The July 1995 issue of Flight Lines highlights summer flying activities and general aviation advocacy efforts by the Colorado Pilots Association. President Mike Baldwin shares his passion for biplane flying and reflects on the Platte Valley Spring Fly-In, while also reporting on significant wins for CPA including FAA approval for a new 10,000-foot runway at Greeley Airport and simplified customs procedures for cross-border flights. The newsletter covers several regional fly-ins and airshows, emphasizes survival attitudes following Captain O'Grady's bailout over Bosnia, and provides critical safety reminders about microbursts and severe weather encounters.
Key advocacy topics include CPA's successful efforts at Gunnison County Airport to ease night operation restrictions that were discriminatory to general aviation, and AOPA's collaboration on customs clearance procedures. Safety content focuses on real-world incident reports, including a harrowing microburst encounter near Aurora Reservoir and a significant hail damage incident, underscoring the importance of weather awareness during summer flying season.
Key Topics
- Summer biplane flying and airshow activities
- Greeley Airport new 10,000-foot runway approval (approved after 25+ years of attempts)
- AOPA customs clearance procedures for Canadian flights
- General aviation advocacy and regulatory relief efforts
- Gunnison County Airport night operations resolution changes
- Microbursts and severe weather safety
- Survival attitudes and decision-making
- Mountain flying considerations and altimeter errors in cold temperatures
Events & Activities
- Platte Valley Spring Fly-In - May 1995 (Marilyn Taylor's location)
- 13th Annual Stearman Fly-In at St. Francis - Second week of June 1995
- Durango Airshow - First week of June 1995 (featuring U.S. Thunderbirds, approximately 50,000 attendees)
- Gunnison County Airport hearing on night operations resolution - June 20, 1995
Member News
- Mary and Otto Senft of Longmont christened their new Lancaire IV P (amateur-built aircraft with burgundy stripe design)
- Ed Huber (CPA Board member) arranged the Air Power West act featuring 13 aircraft for the Durango Airshow
- Bill Dunn (former CPA board member and Denver FSS watch supervisor) provided critical weather assistance during a challenging flight return
- Mike Vader served as GUC area representative in Gunnison County Airport advocacy efforts
