Bill and Tommy Cole took part in the ribbon cutting and says the school offers flight training for students but more importantly a gateway for economic growth in Bluefield.
Bill goes on to say, "the airport is so critical so important to our economy..its the economic gateway to any community and in order to that we have to be able to offer them a viable airport and the fact that we have students here..its a use it or lose it proposition and with anything in life and certainly our airport."
The flight instructors say traveling couldn't be easier and Instructor Belcher says he just returned home from South America. He says students could be in the air, flying within 10 hours..
WVVA had the opportunity to take on of their planes in the air for a test run, demonstrating how simple it can be to take the steps in learning how to fly.
- Source: http://www.wvva.com
Appalachian Flight Services
Officials officially cut the ribbon to Appalachian Flight Services at the Mercer County Airport Friday. Pictured, Charlie Belcher the chief pilot at Appalachian Flying Service fields questions from Debbie Maynard and Nicole Ayoub, of the Grater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, during a guided tour of the facility.
BLUEFIELD — Referring to the Mercer County Airport as, “the economic gateway to our community,” State Sen. Bill Cole, R-Mercer, cut the ribbon to formally open the Appalachian Flying Service. In addition to modern ground training for prospective pilots, Appalachian has three types of fixed-wing aircraft including a Cessna with fixed landing gear, a Cessna with retractable landing gear and a twin-engine Beechcraft to prepare pilots for all ratings.
“It’s an exciting time here at the Mercer County Airport. We’re doing our part to help Mercer County and surrounding communities,” Cole said. “The airport is absolutely the first thing that prospective businesses see when they come here. It is a use it or lose it situation.”
Prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Randy Carpenter, chief flight instructor and Charlie Belcher, chief pilot - both of Appalachian Flying Service - provided a tour of the service’s facilities located in a hangar that the service rents from the Mercer County Airport Authority. The two pilot trainers showed visitors the facility’s offices, a boardroom for meeting with visitors and a classroom with high-tech visual aids.
Outside in the hangar, Carpenter and Belcher took the guests on a tour of the service’s training aircraft including a Cessna 172 with fixed landing gear, a Cessna 172-RG with retractable landing gear, and a twin-engine Beechcraft.
“We want to be a place where people can come here and have fun,” Belcher said. “We want to draw a crowd to the airport. It’s possible for them to go to Beckley or Lewisburg for this training, but we’re saying, why go there?”
“We host the Civil Air Patrol here once a month,” Carpenter said. “We also have pilots from throughout the region here. Half of our students are from out of state.”
During the tour, the two flight instructors explained the rigorous maintenance schedules that all aircraft are subject to. Carpenter said that aircraft engines are replaced based on the hours they have been in service. He said that a qualified mechanic does a thorough examination of an aircraft about once a month.
“Every plane in here is for rent,” Carpenter said. “This service is not just for training.”
Mark Warner said that Bill Cole, owner of the service, resurrected an older flying school that went by the same name. Warner said that prospective pilots could learn to fly at the Mercer County Airport in a more relaxed setting than they would at a much larger and busier airport.
All prospective pilots must undergo a Transportation Security Administration screening, but a young person could possibly complete their training by the time they reach their 17th birthday. “Someone could get a pilot’s license before they get their driver’s license,” Carpenter said.
The service offers a “Discovery of Flight” program for $115 that includes an hour-long pilot’s ground school program and an hour of flight time. “You can actually log that time toward getting your pilot’s license,” Carpenter said.
Belcher and Carpenter will be on hand today and Sunday from 11 a.m., to 3 p.m., each day during the Mercer County Airport’s Fall Festival.
Amanda Hale, administrative assistant for the airport manager said the National Weather Service is calling for rain ending by 10 a.m. this morning, and partly cloudy skies with a high in the mid-60s. All of the tandem jump slots are filled for the festival, but there will be bounce houses for youngsters and activities for people of all ages.
- Source: http://www.bdtonline.com
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