Gateway Flight Training to Resume Operations According to St. Louis County Guidelines

By Carmelo Turdo

Gateway Flight Training will resume flight operations at Creve Coeur Airport on Monday, May 18, in accordance with the St. Louis County re-opening guidelines. Staff and students are eager to continue their flight training, and a specific protocol will be followed to maintain good health in the facility and in the aircraft. Gateway Flight Training's diverse fleet has received the latest maintenance and updates, and is ready to take to the air. Gateway Flight Training offers a wide variety of flight training and flight crew service options, all of which are explained on their web site link above.

(L-R) Gateway Flight Training Safety Officer, Tony Jestis, and Operations 

Manager, Brian Borton, at the check-in station

"We at Gateway Flight Training are taking the COVID-19 pandemic very seriously," CFI/Check Pilot and Safety Officer Tony Jestis told The Aero Experience. "By using our log-in book, our Lysol wipes and our hand sanitizer, we hope to prevent the spread of COVID-19." Precautions such as logging in and out, recording one's temperature, wearing a mask and disinfecting surfaces are included in the operations protocol. All aircraft interiors, flight gear and equipment will be sanitized before use. 

A message about the new protocols from Gateway Flight Training:

"Gateway Flight Training will also be giving back to the community during this challenging time," Operations Manager Brian Borton added. "We will contribute 5% from aircraft rentals to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis through June 30. They have helped sustain over 10,000 families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The more we fly, the greater our donation can be." 

Though Gateway Flight Training has honored the recent COVID-19 stand-down, they have continued to serve their students by conducting on-line, interactive Private Pilot ground school training. Students and their instructor meet in a virtual classroom where they discuss the day's lesson as if they were meeting in person. A recent session by Alan Wiese, featured below, included planning a cross-country flight using the E6B flight computer and navigation plotter on a paper chart. For more information on enrolling in the ground school sessions or any other level of flight training, contact Gateway Flight Training today.

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The Gateway Flight Training fleet will be ready to serve flight students on Monday. Featured below are the Piper Tomahawk, Piper Archer, Beechcraft Debonair and Cessna 310Q.