- Winter 2020/2021
- Ambassador Updates
- Member News
- FMA Solo Program
- Events
Winter 2020/2021
Ambassador Updates
FMA Ambassador Updates
Ambassadors are the life blood of FMA. They assist with communications to individuals who are spread far and wide. They are the glue that binds us together. No one person can do this. The convey a positive message while fielding question about the values, vision, mission and programs of the association while sparking activity with their regions.
Mike Manny (Canada) Musically, I’d like to add a plug for a new online platform that I have been performing on here in Ottawa called, Syncspace Live . It’s an online performance platform that was founded by a gentleman of the name, Adrian Cho. He is a local, Ottawa-based musician (bass), who in addition to being the Musical Director of the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra (OJO), he is also an avid, and accomplished photographer. He has utilized his many years of being in the technical and IT sector to create an ever-growing online music performance platform that has been connecting musicians not online here in the nation’s capital, but across the country.
Check out a few videos:
And in flying news: Been keeping up currencies while the pandemic has been going on. One of my latest flights was just this past weekend where my wife took this great photo of the sunset while on a x/c CYRP CNL3 CYCC CYRP.
editor’s note –Mike Manny, your Canadian ambassador has been a huge asset to FMA. Mike’s hard work has been awarded with two FMA Solo scholarship recipients and a finalist in the 2021 campaign. In addition to being the Canadian ambassador, Mike coordinates the FMA Map. His contributions are very much appreciated.
Don Bilbrey (Ohio) – The state curfew is lifted, 2 vaccines and a 3rd on the way. Sun n Fun announced dates as 13th thru the 18 of April. I’ve got things I’ve got to get done. Most of the locals are using this time to upgrade there airplanes and deal with family matters. The venues are still having booking problems mostly because their customers are down so low they can’t afford to operate much less pay for music. A number of musicians are doing Podcasts on Facebook.
this is a picture of one of the last gigs in 2020: I been working or some music lessons and trying to understand some recording software that I have. We are just now thawing out from a big snow we has 2 weeks ago. I am are very optimistic forthcoming year. Summer on the way opens a host of possibilities. Stay out of the trees and keep a pickin and a grining
editor’s note – Don Bilbrey, Ohio ambassador, has also had much success in attracting nominations for the FMA Solo program with two recipients and many nominations. Dan has been having annual HangarJams until last year when most everything was shut down.
Jeff Auen (Mid-Atlantic) There’s a little life at Essex Skypark. The STEM program will start in the Spring, but with only 2 students at first. 3 hangars have been constructed, we are now completely maxed out. Meetings are still not happening due to Covid. No music events are scheduled at this time. Lawyers and insurers are antsy. We have no idea when we can schedule any events. Regionally, some airports are scheduling Spring events with big caveats about last minute cancellations.
I hope to make it back down for Sun n Fun if it actually happens.
The Bristell has been upgraded to full IFR I passed my IFR written and start flight training in March. It will be converted to ELSA so I can fly in IMC.
I’m close to pulling the trigger on a Bushcat kit that we will build with the STEM program kids. We have an interesting approach to the process. Can’t spill the beans just yet.
Since the last update:
A little movement at W48. The Scouts are planning an event this year. The airport association is also in the planning stages of our Wings and Wheels and Pancake Breakfast events. Everything of course has the cancellation-at-the-last-minute caveat. More specifics to come.
I flew the Aircam to Naples, FL in January. Unfortunately winds were 15 gusting from 25-40 almost the entire month of February so I only got about 8 hours of air time. I discovered a small fuel tank leak on the preflight before return to Baltimore so I left my baby at Sebring for repairs. I’ll return in a few weeks to bring it back. I’m trying to make up for last year by attending Sun ‘n Fun, Airventure, Deland and Tripletree as well as a couple of Aircam gatherings this year.
My duo, Change of Pace has three gigs booked at a local venue. They’ve had to cancel the last two so we will wait and see.
We may do another FB livestream in March and we will produce the next episode of “Baltimore Bob” for YouTube.
