Catching Up With Philip Martin
Professional Pilot Career - 2022 Scholarship Winner
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Photos courtesy of Philip Martin - Professional Pilot Career Award
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In anticipation of this year's Safety Day, WAA Scholarship Chair, Luke Egan, followed up with past scholarship winner, Philip Martin, to see what he has been up to since winning The WAA Professional Pilot Career Scholarship sponsored by Performance Flight.
Below, Philip shares in his own words, his experiences and aspirations since winning.
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As a pilot, you'll experience a unique perspective on the world - one that combines the thrill of flight with the awe-inspiring beauty of the planet from above. You'll be able to explore new horizons, conquer challenges, and connect with people from all over the world, all while soaring through the skies.
Since I was granted the scholarship I took on a greater appreciation for aviation, flying an aircraft that I once believed wouldn’t be possible until I was well into my career was made possible by WAA. This expanded my horizon on the possibilities that the future can behold.
Aviation was determined to be a path worth pursuing after my first time flying a simulator shortly after my dad sparked the interest. From there I knew that I wanted to make the skies interconnect with my life. The first time I stepped into the cockpit confirmed this dream and made it a reality.
Flight training helped me understand that your best outcome will always be from peace and self awareness. As I flew more and more, my confidence levels grew, which allowed me to perform my best each time I fly. This is a valuable lesson I apply to every other sector of my life.
My future aviation aspirations are to in fact complete my Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, and fulfill my childhood goal of becoming type rated in an Airbus a321. Just three years ago when I started my course study at Penn State University, the best thing that I believed that I can do is study the field of aviation. Once the opportunity came to actually get my license and further my skills, I learned that I am not just limited to what I believed that I had to settle for.
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Thank you again, Philip, for your time.
We would also like to thank Performance Flight for their continued support to our scholarship program.
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Historic Electric Vertical Aircraft Flight |
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Successful demonstration flight by Blade of BETA’s ALIA-250 marks the first demonstration of a piloted electric vertical aircraft (“EVA” or “eVTOL”) in the greater New York City region. |
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NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)
Blade Air Mobility, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLDE, "Blade"), a technology-powered air mobility platform and BETA Technologies (“BETA”), an electric aerospace company developing EVA (also known as eVTOL) and supporting charging infrastructure, today announced the successful completion of a historic test flight of BETA’s ALIA-250 EVA at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York. The flight marks the first test of a piloted EVA in the greater New York City area and is a significant milestone in the companies' continued partnership to bring safe, quiet, and sustainable air transportation to commuter and commercial customers.
"This is a historic moment for Blade, New York and the urban air mobility industry," said Rob Wiesenthal, Chief Executive Officer of Blade. "This demonstration is a big milestone in our transition from helicopters to electric vertical aircraft, and we are pleased that our partners at BETA have designed the right aircraft with the requisite range, capacity, and noise profile, for use in our key markets, including our homebase of New York City. We are confident EVAs will be a game-changer both for our company and New York City’s transportation system once certified by the FAA."
"Blade is flying passengers in key urban markets all over the world, and this flight is another step toward delivering our electric aircraft to support those operations,” said Kyle Clark, BETA’s Founder and CEO. “We continue to progress our aircraft, flying real-life missions and gaining proficiency in the national airspace. We were glad to be able to fly here from our flight test facility in Plattsburgh to work with Blade to operationalize our partnership."
The ALIA-250 aircraft is powered by an all-electric propulsion system with vertical takeoff and landing capability and a noise profile that is 1/10 th the sound decibel level of conventional helicopters, making it ideal for use in urban areas. The aircraft can fly up to six people and features a sleek and modern design with a range of features to ensure the highest levels of safety and comfort.
During today’s flight, the ALIA-250 flew alongside a conventional helicopter before pulling away for a second pass above the airport to highlight the dramatic noise reduction.
In April 2021, Blade announced a agreement to facilitate the purchase of up to 20 of BETA’s first passenger-configured ALIA-250 aircraft by its network of operators. Blade intends to deploy these initial aircraft on routes between its network of dedicated terminals in the US. BETA has also agreed to provide and install charging infrastructure at certain key locations.
Over the past three years, BETA has demonstrated reliably strong performance with its two full-scale prototype aircraft, accomplishing significant milestones toward certification and commercialization. BETA also had test pilots from the U.S. Air Force and Army fly the ALIA250 in full-pattern evaluations in March 2022 and July 2022, respectively, marking the branches’ first-ever flight of an electric vertical aircraft and the industry’s first manned qualitative evaluations. BETA has also partnered with the FAA and the National Institute for Aviation Research to conduct the first-ever 50-foot drop tests of its full-scale battery packs, successfully completing the test and advancing the industry’s path to safety standards and certification.
