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!

Creve Coeur Airport: May Events, General Aviation Activity and Construction Projects Usher in Summer Flying Season

By Carmelo Turdo

Few places exemplify the heart of general aviation like Creve Coeur Airport, having a unique variety of personal aircraft, businesses and non-profit organizations working together to promote Midwest Aviation. The Aero Experience features Creve Coeur Airport in our coverage often throughout the year, and May is when we see a burst of activity pointing toward a busy summer. Here we include some of our recent coverage, along with previews of stories coming soon here and on The Aero Experience YouTube Channel.

Airport Construction Project Progresses Through May

During the entire month of May, Creve Coeur Airport will implement a planned pavement improvement project that includes a replacing the asphalt on the taxiway for Runway 16/34 with concrete and restriping the taxiways leading to the hangar rows. The airport has regularly communicated the status updates, with the following graphics provided in their recent Facebook posts and photos from our visit on May 12.

Army Aviation Heritage Foundation Gateway Chapter Ride Day, May 2

The Gateway Chapter of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation held their first St. Louis ride day event of the year on May 2 at Creve Coeur Airport. The chapter's Vietnam War veteran Huey and Cobra helicopters were busy throughout the day, giving their riders unforgettable flight experiences. This event follows the winter maintenance cycle covered in a previous post and sets the stage for participation in a host of regional events this summer. Here we show the Huey being towed to the fuel pumps and the Cobra working a few more flights in the afternoon.

T-35A Buckaroo Makes Local Flight After Eight-Year Restoration 

Also on May 2, a very special flight took place marking the return of the Temco T-35A Buckaroo restored by Bill and Will Kientz. This aircraft was one of two imported to the U.S. from Saudi Arabia in 1977 as part of an RSAF restoration project for the Swift Museum completed in 1985. Following work on the RSAF project, including appearances at events until its permanent display at the Swift Museum, the remaining Buckaroo restoration was taken over by Bill Kientz and later Will to the current time. More detailed coverage coming soon on The Aero Experience. 

   

Gateway Flight Training Adds Citabria to Training Fleet

Gateway Flight Training, the flight training and aircraft maintenance center based at Creve Coeur Airport, has introduced a Citabria aircraft to their training fleet. This aircraft is ideal for obtaining a conventional gear (tail wheel) endorsement as well as for learning upset recovery skills. Here we include some views of their Citabria, Piper Arrow, Cherokee and the busy maintenance hangar during our visit on May 12.

Creve Coeur Airport Hosts FAA Wings Safety Day, May 16 

The spring Wings Safety Day Seminar was hosted by John Teipen at the newly renovated Wings Industry Network hangar. The program included presentations by local aviation experts addressing practical issues experienced at the airport and in general aviation operations. Special thanks to Gateway Flight Training for providing guest speakers and promoting the event. The Aero Experience will cover the topics on the agenda in greater detail in a future post.