Creve Coeur Airport Visit Begins New Year of Midwest Aviation Coverage

By Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience begins the new year by visiting two of our Midwest Aviation partners at Creve Coeur Airport (1HO). We have been spending an increasing amount of time there as a media sponsor of the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation, a non-profit organization formed to inspire youth interest in aviation. In one short year, the Foundation has developed a flight simulation (with virtual reality)  lab, fielded an F-4 Phantom jet fighter cockpit mobile exhibit and made significant progress on the restoration of an OH-58C Kiowa helicopter that will be flying to events this spring. Current plans for this year include installing additional flight simulation stations, adding career counseling services and sponsoring aviation career events. 

Here we feature the latest view of the exhibits and a visit from members of the nearby Lou Fusz Soccer Club:

  

We also visited one of our advertising sponsors, Gateway Flight Training, located across the apron. Along with a comprehensive flight training program, Gateway Flight Training offers crew services, aircraft management, aircraft maintenance and related services. They have also partnered with the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation to provide Discovery Flights for youth aged 15 and over as described in the coupon below. Today's weather kept the planes on the ground, but the hangar was full of aircraft receiving inspections and needed maintenance.

Young Eagles Take Flight at St. Louis Downtown Airport

By Carmelo Turdo

EAA Chapter 64 held a Young Eagle flying event at St. Louis Downtown Airport Sunday, taking advantage of a break from the cold and rainy weather plaguing the Midwest in recent weeks. EAA Chapter 64 Young Eagle pilots flew eleven Boy Scouts from the local St. Louis Area Council with three very different aircraft types: Piper Arrow, Cessna 305A/O-1 Bird Dog, and Ercoupe 415E. The flights were staged from the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, located in historic Curtiss-Wright Hangar 2 on the west apron. While at the museum between flights, the Scouts also participated in activities counting towards the achievement of the Aviation Merit Badge. EAA Chapter 64, the museum and the Boy Scouts of America have been working together for several years to equip local youth with the knowledge and enthusiasm to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, including aviation.

The following photos show the Scouts arriving at the museum, taking their flights, and learning aviation history and aeronautical principles from the museum exhibits with the help of museum President and Aviation Merit Badge Counselor, Mark Nankivil.

 

Special thanks to EAA Chapter 64, The Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, Boy Scouts of America, West Apron FBO Ideal Aviation and St. Louis Downtown Airport Air Traffic Controllers for making this a successful event. 

Youth Experience Flight at St. Louis Area Young Eagles Rally

By The Aero Experience Team

The Aero Experience team assembled together today for our first combined coverage event of 2017 at the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, host of the year's first local EAA Young Eagles rally.  Due to the extensive overlap of aviation events and projects throughout the year, we often find ourselves in different locations each weekend.  We thought it would be great to gather at our local base at St. Louis Downtown Airport to help make the Young Eagles event a success.

Today's Young Eagles rally was conducted by EAA Chapter 64, also located at St. Louis Downtown Airport not far from the museum.  The chapter recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, and has flown many Young Eagles over the years.  Young Eagles flights are given free of charge to youth aged 8-17 through local EAA chapter rallies, and Young Eagles are also offered educational materials, first flight lesson vouchers and flight scholarships to encourage the development of the next generation of aviators.  Those who have received Young Eagle flights from EAA Chapter 64 have discovered that there are a variety of aircraft involved, flown by very experienced and enthusiastic pilots.  Young Eagles flights from St. Louis Downtown Airport offer a great view of the St. Louis skyline and neighboring sites such as the large rail yard north of the airport.       

The Aero Experience team members Fred Harl and Mark Nankivil, along with our Youth Ambassador Jack Nankivil, were among those assisting with the flight line safety as the Young Eagles made the short walk to the aircraft from the museum hangar.  The afternoon was clear and warm as the operation began following the pilot briefing by EAA Chapter 64 Young Eagles Coordinator Bob McDaniel.  Local youth groups, including Cub Scouts, were represented.  While some were being flown, others were touring the museum and trying out the full-size and kid-size aircraft cockpits and trainers.  A variety of aircraft were used, including Cessna 172s, a Piper Cherokee and John and Elizabeth Schaefer's pristine Cessna 305A/O-1A Bird Dog.  Here are some views of the flights.

Jack Nankivil was given a ride in the Schaefers' O-1A Bird Dog, and we have coverage of his flight, including a few views from the aircraft:

    

The Aero Experience team is proud to promote activities like the Young Eagles flights featured here today.  Special thanks to the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, EAA Chapter 64, pilots and ground crews, and Ideal Aviation FBO services.