Midwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show Features Rod Hightower, Erik Lindbergh, and Gregg Maryniak

By Carmelo Turdo

Day 1 of the 2011 Midwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show featured local aviation safety experts as well as internationally known presenters.  The two-day event, sponsored by the Greater St. Louis Flight Instructors Association, has become an annual local institution - a combination of trade show, fund raiser, safety panel, national advocacy update, inspirational testimony and recruiting drive.  Today's agenda was well-organized and smartly executed, a tribute to the legendary St. Louis aviation community.  Here are the highlights of today's session:

The Trade Show and Fundraiser Ran Throughout the Day. Here we show Jeremy Cox, President of the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, as he prepares auction items at today's fundraiser for the museum.

The Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force was one of the local organizations represented at the trade show, along with Wings of Hope, West County Aero, Ninety-Nines, EAA, Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, St. Louis University, St. Louis Aircraft Sales, Women with Wings, Air Associates and St. Charles Flying Service.

Several hundred aviation professionals gathered for the annual conference. Jeff Edwards, founder of Avsafe, is an accomplished pilot, flight instructor and FAA designated pilot examiner. He used his experience with accident investigation to illustrate how lapses in judgement, inexperience and ignorance can lead to disastrous results. He then joined the panel of local safety experts that fielded questions from the audience. 

Rod Hightower gave an overview of the current and probable future of general aviation in America, and enhancements to the Young Eagles program that will answer the critics of its effectiveness. 

Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh, reflects on his family legacy and his personal struggles with Rheumatoid Arthritis early in his adult life. Erik Lindbergh tells how he employs the principles of competition for technological goals, or "prizes" as they were once called, to spur measurable advances in various scientific fields.  In the same way the Orteig Prize spurred competition for Charles Lindbergh's historic solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, current incentives for electric aircraft, fuel efficient cars and youth scientific investigation teams have been implemented. 

Gregg Maryniak, President of the McDonnell Planetarium of the St. Louis Science Center and Chairman of the X-Prize Board of Directors (among other offices he holds), addressed the issues of risk as they applied to Erik Lindbergh's own solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, and to aviation in general.  He described his role as Flight Director for Eric Lindbergh's 2002 flight, and how planning for risk in the areas of Pilot, Aircraft, Environment and External Pressures can reduce the risks involved in aviation.

Gregg Maryniak (left) and Erik Lindbergh (right) pose with St. Louis' legendary McDonnell Douglas test pilot and certified flight instructor, Joe Dobronski.

Check back tomorrow for coverage of Day 2 of the conference, including youth activities.