May 2024

'Risk Management Under Fire' at This Month's Safety Briefing!

Pilots first learn about risk management at the start of flight training, typically from an instructor who explains that safety is the result of good decisions. From there, a logbook filled with experience becomes our guide. For most of us, this happens in civilian aircraft. For others, the flights have higher stakes. At this month's Summer Safety Briefing, Willamette Aviation CFI Jeremiah Harkema will discuss "Risk Management Under Fire" with a look at several flight scenarios he experienced during his military career. Jeremiah flew special operations helicopters for the U.S. Navy in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also was the Air Boss aboard the USS Cleveland and an Aviation Assessor for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. At this month's event, Jeremiah will share stories from his 20 years as a Naval Aviator, and how the lessons he learned can be applied to general aviation. Don't miss this one!
 
This month's Safety Briefing gets underway on Saturday, May 25 at 1100 hrs in the Education Hangar at Willamette Aviation, and it's eligible for FAA Wings credit. We'll also host a Community Potluck BBQ at 12 noon, with plenty of burgers and dogs for everyone. Drop by to get a look at the airplanes on our ramp, and please bring chips, a dish, or a dessert to share if you can.

Short Finals…

· We're delighted to welcome Graham Lawson to our team of flight instructors at Willamette Aviation! Graham was born in Houston, Texas and raised in Sherwood, Ore. He fell in love with flight during the many trips his family took to Texas to visit relatives, which ignited the dream of flying airplanes one day. After graduating high school, Graham's studies led him to earn a degree in aviation from Montana State University in Bozeman, along with all of his ratings through Multi-Engine Commercial. He also enjoyed working through college at the Bozeman Airport as a ground agent for a regional airline. Though he enjoyed learning to fly in the wide open skies of big sky country, Graham returned to Oregon in 2023 to pursue his CFI at Willamette Aviation. "I have the privilege of helping people achieve their goals in aviation," Graham says. "There is no greater joy than enabling students to become the most safe and capable pilots they can be."
 
· Our Private Pilot Ground School summer session gets underway this month — it's good value for student pilots, people who are getting ready to fly, and anyone who needs a refresher. The 40-hour, FAA-certified course is led by certified instructors and includes free attendance to any future private pilot course. Classes start on Saturday, May 18, and run each Saturday for 12 weeks from 0800-1200. Tuition for the session is $649, while course materials are $269.95. Please contact us for more information or to sign up.
 
· Looking ahead to next month, the Oregon Disaster Airlift Response Team (ODART) will be conducting a training operation from June 8-15 in preparation for a Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake. Willamette Aviation will serve as a critical hub for disaster relief in the event of a major quake, and we encourage everyone who is able to help to consider becoming a volunteer. Aircraft, pilots, and ground crew are needed for flight operations to Walla Walla, Wash., on June 8 to pick up supplies and bring them to our campus for storage. Volunteers also are needed for additional operations to evaluate road conditions and fly supplies to coastal airports. For more information, please visit odart.org.

Look for more from Willamette Aviation in the next newsletter. Until then, fly smart and safe!

David F. Waggoner
Willamette Aviation
dave@willametteair.com
(503) 678-2252

Calendar

May 16: FAA medical exams (Janice Buenafe M.D.) (Willamette Aviation)

May 18: 0800: Private Pilot Ground School: Start of Summer Session (Willamette Aviation)

May 25: FAA medical exams (Janice Buenafe M.D.) (Willamette Aviation)

May 25: 1100: Summer Safety Briefing: Risk Management Under Fire (CFI Jeremiah Harkema) (Willamette Aviation)

May 25: 1200: Community Potluck BBQ (Willamette Aviation)

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Willamette Aviation Service, LLC
23115 Airport Road NE
Aurora, Oregon 97002