NEWS

To read the April Newsletter of the BIg Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

To read the April Newsletter of the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum click HERE.

Metro Aviation and Piasecki Aircraft were pleased to announce today their signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to further develop Piasecki’s upcoming PA-890 Pathfinder Electric helicopter, with its revolutionary Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric propulsion system.  The Pathfinder will be a seven-passenger, two hundred nautical mile compound helicopter. The Hydrogen Electric system, developed by Piasecki with its partner HyPoint, has a projected energy density that is five times that of today’s Lithium batteries. It will provide carbon-free vertical flight suitable to a wide range of applications, particularly Emergency Medical Services.  In addition to the fuel cell, the Pathfinder will feature a unique Piasecki-patented compound configuration, featuring an articulating wing and swiveling tail rotor, to maximize the helicopter’s efficiency in cruise flight, offering quantifiable reductions in noise and vibration.  The result will be a helicopter ideally suited for various mission profiles including EMS, law enforcement, corporate, airline, and cargo carriage, with direct operating costs 40% to 60% lower than today’s gas turbine-powered helicopters, all with no carbon emissions.

John Piasecki, CEO of Piasecki Aircraft, was enthusiastic about the new partnership: “Piasecki Aircraft is thrilled to be working with Metro Aviation to bring the voice of the customer to our design as it matures.  Metro offers us huge breadth and expertise in the technological advances of improving safe helicopter operations. They have also helped us understand the viewpoint of a very successful completion, repair, and overhaul facility, as well as one of the world’s most advanced helicopter flight training centers.  The background and depth Metro offers us during Pathfinder development – in all facets of the helicopter community – will be invaluable to us and our customers.”

Mike Stanberry, CEO of Metro Aviation, added, “Piasecki Aircraft’s legacy of innovation speaks for itself, and we are excited to work with them as they develop and commercialize this exciting new technology.  The Pathfinder is a transformative and credible step forward for vertical lift aviation. We look forward to a long-term partnership with Piasecki, sharing our expertise in helicopter completions, flight operations, maintenance, training, and support to help make the Pathfinder a truly transformational product for our industry and customers.  Metro has always been a leader in bringing new technology and innovation to the industry.  This step to bring affordable, carbon-free, quieter technology to the world of helicopters is timely and exciting.  We’re glad to be a part of it.”

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A small plane crashed Tuesday afternoon at Slidell Municipal Airport, but the two people aboard, an instructor and student, suffered only minor injuries, officials said.

The plane, a twin-engine Piper Seneca, is owned by Air Reldan Inc., a pilot training school and charter flight business that operates in New Orleans and Slidell. Owner Neil Nadler said the company has been operating from Slidell Airport for about three years.

Neil said the crash occurred on an instructional flight, and both the instructor and the student are commercially rated pilots. While it's not completely clear what happened, Nadler said it appears that the plane was landing.

"The instructional pilot did what he needed to do to keep everyone safe," he said.

Flight records show the twin-engine plane took off at 1:19 p.m. and crashed about an hour later.

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Metro Aviation began in 1982 as a helicopter charter, flight training, and maintenance operation. Today, it is the largest traditional air medical operator and largest air medical completion center in the world, operating 155 aircraft for 39 programs across the United States. This year, the company commemorates its 40th anniversary by celebrating its rich history and tradition, focusing on bringing that tradition into the future.

“It’s unbelievable to be celebrating such a milestone this year, and I attribute our success to our employees,” said Metro Aviation President and CEO Mike Stanberry. “As a family-owned and family-oriented company who puts its employees and customers FIRST, we’ve been able to make great strides in safety and innovative technologies, unbound by constraints of shareholders or board members.”

Echoing his father’s sentiments, Metro co-owner and Director of Business Integration, Todd Stanberry added, “Metro is truly an industry disruptor.  We are not afraid to challenge the status quo, and we are really proud to have such an amazing family of employees and customers who not only share that vision, but partner with us to continually fulfill it.”

Metro Aviation’s tradition is lined with stories of quality, customer service, and an uncompromising commitment to safety, a standard that radiates throughout the company and is evidenced by many of Metro’s industry-first achievements. Metro was the first air medical operator to equip its entire fleet with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). In 2014, it was one of only three organizations to achieve Level IV of the FAA’s voluntary Safety Management System Pilot Project for Part 135 operators. Metro also may have been the first to utilize video recording in the cockpit, first rigged up in the 90s by Managing Director Milton Geltz with a camera from the local audiovisual store.

“I was just a kid when I came to work at Metro, and I have been blessed to be a part of this incredible journey,” said Metro COO Kenny Morrow.  “I have received an invaluable education from Mike, Milton, and our CFO since 1986, Jerry Segura.  As we look forward to the next forty years, we are committed to maintaining the traditional values that got us here – innovation, dedication to employees and customers, and an unrelenting drive to do the right thing all the time.”

Aside from its completions and operations business, Metro is also the parent company to PAC International and the Helicopter Flight Training Center. Metro first acquired Pennsylvania-based PAC ten years ago, realizing the company’s rich tradition dating back to 1976. PAC completes numerous aircraft for organizations across the country and serves as a completion center for Metro customers in the Northeast. In 2012, Metro opened the Helicopter Flight Training Center, catering to pilots, mechanics, and communication specialists. Together, the Metro Companies create a well-rounded brand to meet the needs of the helicopter community

Looking forward to the future, Metro Aviation is continuing to invest in safety initiatives and completion capabilities. The company welcomed three new operations customers in 2021, and its completion center is on track to complete nearly 35 aircraft in 2022.

READ MORE & WATCH VIDEO

Some members of KAPS community gather for a picture at the recent Wings and Wheels Fly-in with outgoing Airport Director Lisa Braud.  She retires at the end of the month after having worked 30 years with the Port.

They hate to see Lisa go but also wish her a long and happy retirement.  She has worked very hard to support and grow the airport community and she will definitely be missed.

It was a fun day at the Port of South Louisiana Airport on Saturday for the Wings and Wheels Fly-in.  Thirteen planes and 18 classic vehicles participated in the event.  People’s Choice Awards went to Tom Van Waardenburg with his 1948 North American Navion and to Rance and Karen Rayes with his 1957 Chevy Belair.  Thanks to all who came out to enjoy the day.

To see more photos on Facebook click… HERE

Aeronca 7CCM Champion, N555EK: Accident occurred March 04, 2022 at Winnsboro Municipal Airport (F89), Franklin Parish, Louisiana

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aircraft departed, veered right and struck a tree. 

Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office -

Sheriff Kevin Cobb reports that at approximately 1012 hrs the Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting an airplane crash at the Winnsboro Municipal Airport. 

Two male occupants were transported to the Franklin Medical Center for medical treatment.

At this time the crash is under investigation by the Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office and has been reported to the National Transportation Safety Board for further investigation. 

Sheriff Cobb stated, "I am thankful both occupants were communicating to us after the accident and that those in the residential area were not impacted."

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To read the March Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

The Kopter SH09 single-engine helicopter that was to be built in Lafayette.

The company that had planned to employ 125 at the building that once housed Bell Helicopter in Lafayette has changed plans and terminated its lease on the building.

In a letter last year to members of the Lafayette Airport Commission, officials with Kopter AG Group offered to buy out the remainder of the lease that was set to end late next year on the 84,700-square-foot building near the Lafayette Regional Airport and not move forward on its plans to manufacture a new prototype at the building.

Kopter's move to Lafayette was first announced nearly three years ago. It had since been acquired by Leonardo Helicopters, which has a maintenance facility in Broussard, but operates autonomously.

The company cited the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico as reasons for the change in plans.

“Despite all these obstacles, Kopter (and Leonardo) made a careful examination of how we could potentially draw from other ongoing business endeavors and integrate them into the benefits and advantages offered by the facility at the Lafayette airport,” the letter read.

“We found ourselves having the keys to an excellent new specialized facility that we would not be able to integrate into any of our business plans for better part of the next five years.”

A statement Friday from a Kopter spokesperson indicated the move was “primarily driven by Kopter’s integration strategy within Leonardo.” The company will move operations to Leonardo’s operations in Philadelphia, “which already benefits from full commercial, training, support and engineering capabilities for other Leonardo products."

Kopter offered a payment of $687,686.04 to buy out the remainder of the lease, the letter stated. Termination documents filed in late September show the company was to pay $760,000 that was owed for the remainder of the primary term along with $15,672 for cost of repairs, documents show.The Swiss helicopter manufacturer moved into the building with lots of fanfare in 2019, announcing it would “conquer the market here in the United States from right here in Lafayette.” It selected the Lafayette site over 38 other cities for its production and product support center and planned to employ about 120 people at an average salary of about $55,000.

Lafayette was going to be the site where Kopter would build the SH09 single-engine helicopter along with a site in Switzerland, according to one industry magazine. By March of last year the Lafayette site was already in question because of Leonardo’s substantial U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia.The company planned to make a $4.2 million capital investment in new equipment and building additions at the Lafayette site.The company’s incentive package from the state of Louisiana included performance-based grants: one of $1.2 million for facility modifications, payable at $200,000 in 2019 and $1 million in 2020; and one of $1.3 million for lease support, payable in five annual installments from 2020 through 2024.Both the state and the Lafayette Economic Development Authority has since marketed the facility to potential clients, LEDA president and CEO Mandi Mitchell said. The site has been toured by prospective tenants, and Mitchell and LEDA’s director of business attraction have met with site selectors at the annual Site Selectors Guild Conference this week in San Diego.LEDA will also reach out to an annual helicopter trade show next week in Dallas.“Aviation has a long history in the region,” Mitchell said. “We are committed to growing aviation manufacturing and the MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) sector in Lafayette Parish with the LFT facility as a nexus point.”

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Tuckahoe Farms subdivision in Pass Christian, MS, is now selling homesites. It is located on a 3500’-100’ grass strip called Addison-Henley Field (0MS7), There are 14 lots available on the runway and 12 lots available on the water ski lake. Contact Jay Knowles 228-669-3244.

Website:  https://www.tuckahoefarmspasschristian.info/

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/tuckahoefarms/

From Flying Magazine

McCutcheon Field Airport hasn’t had an aircraft associated with it in 30 years, but 20-something Ryan McCutcheon is trying to change that.

Toler and Mary Jo McCutcheon on the airstrip, either right after completion or when it was in the final stages, with a PA-12 Super Cruiser behind them. [Courtesy: McCutcheon family]

To look at this grass airstrip in East Central Louisiana, you wouldn’t know it was much at all, but Ryan McCutcheon is trying to change that. 

This piece of property has been passed down through generations of the McCutcheon family Several members of the family have learned to fly there. The runway, notated on sectionals as LA83, was the vision of Sidney McCutcheon, a Louisiana native farmer, rancher, and businessman. 

Ryan, Sidney’s great grandson, who plans to soon begin flight training, has recently taken an increased interest in the legacy flying field known as McCutcheon Field Airport.

“My great grandfather built this 2,300-foot airstrip in the late ’40s for my grandpa and great aunt,” Ryan said. “Over the years, many people, including my dad, have flown from this airstrip, and hopefully I myself will one day soon as well. 

“We’ve spent the last few months getting it back in shape and have plans for some bigger projects this spring.”

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WE WELCOME BEACON AVIATION TO THE FIELD!!

Beacon Aviation Maintenance is pleased to announce that we are now offering aircraft maintenance services at the Port of South Louisiana Executive Airport (KAPS). Beacon Aviation Maintenance is a full-service workshop that provides quality and reliable maintenance support for a wide variety of piston and turbine engine aircraft. Additionally, our FAA-licensed technicians are Factory Certified to service the King Air 350/350, Citation 525, and Williams FJ33/44 turbofan jet engines.

Beacon Aviation Maintenance can handle all of your aircraft maintenance and repair needs. Typical services that we provide include;

• Scheduled and Unscheduled Maintenance

• FAA Certified Annual/100 Hour Inspection

• Structural Repair and/or Replacement

• Installation

• Pre-buy Inspection

• Parts Support

For any questions and/or to receive a quote for services, please reach out to our Chief Mechanic, Jaime Hollis, at 985-981-0808 or email us at admin@beaconaviationgroup.com.

Location 1

Port of South Louisiana Executive Airport (KAPS)

355 Airport Road

Reserve, LA

70084

Location 2

Winnsboro Municipal Airport (F89)

1004 Airport Drive

Winnsboro, LA

71295

What a year 2021 was for our team! After a brief break, we started to prepare for an even crazier 2022. First item of business was to start the New Year with all planes fully Red Bull branded.

Our team's first trip of the year was in Fayetteville, Arkansas to assemble the newly branded Extra 300L. Which is ready just in time for our upcoming Paper Wings activation with Red Bull.

The Extra 300SHP is currently undergoing paint and will be ready for our first Air Show in March.

To read the January, 2022 Newsletter of the Bayou State Escadrille of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

Team Announcement - Coleman Aerosports will join the AeroGP1 Category with pilot Kevin Coleman in the first season of the World Championship Air Race in 2022.

Kevin is an American airshow and advanced aerobatic pilot who joined the Red Bull Air Race as the first American Challenger pilot in 2016, taking four consecutive race podiums and finishing third in his debut season. Kevin started performing at airshows aged 17 with a goal to join the Air Racing circuit from a very young age.

Air Race World Championship has started announcing race locations to the public and will continue announcing locations in the next few weeks. The first race that has been announced is Indonesia.

In preparation for the upcoming season, our team has been diligently working on the race plane to ensure we are well equipped for round one. In the past month, we have continued testing with new mods while running data to help strategize on how to maximize the performance.

Our shipping date is quickly approaching so we will have a few more test days on the calendar before the plane crosses the pond for our first race.

https://www.wcairrace.com/

AOPA visited Gerald Herbert at his hangar last month at the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport, and did a little Southern Louisiana travel piece. It starts around 17:45 into this edition of AOPA Live.  To watch click….. HERE

La. Guard’s Air Traffic Control Squadron continues excellence

PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Air National Guard’s 259th Air Traffic Control Squadron (ATCS) located at England Airpark, Alexandria, Louisiana, provides rapid deployment, operation and maintenance of air traffic control and landing systems to ensure safe, efficient flying operations in both deployed and non-deployed environments.

Since being commissioned by the Air Force on June 12, 1997, the 259th ATCS provides 24-hour air traffic control services and has proven to be an experienced asset to the Alexandria International Airport (AEX). The 259th stays ready to deploy stateside to protect the life and property of citizens of Louisiana during natural disasters and globally to provide tactical air traffic control services in support of U.S. national interests.

“It’s a great partnership with the England authority. They get skilled air traffic controllers 24/7, and this partnership provides our squadron a live airport, with good air traffic to train our air traffic controllers,” said Baton Rouge, La. Native, retired Lt. Col. Raymond C. Schindler II, 259th ATCS civilian air traffic control manager. “It keeps our air traffic controllers and our maintainers go-to-war ready.”

Bearing in mind that the 259th is subject to deployment at any time, the 259th ATCS has a built-in cadre of Department of Defense civilian controllers that are non-deployable but work for the Louisiana Air National Guard. Therefore, when the entire 259th ATCS is deployed, the Department of Defense Civilian controllers operate and run AEX.

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To read the February, 2022 Big Easy Wing Newsletter click….HERE

The genesis of Lafayette Regional Airport came in 1929 when Lafayette city leaders began searching for land to place the city's new airstrip. Several prominent landowners offered to sell their property to the city for the airport.

City officials eventually chose land owned by J. A. Roy and Hugh Wallis located along the then-new Lafayette-Broussard Highway. At the time, the plot was located one mile away from Lafayette city limits. City officials purchased the 150-acre plot on December 27, 1929, for a price of $22,500 ($366,844.74 in 2021 dollars), with an option to purchase 50 additional acres for $150 per acre.

Read More: The History of Lafayette Regional Airport 

Congratulations to Colonel Shirley Colomb.  Shirley was nominated by her unit for her dedication and service to their wing for the past 5 years (2017).  Colonel Colomb was nationally recognized for consistently displaying outstanding skills in her service to the Commemortavie Air Force.  Thus, Colonel Shirley Colomb received the CAF Unit Service Award for 2021.

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KILN, MISS. – U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo and Gov. Tate Reeves joined local officials and industry representatives today at Stennis International Airport for a ribbon cutting ceremony at a new 24,000-square-foot hangar.

Known as the RESTORE Hangar, the state-of-the-art facility is adjacent to the main terminal and opens directly to the main ramp. It features a hangar door that is 154 feet wide and 28 feet high. The premier location includes utility rooms, restrooms and a foam fire suppression system.

“The new hangar at Stennis International Airport is an embodiment of the great investments that the RESTORE Act has brought to south Mississippi since it was passed by Congress in 2012. This bill was intended to revitalize our Gulf Coast communities, and through projects like this state-of-the-art hangar, it is doing just that. I’m proud to see a piece of legislation that I championed bringing so many new jobs to our home and that this community airport remains a premiere destination for aviation, military, and industry partners,” said Congressman Steven Palazzo.

“When it comes to RESTORE Act funds, my top priority will always be ensuring every penny meant for Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, goes to Mississippi’s Gulf Coast,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “The RESTORE Hangar will be an important part of our multilayered strategy to propel Mississippi’s economy to new heights. It highlights what we can achieve with effective partnerships at the federal, state, and local levels. I look forward to working with all of our partners to make sure Mississippi’s Gulf Coast remains a premier destination for the aviation and aerospace industries.”

The $5.24 million project was awarded to Drace Construction Corp., of Long Beach, in November 2019. It was funded in part by a $1.85 million RESTORE grant. 

“Port and Harbor Commission is committed to being the cornerstone of Mississippi’s aviation industry,” CEO Bill Cotter. “Thanks to the support of federal, state and local partners, we invested over $5 million in this project to support business operations and continued growth.”

The new hangar is already leased by Tyonek Services Group, Inc., an aviation maintenance service provider with numerous public and private clients including the Department of Defense and Boeing.

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The opening of the new terminal at Lafayette Regional Airport is finally just around the corner as officials announced today that the first flights will take off on Thursday, January 20.

The new terminal will be a significant improvement from the old one as it's twice the size and has nearly double the gates.

Officials say the old terminal will get decommissioned once the new one opens. Eventually, it will get demolished to make room for future expansion 

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More coverage…

Lafayette's new 120,000-square-foot terminal will officially open Thursday, but local and state officials celebrated the project's completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday. 

The Lafayette Regional Airport terminal project, which cost around $150 million, has been about five years in the making. The terminal replaces the old terminal, which opened in 1930 and will be demolished for future expansion.

"What you're looking at...is a significant undertaking," Gov. John Bel Edwards said. "That's an investment in infrastructure that's going to improve quality of life, economic development opportunities, you name it."

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Two people are presumed dead after a helicopter crashed Friday in a south Lafourche marsh, according to authorities. 

Local authorities were notified of the crash before noon by a citizen who reported seeing the aircraft lose altitude and then saw a "big splash of mud," Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson said during a news conference Friday evening. 

"It appears at this time that there are no survivors," Chaisson said.

The helicopter was occupied by a pilot and a passenger, he said.

Most of the helicopter is submerged in the marsh, just off the Pointe-aux-Chenes Reserve, he said.

RLC, the helicopter's owner, is working with local and federal agencies to recover the wreckage and find the bodies of the two presumed dead. Their bodies are assumed to be underneath the waterline, Chaisson said.

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To read the January, 2022, newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force just click…..HERE 

The Preliminary Accident Report for the December 14, 2021, Helicopter Accident near Laplace in which Pilot Joshua Hawley was killed has been issued by the NTSB.  To read it click…..HERE 

Paramedic John Fortner

People In Business: Acadian Ambulance honors Air Med flight paramedic of the year

December 22, 2021 — Each year, Acadian Ambulance recognizes its exceptional medics for their tireless work ethic and dedication. All finalists are known as outstanding paramedics and EMTs who display exemplary attitudes and provide excellent patient care, and are nominated by their peers. The top winners are selected by a company-wide committee. 

Acadian Ambulance honored the medics and celebrated its 50th anniversary in a virtual event in November. The keynote address was presented by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards.

Paramedic John Fortner represents Acadian Air Med and was a finalist for the top honors.

Fortner joined Acadian in 2011 as an EMT and has earned his paramedic, CCT paramedic and flight paramedic certifications over the years. He works on AM6 out of Hammond and recently accepted a role as an Associate Quality Supervisor. He is also enrolled in a Registered Nurse program with a goal of working as a flight RN with Air Med. Fortner is a great patient advocate, an excellent clinician and an outstanding field training officer.

Acadian Air Med was founded in 1981 and currently operates a fleet of 12 medically configured helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft from bases strategically located throughout Louisiana. It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the gold standard for air ambulance services in the United States.

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The Blue Angels made a landing in Belle Chasse ahead of the anticipated return of the New Orleans Air Show in March 2022.

It was foggy early Friday at Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, but it cleared just in time for Lieutenant Katlin Forster to make a landing.

“To me, it’s just like riding a crazy rollercoaster every day,” Forster said. “We all love coming to New Orleans.”

The show will take place in March 2022. Forster is a pilot and the event coordinator for the Blue Angels, so she came into town for preparation.

The Blue Angels will be the star of the show, but other exhibition teams include the Louisiana National Guard and local Navy squadron VFA 204.

“We show off the slow speed handling capabilities of the F18, some of those sneak passes are definitely still in the show, and really just showing off that precision flying that we at the Blue Angels are known for,” Forster said.

When the show last took place in 2017, NAS JRB New Orleans Spokesperson Andrew Thomas said there was an attendance of over 130,000 over two days.

Next year, Thomas said he’s expecting a big turnout.

“It’s just so amazing to be flying overhead, getting to tour the country, showing off the aircraft that I got to fly within the fleet,” Forster said. “Most of our team flew the F-18 Super Hornet, getting to show it off to the American public.”

The New Orleans Air Show will take place March 19-20, 2022. You can find out more here.

Read the Article

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced Louisiana’s airports will receive $35,689,010 million in funding this year from his bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This amount is in addition to Louisiana’s annual funding under the Airport Improvement Program because of the IIJA.

“This is just the beginning of the billions in resources coming to Louisiana and would not have happened without passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Improving our airports is essential for our state to catch up, attract investment, and create opportunity.”

This additional funding only accounts for fiscal year 2022. Louisiana can expect to receive similar sums of funding for airport infrastructure from Cassidy’s infrastructure bill each year for the next four years. Local leaders and airports will decide which projects they ultimately fund with this additional funding.

To see Cassidy’s full video statement and how much your local airport will receive click…HERE

There wasn't much that Joshua Hawley couldn't do once he set his mind to it, according to his relatives. 

The 13-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran was an Eagle Scout, a paramedic, a boat mechanic, an airplane mechanic, the family IT guy, an electrician, a husband and a devoted father to his three boys, ages 3, 4 and 7.

"He was about the smartest guy I've ever met," brother David Hawley, 40, said Wednesday. 

Joshua Hawley, 42 of Denham Springs, also had a passion for flying. A helicopter pilot and instructor, his brother described him as a conscientious aviator who took safety very seriously. 

That's why family members and colleagues were left stunned by the news that Hawley had been killed in a helicopter crash on the Bonnet Carre Spillway in St. Charles Parish Tuesday afternoon. 

"He was well respected and a huge advocate of safety. They're all just flabbergasted," Hawley's cousin, Tiffany Patrick, 43, said after speaking with some of his fellow pilots.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation into the cause of Hawley's crash, which occurred about 12:30 p.m. on the Interstate 10 bridge over the Spillway.

Hawley was the only person aboard the Bell 407 helicopter, which was en route from Gonzales to the Lakefront Airport in New Orleans to pick up three passengers, according to authorities. 

