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Wichita, KS — August 5, 2014 – The Wichita Aero Club’s August luncheon will feature celebrated aviation forecaster Rollie Vincent. The luncheon will be held August 19 at 11:45 a.m. in the Emerald Ballroom of the Doubletree Hilton Wichita Airport Hotel.
Rollie Vincent is President of Rolland Vincent Associates. He has almost 30 years of experience in business, regional and international aviation, including work at ICAO.
With a background in market research, economics and statistics, he has held senior leadership positions in marketing, strategy, business development, and consulting. His roles have included Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at Cessna, Director of International Airline Analysis at Bombardier Aerospace, Director of Marketing, Strategy & Business Development at Flexjet, and Director of Strategy & Communications at Learjet.
Vincent will be speaking on changing aspects of the aviation industry likely to affect Wichita. “Like an old aluminum airframe, aviation forecasters have been dinged many times for having called recoveries too soon or for missing the next big turn in the market,” Vincent said. “More than 6 ½ years after the onset of the Great Recession, important questions remain: Have business jet demand and supply forces permanently changed? Is commercial aircraft the next bubble to burst? Is The Air Capital the aircraft industry‘s Detroit?”
Vincent has an MBA in international business and marketing, and a BA and MA in urban and economic geography from McGill University.
“Rollie brings a unique perspective as a speaker since he has firsthand experience at many of Wichita’s aviation companies including Bombardier, Cessna, Learjet, and Flexjet,” said Dave Franson, President of the Wichita Aero Club. “He possesses a wealth of knowledge of the general aviation marketplace and his presentation will not be one to miss.”
WAC luncheon tickets for members are $30 and $40 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased online at our website, www.wichitaaeroclub.org, on the selected luncheon page under Events Schedule. Ticket purchases may also be made by calling 316.681.4471.
The Wichita Aero Club was established in 2008 to foster and promote interest in aviation, provide a forum focused on the industry’s issues and achievements and bring together those with a passion for flight in an environment that expands and enhances professional relationships and furthers cooperation and understanding.

Wichita, KS—August 1, 2014—The Wichita Aero Club is proud to present aviation forecaster Rollie Vincent at its August 19 luncheon.
Rollie Vincent is President of Rolland Vincent Associates. He has almost 30 years of experience in business, regional and international aviation, including Bombardier, Cessna, Learjet, Flexjet, and ICAO.
With a background in market research, economics and statistics, he has held senior leadership positions in marketing, strategy, business development, and consulting. His roles have included Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at Cessna, Director of International Airline Analysis at Bombardier Aerospace, Director of Marketing, Strategy & Business Development at Flexjet, and Director of Strategy & Communications at Learjet.
Rolland has an MBA in international business and marketing, and a BA and MA in urban and economic geography from McGill University.
The Wichita Aero Club was established in 2008 to foster and promote interest in aviation, provide a forum focused on the industry’s issues and achievements and bring together those with a passion for flight in an environment that expands and enhances professional relationships and furthers cooperation and understanding. The WAC luncheon will be held at 11:45 a.m. in the Emerald Ballroom of the Doubletree Hotel by Hilton, and tickets can be purchased either online at www.wichitaaeroclub.org by going to the Events page or by calling 316.681.4471.

