​On Saturday, 9/23/17, First in Flight NC, a chapter of Women in Aviation International, along with Sugar Valley Airport hosted a memorable Girls in Aviation Day. First in Flight is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting women in the aviation industry by providing support and scholarships to young women getting started in the aviation field. 

​Girls between the ages of 8 - 17 came out to participate in aviation-related events ranging from seeing a vintage aircraft display up close, flying flight simulators, and even enjoying their first flight in an airplane! The girls taken on Young Eagle flights were “wowed” and inspired. Their families and many volunteers from various organizations (Women in Aviation, The Ninety-Nines, Experimental Aircraft Association, and Civil Air Patrol, as well as Sugar Valley Airport) played a vital part in the success of the day. 

​Thank you all who attended and contributed to the wonderful experience for all!

Another successful group of graduates, who took advantage of our free Aviation Ground School.

The Sugar Valley Composite Squadron marked two milestones in its four year history at the July 18 meeting. The squadron held the first Change of Command ceremony and also recognized the first Amelia Earhart Award recipient.
First, the Amelia Earhart Award was presented to C/Capt Christopher Herman by the NC Wing Commander, Col Jason Bailey. It is the third milestone of the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program. Serving as the Squadron’s Cadet Commander, C/Capt Herman has demonstrated leadership and integrity in structuring the cadet program and emergency services training activities.

Next, Maj Stephen Leighton presented Lt Col Eric Orgain with a plaque recognizing his outstanding leadership and service since the squadron’s beginning in 2013. Following this, Col Jason Bailey began the Change of Command ceremony.  Lt Col Eric Orgain passed the command of NC-052 to Capt Tom Conroy, who accepted command of the squadron. Lt Col Ron Cheek, Group 4 Commander, spoke briefly after the Change of Command. The evening concluded by honoring Lt Col Orgain and Capt Tom Conroy with a reception in the Blue Hangar at Sugar Valley Airport. Sixty five guests attended, including squadron members and families and other CAP squadron members.

The Sugar Valley Composite Squadron NC-052 thanks Lt Col Orgain for his four years of dedication and service to the squadron, and salutes Capt Conroy as the new commander.  
Article and photos by: Lt Deborah Leighton and C/TSgt Michael Herman

​During their orientation flights, the cadets received one hour of flying time, plus time in the back seat, with a detailed syllabus of tasks for each cadet’s level of experience. Cadets also participated in the preflight of the aircraft. In addition, cadets that were waiting for their turn to fly were given the opportunity to fly a simulator.

​The Sugar Valley Composite Squadron meets weekly at 249 Gilbert Rd, Mocksville, NC 27028 on Tuesdays from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

~ 12/5 CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron welcomed Vernon Robinson as our December speaker. Mr. Robinson spoke about African-American Aviation Pioneers. As an applied military historian, he knows this topic well. He is the son of a Tuskegee Airman (the first squadron of African-American military aviators who served during World War II); the great, great grandson of civil war veterans; and the 5 great grandson of a veteran of the battle of New Orleans in 1815.
Bio: Mr. Robinson is a former US Air Force Captain, conservative political activist, former candidate for U.S. Congress, and a former City Council member in Winston-Salem.  He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1977 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.  While in the Air Force, he trained and served as a nuclear missile launch commander.  During his service in the Air Force, Mr. Robinson earned an MBA from the University of Missouri.  After leaving the Air Force, he moved to Winston-Salem with his wife Helene, and taught business administration at Winston-Salem State University. Mr. Robinson was an appointee to the US Dept. of Education during the George H.W. Bush Administration.
Mr. Robinson was also instrumental in getting charter legislation passed for the North Carolina Leadership Academy. He is currently the president of Robinson Stratavision Consulting in Winston-Salem.

~ 10/21 Rowan Aero Modelers Society welcomed all AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) members and guests with any size and type of RC aircraft to a (RAMS) Fly-in held at SVA.

~ 10/10 SVA Composite Squadron welcomed Caleb Padiak as a monthly speaker, presenting on a topic of "Respect." Respect is one of the 4 CORE VALUES of Civil Air Patrol.
Cadet Padiak has increasingly taken on new responsibilities in the squadron, and exercises a significant leadership role for the other cadets. Among his current responsibilities is being the point person for the Squadron Color Guard, representing the squadron in the Cyber Patriot program and serving as the Information Technology NCO (non-commissioned officer). He will also be assisting with website management as the squadron revives and expands the squadron website. 

~ 9/23 Girls in Aviation Day, presented by First in Flight, a Women in Aviation International Chapter and Sugar Valley Airport. 