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December 9, 2021-- Acadian Air Med, a division of Acadian Ambulance Service, is marking 40 years in operation in 2021. From its early days, Acadian Ambulance’s ground operations worked in tandem with air ambulances. In 1976, Acadian partnered with the U.S.’ Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) helicopter ambulance program. The success of MAST led to the launch of Acadian Air Med, in 1981. The program’s first base was established in Lafayette, Louisiana. Today, Air Med operates bases across Louisiana and services much of the state and the Gulf of Mexico.

Establishing Acadian Air Med allowed Acadian to greatly reduce the response time to remote locations and to provide emergency medical response to injured workers offshore. Acadian Air Med is unique in the use of helicopters as a primary response vehicle, launching a helicopter to remote locations or to more serious injuries when specific criteria are met. As a result, they fly more first response medical air missions than any other ambulance service in the country. 

In 1983, Acadian Air Med added fixed-wing aircraft to their fleet, allowing for long-distance transport of patients to the most appropriate facility for advanced care. The addition of that aircraft led to the founding of Executive Aircraft Charter Service in 1991.

“We've logged millions of miles in the sky and expanded our service area over the past 40 years, but our commitment to our patients and our communities has never changed,” said Acadian Vice President of Air Services Michael Sonnier.

Acadian Air Med received the Igor Sikorsky Humanitarian Award in 2006, presented by Helicopter Association International, in recognition of our response following Hurricane Katrina. 

In 2019, Air Med earned accreditation from the prestigious Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). The CAMTS accreditation standards address issues of patient care and safety in rotor wing services providing critical care transports. They are periodically revised to reflect the dynamic, changing environment of medical transport with considerable input from all disciplines of the medical profession and serve as a marker of excellence for federal, state and local governmental agencies, as well as private agencies and to the general public.

Acadian Ambulance Service is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS). That accreditation is achieved through maintaining the absolute highest standards in training, equipment, protocols and patient care.

Acadian is one of the few services in the nation to receive accreditation from both CAMTS and CAAS, the ambulance industry’s leading accreditation agencies.

Acadian Air Med was founded in 1981 and currently operates a fleet of 12 medically configured helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft from bases strategically located throughout Louisiana. They are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the gold standard for air ambulance services in the United States.

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Purdue University Global expands professional flight degree program with New Orleans Aerial Tours & Flight Training partnership

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University Global continues to make its popular professional flight program more easily accessible to students by partnering with regional flight schools. The latest joint venture is with New Orleans Aerial Tours & Flight Training (NOAT&FT).

“As we continue to grow our popular professional flight program, we aspire to find qualified partners throughout the country in order to better serve our students and keep their costs in check,” said Sara Sander, Purdue Global vice president and dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the School of Education. “New Orleans Aerial Tours & Flight Training provides another attractive option and comes with an impressive track record. We are pleased to join forces with them.”

Purdue Global also has regional flight training partnerships with Sterling Flight Training in Jacksonville, Florida, and Cincinnati-based Lunken Flight Training Center.

“New Orleans Aerial Tours & Flight Training has been working hard to find the right partner for a degree program, and we are thrilled to be affiliated with Purdue Global,” owner Krystal Hukmani said. “With the diverse airspace in New Orleans and the great weather that allows us to fly almost every day of the year, NOAT&FT and Purdue Global are perfect partners for a career in aviation to take off.”

Purdue Global’s professional flight degree program is a collaboration between Purdue Global and Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology – announced in 2019. It combines the quality of Purdue’s legendary aviation program spanning more than six decades with the flexibility and affordability that Purdue Global offers.

Students accepted into the program, with a private pilot certificate, will complete their Bachelor of Science degree courses online through Purdue Global, which includes aviation and general education classes, while completing professional flight training at one of the Purdue Global affiliate training centers across the country. During flight training, students will working to earn certificates and ratings in instrument, commercial, multi-engine and certified flight instructor.

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Congressman Steve Scalise had the honor of presenting the Earhart Award to Cadet Captain Jackson Fogelman of Ponchatoula for his exceptional leadership skills and commitment to serving his community through the Civil Air Patrol! He plans to join the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve after graduating this year. Join me in applauding him for his dedication to our community, state, and country! 

To read the December Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE

To read the December edition of the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum click HERE

Two Louisiana aviation museums have been honored by voters in their area.  First, the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum located on the Monroe Regional Airport has received these honors:

Second, the Southern Heritage Air Foundation located on the Vicksburg - Tallulah Regional received these accolades.

Congratulations to both of them on a job well done.

Kent Sibille Named as Acadian Companies Air Services Employee of the Year

December 2, 2021—At the Acadian Companies virtual annual meeting in November, Executive Aircraft Charter Service Director of Maintenance Kent Sibille was recognized as the Air Services 2021 employee of the year. He was presented with his award by Vice President of Air Services Michael Sonnier.

Sibille has been with Acadian since 2007 and has provided exceptional leadership to Executive Aircraft Charter Service. He brought 21 years of experience when he joined the company, and he provides a level of expertise that is unrivaled in the industry. Sibille comes to work every day with a can-do attitude and is always looking to make the maintenance processes better. 

Sibille goes the extra mile to make sure the company’s aircraft are as safe and efficient as possible. He is known to go above and beyond his duties. It’s not uncommon for him to come in post-flight and troubleshoot a problem to keep the aircraft ready for its next flight, or answer his phone in the middle of night and come in to facilitate a medical flight request.

“Working with Kent for as long as I have, he makes you want to work harder,” Sonnier said. “Everyone who has been around Kent knows that there isn’t a more deserving candidate.” 

Acadian Air Med was founded in 1981 and currently operates a fleet of 12 medically configured helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft from bases strategically located throughout Louisiana. They are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the gold standard for air ambulance services in the United States.

Flight Team soars to Nationals after qualifying at Regionals

Nov 29, 2021

Louisiana Tech’s Precision Flight Team, a student organization that competes in National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) events, participated in its regional event in late October and performed well enough to qualify for the national competition at Ohio State University in May 2022.

The date is undetermined at this time; last year, the competition was not held.

The team either won or placed in the top three spots in several individual events and finished second and third in team events at the Regional held at Delta State in Cleveland, Mississippi.

“The Flight Team’s accomplishments are a result of student initiative and performance,” said Jon Pearson, an Assistant Professor in Tech’s Department of Aviation. “Students sign up, schedule, coordinate, and practice for competition. Credit for their performance belongs to them. As faculty advisor, I merely communicate with NIFA and the other schools.”

There are 22 members on the team. Because of limitations on how many can compete and expenses, 12 students made the trip to Regionals.

NIFA’s motto is “Safety through Education, Excellence through Competition.” The organization breaks its annual events into Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON) Regionals and the SAFECON National Championship. Louisiana Tech is part of Region IV, which consists of flight departments, colleges, and universities in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

At the regionals and nationals, students compete individually or in pairs, depending on the event. There are ground and flight events.

Read More

If you would like to make a contribution to help the team go to the nationals you can do so by clicking HERE

A B-25 in on site to be repainted at Chennault.  Staff Photo from The Advocate

Big plans with a big runway: Historic Louisiana airport seeks to transform itself

LAKE CHARLES - It’s been a Cold War air base, a deserted strip used for drag races and driving lessons, and more recently a site for training flights and plane maintenance, including for Donald Trump’s jet.

Now there are hopes to turn it into a money-maker, or at least more of one.

Officials want to transform Chennault International Airport and its two-mile runway on the eastern edge of Lake Charles into an economic engine for the region. Jobs and revenue from the site would be a needed shot in the arm as southwest Louisiana rebuilds from last year’s hurricanes, though much work remains to allow the historic airport, itself damaged in the storms, to fulfill what its management team see as its potential.

“We focus everything that we do on, not what works for us today, but: What do we think is going to work five years, 10 years, 30 years down the road?” said airport director Kevin Melton, a retired Air Force colonel who has run Chennault since 2018. “That's what I care about, and that's what I focus on.”

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Over 70 folks were spotted wobbling down the runway at the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport on Saturday, November 20.  And it was all for the benefit of Pilots For Patients.  Here are some pictures to tell the story of a wonderful day at the airport that raised over $10,000 for Pilots for Patients.

Thanks to all the sponsors (LaAviator.com was proud to be one of them) that helped make the event so successful as well as all of the volunteers tha cooked and worked that day.  A special thanks goes out to Airport Director Lisa Braud who had the idea and was the key person to make the event a reality.

Here is the presentation of the “big check” by Lisa Braud to Pilots For Patients Founder Phillip Thomas.

You can find more pictures of the event on our Facebook page - 

https://www.facebook.com/LaAviator/

A rendering of the 40-acre technology park at Stennis International Airport by unabridged Architecture.

Stennis Airport receives $2.2M RESTORE grant

KILN, MISS. – Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission received $2.2 million in RESTORE Act funds for a technology park at Stennis International Airport.

The 40-acre technology park will consist of multiple buildings built in phases. The funding, which stems from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon settlement, will go toward the first phase of the technology park.

Phase 1 includes construction of a building to house the Department of the Army’s Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX), which has outgrown its existing incubator space at the airport.

“JALBTCX has been a great aerospace partner,” said Bill Cotter, Hancock County Port and Harbor CEO. “The incubator space served its purpose, giving them room to grow. Now they need more space and their own building.”

Planning for the technology park began in 2017 when HCPHC developed the Aviation and Aerospace Optimization Plan with a goal to become the cornerstone of Mississippi's aerospace industry.

In 2019, HCPHC began site development surveys and identified a 40-acre parcel south of the water tower to locate a high-performance technology park. The technology park will accommodate building needs for existing airport tenants, while creating room for future growth in the aerospace technology cluster.

In 2020, unabridged Architecture created an award-winning masterplan for the park. The completion of all site development surveys, wetlands delineation and environment permits are scheduled to be completed by end of 2021.

During Phase 1, a 10,600 square foot building will be constructed. The project is expected to begin next summer.

Cotter said the technology park is another example of the aviation optimization plan at work. Other capital investments include concrete apron expansion projects and 34,000 square feet of new hangars.

“We are working a long-term vision to ensure Hancock County’s community airport remains a premiere destination for general aviation and military and industry partners,” Cotter said. “We appreciate the continued support Gov. Reeves, the Gulf Coast Advisory Committee and our Hancock County delegation for making the project possible.”

Located in Kiln, Stennis International is Hancock County’s community airport. It features an 8,500-foot runway rated to carry the world’s largest cargo planes. It is home to 15 aerospace companies serving both general aviation and military aircraft.

Photos special to the American Press

Chennault International Executive Director Kevin Melton, standing behind the award, is flanked by his director-level team members — from left, John McMullen, Andrea LaFleur, Loretta Hanks and Mitch O’Neal.

Chennault International Airport, a center for Southwest Louisiana job creation for three decades and since 2020 a hub for post-disaster recovery and economic growth initiatives, has been named Louisiana Airport of the Year.

The award is given by the state Department of Transportation and Development for “superior achievement and leadership in the aviation field in Louisiana” and “best practices in aviation.”

“From airport achievement, to recognizing outstanding work in a particular discipline, our awards honor excellence and professionalism at all levels of airport operations,” DOTD said.

Chennault’s past year has been marked by:

• New construction and property leasing.

• Completion of road, infrastructure, airfield and facility improvements.

• Operating daily despite record damage from two hurricanes.

• Serving as a regional hub for post-storm recovery materials and resources.

“Our Chennault team has never missed a beat since the hurricanes, flooding, and freezing weather. This team has ensured Chennault has been a centerpiece for economic development growth efforts, emergency response and disaster relief,” said Executive Director Kevin Melton. “Our team has a strong work ethic that prides itself on esprit de corps, excellence and accountability. We love what we do, we work hard for Southwest Louisiana and the state and we are honored that DOTD acknowledged our significant efforts and substantial results.”

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6,000 Missions!!  Amazing!!

Pilot Nicholas flew Patient Zeke and his wife  Courtney from Monroe to Houston today making this another incredible milestone achieved for PFP. We have flown over 2,255,000 nautical miles since our inception in 2008. That is approximately 104.5 times around the equator. We thank every patient, pilot, and patron that have made this possible. Thank you Nicholas for taking this mission.

The Louisiana Agricultural Aviation Association (LAAA) is excited to announce that our new website is up and running! Go here to look for membership renewal, convention registration, scholarship opportunities and more!! Big thanks to Bailey with Honeywave Creative and all involved for all your hard work getting us up and running!  To take a look click...

https://laaaonline.com/

To read the November Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

Sweet Cheezus is located inside the Terminal building at the Shreveport Downtown Airport. The restaurant offers traditional American diner type food but with flair! We’re on the road to becoming pretty known for our 14 hour, slow smoked brisket chili that is wonderful on top of a baked potato or as a stand alone meal! Start your day with a plate or side of our hashtaters! Baked and sautéed to perfection with no limit on delicious add-ins! Try them with the caramelized onions! It will change the way you do hashbrowns! From Soups, to Sandwiches and everything in between, we have you covered for a delicious meal for whenever you stop by! No matter where you sit, you’ve got a great view for watching planes land and take off! 

Sweet Cheezus offers daily breakfast and lunch specials, Tuesday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Join us for a unique breakfast or lunch experience! 

Need more information? Contact us at (318)617-7361 or follow us on Facebook (Facebook Page) and Instagram! 

1550 Airport Drive, Shreveport, La 71107

Lafayette and the Acadiana region likely will ring in the new year with a brand-new, 120,000-square-foot airport terminal. 

Steven Picou, executive director of the Lafayette Regional Airport, said the new terminal will open as soon as possible, which is looking like the first of January.

He took a group of government officials and media on a tour of the facility Monday, which marked the first day of partial substantial completion for the $150 million project. While it was not complete, with furniture still to be installed and the restaurant built out, "substantial completion" means that the contractor has 30 days to complete the final touches.

When the time does come to move from the old terminal, opened in 1930 and still in use, the shift will take place overnight. Passengers on the last flight of the night will deplane in the new building, and flights will begin leaving from it the next morning, Picou explained.

The new terminal is twice the size of the one it's replacing, which will be demolished as part of this expansion project. Picou said bids will be received for demolition likely in the first quarter of 2022.

Read More

For a brief video tour of the new terminal from KLFY-TV click…HERE

Please help us officially congratulate our 2021 Pilots for Patients Pilot of the Year, Brian Still.  On October 23rd at our annual luncheon, PFP Board Member and Director Sharon Thomas surprised Brian with this distinguished award.  He not only deserves this award for the number of missions he has completed this year but also for always going above and beyond for PFP.  He has represented PFP at various functions with the intentions of recruiting more pilots and stimulating more interest in public benefit volunteer flying.  He is also very active in bringing in the younger generation aviators and getting them involved in our organization.  We can't thank him enough for all that he does for our community and our organization.  Congratulations Brian, you deserve this distinguished title.

PUMPKIN CENTER – A small plane landed on top of a car in an elaborate emergency landing on I-12 Thursday afternoon.

No one involved was hurt.

Three people were onboard the small plane when it landed on the westbound lanes of the interstate near the weigh station around the Pumpkin Center exit about 4 p.m. Thursday.  As the plane landed on the highway, it hit a passing car.  All three people in the plane were okay as was the person in the car, sources told WBRZ.

The scene, which sounded like something from a movie, caused a traffic jam on either direction of I-12 between Springfield and I-55.  

Hammond Regional Airport staff said the plane reported losing oil pressure about 15 miles from the airport as it flew into the Hammond area from the west.  As it closed-in on the airport, the pilot reported the engine failed and he decided to land the plane on the interstate.

The airport director, David Lobue, told WBRZ, the airport scrambled helicopters to check on the situation and a helicopter pilot reported people were seen getting out of the plane and walking away from the landing area.

The plane is a five-seater registered to a Texas-based company.

Read More

To listen to the ATC Audio click HERE

Photo by Lynn C. Jones

BATON ROUGE, LA (October 25, 2021) – President of Hancock Aviation, Holton Hancock, has expanded his company’s appraisal service following his recent designation as a Senior Appraiser with the Professional Aircraft Appraisal Organization (PAAO).

The Professional Aircraft Appraisal Organization offers education on value-specific areas of aircraft and ongoing training for existing aircraft appraisers. Mr. Hancock has been a certified appraiser since 2017, which is also a prerequisite for the Senior Appraiser certification.  

The Senior Appraiser certification is an intense training course that prepares participants for appraising aircraft, reviewing aircraft records, and writing credible appraisals in complicated situations. As part of the certification process, Mr. Hancock was required to complete a Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) training class to become USPAP Certified on a national level. He also had to complete the Senior Appraiser training courses taught by PAAO. Following this, he had to write a Senior-Level Appraisal and submit it to the PAAO board for review.

PAAO sets high standards for all appraisers, and all expectations must be met before being awarded a  certification.  Mr. Hancock was commended on his appraisal and awarded the Senior Appraiser designation on July 22, 2021.

Touted as a One-Stop-Shop for Aircraft Owners and Pilots, Hancock Aviation offers a range of services from Aircraft Brokerage and Acquisitions to Aircraft Appraisals and Maintenance. The President’s new certification has added a new dimension to the services provided by the company.

As a newly designated Senior Appraiser, Mr. Hancock can now provide more in-depth appraisal services on more complex aircraft and complicated situations where an appraisal is needed.

Commenting on his new designation as Senior Appraiser, Mr. Hancock said: “The mission at Hancock Aviation has always been to offer our clients the very best experience in aircraft sales and service.  I see this expansion of our appraisal service as an invaluable resource for our clients, and I am honored to be among the most experienced appraisers in the aviation industry.

For further information about Hancock Aviation, visit https://www.hancockaviation.com. Learn more about PAAO at https://appraiseaplane.org.

It flew on D-Day ... and now 77 years later, The Liberty Foundation’s C-47  sports a detailed new paint job that authentically captures the era. The work was done free of charge by Chennault tenant partner LandLocked Aviation Services, and we salute the generous gesture.  To see the story of the transformation and everyone that was involved click….HERE

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - A plane that carried paratroopers into Normandy during World War II has been brought back to life and is now on display at Chennault International Airport.

Seventy-six years ago, it flew over Normandy, but after four months of restorations, the C-47 is finally restored.

“This particular aircraft, this exact aircraft, as a matter of fact, flew over Normandy during D-Day,” said President and Founder of Landlock Aviation Services Tyson Grenzebach.

The C-47 aircraft was used heavily to transport troops and the wounded throughout WWII.

“It is in fact an iconic piece of aviation history, and it exemplifies our patriotism and how the country was protected during the war,” Grenzebach said.

Thanks to a historian named Van, the C-47, also known as the “Chalk-47,” was able to be restored as the original.

“He’s a historian that knows all about the history of Chalk-40 and the role it played in the war in aviation [and] provided all the details with regard to the actual livery - the colors, the design, the specific numbers the nose art with the four aces on the nose of the aircraft,” Grenzebach said.

Grenzebach described the opportunity to work on warbirds such as the C-47 as exciting as it gets.

“That’s where I get goosebumps all of sudden, you know,” Grenzebach said. “I tell people, we in aviation, aviators alike, we all kind of - we have this child-like passion for working on aircraft. And it doesn’t get any better than working on a historic piece like this.”

Grenzebach said this is just the start of historic aircraft that will be restored in the area.

“Got a lot of other great projects, just to give a little hint,” Grenzebach said. “There’s another one of these iconic warbirds that’ll be here at Chennault, probably by the month of November.”

They restored the aircraft with hopes of it touring the country in different airshows like the Chennault International Airshow.

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MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Pilots for Patients celebrated their patients, patrons and handed out awards to the pilots at the luncheon. The non-profit organization provides free flights to patients who qualify and the event was held at the Monroe Airport.

Since 2008, Pilots for Patients have served the community by providing a quicker way for their clients to attend doctor’s appointments anywhere in the U.S. for treatments that are not available in the area.

“What better way to help our neighbors and friends is in a situation when they’re in a real crisis, and we try to take that out of the equation making sure they go for that treatment because if they say, oh no, we don’t want to go, they have no chance for survival,” said Phillip Thomas President of Pilots for Patients.

Sarah Zagar was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2019. She says this program has changed her life during one of the most difficult challenges she’s had to face. Zager says, during her battle she was still able to attend important events with her children with the help of the Pilots for Patients program.

“It’s allowed me to be there for the first day of Pre-K. It’s allowed me to be everywhere and not have to choose my children over my health,” she said.

The luncheon today allowed members to fellowship and share their stories. Now the organization is expanding, and they are looking for help.

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A former city golf course is being repurposed by Chennault for economic development, creating construction jobs and permanent jobs in the time ahead, as reported by John Guidroz in today's American Press.

Since the 2020 hurricanes, Chennault has broken ground on a multimillion-dollar air cargo facility, four-laned its industrial entrance plaza and announced upcoming construction projects in 2021-22 in addition to bringing a new tenant partner to the old Mallard Cove golf course.

*

Long-term lease signed

for former Mallard Cove property

By John Guidroz

American Press

Planet Construction, a company that builds fitness centers nationwide, signed a long-term lease with Chennault International Airport Authority Tuesday to develop 10 acres of the former Mallard Cove Golf Course property.

It’s the first lease signed on the property, now referred to as Site 1, since Chennault acquired it from the city of Lake Charles three weeks earlier, Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton said. The lease is for 30 years, with two 15-year renewal options.

Brandon Robinson, Planet Construction co-owner, said the 40,000-square-foot development will include the company’s national office, along with two hangars that will house up to 20 executive-level airplanes.

“We’re committed to being out here,” he said.

Operating since 2016, Planet Construction builds fitness centers nationwide, is licensed in 34 states and is responsible for the employment of roughly 2,000 people through its construction business, Robinson said. Developing at Site 1 will make it easier to meet with clients out of state, he said.

“It’s all an efficiency move,” Robinson said. “If we need to get on a plane to go to a job site, we don’t have to travel to the airport. We want our plane to be in our hangar where we can get right in it and go.”

However, the high cost of materials, including steel, has put the construction timeline on hold, according to Jeff Babineaux, Planet Construction co-owner.

“It could be six months or 12 months; we’re not sure,” he said. “We’re seeing the cost of goods plateau and have seen some decrease.”

The partnership between Robinson and Babineaux was born out of the ownership of the first Planet Fitness location, which opened on Ryan Street in March 2012, Robinson said. Babineaux, a Sulphur-based commercial general contractor for more than 20 years, was hired to build the initial location.

Robinson became partners with United PF Partners, the largest fitness franchisee in the nation, in 2016. Robinson and his partners sold United PF Partners and its 180 locations across 17 states on December 30, 2019, right before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Robinson thanked Melton and Andrea LaFleur, Chennault director of executive and airport affairs, for having an open and transparent experience in securing the lease.

“I can’t see how they’re not going to do anything but further develop this area because they make that process, which is sometimes tumultuous, so easy and user-friendly,” he said.

A second lease that includes seven additional acres at Site 1 to develop an event center, should be signed soon.

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A&E Aviation has served north Louisiana for the past 4 years at the Ruston Airport but closed for 2021.  They will be officially reopening in January, 2022, at the Monroe Regional Airport in Hangar 10 North. They specialize in piston general services but hope to add turboprop soon. 

Contact them at 318 678-9234 or at Joel@AE-Aviation.com

Note:  I’m sure many of you remember the British Lightning that is undergoing restoration to flying status at the Stennis International Airport in Bay St. Louis.  Here is their latest update…..

Due to the ongoing travel restrictions in to the USA, we have had to postpone our November 2021 trip to Stennis. However, things are looking very promising for us to return in early 2022 to start making more progress on the restoration. Behind the scenes, we have been sourcing key project items and will have them shipped over to Stennis, MS. Please keep checking our main website https://lightning422.com/ and our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Lightning422/ for project updates. 

To read the October Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of Commemorative Air Force click HERE

Airplanes flew through the clear blue sky above Hammond’s airport this weekend as, on the ground below, a sea of spectators clustered in groups of family and friends on blankets and in folding chairs.