About Blade Air Mobility
Blade is a technology-powered, global air mobility platform committed to reducing travel friction by providing cost-effective air transportation alternatives to some of the most congested ground routes in the U.S., Europe, Canada and India. Today, the Company predominantly uses helicopters and amphibious aircraft for its passenger routes and is also one of the largest air medical transporters of human organs for transplant in the world. Its asset-light model, coupled with its exclusive passenger terminal infrastructure, is designed to facilitate a seamless transition to Electric Vertical Aircraft (“EVA” or “eVTOL”), enabling lower cost air mobility to the public that is both quiet and emission-free.
For more information, visit www.blade.com.
About BETA Technologies
BETA Technologies is an electric aerospace company that is creating a new paradigm for transporting people and goods, making it safer, greener, quieter, and more efficient. To do this, we are building an electric transportation system that includes net-zero, all-electric aircraft and a cross-country, multimodal charging infrastructure to support various types of EVs. BETA has committed orders or contracts with leading operators across military, medical, cargo and passenger applications including UPS, Bristow, LCI, United Therapeutics, Blade and both the U.S. Air Force and U.S Army.
For more information, visit www.beta.team
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Good Luck Curtis!
Thank you for your years of support!
Your Friends at HPN and WAA
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Photo Courtesy of Dave Montiverdi, C.M., A.M.F., ACE
Airport Operations Supervisor
Avports – Westchester County Airport
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Airport Bulletin #23-01 March 10, 2023 - Message from AVPORTS
Dear Westchester County Airport Community,
In December, we conducted training and began offering travelers Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards. Now, I'm happy to introduce phase two of our programs to support passengers with hidden disabilities and accessibility needs.
We will initiate employee training to educate ourselves on passengers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder(ASD).H P is partnering with the company Autism Double-Checked to provide the necessary employee training required for serving individuals diagnosed with ASD along their travel journey.
Employees who are required to complete the training will receive a welcome email directly from Autism Double-Checked. The training applies to those employees who routinely interface with commercial terminal passengers as part of their day-to-day roles and responsibilities.
Once all individuals have completed the required training, Westchester County Airport (HPN)will be certified as Autism Double-Checked. We will be the first for them in the United States!
Thank you for taking the time to conduct this online training course.
The duration is approximately 45 minutes.
Please visit the following link autismchecked.com to learn more about Autism Double-Checked.
We appreciate every effort you make to care for all of our passengers, and particularly in this enhanced way for those with accessibility needs.
This is yet another demonstration of our HPN Family!
Warm regards,
April LHaspari
April L. Gasparri Airport Manager
ALG/vpe
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AOPA President Mark Baker Testifies Before Congressional Panel |
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On March 9, the Aviation Subcommittee of The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee met to address "Securing the Future of General Aviation," as the committee works on the next FAA reauthorization bill.
The topic of the hearing and its contents are in line with an initiative by T&I Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.), a GA pilot and advocate, to bring more attention to the general aviation sector by introducing the first GA title within an FAA reauthorization bill.
“One of the worst things that happened when it comes to the FAA is when advocacy was removed from the mission statement,” said Graves in his opening statement. “We need more advocates within the FAA and throughout aviation.”
In his opening statement and throughout the hearing, AOPA President Mark Baker addressed several primary points of interest to AOPA including the FAA’s designated pilot examiner shortage, the urgent nationwide need for GA hangar construction, needed investments in modernizing agency systems and technology, and a safe and smart transition to a fleetwide unleaded fuel no later than 2030.
Baker submitted a letter to the committee, signed by more than 300 aviation organizations from across the country, including WAA, in support of requiring airports to provide transient ramp space at public-use airports.
“On behalf of all these organizations and pilots across the country, we strongly support and request the committee to include a provision in the FAA reauthorization bill that addresses access to public-use airports in the following three areas: 1) a requirement that all federally obligated airports provide transient ramp space for privately operated aircraft, regardless of make or model, when the pilot does not request or need the services of an FBO; 2) ensure federally obligated airports retain the ability to either waive a transient fee or impose a transient fee—but the fee must be fair and reasonable (whatever it cost the airport to operate and maintain the ramp); and 3) in order to address TSA security related issues at some airports, the Part 139 airports in particular, there needs to be the ability for private pilots to apply for a SIDA badge in order to escort themselves and passengers to the terminal,” said Baker. “On behalf of AOPA and our fellow aviators across the country, we believe addressing this issue and others will go a long way in securing and growing the future of general aviation.”
