California aviators honored
The California Aviation Hall of Fame, a subsidiary of the Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Airport, inducted four remarkable aviators at a ceremony November 15, 2018. Honored were Angela Masson, the first female chief pilot of a Boeing 747 and second female captain for American Airlines; Dick Rutan, who piloted the first nonstop, nonrefueled flight around the world with Jeana Yeager; Barry Schiff, retired TWA captain, AOPA Pilot columnist, and record holder—he has flown more than 28,000 hours in 356 types of aircraft; and Mike Melvill, the first commercial astronaut who piloted SpaceShipOne, was a test pilot for Scaled Composites, and who holds nine FAI records. The California Aviation Hall of Fame honors aviation pioneers from the state.
Writing prize for young pilots
The Richard Collins family is partnering with Sporty’s Pilot Shop to present The Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots. To qualify, the writer must be a pilot (including student pilots) who is age 24 or younger. The article must be original, not previously published, and 1,500 words or less. The topic may reflect any aspect of general aviation flying.
The winning article will be published in Air Facts, the publication Leighton Collins founded in 1938 and that was relaunched eight years ago by Sporty’s as an online magazine. The writer will also receive $2,500. Richard Collins Jr., J. Mac McClellan, and Amy Laboda will judge the entries.
The prize will be awarded during the 2019 Sun ’n Fun International Fly-In & Expo in Lakeland, Florida. Articles may be submitted through March 1, 2019 ([email protected]).
NDUSTRY NEWS
Think quickly, remain calm
Archie League Medal of Safety Award presented at NATCA convention
Air traffic controllers possess some unique qualities, such as the ability to think quickly and remain calm under pressure while maintaining situational awareness. A controller’s willingness to resolve complex situations without hesitation, offer a reassuring voice to those on the frequency, and the ability to coordinate their efforts with other controllers help ATC maintain the safety of the National Airspace System.
Controllers often feel that they are simply “just doing their job,” but their work is viewed by others as remarkable and extraordinary. The Archie League Medal of Safety Awards were named for the first air traffic controller, Archie League. The program highlights a variety of aviation “saves”—some that involve a team of controllers working together, while others are the result of one controller’s efforts.
The Archie League Medal of Safety Awards selection panel, including NATCA Director of Safety and Technology Jim Ullmann; Experimental Aircraft Association Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board Jack Pelton; and Air Line Pilots Association International Aviation Safety Chairman Capt. Steve Jangelis, announced the 14th annual Archie League winners in October.
Waco Classic under new ownership
A Florida company has purchased Waco Classic Aircraft Corp. and intends to continue producing new radial-engine airplanes in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Dimor Group Inc. of Fort Lauderdale bought Waco Classic, which manufactures new YMF–5D models as well as Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 biplanes. Dimor plans to keep the company’s 30 employees at the W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek, Michigan, and is considering an expansion of the current facility.
“This change is good for the company, good for the employees, and good for the brand,” said Peter Bowers, president of Waco Classic, who plans to remain as a manager of the company. “The new owner believes in the company and wants to invest in its future.”
Waco has produced about 170 new, handcrafted biplanes since the company was formed in Michigan in 1983. It currently makes about a dozen new airplanes a year.
The Dimor Group and Dimor Aerospace are registered as for-profit, foreign-owned companies based in Florida. Dimor Aero is located in Cologne, Germany. —Dave Hirschman
Pilot products
What time is it?
Historical watches made from real airplanes
By Dave Hirschman
Like many pilots, Greg Youngs has a complex relationship with watches. He loves their form and function—particularly those made for aviators—but he despises their uninformed, low-brow marketing and sky-high prices.
“I always felt a bit taken advantage of when I bought an aviation watch because they didn’t really have a direct aviation connection, and they cost about 10 times what I thought they ought to,” said Youngs, 53, a former corporate pilot. “Pilots end up paying a lot for brand names.”
So Youngs started a new watch company with a twist: his products would contain bits of historical aircraft inside them.
“We put a piece of an actual Spitfire inside our Spitfire watches,” he said. “They’re all stamped limited-editions because they have to be. There’s a finite amount of authentic material out there, and it tells an important story.”
The Spitfire material, for example, came from an actual airplane that flew during the Battle of Britain. Bristol’s B–25 watches contain a small amount of Panchito in them. Others include metal from a Boeing 747 jumbo jet, an A–10 Warthog ground attack airplane, and space shuttle Atlantis.
In all, Youngs said he’s collected enough rare airplane material for about 10,000 watches, which are assembled near in his home in San Antonio, Texas. The watches have retail prices ranging from about $600 to $700 each.
“This is a new company and a new idea, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “It shows there are lots of people like me who care about aviation history and want to preserve it.”
Email [email protected]
Web: www.bristolwatchcompany.com
Headlines that affect you
Recent news from the aviation world
Hawkins out as CEO
Icon Aircraft founder Kirk Hawkins will no longer serve as CEO of the California firm that makes the amphibious A5 Light Sport aircraft, the company announced. Icon didn’t say what role Hawkins will play, or who will replace him. —AOPA.org
Goulian places third in Red Bull World Championship
Czech pilot Martin Sonka edged out Australian Matt Hall at the Fort Worth Red Bull Air Race, sealing his title as world champion of the 2018 series. American Michael Goulian, who led going into the Texas race, placed third in the series after being knocked out in the Round of Eight. —AOPA.org
Ventura County airport director remembered
Todd McNamee, the director of airports for Ventura County, California, died November 1. He was 52. McNamee, who was married and had two sons, was a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and had worked for the county since 2001. He was named director of the county’s two airports in Camarillo and Oxnard in 2005, overseeing a staff of 34 employees, and a $60 million budget. —AOPA.org
GA industry surpasses 10-year safety goal
Credit the booming economy or perhaps revamped regulations, but the FAA reports general aviation pilots are flying more hours—378,906 more hours than the previous reported year, an increase of about 2 percent, but an increase nonetheless. And not only have flying hours increased in the last year, but GA has surpassed its 10-year goal in reducing the fatal accident rate. —AOPA.org
Trainers lead upbeat Piper sales
Piper Aircraft reported some of its best aircraft sales figures since 2008 in the 2018 third quarter, noting expansion in its trainer and M-Class product lines and forecasting continued strong trainer sales driving positive fourth-quarter results. —AOPA.org