The 2021 Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow kicked off Friday night with the Twilight Show for event sponsors and performers, followed by two full days of high flying fun Saturday and Sunday.

Binoculars, cameras and cellphones were abundant, as were the sunglasses and hats needed to see through the bright sunshine. Attendees of this year’s Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow watched in awe, trying to document the sights.

They took breaks to grab a bite to eat from one of the several food and drink vendors. Adult and children’ frozen treats could also be found, as well as coffee for those needing a little pickup during the day-long affair. Souvenir stands, business booths and military information stations were set up along the same path.

Children enjoyed bounce houses and other activities in the Children’s Village. Plane static displays and other aero-themed attractions supplied more family-friendly fun.

Guy Recotta, president of Hammond Airshow Foundation, estimated 60,000 people attended the airshow this weekend, including Friday’s twilight show.

Recotta said he spoke with visitors from South Baldwin County, Alabama, and folks from Gainesville, Florida, who came Sunday after attending Saturday’s LSU game.

Overall, he said, there were great crowds and great weather.

Mayor Pete Panepinto said everything went great, and it was a great show, despite two small hiccups.

“The wind was almost 40 knots Saturday, so the lady skydivers Misty Blues was not able to jump,” Panepinto said. “They were also going to present the game ball at Southeastern, but they weren’t able to jump.”

Misty Blues Jump Team did perform twice Sunday, however, performing to the national anthem and during the afternoon.

Vampire Airshows’ jet broke a strut in the front wheel and thus was unable to perform.

Panepinto estimated around 30,000 to 34,000 people attended Saturday alone, and Sunday appeared to have more cars than Saturday.

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KILN, MISS. – Five hangars with over 66,000 square feet of space are now available at Stennis International Airport.

Two new hangars were recently constructed, and three existing hangars were purchased by Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission, the owners of Stennis International (KHSA).

“The Port and Harbor Commission continues to invest for the future of Hancock County,” said CEO Bill Cotter. “Our portfolio of hangar space allows existing tenants to expand and attracts new businesses to the area.”

Adjacent to the terminal, a 24,000 square foot hangar was completed in September. Opening directly to the main ramp, it features a hangar door that is 154 feet wide and 28 feet high. The premier location includes utility rooms, restrooms and a foam fire suppression system.

Known as the RESTORE Hangar, the $5 million project was awarded to Drace Construction Corp., of Long Beach, in November 2019. It was funded in part by a federal RESTORE grant. 

South of the RESTORE Hangar, a new 10,000 square foot hangar with an additional 2,500 square foot office space was also completed in September. A new concrete apron was built between the hangars and connects to the main ramp.

Known as the Corporate Hangar, the building is ideal for aerospace companies with aircraft storage and office needs. The hangar door is 80 feet wide and 26 feet high. The office space is unfinished and ready to be customized to fit any tenant’s needs.

The $1.5 million project was awarded to Mike Rozier Construction, Inc., of Hattiesburg, in July 2020. It was funded in part by a Mississippi Department of Transportation multimodal grant.

“Port and Harbor Commission is committed to being the cornerstone of Mississippi’s aviation industry,” Cotter said. “Thanks to the support of federal and state partners, we invested over $7 million to support business operations.”

North of the terminal, three existing hangars were recently purchased. The smallest hangar measures 7,000 square feet, and the larger hangars are 12,000 square feet and 13,125 square feet.

“Business interest and hangar demand at Stennis International Airport remains high. Three of the five hangars are already under contract,” said airport director Chanse Watson. “We receive calls every week from companies looking to locate or expand here at Stennis International.”

In fiscal year 2022, Stennis International has budgeted over $32 million in capital projects, including new hangars, apron extensions and life-cycle maintenance projects. Another 24,000 square feet of hangar space is expected by the end of next fiscal year.

In recent years, Hancock County has grown 230 new jobs and seen nearly $100 million in capital investment in aerospace development. Additionally, the next generation of aerospace workforce will be trained locally at Pearl River Community College’s planned $10 million workforce development center at the airport.

Located in Kiln, Stennis International is Hancock County’s community airport. It features an 8,500-foot runway rated to carry the world’s largest cargo planes. It is home to 15 aerospace companies serving both general aviation and military aircraft. The airport is covered by an onsite firefighting unit, and the FAA Air Traffic Control Tower is open daily. Million Air FBO provides amenities including a comfortable lounge, café, aircraft refueling and more.

For more information, visit www.flystennis.com or call airport director Chanse Watson at 228.467.7070.

A Louisiana State Police pilot was injured and taken to an area hospital after a crash landing Wednesday afternoon at an Ascension Parish airport, troopers said.

The Federal Aviation Administration will open an investigation into the crash and its cause, the federal agency said in a statement Wednesday. 

State troopers said the Bell 206B helicopter is suspected of having a mechanical failure that forced the pilot to make an emergency landing.

The FAA said the crash happened about 2:15 p.m. at Louisiana Regional Airport, which is off La. 44 just outside the southwest corner of the Gonzales city limits.

The pilot, who was not identified, had minor injuries. No one else was on board, the FAA said.

The helicopter had significant damage, troopers said.

State troopers said the helicopter dates from 1986, but FAA registration records show the helicopter was built in December 1979. At minimum, the aircraft is at least around 35 years old.

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The preliminary report for the State Police helicopter accident at Louisiana Regional airport has been issued…..

Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III, N373SP: Accident occurred October 06, 2021 near Louisiana Regional Airport (KREG), Gonzales, Ascension Parish, Louisiana

National Transportation Safety Board accident number: CEN22LA009 

Rotorcraft experienced a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and crashed 200 yards from end of runway.

Louisiana State Police

Louisiana Department of Public Safety

https://registry.faa.gov/N373SP

Date: 06-OCT-21

Time: 19:15:00Z

Regis#: N373SP

Aircraft Make: BELL

Aircraft Model: 206

Highest Injury: MINOR

Damage: SUBSTANTIAL

Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)

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PFP President and Volunteer Pilot Philip Thomas has officially achieved his 500th mission milestone. He flew Patient Mark and Patient David from Monroe to Houston this morning. PFP Board Member and Volunteer Pilot Wayne and PFP Board Member and Director Sharon were also there to celebrate the occasion with him. Once they landed in Houston, they were met by Houston Ground Angel Jerry who drove them to their appointments. Thank you so much Philip for your continued dedication and devotion to helping as many of our friends and neighbors as you can. You have touched and blessed so many lives and that is truly something to celebrate.

https://www.pilotsforpatients.org/

Tina Wilson, LaDOTD Aviation Development Program Supervisor was recognized with the State Aviation Distinguished Service Award by the NASAO.  Among her other achievements, Ms. Wilson implemented new strategic planning tools that have helped to promote aviation safety and manage airport profitably within Louisiana.   Congratulations Tina on this well-deserved award! 

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To read the September issue of the Big Easy Wing Newsletter click HERE

New Orleans Airport ranked best large airport in North America by J.D. Power

Also #1 in Food & Beverage and Retail factor

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is ranked as the number one large airport in North America for customer satisfaction based on J.D. Power’s 2021 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which was released on Sept. 22. MSY’s number one ranking represents significant improvement from number 11 in 2020 and number 23 in 2019.

The annual study surveys passengers in six categories (in order of importance): terminal facilities; airport arrival/department; baggage claim; security check; check-in/baggage check; and food, beverage and retail. In the large airport category of 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year, MSY achieved a score of 844 based on a 1,000-point scale.

To read more click….HERE

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – Aircrews and ground teams with Civil Air Patrol’s Louisiana Wing have joined federal and Louisiana state emergency managers’ efforts to assess Hurricane Ida’s impact.

CAP’s mission is to gather aerial and ground-level photos and data for use by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP).

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Louisiana as they continue to endure the effects of the hurricane,” said Brig. Gen. William Betts, vice commander, First Air Force, Air Forces Northern. “CAP is working non-stop with local authorities to help the community recover as soon as possible.”

Beginning Tuesday afternoon, just two days after Ida made landfall on Aug. 29, 2021, the wing flew five extensive aerial sorties, photographing areas of severe wind damage and flooding in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area and in areas extending from Thibodaux south to Houma and southeast to Galliano. The flights were launched from bases in Patterson, Gonzales, and Baton Rouge, according to CAP officials.

The Louisiana Wing operates nine single-engine aircraft, some equipped with special camera and navigation systems for generating precise, high-definition photos. When called into service, these aircraft are flown by a crew of three — a pilot, an observer, and a scanner/photographer.

The photos and its imbedded data are immediately processed and converted into both 2D and 3D images for emergency managers to use in planning and expediting recovery efforts.

CAP aircraft are also being used to maintain communications networks in Louisiana as well as in surrounding states after the storm.

The Louisiana Wing also operates more than 20 vehicles that support both transportation and communications needs. They are frequently used to deploy ground teams for search and rescue and damage assessment missions.

The flights were expected to continue through the weekend and possibly into next week, CAP officials noted.

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Chennault is proud to be the host site of the Chennault International Airshow, which awards proceeds to Southwest Louisiana teachers as STEM education classroom grants. Our executive director, Col. Kevin Melton (Ret.), is the Airshow's outgoing board president.

Here is the text of the Airshow announcement:

Talk about high-flying teachers! Classroom grants to local educators totaling $28,966.53 have been awarded as part of the Airshow's 2021 STEMulate Learning Grant.

The programs fund teachers' classroom efforts related to awareness and learning in science, technology, engineering and math topics and careers.

"We are so pleased to partner with teachers for the advancement of STEM education in our community," said Mallory Beasley, coordinator of the grant program.

Airshow proceeds fund the STEM grants.

"The main reason we conduct airshows is to get our community and students excited about aviation and help them better understand how aviation positively affects our everyday lives," said Col. Kevin Melton (Ret.), Chennault International Airport executive director, who is concluding his service as Airshow board president. "We are proud of the faculty who took the time to care about their programs and their students and proud the Chennault International Airshow is able to give back to our teachers and their students.

"We could not make it happen without support from fans and local businesses," said Mary Jo Bayles, 2021 Airshow director. "The community really needed this shot in the arm. This money will go directly into the classrooms."

Melton and Bayles, seen here holding an oversized check, are surrounded by the grant recipients, who  include:

Megan Aleshire, Fairview Elementary; Dr. Doug DeVillier, LaGrange High; Samala Duffy, Barbe High; Emily Fryburger, Grace Scholé Homeschool Collaborative; Montez Fulton, Iowa High; Dara Johnson, Sulphur High; Christina Lejeune, Basile High; Terri Miller, Barbe Elementary; Renee Overby Rule, Barbe Elementary; Bridget Richard, First Baptist Christian Academy; Krista Schysm, LC-B Academy; Regina Smart, Westlake High; and Erin Zeringue, Our Lady Queen of Heaven.

Airshow board members, seen in the back row, joined in for the presentation.

ST. FRANCISVILLE, La. (WAFB) - Deputies with the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office rescued a helicopter pilot, who was clinging to a propane bottle in the Mississippi River, late Friday, August 20.

Sheriff Brian Spillman said his office received reports about a person floating in the river near the mouth of Bayou Sara near St. Francisville and responding deputies located him about 50 feet away from the bank.

He added members of the WFPSO Crisis Response Team and other deputies were able to get him to shore.

According to Spillman, the man told deputies he was alone on the flight that started in Lafayette in a Robinson R-44 helicopter before 4 a.m. and went down in the river about 45 minutes later.

“He is extremely lucky to have survived the crash and that he went down in an area that is near a public access point to the river,” said Spillman. “He was in the water over 12 hours. I don’t think he could have lasted much longer.”

Spillman added the man was taken to a Baton Rouge hospital to be treated for exposure and a possible diabetic condition.

The sheriff said the man’s name is being withheld until his family can be notified.

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UPDATED COVERAGE:  Helicopter pilot identified and released from the hospital…..  Read More

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Interstate 49 is cleared and back open after a small airplane made an emergency landing late Friday afternoon in North Shreveport.

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office says the pilot made the emergency landing on the southbound side of the interstate after the Cessna 150 aircraft ran out of fuel.

It happened just before 5 p.m. near mile marker 214 near North Market Street. The sheriff’s office says two people were on board and no one was injured.

Deputies helped refuel the aircraft so that it could take off again and the interstate was cleared by around 6:40 p.m.

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Security at your local airport should be reviewed by all airports and users.  I urge all to take a moment to look at your local facility and if you notice something that requires the attention of your airport governing board, please let them know.

07/24/2021 at about 6am an individual entered the TAC Air fbo at KSHV.  After terrorizing the employee, this person left, wandering around the airport until he found an unlocked and open gate that gave access to a row of hangars.  He broke into the TAC Air hangar and stole a van.  The van was driven across an active taxiway and active runway.  He continued across the airfield until damaging the van.  He abandoned the van and made his way to another hangar on the SE side of the airport.  He broke into this hangar, ransacked the office and attempted to steal another vehicle that was parked in this hangar.  He did substantial damage to the vehicle.  He left this hangar and made his way down the inner airport access road.  He came upon the Shreveport Airport Authority vehicle maintenance facility.  There he was able to start a “bucket” truck.  He drove the bucket truck through the East security gate smashing it off the foundation.  This individual caused a minimum of $25,000.00, in damages to private and public property.

There were several actions that should have occurred that would have prevented this incident from escalating beyond the initial encounter at the TAC Air fbo had the airport security personnel and procedures been followed.

• Response time of the airport security was not timely
• Lack of communication between airport security and the Shreveport Police to confront and detain this individual
• Security gate that allowed initial access to the TAC Air hangar was not secured as required.

If you operate at a dual use airport(GA & Airline) understand that the operating authority will focus their security attention towards the airline terminal.  Don’t become complacent! 

Whitney Boggs

VP for SHV@SAHOA.org

This hangar is for Freeman Jet Center and it’s coming along each day. We can’t wait to see it filled with planes in the coming months. 

In the coming months as projects get underway we will have a total 60,000 sq.ft of hangar space here at LCH. Our hangars are next on the list!

AOPA’s David Tulis took an aerobatic ride with the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team at Airventure 2021.  He flew in the No. 4 slot aircraft with Louisiana pilot Jimmy Fordham at the controls.  To read and see more click HERE.

A new unit of the Commemorative Air Force, the Bayou State Escadrille, has been formed at KHDC in Hammond. Their website is https://www.bayoustateescadrille.org.

For information about joining this group contact:

JP White, Adjutant Officer at bayoustateescadrille@gmail.com

To read their first newsletter click HERE.

Does Louisiana Need an Aviation Hall of Fame? 

I asked that question a few editions ago.   My answer is positively yes.  With the rich aviation heritage we have in this state, it is a disgrace that we haven't recognized our aviation legends.  

Why am I asking that question now?

A few weeks ago I got an email from Charles Butcher, the new Airport Director at Monroe.  Here are some excerpts from his message:

“I just moved here from Arkansas. I was surprised to find that Louisiana did not have an aviation hall of fame.  I was the president of the Arkansas Airport Operators Association, and we were always sponsors for the event. I think it would be great to start that here in Louisiana. There have been a lot of worthy aviators in Louisiana for the award over the years. I spoke to Jimmy Fordham, and he also agrees. I will include the link to the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame. We would love to host an event like this in Monroe.

https://www.arkavhs.com/arkansas-aviation-hall-of-fame”

So, here is where we are.  A new resident is surprised we don’t have an Aviation Hall of Fame (HOF).  A lot of us have felt for a number of years that we should have a HOF.  So how do we make that happen?

I think a logical way is to get a group of folks from a number of different parts of the aviation community to form a committee and go to work on it.  I think there should be representation from groups like LAMA, the 99’s, EAA, CAP, Ag Aviation Association, Aviation Museums, Businesses, Schools, etc.  I’ll be glad to collect the names of any folks that would be interested in working on this and get them connected so they can get to work.  

So if you’re interested in participating just send an email to laaviator@cox.net

I’m hoping to get enough volunteers so they can get started.

Metro Aviation, in keeping with its never-ending commitment to continuously improve and innovate, has made an additional investment into its safety and training measures. By equipping pilots with the ICARUS view-limiting devices,  Metro leadership is reinforcing its steadfast dedication to providing pilots with the best training tools available.

ICARUS or Instrument Conditions Awareness Recognition and Understanding System is a pilot training device that improves instrument flying proficiency. The device, used in the field, allows for the proper training for recovery of Inadvertent entry into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC), which still today, is a leading cause of accident fatalities. 

“This is a game-changer our industry has needed for some time” said Metro Director of Operations Brian Bihler.  “Training is the lifeblood of what we do at Metro Aviation and this device is the perfect complement to our full-motion flight simulators and flight training devices,” added Bihler.

The ICARUS Device was invented by Nick Sinopoli in 2014 after losing a friend to a spatial disorientation accident. Nick sold his car to apply for a patent and the gamble paid off in 2016 when he was awarded a patent for his innovation.

Bihler added, “We used one device to conduct extensive testing with several of our pilots in the field over the past few months, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”

Shipment of the devices to Metro’s bases located throughout the country will begin in the coming weeks.

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On June 16, 2021, Paul Klein received the FAA Wright Brother’s Master Pilot Award at Lakefront Airport.  Michael Hall from the FAA Flight Standards District Office in Baton Rouge presented the award.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. This award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as "Master Pilots".  Once the award has been issued, the recipient's name, city and state will be added to a published "Roll of Honor" that you can see by clicking HERE.

To further honor Captain Klein, the Lakefront Management Authority recently passed a Resolution to recognize his contributions to New Orleans aviation and Lakefront Airport.  To read the Resolution click HERE.

To read the August Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click...

Click For Details

To read the latest edition of the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum newsletter click…

HERE

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Coast Guard rescued a pilot from a downed aircraft in Fourleague Bay last Tuesday morning.

The single-engine 2002 Cessna 182T airplane crashed in the bay just south of Morgan City. The U.S. Coast Guard received the call at 8:18 a.m. and immediately launched search and rescue via a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew.

The Coast Guard aircrew and a St. Mary’s Parish Sheriff’s Department boat crew arrived on scene to assist. The helicopter crew safely hoisted the pilot from the water and took them to awaiting EMS at a nearby airport.

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Barksdale Air Force Base has a museum rooted in honor and valor dating back to 1975 and continues to add to its collection to this day. A huge part of the museum’s collection begins with the museum curator.

The museum curator position is not a position that is replaced often as it holds much responsibility and is a main reason for the success or failure of the museum. The curator is in charge of what is put on display, keeping track of the stock the museum receives, the airpark, and museum tours.

Elizabeth Jan Micaletti is the newly appointed museum curator at the Barksdale Global Power Museum and is looking forward to making a few changes to the museum and adding to its already amazing legacy.

“A big addition I plan on adding to this already amazing museum is a map room. We have so many maps to display, even some dating back to World War II, that I feel a place to display them all will be a great addition to the museum,” said Micaletti. “Also, with a B-1 Lancer being decommissioned most recently, we are looking to add that to our airpark in late September.”

At bases throughout the Air Force, airparks are used to display Air force aircraft and commemorate significant events. The Barksdale Global Power Museum continues that long and honored tradition.

“Our airpark has a display of 20 aircraft at the moment and 21 tall memorials honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, not to mention a brick walking path with each brick dedicated to someone,” said Micaletti. “We encourage members and their families to come out and get engulfed in our museum and relive some historic moments in history.”

The goals of the museum is to generate interest, awareness, and education of the history and insignia of the 2nd Bomb Wing and the bomber to generations of all ages, help preserve the aircraft and memorabilia on display in the museum and on the base grounds, and reach out and seek growth for membership of the Barksdale Global Power Museum at Barksdale in all the communities of Northwest Louisiana; and ensuring that the History of the aerial bombardment will forever be alive and well cared for at the Barksdale Global Power Museum.

Micaletti and her co-workers are excited to show as many people as they can how much there is to learn in their museum and give people a look at some pieces of history they can’t see anywhere else.

“From the pieces inside the museum to the aircraft and memorials in the airpark, the Barksdale Global Power Museum has so much to offer,” said Master Sgt. Rick Hale, 2nd Bomb Wing global power maintenance assistant. “There is over 4000 pieces of inventory always in rotation and with our plans to bring some things in to liven up the museum and its surrounding area such as a barbeque pit, there is even more reason for people to come see our museum and get a part of history that will always be with them.”

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New Orleans, La, July 25, 2021 – Lieutenant Colonel Kathy Beauford was honored on July 20, 2021, by the Pontchartrain Cadet Squadron of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in celebration of her 25th anniversary in that organization.

As a NASA Solar System Ambassador and Director of External Aerospace Education in CAP, Beauford has created air and space shows and exhibits that have reached almost 33,000 individuals.  She has won 60 aerospace awards, two of which named her as “Number 1” in the nation.  

Beauford wrote A Teacher’s Companion to the Space Station: A Multi-disciplinary Resource that was distributed internationally by NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems.  She has written 292 published articles, which have appeared in newspapers, magazines, and on the Internet.   She has created a 24 show series of “AE Presentations” and has distributed 700 free CD copies.

“Kathy’s record of accomplishments in the field of aerospace education is amazing”, said Lt Col Amos Plante, Chief of Staff for CAP’s Louisiana Wing.  “Not a week goes by that she hasn’t displayed an aerospace exhibit, spoken to some interest group, or created another teacher’s aide”, he said.

Beauford is also an experienced aviator.  She holds a CAP Senior Observer rating and is a CAP qualified Aerial Photographer.  She has flown as observer/navigator or photographer in 81 aerial search and rescue or photography missions.  In addition, she has participated in 26 ground team missions for a total record of 107 missions. 

Beauford has received Lifesaving Medals from CAP and the American Red Cross.

In addition to all her other accomplishments, Beauford funded the Gertrude Beauford Memorial Aerospace Award to send CAP cadets to the National Flight Academy.

The FAA is transitioning the National Airspace System (NAS) to Performance Based Navigation (PBN). As a result, the VOR infrastructure in the Contiguous United States (CONUS) is being repurposed to provide a conventional backup navigation service during potential Global Positioning System (GPS) outages. This backup infrastructure is known as the VOR MON.

You can watch the latest FAA webinar on the subject by clicking HERE.

Here are the current list of VOR’s in Louisiana that are candidates for removal and retention:

You can get more details and see the entire lists of VOR’s to be discontinued and retained by clicking HERE.

If you own a hangar on leased land on a public airport in the state of Louisiana or are interested in doing so, you need to read the following message from the Shreveport Airports Hangar Owners Association (SAHOA). Their email address is at the end of the article. They would like to hear from you….

On Father’s Day 2017, the owners of privately owned hangars at the Shreveport Regional and Downtown Airports received a letter from then Director of Airports, Mr. Henry Thompson, stating that a new aeronautical land lease was required of all current hangar owners.  “Take It or Leave It”.  If you did not “Take It” you would not be offered the opportunity to renew any lease with the Shreveport Airport Authority.  If you “Took It”, there were some very real ramifications regarding you’re privately owned personal property.  Besides a change in the term (10 or 30 year) the new lease brought vocabulary not previously used.  REQUIRED CAPITAL EXPENDITURE and REVERSION.  These two new terms to lease language are the basis of the New Lease and the cause for a call to action by local hangar owners in North West Louisiana.

REQUIRED CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

LRS 2:135.1.B(2)-this Statue was written to protect unimproved public land leased by a non-public entity.  It requires the lessor to make a capital improvement during the lease term and as a requirement to renew the lease.  This Statute had been written to protect vacant municipal land from being leased up with an intention of never improving the property.

This clause had historically never been applied to improved property, such as an established privately owned hangar at the local airport.

