This months meeting on March 31st at Dave and Busters Islandia is being hosted by ICG and the presentation is on Data Link over the Iridium Satellite System w/ Josh Grippo from ICG Technical Support.
I would like to thank Bill Darbe on the presentation on AirCell Products and Broadband Network Update on the system and sponsoring our dinner. A special thanks goes to John and Sue from Cosgrove Aircraft for the first hour of the open bar and thank- you to Bob Franco from Airborne Maintenance for keeping the bar open for the duration of the meeting. This months presentation is being hosted by ICG from Virginia with Ray Larkin and Josh Grippo. Ray Larkin will provide an introduction and an update concerning the planned North Atlantic Working Group trials and Josh Grippo will present an overview of Iridium ACARS DataLink services and products designed to provide communications options via Iridium. This session will cover the basics of DataLink via Iridium, the benefits of using this Service today as well as information regarding ongoing trials for future Safety Services. ICG will also present product options and integration requirements to achieve this service. The dinner will be as follows with an open bar provided by ICG
Italian Feast
Italian Rosemary Roasted Chicken
House or Caesar Salad
Linguini Alfredo and Cavatappi Pasta with Marinara
Four Cheese Pizza Bites with Basil Pesto
Garden Vegetable Medley
Fresh baked Rolls with butter
Our yearly elections will be held at our March meeting. We have every position open and we need some support to keep this chapter going. Please come and support your chapter with some new officers. I have announced that I will be stepping down unless I get some more help. After that announcement I have had some interest from Rich Barlow who has volunteered to do help with the newsletter and communications which will be a great help. Greg Gaden is also interested in helping out the chapter. So if you are interested in helping keeping this chapter going please come to our March meeting and vote for all the open positions. We have been the chapter of the year now for the past 3 years in a row. (It helps when PAMA national does not keep up with this yearly.)
Our April meeting is going to tentatively be at TALON AIR in Farmingdale. We are trying to work out the details. It should be a nice change of venue. We had a fantastic turn out when we hosted it at EXCELAIRE at Islip in October.
May 26th will be the annual LIBAA/LIPAMA golf outing at Rockhill in Manorville.
We had a nice turnout for the February meeting it was nice to see everyone and some new members. I would like to thank the following companies for the generous donations for the door prizes.
Bombardier, Duncan Aviation, Rockwell Collins, Vaughn College, Level III Resources, Talon Air, General Dynamics, ICG, Cosgrove Aircraft, Camp Systems, Global Aircraft Interiors, A&P Aircraft Maintenance, Dallas Airmotive and ExcelAire. Thank you to all those who participated it really does make the meeting fun and entertaining.
Special thanks to Greg Karp from Suffolk Boces for donating back to the chapter his 50/50 as well as Robert Roth who donated back his 50/50 winnings. Thank you this will help with the upcoming events we are getting involved with such as the golf outing and the Aerospace Educational Association Career Day in Farmingdale on Sept 23rd and 24th. We really need to get out and support this effort either by volunteering, getting a table and show the kids what aviation really is. FUN
On a very sad note Chris Curley passed away. He had been a great friend and a fantastic speaker and sponsor of many of our meetings. I know all who knew him will miss him dearly.
Thank you