic resources
- Human Resources—Land use, quality of life, socioeconomics and environmental justice
This is the only chance pilots have to prevent losing a large amount of airspace and be severely restricted flying over southeastern Montana. This expansion should motivate all pilots in the four states to comment and try to keep some flying freedom.
If you do not like losing such a large chunk of airspace or live below or near the proposed PRTC and do not want to meet low flying, high speed airplanes as you go about your daily business then you need to attend one of the open house meetings. In addition to attending the open house meetings or you are concerned about the loss of airspace you need to write your comments on the comment forms provided by the Air Force or write your own letter to the Air Force. The forms and letters should be mailed by Aug. 4, 2008 to:
Ms. Linda DeVine
HQ ACC/A7PP
129 Andrews Street, Room 317
Langley AFB, VA 23665-2769
To view a USAF color brochure on the PRTC click here and to view a USAF color poster on the PRTC click here. Both the brochure and poster have maps of the area and their size can be enlarged to better see the map detail.
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Please Attend!
Scoping Meetings for the Powder River Training Complex (PRTC)
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Open House 4-7 p.m.
•View video presentation
•Visit information booths
•Discuss proposal with Air Force personnel
•Submit written comments
•Be included on the Air Force mailing list
Montana
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Wyoming |
South Dakota |
North Dakota |
Hardin
Monday, June 23
Hardin Chamber of Commerce
10 E. Railroad Street |
Sundance
Wednesday, June 18
Crook County Public Library
414 East Main Street |
Rapid City
Monday, June 16
Rapid City Public Library
610 Quincy |
Bowman
Wednesday, July 9
City Hall Meeting Room
101 1st Street Southwest |
Colstrip
Tuesday, June 24
Isabel Bills Community
Learning Center
520 Poplar Drive |
Gillette
Thursday, June 19
Campbell County Fire Department
106 Rohan Avenue |
Belle Fourche
Tuesday, June 17
Community Center
(Dakota Room)
1111 National Street |
Elgin
Thursday, July 10
Elgin Community Center
305 North Main Street |
Miles City
Wednesday, June 25
Miles Community College
2715 Dickinson |
Sheridan
Friday, June 20
Sheridan Senior Center
North Entrance
211 Smith Street |
Buffalo
Monday, July 14
Harding County Memorial Recreation Center
West Allison Street |
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Ekalaka
Thursday, June 26
St Joan of Arc Parish Hall
Church Street |
________________ |
Bison
Thursday, July 15
Bison School Cafeteria
200 East Carr Street |
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Broadus
Friday, June 27
Powder River County High School
500 North Trautman |
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Baker
Tuesday, July 8
Baker High School
1015 South Third Street West |
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posted 06/14/08 |
| FAA to chart contact frequencies for MOAs, restricted areas |
Instead of feeling compelled to fly around charted military operations areas (MOAs) and restricted areas, soon you’ll be able to gather real-time status information in the air to determine if you can safely fly through the airspace.
The Air Force and Air National Guard have worked with the FAA to provide contact frequencies for an FAA center controller, military air traffic controller or range control officer for each MOA and restricted area so that pilots can make radio calls to see if the airspace is active, and if it is, at what altitudes.
The frequencies will appear with new charting cycles and be completed by the August cycle.
“For more than a decade, AOPA has been advocating that the military and FAA work together to chart these frequencies,” said Pete Lehmann, manager of air traffic services. “This is a move in the right direction to allow all pilots to access real-time data regarding the status of special-use airspace.”
Often, when MOAs are active, the military is using a higher floor than what is printed on the chart. In these cases, pilots can find out the floor and decide whether they can safely fly under it.
Some contact frequencies will be printed adjacent to the special-use airspace on the sectional chart, while others will appear on the side tab of the chart or along the bottom in the special-use airspace table.
AOPAePilot 6/5
posted 06/7/08 |
| New space museum open in Oregon |
 The Evergreen Aviation Museum, known as the home of Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose flying boat and a rare SR-71 Blackbird, opened a new space facility June 6. The new museum will feature Titan missiles, a replica Lunar Module and Lunar Rover, and the Russian Photon Space Capsule. The new 120,000-square-foot building is a twin to the original museum. Interactive exhibits and simulators will be used to tell the story of spaceflight. The museum also plans to host a series of educational programs and space camps, and will offer programs for local high schoolers. The museum is located about 20 miles southwest of Portland, Ore., at the McMinnville Airport (MMV).
