2009.07.25
Seven SPCS Cadets Get First Orientation Flights
After low ceilings delayed the first set of Orientation flights for Cadets of the Shorty Powers Composite Squadron, the remainder of the day turned into excellent flying weather.
Cadets began the day with a ground safety briefing, then proceeded to participate in a very detailed aircraft preflight inspection performed according to the aircraft's checklist. 2nd. Lt. Chuck Cornell, Squadron Operations Officer and SM Ed Danley provided the ground-school portion of the flight syllabus training material at the Squadron Headquarters located in the Illinois Aviation Museum at Clow International Airport. SM Jim Kolton served as photographer for the day's activities.
Cadet Orientation Pilots 1st Lt. Joe Kotowski and Maj. Gerry Baumgartner provided cadets with the opportunity to experience cross-wind departures and landings thanks to westerly winds. Powered Flight No. 1 allows the cadets to experience the preflight, run-up, departure, straight and level flight, approaches and landings. Each cadet received approximately 0.7 hours of flight orientation seated in the front right seat of one of the IL Wing's Cessna 182 aircraft. The flights departed Clow International Airport and made landings at Aurora, Morris or Joliet where the front seat cadet switched with the backseat cadet taking their first flight.
Cadets receiving their first orientation flight included: Jim Kotowski, Kaylan Duncan, Alex Najera, Aeon Olsen, Dominick Kraus, Ryan Kolton and Suhyl Khatib. Cadets receiving back seat flights were Robert Flores and Nixon Flores.