REVERSION

This is a concept that is applied at the end of a person’s lease.  Simply put, at the end of your lease you may:

1.  Simply leave whatever improvements you made

2.  Remove any improvements you made.

Neither of these “terms” had been written into the lease contracts here.  This was the beginning of the struggle at our airports here in Shreveport.  A legal excuse to force a hangar owner to make an un-needed Capital Expenditure to improve their property and an avenue to entice a person to “abandon” their personal property due to the excessive cost of removing an established building.Due to these two provisions included in the New Lease, a group of privately owned hangars organized and formed the Shreveport Airports Hangar Owners Association-SAHOA.  SAHOA is a 501c organization that supports and provides information to its membership regarding the operation and governance of our airports operated by the City of Shreveport.After the New Lease had been read within the aviation community, it became very clear that the New Lease was going to have a VERY negative economic impact.  With the New Lease, the City of Shreveport had destroyed the economic value of privately owned property and crippled any free market activity by reducing the value of our hangars.  No one would be willing to build or buy a building that required a huge Capital Expenditure and then give it to the city. 

 We used to have many new private hangars built every year. Since this started in 2017 there have been none. Additionally, the Tax Assessor’s from both Caddo and Bossier Parishes agreed that value had been destroyed and reduced the property tax by 60%. They issued tax refunds to the hangar owners.In January of this year SAHOA membership became aware that Natchitoches Airport had received an exemption to part of LRS 2:135.1.  The local hangar owners were able to get State Representative Raymond Cruse to sponsor legislation HB 337, a bill to exempt Shreveport Downtown Airport from the provisions of LRS 2:135.1.B(2).  After many trips to Baton Rouge to testify before the House and Senate Transportation Committees, HB 337 was passed and signed by Governor Edwards.The membership of SAHOA would like to spearhead a state wide effort to organize local airport users, hangar owners, and friends of aviation to become involved with your local airport board, and your State Senators and Representatives.  Many airport authority members and elected officials have little or no experience with aviation or airports.  They do understand, however, the impact of private investment on economic growth. Exempting your airport, or even better, repealing statewide the oppressive provisions of LRS 2:135.1.B(2) would act as an aviation infrastructure investment accelerator. Such an incentive for investment would benefit every part of every community, not just aviation. We desperately need this in Louisiana.We as a group must band together to protect our interest.  We must be able to be heard at the State level, or what has happened here in Shreveport is coming to an airport near you.Whitney BoggsVPforSHV@theSAHOA.org

A popular spot for hungry Louisiana Aviators, the Jet-A-Way Cafe at the Stennis International Airport, is in the news….

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Breeze Airways, created by the founder of JetBlue, has started flying out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. New Orleans is one of the new carrier's four main bases of operations.

Breeze flies to 10 destinations from New Orleans. They are:

• Charleston, SC
• Akron/Canton, Ohio
• Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Huntsville, Alabama
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Norfolk, Virginia
• Oklahoma, Oklahoma
• Richmond, Virginia
• Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Columbus, Ohio

Eight of the 10 cities are new destinations from MSY, according to Erin Burns, a spokeswoman for the airport.

The new airline from David Neeleman, who has launched four other airlines over the past four decades, is aiming to tap demand for direct, low-cost travel to smaller and mid-sized U.S. cities that are known for attracting leisure travelers, the company said.

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(CNN) — "The first thing you notice about New Orleans are the burying grounds -- the cemeteries -- one of the best things there are here" wrote Bob Dylan in his 2004 book "Chronicles: Volume One."

"Going by, you try to be as quiet as possible, better to let them sleep... The past doesn't pass away so quickly here."

The legendary American folksinger wasn't thinking about the virtually abandoned airport terminal at New Orleans Louis Armstrong International (MSY), but his words certainly are apposite. While not dead yet, the old MSY is currently stuck in quiet purgatory.

CNN Travel went to explore.

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The new Terminal Building at St. Tammany Regional (L31) has been completed and it looks like they should be moving into it soon.

To see an update on the New Lafayette Terminal click HERE.

To read the July Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

To read the latest edition of the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum Newsletter click HERE

Students looking to fly the friendly skies won't have to travel far with the addition of a new aviation program at LSU of Alexandria. The program will allow them to earn a degree and become professional pilots.

Beginning immediately, students can enroll at LSU of Alexandria and take classes applicable to the program. The course, Introduction to Aerospace, will be offered in the fall.

"The program LSUA is offering leads to a bachelor's degree," said Dr. Eamon Halpin, Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at LSUA. "It's a bachelor's of general studies with a concentration in professional aviation."

To learn more about the program an aviation open house was held at Million Air on England Airpark for prospective students and parents. Another open house is set for August.

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The original Baton Rouge Airport beacon that began serving the capital city of Louisiana in 1931 has been restored and redisplayed. It was the first beacon that operated on top of the original Baton Rouge airport terminal that was located near Government St. and Lobdell Rd. The beacon is now displayed at the BTR airport on Blanche Noyes Rd. in front of the BTR Jet Center. Stop by and see this unique piece of Louisiana aviation history.

Photos of the original terminal and the beacon in its original place are shown below..

A Louisiana man was killed early Friday evening in Talladega County when the helicopter he was piloting crashed near Sylacauga, authorities said.

Zachary Warren Pourciau, 30, of Ventress, La., was spraying pesticides near 700 Edwards Rd. in Alpine when the Bell Helicopter OH-58A crashed at 6:15 p.m. Friday, according to the FAA and Talladega County Coroner Shaddix Murphy.

Pourciau, who was the only person on board, was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m., Murphy said.

According to a social media page under Pourciau’s name, he was also a pilot for the Army National Guard in addition to the agriculture operation he was flying for on Friday.

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MACA team members meet with airport officials at Jonesboro Airport

left to right:  Calvin Wortham, MSgt Steven Vance, Lt. Col. Thomas “Doc” Barnard,  1st Lt. Jim “Pooh” Partington, Capt. Dustin “Shackle” Martin, Dr. Herbert Simmons Jr., Lt. Col. Jeff Ragusa.

Photo by Richard Knowles

By Captain James L. Peck, CAP

Bossier City, La. – On Thursday, May 27, 2021, the Shreveport Senior Squadron of Civil Air Patrol flew a first-of-its-kind mission for the USAF 2nd Bomb Wing based at Barksdale Air Force Base. The new CAP mission supported Barksdale’s Mid-Air Collision Avoidance (MACA) program.

Each Air Force unit with a flying program must establish a MACA program designed to actively engage and acquaint the local flying community and local airport management to the military use of local airspace. The program covers aircraft types, configurations, and speeds as well as altitudes of operations in the vicinity.

As part of the Barksdale AFB MACA program, 2nd Bomb Wing safety personnel make annual trips to airports in the local area. They meet with airport managers, visit with airport personnel, and distribute MACA posters and pamphlets tailored to the area. In years past, these trips were made over several days by ground vehicle.

Air Force Captain Dustin “Shackle” Martin, Chief of Flight Safety for the 2nd Bomb Wing, reached out to CAP in August of 2020 to see if that organization could support the Barksdale MACA program. Having limited knowledge of CAP capabilities and missions, Martin discovered that the program had never involved CAP before and that there was no agreement in place for CAP to provide any support.

According to Martin, the logic of using CAP aircraft to transport Air Force Safety personnel to local airports for safety visits became apparent. A new Air Force Assigned Mission (AFAM) for CAP was created. During the process, Martin learned more about other existing CAP missions and became a member of the Shreveport Senior Squadron.

On May 27, 2021, Captain Martin, Master Sergeant Steven Vance (Flight Safety Superintendent), Mr. Richard Knowles (Deputy Chief of Safety), and Mr. David Beaty (USDA Wildlife Biologist) were flown in two CAP aircraft to four local airports in the Barksdale AFB area. CAP pilots for the sorties were Lieutenant Colonels Thomas “Doc” Barnard and Jeff Ragusa and First Lieutenant Jim “Pooh” Partington.

At the neighboring airports, the team met with airport and municipal officials as well as local pilots. The crews also over-flew and inspected two airports at which officials were not available to meet.

To read more click HERE.

Capt. Martin leads the discussion on Mid-Air Collision Avoidance at Red River Airport

left to right:  Dr. Wyche Coleman, Dodge Rees, Cameron Windham, Jessie Davis, Capt Dustin “Shackle Martin, David Beaty

Photo by Richard Knowles

Pilots and Crews at BAFB after the MACA flights

left to right: MSgt Steven Vance, David Beaty, Richard Knowles, Lt. Col. Jeff Ragusa, 1st. Lt. Jim “Pooh” Partington, Capt Dustin “Shackle” Martin, Lt. Col. Thomas “Doc” Barnard

Photo by Capt Mike Brogan, USAF

Mr. Michael Hall of the BTR FSDO presenting the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award to Randall C. (Randy) Turner.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award was presented to Randall C. (Randy) Turner on Saturday, June 26, by Mr. Michael Hall of the BTR FSDO.  The award was presented at the Stennis International Airport during an EAA Young Eagle Event and Fly In.  The event was hosted by EAA Chapter 479 from Diamondhead and Chapter 697 from Slidell.  

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. This award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as "Master Pilots".

Randy is the 64th Louisiana pilot to receive this award.

To read the details of Randy’s very impressive flight history click HERE.

Randy with wife Kathy and their Piper Cherokee Six

Chennault International Airport broke ground today on a $4 million facility to enter the air cargo sector.

Stakeholders with golden shovels turned the first ceremonial dirt on Thursday to build an air cargo warehouse.

The new facility will be the centerpiece of Chennault’s latest effort to provide economic diversity and ultimately create new jobs at the airport, which is recognized nationally as an emerging aerospace hub.

The project is propelled by $3 million in capital outlay funding from the Louisiana Legislature with the balance of the funding paid by the Chennault International Airport Authority.

“The willingness to change and look for opportunities outside of the norm is critical to remaining relevant in our dynamic world today,” said Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton. “Chennault remains a game-changer for Southwest Louisiana — and we’re excited to offer this new opportunity for more development and more jobs.”

Chennault has retained Ohio-based air cargo expert David Whitaker as a consultant to help identify potential corporate tenant partners in the time ahead.

“Chennault is a very robust airport with enormous potential and Southwest Louisiana is a cargo-rich region of the world,” said Whitaker, who has more than 30 years of airport and air cargo operations experience.

Construction of the 10,000-square-foot warehouse will take 12-18 about months. The contractor, Trahan Construction, bid, competed and was ultimately selected and the contract was executed on June 7.

As the warehouse is being built, ongoing discussions are planned with potential ground handling partners on such related issues as ramp handling, warehouse operations and securing unique ground equipment to service large aircraft.

Initial discussions have been very positive regarding the potential for Chennault.

Whitaker noted that a commercial market response is not immediately assured, but that the effort is still valuable in advancing Chennault’s objectives and numerous paths to commercial activity will be available.

Modern-day Chennault’s success in its nearly 35 years has been rooted in private-public linkages, with the airport as a marketer and landlord to corporations seeking infrastructure to do their work and have space for potential expansion.

Denise Rau, president of the Chennault International Airport Authority’s board of commissioners, cited that legacy of partnerships during her remarks at Thursday’s groundbreaking.

Rau said Chennault’s potential to become a Gulf Coast location for air cargo operations will rest in the same kind of partnerships that have elevated Chennault to what it is today.

HAMMOND -  A private plane loaded with marijuana was seized at a small airport in Tangipahoa Parish after it made a stop in the middle of its cross-country flight. 

The Hammond Police Department said the aircraft landed at the Hammond Northshore Regional Airport Wednesday evening. The department said it had received a tip that the plane was heading from California to Miami with a load of illegal drugs. 

Police surveilled the landing strip and moved on the private jet after it stopped to fuel up. After getting permission to search the aircraft, officers found duffel bags and suitcases full of suspected marijuana, marijuana vape cartridges and pre-rolled marijuana cigars.

The department estimated the street value of the drugs to be around $750,000 in total. The plane, a Learjet 55, was also seized by the district attorney's office and is pending forfeiture. The total value of the seized items was said to be more than $1.6 million. 

A passenger, identified as 40-year-old Leonard Lopez of Miami, was arrested. The two pilots of the aircraft were interviewed and released. 

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Founder and Chairman of the Southern Heritage Air Foundation Captain Daniel K. Fordice III was presented Friday with the 2021 American Spirit Medallion. The National World War II Museum reserves this honor for individuals who “exemplify the highest standards of integrity, discipline, and initiative while making unselfish contributions to their community, state, or nation”.

Friends, loved ones and brothers in arms gathered at the Southern Heritage Air Foundation to watch the honoring ceremony and recognize a man who has dedicated so much of his life to the service of living heroes.

Fordice served with the U.S. Army and the Mississippi National Guard both as an Engineer and Special Forces, totaling over 13 years of service to our country.  Many more, in truth, as Fordice has continued to serve through his two non-profit organizations designed to provide assistance and improve the lives of servicemembers and veterans.

Fordice was voted Warren County’s Man of the Year in 2015 for his work through his foundation, the Warrior Bonfire Program, which exists to serve and improve the lives of combat-wounded veterans.

“The National World War II Museum is proud to honor Dan Fordice with the American Spirit Medallion for his service to country, unwavering community support, and philanthropic efforts to help his fellow veterans in need,” stated President & CEO of The National World War II Museum, Stephen J. Watson. “His work assisting Purple Heart recipients heal emotionally and physically has been invaluable to combat veterans as they return home from the battlefield. I have also had the good fortune of observing firsthand Dan’s passion for restoring and piloting vintage aircraft as a way to honor the men and women who flew and built them. Simply put, Dan is a great American that has lived his life in service to others.”

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Flying Wings of Louisiana held the drawing for the raffle on Saturday, June 19th.  The winner of the Cessna 150 or $20K is Billy T Albritton.

Other prize winners are: 

• IPad Mini - David Thomas
• Go Pro - Engled Bosch
• Men’s or women’s aviation watch - Isiah Michael

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who supported their raffle.

NEW ORLEANS – The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) today released the results from the first quarter of 2021’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey program, as part of Airports Council International (ACI) which measures passengers’ satisfaction across 34 key performance indicators.

Among the 23 U.S. airports serving over 5 million passengers per year that participated in the ASQ program in the first quarter of 2021, MSY was rated number 1 in 15 of the 34 satisfaction items of the survey and finished in the top 3 in a total of 24 of the 34 satisfaction items.

MSY was notably ranked first the overall satisfaction category and also ranked number 1 when the Overall Satisfaction designations are separated into the Business, Leisure and Other + Leisure categories. Other first place rankings include parking facilities, availability of baggage carts/trolleys, waiting time in check-in line, courtesy and helpfulness of security staff, feeling of being safe and secure, courtesy and helpfulness of airport staff, internet access/Wi-Fi, business/executive lounges, availability of restrooms, cleanliness of restrooms, comfort of gate areas, cleanliness of airport terminal, ambience of the airport and speed of baggage delivery.

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Schultz Aviation Services is based at KOPL - St Landry Parish, Ahart Field and offers primary, instrument, and commercial training, as well as proficiency checks. Training is available in our rental aircraft or yours.  Call Jason at 337-305-2159 or check out our website for additional information: www.Schultz-Aviation.com and follow us on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Today, England Airpark in partnership with LSU Alexandria and the Central Louisiana Technical Community College announced the Aviation Career and Education (ACE) Initiative. The program includes the establishment of Bachelor Degrees in Aviation at LSUA with an option to obtain a commercial pilot license; an FAA-approved A&P Mechanics School at CLTCC; and the conversion of a former hangar at England Airpark into a 37,000 square foot training and classroom facility.

The collective goal of ACE Aviation Center is to take advantage of the Airpark’s assets and grow our economy by training our workforce into skills and jobs that will benefit both the aviation industry and the region. We appreciate our partners and legislators for all their hard work as we lay the cornerstone today for the future of workforce development in Central Louisiana!

To read the June Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE

To read the Spring, 2021, Pilots for Patients Newsletter click HERE.

To read the June, 2021, Chennault Aviation & Military Museum Newsletter click...

HERE

Some of you have asked how the Pineville EAA Chapter is recovering from their flood.  Here is a message from their President…..

EAA chapter 614 is still in the process of rebuilding the club house. With the almost 4ft of water that filled the clubhouse during hurricane Delta, we felt that there was a need to renovate the club house in a way that would make cleanup after future floods much easier and faster. At this moment the club house is gutted from 4ft down and we are beginning the rebuild process. The whole goal is to help reduce cleanup time while bringing a new look to our clubhouse. As of right now I don't have a definitive answer on when we will begin hosting our pancake breakfasts but I am hopeful it will be before the end of the summer. The club would like to thank all of those who have donated and especially all who come and enjoy a wonderful breakfast with us. We would be nowhere without this amazing community. I will keep you updated as the build process continues and we look forward to serving everyone once again in the near future. 

Thanks,

EAA 614 President

Vernon Knowles

Not only is the Executive Regional Airport a hub for business and travel in the River Region, but for the past 30 years, it has been home to the Avigators, an organization for people with a passion for all things aviation and aircraft.

Founded in 1991, the Avigators is the official Chapter 971 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), which boasts more than a thousand chapters worldwide, and 12 total in Louisiana. Each chapter brings together local aviation enthusiasts and hobbyists of all interests–such as aircraft restoration, builders, antiques and helicopters–and fosters a spirit of camaraderie to keep the community and creativity alive.

To that same end, Avigators President Michael Saladino says EAA chapters are equally committed to sharing their passion and expertise with others in their respective hometowns.

“The EAA supports a variety of flying activities including aircraft construction, introducing youth to aviation, local flying activities, historic aircraft tours, and providing guidance and insurance for local chapters,” Saladino says. “The Avigators have participated in all of these over the years. We host local Fly-Ins to promote aviation and bring activity to the airport, and we hosted the EAA Ford Tri Motor historic aircraft on a tour a couple of years ago. We even have several chapter members that have built their own aircraft.”

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To read the Helix Aviation Academy June Newsletter click 

HERE

By Curtis Heyen | May 23, 2021 at 11:00 PM CDT - Updated May 24 at 3:44 AM

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — The fatal crash of an experimental aircraft Sunday occurred on at least its fourth flight this month.

The fixed-wing plane that crashed into Cross Lake, killing its pilot, took off from Shreveport Regional Airport at 2:36 p.m. Sunday, Caddo sheriff’s Capt. John May said.

The single-engine, one-seat aircraft was in the air for about nine minutes, he added.

Aviation records show it was at least the fourth time this month that the plane took off from Shreveport Regional.

According to the website FlightAware.com, the aircraft took:

• a 10-minute flight at 2:23 p.m. May 9,
• a nine-minute flight at 3:16 p.m. May 13, and,
• a flight of unknown length at 2:35 p.m. May 16.

FlightAware.com also shows that the aircraft took off at 2:39 p.m. Sunday and last was seen at 2:46 p.m. the same date.

[ Click here to track the fatal flight of the plane that crashed into Cross Lake ]

Federal aviation records show the 2017 John M. Corneal Subsonex is owned by Pocket Jet LLC, a corporation that lists its address in the 300 block of Marshall Street in Shreveport.

That’s the same address as Phillips Energy.

And the Caddo coroner’s office has identified Fred L. Phillips, manager of Pocket Jet LLC, as the pilot who died in the crash Sunday.

He’s the Phillips Energy CEO who was critically burned in the gas-fed explosion of a house he owned in Colorado that claimed the life of the woman he shared his life with for 25 years.

A relative by marriage who got a call about Phillips on Sunday also confirmed that he’s the same person who survived that explosion in 2019.

The CBS affiliate in Denver interviewed Phillips in October 2020.

The Phillips Energy website says Phillips was an avid aviation enthusiast and an accomplished pilot with more than 18,000 hours as pilot in command. He owned and operated Petrolift Aviation Services Inc., an aircraft charter company, and Movie Choppers of Louisiana LLC, a helicopter charter company.

His other interests included skydiving, cycling and motorcycling.

That website goes on to say that the father of five served as a board member for multiple civic and business organizations, including Aeropres Corp., the Northwest Louisiana chapter of the American Red Cross, the Southfield School Foundation board, the Betty and Leonard Phillips Deaf Action Center and several family-owned entities. Phillips also was vice president of the Leonard W. & Betty Phillips Foundation.

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Kathryn’s Report on the Accident

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Breeze Airways Announces MSY Base

NEW ORLEANS — Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and CEO David Neeleman of Breeze Airways announced the newly-launched airline will create an operations base with hundreds of jobs at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, or MSY.  With operations established by aviation industry veterans, Breeze Airways will make a capital investment of $6.6 million at MSY and will create 261 new direct jobs, with an average salary of $65,000, plus benefits.

In New Orleans, Breeze Airways will inaugurate direct flights to 10 U.S. destinations. Direct flights will connect New Orleans and Charleston, South Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas; Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Akron/Canton and Columbus, Ohio; and Huntsville, Alabama. The airline will launch its first flights connecting New Orleans and Charleston starting July 8, with other connections launching July 15 and 16.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, we understand full well the amount of pent-up excitement to travel once more, both for excited tourists to experience our unique

and welcoming culture, as well as for Louisiana residents to explore new destinations,” said Gov. Edwards. “Today, I am proud to announce new destination offerings, courtesy of our latest airline partner, Breeze Airways. In addition to these exciting routes, Breeze Airways is also creating great new opportunities for our people as they establish their operations base at MSY. We welcome Breeze Airways and wish them success here in New Orleans and beyond.”

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Pilot Hiring Information

Breeze Airways is scheduled to begin service in early 2021 operating a fleet of Embraer 190 and Embraer 195 aircraft with the Airbus A220 on order. Breeze is currently developing pilot staffing requirements, bases, and a route structure for their initial launch.

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A young man from Ferriday was killed in a plane crash Tuesday afternoon near Elam Turner Road in Catahoula Parish, law officials said.

According to Sheriff Toney Edwards of the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office, his department received multiple calls regarding a plane, which seemed to be a crop duster, crashing at approximately 1:21 p.m. Tuesday.

Upon their arrival to the scene, deputies found the crashed plane in an open field with fuel leaking from the right-wing area.

The pilot was identified as Jakob Thomas Porter of Ferriday and the plane belonged to Ferriday Flying Service.

“This was a tragic incident that occurred in Catahoula Parish yesterday.  I ask for us all to remember Jakob’s family, friends, and everyone who assisted at the scene yesterday,” Edwards said, adding an investigation of the crash is ongoing with the Federal Aviation Administration.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – One local school is a one-of-a-kind experience in hopes of inspiring more students to pursue STEM careers.

Helix Aviation Academy is inspired and informed by the unique local assets around it. Located in North Baton Rouge at the Baton Rouge Airport, the aviation academy is uniquely situated to provide students with exposure to professionals and experiences related to the field of aviation. 

Recent studies by the Federal Aviation Association and the Aviation Technician Education Council have shown that there is an impending shortage in both technician and pilot related careers, and the market for drone pilots and engineers is expanding dramatically. 

Helix Community Schools’ vision focuses on student success via career pathways and rigorous academics. Helix Community Schools Vision: Helix Community Schools offers unique career pathways and rigorous, innovative academic experiences that empower students to transform themselves, their families, and their communities.

Helix Aviation Academy will open with a 6th grade class in the 2021-22 school year. The following year, the aviation academy will add a 7th grade and an 8th grade in 2023-24 school year. In the 2024-25 school year, an elementary program will open with grades K-2. Thereafter, Helix Aviation Academy will continue to expand until the 2027-28 school year, reaching full capacity and providing students with a full K-12 experience. 

To learn more about Helix, you can visit their website.

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We’ve spent too much time apart and it’s time to get back together.  Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is proud to announce the 2021 Louisiana Airport Managers & Associates annual conference.  LAMA’s 50th Conference will be held at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana on October 24-27, 2021. 

