Anders Clark

Republic Airways recently filed for bankruptcy, but few people were aware of it. That’s in part because Republic Airways is not a recognized name in air travel. However, many people fly with Republic on a regular basis and just aren’t aware of it. Republic operates a variety of flights for Delta Connection, United Express and American Eagle, the big airlines’ affiliates for shorter flights and / or less popular destinations. In fact, as many as half of all Delta, United and American branded flights are in reality handled by regional airlines like Republic. Most people who fly with any regularity have likely flown with Republic or one of many other unknown regional airlines.

According to Republic’s CEO, there were several problems that led to the bankruptcy filing, but the primary issue was “…grounding aircraft due to a lack of pilot resources.” And they’re not alone in this problem. Last October, Seaport Airlines, another regional airline, dropped most of the routes it was flying from its Memphis hub, also due to a lack of qualified pilots. But this pilot problem isn’t limited to just the smaller regional airlines, and it is slowly spreading to more known and established names. SkyWest, which also handles flights for Delta, American, and United, reduced their flight capacity last year. And during SkyWest’s third-quarter earnings conference, President Chip Childs did acknowledge that they are “not immune” to the shrinking number of pilots and, in a transcript provided by Seeking Alpha, that to address the problem, they would need to manage the problem “from the very, very beginning.”

The idea of a “pilot shortage” may surprise those outside the industry as most people assume that there is intense competition for the job of an airline pilot, with the associated high salary, perks and glamour. So what gives? Well, those inside the industry point to two things. First, Congress enacted regulations in 2013 that increased the number of required flight hours for first officers (or co-pilots) from 250 to 1,500 in order to fly for a commercial airline. And there’s a large commitment of time and money involved in accumulating those extra flight hours. Second, while the salaries at and jobs at the big commercial airlines are competitive, newly minted pilots who start flying for the regional airlines can make as little as $20,000 a year. And with consolidation among the major carriers, they hold a strong negotiating position over the regional airlines, which makes it difficult for the regionals to raise wages.

So, for pilots, a low-salary job with a high barrier to entry isn’t very attractive. And when you consider that regional airlines operate roughly half of all the flights in the country, many pilots begin and end careers at the regionals, never able to make the jump to the major airlines. In addition, many young pilots have started signing up for foreign airlines, attracted by higher salaries and reduced requirements.

Forbes, in a recent article, provided an argument that this is not a short-term problem:

“Here’s some hard reality that’s now firmly in place. There is no “pilot shortage”—that term implies a situation where there is the possibility of correction. It isn’t “correctable”—the new regulatory barriers to entry to the pilot profession are effectively permanent. And that means that the availability of this resource will be different than in the past—read: a lot less. Result: less flying of smaller airliners. Less service at smaller local airports.”

Up until now, the effects of all this are being felt primarily by the smaller airlines. But with the pilot pipeline shrinking, and drawing in qualified pilot candidates becoming more and more of a problem, the major carriers may start feeling the effect of the pilot problem soon. In another recent piece from Forbes, they estimate that in the next 20 years, the number of available pilots will only meet two-thirds of the demand. And this could mean the major airlines will have to start dropping routes.

Many regional carriers have been lobbying Congress to change the 1,500 hour rule, but the feeling is that they’re not likely to, as it would make them look like they are prioritizing airline profits over the safety of passengers. In the meantime, the regional airlines are working hard to boost recruitment, including approaching and pitching high school and college students aviation career opportunities. Some in the industry say that with luck, the problem may start to correct itself to a degree. With fewer candidates, salaries will eventually have to go up to draw them in, which should start to make the job more competitive again. But until the issue is addressed and conditions start to change, regional airlines and passengers will continue to take the hit.

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^{Featured Image by Caribb}

Anders Clark

Don’t think the continuing pilot shortage is having an effect on the aviation industry? Tell that to Republic Airways, a major feeder airline who has just declared bankruptcy in New York. Republic flies smaller regional jets for three major carriers, Delta Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines. And they say that the continuing pilot shortage caused them to ground so many planes that filing for bankruptcy became their only option. “We worked hard to avoid this step,” said CEO Bryan Bedford.

