Nicky Boyette – Airport Commission chair Chase Tressler announced at the March 30 meeting that a new flight instructor applied to work out of CCA, in addition to current flight instructor Harvey Cleveland. The first question from commissioners was what Cleveland thought about it.
“I am glad to get some help,” Cleveland replied. His job as a test pilot and took him to Atlanta and Alabama in the preceding days, and soon will have him working with the Jordanian Air Force for at least a week. All too often his CCA students must wait to have their next flight experience.
“It could be a full-time job,” he told commissioners.
Tressler said the prospective new instructor, Cris Brayman, lives in Branson at the moment. Brayman is a retired Air Force pilot who logged 17,000 hours in military jets, the equivalent of flying non-stop for almost two years. He has also worked as a commercial pilot.
“He has flown everything but the space shuttle,” quipped airport manager Michael Pfeifer.
Brayman told Tressler CCA was just the kind of airport he was looking for, and when he gets his own small aircraft he would lease hangar space. Brayman also asked Tressler about using the meeting room at CCA as a ground school for pilots. Commissioners were excited to have Brayman on the premises and approved his request to use the meeting room for his classes.
Cleveland added he enjoys seeing the community come to CAA and have fun learning to fly. He said most of his students are looking more for the experience of soloing than actually getting a license, but some, including State Senator Bryan King, are looking to buy a plane and keep it at CCA.
SORTing it out
Commissioners discussed again the ongoing relationship with the Carroll County Special Operation Rescue Team which houses equipment and holds meeting in a building on the far south end of CCA grounds. Tressler commented commissioners were glad to have SORT on the property, but so far there had been no formal agreement signed regarding specific responsibilities for being on airport property. He was simply concerned about maintaining compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations about activities on the property, not the relationship with SORT.
Commissioner Morris Pate reported on his conversation with a SORT representative who agreed to handle future utility payments and other responsibilities associated with using the building as storage and meeting space while assuring SORT would not compromise CCA’s compliance with FAA regulations.
Pate’s report satisfied the concerns of commissioners.
Commissioner comments
Commissioners Sandy Martin and Jason Tenant both commented on the positive momentum they are seeing and the encouraging feedback they have received regarding CCA. Pate pointed out not many airports can boast of two flight instructors like Cleveland and newcomer Brayman. They mentioned it speaks highly of CCA that both want to operate there and students are signing up for their services.
Cleveland added, “In all the airports I go to, none are comparable to this airport. There is always something missing [other places]. Here you have cheap gas, accommodating tie-downs, easy access to the facilities and more than one courtesy car.”
“Onward and upward,” Pate commented.
Next meeting will be Friday, April 15, at 12 p.m.