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The new year has brought us face to face with a number of great local events for pilots or folks thinking about learning to fly … and even people who just find the idea of leaving the ground a fascinating idea. I forgot one other possibility … you’re the spouse or significant other of some poor soul addicted to things that fly.
The 99’s VFR/IFR Safety Seminar, Aviation Expo and Companion Flyers Course
First up is the 20th IFR/VFR Safety Seminar and Aviation Expo organized by the Chicago Chapter of the 99’s, the international organization of licensed women pilots. It happens Saturday January 28th at the Holiday Inn, 860 West Irving Park Road in Itasca. On-site registration begins at 8 am and sessions run until 3:30 pm. The event is broken down into interesting and practical talks aimed at both instrument rated pilots and those who are still dashing around in clear airspace beneath the clouds and away from poor weather. Best of all though, there’s a flying companion course for those people interested in learning more about what’s really happening in flight when they normally just sit patiently watching from the right seat. A dozen and a half different vendors will also be on hand who are all too happy to explain where their company fits into the aviation world.
Pre-registration is not needed and of course, the entire event is free of charge … although, I bet the local 99’s chapter folks would be grateful for any donation you might want to make on the 28th to help them fund great programs like this.
IMC Club Returns
The IMC Club returns to Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) beginning February 22 beginning at 6: 30 pm at the Ramada Plaza Hotel 1090 S. Milwaukee Ave (east side of the airport) in Wheeling. While the first meeting takes place at the Ramada, Club meeting locations will alternate between the hotel and Signature Flight Support. The IMC Club, now run by the EAA to promote the idea that instrument rated pilots are only at their best when they remain proficient. Each month, the IMC Club will meet to bring together instrument pilots and flight instructors for frank discussions to improve their understanding of how best to operate in the national airspace system though the myriad of IFR procedures that keep air traffic flowing smoothly, as well as how both new and old cockpit technologies support these efforts. The real benefit of the IMC Club sessions are those discussions that nearly everyone in the room seems to participate in. Pilots talk about some of the good and the bad IFR flights or issues they’ve personally experienced.
Starting next month, the Chicago Executive Pilots Association (CEPA) will begin serving as host organization for the IMC Club at PWK. More information about CEPA and the IMC Club is available from their website where you can also sign up for their monthly newsletter. Or of course, you could just bring yourself over to the Ramada where they should have the rest of the sessions figured out by Feb. 22.
The IMC Club is the brainchild of Radek Wyrzykowski, a master certified flight instructor-instrument and multiengine instructor who will be on hand for the Feb. 22nd meeting. He’ll be joined that night by air traffic control personnel from the Chicago TRACON to discuss proposed changes to MDW Charlie airspace, the ORD modernization program, local IFR and VFR routings and other interesting topics. In case you’re after a look-see at the IMC Club before next month’s local kickoff meeting, visit their online forum where you’ll be able to sample a bit of the chatter about people who fly in the clouds … or want to. For those of you who can’t live without Facebook, you’ll find the IMC Club has a page there too.
More information about the IMC Club as well as local CEPA events, they’re all listed in each month’s CEPA newsletter, so click and read. January 2017 CEPA Newsletter
If you find these events interesting, don’t keep them a secret … pass around our link. And don’t forget to visit chiexec.com and signup for our newsfeed to stay in touch with other events..