Calhoun Air Center

January 9, 2012
Calhoun Air Center
Calhoun County Airport
Port Lavaca, TX
Airport: 361-552-1228
www.calhounaircenter.com

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

What a year it has been for the Calhoun Air Center! It has flown by for us. So as we usher in the holidays and a new year, we’d like to take a moment and look back at some of the notable events of 2011.

The airport improvements that began in 2010 were completed during the first part of this year and included our apron expansion and runway overlay. The results were fantastic and our airport has never looked better. The new apron has especially come in handy during events like the Poco Bueno fishing tournament, during which we had record breaking traffic and sales, and our annual Kid’s Day where three hundred local sixth graders rotate between twelve aviation related stations learning about everything from fire and rescue, helicopters, to commercial agricultural operations. I’d like to send out another big “thank you” to all the volunteers that took time out to educate our local youth.

We also set up our new Victoria flight school office. Flight training operations were now based out of a newly remodeled facility on the airport property and made instruction more accessible to area residents. It also gave us a hub to operate from for events such as the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) International Learn to Fly Day, May 21st, and the Wings of Freedom weekend, April 1-3rd, where we provided flights to participants and promoted aviation to the large crowds that came out.

The staff at CAC was able to take time to attend several conferences this year to include the Texas Aviation Association (TXAA) Conference in Austin, a Cessna Pilot Center Seminar in Orlando, as well as an AOPA flight training seminar in Addison. Local high school student Melissa Albrecht was present at the TXAA Conference and was recognized for her third place in State aviation art contest entry. Calhoun Air Center again sponsored a local art contest to provide submissions to the International art competition. We truly enjoy getting to meet with the many people in our profession that are out there, year-round, striving to make general aviation and flight training better for all.

March brought another record breaking event to our rapidly growing airport as we hosted an event for Women of Aviation Worldwide Week (WOAW). Award winning promotion from Jasmine Gordon and record breaking dedication from airport manager Dianna Stanger brought the joy of flying to women of all ages. Stanger took the women ages 2-86 up for a quick flight around the town. Over the two day event, 98 women were able to get a taste of flight. Efforts did not go without notice as Stanger was awarded Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World and Gordon Most Creative Aviation Advocate by WOAW.

Stanger’s passion for aviation extends well beyond Calhoun County. For ten days in June she and teammate Victoria Holt participated in the Air Race Classic, the nation’s oldest all female air race, with notable entries such as Amelia Earhart. They competed against over one hundred other contenders and made time along the way to stop and conduct radio interviews and meet with young women interested
in aviation.

Our first annual Monster Bash was a great success. We hosted a 5k run/walk, local EAA Chapter 340 were present giving Young Eagles flights, hay rides, costume contests, flour bomb and golf ball drops were all schedule. Twenty-two vendors were present selling items and numerous volunteers brought it all together. Read more at our newly revamped website, www.calhounaircenter.com

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Our flight school took delivery of a brand new 2011 Cessna 172SP with the G1000 avionics suite in November and the students have loved the new plane smell. Congratulations go out to Mike Solomon, who completed his private pilot certificate, and to Frank Maestri, Kevin Pruett, Mike Nichols, Virgil Saylor, Kevin Hill, and Ryan Dias for soloing. Good luck to all our students working towards their ratings!

As we recap the year, thank you to all who have become a part of our PKV family! You have greatly contributed to the success of this airport; the year’s memories have helped make this year better and bigger than ever! We welcome 2012, there’s much in store, so stay tuned. Aviation should be a part of our everyday lives, concluding 2011; we thank all of those that have helped achieve that goal.

View the video at http://www.youtube.com/user/CalhounAirCenter