I purchased a Bushcat kit which my friend, Claudius Klimt and I will build with a few STEM program kids. There’s a new website and additional social media links where we will document the build. Our goal is to have Mike Patey-level fun on one tenth the budget. The website is www.GAJeff.com and should be live on about March 15. We plan to do some mods including in-house anodizing, carbon fiber, led lighting, custom storage solutions using 3d printing, etc. The kit will arrive early June but we will document some of the prep work in the meantime.
editor’s note –Jeff Auen, Mid-Atlantic ambassador, has been such a big supporter of FMA at various EAA and AOPA events around the country. His family foundation, Auen O’Shea Family Fund, has been contributing financially to the to the FMA Solo program for several years now. We owe Jeff him a HUGE debt of gratitude for his many hours of volunteering at events raising awareness and funds through enthusiastic ??? and music.
Joshua Homet (Michigan ) – Despite the cold and virus-restricted winter, things have been a buzz here in MI. I have completed a very productive first year as a Gulfstream Captain here at Flexjet. In fact, I’m in Dallas this week completing my first long recurrent training since my initial type last February. I still flew over 430 hours this past year even with all the slowdowns and restrictions. I’ve been enjoying the training this time around having spent a year getting used to the real airplane. I also recently completed my first oceanic crossing as acting PIC with a trip to and from Hawaii. On the music front, I’m still actively playing cajon/singing for our church worship band. I finally had to retire my first cajon and purchase a new one after almost 10 years since I started to play. I played in the Christmas eve service this year and it actually started to come apart during a rather animated part of the service. It’s gotten me reinvigorated in my playing and I’ve started to add other accessories to my setup. As we excitedly await spring, my Father-in-law’s 182 is efficiently spending March getting it’s annual. Once it’s done, we look forward to get back to enjoying some GA flying. I’ll be getting more involved with the aircraft, getting him instrument current again, and even renewing my own CFI later this summer.
Please reach out with any aviation and or music endeavors you think I can help you out with! Enjoy your flying and playing!
editor’s note – Joshua Homet, Michigan ambassador, joined FMA straight out of college. Josh was flying pipeline patrol when he heard about the the beginnings of FMA and joined as a founding member. Josh in now a Gulfstream Captain with FlexJet. His contributions have been enormous over the years. Josh was our right hand in the early years of the association and has continued to contribute.
Denny Kotz (South Carolina) I hope that this year is more enjoyable from a music standpoint. Last year, the only gig I had was a Canal Boat River Cruise. We (Double D – my good friend also named Dennis and me) have performed this gig for the past 10 years. A “Peterson Boat” is used by the Enterprise Mill Museum to provide tours of the Augusta Canal. The canal was built to power the mills that were built back in the 1800’s. The boat is powered by batteries that are charged by the hydroelectric power plant still in operation at the Enterprise Mill (a side note, the mill has condominiums now, and the residents do not have an electric bill either). Other than that, I have not performed in public. My two-three time a year gig performing for the Georgia War Veteran Nursing Home was cancelled. There have been no House Concerts. Some Augusta Bars have been in operation, and have had Open Mic Nights, but I don’t feel like exposing myself to those potential spreading events. Most of my performances have been for my 21 month old Granddaughter.
This year, we have been booked for another Canal Boat Cruise in June. In addition, we have been contacted about possibly performing at a Music in the Park event locally.
I am planning to attend this years Sun ‘n Fun, and I hope to be able to perform some music at that event.
My flying has been limited since there are very few places to go, and the lunch club that I belong to has not scheduled a lunch flight. My wife and I visited the Downtown Greenwood, SC airport and ate a very pleasant lunch at the Runway Café.
I have received both doses of the vaccine, and have only experienced a sore arm from it. I hope that this is the beginning of the end to a sad period in our history. For anyone who has suffered from the virus, or the effects of the virus, you have my condolences. I hope that this year is a better one.
editor’s note – Denny Kotz has performed with FMA at Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture for several years. In addition to being your South Carolina ambassador, Denny also established FMA’s presence during the Masters Golf tournament. We look forward to increase membership, scholarship nominees and activity in South Carolina as a result of Denny’s work.
Kass Smith (Mexico & Carribean) is an ambassador for the flying musicians association and is also the owner of Real de Talpa holistic resort and is recognized worldwide as a recording artist and musician.
Kass Air is owned and operated by Kass Smith, an instrument-rated commercial pilot with over 27 years flight expertise in single and multi-engine aircraft. Kass earned his instrument and commercial ratings in the US and Mexico.
He owns and flies a 1956 Cessna 310 and his team has been in the aircraft detailing business since 1987, providing excellent paint service at a fraction of the cost compared to prices in the US.