Interestingly, Republic Airways is relatively healthy financially speaking, reporting an overall profit for eight straight quarters. They are literally declaring bankruptcy because they don’t have enough pilots to cover all their scheduled flights. In addition, it has been reported that they are also leasing a large number of smaller airliners, in particular 50 seaters, that have become a cost drain to fly and are not favored by major carriers. According to a statement released by Republic Airways regarding the bankruptcy, this appears to be a move on Republic’s part to find a way to re-size their business and better match the size of and aircraft in their fleet with the number of available pilots.

“Over the last several months, we’ve attempted to restructure the obligations on our out-of-favor aircraft – made so by a nationwide pilot shortage – and to increase our revenues. It’s become clear that this process has reached an impasse and that any further delay would unnecessarily waste valuable resources of the enterprise. Our filing today is a result of our loss of revenue during the past several quarters associated with grounding aircraft due to a lack of pilot resources, combined with the reality that our negotiating effort with key stakeholders shows no apparent prospect of a near term resolution.” – Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford

Currently, Republic has an estimated 240 jets in their fleet and operates roughly 1,250 flights a day to around 100 cities in both the US and Canada. They employee an estimated 6,000 staff, including about 2,100 pilots. But, over the first three quarters of last year, the number of hours Republic has been flying dropped by around 5%. This has caused at least one of the majors, Delta, to file a breach of contract suit against them for failing to operate all of the flights they had contracted to fly.

So, what does this mean for regional carriers? Right now, they operate 45% of the nation’s flights, and are the only provider of flights to many smaller cities. And like Republic, many are starting to feel the bite of the continuing pilot shortage. Industry experts say one of the key concerns is pay. In the past, pay has been so bad that regional pilots can make as little as $23,000 a year. In response to this, Republic has started paying new pilots at $40 an hour, under a contract that went into effect this past November. And while this increase in pilot salary is a marked improvement, industry experts point out that you also need to consider flight hours. Regional pilots can only fly an estimated 1,000 hours a year, meaning that an impressive hourly wage doesn’t equate to as much pay as it may appear to.

Another key concern is the recent change to the number of hours required to fly as a first officer. In 2013, the FAA announced that first officers would now be required to hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, which requires 1,500 hours of total flight time as a pilot. Prior to this, they were only required to hold a commercial pilot certificate with 250 hours of flight time.

The industry has dealt with pilot shortages in the past, but most of them didn’t last long. But these changes have many industry veterans convinced that unlike those past shortages, this one isn’t going anywhere soon.

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^{Featured Image courtesy of Republic Airways}

The Expanding Array of Today’s Professional Pilot Jobs

With a thirty-five percent increase in global travelers, there are more than half a million aviation positions currently available for qualified pilots. The aviation industry is working hard to meet that demand, but experts are saying there may be a serious pilot shortage. Both fixed wing and helicopter pilots are required and, in addition, many pilots just completing their required flight times are now being hired before they can even apply for a position.

In recent years, a large majority of qualified helicopter pilots were ex-military or war pilots. These elder statesmen pilots who are now retiring from the industry and leaving many helicopter and fixed wing companies with questions and concerns as to how these open positions are going to be filled by the next generation of pilots, and how they’ll deal with a potential pilot shortage.

Another source of the world pilot shortage is that many of the airlines around the world have been increasing the amount of planes in their fleets. In Asia alone, Airbus has tripled the size of its shipments to meet the expected growth. Many of these airlines now face the hurdle of where to attain the funding to train pilots to keeps these planes safe and in the air.

Where Are the New Pilots Going to Come From?

Many large commercial airlines are looking to foreign nations to employ pilots to fill the empty aviation positions due to the significant increase in airline utilization.  Aviation industry salaries start at $60,000 for helicopter pilots as reported for 2014. Commercial pilots are starting year average salary range from $65,000 to $120,000 with the potential to $200,000 for those pilot’s who have accumulated over 1000 flight hours. It is rare for a five-year experienced pilot to expect less than $100,000 per year.

