St. Louis Aerospace Institute Open House Attracts Aircraft Builders

Program Manager Becky Epps

By Carmelo Turdo

The St. Louis Aerospace Institute, a collaborative effort between St. Louis Community College, industry partners and the Department of Labor, recently hosted an open house at its Florissant Valley Center for Workforce Innovation. Several staff members - Paul Voorhees, Robert Weaver and Jack Beetz - along with Program Manager Becky Epps, provided an informative display and a tour of the facility.  Groups of visitors, many actual or potential experimental aircraft builders, took great interest in the aviation workshops that will begin in March.  These workshops, held in the state-of-the-art laboratory, will cover measurement and layout, blueprint reading, composite fabrication and assembly, sheet metal assembly, electrical wiring and mechanical-hydraulic line installation.  These workshops are condensed versions of the technical training courses offered through the St. Louis Aerospace Institute.

Initially planned as a training program for prospective Boeing Company assembly workers, the program has gained additional partners and has blossomed into an aerospace production training center featuring these current hands-on courses: Mechanical Blueprint Reading, Basic Aerospace SMAR Training, Intermediate Aerospace SMAR Training, Aerospace Assembly: Electrical, Mechanical and Composites. A Certificate of Specialization in Skilled Trades Industrial Occupations Technology is available upon completion of required curriculum. Current industry partners include The Boeing Company, Essex Industries, GKN Aerospace, St. Louis Business Aviation Association, Kemco Aerospace Manufacturing, LMI Aerospace, Jet Aviation, Sabreliner Corporation, Pattonville High School, St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment, St. Louis County Workforce Investment Board, St. Louis Public School District, and Ritenour High School.  For more information about the St. Louis Aerospace Institute, please visit http://aerospace.stlcc.edu/.

Display containing sample projects 

Instructor Robert Weaver discusses an electrical project

Instructor Paul Voorhees explains construction techniques

Composites fabrication projects

Torque project

Students complete their projects

Instructor Jack Beetz in the composites laboratory

Instructor Jack Beetz demonstrates the dust vacuum

Instructor Jack Beetz at the composites vacuum work bench 

 

Guest Post: Paul Voorhees, President of EAA Chapter 64 and St. Louis Aerospace Institute Faculty Member

By Paul Voorhees

My name is Paul Voorhees. In 1986, I started my career as a Phantom Phixer in the last active-duty squadron of RF-4B Phantom II jets in the Marine Corps, VMFP-3. Since then, I earned my A&P/IA and Private Pilot Certificates.  I have lived in eight different states, from coast to coast, but have put my roots here in St. Louis. I was recently given the honor of being elected President of EAA Chapter 64 based at St. Louis Downtown Airport (http://eaa64.org/).

It is my goal  to reach out to the various groups of aviation enthusiasts in the St. Louis metro area this year, and I plan to attend as many meetings of the other EAA chapters and any other aviation group in the area that will have me.  I am also an instructor at the St. Louis Aerospace Institute, teaching aircraft metal structures, precision measurement and blue print reading. Initially planned as a training program for prospective Boeing Company assembly workers, the program has gained additional partners and has blossomed into an aerospace production training center featuring these current hands-on courses: Mechanical Blueprint Reading, Basic Aerospace SMAR Training, Intermediate Aerospace SMAR Training, Aerospace Assembly: Electrical, Mechanical and Composites. A Certificate of Specialization in Skilled Trades Industrial Occupations Technology is available upon completion of required curriculum.  I also teach at Gateway S.T.E.M. School in their A&P program.  For more information about the St. Louis Aerospace Institute, please visit http://workforcesolutions.stlcc.edu/aerospace-institute/.  

I would like to take this opportunity to get the word out about the exciting new workshops we are developing at the College. They are for anyone interested in building an airplane. They will cover blue print reading, fastener layout, aviation fastener installation, electrical and mechanical installations, safety wire techniques, and composite lay up and repairs. For more information on these workshops, please contact me at pvoorhees@stlcc.edu.

St. Louis is a great aviation town with a rich history. I have not found a better group of "plane/wing nuts" then can be found here.  I feel that there are a vast amount of activities missed because the word didn't get out, which is why I am very thankful to The Aero Experience team for their efforts to promote Midwest aviation.  I like to joke that I can't afford a nice camera, so I have to take Carmelo with me. The truth is, I like Carmelo and what The Aero Experience does for the aviation community. 

I hope to see you all at an aviation event soon!

Be sure to visit the St. Louis Aerospace Institute Open House today from 1-4pm!

  

St. Louis Downtown Airport Gaining Status as Air Charter Hub

By Carmelo Turdo

St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS) is quickly becoming a hub of air charter activity serving greater St. Louis area sport and entertainment venues.  Located three miles from downtown St. Louis, St. Louis Downtown Airport is the ideal destination for arriving professional and college sports teams hosted by the NHL St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center, St. Louis University Billikens at Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis Rams at the Edwards Jones Dome or the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.  Aircraft as large as the Boeing 757 have been welcomed on the Jet Aviation FBO ramp adjacent to the Airport Operations Center after landing on the newly widened 7002'x150' Runway 12R/30L. 

The airport has a long history of serving the aviation needs of the greater St. Louis area, beginning with the opening of what was then called Curtiss-Steinberg Airport in 1929, the airport being named after co-founders Mark Steinberg and the Curtiss-Wright Corporation.  Oliver Parks, founder of nearby Parks College, later became the airport operator and investor, and today Parks College of St. Louis University conducts flight operations on the west ramp near Ideal Aviation FBO.  Airport Director, Bob McDaniel, commented to The Aero Experience, "Many of the early aviation pioneers, such as Charles Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, Amelia Earhart, and others flew in and out of our airport because of its close proximity to the St. Louis business district.   In the 1960s, we became the 'airport of choice' for celebrities including Arthur Godfrey, Hans Conrad, Bob Cummings and many others. As airport facilities continued to improve, our customer base expanded to include movie stars, high-ranking politicians, and the general public flying to St. Louis to attend the many sporting events and other entertainment venues."  Today, the airport continues to utilize historic Curtiss-Wright Hangars 1 and 2, used by Ozark Air Services and the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, respectively, while offering state-of-the-art Part 139 Class IV Commercial/GA Reliever Airport services that include Washington, D.C. "Gateway Airport" status. 

Recently, there has been a flurry of charter flights arriving at St. Louis Downtown Airport, bringing in a variety of new aircraft types.  Airport Director, Bob McDaniel, continued, "Now, with our recently widened and improved runway, visiting sports teams can enjoy that same close proximity and easy in and out travel. We’ve seen a growing number of Boeing 737’s, 757’s, Airbuses and MD-80s bringing hockey, baseball and football teams to St. Louis through our airport. We’re proud to provide this new capability to our customers and the region."  Thanks to the generosity of Director McDaniel and the management of Jet Aviation, The Aero Experience is privileged to bring exclusive coverage of charter flights as part of our Midwest Aero Experience.  Here are some examples of recent charter flights featuring MD-81, 737-2H4 and Airbus A319-114 class aircraft.

Sightings: Blackhawks Descend on Farmington Regional Airport

By Fred Harl

A recent visit to Farmington Regional Airport became part of an aviation photographer's perfect storm: eight Blackhawks descended on the airport in southeast Missouri for a brief rest and fuel stop. The airport management in Farmington has been working to bring in more military traffic, and this was a crowning achievement. Adding to this great fortune was the opportunity to capture the scene from both the ground and air. Here are some views of this latest Aero Experience.