LAMA Members:  Discuss timely topics impacting airports today, network with attendees from across Louisiana, learn about the latest solutions in the exhibit hall, and participate in discussions over the future direction of Louisiana’s aviation industry.  There will be social events scheduled on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights that will provide additional opportunities for networking, as well as a chance to experience some of the best food and entertainment Baton Rouge has to offer. 

Exhibitor/Sponsors:  The 2021 LAMA Conference will bring together top airport professionals from across Louisiana.  Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your brand and make a lasting impression on attendees!  We invite you to explore our diverse selection of conference sponsorship opportunities to find the option that best suits your business.  For questions about our sponsorship opportunities, please contact lamaconference2021@gmail.com.

Please reference the LAMA Conference when making your hotel reservations.  We look forward to sharing more details with you in the coming weeks.

You will find conference forms for your use at www.louisianaairports.org.  If you have any questions feel free to contact Tara Tessier at 225-355-0333 or lamaconference2021@gmail.com.

To read the latest newsletter from the Baton Rouge Metro Airport click HERE.

They have a survey in this edition they would like you to take.

To read the May edition of the Pilots For Patients newsletter click…..

HERE

And in our next issue of The Aviator Gazette . . . It’s our May Edition and we have some great programs to share with you and your family. Click below for updates on founding student events, upcoming activities, and our Summer Bridge Program.

Click HERE to read more.

To read the May Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

HOUMA, La – Andy Cook is one comfortable guy.

He’s on a Louisiana layover.

Inside what’s left of a retired, renovated, old New Orleans Hornets Boeing 727 airplane.

WGNO’s Bill Wood is there, too.

He’s been invited into Andy’s man cave.

Andy has decked out his home away from home.

It’s actually just behind his home.

He landed his 727 man cave right in his own backyard.

And it’s a short commute from work.

Andy Cook is an air traffic controller at the Houma-Terrebonne Airport in Houma, Louisiana.

He’s had a career of guiding in planes across the country.

He loves planes, always has.

His passion started when he was a kid.

The plane he snuggles up in now flew for the NBA for New Orleans, when the team was the Hornets and for two other NBA teams.

Fasten your seatbelt for one of the few 727s still in service.

It’s on a non-stop flight.

In the first-class imagination.

Right there in the driver’s seat, there’s a Louisiana pilot.

To see the video click HERE

I previously shared some photographs of Doc the B-29 taken from the ground by NOLA Photogal Kate Dimartino. This time I’m sharing a few photos from Aviation Photographer Patrick Quigley from a different viewpoint...up in the air. Thanks to Kate and Pat for sharing their beautiful images for all of us to enjoy.

When a beautiful and rare aircraft like Doc visits Louisiana the aircraft photographers will definitely be there. Here are some beautiful images from Kate the NOLA Photo Gal. 

As one of the busiest airports in Louisiana, Lakefront routinely serves private, corporate, and military aircraft. The airport had more than 65,000 operations last year.

Recommendations to close Runway 9/27 have been in the works for years, as proponents say it would mitigate existing hotspots and provide a safer taxiway environment on the field. Additionally, airport officials say decommissioning the runway is necessary for planned development of T-hangars and box hangars and to provide more ramp space for the airport’s two FBOs.

While the FAA was in favor of closing the runway, the agency made it clear that the sponsor should engage the stakeholders in the process—a request that was largely ignored.

Emmet Bartholomew, an airline transport pilot and flight instructor based at Lakefront, said he was only notified of the public meeting once it was “pretty clear” a decision had already been made. “I was taken aback that numerous other notifications and meetings had not been held to receive feedback from those this change will impact the most,” Bartholomew said.

AOPA member Erin Seidemann, who flies a Cirrus SR22 G3 and owns a T-hangar at Lakefront, said most tenants were unaware of prior meetings on the matter.

AOPA learned that the project was being solicited for bid and pressed the FAA airports district office to provide a public hearing on the closure. The airport sponsor scheduled the meeting one week in advance and did not provide a virtual option for attendees until hours before.

During the April 27 meeting, tenants and pilots called the airport out for the underhanded manner in which it was held, while many were vocal about the safety implications of removing the crosswind runway.

Over the past decade, Runway 9/27 has only had two hotspot incursions, both of which were considered Category C or D—the lowest risk. Despite the airport citing a wind rose study stating that the two parallel runways provide 97 percent wind coverage, pilots remain skeptical and say the hotspot tradeoff would jeopardize safety. One tenant calculated an estimate of around 5,000 annual operations during times of significant crosswinds.

The airport has a busy flight training facility, and the lack of a crosswind runway could cause major concern for novice pilots in the event of severe weather changes. 

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A former Louisiana Wing cadet, Rebecca Oppenheim, and fellow engineers on her NASA design team will soon be nervously watching and waiting for the signal that the Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, had completed its first flight on the Red Planet. Ingenuity traveled almost 300 million miles in the belly of the Mars land rover, Perseverance. Last week the rover was taking selfies with the helicopter in Mars' Jezero Crater, where the first controlled powered flight ever conducted on another planet will take place once NASA provides final clearance. During an internship at NASA's Ames Research Center in California, Oppenheim worked for six months on the team that designed the helicopter’s blades. She started her journey into aerospace engineering, modeling and simulation when she was a young girl at a summer camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. She knew from then on she wanted to design things that fly and to send them into space. Oppenheim worked hard in high school studying math and science and participating on the robotics team. She was also active in the Louisiana Wing’s St. Tammany Composite Squadron her last two years of high school, having joined because of her interest in flying and because she was seriously contemplating attending the U.S. Air Force Academy. CAP’s aerospace education activities and classes complemented Oppenheim’s high school academic endeavors. After high school she studied aerospace engineering at Mississippi State University, graduating magna cum laude in 2018. She has since worked for NASA and is now a U.S. Army employee. Oppenheim’s father, Daniel Oppenheim, joined the squadron to support her efforts. He now holds the CAP rank of captain and is the Louisiana Wing’s legal officer as well as a mission pilot and cadet orientation pilot. 

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Left to Right, George Waddell (FAA), LJ Brady, Joel Brightbill, and Michael Hall (FAAS Team).

Two more Louisiana pilots have received the prestigious FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.  Congratulations to LJ Brady and Joel Brightbill who received their awards at the Ama Airport Crawfish Boil on Sunday, April 11.  They are the 63rd and 64th recipients from Louisiana.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. This award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as "Master Pilots".

A distinctive certificate and lapel pin is issued after application review and eligibility requirements have been met. Once the award has been issued, the recipient's name, city and state will be added to a published "Roll of Honor".  You can see it by clicking Here.

The Louisiana Wing of the Civil Air Patrol has awarded the Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award to Captain Daniel Oppenheim, our Louisiana Wing legal officer, 

pilot, and O-ride instructor. He is always busy doing things for the community, along with his wife, Patti Oppenheim, and his children.

The Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award is given to Civil Air Patrol members who complete Level Two of the Senior Member Professional Development Program and have dedicated themselves to leadership and personal development in the CAP.

Congratulations! We appreciate all you do for our squadron and for our community and nation.

Congratulations to Patrick Quigley from Slidell for receiving the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.  He received the honor on April 10th in a ceremony at Lakefront Airport.  Patrick is the 62nd recipient from Louisiana.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. This award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as "Master Pilots".

A distinctive certificate and lapel pin is issued after application review and eligibility requirements have been met. Once the award has been issued, the recipient's name, city and state will be added to a published "Roll of Honor".  You can see it by clicking Here.

Photo Credits:  Scott Lindsly

To read the April Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

Boutique Air will begin flight operations from Greenville, MS - Greenville Mid-Delta Regional Airport to New Orleans, LA -Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Thursday, April 22, 2021. The new route will offer one daily round-trip on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Greenville, MS Mayor Erick Simmons is proud to announce this new service for our residents as “We have diligently worked with Boutique Air to launch this service to New Orleans. We believe this is the right route at the right time for our citizens in the Mississippi Delta. Additionally, we believe it will provide a continued pathway to help us with our economic development needs.”

Sam Washington, the Greenville Airport Manager has much to say about this New Orleans service as well,“I am very pleased that Boutique Air has chosen to begin limited service from Greenville, MS to New Orleans, LA. This is a route that I have requested to add since early in my tenure as Airport Director and I am grateful that Boutique Air was willing to work with the City of Greenville to make this a reality for the citizens of the Mississippi Delta.”

Brian Kondrad, Vice President of Business Operations for Boutique Air, added “We are very proud to offer New Orleans to our Greenville passengers. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, we’re happy to provide dedicated service to this exciting new destination,” Kondrad stated.

Boutique Air is a full codeshare partner with United Airlines and has an interline agreement with American Airlines.

“Passengers booking through United Airlines and American Airlines will enjoy seamless connections and baggage transfers when booking on either website of United Airlines or American Airlines,” said Kondrad.

"We are pleased to welcome our newest airline, Boutique Air, to New Orleans," said Kevin Dolliole, Director of Aviation for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. "Greenville is our first nonstop destination in Mississippi, and we look forward to connecting the rich history of each of our regions."

Fares will start at $79 per person. For the current schedule and to book directly with Boutique Air, please go to www.boutiqueair.com.

Hollywood, Fla. – Silver Airways, America’s leading independent regional airline, today announced new safe, reliable, and customer-focused service with nonstop twice weekly flights from New Orleans, Louisiana to Jacksonville, Florida.

In addition to nonstop service between New Orleans, Louisiana and north Florida, this new route will also provide convenient and seamless connections to Silver’s extensive network throughout the Sunshine State, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and destinations domestically and worldwide through Silver’s codeshare and interline ticketing partners. Silver serves more intra-Florida destinations than any other air carrier.

"We are pleased to welcome Silver Airways to New Orleans with nonstop service to Jacksonville," said Kevin Dolliole, Director of Aviation for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. "We continue to work to provide more opportunities to connect New Orleans to the rest of the country and vice versa. This is just the beginning of what we hope will be a great partnership."

“We are very excited to serve New Orleans, Louisiana and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities” said Steve Rossum, Chief Executive Officer of Silver Airways. “New Orleans is a vibrant city with a unique culture known for its lively music scene, distinct cuisine, and Southern charm. Steeped in history with deep roots in African, French, and Spanish cultures, the city of New Orleans delivers a charming experience with scenic parks and outdoor activities, countless museums and historical sites showcasing its incredible architecture,” added Rossum. “We are delighted to arrive in the Big Easy and look forward to providing safe, reliable, and friendly service to the community here.”

To celebrate the new nonstop service, Silver is offering fares from $79* available at silverairways.com for a limited time for travel from June 3 through July 11, 2021.

For complete details, reservations and to receive email updates on Silver’s special offers, visit silverairways.com.

Tampa General Hospital is upgrading its fleet of critical care helicopters with the addition of a new Airbus EC145e. The new helicopter provides more cabin space and faster air speeds than their current primary aircraft.

“This new medical air transport helicopter is an important part of Tampa General’s Aeromed Program and will play a key role in helping us provide potentially lifesaving care to critically ill or injured patients in 23 Florida counties,” said Michele Moran, senior director of emergency services, Tampa General Hospital.

“The larger interior means the medical flight crew has better access to care for patients, allows for improved views and communication between the pilot in the cockpit and the crew in the cabin or for a family member to accompany the patient, if appropriate,” said Moran. for easy and safe loading and unloading.

The new EC145e is equipped with Metro’s standard medical interior and Genesys Aerosystems’ instrumental flight rules (IFR) HeliSAS Autopilot and Stability Augmentation System, providing workload reduction for both single and dual pilot operations. The aircraft also has the Outerlink Global Solutions IRIS combined voice, video and flight data recorder system onboard. The video function and data monitoring can be used for pilot training, while the flight following, push-to-talk radio, and live alerts and warnings allow Metro’s Operational Control Center to monitor the location and condition of the aircraft and verify alerts and conditions in real time.

Aeromed has been part of the Metro Aviation family of operations customers since 2013.

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To read the April Chennault Aviation and Military Newsletter click HERE.

The 2021 Barksdale Defenders of Liberty Air & Space Show is happening May 8 and May 9. Our featured performers are the USAF Thunderbirds. We are very excited to have them back at Barksdale! Many details will be forthcoming. Please watch our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/barksdaleairshow/) and our website (https://barksdaleafbairshow.com) for updates. We can tell you today that this is a "drive in" show. Attendees will be directed to the flight line where they will park. Each automobile will have a reserved area next to the vehicle where you can place lawn chairs for seating. There will be many do's and don'ts associated with this arrangement and we will tell you about them as the details are approved by the base. Please plan to attend, and check back for further details.

We have published the "information" page on our website:  Click Here  As mentioned previously, more details will follow.  

The "performers" page is also updated for 2021:  Click Here

It's a tailgate like no other! Our Airshow this year — on June 5-6, with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and a salute to the 77th anniversary of D-Day — will be staged in the "tailgate airshow" arrangement.

That means your group will have your own private, roomy space to unload your ice chest, set up your chairs, and enjoy the show by your vehicle.

You're paying by the vehicle (the tailgate space), not per person. That can be a real savings on tickets! For at little as $50, your entire group arrives with you and tailgates with you in your space. In a six-passenger SUV, that's less that $9 per person to see the Airshow — less than half the price of the last airshow's ticket!

There are three tailgate zones: A, B and C.

Zones A and B are the closest and have local food trucks and air-conditioned and accessible bathrooms. Zone C has bathrooms and accessible bathrooms.

Tickets are sold only online, only in advance. There are no same-day sales or gate sales.

Get your tailgate ticket now by clicking HERE.

The Airshow doesn't happen without the valuable efforts of its volunteer force.

Everyone is encouraged to help with this memorable two-day celebration on the 77th anniversary of D-Day — and see the show for free! The next meeting for volunteers — new or returning — is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 12, at Southwest Beverage, 3860 Broad St.

Social distance and wear masks, please, in keeping with Airshow safety.

Encourage others to take part, too.  For more info click HERE.

To read the Spring Pilots for Patients News click...HERE

To read the latest newsletter from the Baton Rouge Metro Airport click HERE.

Check out the Aviation Academy of Louisiana’s latest blog ~As the Rotor Turns~ they posted a bit from one of their mentors, Wade Cook, the Chief Pilot of one of the largest EMS providers in the USA.

https://www.flylouisiana.com/blog-3-8

Propell Air is back with a new instructor- Seth Sanders! Seth is a recent graduate of Louisiana Tech’s Professional Aviation program, and will be the new instructor at Beauregard Regional Airport. He will be moving to DeRidder in the coming weeks and will be accepting new, and former Propell students, starting March 20th. Make sure and stop by our office in the airport terminal to meet Seth and welcome him to DeRidder.

I am excited to have Seth pick up where I left off and fill the need for flight training for DeRidder, Fort Polk, and the surrounding areas.

In celebration of Propell Air’s newest flight instructor discovery flights will be $50 off ($200) through the month of April.

Call (337) 401-5013 for info.

https://www.facebook.com/PropellAirLLC/

To read the March Big Easy Wing Newsletter click HERE.

Joe Wheeler (left) is welcomed by Tupelo Airport board member John Hill.  Photo by Thomas Wells of the Daily Journal

TUPELO • Tupelo Regional Airport has a new executive director.

The Tupelo Airport Authority (TAA) Board of Directors Thursday afternoon announced Joseph Wheeler as its new executive director. He will start April 1.

Wheeler replaces Cliff Nash, who retired in January after more than five years with the airport.

Wheeler has 15 years of airport experience, including his current position as the Airport Director for the Greater Lafourche Port Commission in Galliano, LA.

“I’m extremely excited,” Wheeler said. “I’ve got a lot of friends and family in the area, and I’m really looking forward not only for the community moving this up, but now it’s my family, my friends that I’m getting to actually move forward and help the airport expand. I’m absolutely thrilled about this opportunity.”

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I am extremely sad to report that longtime EAA Chapter 912 President Donna Maroon passed away on February 26.  I’ve known Donna for over 20 years and attended many of the annual fly-ins that she organized faithfully at the Concordia Parish Airport in Vidalia.  She also served on the Concordia Parish Authority.  She will be missed.  Our deepest sympathy and prayers for her family and friends.

Click For Obituary

Caption: Left to Right: 1st Lt Valerie Titus; Col Allyson Chauvin, CAP USAF; Cadet Lt Col Luke Titus; and Lt Col William Hunton.

New Orleans –    Col Allyson Chauvin, CAP USAF, presented Cadet Lt Col Luke Titus with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Ira C. Eaker Award on 23 February 2021 during a ceremony at the Pontchartrain Cadet Squadron. The Eaker Award Level is the second- highest promotion in the CAP cadet program. Cadet Lt Col Titus is the Cadet Commander of his squadron. Cadet Lt Col Titus is working toward his pilot’s license at The New Orleans Flight Club; he has passed the FAA Knowledge Exam. Cadet Titus plans to pursue higher education at the U.S. Air Force Academy and fly for the US Air Force.

Cadet Lt Col Titus has won the Region Commander’s Commendation, the Wing Commander’s Commendation, and the VFW NCO of the Year Award. At Louisiana Wing Encampment at Barksdale Air Force, he was chosen as Honor Cadet from a field of approximately 100 cadets from Louisiana and Texas.

Cadet Lt Col Titus is the assistant delegate to the Louisiana Wing Cadet Advisory Council. He has served as the Squadron Flight Sergeant and Committee Chairman for the Louisiana Wing Cadet Olympiad. He serves as Southwest Region Cadet Diversity Liaison, Louisiana Wing Cadet Diversity Liaison, SWR Cadet Advisory Council Primary Representative, and La Wing Cadet Advisory Council Vice-Chairman.

Cadet Lt Col Titus exhibits exemplary leadership and knowledge of the CAP cadet program. In his 4 years in CAP, Cadet Lt Titus has tested, performed, and promoted in record time. Cadet Lt Col Titus serves as Cadet Commander and as Leadership Officer and Emergency Services Officer. CAP provides 90% of the search and rescue in the US every year, saving from 100 to 149 lives a year.

Cadet Lt Col Titus is a Senior at Lusher Charter School and is an Offensive Lineman on Lusher’s Varsity Football Team. He established the U.S. Colors Club for the raising of the school’s flags.

Established in 1941, 

Visit www.CAP.News or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information. 

Collision During Takeoff/Landing: Quad City Challenger II, N6138Z; accident occurred March 22, 2020 in Lettsworth, Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana

On March 22, 2020, about 1630 central daylight time, amateur-built Bower Challenger II airplane, N6138Z, was substantially damaged when it collided with a tree and impacted the ground near Lettsworth, Louisiana. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane about 1-1/2 weeks before the accident flight. This was his first flight. He had no previous flight time, nor had he received any flight instruction. He noted some familiarization with flying obtained from the internet. He had planned only to taxi; however, a wind gust caused the airplane to become airborne, and he ultimately flew for about 25 minutes "to get the hang of things." He attempted to land several times but was unable because of the turbulence. After another landing attempt, he again decided to go-around due to the turbulence. He thought the airplane had cleared trees near the flight path; however, the airplane was momentarily overcome by the continuing turbulence which resulted in it striking a tree. He stated there were no issues with the airplane; it was "performing flawlessly."

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A Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office helicopter malfunctioned upon take off, injuring two Livingston deputies and a St. Helena Sheriff's Office deputy Monday afternoon, according to a Facebook post by Livingston Sheriff Jason Ard. 

The three deputies were hospitalized with "minor to moderate injuries" but were later released after examination, according to a LPSO spokesperson.

"Fortunately, they were able to walk away from the incident without serious injuries," Ard wrote. "For that, I am very thankful."

LPSO was assisting the St. Helena office with an active investigation in Greensburg when the helicopter malfunctioned during take off with the three deputies on board around 2 p.m. 

LPSO is working with the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the cause of the crash, Ard wrote.

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Just completing her CFII check ride a few weeks ago, Capt. Momoko Edwards took advantage of that rating and signed off Lt. Col. Lester Cambre of LA-076 squadron based at KNEW and congratulated each other’s accomplishments!  Capt. Edwards signed off Col Cambre for his instrument rating in which she’d been helping him  with for the last several weeks! Civil Air Patrol encourages their members to achieve advanced ratings so they can become more proficient pilots! They also want to encourage the next generation of younger pilots to join for the same reasons! According to Col Cambre, “I look for young, low time pilots and challenge them to join. I tell them we’ll make you better!” Anyone interested in this challenge can contact Lt. Col. Cambre at 504-415-9726

Hear from Brian Capone, Squad Commander at the Baton Rouge Civil Air Patrol. Early Exposure is key to being successful in any career field.

To watch it on Facebook click HERE

LARRY JAMES LANDRY, SR.

1942 – 2021

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Larry Landry on February 13, 2021.  Larry was an integral part of the Mid-Continent family.  Larry’s association with Mid-Continent began in 1971 when he first met Mid-Continent founder and owner Dick Reade at the NAAA Convention in Las Vegas.  After working for Lyon Flying Service in Welsh, LA, Larry became parts manager for Falcon Crest Aviation.  Shortly thereafter, Larry was approached by then-Mid-Continent executive VP, Larry Cookemboo, who proposed a joint operation in Estherwood, LA.

Landry Aero opened its doors in May 1993 as a parts division of Mid-Continent, with insurance sales added in 1996.  Even though it has always existed as a division of Mid-Continent, the name “Landry Aero” was strategically chosen because the Landry name and reputation remained so closely identifiable with Larry’s existing customer base.

Larry Landry was born in Jennings, LA to Evelins Landry and Marie Gary Landry.  He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from 1960-1964, in the Air Police Canine Corps, and as an interpreter during the Vietnam War.  He continued to serve his community as a Boy Scouts Master during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.  Larry was a devout Roman Catholic, devoted husband, and father.  Larry worked for many years in the aviation industry which was his passion, treating all his customers and employees as if they were family.  He loved BBQ and cooking for his family, loved watching Saints and LSU football, playing golf, and working out at the gym.  Larry’s greatest joy came from the time he was able to spend with all of his family, especially his grandchildren.

Larry is survived by his three sons, Larry J. Landry, Jr. (Karen) of Ocean Springs, MS, Lance Joseph Landry (Carmen) of Scott, LA, Layne Jacy Landry (Rebecca) of Lafayette, LA; his two draughts Margaret Heather Landry Bergren (John) of Welsh, LA, Kamala Caroline Iguess (Kevin) of Welsh, LA; eight grandchildren, Ashley, Derrick, Aidan, Megan, Cain, Jordan, Shelby, and Zoe; and four great grandchildren, Jay, Jaxson, Charles, Jr., and Kingston.

Larry was preceded in death by his beloved wife Margaret “Margo” Dunn Gillard Landry, his father Evelins Landry, his mother Marie Gary, step-father Camille Palmer, and one grandson, Christian Rene Dubois.

Memorial Services for Larry were held at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Welsh, LA on Friday February 19, 2021.  Internment took place at Pine Island Cemetery in Pine Island, LA.

Larry will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Click For Obituary

By USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award program

NEW ORLEANS - Today, USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice travel award program announced that the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) ranked third in its 2021 Best Large Airport contest. The public voted for this honor after MSY was initially nominated among 12 other airports by a panel of travel industry experts. 

“It is an outstanding achievement to have our Airport named as one of the top three in the country,” said Judge Michael Bagneris, Chair of the New Orleans Aviation Board. “This is proof positive that the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Aviation Board’s investment in a new terminal facility was well worth it.”

“Not only have we been making significant investments in our Airport’s infrastructure, but we have also been laser focused on ensuring that our passengers receive the best possible customer service experience,” said Kevin Dolliole, Director of Aviation. “We are grateful that the panel of experts from USA Today recognized this by selecting MSY, and we would like to sincerely thank every individual from the Greater New Orleans Region and beyond who voted for us throughout the four-week voting period.”

