Watsonville Airport: Second Saturday Event

On the second Saturday of each month the Watsonville Airport will be sponsoring the following activities to encourage flying and share our passion for general aviation from 8 a.m.–4 p.m.:

Additional information can be found on the Watsonville Municipal Airport website.

An update from the Watsonvile Pilots Association

Below is an update from the Watsonville Pilots Association of interest to all local pilots:

On Wednesday evening (1800 hours), November 9, 2011, a public meeting crucial to the future safety and utility of Watsonville Airport will be held at the Armory Building (30 Aviation Way) at WVI. This will be the first of three public meetings called by the City to address future development in the area to the North and West of WVI. It is essential that we turn out a large number of airport supporters at these meetings. We expect airport opponents to appear in force, and we must show the public, by our presence, that a safe, vibrant airport is vital to the future of Santa Cruz and North Monterey Counties.

You are probably aware that the extreme cost of the recent lawsuits to the City of Watsonville has impelled them to seek reasonable compromise regarding development around Watsonville Airport. In the course of a series of meetings with WPA, an understanding has been achieved that limits development to the guidelines permitted by the Manual of the Caltrans Division of Aeronautics as required by Court decisions. In particular, an understanding has been reached regarding zones and densities that will protect the airport from further encroachment affecting aircraft operations, possible runway closures and restrictions, and long-term airport viability. The meeting will present proposed land use planning that deals primarily with the approach ends of all runways, especially Runway 26 in Freedom and Runway 8 in the Buena Vista area. Expect to see an aerial photograph map with an overlay of new safety zones, adjusted in the Buena Vista area to reflect departures from runway 26, with turns to both the left, and to the right as utilized when stratus conditions cover the south side of the airport.

In the past, we have asked you for money and your response has been beyond gratifying - without it, we could never have won the judicial victories that led to these meetings. Now we must ask for your presence at these meetings, as well. We are in the fourth quarter of a grueling game of political football. Please turn out and help us wrap up this difficult situation for the foreseeable future. Many thanks for your continuing support.

Keep Watsonville Airport Safe!

Dan Chauvet - Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Watsonville Pilots Association
John Cowan - Vice President Watsonville Pilots Association

More information on the Watsonville Pilots Association can be found at watsonvillepilots.org

Day in the Sky at Watsonville Airport

Following is a note from Dean McCully about the Watsonville Airport "Day in the Sky" event. Santa Cruz Flying Club will be there, so tell your friends and be sure to stop by!

 

Greetings Aviators

Heads up, the SEVENTH annual Day in the Sky Watsonville is heading our way like a freight train... only 2.5 weeks away!

Who: Thousands of Central Coast families, especially families with kids with disabilities + low income families.

What: Biggest springtime Watsonville Airport festival ever. Plus about 100 exhibitors of Science/Technology/EngineeringMath/Aviation. Hot air balloons. Static aircraft displays + tours. Tons of hands-on fun for kids of all ages!

When: Saturday April 30, 9am-4pm

Where: Watsonville Municipal Airport, Watsonville. Easy access...
Take Hwy 1 to the "Airport Blvd" exit. Turn east, drive about 2 miles, you're there. Or if you're flying in, follow the coast until your GPS starts flashing WVI. (If it's flashing LAX, you've gone too far 😉

Why: We're continuing the 7 year long tradition of getting hoards of kids interested in general aviation and science, in an incredibly fun hands-on way.

How can you help? Many ways:

  1. Escort kids to the airplanes. Tell fun tales of aviation. Whatever you would like to get them hooked on GA.
  2. OR if you can fly in, come on down and give tours of your aircraft to the captivated families.
  3. OR Help give ground school and teach families how the planes work.
  4. OR just come on down and hang out with us and have some fun in the Watsonville sun...

We hope you can join us Saturday April 30...

See the website for more info:
http://www.dayinthesky.com/pilot.htm (for pilot registration -- go to the homepage for lots more info...)

