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Posted by: oaapres on 01/04/2010 10:10 PM
Updated by: oaapres on 01/04/2010 10:10 PM
Expires: 01/01/2011 12:00 AM
Kevin Williams- 2009 Jack Cassan Memorial Flight Scholarship Winner Solo's on New Years Day!

On January 1, 2010, New Years Day, a crowd of family and friends and OAA Members and well wishers gathered at the Oceanside Airport to cheer on Kevin Williams, our 2009 recipient of the Jack Cassan Memorial Flight Scholarship. Kevin successfully accomplish his first solo flight and received his designation from his flight instructor John Dowding, as a Solo Pilot. John is a CFI working for Pat Williams the owner of Orion Aviation, located at Palomar Airport.

On a picture perfect day, with family, friends, well wishers and the Oceanside Airport Association in attendance, under the expert instruction of John Dowding, Flight instructor with Orion Aviation, Kevin Williams completed three take off's and very nice landings on Runway 24 at Oceanside Airport on News Years day! After a morning instruction session with Kevin's flight instructor John Dowding, and after John determined that Kevin's was ready for the first big step in an aviator's aviation career, John stepped out of the Cessna 152 owned by Orion Aviation, signed off Kevin's log book, and Kevin took over command of the aircraft. With a very good size crowd watching, Kevin, only 16 years old, prepped and proceeded to start and taxi the aircraft to the departure end of Runway 24, accomplished run up checks and when ready, moved to centerline of Runway 24, added power and completed a perfect take off accompanied by the cheers of all in attendance. You could feel the hopes and prayers of all in attendance going with Kevin, and yet he was obviously confident and unphased by the enormity of the experience, as shown in his wing waggle to us all as he passed the gathered crowd as he departed the airport on his climb out!

Kevin Williams was the first selectee/recipient, by the Oceanside Airport Association (OAA), of the Jack Cassan Memorial Flight Scholarship. Jack Cassan, a beloved local long-time businessman and philanthropist and airport supporter, was the inspiration for the OAA's desire to see local high school students with aviation aspirations, get an opportunity to obtain initial flight training leading to becoming a solo pilot! Jack Cassan, who passed away this last year, and his loving wife Millie, helped underwrite our first aviation scholarship, and our second one to be awarded in 2010, as well. We are so very grateful to Millie for her gracious support of the Oceanside Airport Association and her support has allowed us to continue to invest in local kids like Kevin, who will form the foundation of the next generation of aviators launched at our airport. Thanks Millie!

Our thanks also go to Gordon Nesbitt, our OAA associate and former VP, who organized the News Year day solo celebration at the airport in support of Kevin's accomplishment. Gordon's tireless efforts along with APV's to open the airport office, get refreshments together, work with John Dowding, Kevin's flight instructor to coordinate the day's events, and to contact and keep us al informed was a huge effort we all appreciate so much!

Now, back to Kevin. So, at 10:50AM, Jan 1, 2010, Kevin launches on his solo flight, and as he is completing his first lap of the airport, something very cool was happening in the airspace he was flying in. At that very moment, Andy Hansen and Charlie Wilmot; Andy is our VP and he and Charlie are both Board Members of the OAA; had just taken off from Palomar Airport (10 miles to the south) and they were banking overhead at 5,000' piloting their Challenger 300 corporate jet on a morning mission. We all looked up and could see the graceful twin engine jet aircraft climbing and turning several thousand feet above Kevin's solo aircraft. Andy and Charlie called in on the CTAF and congratulate Kevin who was in mid flight, on his solo accomplishment. What a meaningful and wonderful occurrence that came together to punctuate Kevin's flight. Andy, who is a former USMC combat pilot, and Charlie who is also a CFII, represent what Kevin is aiming to be as he moved forward in his future military and flying career. Kevin hopes to attend the US Naval Academy, and become a Marine Corps fighter pilot. I love that guy! Go Navy (and Marine Corps!)

So, Kevin comes around for his first landing, descends, flairs and completes a beautiful first landing. Cheers goes up from the happy crowd of well wishers. Kevin waves, taxi's back to the departure end and initiates his second take off from Oceanside Airport, which Kevin executes perfectly. His second pass is completed and he finished the landing roll to more applause, and a third take off and landing is completed in similar manner and Kevin taxi's up and shuts down his Cessna 152, and gets the biggest hug from his mom and dad! Family and friends gather around and add their congratulations, Jerry and Blake Kern, Ben and Connie Sullivan, Brian and Jeannine Shepherd, Gordon and Debbie Nesbitt, Bob Landes, Carl Hixon, Novia and I and a host of well wishers added their congratulations.

John Dowding and Gordon Nesbitt helped complete the ceremonial portions of Kevin's successful solo flight, by writing on the back of Kevin's shirt, then cutting off the tail of his shirt with the artwork intact, and then two family members and friends, provided the buckets of cold water to initiate Kevin into the aviation fraternity!

Champaign and cheers followed, as well as a member of the Tuskegee Institute Red tail Flyers group flew in his T-34, and gave Kevin a flight in his airplane to cap off the day! What a beautiful plane it was!

We are all so proud of Kevin for obtaining his solo certificate and it is obviously that Kevin is a flyer! His flight instructor John Dowding from Orion Aviation did a great job getting Kevin ready and training him, and we surly thank Pat Williams, the owner of Orion Aviation, for working with us to provide the airplane and instructor and tools Kevin needed within the budget we had to spend as an organization to make the flight training experience possible! Thanks Pat!

So Kevin is a Solo Pilot! His mom and dad are helping him keep advancing in his aviation training toward a private pilot’s certificate. It was a great day for Kevin, the OAA, local aviation and our airport! Kevin reminds us that airports are place where dreams can happen, as they have for Kevin and his family. Thanks to the visionary members of the City Council, Jerry Kern, Jack Feller and Rocky Chavez, who led the charge to keep our airport open by securing its future.

The OAA will keep working to promote and expand the status of our Airport in our community! As APV keeps their efforts moving forward to improve and upgrade our airport, we all should do our parts to enjoy, support, encourage and work to promote the joys of flying whenever we can.

Yesterday was a very good day at the Oceanside Airport! May we see many more in the years to come!

Smooth landings Kevin Williams!

Happy New Year!

Ben Meyers, OAA President