The September 2011 issue of Flight Lines remembers CPA member Bob Dawson and his wife Elaine, who were fatally injured in an aircraft accident on August 14, 2011. The newsletter focuses on the successful Mountain Flying Program held at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, where 23 Cirrus pilots from the Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association (COPA) participated in a 2-day training program. President Walt Barbo highlights the high-quality instruction provided by Bill Standerfer and Bill Dunn, innovative dual-screen presentation techniques using Google Earth and live weather feeds, and the coordination of 12 certified flight instructors who led pilots on flights to Colorado high-elevation airports. The issue also features David Gordon’s account of attending EAA AirVenture 2011 in Oshkosh, comparing his experience as a teenager at the 1967 event to the massive 2011 convention that attracted 541,000 attendees and over 10,000 aircraft.
Key Topics
- CPA Mountain Flying Program curriculum and instruction excellence
- Innovative presentation technology including dual-screen displays and Google Earth integration
- High-elevation airport operations and mountain flying safety
- Cirrus aircraft and parachute systems
- EAA AirVenture growth and event logistics
- Aviation education and youth programs (Kid Venture, Young Eagles Air Academy)
- Colorado Aeronautical Division support and funding
Events & Activities
- CPA Mountain Flying Program at Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs – 2-day program with ground school and high-altitude flight operations
- COPA Migration 9 Fly-In at Cheyenne Mountain Resort
- EAA AirVenture 2011 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin – 48th Annual Convention
- Driggs, Idaho CPA Fly-In (referenced in memoriam)
Member News
- In Memoriam: CPA members Bob and Elaine Dawson were fatally injured August 14, 2011 in a Turbine-powered Bonanza crash while returning to Denver from the Driggs, ID CPA Fly-In
- Ricky Davidson – CPA member and Cirrus 22 owner who facilitated the COPA Migration 9 Fly-In at Cheyenne Mountain Resort
- Bill Standerfer and Bill Dunn – CPA instructors recognized for refined Mountain Flying Program instruction, noted as potentially the best course of its type in the nation
- Larry Camden – Mountain Flying Committee Chairman who coordinated instructors for the flight portion of the program
- David Gordon – Director of Colorado Division of Aeronautics, shared perspective on attending EAA AirVenture 2011