The top ten winners in this category are as follows:

1.    Denver International Airport 

2.    Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 

3.    Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 

4.    Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 

5.    Orlando International Airport 

6.    Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 

7.    Nashville International Airport 

8.    Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 

9.    Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 

10.    Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

In Nov. 2019, MSY moved all 16 airlines to its new, 972,000 square-foot terminal and drastically improved the first thing visitors see when they arrive in New Orleans. The new terminal features three concourses, 35 gates, two new parking garages, a surface parking lot next to the terminal. It was built with the passenger experience in mind, and features a consolidated checkpoint through which all passengers have access to more than 40 different food and retail concessions once beyond security.

Other amenities available in the new terminal include:

•    MSY-Fi – fast free Wi-Fi

•    Outlets in 50 percent of seats in the gate areas

•    11 water bottle refilling stations post security

•    Three Mothers Rooms

•    Fully automated restrooms with sanitary seat covers

•    A pet relief area post security

•    Music venues located pre and post security

•    Three curbside check-in locations with easy access to the Short Term Garage

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We are a tuition free, public charter school that provides transportation to all students. We are located at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport. We have limited seating for 6th grade students; so, we encourage you to complete your application soon. Early exposure in Aviation and Cyber Technology is our focus. Students will be on a guided pathway into related fields. Apply now at www.helixaviationacademy.org to secure your seat!

MONROE, La. — The City of Monroe has announced the appointment of Charles Butcher as the Director of the Monroe Regional Airport.

According to the city, Butcher’s career in aviation spans across two decades. Butcher most recently served as the Director of Security Access and Ground Transportation Services at the Northwest Arkansas National Airport.

Butcher is also experienced in directing large airport projects, including writing the minimum standards, airport emergency plan, and helping with the rewriting of the security plan.

Butcher, who holds a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Science with an emphasis in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management from Delta State University. Butcher is also a licensed pilot and holds an FAA flight dispatcher certificate.

To read the February Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE

To read the Lafayette Regional Airport Annual Report Series: Part 1 of 4 click:

HERE

To read the Lafayette Regional Airport Annual Report Series: Part 2 of 4 click:

HERE

To read the Lafayette Regional Airport Annual Report Series: Part 3 of 4 click:

HERE

To read the Lafayette Regional Airport Annual Report Series: Part 4 of 4 click HERE.

Rock Palermo III, left, and Richard Don Clements were killed in a plane crash Tuesday night in Cameron Parish.

In an emotional news conference Wednesday, Calcasieu Sheriff Tony Mancuso talked about Rock Palermo III, who was killed in a plane crash on Tuesday in Cameron, along with another man, Richard Don Clements.

Palermo was a long-time attorney for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, as well as the department’s pilot. But more than that, Mancuso said, “He was our friend.”

“I don’t know how you replace that,” Mancuso said through tears. “It’s personal sometimes and this was.”

Mancuso said Palermo was “everything” to this office. “He was the best at what he did.”

He said this was about the toughest loss he could think of for the office, as well as the community.

“Rock touched many, many people,” Mancuso said, adding Palermo had actually started the aviation program at the department. “He’s one of those people you can’t replace. He was amazing.”

Calcasieu District Attorney Stephen Dwight, who had worked with Palermo and was also a friend, said, “Rock was family; he always had your back. He loved the sheriff’s department and the sheriff’s department loved him.”

The bodies of Palermo and Clements were recovered from the wreckage of the plane, which went down near Hackberry, according to Cameron Sheriff Ron Johnson.

The plane, a single-engine Cessna 182 four-seater, crashed on a small island between Hackberry and Big Lake, near Pete Seay Circle, according to authorities.

Palermo was an instructor on the flight and Clements was a student.

Both families have been notified and arrangements have not yet been announced for either of the men.

Palermo graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in 1987 and graduated from LSU Law School in 1992. He was a founding partner in the law firm of Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson.

In addition to his law duties and work for law enforcement, he was an FAA licensed Airline Transport Pilot with airplane, jet and helicopter ratings. He was a certified flight instructor and master scuba instructor. Palermo was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary, and held the rank of colonel. He also served on the Lake Charles Regional Airport Authority.

Tributes poured in on social media throughout the day on Wednesday, with people recalling memories of each man and offering condolences for their families. On Palermo’s Facebook page, one said it was a “tough day for Lake Area pilots” while another said, “Blue skies and tailwinds Rock.”

Palermo is survived by his wife, Kim, and their three children.

Clements was a financial planner, husband and father. He had worked in investing and financial planning since 2002 and was with Raymond James, a global asset management group.

Prior to his career as a financial advisor, Clements worked as a trader in the energy business and as a CPA in a public accounting firm. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor of science in accounting.

Clements is survived by his wife, Nancy, and their two children.

The cause of the plane crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

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Left to Right, Ralph McRae, his wife Anna, and FAA Examiner Jacob Braden.

If you follow our Facebook page you have seen me congratulate a lot of folks from all around Louisiana for achieving various licenses and ratings.  When I got a note from Ralph McRae telling me he had achieved his Helicopter Commercial add-on, I got really interested when he mentioned that he was 76 ½ years old.  So I asked him to tell me a little about himself.  Here's what he sent:

“I am really proud to have gotten the commercial helo add on.   It was much harder than I thought.  I have been flying airplanes since 1965.  I graduated from Army flight school in June 1969.  I flew O-1 Bird Dogs in Vietnam 1,300 hrs.  Upon returning from Vietnam I flew one of the last Army C-47s 2,300 hrs.   I resigned from the Army in 1972.  

Since then I have been involved with several family businesses which allowed me to own and fly numerous private aircraft.   I hold an ATP with DC-3 and Falcon 20 type ratings.  I hold a commercial SE land and sea plus the new helo rating.  I am also a CFI ME SE Inst.  I am totally retired in Leesville.  I own a 1957 Cessna Bird Dog and a Robinson R44.  I am 5th generation Vernon Parish/Leesville.  Nowadays I only fly for fun mostly around Southwest Louisiana.   

Wow, what an impressive flying career.  And after reading that I also remembered where I heard the name before.  He also received the impressive FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in November of last year.  So congratulations, Ralph, on your new Commercial Helicopter License and also thank you for your service to our country.  I hope you will keep flying for many more years.

Ralph pictured with his family and L-19 on the day he received his Master Pilot Award.

After a very difficult year, we at Hangar 7 Air Center in Monroe have been forced to close our doors.  With no available hangars to rent and no leasable land on which to build more, along with a fuel farm, the plans for our new, amazing FBO building have been tabled.  We’d like to thank those of you who have faithfully used our services over this past year.  Nationwide, we have felt such encouragement and support from so many who have seen “locally-owned” and “veteran-owned” in our description and immediately knew they were coming to see us!  We have enjoyed getting to know so many pilots who have made us a frequent fueling stop on their cross-country flights and we will miss seeing your smiling faces.  Unfortunately, our city officials, along with the former airport administration, have deemed it unnecessary to unseat the monopoly they themselves have cultivated over the years.  When the new Monroe mayor used the slogan, “One-roe,” we hoped he would focus on helping local companies rather than corporate offices hundreds of miles away.  Sadly, this has not been the case.  Again, we thank you for your business and, more importantly, for your friendship over these past months.  We have been absolutely honored to have served you.

*The flight school will remain in operation*

To read the February Newsletter from the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Monroe click…..HERE

To read the latest Newsletter from the Baton Rouge Metro Airport click HERE

It is with deep sadness that I report Steve Rastanis has passed away today after a sudden illness.  Steve was a flight instructor and owner of AutoGyro of Louisiana at the Hammond Northshore Regional Airport.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Jan. 22, 2021 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) today announced it recently inducted the first U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) P-3 Orion aircraft for depot level maintenance at its Aircraft Maintenance and Fabrication Center in Lake Charles.

Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract in June for aircraft maintenance and logistics services for the P-3 fleet. In addition to depot level maintenance, the company will support daily operations of the 14 aircraft fleet operating primarily out of Jacksonville, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas, as well as domestic and international deployment locations. All 14 aircraft in the fleet will undergo depot inductions over the course of the contract.

“Northrop Grumman’s expertise in aircraft maintenance, logistics and sustainment have kept aircraft fleets mission ready for decades,” said Michelle Scarpella, sector vice president and general manager, global sustainment and modernization, Northrop Grumman. “We support operations of aircraft around the world and have delivered depot maintenance from our Aircraft Maintenance and Fabrication Center in Lake Charles for over 20 years.”

Northrop Grumman’s growing Aircraft Maintenance and Fabrication Center is home to 700 professionals who have performed over 15 million hours of direct maintenance work on numerous aircraft including the P-3 Orion, E-8C, E2-C Hawkeye, C-2A Greyhound, and the United Kingdom Royal Air Force’s E-3D.

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.

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TENSAS PARISH, La. (KNOE) - Authorities are investigating a fatal plane crash in northern Tensas Parish. It happened on the afternoon of Jan. 19, 2021.

According to the Louisiana State Police, the plane was a crop duster. One fatality has been confirmed. There were no other occupants.

Tensas Parish Sheriff Rickey Jones said the plane crashed off of Highway 888. The Northeast Louisiana Ambulance Service, who got the call around 2:39 p.m., said the area was near Big Lake.

The plane was registered to Tensas Flying Service. The National Transportation Safety Board says they are investigating.

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Additional Coverage

Federal investigation at a Newellton plane crash site is concluding after two days. 

Tensas Parish Sheriff Rickey Jones said the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigators are finishing work at the scene and preparing removal of the plane. 

Carl L. Hill, 68, of Newellton, died Tuesday afternoon when his Air Tractor AT-802A crashed under unknown circumstances after hitting a power line near the intersection of Louisiana 888 and Big Lake Road.

Hill was the only occupant of the plane.

The Air Tractor is used in agricultural applications and was registered to Tensas Flying Service LLC, a company owned by Hill.

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I’m sure most of you remember that Louisiana agricultural aviation pilot Carl Hill lost his life in a tragic aviation accident on January 19, 2021.  

Carl was the owner of Tensas Flying Service.  A Memorial Flyover was conducted by several of his pilot friends at his Memorial Service on January 23, 2021.  Thanks to Candi Head for allowing us to share her video of this beautiful tribute.  To see the video click…  https://youtu.be/GZ7yiyqDNeo

Flyover crew for Carl’s tribute taken under the wing of Cody Hill's airplane.

Signature Flight Support has moved its FBO at Louisiana’s Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport/Ryan Field next door to a newly-renovated terminal and hangar complex that previously housed a corporate flight department. As part of its purchase of Landmark Aviation in 2016, Signature inherited a 1960s-era facility at the airport, and it purchased the adjacent, larger location last year.

After two months of renovations, the new FBO consists of a 15,000-sq-ft hangar (50 percent larger than the previous hangar) that can accommodate aircraft up to a Gulfstream G650, as well as a 5,000-sq-ft adjoining terminal with a 12-seat conference room, pilot lounge with showers, and offices.

“Signature Flight Support is committed to the growth of private aviation at the Baton Rouge Metro Airport and the greater Baton Rouge area,” said Geoff Heck, the service provider’s senior v-p for eastern U.S. operations. “We are proud to service residents and visitors to the city, and our new facility allows us to grow our on-field presence in greatly renewed surroundings.”

Mike Edwards, the airport’s director of aviation, added, “The expansion of private aviation capabilities at Baton Rouge by Signature Flight Support is a testament to the strength and importance of this group of airport users.”

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To read the January Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE

Winnsboro officials were accused of being in breach of contract after not paying approximately $60,000 for work on the municipal airport.

The allegations arose during Winnsboro’s regular Town Council meeting Monday night by Bill Holdman, president and CEO of Amethyst Construction of West Monroe.

According to Holdman, Winnsboro owed his company $69,737 for the rehabilitation of Winnsboro Municipal Airport taxiway and aprons.

Holdman received a certificate of completion signed by Mayor Sonny Dumas and Heath McGuffee from Meyer, Meyer, LaCroix & Hixson Engineers of Alexandria. McGuffee was project engineer, according to Holdman.

Dumas said Winnsboro is currently disputing Amethyst Construction’s claim after further review of the quality of work.

“(The certificate of completion) was signed and certified by our office,” McGuffee said. “We made recommendations to the city, and the city has since disputed the remainder of the work and is requesting a reassessment. Yes, we did certify it but upon further review, (the work) does not meet the requirements”

When asked by Town Council member Rex McCarthy how did Amethyst receive a certificate of completion when the work was not complete Dumas said, “I don’t know if we have a certificate of completion but if we do I’d like to see it.”

Holdman said the certificate was signed by all parties involved..

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CHENNAULT TO GET NATIONAL GUARD READINESS CENTER: Construction is scheduled to begin in fall 2021 on a 60,000-plus square foot National Guard readiness center at Chennault International Airport.

The Lake Charles Readiness Center will be the future home of multiple Louisiana National Guard units who experienced damage to their armory during Hurricane Laura.

The plans for the new readiness center began before Hurricane Laura barreled through Southwest Louisiana.

Lt. Col. Scott Slaven, LANG's Construction Facilities Management Officer, notes that progress continues on the planning and design of the new readiness center in Lake Charles despite challenges with COVID-19 and hurricanes.

“Through the efforts and dedication of our design partner, Holly and Smith Architects from Hammond, La., design is now 60 percent complete. This has truly been a collaborative effort, and I look forward to the day when we can turn over a first-class facility to our soldiers,” Slaven said.

Brig. Gen. Keith Waddell, the Adjutant General of LANG, supports the progress.

“We’re looking forward to beginning construction on the Lake Charles Readiness Center in 2021 and are pleased with the opportunity to continue working with the leadership at Chennault International Airport, the city of Lake Charles and other state and local stakeholders,” Waddell said. “Our priority remains serving the citizens of Louisiana.”

Here are some additional facts and figures about the facility:

• Size: 60,000 square feet.

• Cost: An estimated $24 million or more.

• Units served: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion of the 156th Infantry Regiment; Detachment 1, H Company of the 199th Support Battalion; and B Company of the LANG’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion.

• Soldiers: About 170.

“We welcome and look forward to the development of the 3-156 Infantry Battalion’s new home at Chennault International Airport,” said Kevin Melton, Executive Director of Chennault International Airport. “We’re proud to host — right here in our own backyard — the robust and important training of the warriors of the Louisiana National Guard. The addition of the new Guard facility supports Chennault’s vision of growth for the economic good for our region and state."

The mission and purpose of the Lake Charles Readiness Center will be to provide space for training, administration and material storage for the assigned National Guard units.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter welcomed the announcement.

“This is a monumental announcement coming on the heels of a truly difficult year,” Hunter said. “The Louisiana National Guard’s commitment to build a multimillion-dollar Readiness Center at Chennault is a true testament to the value the airport brings to our regional economy. Now, more than ever, a diversified economy is critical to the rebuilding of our community.”

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A Baton Rouge woman has won a $50,000 collegiate scholarship from Dr. Pepper to pursue her dream job of being a commercial aviation pilot.

Kirsten Smith, a 2020 graduate of what is now Liberty High School, was named a finalist for Dr. Pepper’s Tuition Giveaway program after she submitted a video entry explaining how the scholarship would help her fulfill her career goal of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

“Along my journey, I couldn’t help but notice there are not very many people like me,” Smith said in the video. “It was a little discouraging at first, however, with the help of my family and mentors I know my destination can become a reality.”

Smith described herself as a ‘unicorn’ in the submission video because she is pursuing a career in aviation as a female African American. She says women make up only 5% of pilots in commercial aviation and of those female pilots even less are African American.

Dr. Pepper, which is granting $2 million in tuition during the 2020-201 college football season, told Smith she was a finalist and would compete in a game-show style game on Dude Perfect’s YouTube Channel on Dec. 7.

Smith competed against a fellow finalist from Texas A&M in a game of “Small Games, Big Prizes” in which the contestants had to guess if an object was real or actually a cake.

She did not realize it before the game began, but she would win a $50,000 scholarship for participating.

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We're proud to be the host of the Chennault International Airshow, which will return June 5-6, 2021. Today, our executive director, Kevin Melton — who is also president of the Airshow's independent board of directors — welcomed a U.S. Navy Blue Angels advance team to Chennault review early logistics before their headline appearance here in 2021. At one point, Melton went out to look over the Blue Angels jet that they arrived in, and as an Air Force man — a retired colonel, in fact — he appeared to be impressed with the legendary Navy aircraft.

READYING FOR THE BLUE ANGELS: Chennault International Airshow Board President — and airport Executive Director — Kevin Melton, seated in foreground, listens as Lt. Julius Bratton of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels discusses logistics for the Blue Angels’ visit to the next Airshow.

The report has been issued on a Van’s RV-8 incident at Southland Field that occurred back on June 8, 2020.  The aircraft had a landing gear structural failure when landing. There was substantial damage to the aircraft but thankfully only minor injuries to the pilot.  For details on the accident click HERE.

The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum Gala has gone virtual... but don't worry!  You can watch it at any time on our Facebook page.

This fundraiser occured live on December 12 and went virtual on December 17. It is our biggest fundraiser of the year!  If you missed the live event, you can watch it now for free by clicking HERE

You can also still support the Museum by donating to the Gala HERE.

Donations are appreciated and benefit the Museum's mission to Preserve, Promote, and Honor Military and Aviation History.

To read the Winter edition of the Pilots For Patients Newsletter click HERE

Tech. Sgt. Joseph McCoy, Tech. Sgt. Eric Hill, 2nd Security Forces Squadron flight chiefs, and Master Sgt. Tamieka Morgan, 2nd SFS defense force operator, search for a route to a crash site at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – The pilot and passenger killed Wednesday in an early morning plane crash have been identified as Jonathan Cole Harris, 19, and Jet Andrew Montgomery, 18, both of Bossier City. 

Harris and Montgomery were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Barksdale Air Force Base. 

The two were in a Piper single engine aircraft that went down in poor weather conditions around 4:45 a.m. When air traffic controllers lost radar contact with the aircraft the Federal Aviation Administration was notified. Base personnel and Bossier Parish sheriff's deputies soon after began their search for the aircraft and found it around 8:25 in a heavily wooded area of the base referred to as the east reservation. 

Col. Mark Dmytryszyn of the 2nd Bomb Wing, who is the base commander at Barksdale, said Wednesday afternoon the site was secured and either the FAA or National Transportation Safety Board would take over the investigation into the crash. 

"It is not excessively dense but it is a low-volume, low-population area," Dmytryszyn said of the area where the plane went down. "We use it predominately for oil and natural gas exploration as well as some timber farming."

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For additional information on Kathryn’s Report click HERE

To read the December Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

After this year, I won’t even hazard to guess if events scheduled for 2021 will actually take place.  However, it is encouraging to see that each of the military jet teams are scheduled to perform in Louisiana in 2021.  

• The Thunderbirds are scheduled for the Barksdale AFB Air Show on May 8-9.   https://afthunderbirds.com/site/show-season/
• The Blue Angels are scheduled for the Chennault Air Show on June 4-6.  https://chennaultairshow.com/

If you want to look out even further, the Blue Angels are also scheduled for the New Orleans Air Show on March 19-20, 2022.

Keep your fingers crossed!  I’m sure you are ready to see them as much as I am.

The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, supported the Marine Toys for Tots program Dec. 8 by delivering toys and games to families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and recovering from multiple hurricanes in Lake Charles, Louisiana. 

The team conducted the event in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc., product philanthropy nonprofit organization Good360, and, of course, Santa Claus.

The Blue Angels’ C-130J logistics and support aircraft, affectionately known as “Fat Albert,” flew toys into Lake Charles Regional Airport where Marines from Marine Forces Reserve units along with a host of volunteers unloaded the toys and delivered them to the local Toys for Tots coordinators in the  surrounding parishes who will then distribute those toys and games to families in need for the 2020 holiday season.

“When we received the call from Santa asking for a helping hand with an early toy delivery, we knew  we were the right team for the job,” said Capt. Rick Rose, lead U.S. Marine Corps pilot of the C-130  demonstration. “We are so grateful to help in any way we can and support families around the Lake Charles area. Spreading the holiday spirit of giving and joy is what it’s all about.”

Throughout 2020, Hasbro has partnered with Toys for Tots to distribute toys and games to children who were most impacted by the pandemic. The Lake Charles community endured major hurricanes on top of a year that brought extraordinary challenges to so many.

“At Hasbro, we are proud to continue our longtime partnership with Toys for Tots, donating one million toys and games to support children across the nation in 2020,” said Hasbro’s Director of  Global Philanthropy and Social Impact Kevin Colman. “Play can help children gain a sense of normalcy during times of upheaval so we hope this donation of Hasbro toys and games will bring some joy to the children of Lake Charles this holiday season.”

Good360, the global leader in product philanthropy and purposeful giving and Toys for Tots’ newest  partner, has opened the door for relationships with thousands of local nonprofits through their vast  network allowing Toys for Tots to distribute toys in previously unsupported areas. Good360 works  closely with partners on the ground to provide critically needed goods throughout all giving phases of disaster recovery.

"This year Lake Charles has not only been dealing with the devastating effects of the pandemic, but  also with multiple destructive weather events that have left thousands of residents without homes and basic necessities," said Matt Connelly, CEO of Good360. "Our partnership with Toys for Tots allows us to bring joy to children and families undergoing the most challenging of circumstances, and it is our honor to take part in this distribution event with the Blue Angels."

Santa, through his U.S. Marine Corps connections, originally reached out to the U.S. Navy Flight  Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, to seek alternative transportation early this year. The Blue Angels offered their Marine C-130 aircraft and crew in support to fly these much-needed toys this holiday season.

Thank you to all of our Board Members, Advisory Board Members and the best Volunteers in the World for working hard to make the Southern Air Heritage Foundation in Tallulah a #greatnonprofits!

Thank you also to our guests, sponsors and supporters!

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The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Monroe has begun building an outdoor pavilion, display, and park showcasing seven restored military aircraft and more to tell our incredible story of aviation history and heritage. The Chennault Aviation Park will soon offer visitors a modern-day out-door facility with paved walkways, covered pavilions, and restored military aircraft.

For more information and how you can help make it happen click HERE.

Photo Courtesy of Professional Aviation Photographer Joe Richard

JEFF DAVIS PARISH, La. (KPLC) - A pilot walked away from a cropduster crash in Jeff Davis Parish this afternoon.

The crash happened in a field near Winston Road, south of Elton, and the pilot was able to walk to the junction of Dan Buller Road and La. 26, according to Chief Deputy Chris Ivey, with the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office. Dan Buller Road and Winston Road are about a half-mile apart.

The crash ended with the cropduster lying upside down.

Ivey said the pilot refused medical treatment and appeared to be ok.

Another pilot who lives in the area says the cropduster likely malfunctioned.

“Probably was the engine,” Barry Tietje said. “That’s the only way he probably would be out here like that but when he landed in this muddy rice field, he probably skidded maybe a couple hundred feet and flipped over in the mud.”

John Carbalan, who owns the farm on which the plane ended up, said he was relieved to learn there were no fatalities.

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The Aviation Academy of Louisiana is now doing helicopter flight training in New Iberia.  To see a video of their operation click….HERE

For more info go to their Website:  https://www.flylouisiana.com/

Check out the Port of South Louisiana’s latest issue of Port Log. Below is a link to the airport feature in this issue which highlights NOBRA River Pilot Cody Heitmeier who has taken his piloting skills to a "higher" level. 

Read the Article

To read the November Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE.

Helix Aviation Academy is inspired and informed by the unique local assets around it. Located in North Baton Rouge at the Baton Rouge Airport, the aviation academy is uniquely situated to provide students with exposure to professionals and experiences related to the field of aviation. 

Recent studies by the Federal Aviation Association and the Aviation Technician Education Council have shown that there is an impending shortage in both technician and pilot related careers, and the market for drone pilots and engineers is expanding dramatically. 

