50th Annual Business Aviation Association Memorial Open: Rain Does Not Douse Spirit of Giving

By Carmelo Turdo

The 50th Annual Business Aviation Association Memorial Open Golf Tournament was held at Old Hickory Golf Club in St. Peters on May 18. Golfers assembled at the club for a day of charity golfing to benefit the Geater St. Louis Business Aviation Association (GSLBAA) Education Foundation and Wings of Hope, the St. Louis-based global humanitarian aviation nonprofit organization.  

Golfers began arriving about 9:30 A.M. for registration in the clubhouse lobby. GSLBAA and Wings of Hope volunteers were ready to greet them, assign their golf carts and show off the great raffle items donated from area businesses. Unlike in previous years, a steady rain was falling over the entire St. Louis area, and the occasional flashes of lighting kept everyone inside the clubhouse. Lunch was served at 10:30, and a brief break in the storm allowed the golfers to claim their carts and participate in the opening ceremony. The National Anthem was sung by Scott Kennebeck, and then it was off to the course. 

Over the next two hours, there were several brief periods of light rain when the more adventurous golfers returned to the course only to be recalled to the clubhouse for the final time. The Old Hickory Golf Club staff accommodated the situation by serving the happy hour food and drinks earlier than scheduled, and the awards ceremony turned into a raffle prize party. The golfers, sponsors and event volunteers pulled together to create an enjoyable experience for everyone.

The Aero Experience was privileged to cover the event again this year. The following pictorial illustrates the day's activities, and the full photo collection is featured on the GSLBAA Facebook page.

The Aero Experience thanks GSLBAA, Wings of Hope, Old Hickory Golf Club and all of the sponsors and donors who made this event possible. Be sure to step up your game get ready for next year!

General Aviation on a Mission: Wings of Hope Raffle Plane Offers Proven Utility, Heritage of Service to Humanity - A Video Review

 

2026 SOAR Into STEM Spring Session Concludes with Career Fair and Young Eagle Flights

Wings of Hope 

By Carmelo Turdo

hosted their Aviation Career Exploration Fair and EAA Young Eagle flights on Saturday morning to close out the 2026 Spring SOAR Into STEM Session. While some students were taking their flights, others met directly with representatives from higher education institutions, aviation industry employers and youth development organizations who are working together to address the current aerospace industry workforce shortage. The Aero Experience begins our coverage with this look at the exhibitors interacting with the students and parents during the career fair.

The students were scheduled for EAA Young Eagle flights throughout the morning courtesy of EAA Chapter 1675 based at Wings of Hope. The students received their logbooks and flew in aircraft provided by EAA volunteer pilots. For most, it was their first flight in a general aviation aircraft!

Two special aircraft were displayed outside of the Wings of Hope hangar. The Missouri Highway Patrol Bell 407 air support helicopter and AeroCareers Lancair Columbia, The New Spirit of St. Louis, were flown in especially for this event. Everyone in attendance, including SOAR Into STEM volunteers and career fair exhibitors, were invited to get their photos taken inside the aircraft and learn more about these two great organizations. 

The Aero Experience thanks Wings of Hope and all of the participants and sponsors of SOAR Into STEM for providing another highly successful spring session. SOAR Into STEM will be held again this fall at Wings of Hope.