Wichita, KS — July 10, 2014 – The Wichita Aero Club’s July luncheon will feature Jerry Gregoire, CEO of Austin, TX based Redbird Flight Simulation, the fastest growing and most innovative simulator providers in the industry. The luncheon will be held July 17 at 11:45 a.m. in the Emerald Ballroom of the Doubletree Hilton Wichita Airport Hotel.
A former executive at Pepsico and Dell, Gregoire founded Redbird in 2006 to provide flight schools with affordable, feature-rich simulators for use in pilot education. He is a single-pilot CJ driver and was the King Air owner as well as a King Air pilot. Redbird’s simulators can be used to log hours toward the private certificate and more extensively on the commercial ticket.
“Jerry will discuss the role of simulation in flight training and provide an update on the Challenge Cup event that Redbird and Flying Magazine launched at Sun ‘N Fun in April,” said Dave Franson, President of the Wichita Aero Club. “The Aero Club is pleased to provide an opportunity for the local general aviation community to hear more about the Challenge Cup. The top performers in the competition have been invited to EAA AirVenture to determine an overall champion. The leaders in each category—Precision Landings, Steep Turns, Lazy Eights, and Landings—will face off during the annual EAA gathering, with a winner to be crowned on August 3.”
“Our simulators ‘watch’ the pilot,” Mr. Gregoire explained, “measuring, coaching, adapting, scoring, and recording his or her progress. This Challenge Cup is designed in partnership with Bonnier and its network of publications, to intentionally reach beyond the pilot community. We created specific categories for Student Pilots and Non-Pilots to ensure they would be represented in this challenge, too.” Top performers in all categories have been invited to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, which begins July 28 and continues through August 3 at the Wittman Regional Airport.
WAC luncheon tickets for members are $30 and $40 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased online at our website, www.wichitaaeroclub.org, on the selected luncheon page under Events Schedule. Ticket purchases may also be made by calling 316.681.4471.

The Wichita Aero Club was established in 2008 to foster and promote interest in aviation, provide a forum focused on the industry’s issues and achievements and bring together those with a passion for flight in an environment that expands and enhances professional relationships and furthers cooperation and understanding.

The Wichita Aero Club is proud to present Jerry Gregoire as its July 2014 luncheon speaker. Jerry Gregoire is the owner of Redbird Flight Simulations, located in Austin, Texas. He is a former PepsiCo and Dell executive, but his passion is flying. He is a single-pilot CJ driver and was the King Air owner as well as a King Air pilot. His company, Redbird Flight Simulations, does just what the title suggests: they build flight simulators. Redbird’s simulators can be used to earn some hours toward the private certificate and more extensively on the commercial ticket. Gregoire’s simulators are ingeniously designed at a lower cost than many simulators. Through Gregoire, Redbird has been preparing pilots for the skies for years and will continue to do so for many more.
The luncheon will be July 17 at 11:45 a.m. in the Emerald Ballroom of the Doubletree Hilton Wichita Airport Hotel. Tickets for members are $30 and $40 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased online on the selected luncheon page under Events Schedule.

WICHITA, KS — For the second year in a row, the Wichita Aero Club will award its Edward W. Stimpson scholarship to a Kansas State University -Salina student, Elias Peterson of Lindsborg, Kansas, during a ceremony following its annual Wichita Aero Club Golf Classic at Crestview Country Club on Sunday, June 15.  Peterson is following fellow Wildcat Bert Hutchinson of Wichita, who received the award last year.The tournament raises funds for the Aero Club’s education initiatives.

Mr. Peterson will be presented with a giant facsimile of a check for $2,000.  He is a junior, working towards a bachelor of science degree in Professional Pilot at K-State Salina.  A licensed pilot, he holds an Instrument rating and is working on his Commercial Pilot’s license. He’s also an Eagle Scout and former senior class president at Smoky Valley High School.

“I can’t express how much this scholarship means to me,” he said.  “Ever since I stepped into my grandfather’s airplane at the age of four I have wanted to fly.  This scholarship will help me realize that dream and relieve the pressure of student debt, too.  It will also permit me to spend more time working towards my eventual degree and pilot ratings so that someday I can fly for Federal Express, instead of just working as a package handler for them.  I work from 4:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m. and from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. right now.”

The scholarship honors the memory of Ed Stimpson, the late President of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and ICAO Ambassador.  It is currently  awarded annually to a student who seek to make a significant contribution to the aviation industry upon completion of his or her education.

The scholarship presentation will be held at the 19th Hole Reception following the WAC Golf Classic.  The check will be presented by members of the Wichita Aero Club Board of Directors, including John O’Leary, vice president of engineering for Airbus Americas Engineering and Chairman of the Wichita Aero Club’s Education Committee, and Patrick Tuttle, president of ADR, Inc. and WAC Chairman of the Board.

