SPECIAL NOTICE: FAA TO ESTABLISH TFR OVER ST. LOUIS ON FRIDAY

St. Louis, MO
Thu, May 01, 2008
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The FAA has issued a notam restricting flight in the St. Louis area during President Bush's planned visit on Friday, May 2.

FDC 8/5606 Details

Temporary Runway Closure at Southern Illinois Airport (KMDH)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Carbondale, IL
Wed, Apr 30, 2008
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posted By Blackwell Thomas, The Southern
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:59 PM CDT

Traffic on the runway at Southern Illinois Airport will be limited to pedestrians this Saturday morning as the Little Egypt Network of the American Red Cross will host its second annual 5K Run-a-way Walk.

Executive Director Sandy Webster said Tuesday the agency is expecting about 200 people for the event, which has become particularly important this year.

Two ice storms earlier this year and severe flooding throughout the region in March have taxed the agency more than usual, Webster said.

"Going back to January we had a small tornado and a wind storm, then ice storm No. 1 and a week later, ice storm No. 2, and then we went into the floods, which have cost us $175,000 so far," she said. "The timing for this couldn't be better. Our people in Southern Illinois, our community really can't handle much more."

The agency operates on a budget of $300,000 which, in addition to providing services, also covers two full-time employees and a handful of dedicated volunteers. The target for Saturday's fundraiser is about $3,500.

The bulk of the agency's budget goes toward covering "basic human needs," said Webster.

"Things like something to wear, a safe place to stay, food to eat, maybe their medication burned up, we cover the bare, bare necessities," she added.

Kids are invited to bring their skateboards and their bikes to the event, Webster said.

"Our hope is that it turns into an event that families can come to and have a great time," she said.

The Little Egypt Network of the Red Cross serves 14 Southern Illinois counties. For more details on registering for the 5K Run-a-way Walk, call 988-1147.

Parks College Airport (H72)

As Featured on Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields Website

East St. Louis, IL
Wed, Apr 30, 2008
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Parks College was founded by Oliver L. Parks in 1927, just two months after Charles Lindbergh's historic flight,and was the first certified aviation school in the United States and today still holds FAA Certificate #1.

Mr. Parks believed, prophetically, that aviation had a great future and very early he saw the need for instruction in aircraft design, maintenance and flight safety.


In the late 1920's Mr. Parks operated an aircraft factory in conjunction with the school,where Parks' P-1s, P-2s & P-3s were built.

During those early years, the College was an official stop in the famous coast-to-coast air races.

Among the aviation greats who visited the campus were Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart,Howard Hughes, Jimmy Doolittle, and Eddie Rickenbacker.




In 1939 Parks was one of the air schools contracted by the Army Air Corps to give elementary flight training to cadets.




During the WW2 era, Parks College and its subsidiaries were responsible for training 1 out of every 10 Army Air Corps pilots, plus thousands of aircraft mechanics.

Calvin Casteel recalled, "During WW2 I attended Parks Air College for my Army Air Corps primary flight training in the PT-19 Fairchild trainer. Our barracks and ground school classes were at Parks Air College and our flight training was at Curtiss Steinberg Air Field just up the road a short piece."

Parks was described in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer) as having a 2,600' runway.

Parks College became part of Saint Louis University in 1946, and is still open today, known as the St Louis University Parks College of Engineering and Aviation.

Hans Friedebach recalled, "I went to schools at Parks in 1957 and lived in the Portview Arms dormitory. While attending Parks I worked part-time for Walston Aviation at Parks Metropolitan Airport [located just to the east of Parks College Airport]. I owned a Fairchild PT-26 which I kept at Parks Metropolitan. Father Choppesky, Parks College Dean, was surprised one day to see me land at the College to fetch my sandwich lunch at the Cafeteria before hopping into the PT-26 to fly back over to my part-time job."



The Parks College Airport was still listed as an active private airfield in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury), which described the field as consisting of a single 1,670' turf Runway 18/36.

John McGowan reported that he attended Parks Air College in 1993. "I have a picture somewhere of an Air Force C-9 [a military version of the DC-9] doing a slow pass along the runway that was left after they built the dorms. It was during an open house, where many Parks alumni had flown in to display their airplanes. I'm pretty sure that the pilots of the C-9 were former Parks students, and from what I was told, they were definitely exceeding some safety limitations whey they did their fly-by."

The Parks airfield was finally closed at some point prior to 1998.




The above information was obtained from Paul Freeman's Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields website. More Information.

KMVN Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast

Mt. Vernon, IL
Sat, May 03, 2008 · 8:00am-11:00am
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LOCATION: Mt. Vernon Airport (KMVN)

Hosted by SRT Aviation.

The breakfast consists of pancakes and sausage, biscuits and sausage gravy, coffee, juice, and milk.

Costs are $5 per adult, $2.50 for kids 6 to 12, free for kids 5 and under.

You are welcome to spend the day with us. The Apple Dumplin'-Grandma's Way Restaurant will be available for lunch and dinner.

For more information, visit www.mtvernonairport.com, or contact Chris Collins at managermvaa@mvn.net or (618) 242-7016.

Sporty's Hot Dog Fly-In

Batavia, OH
Sat, May 03, 2008 · 12:00pm-2:00pm
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LOCATION: Clermont County Airport (I69)

A Sporty's Hot Dog Fly-In takes place every Saturday at Clermont County (I69).

Free hot dogs from noon until 2 p.m.

Contact Jason Pruitt at (513) 735-9500.

Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 277 Board Meeting

Marion, IL
Mon, May 05, 2008 · 7:00pm
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LOCATION: KMWA FBO (Aeroflight)

Located in the FBO, Aeroflight.