Their Vision

The vision of Helix Aviation Academy is to empower scholars to become young adults who take an innovative approach to problem solving and thrive in competitive aviation and cyber technology careers.

Their Mission

Helix Aviation Academy prepares all students for achievement in college, career, and a life of opportunity and choice through a deep understanding of the limitless world of aviation, including flight, aeronautical engineering, aircraft technology, and cyber technology.

Helix Aviation is currently accepting applications for 6th graders for the fall of 2021. We focus on building partnerships to increase exposure and maximize career preparation. Hear from Mike Edwards, Director of Aviation at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, on the importance of early exposure in STEM fields, specifically Aviation.

Signature Flight Support, the world’s largest network of Fixed Base Operations (FBOs), has relocated its private aviation facilities at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport in Louisiana to a newly renovated terminal and hangar complex. The transition marks a major change in Signature’s on-airport presence following the company’s acquisition of its original Baton Rouge premises following the acquisition of Landmark Aviation in 2017. 

The well-appointed campus consists of 20,000 sq. ft. of public, office, and hangar space, including an attached 15,000 sq. ft. hangar capable of housing numerous business jets. Additional amenities and services include large conference rooms, a pilot lounge, and crew showers. In addition, Signature Baton Rouge continues to offer expert ground handling for private aircraft. 

“Signature Flight Support is committed to the growth of private aviation at the Baton Rouge Metro Airport and the greater Baton Rouge area” expressed Signature Senior Vice President Operations Geoff Heck. “We are proud to serve residents and visitors to the city, and our new facility allows us to grow our on-field presence in greatly renewed surroundings.” 

“The expansion of private aviation capabilities at Baton Rouge by Signature Flight Support is a testament to the strength and importance of this group of airport users” shared Mike Edwards, Director of Aviation for the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport. “General aviation continues to be a commercial driver to both the airport and our city, generating over 4,500 jobs and an annual $1.1 billion dollars in economic impact for the Baton Rouge area.”

BELCHER, La. -- A small Piper PA-12 plane crashed in a corn field on Sunday evening after the pilot accidentally missed the road where he was going to land, according to the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office.

The plane was found upside down, right off of state Highway 3049 and Cedar Bluff Road.

Caddo deputies said the plane took off near Virginia Beach and was headed to California. Deputies said the pilot was transporting the plane to its owner in California.

Caddo Parish sheriff's Cpl. Nathan Wesson said the pilot flew through some heavy fog and rain and he landed in a corn field on private property.

The pilot was not injured in the crash.

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Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton, center, is joined by, from left, Chennault Maintenance Director John McMullen, LED Secretary Don Pierson, LED Assistant Director for Small Business Services Chris Cassagne and LED Senior Director of Business Development Shawn Welcome.

THE GOAL IS ALWAYS JOBS: Chennault was honored to host our friend, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson, and his staff to discuss hurricane impacts at the airport.

Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton explained how strategies were synergized to recover the airport as quickly as possible — to continue its efforts to grow even more opportunities and jobs for our region and state.

Baton Rouge – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Office of Multimodal Commerce’s Aviation Division was recently recognized with the Special Recognition Award by the Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates (LAMA) during their 50th anniversary virtual conference. This award was presented to this division for the state’s work in improving airports to allow for a safer and modern managed system that provides convenient and efficient access for travelers, businesses, and commerce. Additionally, Bradley Brandt, Director of Aviation, was also announced as the recipient of the esteemed Award of Distinction for his service to the aviation community.

Brandt holds a degree in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, as well as an Aviation Law Diploma from the International Air Transport Association. He began his aviation career in airport operations at the Denver International Airport.  In 1998, he relocated to Louisiana where he became a program manager in the Noise Mitigation Program for the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.  Three years later he joined DOTD’s Aviation Division, where he currently serves as the Aviation Director.

“It is an honor that DOTD’s Aviation Division has been recognized by this outstanding organization. I would like to praise the work this division does for our system of 69 publically owned airports statewide,” said DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D. “I would also like to congratulate Brad on receiving this notable award from LAMA. The aviation community has seen his devotion to his work throughout the state in not only the improvements to our airport’s infrastructure but to the education and outreach for aviation safety. These are much deserving awards and I am proud of what this agency has accomplished.”

Brandt served as a member of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), where he held numerous positions with the organization as a Regional Director for the Southwest Region, Chairman of the Finance Committee, and Chairman of the NASAO Center for Aviation Research and Education. He also served as Chairman of the NASAO Board of Directors in 2017.  Brandt is also a Dunbar Award winner, the State’s highest Civil Service award.

By Mike Lout

Two Leesville pilots were presented the FAA’s coveted Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award on Saturday, November 7th during the EAA Chapter 1356’s monthly meeting at Leesville Municipal Airport.  The recipients of the Award were Mr. Ralph D. McRae, Jr. and Mr. William C. Pardue, Jr.

The Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to General Aviation pilots.  The award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft.  The Award was instituted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on October 11, 2003.  To date, this Award has only been given to 2,000 of the almost 500,000 General Aviation pilots in the United States.

Mr. Ralph McRae

Mr. Ralph McRae started his distinguished flying career with his solo flight on January 10, 1966.  He served in the US Army and flew an O-1G in Vietnam for 1,148 combat hours. This is where he earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, 29 Air Medals and the RVN Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star.  Throughout his aviation career, Mr. McRae has flown many different aircraft, where he amassed 7,622.3 flight hours.  He currently owns and flies an O-1G “Bird Dog” and a Robinson R-44 helicopter.

Mr. Bill Pardue

Mr. Bill Pardue conducted his first solo flight on February 14, 1968.  He is an instrument rated commercial pilot and has logged over 3516 flight hours.  He currently owns a Cessna 206 and continues to fly for business and pleasure.

The Awards were presented by Mr. Don Pardon representing the FAA’s Flight Standards District Office in Baton Rouge, LA.  Mr. Pardon is the FAA’s Safety Team (FAASTeam) Representative for West-Central Louisiana.

To see the list of 58 Louisiana Award Recipients click HERE, put LA in the state field and click search….

Pafford Air One, Clinical Air Division of Pafford EMS is pleased to announce they have entered into a strategic partnership with Shreveport, Louisiana based Metro Aviation. This partnership will combine Pafford Air One’s industry-leading, pre-hospital care with Metro Aviation’s internationally recognized excellence in helicopter transportation services and award-winning flight safety and training programs.

Under the partnership, beginning February 2021, Metro Aviation will employ all Pafford Air One pilots and maintenance personnel, conduct all helicopter flight training, and provide all helicopter maintenance, safety programs, and operational oversight.

“Metro Aviation’s robust Operational Control Center and IRIS program, along with Night Vision Goggle upgrades, Safety Management System, FOQA, and numerous other programs, including their Level 7 simulator for the Bell 407 in Shreveport added to our decision-making process and reinforces our commitment to safety and operational excellence,” said Keith Carter, Pafford EMS/Air One SVP/Chief Operating Officer.

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It was a different kind of Reklaw this year but it was just as amazing as it alway is.  Lots of airplanes and campers arrived early because of the weather forecast plus I think folks were more than ready to enjoy an aviation event again.  The weather Friday was not good so it was Saturday before the bulk of the attendee’s arrived.  As always a lot of members of the Louisiana aviation community were there.

You can see from the photos that the attendance was fantastic and a weekend’s worth of flying was done on Saturday afternoon.  Then the weather got worse again on Sunday and some folks had to delay their flights home…. but everyone left happy.

Thanks again to the Masons for inviting everyone to their ranch to enjoy the 35th edition of what has become known as the “Woodstock of Aviation”.

To see all of my photos click…..

https://photos.app.goo.gl/H3grKbbV8vXWg2t87

5,500 Missions!! Wow!!!

Volunteer pilot Jimmy is flying patient Judy from Monroe to Houston to complete this milestone flight..

It is amazing to see how much this organization has grown and how many lives it has touched in just over 10 years.

We could not have done it without the incredible support of our community, our patrons, staff and most importantly, our PILOTS!!

We thank each and everyone of you!! Your selfless love and devotion you have shown us and our patients over the last 5,500 milestones!

Here's to 5,000 more!!

Also to celebrate this momentous milestone, we had a 1st time flier with us today, patient Judy.

She was presented a "Journey Bag" by our coordinator Stacey before her flight.

President Philip Thomas and PFP treasurer Wayne Petrus were also with us today.

October 21, 2020—At the Acadian Companies virtual annual meeting, Administrative Assistant Erin Norton was awarded as the 2020 Air Services Employee of the Year. She represents the company’s Acadian Air Med and Executive Aircraft Charter Service divisions.

Norton was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana. She graduated from Bolton High School in Alexandria and attended Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana, where she studied Voice Performance for two years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Norton began her career with Acadian Companies in 2012 and has worked in various roles and departments, including risk management and public relations & marketing before joining the air services team. 

A mother of two, Norton has been an active member of various organizations. She has served on the board of directors for three Mardi Gras krewes. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the Lafayette Education Foundation, where she was a participant in their annual fundraising event, ReProm. 

“Erin goes out of her way to make sure our air services department runs smoothly. Her attention to detail and can-do attitude make her an invaluable team member,” said Vice President of Air Services Michael Sonnier.

Acadian Air Med was founded in 1981 and currently operates a fleet of 12 medically configured helicopters and seven fixed-wing aircraft from bases strategically located throughout Louisiana and Southeast Texas. They are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the gold standard for air ambulance services in the United States.

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After an unexpected delay, Helix Community Schools is moving forward with plans to open two new schools in Baton Rouge in fall 2021.

Applications for Helix's new Helix Legal Academy and Helix Aviation Academy will open around October 12, launching with a cohort of 120 6th graders in year one at each school. The existing Mentorship STEAM Academy, soon to be a member of Helix Community Schools, will also accept applications for students around that time. 

The two new schools were scheduled to open in August 2020. However, officials decided to delay that opening because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its wide-ranging effects on education.

“It actually gave us another 10 to 11 months to prepare even more for anything we might have missed or anything that wasn’t quite right,” said Robert Webb, the schools’ CEO/CAO. “It just gave us a little more time to be even more prepared. We’ve had an additional year to go from good to great.”

The aviation and legal academies will open in 2021 with sixth-grade classes. The plan is to add more grades each year. Ultimately, the plan is for the aviation academy to be open for students in K-12, the legal academy for students in grades 6-8 and the existing STEAM academy for grades 9-12.

To read more click HERE.

One man is under arrest and facing charges after an incident at the Lafayette Regional Airport Saturday morning.

Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Deputies responded at 7 a.m. to an individual found outside near a plane at the airport.

After a joint investigation between the LPSO and the Department of Homeland Security, the individual, identified as Adani Fuentes-Ardiano, was taken into custody and booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.

Louisiana Statute RS 14:61 makes it illegal to intentionally enter a critical structure or enter onto any secure premises that is completely enclosed by any type of physical barrier, including chemical plants, refineries, and transportation facilities like truck terminals or airports.

The Department of Homeland Security's Investigations Lafayette team was involved in the alert and the arrest. HSI New Orleans acting Special Agent in Charge Gilbert Trill, who oversees agents in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, said of the arrest, "HSI takes the protection and security of our nation’s critical infrastructure seriously and we stand ready to respond day and night to that mission. Our agents are committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to safeguard our nation’s communities and assets.”

Fuentes-Ardiano is facing one charge of Unauthorized Entry into a Critical Infrastructure. A bond has not yet been set.

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The Southern Heritage Air Foundation held there biggest ever NATA Formation Clinic at their Museum in Tallulah with over 60 aircraft in attendance. 

It was immediately followed by their Warbird, Wings, & Wheels event on October 17th which featured a great performance of the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team.

As the event title suggests, there was a large number of beautiful cars on display There were also several aircraft to view including the CAF’s historic “Thats All, Brother”  D-Day leading C-47.

To see my photo album of both events click HERE

To see SHAF’s photo album on Facebook click HERE

SLIDELL, La. — At least one person is dead after a single-engine plane crashed in the woods near the Slidell Municipal Airport.

According to Slidell Police spokesperson Daniel Seuzeneau, police believe there may have been more than one person on the plane and are searching the area for possible survivors.

“We have our Flir system drones looking to see if there are any other signs of life in the area,” Seuzeneau said. “We have multiple people still searching right now. At this time we can’t determine anything else.”

The crash occurred around 7:15 p.m. First responders received several calls about smoke and fire coming out of the woods near the Slidell Municipal Airport and were dispatched to the scene. 

Seuzeneau said that Slidell Police officers will remain on the scene until the morning, when the FAA and coroner’s office will be able to investigate the crash scene.

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Updated Coverage:

The co-owner of a single-engine airplane that crashed at Slidell Municipal Airport said Thursday he thinks his partner was flying it when it went down, killing one person on board.

Jim Blazek said he and his friend, Gene Fendler, had owned the Bonanza V-Tail for about 20 years. Both men are New Orleans lawyers, and Fendler's law firm posted a message mourning his death.

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Jimmy Wayne Fordham of Monroe received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award on October 16, 2020.  The Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. This award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first US pilots, to recognize individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as "Master Pilots".

Here is all the info on Jimmy’s flying career….

To see the list of 58 Louisiana Award Recipients click HERE, put LA in the state field and click search….

Two people were killed Friday in a small plane crash outside of Houma, officials said. 

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office identified the pilot as Omar Fouad El-Aazami, 54, of Lumberton, Miss., and the passenger as Dr. Jan Marie Villemarette, 48, of Houma.

A Cessna 182 carrying two people departed from the Houma-Terrebonne Airport at 11 a.m. en route to Brenham, Texas, according to National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson.  

The single-engine plane disappeared from radar around 11:14 a.m. about seven miles southwest of Houma, Knudson said. 

Using coordinates supplied to dispatchers, water patrol agents from the Sheriff’s Office, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and members of the Dularge Fire Department began a search, authorities said.  

After the plane wreckage was found near Lake Hatch patrol and airboats were used in the recovery efforts, the Sheriff’s Office said. 

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB, Knudson said. 

“A preliminary report will be made available in a couple of weeks and the investigation will be concluded in 12 to 24 months,” he said. “The preliminary report will lay out some of the facts and circumstances that we know at this point.” 

Sheriff Tim Soignet thanked everyone who helped in the recovery efforts. 

“I am grateful to the Dularge Fire Department and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for their assistance in the location and recovery efforts,” Soignet said. “I also wish to extend my condolences to the families of the victims. Please know that you are all in my prayers during this painful time.”

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SHREVEPORT, La. -- A bold claim of evidence suppression against Shreveport's Mayor and a member of the Airport Authority is the latest in the city's ongoing battle with Downtown Airport hangar owners.

The claim is in a recent court filing that's part of a lawsuit that seeks to void the reappointment of airport board member Jonathan Reynolds. Plaintiffs now claim that Reynolds destroyed records requested in their suit, and that Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins failed to submit any records that were requested.

The case claims that the city violated Louisiana open meeting laws by rushing Reynolds' reappointment without giving public notice, depriving the airport tenants a chance to speak out against Reynolds. They claim he's been one of the most outspoken and controversial members of the Airport Authority. The city council suspended the rules at a meeting in January, and voted to keep Reynolds on board.

In his deposition in July, Reynolds said he had deleted requested documents from his email. He used his email account at his employer, Carter Federal Credit Union, for his Airport Authority business. He said he deleted SAA documents beginning in February when activity relating to Paycheck Protection Program loans began to increase. But plaintiffs point out that the loan program did not begin until the end of March. February is when the suit was filed.

Reynolds was asked to get those documents off the company server, but so far has not produced them, according to the court filing that claims adverse inferences.

The plaintiffs also allege that Mayor Perkins "has produced no documents at all." At his deposition, also in July, the plaintiffs claim Perkins said he would provide all responsive documents the following week. But they say no documents have been provided.

The plaintiffs go on to say the city has refused to make council members available for deposition, claiming legislative privilege. The plaintiffs argue that does not extend to city council members, but instead, state lawmakers.

The plaintiffs' attorney, Jerry Harper, wrote in conclusion, "If ever there was a case that richly befits the imposition of adverse inferences, on multiple bases, this is such a case."

Harper says a judge will rule on whether plaintiffs are entitle to adverse inference before the trial. According to the legal blog Lawvibe, adverse inference means that a jury can infer that the evidence would have been adverse to the defendant, and adopt the plaintiff’s reasonable interpretation of what documents would have said.

An attorney representing the city in the case, Brian Smith, declined comment on the pending lawsuit and court filing. So did Reynolds, as well as Mayor Perkins through a spokeswoman.

Defendants face a deadline of Monday, October 19 to respond to the filing. A hearing on the case is set the following week on October 28.

There's been a lot of friction the last three years between the tenants and the Airport Authority board. A second lawsuit, pending in Bossier Parish District Court, seeks $10 million in damages for lost property value over lease conditions.

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Established in 1980 EAA 614 has been part of the Louisiana and Rapides parish community serving both the flying and general public for 40 years.

Like so many EAA chapters, we have enjoyed many of the fruits EAA offers and challenges us to partake in. From aircraft restoration projects, to Young Eagles flights, to twice yearly fly-ins, our group of folks have always been there each and every time they were needed.

Perhaps our biggest “claim to fame” is the first Saturday of the month breakfast we host. Here, both the flying public and the mortals delegated to driving, have for years come through our doors and enjoyed the beautiful clubhouse and spacious covered deck sitting on Buhlow lake and Pineville airport. Our clubhouse is fairly unique with its waterfront property sporting a sea plane runway on one side and a paved asphalt runway on its other side. Many a morning has been spent eating home cooked food while watching float planes and land planes alike playing in the Louisiana sun. We even have a local alligator named Elvis who is quite fond of biscuits!

On Friday October 9th, all of this changed as hurricane Delta made its way up central Louisiana with record amounts of rain in its veins.

Because we are located on a lake, we have always prepared for rising water and a couple of times have seen close to 12” of in the clubhouse. Fortunately, the original members and builders made preparations for this by raising the electrical wiring, putting ceramic tile over a concrete foundation, installing freezers, refrigerators and other important equipment on raised platforms, and more. But on this date, Hurricane Delta had more to give than our clubhouse could take. On this day, almost 4 feet of water flooded us. This was well above the electrical, the counter tops, and the equipment. We lost everything that kept our club solvent. Everything, that is but the spirit of our members. Hours after the water subsided the doors were opened and EAA614 members began the cleanup while others worked to assess the situation.

In short, our bank account can nowhere near cover the expense of rebuilding and disbanding a chapter that’s 40 years old seems like cruel and unusual punishment. With what we know so far, it would be fruitless to repair without taking even more measures to ensure the clubhouse stays dry even in the worst of storms. Our second option is to relocate which is also expensive but may be best in the long run.

We have started a Go-Fund-Me page to see if the support is great enough to help make this happen. Donations can also be sent directly to EAA Chapter 614-Buhlow Lake Rd.-Pineville, LA 71360 and since we are a 501c-3 non-profit, your contributions are tax deductible.

For anyone, or any chapters interested, our Go Fund Me page is: 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/EAA-614

Our email address is EAA614@gmail.com

Best regards to each and every one of you,

Gary Vallery

President, EAA 614

To read the October Newsletter of the Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force click HERE

To read the latest newsletter from the Baton Rouge Metro Airport click HERE.

New Orleans residents living near Children’s Hospital have been unhappy for months about the hospital’s decision to move its helicopter operations from one side of the Uptown campus to another during its $300 million renovation.

Now a City Hall decision that made the move permanent has further upset them, enough to consider legal action, a lawyer hired by the Audubon Riverside Neighborhood Association said.

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Our team had the honor and privilege to extend the serviceability of this historic UH-1 Huey. The aircraft is a 42-year military veteran that served our great nation through many roles. 74-22478 was the last serial number UH-1 in the U.S. Army’s fleet and is now serving the citizens of Louisiana as a member of the Louisiana State Police Air Support unit. Avionics Solutions upgraded the antiquated radio systems with new avionic systems that will greatly increase the crew’s situational awareness as well as the operational readiness of the helicopter. A newly designed and fabricated instrument panel was installed to improve the overall layout of the instrumentation and avionics. The aircraft’s seating was refurbished while keeping the original style and fabric type. The interior was painted satin black which included the repainting of all placards and stenciling. Finally, the exterior was treated and painted the beautiful flagship colors of our Louisiana State Police. Our team is proud to have been chosen to perform this incredible transformation! The upgrades will allow 74-22478 to provide service to the citizens of Louisiana for years to come.

https://myavionicsteam.com/

Here are a couple of before pictures…..

Nola.com Photo

As Lawrence Brooks reached 111 years of age Saturday, birthday wishes poured in through the mail, from the sidewalk and even from the heavens: A squadron of World War II-era aircraft buzzed low, in formation, over his home in New Orleans Central City to celebrate the United States’ oldest known World War II veteran.

Click for More Photos from Nola.com

Brooks stood on his front porch, tipped back his head and watched the planes leaving four streams of exhaust behind them. He danced a little two-step to the Victory Belles, a trio of singers standing on his front sidewalk and performing the 1940s classic, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” sometimes called the Black national anthem.

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Photo by Nola.com

It was an awesome gesture by the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team to come to New Orleans help celebrate Mr. Brooke’s birthday with the flyover.  They not only did the flight but also drove to his house to present an autographed team photo as a birthday gift.

I also need to thank the Tom Gibbs of the National World War II Museum and the Gary Sinise Foundation for their major part in making this flyover and the entire Birthday Celebration happen. 

The Aeroshell Team staged their flight at the Big Easy Wing hangar at the Lakefront Airport. Thanks to Wing Leader David Capo and all of the hardworking BEW members for their efforts to coordinate with the team and make everything work smoothly.  The Big Easy Wing Stearman was also supposed to do a flyover but had to cancel due to the weather.

They also presented a Team Photo to the Big Easy Wing.

I was very fortunate to be able to go on the flyover in the back seat of the No. 4 slot aircraft.   I’ve never flown that close to another aircraft much less been surrounded by three of them.  Thanks so much to Aeroshell Pilot Jimmy Fordham for the invitation.   It was an experience I will never forget.

For a few more photos of the flyover click HERE.

I also took a video during the flight and you can view it in the Lagniappe section later in this edition of the Louisiana Aviation News.

So Happy Birthday Mr. Brooks…… and thank you so much for your service!  I hope you enjoyed your celebration.

HILLTOP LAKES, Texas (KBTX) - Four people died Sunday morning in a plane crash near Hilltop Lakes in Leon County.

According to flight records, the 1984 single-engine plane left Horseshoe Bay Resort near Marble Falls, west of Austin, at 10:00 a.m. Sunday and was headed to the Natchitoches, Louisiana Regional Airport.

Troopers say on the way, the plane started to have engine issues. The aircraft was attempting to make an emergency landing at Hilltop Lakes Airport when it crashed near the Hilltop Lakes stables north of Normangee around 10:45 a.m.

Officials say the pilot had been in contact with the FAA before the crash, saying the plane was having engine problems.

A witness tells KBTX the plane was flying extremely low to the ground and once the pilot started pulling up the motor stopped turning.

“He got over the putt-putt area across from the stables. He banked left almost overcorrected and then banked right again and then he banked left one last time and when he did that second bank to the left he pretty much nose-dived straight vertical into the ground,” said Justin DeLeon, a Hilltop Lakes resident.

DeLeon says he and one other man ran to the plane to see if they could help.

According to the flight track, the plane made it 18,000 feet altitude before it descended less than an hour into the flight. The aircraft is registered to KMAC Bravo LLC in Lafayette, Louisiana.

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The four Louisiana residents killed in yesterday’s plane crash in Texas have been identified.  Our deepest sympathy and prayers to their family and friends…..

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Kathryn’s Report on the Accident

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Sept. 8, 2020) – The Louisiana Wing of Civil Air Patrol set out Monday on a new and unusual mission -- to help the coroner of storm-devastated Cameron Parish find caskets washed out of their above-ground vaults by Hurricane Laura’s surging floodwaters.