“It’s no coincidence that a K-State Salina student is again the recipient of this award, “ explained O’Leary.  “Their aviation program is among the nation’s best and both Elias and last year’s winner, Bert Hutchinson, are outstanding students and exceptional young men.  We’re extremely pleased to present them with the Ed Stimpson scholarship.  It was created specifically to stimulate interest in and support of aviation-related curricula at learning institutions and to provide some help in defraying a portion of the recipients’ expense.  Our intent is to increase the amount of the awards as we grow the Scholarship Fund through contributions and proceeds from our fund-raising events, including our annual golf tournament and Gala.”

The Wichita Aero Club was established in 2008 to foster and promote interest in aviation, provide a forum focused on the industry’s issues and achievements and bring together those with a passion for flight in an environment that expands and enhances professional relationships and furthers cooperation and understanding.

For more information on the Wichita Aero Club, the Ed Stimpson Scholarship or events, call 316-681-4491 or visit the WAC website at www.wichitaaeroclub.org.

The Wichita Aero Club (WAC) announced at its annual Trophy Gala on Saturday evening, January 25 that it is creating a scholarship for college or post graduate students in honor of former Cessna Public Relations Chief Dean Humphrey. The scholarship is the second created by the WAC and targeted at students who aspire to a career in aviation. The Aero Club’s other scholarship, named for former General Aviation Manufacturers Association President and International Civil Aviation Organization Ambassador Edward W. Stimpson, also provides financial assistance to college students who have declared a major or established a career path for a broad range of disciplines within the aerospace industry.

“The Wichita Aero Club Dean Humphrey Scholarship will not only honor Dean’s memory but is designed to support students who wish to follow his example into communications, administrative or other non-technical roles in aviation-related organizations,” said Dave Franson, President of the Wichita Aero Club. .”It especially fitting that it was unveiled at the fourth annual Wichita Aero Club Trophy Gala which honored Cessna Aircraft Company Chairman Emeritus Russ Meyer because Russ and Dean were colleagues and great friends throughout their time together at Cessna.”

“Dean was an exceptional communicator…and a valued friend and mentor to me when I worked for him at Cessna in the 1970’s,” Franson added. “He set the standard by which communicators in our industry were measured and it’s very gratifying to be able to honor his memory in this way. Our Education Committee will work with the Wichita Community Foundation to create the application and disseminate information on this award during the next few months and we will announce the first winner at the annual NBAA Convention in October. Like the WAC’s Ed Stimpson scholarship, the initial Dean Humphrey award will provide $2,000 to the recipient. Our intention is to increase both the amount and frequency of both these scholarships as time goes on,” he concluded. The Wichita Trophy Gala and the annual WAC Golf Classic are held each year to grow the Club’s scholarship fund.

Born in Topeka, Kansas Dean Humphrey graduated from Holton High School. His resume included serving as the Vice President of Public Relations for Cessna Aircraft Company, and as spokesperson for King Radio before that. Earlier in his career, he earned rave reviews as a broadcaster on both radio and television for KCMO in Kansas City. Four years in the Air Force and a journalism degree from Kansas University also helped shape him. But, those impressive credentials and his deep, distinctive voice aside, what made Dean outstanding was the way he made people comfortable around him. Whether dealing with inquisitive and even aggressive journalists, aircraft customers, elected officials, or helping to put on the Citation Special Olympics Airlift, Dean utilized creativity, disarming humor and attentiveness to put people at ease. He had a scholar’s grasp of the language and vocabulary, but he was a master at conveying facts in an efficient and understandable way that engendered well-deserved trust. When it came to representing his company, sharing information, or organizing the response to any situation, no one did it better than Dean. When he retired from Cessna in 1993 he was honored with the National Business Aviation Association’s Order of the Silk Scarf, presented for significant contributions to general aviation.

The Wichita Aero Club was established in 2008 to foster and promote interest in aviation, provide a forum focused on the industry’s issues and achievements and bring together those with a passion for flight in an environment that expands and enhances professional relationships and furthers cooperation and understanding. One of its primary goals is to encourage education, training and career development in aviation.