One issue of importance to the committee was the need for additional workforce development programs to address looming shortages in aviation. Baker spotlighted AOPA’s initiative to increase the aviation workforce through its High School Aviation STEM Curriculum. Several members praised AOPA for its commitment to this endeavor.
Baker also expressed strong support for legislation to establish a National Center for the Advancement of Aviation (NCAA) to address the workforce challenges. During the hearing, Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) announced he will join Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) to introduce the NCAA bill and work toward its inclusion in the FAA reauthorization legislation.
Baker was joined by Jack Pelton, CEO of the Experimental Aircraft Association; Rick Crider, second vice chair of the American Association of Airport Executives; and Curt Castagna, CEO of the National Air Transportation Association.
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Join us April 12, 2023 HPN AAB (Airport Advisory Board) Airport Conference Room.
Realign or approve 11/29 for better non-jet handling? More parking? More hangar space?
Other changes you would like to see?
This is your time to let your voice be heard and speak up for the changes you would like to see at the airport.
Your parking ticket will be validated for attending.
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The Westchester Aviation Association is a not-for-profit organization which promotes aviation education and understanding on the part of government authorities and the public. Our members include a growing number of individuals and businesses who value the presence of good air transportation facilities in Westchester County.
NOT A MEMBER? JOIN TODAY!
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ATC/Pilot First Quarter Meeting
Re-watch the first quarter ATC Meeting with WAA's own Scott Dyer, the new Farmingdale FSDO Safety Program Manager, Katherine Adrada, and Westchester Airport Operations Manager,
John Starace.
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Links shared by Katherine Adrada:
Topic: Importance of proper communications with ATC
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WAA Welcomes Comments on HPN Class C Proposal |
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The WAA has carefully reviewed Staff Study: Evaluate the Need for Class C Airspace at Westchester County Airport (HPN), a comprehensive document that analyzes the operators, adjacent airspace, passenger and flight statistics, traffic flow above and around the airfield, and many other factors to address limitations of Class D Airspace for arriving and departing aircraft. Beginning on Page 40, a handful of scenarios are described in which traffic conflicts occur and have prompted TCAS/RA events. We thank the HPN Tower for sharing and explaining the proposal.
The WAA is seeking to understand the adoption process and address concerns before Class C proposed rule making occurs, as this document is currently being reviewed by the FAA. We have shared several observations concerning the proposal with Curtis Brewington, Interim Air Traffic Manager in a letter written by Scott Dyer.
We are looking to establish a dialogue with all operators and pilots to collect your comments and concerns so that the path forward will be the safest option while not sacrificing utility for private aviation. A dedicated page on our website can be found Here and will be updated periodically as new information becomes available.
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Airport Operations Update |
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The Airport Operations Portal has been updated with a new layout and more comprehensive material. The portal contains loads of information for not only Westchester County Airport Operations personnel but anyone who uses the field. Here you will find aircraft familiarization charts and PowerPoints for private and commercial aircraft, driver training material, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) resources and airport certification training. There is a particularly helpful page of links to NOTAMS, the National Airspace System Status page and the major weather and flight tracking sites.
The Veoci Tenant Dashboard has also been updated with additional information. Here you will find runway conditions, airfield advisories, weather reporting, NOTAMS, form to Request a PPR, and a Snow and Ice section.
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A big thanks to Airport Operations Supervisor, David Montiverdi for sharing these resources with us. You will want to bookmark these pages!
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Work has begun on the Airport Fuel Farm Oil Water Separator (OWS) Replacement Project. An 8,000 gallon OWS will be removed and provisions made for a new 10,000 gallon OWS. This will provide environmental protection between the fuel farm off-loading stations and Blind Brook. Heavy excavation equipment and construction personnel will be working near the Traffic Circle at the Main Terminal entrance so please use caution here.
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FROM YOUR WAA Board
Chairman
John Wellington
Vice Chairman
Greg Keshishian
Executive Director
Jennifer A Kempsey
Brittany Davies
John Donofrio
Scott Dyer
Luke Egan
Eric Faulkner
Nick Hartman
Sal Lagonia
Stephen Malkinson
Lauren Rones-Payne
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Newsletter Editor
Jennifer A Kempsey
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