Elite Aviation Hosts Civil Air Patrol 80th Anniversary Open House Event, Part 1

By Carmelo Turdo

Elite Aviation hosted the Civil Air Patrol 80th Anniversary and Open House event Saturday at their Spirit of St. Louis flight training facility. The public was invited to learn about the Civil Air Patrol, meet members of the local aviation community, explore the aircraft on display, take Discovery Flights in modern Elite Aviation aircraft and enjoy good food and refreshments throughout the day. Elite Aviation has supported the fleet of Civil Air Patrol aircraft since they began operations at the airport, and they were a natural partner to help plan and host the event. Special guest appearances by the Missouri CAF, U.S. Army, Metro Air Support and the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation's F-4 cockpit and Kid Zone exhibit made the day enjoyable for visitors of all ages.

In Part 1, we introduce the main sponsors of the event, Civil Air Patrol and Elite Aviation. We will include the other participants in Part 2 and Part 3 in this series.

Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, is a national civilian, non-profit volunteer organization that serves the nation through the use of general aviation aircraft in a regional, state and local corporate structure. Founded on December 1, 1941, Civil Air Patrol has evolved from supporting the war effort through coastal patrol and search and rescue missions to the national Total Force partner they are today. CAP members still perform search and rescue and disaster relief missions, but they also provide Aerospace Education and a Cadet Program as well. The 60,000+ members employ modern aircraft and equipment, as seen below, and uphold the highest standards of respect for the nation. Here we feature the Civil Air Patrol's event exhibit and the posting of the colors by the cadet color guard.   

Elite Aviation provides Private, Commercial and Flight Instructor certificate training in their large fleet of modern C172 Skyhawks at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The updated facility includes briefing and class rooms, and the large apron space offers a safe environment for initial and advanced flight training activities. Cessna Pilot Center King Schools on-line ground school training allows students and instructors to track progress and address areas of difficulty along the way. Training in the Redbird MCX full-motion simulator is also available for single-engine, twin Baron and instrument flight scenarios. Elite Aviation's maintenance department services a variety of aircraft, including the flight training and Civil Air Patrol fleets. Here we feature the Elite Aviation hangar hospitality center, tent exhibit, fleet aircraft and Discovery Flights.