Issue # 226 September/October-2020 President’s Outgoing Message: Au Revoir! By Neal White, President of Oregon Pilot Association It has been my privilege to have DART provides OPA with the served you as the President of structure to fulfill OPA’s 4th ob- the Oregon Pilots Association. jective: “Voluntary participation We have been successful in nu- in disaster relief missions.” merous legislative bills and those efforts will continue during the next legislative sessions. We sup- ported the Friends of Pacific City by petitioning ODA to retain ownership of the Pacific City Air- port. We continue to support general aviation in the attempted encroachment of the Coos Bay Airport by Jordan Cove Liquid Natural Gas plant. We success- fully fought the attempted clo- sure of the Cascade Locks Air- OPA_DART Mission port. OPA is engaged with the Statement: Neal White state legislature ensuring that President OPA there is fair and equitable avia- OPA_DART is a volunteer airlift tion and jet fuel taxation. We resource available to help com- also testified during legislative munities and emergency re- hearings regarding the availabil- sponders cope with a natural ity of avgas. We continue with disaster. Pilots will fly from one Special Points of pilot oriented activities and con- airport to another in appropri- tinuation training. We have initi- ate weather conditions trans- Interest! ated Precision Aerial Drop Com- porting people and emergency petition. This activity sharpens supplies. We can also provide • New OPA President: page 2 pilot skills, enabling them to aerial surveillance of Oregon’s drop valuable medical supplies infrastructure. • KPFC Clean Up: page 3 to people geographically isolated during times of natural disasters. OPA_DART is in partnership • Never Quit!: page 4 with Washington DART and Cal- DART. • Coastal Region Directors The election of Becky Brecken- ridge to OPA President gives me Report: page 6 I thank the OPA membership for the opportunity to develop OPA’s allowing me to serve you these involvement with DART • Explore Oregon 2020: page past 5 years. 8 (Disaster Airlift Response Team). PAGE 2 PROP WASH ISSUE # 226 Nouveau OPA President: Becky Breckenridge! Submitted by Becky Breckenridge, New OPA President town at the end of our trip, Bruce pulled into KUAO and I took my first flight in a small aircraft. I walked away with a smile that lasted hours and having become a fresh ground school student. I went on to get my license in a club Cessna 172, which was eventually replaced with a Cess- na 182. I also spent time in my friend’s taildragger, a Common- wealth. I liked it! I decided I wanted to own a low and slow aircraft and the most reasona- ble way to swing it financially was to build it from plans. So Becky Breckenridge with her “Rosebud” that was what I did for the next seven and a half years. I had previous experience with welding As the newly installed President vited it to rumble through me. and fabrication which came in of Oregon Pilots Association I Going to the airport became one very handy. With some help from wanted to give you a glimpse into of the most exciting events in my Bruce, I built “Rosebud,” a what led me to aviation. The ave- life at that time. Christavia MK-1. (I refer to it as a nues to becoming involved in avi- As I grew older, aviation wasn’t glorified Champ.) She first flew on ation are as varied as the people September 24, 2016. who take them. even a blip on my radar. But then my husband, Bruce, told me that As an aviatrix, I want to be en- My first exposure to aviation once upon a time he had hoped to couraging to everyone’s path. I came when I lived with a foster get his pilot’s license…and then want to know the stories of tried family for five years of my child- life happened. We had kids, we and true pilots as well as those of hood. We lived in Milwaukie and got him through optometry student pilots. I want to discover my foster father traveled fre- school, he built a practice, etc. what they see as their future, quently for work. The other kids whether they’re on their way to and I would jump into the family Around 2000, I struck up a con- versation with a passenger next becoming commercial or private station wagon and travel down pilots. Sharing our journeys 82nd Ave. to KPDX, which in the to me on a commercial flight. He was a retired NASA engineer and builds rapport, camaraderie, and 1960s was the only way to get to excitement for the future. These the airport. We would escort him a pilot. He encouraged me to get my