Intro Day #1 - The Grand Experiment

In the fall of 2006, IAC12 President Bob Freeman gave a presentation on aerobatics to EAA Chapter 43 and the Colorado 99s, and we signed up pilots interested in taking an aerobatic ride. Then in January 2006, new IAC12 member Derric Lee offered to kick off our Young Eagles program.

These two projects came together on March 17th, 2007, when Chapter 12 held our first-ever "Intro to Acro" / Young Eagles day at the Longmont airport. The weather was absolutely perfect with temperatures in the 70s, bright sun, and a light breeze from the east. How's that for late winter in Colorado! The snow-capped Rockies provided a spectacular backdrop as well.

Click here for photos of passengers, planes, and pilots. (Some photos are also available in high resolution, suitable for prints; click here.)

Intro-to-Acro

A total of 22 pilots from EAA43 and the 99s took aerobatic rides in a Super Decathlon, Pitts S-2B, Sukhoi 29, and Extra 300L, and all came back with big smiles on their faces. For many it was their first exposure to aerobatic flight. I'm sure we made some new friends that day, and we hope to see them get involved in aerobatics going forward.

John Blum, Dick Bevington, Rick Basiliere, and DJ Molny handled the flying, while Bob Freeman and Earl Allen coordinated the ground activities. Thanks everybody! Thanks also to Larry at Air West for the special courtesies he extended to our group.

Young Eagles

Derric Lee in a C172, with help from Devin Dahlberg in a Decathlon, flew an astonishing eighty-two (yes, 82) students from the Aurora Academy and Rachel B Noel Middle School. Way to go, guys! The students also got a static tour of the acro machines.

All of the front-seaters flew the 172 from takeoff roll to short final. Based on their smooth flying styles, Derric selected Cristina Rodriquez as the "Top Gun Junior Aviator Winner" and Raymundo Aguayo as the "Top Gun 'ACE' Winner". Congratulations!