A dedication event on June 6 featured a visit from astronauts Gen. Joe Engle, Gen. Tom Stafford and Titan II expert Chuck Rash.
AVwebFlash 6/5
posted 06/7/08 |
| Lycoming announces auto-gas approval program |
 Recognizing global concerns about the immediate and long-term availability of aviation-grade 100LL fuel, Lycoming Engines announced this week that it is working to get approval for the use of unleaded automotive gasoline for its standard-compression-ratio O-360 and IO-360 product lines. Ian Walsh, general manager for Lycoming Engines, said the approval will not require any modification to the engines, the fuel will not need any additives or special treatment and there will be no degradation in engine performance. "It's essentially a paperwork drill, to make this happen," he said. He expects to have approval from the FAA by this fall, but owners cannot implement the change until the airplane also gets certified. That is up to the manufacturers, Walsh said, and he could not estimate how long that would take, but said it is also essentially a paperwork issue. The engines will require a specific type of unleaded 93 AKI automotive gas, designated as Euro Norm EN228 (in Europe) or ASTM D4814 (in the U.S.). This fuel is not difficult to find, Walsh said, but users must verify that they are getting that particular type -- not just any unleaded auto gas will do.
The unleaded automotive gas is generally cheaper than avgas and provides an alternative in areas where avgas is scarce. Also, the continuing use of leaded avgas provokes environmental concerns. The popular O-360 and IO-360 engines are found on many GA aircraft, including Cessnas, Mooneys, Diamonds and more.
AVwebFlash 6/5
posted 06/7/08 |
| Alaska pilots get tools for the job: more ADS-B |
Mike Cirillo, the FAA's top official in Alaska, backs the installation of more Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast coverage in Alaska supported with two-way datalink systems and at a May 14 presentation, he said coverage would expand by the end of this year. Countering concerns that the system would not be further deployed, Cirillo said Fairbanks, Nome, Kotzebue and Anchorage would be home to four new ground-based transmission receivers before 2009. The ADS-B system is hailed as making flying more than 40 percent safer in areas of no radar coverage and high traffic and Cirillo's position was welcomed by local pilots. "This is huge. This is good news for Alaskan pilots," one pilot told Alaskajournal.com. Cirillo hopes acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell will make the trip to Alaska later this summer to see the region's challenges firsthand. Pilot groups concerned that new coverage would be held off until late 2009 now have reason to believe the system will soon grow beyond Southwest, Southeast and Anchorage bowl airspace.
AVwebFlash 6/2
posted 06/7/08 |
| Silver State Helicopters students sue lender |
 On Feb. 3, when Silver State Helicopters went tango-uniform, many of its more than 2,400 students were left with incomplete training... but owing student loans of $50,000 or more. Comparisons to a ponzi scheme were common, especially after Silver State's official press release said it's Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing resulted from "a sharp and sudden downturn in new student enrollment."
Charles Ponzi was a legendary swindler in the early 20th century. His name is still associated with fraudulent business schemes which pay attractive returns to early investors with income from later investors, concealing operating losses and, often, disproportionate payments to company executives. When the growth of new investors slows, the scheme collapses.
Now, the Sacramento Business Journal reports a group of students has filed class-action lawsuit against Key Bank USA NA, based in Ohio, claiming that the bank not only was a knowing participant in a fraudulent investment operation, but that it has a history of partnerships with other failed vocational training enterprises.
The lawsuit has been filed in California Superior Court in Alameda County by Pinnacle Law Group, LLP in San Francisco. Pinnacle attorney Kevin Rooney told the paper the suit asks the court to block Key Bank from collecting on the loans, and prohibit the bank from reporting delinquent payments to credit reporting agencies.
In a press release, the law firm alleges, "As with KeyBank's previous failed vocational school 'partners,' Silver State was unregulated and unaccredited and, when its ponzi scheme collapsed, it filed bankruptcy leaving its students facing KeyBank's threat to enforce the loans."
In particular, the suits charges that KeyBank violated Federal Trade Commission regulations by issuing student loans, "without including very specific language that the borrower has the same claims and defenses against the lender as they have against the school."
Silver State led a controversial existence even before its shutdown in February. In 2006, nine former students sued the school over advertising claims they said misrepresented the employment prospects awaiting graduates.