~ 9/12  CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron welcomed Karen Iacopi as our monthly speaker. She shared about her life and career in aviation.
About Karen: Working now as a Certification Specialist with Honda Aircraft in Greensboro, Karen has extensive experience working within different areas of aviation. She has served as a pilot in many types and models of aircraft, taught for over 10 years as a CFII, and was Assistant Chief Instructor of a Part 141 flight school.  She worked at a Houston flight school in partnership with a local community college to develop and certify a College curriculum course.  During that time, she had primary oversight of and taught the majority of the initial classes.  While teaching, she also flew charter aircraft and even dabbled in aircraft sales for extra income.  After moving back to NC, Karen flew with her husband for a company in Concord as part of a Part 135 Freight operation before taking a more "settled" position with an international freight company managing all the aircraft technical publications as an "FAA Liaison" for that company.  A few years ago, she left that position to join Honda Aircraft Company (which was a move from aircraft operator to aircraft manufacturer).  Along with a very full career in aviation, Karen serves the community in volunteer activities with Boy Scouts and the Girls in Aviation program.

​~ 7/4, 7/18, 8/1, 8/8 The pottery studio had a hand building workshops. Pinch pots and hand building for ages 6-10.

~ 6/27  The pottery studio had a hand building workshop. Participants worked with slabs to create bowls, mugs and plates.

~ 6/10 FAA Safety Team and the Greensboro FSDO sponsored a WINGS safety program: "Getting Personal With Your Airplane."
Topics: Inoperative Equipment, and Stabilized Approaches.
Participants learned how one might legally operate his/her aircraft with inoperative equipment and why it is so important to insure one always conducts a stabilized approach. Door prizes & refreshments. 
There also was a Master Pilot Awards ceremony to honor two former Piedmont pilots. 
To view further details, click here.

~ 6/6 CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron hosted Michael Batalia, Ph.D. presenting "The Perlan Project". 
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~  5/2 CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron hosted a special edition of the Speaker Series. Lt Brian Mobley and Senior Member Charmane Shuping, members of the Sugar Valley Composite Squadron, joined forces to inspire and inform cadets and seniors on physical fitness and much more.  The “more” aspect is the mental training and attitude as it connects with setting and achieving goals.
 
Lt Brian Mobley, in his pursuit of excellence, has developed the ability to visualize performing physical feats successfully to accomplish goals.  Lt Mobley has had life experiences, some in dire situations, that have required calling forth his training, faith, and inner strength.  A little-known fact about Brian, the squadron Safety Officer, is that he is also a Highland Games athlete and an event record holder. 
 
Senior member Charmane Shuping’s life passion has been to help others. With kindness and a gentle approach she serves through physical therapy and training.  Her greatest joy is to see people break through personal barriers and limitations.  Shuping has taken a lead in motivating the cadets in our squadron to reach higher goals in their physical training, which is a part of the cadet program.  The cadets are stepping up and displaying increased positive mental attitude and emotional toughness as they perform their physical training here-- challenging themselves and inspiring each other.  Both Mobley and Shuping have what it takes to bring that message and “more” home.
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~ 4/25 Open House of the Sugar Valley Composite Squadron.
 
~ 4/1 Sugar Valley Composite Squadron hosted NC WING event "NCWG Aerospace Education Day". 
This AE event featured:

• Virtual Reality demonstrations using the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift
• Rocketry launches and competition.
• Drones, drones and more drones

~3/7 CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron hosted Charles Willard of The Blimp Works in Statesville, who presented on “All About Blimps”. 
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~ 2/7 CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron hosted 1st Lt. Jack O'Connor of the Winston-Salem CAP Squadron for the monthly Speaker Series program. He talked about the importance of airborne photography in Civil Air Patrol.
Speaker's bio: 1st Lt O'Connor has been a CAP member since 2013. He earned his private pilot's certificate in 2012. Serving with the NCO82 Composite Squadron in Winston-Salem, Jack is the Professional Development Officer (PDO) with a Master rating in PD. He is also an Assistant Information Technology Officer. He is qualified as Mission Scanner(MS), Mission Observer(MO), and Aerial Photographer(AP). He has a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, and Masters degrees in Human Relations and Management. Jack retired after 40 years working in Information Technology, most of that time in various management roles.
Jack is an active life-long learner and enjoys helping others learn as well. Jack proactively trains new CAP senior members in all three disciplines in which he is qualified - Scanner, Observer, and Photographer. He has led (or co-taught) four Aerial Photography weekend classes for CAP in his 4 years of service. Thirty-five senior members have attended these AP classes and more than half have gone on to become qualified as Aerial Photographers. Many have gone on to serve in CAP's real AP missions, taking photos after hurricanes and flooding.  
 When asked why he joined (and stays) with CAP, he says: "I like to learn, teach, fly, and take pictures. CAP provides all of these in a supportive and fun environment". ​

~ 1/31 CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron 2017 Winter Awards Banquet. NC WING Commander, Col Jason Bailey was the keynote speaker.