Where will the new pilots come from and how will they get the financial support for schooling? Historically, funding for fixed wing, private and airline pilot training has been financially prohibitive for many men and women due to limited monies available, or being required to take huge personal loans to cover the cost of training. But subsequently, the aviation industry and private lenders have made funds more available to those pursing a career in the aviation or air travel industry, which may lead to more pilots and help solve the issue of the pilot shortage.

Airline Pilots Get ALL the Peanuts They Can Eat!

The job perks for helicopter and fixed-wing pilots are nearly endless. While it is true that the responsibilities that pilot’s carry are quite staggering in terms of human life if one sits and thinks deeply about it, these duties become second nature with experience (flight hours). It can become easier to hold the safety and well to be of other individuals when you’re own well-being is on the line as well.

One of the most popular and well known of pilot benefits has been money.  Traditionally, the earning potential has been equivalent to that of a doctor (general practitioner) or a government lawyer, with much less time (in years) spent in school and as flight hours accumulate, pilots can surpass these status career’s salaries as well.  But many people say that is no longer the case, and pilot salaries have been in a continual slide. With this in mind, will the perks and current salaries be able to attract enough new pilots to stem the pilot shortage?

For more, here is an interesting short interview segment with aviation education book author Rod Machado:

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CEDAR CITY, Utah — A Cessna 152 operated by two pilots from Southern Utah University were involved in a fatal accident at approximately 1 p.m. today six miles west of Cedar City, Utah.

The Iron County Sheriff’s department was notified of the accident, and began their investigation.

Provost, Brad Cook said, “Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones. A tragedy of this nature penetrates all of us deeply.”

Southern Utah University has been operating in partnership with Upper Limit Aviation since fall of 2013. Everyone at Southern Utah University and Upper Limit Aviation are deeply saddened by the unfortunate events that have taken place. The National Transportation Safety Board and that FAA are investigating the accident.

Testimony of Michael Mower, Chief Operating Officer of Upper Limit Aviation before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for the Hearing on Pending and Draft Legislation – September 16, 2015

Chairman Isakson, Ranking Member Blumenthal, and Distinguished Members of the Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit a written statement on the draft legislation related to VA education benefits for flight training that is the subject of this legislative hearing today.

Put simply, the draft bill before you today will slash veteran benefits for degree programs that include flight training at public colleges and universities.

This bill, as currently written, would cap the tuition for flight training at a number that is significantly below the actual cost to provide the training.

Although the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) consistently lists aviation as a high demand career, this proposal would essentially serve as a financial impediment for veterans seeking a career in the aviation industry while the U.S. faces of one of the worst pilot shortages in history.

The intent of this bill is to prevent schools from taking advantage of GI Bill reimbursements. However, it is ill-conceived and duplicative, since valid and effective rules and regulations already exist that curtail potential abusesby schools seeking to take advantage of student veterans and the taxpayers.

In the end, this legislation will destroy well-planned degree programs at public institutions of higher learning across the country that offer flight training to deserving veterans and will eliminate aviation careers for veterans in an industry that is in desperate need of well-trained pilots.

Pilot Shortages

Demand for pilots will increase at a rapid pace over the next several decades, as the United States is currently facing its worst pilot shortage since the 1960’s. [1]

As global economies expand and tens of thousands of new aircraft come online, the aviation industry will need to supply more than 500,000 new pilots by 2033. [2]

Nevertheless, total pilots holding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificates fell at a CAGR of 0.36% from 2004-2013 (see chart, “FAA Estimated Total Pilots”) [3]

In 1989, a total of 110,541 FAA flight tests were conducted in the United States, compared to only 42,440 FAA flight tests in 2014. [4]

Adding to the pilot shortage will be the aging U.S. pilot population, as pilots over the age of 50 years old currently hold approximately 42% of FAA pilot certificates (see chart, “FAA Certificates by Age”) [5]

Moreover, a study conducted by a subgroup of collegiate aviation researchers, including professors from Embry Riddle and 5 other universities [6], explains that a sharp increase is occurring in the training of foreign pilots in the United States.