Others complained the school did not maintain a large enough aircraft fleet to provide students the opportunity to fly the hours they'd been sold.
posted 06/7/08 |
| SuperAWOS on the rise |
While automated weather observing systems (AWOS) have been a fixture at airports for many years, what some feel is the next generation of the technology has been gaining in popularity. The SuperAWOS, devised by Maryland airport owner David Wartofsky, has had a long and twisting road to certification. The homegrown system was originally designated as a unicom device for airfields without tower communication, but Wartofsky imbued it with a degree of artificial intelligence (AI).
Like every other non-tower general aviation airport, Potomac Airfield faced the problem of how to provide Unicom coverage. Most airports look to a commercial tenant or FBO to provide that.
With a pre-airport management background in designing life-saving high-tech medical equipment, Wartofsky created a unit that would monitor radio traffic in the area and respond when needed, as well as provide weather information to pilots. “For example, if you are coming into Potomac Airfield and say, ‘Potomac Airfield 121 inbound, anyone in the pattern?’ and no one replies, our system listening to the frequency knows that and says, ‘Good evening, this is Potomac Airfield automated unicom, wind 220/7 conditions favor Runway 24 pilot’s discretion.”
In essence, said Wartofsky, the system acts as a receptionist and more. “The objective of the AI was to create a system that would act like an intelligent weather observer/pilot sitting out on the airport constantly evaluating,” he said. “Whenever a pilot asks for information, this AI would give just what the pilot needs that’s important for flight operations.”
Expanded Capabilities
After years of development and certification bureaucracy, Wartofsky added other abilities that enabled the unit to unlock IFR approaches for airports, including approved altimeter check source, approved visibility source, radio check capability, ELT monitoring, and a semi-classified exotic radio transceiver that can detect weak transmissions at a range of 20 miles. A version currently under development even incorporates TCAS.
As the unit’s capabilities grew, so did its size, and the SuperAWOS eventually outgrew its original housing. “I picked that two [cu] foot cube because it was the largest all-weather enclosure that I could buy off the shelf that would go through the door of my Skymaster,” said Wartofsky.
The goal was to make the system as user-friendly as possible. The early units were clamped directly to the airport’s windsock pole, which was usually powered for lighting. The SuperAWOS tapped into this source to charge its batteries. While the latest unit stands alone, it is as simple to install as the original, according to Wartofsky. “It’s in a crate at 8 a.m. and by noon it is up and running.”
The units have shown their durability, with some in operation for more than a decade. “Since 1994, no airport has ever spent a dime maintaining any of our equipment,” according to Wartofsky, who credits his med-tech background for their reliability. In terms of accuracy and reliability, there is redundancy and diagnostics built in, and if that fails, Big Brother is always watching. Each of the 45 latest satcom-equipped units currently in operation sends regular satellite uplinks containing weather observations, usage statistics and system diagnostics to a central monitoring station.
“I can click on a hyperlink and see if the antenna connections in South Dakota are tight, because all the units have this embedded capability and they are sending this information to us,” said Wartofsky. “We actually detected a mouse chewing on a cable somewhere in Montana. We saw a performance figure starting to change which implied a connection was starting to go bad in a certain path. They went out there and, sure enough, something was chewing on the cable.” In addition, NOAA receives and analyzes the weather and atmospheric signals to see if any data is inconsistent with its weather sensors in the region.
While sales of the $72,000 unit reached a high of 26 last year, Wartofsky believes he’s just scratched the surface of potential use, and could easily ramp up to sales of 200 or more per year.
The system is eligible for airport improvement grants, and Wartofsky calculates there are thousands of airports that can benefit from SuperAWOS. “Every airport is basically a strip of asphalt with lights, so how do you enhance the utility of it so that that basic infrastructure is more valuable?” he asked. “You enhance the utility with instrument approaches, and once people can plan to use your airport 24/7 and know that they’ve got an instrument approach for pretty much all weather and they’ve got the flight requirements for all-weather flight operations, now you are one of the on-ramps into the national airspace system.”
posted 06/7/08 |
| MPA Air Safety and Education Foundation is formed and has IRS 501(c)(3) tax-deductible status |
On March 1, 2008, the Montana Pilots' Association voted to form the MPA Air Safety and Education Foundation (MPA ASEF) as a supporting organization to the MPA. Guided by the same set of officers as the MPA, the MPA ASEF is a true 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which will be used exclusively to support the charitable activities of the MPA (a 501(c)(4)organization).