A wing aircrew took photographs showing the extent of damage to 26 cemeteries, then turned the images over to parish officials.

Patrick Hebert, a volunteer working under the direct supervision of the parish coroner, said airboats and marsh buggies will be used to retrieve the displaced caskets. “Most of the terrain is very difficult and dangerous to get through, and I think an aerial view makes the most sense,” said Hebert, who first contacted the Louisiana Wing for assistance. 

“Although a little unusual, this mission is just the sort of thing we’re ready to take on,” said Lt. Col. Mickey Marchand, the wing’s Hurricane Laura incident commander.

The wing has been providing aerial images of the hurricane’s impact for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local officials since Aug. 30.

Acting as a Total Force partner and the U.S. Air Force auxiliary, CAP is aligned with First Air Force to rapidly respond to nonmilitary threats domestically when tasked in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage and provide humanitarian assistance.

Hurricane damage to this small church cemetery in Cameron Parish is visible in a Louisiana Wing damage assessment photo.

Hurricane Laura damaged several cemeteries in Cameron Parish, including this one shown in a  Louisiana Wing damage assessment photo.

Lt. Col. Brian Capone, pilot, and Capt. Francis Guillory, system operator, run through a checklist before takeoff from Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport for a photo mission.

BATON ROUGE, La. (Sept. 6, 2020) – Civil Air Patrol’s ongoing mission to fly over and photograph the damage Hurricane Laura inflicted on Southwest Louisiana continues through the Labor Day weekend.

Four photography missions were launched Saturday and two on Sunday. Four involved the use of high-tech photo and navigation systems. The other two used conventional camera equipment.

Using the advanced systems mounted on their Cessna aircraft, Louisiana Wing aircrews flew specific patterns over areas defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Their photos will be used by FEMA analysts for that agency’s hurricane recovery activities.

Flying these patterns requires a two-member crew, a pilot and a system operator. The pilot controls direction and altitude while the operator focuses on managing navigation and the camera system. The flights frequently last several hours and require landing to refuel.

An incident management team of professionally trained Louisiana Wing members provides support for the photography flights. They are drawn from all corners of the state. Their actions are directed by an incident commander, whose staff consists of operations coordinators, planners, flight briefers, communicators, logisticians, administrators and general staff assistants.

Lt. Col. Mickey Marchand, an experienced Louisiana Wing incident commander, was in charge over the Labor Day weekend. “Our aircrews and staff have quickly assimilated the new photo technology and adjusted to the new flying techniques it demands,” Marchand said. “We’ve also handled the conventional aerial photography flights with ease. I’m proud of how well our staff and aircrews have performed.”

Acting as a Total Force partner and the U.S. Air Force auxiliary, CAP is aligned with First Air Force to rapidly respond to nonmilitary threats domestically when tasked in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage and provide humanitarian assistance.

(From left) Second Lt. Susan Cox, Maj. Jimmy Cox and Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jeremy Stevens operate the radios in the incident command post’s communications room.

(From left) Lt. Col. Brian Capone, Maj. John McCrory and Capt. Francis Guillory reposition a CAP airplane before a photo flight while Lt. Col. Mickey Marchand looks on.  All Photos by: Lt. Col. Amos Plante, CAP

To read the September Big Easy Wing Newsletter click….HERE 

The Tiger Trac Formation Flight Team has been organized and has already performed a few flyovers, including a recent boat parade on the Tchefuncte River.  As far as I know they are the only Formation Flight Team in Louisiana.  You can get more information on their Facebook Group page by clicking  HERE.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - The devastation left behind from Hurricane Laura feels endless.

You can see it in your neighborhood, your favorite business and at school.

Right now, recovery efforts are taking place at Chennault International Airport who also took a big hit from Laura.

“We’ve seen 100% of our buildings across Chennault destroyed in some sort of fashion,” said Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton.

Day after day, the remnants of Hurricane Laura and the long road to recovery becomes a bit more clear.

“What this storm has done though is come in and desolate some of our hangar space.”

The storm left its mark on buildings and aircraft. Winds from Laura tossed a Centauri aircraft that was donated just three months ago nearly 200 yards from its post.

“If I go back and give you just a very basic estimate of cost of repair, we’re looking at the tens of millions. There’s no question about that.”

Although not fully operational, one thing Laura didn’t take away was the airports ability to assist in recovery efforts.

“We put a lot of miles on foot and in vehicle covering every angle of the community that’s been affected. The spirit that we’re seeing amongst southwest Louisiana has been remarkable.”

Beyond the damage, Melton says it’s the response from the community and various agencies that holds more weight than Laura’s high winds.

“We’re going to recover, not as quick as I would like to be but we’re going to recover and do good for our community and our tenants.”

FEMA is staging their team at the Chennault air base also with Jefferson Davis co-op and Louisiana DOTD.

As for tenants at Chennault, all are non-operational at this time.

However, Melton says one tenant may be back up and running within the next two weeks.

Read More

A pilot flying into the New Orleans area was rescued after his plane crashed in a St. John the Baptist Parish swamp Thursday night, authorities said. 

The 52-year-old, whose plane is based in Mobile, Alabama, suffered a broken arm and other minor injuries in the crash, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office said. The pilot, Calvin King, was the only person aboard the plane. 

The crash occurred about 8 p.m. in a swampy area just north of the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport in Reserve, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, which participated in the rescue along with the Sheriff's Office. 

The pilot was able to dial 911 from his downed plane, a single-engine Piper Tomahawk, according to authorities. He told a Sheriff's Office call taker that his engine stopped. 

Private pilot Gerald Herbert was at the Reserve airport when Sheriff's Office deputies arrived to search for plane. Herbert went up in his own plane to see if he could help locate the downed aircraft. 

"It was pretty dark when I went up," Herbert said Friday. "It was hard to see the ground."

The darkness actually aided his search, allowing Herbert to spot the lights of what he believed to be the crashed plane through the trees. Herbert circled the area until a rescue crew aboard a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter arrived. 

Using search lights, the crew located the plane and retrieved the injured pilot. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released, the Sheriff's Office said. 

Herbert commended the Coast Guard crew, the Sheriff's Office deputies and the air traffic controllers who worked together to find the plane. 

"I don't know what role I played," Herbert said of his search and circling. "I hope what it did was give that pilot some comfort in knowing that we had him and help was on the way."

Read More

Kathryn’s Report Coverage:  Click HERE

Lt. Col. Larry Anderson (left) and Maj. John McCrory check the camera pod on a Louisiana Wing Cessna  in preparation for an aerial photo flight as their fellow aircrew member, Lt. Col. Mickey Marchand, waits in the cockpit.

BATON ROUGE, La. (Sept. 3, 2020) – Civil Air Patrol’s Louisiana Wing continues to fly over areas hit particularly hard by Hurricane Laura, gathering photographs of hurricane damage for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The wing is using new, advanced photo and navigation equipment on three of its planes, allowing aircrews to fly very precise courses and gather thousands of high-resolution images for FEMA’s use. Joining them Thursday was another specially equipped plane from CAP’s Texas Wing.

All are flying over designated areas around affected cities and over the coastal areas of Southwest Louisiana.

Weather conditions are a factor in the aerial photo missions. With clear weather prevailing over target areas, the wing has launched more than 12 missions using the new, high-tech equipment.

Other, normally configured aircraft have conducted conventional photography flights for Alexandria, producing images that were delivered to the city’s damage analysts.

The wing has also provided flights for observers from other government agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Agriculture.

“The members of this wing have reacted to the crisis swiftly and with a new technology,” said Col. Patrick Yglesias, Louisiana Wing commander. “I’m very proud of the things they’ve accomplished these past several days.”

Acting as a Total Force partner and the U.S. Air Force auxiliary, CAP is aligned with First Air Force to rapidly respond to nonmilitary threats domestically when tasked in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities capacity to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage and provide humanitarian assistance.

A pair of the Louisiana Wing’s Cessna 172s equipped with new technology camera and navigation equipment for aerial photography await takeoff in Baton Rouge.

Photos by Lt. Col. Amos Plante, CAP

Cessna R182 Skylane RG, N639RR: Accident occurred August 24, 2020 in Crowley, Acadia Parish, Louisiana

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: Click For Report

https://registry.faa.gov/N639RR

Location: Crowley, LA

Accident Number: CEN20LA361

Date & Time: 08/24/2020, 0930 CDT

Registration: N639RR

Aircraft: Cessna R182

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Aerial Observation

On August 24, 2020, about 0930 central daylight time, a Cessna R182 airplane, N639RR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Crowley, Louisiana. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight.

According to the pilot, the preflight engine run-up and takeoff were normal. About 30 minutes into the aerial observation flight, the engine began "popping" and running rough. The pilot was unable to maintain sufficient engine RPMs and elected to return to the departure airport for a precautionary landing. Based on the airplane's location relative to the runway orientation, the pilot performed a downwind landing. During the approach, the airplane was "a little high and fast;" however, the pilot was committed to the landing due to the reduced engine performance. The airplane touched down, overran the end of the turf runway, impacted a ditch and came to rest upright.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. Visual examination of the engine revealed the No. 4 engine cylinder exhaust valve push rod and housing were bent.

There are several groups of aviators that are planning to help those folks that were impacted by Hurricane Laura.  Here are three that I know about. You can track their activities on their Facebook pages and websites.  Maybe you would like to join in.  It's a great way to use aviation to help folks in need.  These organizations are looking for your help and you won't regret it.

The Cajun Airlift activities can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cajunairlift and on the web at https://www.cajunairlift.org/

The new Aerial Relief Network based in the New Orleans area can be found on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/supportbyair

If you are in one or our neighboring states then Operation Airdrop says they hope to be launching relief flights out of Hattiesburg, MS and Conroe, TX.  They can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/opairdrop and their website is https://www.operation-airdrop.com/

I’m very sad to report that several of the airports in Southwest Louisiana were seriously damaged from Hurricane Laura.  I got this report on Facebook from False River Regional Airport Manager Yvonne Chenevert:

Lake Charles Regional is totaled....all hangars lost, many aircraft totaled, FBO heavily damaged, terminal functional. Chennault is decimated. Alexandria terminal roof heavily damaged. DeQuincy lost hangars and the pilots lounge is laying on its side. Jennings is ok.

Here are a couple of pictures from Lake Charles…..

The three aircraft in this hangar were unfortunately a beautifully restored, yellow Gullwing Stinson, red Tiger Moth and a blue Chipmunk.  Three very rare antique aircraft.

I know that loss of life in storms like this is much worse but it still hurts to see destruction at airports like this.  I know that the facilities will be rebuilt but most of these aircraft will never fly again.

Southland Field in Sulphur was also essentially destroyed…..

By Lt. Col. Amos A. Plante, CAP

Baton Rouge, La., August 26, 2020 – The Louisiana Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) has made ready its fleets of aircraft and vehicles and its cadre of trained personnel to support state and local emergency managers in preparing for Hurricane Laura and in dealing with its after effects.

As the hurricane approaches the gulf coast, the U.S. Air Force may task non-combat missions to CAP in its role as the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary.  Such taskings could include airborne and ground reconnaissance, aerial imagery, disaster and damage assessment, 24-7 communications support, and airborne and ground transportation of essential personnel, equipment, and critical supplies. 

Louisiana Wing has over 600 members assigned to 16 squadrons.  These squadrons are located in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Bossier City, Covington, Gonzales, Hammond, Kentwood, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Leesville, Monroe, Greater New Orleans, Patterson, and Shreveport.

The wing maintains and operates ten single-engine Cessna aircraft, most of which are equipped with state-of-the-art navigation equipment.  When called into service, these aircraft are flown by a crew of three consisting of a pilot, observer, and scanner/photographer. 

The wing also has a fleet of 18 mission-ready vehicles which support both transportation and communications needs but are usually used to deploy ground teams for search and rescue and damage assessment missions.

Louisiana Wing Commander, Colonel Patrick Yglesias, said, “I am confident Louisiana Wing is ready to meet the challenge of Hurricane Laura.  Our volunteers are dedicated to emergency services support and are trained to a professional level.”

To read the latest edition of the Pilots For Patients newsletter click….

HERE

The family of a New Orleans TV newscaster who was killed in a stunt plane crash a year ago has filed a $23 million lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration claiming the agency cleared the aircraft to fly despite allegedly knowing of its history of mechanical problems.

The husband of Nancy Parker, a veteran anchor for Fox affiliate station WVUE-TV, filed the wrongful death lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New Orleans on behalf of himself and their three children.

Parker, 53, and pilot Franklin J.P. Augustus, 69, were killed on August 16th, 2019, when the Aerotek Pitts S-2B aircraft, registered to Drug Fighter LLC, crashed shortly after taking off from New Orleans' Lakefront Airport. Parker and Augustus were the only two people aboard the biplane, which was scheduled to do skywriting stunts, officials said.

Parker's husband, Glen Boyd, claims in the lawsuit that FAA workers were aware of airplane's "lengthy and well-known history of substandard maintenance, mechanical problems and scant flight time" when they cleared the flight for takeoff, according to the lawsuit that was filed on August 6th, 2020.

To read more click…..HERE

Bristow is to close facilities in Galliano and New Iberia, Louisiana, as it begins to make cuts following its recently-completed merger with Era.

The impacted facilities are Bristow’s flight and maintenance operations at Galliano heliport and the New Iberia maintenance/hangar complex at the Acadiana Regional Airport. Both facilities belonged to the pre-merger Bristow company.

Bristow’s administration and training facilities in New Iberia will remain open to support continuing operations in the Gulf of Mexico and around the world, while its search-and-rescue operation in Galliano is also unaffected by the closures.

“These decisions were necessitated by market conditions and aligned with the strategic purpose of the recently completed merger between Bristow Group and Era Helicopters,” a Bristow spokesperson told Vertical in an emailed statement. “They were also made after extensive and careful consideration and were ultimately made with the long-term viability and success of our business in the Gulf of Mexico region in mind.”

Galliano Base

The company notified staff on Aug. 5, with an employees’ union claiming the closures would result in the loss of 350 jobs. A Bristow spokesperson said it was “too early” to say the precise number of staff impacted by the move, but that it “will likely be significantly less” than 350.

Read More

HAI Director of Maintenance and Technology Zac Noble (right) and Pilot Lester Cambre of Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office complete a successful reconnaissance flight at the site of HAI HELI-EXPO 2021 in New Orleans. The flight, conducted on Aug. 3, was performed to check out proposed flight routes from Lakefront Airport (KNEW) into the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

This week HAI staff members returned to New Orleans, our host city for HAI HELI-EXPO 2021, to continue long-range planning for the event, which is scheduled for Mar. 22–25, with exhibits open Mar. 23–25.

Chris Martino, VP of operations; Charlotte Zilke, director of conventions; Zac Noble, director of maintenance; and Chris Hill, director of safety, met with key officials from the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the FAA, and several other groups to review and coordinate logistics, health, safety, and security requirements for the event. 

In addition, HAI is conducted an exhibitor site visit Aug. 5–6, both in person and virtually, for exhibitors working on logistics planning for their company’s participation in the show. HAI staff and exhibitor representatives will tour hotels, the convention center, and event venues.

Keep up-to-date with HAI HELI-EXPO 2021 plans as we continue to update our website, heliexpo.rotor.org, with more information. Don’t forget: Housing opens Aug. 17!

Click For Details

IT'S A FLYING LAUNCH PAD: Chennault continues to be a proud partner with Citadel Completions, which provides benchmark services across multiple spectrums of the aerospace industry. We at Chennault are proud to provide service and support to Virgin Orbit, a leader in the aerospace industry.

Virgin Orbit will offer flexible, routine, and low-cost launch services for small satellites via the LauncherOne system. Its vehicles include the LauncherOne rocket and the 747-400 "flying launch pad," nicknamed Cosmic Girl, here at Chennault.

LauncherOne service already has a substantial order book of both commercial and government customers. Virgin Orbit's systems are in an advanced stage of testing with initial orbital launches expected soon. To learn more, visit https://virginorbit.com/

We’re just 500 feet off the ground, cruising at a few hundred miles per hour in a C-130J Super Hercules. In the back cargo hold is a lumbering, 8,000-pound Humvee strapped down with heavy link chains. We are transporting the vehicle to Geronimo Landing Zone, in Louisiana, as part of a joint U.S. Air Force/Army field exercise called Swamp Devil.

Our pilot, Capt. Nathan Roberts just in front of me in the cockpit, spies some nasty thunderstorms ahead and decides to turn back to Chennault Air Base, from which we had embarked earlier. The turnaround is disappointing, for sure, as our transport flight is part of the training exercise.

As in any makeshift field operation, event schedules ebb and flow due to elements beyond one’s control. Earlier in the day, a series of cargo drops and parachute jumps by Army paratroopers was also scrapped - due to COVID-19 concerns - and an Army reconnaissance Blackhawk helicopter flight was canceled because of bad weather.

But such challenges can also be good, says Lt. Col. Joshua Johnson, 37, a 15-year USAF veteran and C-17 Globemaster III pilot who is overseeing a good chunk of the operation. “We’re trying to find new tactics, techniques and procedures during a pandemic, so a lot of the stuff that comes up - the cancellations, the weather, etc. - you can’t predict,” he says. “But when they do happen, that’s where we get the valuable training, going through that thought process and still being able to operate effectively.”

Read More

Gunnar Peterson-Gross

Gunnar Peterson is a junior at Louisiana Tech University majoring in Aviation Management.  He gained his love for aviation by traveling with his mother, a Delta Airlines flight attendant.  Gunnar is using his internship at LA DOTD to learn and gain experience in the aviation industry.

Maggie Grace Loper

Raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Maggie Grace Loper grew up in the aviation community.  In her spare time Maggie would go on corporate flights with her step-father or go out to the local skydiving hangar where she even got a few jumps under her belt.  After receiving her private pilot certification just a few months before her 18 birthday, Maggie began pursuing her Aviation Management degree from Louisiana Tech University.  An upcoming senior, Maggie is on track to graduate from the University March 6, 2021.  Upon graduation Maggie plans to immerse herself into an Aviation Management and Planning position.

Andrew Hennessy

Andrew Hennessy is a junior at Louisiana Tech and is majoring in aviation management.  Andrew has grown up in this environment and hopes to gain useful experience and industry connections from his internship.

A Redbird TD2 simulator is now available at Southland Aviation in Sulphur as a Basic Aviation Training Device.

Real buttons. Knobs unlike other virtual touchscreen simulators, steam gauge and g1000, fixed, complex, and HP configurations available when you start the simulation!

Since instrument rated pilots can log currency needed without an instructor or safety pilot it makes it a real convenient option and time saver!

Website:  Southland Aviation

LaToya Joseph was recently promoted to Aviation Project Manager for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) Aviation Division. She currently manages the Division’s safety, human resources, education, training, and internship program, in addition to assisting with the Divisions’ daily operations, internal compliance, state consultant contracts and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. She also oversees the Office of Multimodal Commerce (OMC) Social Media communication outreach and is the OMC liaison with DOTD Public Relations.

She has a Business Manager Certification from Louisiana State University (LSU) in additional to earning a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Phoenix. She is currently working on an Airport Certified Employee (ACE) Certificate in Airport Finance through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) as well as her Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification. LaToya is a member of Women in Aviation International (WAI), and served as an events and organizational volunteer at this year’s annual conference. She is also the past president for DOTD’s “Highway to Success Toastmasters” organization.

LaToya took a discovery flight with LAMA past President Janet Gonzales in 2016, which sparked her passion in aviation. She has a desire for helping the Louisiana Airport System grow and ensuring public awareness and education of the importance of the aviation industry as well as promoting the industry to upcoming young professionals.

Northrop Grumman at Chennault has been hired to repair nose cowls for B-52 bombers.

"Chennault remains a committed partner with Northrop Grumman and we are extremely pleased to see our relationship with this standout corporation grow," said Kevin Melton, Chennault's executive director. "We consider the Northrop Grumman team our family — and as such, we are excited to see this growth opportunity for them, and our region, as it relates to increased jobs."

Read More

The Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates (LAMA) Executive Board is pleased to announce the launch of our new website. You may access the site at 

https://louisianaairports

Congratulations to Robert "Bob" Johnson for receiving the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the United States Federal Aviation Administration in a small ceremony with family, friends and community leaders today out at the Slidell Municipal Airport.

The award is presented by the FAA to recognize pilots who have practiced safe flight operations continuously for 50 or more years during the course of their aviation careers. Since 2012, over 2,000 certified pilots have been honored with the award.

Johnson’s aviation career began when he was 17 years old, flying an Aeronca Champ for his first solo flight in 1961. In 1964, he earned his Commercial Pilots License and began flying charter flights for Naples Airline. Then in 1966, he flew for Eastern Airlines for 24 years, starting out as one of the youngest pilots in his class.

During his extensive career, Johnson flew for Viscount Airlines, was hired by McDonnel-Douglas as a test pilot and flight instructor on MD-80 and MD-90 airplanes, and he flew the first Chinese model of the MD-90. Working for Boeing, he lived in China for 13 years, helping to develop a western-style safety culture for Chinese airlines and conducting simulator training and evaluation, facilitating human factor classes for flight crews, and supervised airplane flight inspections throughout the country.

Johnson retired from Boeing in 2012 and repatriated to Louisiana with his wife Jeanie to spend time with their family. Even in retirement, he can’t stay out of the sky. Today he flies a Cessna 182 and through his love for aviation, he and Jeanie have met many wonderful friends in the Louisiana aviation community.

Bob and Jeannie Johnson

Bob Johnson with Terry Morrison, FAA Representative

L-R: Councilman Bill Borchert; Michael Noto, Deputy Chief of Staff; Bob Johnson; Councilman Val Vanney; Richard Artigue, Slidell Airport Manager

Bob and Jeannie Johnson with family

We welcome Rise Above Aviation, a Part 61 flight school, to the diverse group of Chennault-based businesses.

"Our lessons are taught by enthusiastic instructors who love teaching," says Jade Guidry of Rise Above. "We go at your speed and we work with you to get you comfortable and where you need to be."

Instruction can be scheduled from 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. seven days a week, weather permitting.

"Everything we do is geared towards making your lessons as enjoyable as possible, while keeping safety a top priority," Guidry says.

The phone number is (337) 240-6187.

"We are honored to have Rise Above Aviation join the Chennault team as our newest tenant," says Kevin Melton, Chennault's executive director. "As we work to serve all types of aviation operations and businesses, it has been a focused effort to grow a flight school at Chennault. This is one pillar of many that support the overarching goal of aerospace excellence. Manned flight starts with flight instruction. I'm proud we host that capability."

Melton adds: "So what's next on the list? A more robust aviation maintenance and avionics repair program. Contact us if interested in helping us improve access for general and corporate aviation communities across the region."

(Note: Photos taken prior to current Covid-19 mask guidelines.)

https://www.facebook.com/riseaboveaviationlc/

Do you have a child that might be interested in an aviation career?  Did you know there is an Aviation Academy opening up in Baton Rouge in the Fall of 2021? Well now you do....

Helix Aviation Academy will open with a 6th grade class in the 2021-22 school year. The following year, the aviation academy will add a 7th grade and an 8th grade in 2023-24 school year. In the 2024-25 school year, an elementary program will open with grades K-2. Thereafter, Helix Aviation Academy will continue to expand until the 2027-28 school year, reaching full capacity and providing students with a full K-12 experience.  

They are located on the Baton Rouge Metro Airport at 4400 Airpark Blvd. 

You can contact them at (225) 427-8004 or info@helixcommunityschools.org

For their Facebook page click HERE

Website:  https://helixaviationacademy.org/

To read the July Edition of the Pilot’s for Patients Prop Blast Newsletter click….

HERE