I was unable to get my "Support Corporate Sponsorship" spot on AOPA Live at Hartford.  Truth is I was way behind the 8ball on that one, and although the content and message are good, I will be redesigning the piece and marketing it through a new association with the Flying Musicians Association, a two year old non-profit created out of the realization that over 50% of aviators are also musicians, and have designs of complimenting the two passions for a common goal: develop new arts and sciences students to enrich our country.

AOPA Hartford was exciting because it was in our neck of the woods this year.  Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and it did keep the numbers down.

I had the joy of reconnecting with old television production friends, Sid Levin and Jim Arnold, formerly of Arnold/Levin Productions for whom I worked in the early 90's.  They each now have their own production companies producing content for major cable programming.

My new association with the Flying Musicians Association is truly invigorating.  Their mission is to merge the passions of music and aviation and help promote both at high schools and colleges.  To date we have three chapters, but a dozen more in development.  We are looking for evangelists.  For more information check out the web site at: www.flyingmusicians.org.

In an attempt to help grow the FMA, it's possible we may walk the National Business Aviation Association convention  NBAA  in Vegas next week, but with such short notice the odds are not good....

Joined FMA Flying Musicians Association http://flyingmusicians.org/ and helping them grow by performing at the AOPA conference in Hartford this month.  I've also created a 4 minute film highlighting the struggle new students are having and making the suggestion we create a corporate sponsorship program (got to start somewhere). We'll post it soon.

My Trip To EAA Airventure- Oshkosh WI

With gracious hospitality of those including the Uncontrolled Airspace Podcast gang, The Flying Musicians Association and Michael Goulian, I took my first pilgrimage to the largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts held in America- Airventure!  Fate and luck on my side, I actually got a room at the University Of Wisconsin dorms and shuttled back and forth in busloads of aviators from around the world.  After a night learning Australian slang my Aussi friends and I were treated to a week of glorious weather, and experience the phenomenal diversity of aircraft.  The trade show facilities presented the latest innovations and accessories, and the Lecture Pavilions hosted instruction and introduction to many aviation products, construction methods and history makers in aviation, and the FAA FAST Safety Seminars offered continuing education credit lectures, several which I made time to attend.  You'll smile to learn that an FAA staff actually gave me a ride on her golf cart clear across campus to make a time-sensitive meeting- Yes, the FAA really helped me out that day (THANK YOU AGAIN)!  Attending the AOPA Airport Support Network dinner gave me the chance to meet with Craig Fuller, President of AOPA and share my vision and news of progress in completing this documentary, of which he expressed a great deal of interest.  As if that wasn't exciting enough, attending Airventure gave me the opportunity to meet with a large number of potential sponsor companies, share my vision with them, and begin the dialogue that are the first steps in what I hope may be a long and healthy relationship. We'll be looking to meet many of them at the AOPA Conference in Hartford CT this September.

New Students

Good weather and mild winds have made the first half of the summer at Katama Airfield an active and exciting place to be.  In addition to the students we expected, almost a dozen more have made their way here for primary flight instruction in July.  Resident Primary CFI Paul Santopietro shares that this number of students is about the same as last year, and considering the economy this is a very good sign.  It's been my good fortune to find many of them available and willing to be included in our project, so expect to see the names Sean, Colleen and Paige in upcoming posts.

Skycatcher over Katama

Got my first hour in a Cessna Skycatcher earlier in the month.  John Miles from Maine Aviation flew down for a customer demo.  Unfortunately I had to meet them at KMVY as it's a demo airplane and didn't want to muddy the wheel pants. (He wasn't aware that 1B2 is hard pack and well drained... but does now).  I can tell you it's more powerful than it looks, love the "stick" and feels much more stable than the 1320lbs.  A rare aircraft, orders now expect delivery in a year. We'll keep you posted. 

July 21 2011- Yak attack at Katama!

The BIG surprise so far is the number of teenagers learning to fly at Katama this summer! At last count we had 6 and one had her First Solo yesterday!  The weather has been good and the crowds at Right Fork Diner, located directly in front of the biplane loading area, have been ample and steady. 

A Fly-To-The-Beach event hosted by the regional Piper Tri-Pacer club drew a nice collection, and the beach parking lot has been filled just about every day.

We had a visit from a Nanchang CJ-6A, a Chinese aircraft with many similar systems as the Yakovlev Yak-18, who wowed the lucky visitors of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown with a flurry of tactical evasive maneuvers and stomach testing flying.  Don't know how it looked from the beach, but I can tell you it's was a fantastic view from where I was sitting- in the back seat! (Watch for video to be posted soon).

Katama Airfield USA gets first "nod" from the media

The stalwart members of Uncontrolled Airspace Aviation Podcast featured the meeting I had with Dave Higdon down at Sun N' Fun (The tornado had yet to hit). They are excited to see what comes of the project, (as am I) and took the time to detail what we've done and what's on the agenda for the season. Don't know what their listener numbers are, but they've done over 233 episodes since August 2006, so they must be doing something right. For now check out the ever growing episodes of Aviation Island- The Pilots, on MVTV.org- Video On Demand "Aviation".

Preliminary opening for A I

It's not polished but it's there. I'm working hard to get the A I web site established enough not to be an embarrassment, but it's going to be until I get a pro to do one properly. Meanwhile let me know what you think?
www.aviationisland.info

MVTV Getting All New Production Equipment

That's right, all new HDTV cameras, studio and post production equipment. We'll also have access to more editing time, so I pray to get at least ONE of the 6 interviews I have on tape, in the can. We'll see. My goal is to have the first interview on-air early March.

Early spring preparations at Katama Air Field

Spent some really chilly time with Mike Creato, Manager of Katama Air Field yesterday. He spoke of the early days, his grandfathers management of the place in the 40's, the type of aircraft to land, what life was like when he was a kid and why he's stayed tied to the mast all these years. It was interesting to watch him "dust off the cob webs" of the tools and supplies, this being the first action of the pending 2011 season. You couldn't tell by the steam coming out our breath, but it was warm enough to change the oil on Waco 1, (The "Red Barron") one of the two that call 1B2 home.

Aviators Who Have Been Interviewed To Date

Aviators That Have Been Interviewed To Date:

John Aldeborgh

Bob Stone

Joe Costa

Denys Wortman

Don Ogilvie

Why I use the term "Aviators" and not "Pilots"

I use the term "Aviators" because technically some of them, who have been flying for decades, don't need a pilots license to fly! Bob Stone is a perfect example: a real life rocket scientist, he's been flying gliders all his adult life, including a couple power-gliders which taxi and take off, can cruise, then upon landing with the engine off, taxi back, all on it's own power.

Welcome to Aviation Island MV

It's my hope to find like-minded people who want to see general aviation thrive, keep the existing small airports still have, and encourage the development new airports. Anyone who is involved in airport activity is encouraged to participate by introducing us to the stories that make your life in aviation relevant. Tell us of your beginnings, the aircraft you love, the air parks you call home.

A documentary is in process highlighting the lives of pilots that frequent Martha's Vineyard and New England. The idea is to spread the word that it's important to get involved in local government, for us to communicate with each other about our challenges and successes, and to increase awareness and involvement.

Please feel free to set up subjects, alert us of developments, provide links and ask questions. There are wonderful developments that may help turn the tide of our shrinking GA world, let's not keep them to ourselves.