All flying musicians members will receive a 10% discount on paint and interior detailing from Kass if requests for quotes are received before March 31st,2021
editor’s note – Kass has perform for and with FMA at AirVenture for a couple years prior to the pandemic. He has been a HUGE supporter of FMA in raising awareness throughout Mexico and the Caribbean.
Ali Calvert (California) Ridgecrest CA is a sleepy little town, unless you count all the jet and helicopter noise. It is home to NAWS China Lake where the latest and greatest is developed and tested for Navy and Marine Corps Jets. Every now and then we have a drone circling the town, but for a few hours each day it is quiet. NAWS China lake is home to the most ranges and land held by the Dept of the Navy so it can make flying interesting at times.
Our local airport is just 15 mins away in Inyokern. KIYK is part of the original NOTS program here at NAWS China Lake. The original bunny logo is still on the hangar. Often the hotspot for many films and commercials it is a very active airport. Our Fedex deliveries come twice a day via Cessna caravan. Kia, Ford, and Dodge have filmed here not to mention TOPGUN 2, which also took over our base and disrupted a few test events. But it is a great way for our airport to get funding. Recently Congressman Kevin McCarthy approved a grant to help repair our runways which were damaged in the 6.4 and 7.1 earthquakes here in Ridgecrest. They are currently ripping up the foundation layers of the runways which were laid in the 1940s. They are doing one closure at a time and trying to not disrupt too much in terms of regular traffic. By regular traffic, on any given day we have gyros, V-22s, MH-60, AC90s, bonanzas, and gliders being towed. The glider population out KIYK is rather prolific. The active club has a host of world record holding pilots. One even learned from a Polish pilot who escaped Nazi Germany by gliding his plane to safety. We also have one jet propelled glider. It looks like we will have our annual RV fly in ice cream social this summer, if CA continues to ramp out the vaccine roll out. Our sister airport to the south in Mojave has seen several flights and tests of the Stratolauncher as well as some other fun planes now that Plane Crazy Saturday has started back up.
VX-31 has had some wonderful things happen despite COVID. Being a unique squadron combined of SAR and Developmental testing, we have a variety of aircraft. From F-18 C/Ds (Legacy Hornets) to F-18 E/F (Super Hornets), Harriers and Growlers, to our resident MH-60S for SAR. Recently we had a heroic rescue up at Whitney portal where the 60’s power levels were at 0 and they executed the rescue flawlessly. There was even a very important SAR in December when Santa got lost in the Sierras which is well documented on the VX-31 Facebook page. We were lucky enough to attend a few test events that my husband flew in the F-18 E/F, where we got to meet up with him on the flightlines at Mojave and Pt. Mugu. We were also able to attend his promotion ceremony to Lieutenant Commander.
I have taken a small step back with playing due to the needs of our son and his recovery from 3 brain surgeries last March. But I have found a very interesting way to invest and be a part of new music. Myself and a few other harpists paid into a consortium with the composer Kincaid Rabb based out of AZ. Instead of one person taking on the entire commission for a piece, it is approached much like buying into a flying club plane. Some paid $100 for a physical bound and signed manuscript in addition to the digital and performing rights, while others paid $50 for the digital and performing rights. It is a really unique way of helping composers during a time where the performing arts is entering uncharted territories. The piece I bought into is called Diamondback Darlene. It is a story to be told along with music written for lever harp. The composer hopes to turn it into a picture book to be shown with the music played, much like “The Wild Symphony” by Dan Brown (yes the same Dan Brown as the DaVinci code). Apparently his parents were music teachers and music was his first form of composition. I highly suggest taking a look at Kincaid’s website: https://www.kincaidrabb.com/ He currently has a consortium going for a chamber piece called Carnival of the Dinosaurs.
These times have been interesting living in a small desolate desert town formed around a military base. But it has also pressed me in a direction of creating more with my small business Home in the Hangar (custom aviation designs for the home and custom patch design). Almost daily, I take my son to the airport for a picnic and to stare at the beautiful mountains here. He even learned how to walk for the second time by taking long walks with his walker at our airport. Now he is learning to identify aircraft there. (Never too early) It can feel stifling in today’s world with all the difficult news being bombarded at us with different screens, but there is something always refreshing about going to the airport, even if you aren’t flying. Hoping that there are blue skies ahead for all. May your winds always be fair and your landings always be smooth.
editor’s note – Ali has been a firebrand of an ambassador for California. Beside representing FMA at events in her area, she enthusiastically welcomes new members. Ali established and runs Home in Hangar.