Using data provided by the FAA’s certification branch, the study determined that in 2004 the ratio of U.S. citizens to foreign citizens training in the United States for their commercial pilot certificate was 4.80 to 1.00. In 2012, that ratio had dramatically declined to 1.19 U.S. pilots trained to every one foreign pilot trained (see chart, “US and Foreign Citizens Completing the Commercial Written”).

This fact is staggering because many of these foreign pilots will take jobs outside of the U.S., further intensifying the current pilot shortage.

The 85-15 and Two-Year Rules

The “85-15” and “Two-Year” Rules are valid exercises of Congress’ power intended to curtail abuses by schools seeking to capitalize on veterans and American taxpayers.

While the Two-Year Rule bars VA education dollars from going to institutions that have been open for less than two years, the 85-15 Rule prohibits VA education dollars from going to schools unless at least 15% of enrolled students are not using GI Bill funds to pay for the cost of their education at the school.

These rules have been in place for decades, and when enforced correctly and consistently by the VA, the rules effectively allow the open market to determine worthwhile and valuable programs – and program prices – for veterans.

This bill, which seeks to artificially and arbitrarily legislate a cap on flight training, is unnecessary and flies in the face of the longstanding and legitimate purposes of the 85-15 and Two-Year Rules.

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Report

The sponsors of this legislation in the House of Representatives believed that imposing a cap on flight training education for veterans would generate sufficient savings to pay for other favored legislative initiatives. However, based on CBO’s subsequent score of the overall bill, those assumptions were grossly inaccurate and the assumed savings from rolling back this benefit fell short by nearly $150 million.

The same CBO cost estimate for the bill also recognized that aviation training necessarily has a high cost of delivery, stemming from the costs of aircraft, fuel, insurance, and rigorous FAA-imposed safety standards.

CBO itself determined that reasonable flight training costs averaged out to around $62,000 per year, per student. But the cap proposed by this draft is nearly one-third of the real cost for student veterans to receive this type of advanced professional aviation training.

Conclusion

Mr. Chairman, this bill as currently proposed will not only eliminate benefits and aviation career opportunities that were earned through honorable service by veterans, but it will also exacerbate one of the worst pilot shortages in the history of the United States.

The bill is also duplicative and unnecessary, as the 85-15 and Two-Year rules are already valid and effective tools for reigning in abusers within program of education.

There is simply no need for additional legislative action on this topic. The VA merely needs to consistently enforce the long-standing and valid statutes and regulations currently in place that already effectively deal with the issues and concerns that have been raised.

Thank you again for the opportunity to share our views with the Committee.

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Upper Limit Aviation Flight Instructor, John Jackson was conducting a helicopter training flight mission yesterday morning with Upper Limit Aviation student, Albert Wood, when they spotted a fire on Pine Valley Mountain. Mr. Jackson called the fire into the flight service station around 10:30 AM. Jackson and Wood were flying a routine training flight between Cedar City and St George when they spotted the fire.

For the past three years ULA has assisted in dozens of search and rescue missions on behalf of Iron County Sheriff Search and Rescue, and assisted other law enforcement agencies in Southern Utah when called upon.

Last year thirteen Upper Limit Aviation pilots were sworn in as official “special deputies” with the Iron County Sheriff’s Department. As special deputies, the ULA pilots can land and pick up accident victims in support of search and rescue missions for the county.

Oak Grove wildfire near Pine Valley Mountain Forces Evacuations

Washington County, Utah – Fire spotted in the Dixie National Forest near the Oak Grove campground on Tuesday. Fire managers were alerted to the Oak Grove Fire, located about 13 miles north of St. George, after 11 a.m. The blaze is estimated to be around 100 acres – the equivalent of 100 football fields – and, as this report is published, the fire is zero percent contained.

The 100 acres was the estimate as of 2 p.m. The Forest Service later reported that the fire had grown to 200 acres by Tuesday evening.