Blue Skies!
Dean McCully
Shared Adventures Day in the Sky

Light Sport Workshop at Watsonville Airport

The Sport Pilot License and transitioning to Light Sport Aircraft
Saturday, April 3, 2010, starting at 11:00 am
Speaker: Steve Blackwell

Explore what it takes to get your Sport Pilot license - what is it and how does it differ from the Private Pilot License? Can a Private Pilot (or higher) fly a Light Sport Aircraft? What do they need to do?  What can a Light Sport Aircraft do? Transitioning to a light sport aircraft? Find out what you need to know about light sport aircraft at night, in crosswinds, and for IFR. What do you need to know about the Rotax engine? See some Light Sport Airplanes and ask questions about Sport Pilot possibilities.

Registration Information:

Location of Event:
Ocean Air Flight Services
170 Aviation Way
Watsonville, CA 95076

Sponsored by Ocean Air Flight Services, West Coast Sport Aircraft, and AeroDynamic Aviation.

Jet West Grand Opening at the Salinas Airport

On Friday, March 5th, Gryphon McArthur from Ocean Air Flight Services gave me a call and invited me to fly over to the Salinas Airport with him, I jumped on the opportunity right away!

The first thing that made me want to join him on this short trip would be that I would get to fly one of their new Light Sport aircraft, the Tecnam Sierra, also known as the Tecnam P2002 Sierra. You can read more about my experience with the aircraft in my post at http://light-sport.org.

2010-03-05_Jet_West_Open_House_KSNS_009

The other reason I was glad to join him was he told me about the grand opening of Jet West over at the Salinas Airport. We arrived in time for their ribbon cutting ceremony and got to meet a lot of great people and enjoy some of their food and beverages.

2010-03-05_Jet_West_Open_House_KSNS_006

The facility itself is incredible, they put a lot of work and thought in to the layout and design of it to make it comfortable for those they would be serving. They had a variety of crew cars and vans out front, a well set up waiting room, pool table, pilots lounge, flight planning area, and even sleeping quarters and showers. Below are some pictures of their amazing facility.

Flight Planning

Board Room 1.jpg

Crew Lounge

Board Room 2.jpg

Possible Closure of Oceano Airport (L52)

The following message was posted on the SiliconValleyGA Yahoo Group on March 1, 2010:

I'm posting this message on behalf of Jolie Lucas and Mitch Latting. They are a couple of central coast airplane owners involved with Oceano Airport. They've been made aware of a developer's desire to buy the airport property for redevelopment.

From Jolie:

Oceano, in addition to perhaps being the closest airport to the Pacific Ocean, is a vital link in emergency services in San Luis Obispo County. Life-flight, California Highway Patrol, Civil Air Patrol, Diablo Canyon evacuation, Beach rescues, Angel Flights all make use of Oceano airport. It is a great field for training and is used by regional CFIs.

The opportunities for recreation are bountiful, with on field camping and walking distance to the dunes/restaurants. Several businesses are located on the field including Banner Airways owned by JR Smith. He gives rides in his 1943 Stearman. JR's father, and my father were both trainers in the Army Air Corps at Rankin Field in Tulare, CA.

Mitch and I organized a Vintage Mooney Group event in December of 2008. The event was a service event, as it benefitted Toys for Tots. We had 23 Mooneys on the ramp that day, loaded with toys. I was told by Toys for Tots, that because of our event, the children in our area got one extra toy under the tree. Oceano is a good neighbor!

We are fighting the closure of Oceano Airport! A developer is trying to close L52! We need pilots from all over CA to attend this meeting in a show of force. AOPA has been made aware and is on-board. Anyone flying into Oceano who needs a ride, please email us.

We are working closely with AOPA's Bill Dunn, the airport administration, EAA, the FAA, NATA, and the San Luis Obispo County Supervisors.

Article in the Tribune:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/02/25/1045185/oceano-county-airport-future-in.html

Both AOPA and AVWeb have run the story.
AVWeb: http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/oceano_airport_developer_edwards_202087-1.html

A group of local pilots and business owners will be attending a San Luis Obispo County Supervisors meeting next Tuesday, March 2nd, at morning at 9:00. The Board of Supervisors meetings start at 9:00 a.m. in the County Government Center Board Chambers located at 1055 Monterey Street, Room D-170, San Luis Obispo.

A March 17th meeting is being planned by the developer at 5:00 p.m. at the Grover Beach Rabobank. We hope to have good attendance at this meeting.

Jolie Lucas
jolielucas@charter.net

Mitch Latting
sanluisjazzband@charter.net