Chicago Aviation Meetup Happy Hour

The Chicago Aviation Meetup Group will be meeting at Rockit Bar & Grill this Friday at 5pm for a happy hour. We will be joined by two featured guests for this event. Co-Sponsoring this event is Chicago's own Rod Rakic, founder of aviation social network myTransponder. Our other featured guest will be Jason Miller, host of The Finer Points of Flying Podcast.

Come join us for a few drinks and some aviation conversation. If you are not already a member visit the Chicago Aviation Meetup page to signup and to RSVP for the event.

Becoming an AOPA Project Pilot Mentor

A couple of weeks ago I received an e-mail from a reader of this blog who is a fellow Chicagoan that was interested in my opinion of a few local flight schools. After going back and forth through e-mail we had one of those "It is a small world" moments when we realized a few years ago we had both been contributors to the same blog, Chicagoist.com. Peter mentioned that as of late he had really been suffering from the aviation bug. He finds himself looking to sky more and more often and is ready to learn to fly. With the pilot population in decline I wanted to be sure to do all I could do to help Peter achieve his goal of earning a pilots license.

This past week I signed up to be Peter's mentor in AOPA's Project Pilot Program. AOPA developed the program as part of their commitment to growing the pilot population. For me it is an opportunity to support his efforts and share in his experiences and I hope that I can provide him some valuable advice that I would have appreciated while learning to fly. Not to mention it is great having another person to talk to who loves aviation.

This weekend he joined me and two other members of the Chicago Aviation Meetup Group for a seminar on Takeoffs, Landings and Low Altitudes Maneuvering at the DuPage Airport. Although the seminar was bit disappointing it was a great excuse for some aviation enthusiasts to get together at an airport. The four of us, two pilots and two perspective pilots, stood at the flightline fence enjoying a conversation on aviation and even judging a few landings. While at the airport we stopped in to The Pilot Shop where Peter picked up a logbook which will come in handy in the coming weeks as he takes his first introductory flight.

Peter has setup a blog, Flying in Chicago, dedicated to his aviation adventures. I hope you will check it out.

Chicago Aviation Meetup Groups Meets at Pilot Pete's

Another successful Chicago Aviation Meetup Group meeting is in the books. On Saturday I was joined by 12 other aviation enthusiast for lunch at Pilot Pete's restaurant at the Schaumburg Regional Airport. Poor weather prevent anyone from flying into the event and did not leave much to watch out the windows. Luckily the conversation was enjoyable.

The group was a well rounded group including pilots, an airline pilot, a kit plane builder, student pilots, an air traffic controller, prospective pilots and aviation enthusiasts. I had a great time chatting with others about their interests in aviation and their aviation experiences.

After lunch we visited Northwest Aviation the main fixed based operator at Schaumburg. Victor offered to take the group out on to the flightline to look at a few of their planes including a few Diamond Aircraft and a Piper Warrior. For many this was their first time being up close to a small general aviation aircraft Though, I have a feeling many will be back out to try flying one soon.

We all agreed to get together again next month with the specific event and location to be determined. If you are interested in joining visit out Meetup group page.