To read the full article, check it out on St George News, by Mori Kessler, on September 8th 2015.

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The CICARE CH-12, is the latest offering from the Cicaré company. It is a two-seat light helicopter for civilian use that is sold as a kit. This product summarizes the experience of Augusto Cicaré and the creativity of an avant-garde design team.

The result is an aesthetically stunning helicopter for both exterior and interior lines, an unprecedented design in this type of aircraft. One of the most important design premises were the interior comfort, so that we can say that our cabine is one of the most comfortable of the segment.

The CICARE CH-12 is made entirely of aerospace materials and the blades are made of composite materials with useful life on condition. The CH-12 is presented as a new option and it sums up many technical solutions provided for the creativity and experience of Augusto Cicaré. The power plant used is Lycoming O-360, which gives us the greatest safety as regards one of the most important components in a helicopter.

About Cicaré Helicopters

• Cicare has 14 different models of helicopters, and the Helicopter Flight Trainer Cicaré SVH-4, which positions them as worldwide Research and Development leaders in the Aerospace sector.
• Throughout their developments they have researched and tested different technologies. As for rotors: (two-bladed, three-bladed and four blades, rigid, semi-rigid and articulated, conventional and contrarrotantes). As for different engines (piston and turbine), and different sizes (from 115 kgs cars a two-seater of 1400 kgs), so that the solutions that we are using in their products today are the result of experience.
• Cicaré technical manager, Mr. Augusto Cicaré has an important track record. Among his main achievements there are: in 1958 flew his first helicopter, the CH-1, becoming the first to do so in Latin America; he was the world pioneered of ultralight helicopter.
• Cicaré built the CICARE CH-4 in 1980, one of the world’s first ultra-light, then the CH-6 CH-7 model, recognized for its innovative command system.
• In 1996 he invented the Simulator / Trainer Helicopter Flight Cicaré SVH-3, which was awarded with gold medal for best invention of the world in the aerospace category in the Geneva Motor Show in 1999.
• Cicare S.A. have a professional team that have been working with Augusto Cicare for years, and a variety of developments that allow us to offer models and configurations that will cover the needs and tastes of different markets. They are currently producing the Simulator / Trainer Helicopter Flight CICARE SVH-3, the one seat helicopter CH-7B and the first pre-serie of the two-seater helicopter CICARE CH-12.
• Cicaré is also in the final stage of development of the tandem two-seater helicopter powered turbine CICARE CH-14.

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Latest Update on the Solar Impulse 2 Journey (see video below)

On June 29th, 2015, 18:03 GMT Sunday, the Solar Impulse 2 took off from Nagoya, Japan. It’s traveling to the Islands of Hawaii of the United States. This feat, if accomplished, will be the first ever flight fueled by solar power only. This achievement has never before occurred. If successful, clean technologies like solar power will once again be in the forefront of aircraft manufacturers drawing boards and design floors.

Piloting the Solar Impulse are Captain Andre Borschlberg, who is the co-founder, CEO and founder of the Solar Impulse Airplane with Bertrand Piccard, co-pilot, initiator, and president of the Humanitarian Foundation, “Winds of Hope”. Together they are taking on the challenge of flying around the world in an airplane propelled especially and solely by solar energy. Completely without fossil fuels of any kind or creating even the smallest amount of pollution, the Solar Impulse Aircraft promotes the potential of renewable energy sources and new technologies.

Latest Updated Video of the Solar Impulse Journey (posted September 2nd, 2015)

Original Video of the Solar Impulse Journey

Solar Impulse Si2 by Solar Impulse on Sketchfab

Will the Solar Impulse make it to Hawaii, U.S. from Nagoya, Japan?

The Solar Impulse is flying in the dark about the Pacific Ocean right now on its track to Hawaii. There is a optimal day and flight cycle that is scheduled but can be greatly affected by weather and also by air traffic. When the Solar Impulse’s route is altered it can trigger a flight simulation to check whether the stage is still feasible due to the changes and or external constraints.

