Meet Mike Pape, Aeronautics New Administrator by the Transporter Staff of the Division of Aeronautics
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AE S RONAUTIC Fall 2012 Serving Idaho’s Aviation Community for over 65 Years Vol 58, Issue 4 Meet Mike Pape, Aeronautics New Administrator By The Transporter Staff of the Division of Aeronautics. He When did your revelation occur? That inherits a staff of day you recognized your passion in 12, an annual life and began pursuing it with a budget of $2.5 steadfast commitment? million and a mission dedicated During high school? While in college? to customer service. As you entered the workplace? In contrast to Mike Pape found it as a preschooler, previous stints of riding alongside his father Don in the flying, Pape’s role cockpit of a small airplane. The elder in the Division of Pape was a Korean War veteran, an Aeronautics is Idaho Air National Guard pilot and a customer-driven public service. The become his office in the air, but usually backcountry pilot. Mike often Division is responsible for operating he’s back home early enough to spend accompanied him on trips over Idaho’s Idaho’s fleet of three state-owned aircraft the evening with his wife Marci and shark-toothed mountain peaks, awed – a pair of Cessnas (206 and 182), and three children, Megan, 13, Josie, 10, by the scenery and equally impressed the star of the fleet, a 10-passenger and Sam, 8. by the airplane. turboprop Beechcraft King Air. He couldn’t say the same of his previous Most children his age were learning to The planes, and ITD pilots who fly aviation experiences. Pape spent 10 master counting and drawing their them, serve all state agencies, including years flying commercially for Iowa ABCs. Mike was developing a love of the governor’s office. They provide Airways, Eastern Airlines, Pan Am aviation, a pursuit amplified by Idaho access to the far reaches of a Airways and Ryan International flying veteran Chet Moulton. Chet was geographically diverse state. Most of Airlines. He returned to Idaho in 1993 head of Idaho’s Department of those isolated rural communities have where he embarked on a decade-long Aeronautics, a forerunner to ITD’s no commercial air service. The King corporate career with Boise Cascade, Division of Aeronautics. Air can reach them in a couple of hours Albertsons and U.S. Bancorp. and return to its hangar comfortably The young Pape had visions of before nightfall. The pressurized twin- “I like it when people have enough becoming like his father and of following engine plane cruises at altitudes of trust in you to make appropriate Moulton’s career in government. He 20,000-30,000 feet in almost all decisions and help them arrive at their achieved the first goal 30 years ago after weather conditions. destination, day-in and day-out,” Pape earning his private pilot’s license and says about his love for flying. graduating from Embry-Riddle More often than not the past five years, Aeronautical University in 1985. Pape occupied the captain’s seat. See Administrator The second childhood dream was Since 2007, he has logged nearly 700 satisfied when he became Administrator hours at the King Air controls. It’s Continued on page 3 INSIDE Medical Matters................ 6 Color of Aviation ............ 10 Radio Chatter ................. 13 Bookworm..........................8 Calendar & Safety Wire.. 12 Compass Rose ..................14 On The Fly retired, and Mike Pape was promoted to Administrator. Whew! This has Season of Change certainly been a season of change. I assume that most of you know Mike As the deadline for passion for both writing and flying. Pape, and if not, I want to reassure you the last issue of the Following college, exciting opportunities that despite the recent changes, Rudder Flutter beckoned me to a few years stay in Georgia, Aeronautics is in a good place. Mike has approached, we California, and Florida. When my daughter this magical “aura” about him comprised were in a bit of a was born in 2008, I knew that leaving my of unparalleled enthusiasm for Idaho, scramble as hats 1920’s beach bungalow in the sunshine for Aviation, and for our staff. We fondly were swapped at state was inevitable. Because, of all the refer to him as the “hummingbird” Aeronautics with places I’ve ever lived, Boise is the best because of his incredible ability to have some of our staff place I know of to raise a child. Upon a presence seemingly everywhere at members moving on. I have since returning to Boise three years ago, I landed once. His sincere care, unbelievable assumed duties as the new Editor of the a position at Aeronautics. energy, and wealth of experience are Rudder Flutter. But before I go any exactly what we need to fly