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United States Pilots Association |
Once again the New Mexico Pilots Association (NMPA) is presenting a weekend mountain flying clinic on 14-16 September, 2007. This begins with a mountain flying ground school Friday evening covering flying safely in the mountains. There will be a half day flying in the mountains with a highly experienced and qualified mountain CFI. Upon completion of the seminar and the flying, each pilot will receive a clinic completion certificate, completion of a phase of the FAA WINGS program and completion of a Biennial Flight Review (BFR). Many insurance companies give a premium discount for completion of this clinic
This FAA approved course consists of a mountain flying ground school, and three hours flying with mountain flying CFIs. The WINGS safety seminar will be held Friday evening, 14 September at the Holiday Inn Santa Fe at 4048 Cerrillos Road from 7-9pm. While this seminar is for the mountain flying pilots it will also be open to the public and free. The pilots taking this clinic, though, will additionally get the Mountain Flying Clinic Booklet. The ground school will cover all aspects of flying techniques in and over mountains as well as landing and taking off from high altitude/high density airports. This seminar will also cover where the flying will be taking place, in the rugged mountains of northern NM and southern CO where many peaks exceed 13,000 feet and most airports range between 6,000 and 8,000 feet MSL.
The mountain flying part will be conducted on Saturday and Sunday mornings where each pilot will fly his/her plane in the mountains with a CFI who flies regularly in these mountains.
The flying in the mountains will be spectacular as it will be in the height of the fall foliage color changes. Each CFI will fly with one pilot in the morning on each day. In a weekend NMPA can accommodate 10-12 pilots.
The cost of this mountain flying clinic is $200 for NMPA members and $225 for non-NMPA members. The extra $25 goes to joining NMPA. To join NMPA before the clinic see www.nmpilots.org. The cost covers the ground school mountain flying booklet prepared by the clinic presenter Jim Van Namee, pre and post flight briefings, and the flying, landings, and take-offs, in the mountains with a CFI.
To take this course each pilot must have a private certificate or higher and a current medical. The airplane must have a current annual and liability and medical insurance, and a POH. Proof of the above must be brought to the clinic Friday evening. Each plane must also have survival gear on board (food, water, shelter, signaling equipment, and warm clothes) and current Denver and Albuquerque Sectional charts. Bring these charts and your Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) to the class. NMPA will provide airport information charts. The cut-off date for reserving a slot for the flying portion is 7 September. Send your name, address, phone number, email address, certificates and ratings, flight hours and type of experience, and the year, make, and model of plane you will be flying. Send this information and a check (made out to NMPA Mt Fly Clinic) to Jim Van Namee, 9611 Carriage Creek Point, Colorado Springs, CO 80920. For more info contact Jim at jvannamee@gmail.com or 719 282 8547 or 719 310 9150. Pilots who want to take this clinic but don’t have a plane contact Jim to make arrangements for renting a plane.
Please note that not everyone will be able to fly Saturday morning and then leave that afternoon. If many pilots sign up to fly then some will be flying Saturday and some Sunday so plan your reservations accordingly. Jim will try to email a schedule to all pilots several days before the flying weekend. Our past experience has shown though, that plane problems, personal problems, severe weather where you live, etc, quickly require changes be made.
On Saturday afternoon there will be CFIs available to provide additional training such as improvement of basic skills, BFR, introduction to acrobatic flying and a Pitts S2 will be available for acrobatic training. The cost of a CFI is $45/hr and the Pitts with a CFI is $235/hr. Contact Jim Van Namee for details.
Hotel is the Holiday Inn Santa Fe: The room rate is $71/night plus tax. The cut-off date is 13 August before 3 pm. The hotel will provide transportation to and from the airport. Call 505 473 4646 to reserve your room. Mention you are there for the US Pilots and New Mexico Pilots weekend. This hotel is located between the airport and downtown Santa Fe at 4048 Cerrillos Road. Note: This is not the Holiday Inn Express.
FBO: The flying will be done out of Capital Aviation on the Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF). The field elevation is 6814 feet. The FBO will offer a fuel discount from either self-serve or the truck. Parking is charged by the city and is $6/night. Rental cars are available. The FBO phone is 505 471 2700 or 1 800 757 9030. Capital Aviation is on the northeast side of the airport and is open from 6 am to 10 pm.
During the NMPA Mountain Flying Clinic the US Pilots Association will also be holding its quarterly fly-in and directors meeting at the Holiday Inn Santa Fe from 13-16 September. All NMPA members are also affiliate members of USPA. For more information on the USPA fly-in at Santa Fe go to www.uspilots.org or contact Executive Director Jan Hoynacki at 417 338 2225 or jan@uspilots.org.
USPA will be hosting a Mexican buffet at the Holiday Inn from 5:30 to 6:30 on Friday just before the mountain flying ground school/safety seminar. On Saturday evening USPA will host a banquet with a guest speaker. Clinic pilots who want to join USPA and NMPA members for the buffet or the banquet may send $30 for each meal to Bob Worthington, 1136 Cave Springs Trail, Las Cruces, NM 88011 (505 522 6785). Cut-off is 7 September.
Santa Fe probably does not need any introduction as to what it has to offer. NMPA recommends that the pilot attending the mountain flying clinic seriously consider bringing his/her family or partner and plan to arrive early or stay over a few days to really enjoy the attractions and hospitality of Northern New Mexico.
Santa Fe with its population of over 62,000 people is the third largest city in the state and the capitol of New Mexico. Its heritage and culture began with the Pueblo Indian villages which were abandoned centuries before the Spanish explorers arrived in the early 1600s. Nestled in the southwestern foothills of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains Santa Fe will enjoy warm pleasant days and cool nights in mid September. Known as the City Different and as the oldest state capitol in the US; its 400 years of living contribute to its unique make-up in architecture, residents, and things to do.
The downtown plaza is surrounded by shops, galleries, restaurants, and the ancient Palace of the Governors. Southwestern style adobe and stucco buildings and homes contribute to the ambiance of the past Pueblo and Spanish residents. Long known as a tourist destination for its beauty, walled gardens, museums and galleries, missions and cathedrals, cuisine, and shopping; its location is also ideal for travel by road across the mountains to other sightseeing attractions in the villages of Taos, Red River, Angel Fire, and Chimayo. The mountains offer outdoors recreational adventures and there are several Native American communities and pueblos near Santa Fe.
So there are plenty of adventures for the entire family during this Mountain Flying Clinic weekend. For more information about NMPA go to www.nmpilots.org .
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Posted by Jan at July 9, 2007 10:22 AM