The MPA ASEF will be engaged in activities furthering “public” purposes such as advancement of education and safety; erection or maintenance of public buildings, monuments or works (airstrips); lessening the burdens on government.
The charitable non-profit status will allow for greater financial support, as well as tax benefits for supporters. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax EIN: 26-1910784
Please send your tax-deductible, charitable contributions to:
MPA ASEF
c/o Montana Pilots' Association
P O Box 1178
Seeley Lake, MT 59868
The MPA is receiving donations for two separate funds, so please specify a fund preference: “Education/Safety” or “Recreational Airstrips”
posted 05/23/08 |
| 2008 Montana Aviation Conference was another success |
MPA Scholarships and Awards
The following scholarships and awards were announced at the Montana Aviation Conference:
- Hangar of the Year—Vigilante Hangar
- Brent Prop Award—J. C. Kantorowicz
- Spark Plug Award – Brent & Rosie Vetter
- Bill Matthews Award – Justin Sands
- Junior Pilot Scholarship – Blake Lerner, Bozeman
- Flight Training Scholarship – Jake Hemphill, Billings
Congratulations to all the recipients for their achievements.
MPA Junior Pilot Scholarship 50/50 ticket winner
Tony Bean, West Yellowstone Airport Manager. Tony donated his share back to the scholarship fund saying "without pilots, I wouldn't have a job." Thank you, Tony!
MPA Membership Sweepstakes Personal Locater Beacon (PLB) winner
Darrin Pluhar of Miles City
MPA Elections at Annual Membership Meeting
The following state officers and directors were elected for 2008 at the Annual Membership Meeting in Great Falls
- Russ Dahl, President
- Geanette Cebulski, Treasurer
- Bobbi Powers, Eastern Vice-President
- Wade Cebulski, Western Vice-President
- Chuck Jarecki, Western Director
Silent Auction Generates $3831 for the MPA Recreational Airstrip Fund
Thank you to the following donors and purchasers for helping make the Silent Auction a success! Proceeds will be used to help fund improvements on Montana’s recreational airstrips and airports. Past funds have been awarded for camping facilities and pilot shelters. Please contact us for an application if you are interested in applying for funds to help your local airport with improvements. Once again, thank you to everyone for their help!
Wade Cebulski, Silent Auction Chairman
Central Montana Hangar
Dr. Chamberlain
Fred Lark
Rebecca Smith
EAA Chapter #517
Five Valleys Hangar
Robert Thorne
Little Bird Café
Seeley Lake Recreation Rentals
Kurt’s Polaris
Aerotronics
Northstar Air Express
Flathead Hangar
Jack Archibald
Loraine Yde
Gallatin Valley Hangar
Bill Gallea
Jeanne MacPherson
Glacier Hangar
Great Falls Hangar
John Sheffels
Jim & Marilyn Lewis
Mission Valley Hangar
Chuck Jarecki
North Central Hangar
Dan and Margie Prill
Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) |
South Central Hangar
Aerotronics
Cross Petroleum
Edwards Jet Center
Northern Skies
Stockton Oil
Valley Hangar
D&G Sports
Dahl Aviation
Prairie Aviation
Vigilante Hangar
Harold Dramstad
Vetter Aviation
Robert Buckles
Ron Kullick
Don Profota
Bob Breum
Fred Hasskamp
Wade & Geanette Cebulski
Bill Burkland
Bob Hollister
Penny Jarecki
Doug Parrot
Larry Ashcraft
J.C. Kantorowicz
Dennis Guentzel |
Hank Galpin
Mike Rearden
Darren Huestis
Karen Frank-Plumlee
John and Tricia McKenna
Dwight Thompson
Jeannie McLaren
Page Gough
David Hedditch
Bobbi Powers
Russ Dahl
Sam Flowers |
posted 04/05/08 |
The Alliance for Aviation Across America (AAAA) is a new diverse coalition of aviation enthusiasts and professionals, local airports, civic organizations representing rural and agriculture voices, city, county and state officials, economic development entities, non-profit organizations, small and mid-size businesses and others dedicated to protecting small and rural communities. AAAA is also dedicated to properly modernizing ’s air traffic control system to enhance safety, promote efficiency and expand capacity in order to ensure ALL Americans have access to air transportation.
Community access
Preserving emergency services, disaster relief and business opportunities for America's small towns.
 Congestion
Big Airlines' plan drives congestion and cost.
Full Funding & modernization
Better technology NOT red tape in the skies.
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