pilot’s license. I kept that nig- things make up the fabric of gen- to his gate and then run and find eral aviation in Oregon. I believe the door that led to an empty cor- gling thought to myself and went about getting my kids grown up that focusing on these things will ridor that then led to a couple help aviation in Oregon grow. I flights of stairs. At the top of the and on their way out into the world. am excited and honored to be- stairs, we would fling open anoth- come President of an organiza- er door and get hit with a burst of In 2002, my husband and I took tion that upholds our freedom to wind that smelled of jet fuel and a road trip. As we traveled, I fly and advocates for it on the exhaust. With the next step I took, haltingly told him that I was state level. the one that took me outside, I considering doing what it took became a part of something big- to become a pilot. Remembering By the way, Bruce got his ger than my child-like brain could that I wasn’t the best student private pilot’s license and take in. On the observation deck, I academically, I was hesitant to instrument rating soon af- felt that I could reach out and commit to the written and prac- ter me! Becky Brecken- touch the taxing, departing, and tical tests. But I didn’t have a ridge. arriving jets. And the noise! I in- choice! On our way back into ISSUE # 226 PROP WASH PAGE 3 Pacific City State Airport (KPFC) Clean Up Day! Submitted by Scott Lane, Oregon Coast Regional Director hours of concentrated work! The cleanup day began with an ori- entation meeting to learn job roles, safety procedures, and placement on the airstrip. Volunteers were issued safety vests and completed ODA Volunteer forms to enable them to participate safely in the activities on the airport. Debris removal required a coordi- nated effort with drivers, loaders, chainsaw operators, etc. and work was completed quickly and efficient- ly while maintaining safety. Coordi- nators on the field were equipped with radios to monitor for airplanes in the pattern, which were non- existent throughout the cleanup KPFC after Clean Up ( Aerial View) time period. “Friends of Pacific City State Air- prove this coastal airstrip. FPCSA is port” (FPCSA) is a non-profit (501 a partner in this effort. (c)3) volunteer organization whose mission is “airport advoca- cy, education, volunteer recruit- ment and management for airport maintenance. (https:// sites.google.com/ friendsofpacificcitystateair- port.com) This group banded to- gether in 2017 to advocate for KPFC to encourage the Oregon All tasks completed during Department of Aviation (ODA) to the work period were im- retain this airport in public own- portant and contributed to ership and to partner with the the safety and overall ap- ODA to maintain and improve th On July 19 , “Friends of Pacific pearance of the airport. this coastal asset. FPCSA has been City State Airport” successfully Edging around the tarmac successful on both fronts. nd completed their 2 annual cleanup and kiosk, not to mention of the airport. Twenty-nine volun- landscape maintenance teers turned out, including pilots, near the restrooms added to non-pilots, community members, the beauty of this coastal local business representatives, etc. Airport. to help with everything from tree trimming and debris removal to restroom cleanup and landscape renewal. The low ceilings and fog presented a perfect day for volun- teers to move about the airport with chainsaws, weed-whackers and clip- pers to load tree limbs and debris The ODA is retaining State own- onto trucks and trailers to haul ership of the airport while invest- away. It is inspiring to see what 29 ing funds to maintain and im- volunteers can achieve in 4 short PAGE 4 PROP WASH ISSUE # 226 Mike Kloch: Never Quit! CEO www.specializedaeroworks.com/ Interviewed by Vetrichelvan Jayaprakasan, Editor OPA 1. How did you catch the odd answer. I had 7 years off aviation bug? from flying when I went into the Marine Corps reserves. I spent a Ans: As a kid I loved playing with lot of that time on active duty planes. I did not have any orders and did 2 non-flying family members who were combat tours. After I was done, pilots, but I had a lot of inter- I moved to Central Oregon and est in aviation. In high school, went to Central Oregon Com- I decided I wanted to be a munity College to get back to military pilot. In college I flying. My first FAA checkride joined Air Force ROTC in the was for my center thrust re- hopes of achieving that goal. striction removal for multi- engine.