~ 1/21 FAA Safety Team WINGS program "Too Cold for Comfort- Preparing for Winter Operations". Click here for more information.

~ 1/14 Civil Air Patrol Cadet Orientation Flights

~ ​1/3 CAP Sugar Valley Composite Squadron  hosted John Knall to begin the 2017 Speaker Series with the topic “The Difference between Seeing and Observing: Insights from Two Remarkable Men.” He also shared about the “Fly North Carolina Program.”
John served in the US Navy as a propulsion engineer. Now retired, he is a private pilot, member of EAA chapter 1083 and AOPA.

This year, SVA has yet another good reason to celebrate!
Sandra Smith, our very own ground school instructor, passed her  checkride on 12/14/16. So now she is officially a Commercial Pilot!  An achievement built on persistent, consistent hard work. 
In her own humble words, Sandra says "that anything one of us achieves is actually the product of input, energy, feedback, and constructive thoughts of others. So although it may seem that an individual accomplishes something, the achievement is a structure created with the building blocks offered by others". While, we believe it to be true, we also acknowledge her own strength of character and all of the dedicated effort put forth.
Congratulations, Sandra, and thank you for your inspiring example!

Pilots, students and visitors were treated to two workshops on 1/19/13 at Sugar Valley Airport. The FAA Safety Team in partnership with the NC Department of Transportation Aviation Division presented a full-morning workshop, "Pilot Preventative Maintenance," an opportunity for pilots to get hands-on experience with tasks such as oil and spark plug changes. Dave Allison, Billy Carter and Bernie Gerstemeier instructed this four-hour program, which offered FAAST WINGS credit. See some video highlights.
The Kitty Hawk Chapter of The Ninety-Nines sponsored an excellent program led by John "Otter" Moreau, who kept his audience spellbound as he shared information about how to survive after an accident: aircraft, car, hiking or otherwise. His presentation covered first aid, finding shelter, obtaining food and water, communication for rescue, and how to be prepared for emergencies.
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Sugar Valley is grateful to provide a venue for excellent programs such as these that support the aviation community and beyond. 

​On 11/10/2012, Sugar Valley Airport hosted the event titled, “The Spirit of Aviation: Outstanding Women and Today’s Opportunities.” More than 200 current and potential aviation enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the achievements of women in aviation, learn about career and educational opportunities for women in the field, as well as enjoy airplane rides. 

Ideal weather greeted the crowd, which included many parents who brought their children. They heard keynote speeches and panelist comments from a dozen accomplished women aviators, including helicopter, fighter jet, and commercial pilots; aircraft designers and restorers; aviation executives and flight instructors; and the woman who successfully recreated the ill-fated, around-the-world last flight of Amelia Earhart 75 years ago. 

The message delivered consistently by the speakers was to dream big and not allow one’s inhibitions or circumstances to intervene. The door to aviation is wide open to women today, they said, and it’s up to each individual to walk through.

“Dreams and determination are a powerful combination,” said Dena Miller, a commercial pilot and flight instructor from Greensboro. “Add creativity and you’re unstoppable.” Dr. Samantha A. Magill, a flight sciences engineer at Honda Aircraft, extolled the “power of the human spirit to overcome anything,” observing: “When you’re pushing your limit and you think your tank is empty, guess what? You have a little bit more.”

Featured speaker Bridgett “Atlas” Fitzsimmons, an Air Force captain and F-15E Strike Eagle pilot with 200 combat hours in Afghanistan, underscored that message. “You’ve got to know what you want and go get it,” she said. “I’ve always strived to do my best for the sake of the girls that came behind me.”
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Featured speaker Linda Finch, a veteran pilot and airshow performer who in 1997 recreated Earhart’s flight, spoke of her idol’s use of flying to inspire others to dream and overcome obstacles to fulfill their desires. “Most of us don’t set our limits high enough,” she noted. “We are fearful of failure. But it’s through failure that we learn. That was Amelia’s message: to live large, full lives without limit and with integrity, passion, and courage.”

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