The Aspiring Pilot

Rockford Airfest 2011 details upcoming with huge sale on tickets

USAF Heritage Flight with p51 Mustang and F22 Raptor at the 2009 Airfest

Photo by Andrew Smolenski

RFD will be holding a press conference (open to media as well as the public) on Friday at 10 AM at Rockford Airport.  They are expected to announce the theme of this years show and a few of the performers.  

The cool part, is if  you are attending is that RFD will once again hold their Stocking Stuffer sale, with tickets at a HUGE discount from gate prices.  Prices haven't increased from last year and will remain $15 for adults and $5 for kids; however, starting on Friday the 17th, you can purchase an adult ticket for only $4 (a savings of $11) and kids tickets for $3 (a savings of $2).  

For more information, see my Chicago General Aviation Article here. 

And so my return to flight finally begins...

I've settled some of my other study requirements pertaining to my other jobs (primarily my firefighting one) and will be starting to self-study for my instructor ratings this week.  With the holiday's approaching an most of the preps complete, time is finally here to focus on aviation more.  I'll initially study and obtain the Advanced Ground Instructor rating and the Instrument Ground Instructor ratings prior to going for the full CFI rating some time next year.  

I've pulled out my old text books and will review those to freshen up some of my knowledge.  I've perused them already and it doesn't seem like I've really lost all that much.  Now, it will just be a matter of applying myself and spending the time necessary to adequately prepare for the FAA Written exams.  At $150 per test, it's not a cheap proposition in itself! 

I am really looking forward to getting back into the world of flying, and know that the ground instructor certificates are the first step in finally getting back into the air.  Depending on how I fare financially after the holidays, I may try and get my currency (biennial flight review and instrument proficiency checks) out of the way in January, or at least by the summer.  My kids looking forward to their first flight in general aviation airplane, with me at the control, has given me even more of a boost and support for getting back in the air. 

Look for much more in the way of my progress here in the coming weeks, as well as many more articles on general aviation from my Examiner.com columns.  Examiner.com has partnered with Reuters America to publish some of the articles on an international news scale, so that will help tremendously in adding readership to my work.  

Live in the Seattle area? Want a free flight around the pattern?

Karlene Petitt, the writer of the Flight to Success blog (and an Airbus A330 pilot for Delta) is joining in to help the Centennial of Women Pilots campaign reach it's goal of introducing over 2,000 women to aviation and flight in 2010.  The year is quickly coming to a close and they are well short of their goal, with just over 600 women taking part.  Karlene has started the 'Fly it Forward' campaign and is hosting an event at her local airport, Renton Municipal Airport (RNT) on December 5, 2010 from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. local time.

Karlene also added that 'as a passenger participant in the Fly it Forward campaign, on December 5th, you'll be entered into a $100 drawing, honoring the 100th anniversary of the first women pilot, Raymonde De Laroche.'

Those attending the event are requested to meet atBoeing Employees Flying Association (BEFA). BEFA is located at the airport, specifically, 840 West Perimeter Road, Renton Washington. Please contact Karlene if you are planning to attend to set a time for your flight. Her contact information is located in the press releaseregarding the event.  You may also visit her post on her blog 'Flight to Success' to respond in the comments there as well obtain more information on participating in the flight activities on December 5th. 

I'll be posting more on the Centennial of Women Pilots campaign as a whole nationwide, in the Chicago area as well as Karlene's Fly it Forward 'sub-campaign'.  

Read my whole article on the Renton event at my National General Aviation Examiner column and pass this on to anyone you know that lives anywhere in the Seattle area and may know a woman or girl interested in participating.  Let's get social media and blogs etc to work to help them meet their goal.  1400 women in the next 4 weeks is a lofty goal, but an achievable one.  I'm sure Karlene's event will knock a hundred+ off that figure.