The flight is expected to take 120 hours and with solar power only reach the Hawaiian Islands.  This flight, if successful, will help promote and encourage the use of clean technologies for future aircraft design.

The SI2 will be monitored from the Mission Control Center which keeps the pilot and Solar Impulse 2 on its plan. The Sat. Com System transmits data to the mission room, everything from temperature of the motors, to the position of the aircraft and even the tension in the accumulators. One of the projects main accomplishments was the energy system that optimizes the system architecture. It is similar to the challenges faced in dealing with satellites, so a satellite specialist was involved in the system design from day one.

The team believes that all possibilities have been simulated by a very disciplined team that found the right combination of weather patterns and paved the way for the solar airplane to go into controlled airspace and be prepared for landings at international airports.

Interesting facts about the Solar Impulse 2:

• By simulating flight routes, the eventual plan for Solar Impulse 2 was optimized.
• At sunset the Solar Impulse 2 must be at maximum altitude to make it through the night.
• Solar Impulse 2 glides down during the night, with the propellers just ticking over to reduce air resistance.
• The pilot must still wait at sunrise before climbing, until the sun is strong enough.
• The outputs from simulation models are checked again and again by each team for feasibility.

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” Henry Ford, American Industrialist and Founder of the Ford Motor Co.

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Upper Limit Aviation is known for launching student pilots into careers flying commercially – taking students from flight school to flying helicopters and fixed wing aircraft for a living. ULA students get real-world flight school training experience during their time with us.

What makes Upper Limit different from other flight schools is their commitment to real-world flight experience training. ULA students train under a scenario-based philosophy for the purpose of being uniquely prepared for real world “industry experience”. ULA students get actual industry experience as a part of their flight school training, distinctively preparing them for their first job as a commercial pilot.

Upper Limit Aviation (ULA) flight students participate in real-life rescue missions in the Utah area. ULA has flown ten life-saving missions since the program began in August 2013. ULA student Chris Powell states, “When we jump from a scenario-based training to an actual real-world situation, that’s what we’re all hoping for as students. It’s always fun.”

What does “real world experience” mean to prospective flight school students researching a variety of flight schools? Essentially, it means that ULA is one of the top-flight schools in the US. The aviation industry, particularly employers, are aware that ULA trained pilots are more experienced, and better prepared to start flying commercial missions.

ULA – The Pathway to a Commercial Pilot Career

When looking at flight schools, most prospective students want the best pathway to a commercial career. Danielle Vogel, ULA’s Director of Admissions, states, “we talk to hundreds of prospective students each month. Almost all of them are locked on a dream to fly commercially. This is their dream job, their passion. But they want to know if ULA is the school that will take them from being a student to landing a top job.”

Michael Mower, ULA’s Chief Flight Instructor and Director of Schools, explains that ULA students are the only students in the industry to take part in rescue missions. ULA students have supported rescue missions as “coordinators and spotters”. Mower explains, “If we are able to get the students in the plane, seeing what is going on and seeing what they would be doing on these missions once they receive their license, that’s a huge advantage,” he said. “Anything to get the students more involved on these missions is great experience for them.”

Rich Cannon, the Assistant School Director, and ULA graduate stated that ULA students are frequently part of the search and rescue missions and that the experiences students receive through ULA’s unique training approach is invaluable.

ULA is committed to teaching students through real-world flying situations, opening them to incredible opportunities whenever possible. ULA flies, on average, 103 flight hours per day, 11,000 flight hours per semester. Prospective students want the real world experience because they know it will give them an advantage in the job market.

Mower shared that a few of the rescue missions have been in coordination with local law enforcement – searching for homicide suspects and juvenile runaways, including one a girl who ran away and was stuck in the nearby mountains. Mower’s team of professional pilots, along with support of ULA aviation students, spotted the girl just before sunset – they might have saved her life.  Through ULA’s efforts, they were able to get her to safety within 30 minutes of learning about the missing girl.

