First Responders Receive Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Training at St. Louis Regional Airport

By Carmelo Turdo

First responders received Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) training during an FAA FAAST Team event held April 20 at St. Louis Regional Airport. Airport management worked closely with St. Louis FSDO Program Manager Randy Ottinger and Jason Bruns, Airport Operations Specialist and Assistant Chief for the St. Clair Special Emergency Services Association, to provide essential aircraft accident response training to local first responders serving Part 139 airport operations. Agencies represented include:

St. Louis Regional Airport; St. Louis Downtown Airport; MidAmerica St. Louis Airport; Mount Vernon, IL Outland Airport; St. Clair Special Emergency Services Association; O'Fallon, IL Fire Rescue; Alhambra, IL Fire Protection District; and French Village, IL Fire Protection District. 

The morning session included presentations covering ARFF Equipment and Agents, ARFF Operational Requirements and Airport Emergency Plans, among other related topics. Along with the class work was practical training (non-destructive, of course) with aircraft provided by local individuals and flight schools, including a Viper LSA, featuring a ballistic chute, from Piston Aviation, Piper Cherokee from STL Flight Training, Cessna Skylane from the State of Illinois and privately owned Mooney and Cirrus aircraft. First responders were briefed on the operation of the cockpit canopies and entry doors along with the unique structural components, fuel tank location and ballistic parachute systems contained on each type. This training is more essential than ever with the proliferation of more LSA training aircraft in the St. Louis area that feature canopy egress and the use ballistic parachute systems. 

Another special feature of the event was the Mobile ARFF Simulator provided by Mount Vernon, IL Outland Airport. The trailered aircraft fuselage, with entry door and removable emergency exit, is an excellent training apparatus for use throughout the region to augment the two salvage aircraft available at that airport. Chris Collins, Mount Vernon Outland Airport Director, was on site to conduct a briefing on how to operate the aircraft cabin exits and where to cut through the interior structure should that be necessary in a rescue scenario. Collins' extensive background in ARFF lent additional credibility to the quality of the training provided. 

The Aero Experience thanks St. Louis Regional Airport management, the St. Louis FAA FSDO and all of the instructors and participants attending this training event. Contact the St. Louis FSDO and Mount Vernon Outland Airport to request additional ARFF training opportunities in our region.

St. Louis University Flying Billikens Prepare for National Competition

(NIFA graphic)

By Carmelo Turdo

The St. Louis University Flying Billikens are heading to the National Intercollegiate Flying Association national competition next week in Janesville, WI. The team placed third overall in last fall's Region 6 contest held at the team's home field, St. Louis Downtown Airport, and now they are ready to take on the best teams in the country. 

The Aero Experience visited with the Flying Billikens during a recent early morning training session. Five competitors launched to practice their spot landing skills before the regular flight operations began for the day. The clean aerodynamics of the Diamond DA20 fleet aircraft require highly-developed skills to land within feet of the runway markers. 

(St. Louis University graphic)

During our visit, we interviewed three of the team leaders, Sebastian Valenzuela, Hudson Pettit and Troy Ettenson, for some insight into the events making up the SAFECON national competition. Hear their responses in the video below.

The St. Louis University Flying Billikens can still make the claim, "We are Number One," regardless of the results from next week's SAFECON national competition. The university's flight program is an outgrowth of the original Parks Air College, founded by Oliver L. Parks, in 1927. Parks Air College became the first federally certificated flight training school in 1929, and thereafter added a student-run airline, trained cadets at four airfields during World War II and later was gifted to St. Louis University. Parks College operated on its own campus in Cahokia, IL until being absorbed into St. Louis University in 1997. Currently, Parks College is known as the Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science, and flight operations continue at St. Louis Downtown Airport. 

The Aero Experience thanks The Flying Billikens for hosting our visit, and we wish them great success in the SAFECON national competition!

April General Aviation (and More!) Survey

By The Aero Experience Team

The Aero Experience looks back on the month of April in this General Aviation (and More!) Survey. Here we present a variety of aircraft types encountered during our visits to airports while covering stories from around the Midwest. We hope you enjoy this review of our aviation community!

Creve Coeur Airport, Maryland Heights, MO

St. Louis Downtown Airport, Cahokia Heights, IL

Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Chesterfield, MO