forward. further, I want to back up a few months While I have been here, it has been my to formerly introduce myself, brief you pleasure to process your registrations and As we continue with the Rudder Flutter, on the personnel changes, and describe to schedule and bill flights for our state our success still depends on all of you some new changes to the Rudder Flutter. planes; but most of all, my greatest and your articles. I plan to add some pleasure has been to meet Idaho’s flying new, regularly featured columns including I am an Idaho native, and a community. I have come to know pilots my own “On the Fly” Editor’s column. I Communications graduate of the as being an honest, highly-ethical, will maintain Frank’s “Radio Chatter” University of Idaho with a heartfelt community-oriented, and adventure- column as a tribute to him, but it will seeking group. The satisfaction of any take on a new look. Dan Etter will offer job directly correlates to the type of people safety topics and tips under “Safety Wire.” you work with, right? I couldn’t be more The Ninety Nines will maintain a new appreciative of the opportunity to work women’s section called “Compass Rose,” with you all. to include submissions from any of Idaho’s many female pilots. We will also Admittedly when I accepted this position, run a “Name That Airfield” contest on I hadn’t a clue as to what was an “N” the back cover. And lastly, a “Bookworm” number. And although, the learning curve section, my personal favorite, will has been great, so has accompanying our recommend, highlight, and offer a cliff- state pilots into some of Idaho’s pristine notes review of our favorite aviation- backcountry airstrips. There are few related books. In this issue, I invite you things more exhilarating to me than riding to vicariously join the adventures of four in a small plane. fearless, aviation-loving souls whose lives intertwined in Alaska’s frontier. My August This past summer, as most of you know, trip to Juneau, Alaska and floatplane ride our beloved Frank Lester retired. FYI: No into Taku Glacier Lodge is where it all one here really believed this would begins for you. happen. John Lorbeck replaced Frank and became the Rudder Flutter Editor, Enjoy, but then he moved on to another job shortly after Frank’s departure. I Laura Adams, Editor volunteered to keep the Rudder Flutter alive, along with Tammy Schoen. Dan Etter was hired to replace John Lorbeck, taking on the pilot and safety aspects of Frank’s job. Then our Administrator, John DeThomas, Page 2 Rudder Flutter From the A S Administrator: ERONAUTIC It is with great At state aeronautics, our top priority is Academy students each year. I hope excitement and supporting one of the state’s most to see you at our pilot safety briefings anticipation that I valuable resources, our network of 134 in 2013. take on the role of public airports. These airports generate Administrator $2 billion in economic activity and serve I’m eager to meet our aircraft with the Idaho the needs of our state every day. Access manufacturers, FBO operators, airport Division of to safe and adequately supported airports managers, and flight schools. I Aeronautics. In a by pilots, businessmen, air ambulance guarantee our state aeronautics team way, stepping up and tourism is a mainstay of our work. will go out of our way to grease the to lead the state’s No potential business ever plans to arrive wheels for your interests. primary aviation promoter is coming in an Idaho community on a bus. home for me. My earliest memory as a I believe we have a very bright future. boy was flying with Dad into the In that respect, our Idaho airports, these We are working to open new airports backcountry. I met old timers like Rex economic powerhouses, deserve our to the public, working with our NPIAS Lanham and Dewy Moore. Dad spoke support. Volunteer work parties, strategic airports on successful airport planning, of men like Bob Johnson, Chet Moulton airport planning and aviation businesses and studying ways we can improve the and Darrell Manning, and how have all contributed in the past, but safety of backcountry flying. influential they were in building aviation future investment in our airports requires in Idaho. Dad taught me how to fly the additional revenue. We are promoting Today I invite all of our constituents, mountains, to stay over the big water, changes to the aircraft registration process be they pilots, airport managers, FBO maintain airspeed control and “always, and increases in fuel taxes, both of which operators, or flight students to join the always be sure you can turn away will give us the ability to provide Idaho state aeronautics team in working from terrain.” airports the funding they need.