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Safe, low flying Drone (UAV) racing, with the Drone Racing League, is one of the fastest growing recreational sports worldwide, and professional pilots are right in the mix of things. Drone racing is performed on a specially designed course, which is often indoors. Professional and recreational pilots, RC aircraft enthusiasts, and normal everyday Joe’s are jumping into “Drone Racing” because it’s an absolute blast. And, Drone racers fly close to the ground and do not interfere with commercial aircraft (helicopters and airplanes). Drone racing is a fun, safe, and responsible application of drone-powered UAV’s.

Watch this video below and check out the extreme talent and skills of this drone pilot.

Recently, Drone Racing League fans have a lot to be happy about with the current trend in drones going up and up. Now, the billionaire developer from Florida and the owner of the Miami Dolphins, Stephen Ross, has invested one million dollars into the New York Drone Racing League reported the Wall Street Journal on August 12th, 2015.

Drone League Racing Receives Big Investment

Known for his real estate ventures around the United States, Stephen Ross, is looking to make a name for himself in a totally new arena: Drone Racing. The Drone League races drones that can get up to speeds of 70 mph.  The pilots use goggles that send a live video feed from the aircraft to the FPV (first person view racing), otherwise known as the pilot.

The league’s CEO, Nick Horbaczewski, says “I felt drone racing could be a sport that resonated with people because it touches on the heritage of racing, but also brings in the benefits of new technology,”

More Good News for the Drone Industry

Another major event, the US National Drone Racing Championships, took place earlier in 2015 and attracted over 100 pilots and there was $25,000.00 in cash prizes awarded. Races of a similar size and stature have been held in Australia, England, and France.

One aspect of drone racing that the promoters of Drone Racing must come to terms with is the fact that millions of people will watch Drone Videos on Youtube but coordinating and arranging to have spectators actually come out and physically attend a Drone Racing Event has been less successful. There were approximately 60 non-racing spectators attended the Championship Race. Mainly this is due to the extreme heat but watching drones race in person is complicated because of the small size of the aircraft.

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They will serve as Special Deputies for Iron County

This past weekend thirteen Upper Limit Aviation search and rescue pilots were sworn in as official “special deputies” with the Iron County Sheriff’s Department. As special deputies, the ULA pilots can now land and pick up accident victims in support of search and rescue missions for the county.

The formal title for the 13 pilots is “Iron County Special Deputy”. The newly deputized pilots who will fly missions for the sheriff’s office are commercial pilots. ULA students will not be used in Iron County search and rescue operations.

ULA Chief Flight Instructor and Director of Schools, Mike Mower, said that deputizing its pilots means ULA can now fully assist the Sheriff’s Department. Mower said they are now just waiting for that phone call asking for our assistance, “we are standing by ready to help.” ULA has assisted in 9 search and rescue missions on behalf of Iron County Sheriff Search and Rescue.

Iron County Sheriff’s Department, Lt Del Schlosser, says, “this addition is a big move for the county and a relief to the Sheriff’s Department to have more personnel. “We currently have 37 deputies on staff and with the addition of the ULA pilots it brings that number to 50.” Schlosser said, “It’s a huge relief to have them (ULA pilots) today. They’re working as volunteers, so it’s not a burden to the taxpayers. They are doing this of their own free will.”

ULA pilots have helped coordinate past rescue missions for Iron County and local law enforcement.

Several of the ULA pilots expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve in a special deputy capacity.

“In our continued efforts to be a support to this wonderful county, and the cities of Parowan and Cedar, we can’t tell you how appreciative we are,” said pilot Michael Mower. “This is going to be something that is going to increase our role and increase our level of support for the county.”

The new Iron County Special Deputies; Sean Reid, Mike Mower, Rich Cannon, Scott Banning, Greg Stine, Shae Mackie, Dan Laguna, Chris Laguna, Chelsea Tugaw, Mike Ballard, James Kofford, Ryan Dejong, and Kent Daniels.

To read the original KTUV article, click here, or click on Iron County Today – Upper Limit pilots deputized by Iron County Commission

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