Midwest Regional Safety Seminar Held In St. Louis

By Carmelo Turdo

The Midwest Regional Safety Seminar, hosted by the FAA Safety Team, the Greater St. Louis Rotor & Wing Association and Helicopters Inc. was held Saturday, November 6 at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. Over 60 attendees participated, receiving credit towards the FAA's WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program. Registration opened at 7:00 A.M. and the program ran from 8:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. A variety of topics were discussed, all applicable to fixed wing and rotorcraft flight. The sessions were held in a large, climate-controlled hangar what offered just the right "atmosphere" for the occasion.

Susie Welter Dixon registers attendees first thing through the door

Presenters for the sessions included:

Bill Hopper, Helicopters Inc. Director of Safety:
Seminar Introductions

Randy Ottinger, STL FSDO Program Manager:
The Airport Environment and Runway Safety

Dr. Pierre Moeser:
Aviation Medical Implications of CBD and Marijuana

Fred Harms, STL FAAST Team Lead Representative:
Night Review

Stan Rose, Helicopter Safety Alliance CEO:
How to Crash a Helicopter

Phil Dixon, MEM FSDO FAAST Team Program Manager:
Here's Something You May Not Have Known

Fred Harms, STL FAAST Team Lead Representative:
A License to Learn

Bill Hopper, Helicopters Inc. Director of Safety:
Aircraft Magneto Care

Lunch was provided by Elite Aviation, the flight school and aircraft maintenance service provider located at Spirit of St. Louis Airport within eyeshot of the seminar location. 

Sponsor table displays were available throughout the day. Setter Hills Market featured some of their personalized and engraved products used to promote events and businesses. They specialize in serving small businesses and small batch production.

Gateway Flight Solutions, based at nearby Creve Coeur Airport, demonstrated their new offerings as a dealer of Aspen and Avidyne Avionics along with their comprehensive flight training, aircraft maintenance and fleet management services. They had an aircraft on display outside of the hangar that incorporated a recent avionics panel upgrade.  

No aviation event is complete without the swag raffle, and this one was no exception! Paul Goldasich managed the giveaways as the event wound down. 

The Aero Experience thanks all who contributed to making the Midwest Regional Safety Seminar a great success. These include: