Mission Scanner School completed!

File this under: not-really-related-to-Aerospace-Education-but-worth-bragging-about-mentioning anyway...

David and I both had the opportunity to attend a Mission Scanner School hosted by the Hayward squadron for Group 2 this weekend.  I've been meaning to do this for several years, but either the opportunity hasn't arrived (such courses are few and far between here in the desolation that is the SF Bay Area) or I haven't been sufficiently motivated to travel to, say, Redding or Fresno to attend one.  This time, both opportunity and motive coincided.  (I also happened to have my flight suit, which I haven't had for over a year since I had given it to someone who shall charitably remain nameless here to ensure that I had all the correct badges, and I just got it back last week.)

At any rate, the school extended over both days of the weekend, and both David and I passed.  So we're both now officially Mission Scanner Trainees.  Now I just need to get a couple of missions under my belt, and fulfill one more requirement, and I should be a fully qualified Mission Scanner.

And about time, if I do say so myself...

Presentation: March 2013

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Date of presentation: 4-Mar-2013
Subject: The Solar Impulse - Across America
Description: The Solar Impulse is a plane built to fly solely with solar power.  This presentation was somewhat abbreviated, due to my being seriously under the weather (and I do mean seriously - 102 deg. fever).  It consisted mainly of three short videos, one giving some background on the Solar Impulse project, and the other two showing time-lapse footage of the disassembly process required to prepare the plane for transport from its native Switzerland to Moffett Field in California, which will hopefully be its departure point for its 2-3 stop flight across America to Washington DC and New York.  Departure is scheduled for 1-May (time unknown).

Presentation: February 2013

This month's AE presenter: David
Date of presentation: 11-Feb-2013
Subject: A Brief History of Cessna Aircraft
Description: This presentation is an exploration of the rich history of the Cessna Aircraft Company, including a discussion of Clyde Cessna and his company, and a look at some significant aircraft produced by the company over the years.

Download PDF file (5.3 MB)

Created Google Site for Sq80

Link to new Google Site

I didn't find any way to attach a file directly to a post here on this blog, so I found another way to accomplish pretty much the same thing.  I created a site on Google Sites for us, and we can store small files there and link to them in the blog.

Please do not expect to find any significant or meaningful content on the new site.  This blog will still be the primary site.  The main function of the new site is to act as a repository for any files we might want to make available on the blog.

2013 Aerospace Ed. Plan of Action submitted

The Plan of Action for Squadron 80's AE department was submitted as a .PDF file attached to an email on 31-Jan-2013 to Mark F.  Copies were also provided to Squadron Commander Coby S. and Squadron Commander-In-Training George G., as well as to myself and David.

Accompanying the 2013 PoA was a review of the 2012 PoA.

Download PDF File

Presentation: January 2013

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Date of presentation: 4-Feb-2013
Subject: The World's Greatest Boeing 787 Dreamliner Quiz (maybe?)
Description: Since the Boeing 787 has been in the news quite a bit recently, I thought it might be interesting to see how much people already know about it.  This presentation is a 14-question quiz (Powerpoint/PDF), and hopefully comes across as lighthearted as well as informational.

(NOTE: As of 14-Jan, this presentation has NOT yet been given to the squadron, since we ran out of time that night.  Since there will be no meeting next Monday night, I plan to give this presentation on the 28th instead.  I will provide updates in the Comment area once I have given the presentation.)

Download PDF file

2012 Semi-annual Report Submitted

Squadron 80's semi-annual report for the second half of 2012 was submitted to Mark, Coby, and David at 2145L on 17 Dec 2012.

Download PDF file

Presentation: December 2012

This month's AE presenter: David
Subject: UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)
Description: This presentation covered UAVs and the various uses to which they are put by both civilian and military personnel.  There was also some discussion about the usefulness of UAVs in search-and-rescue operations.

Presentation: November 2012

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Subject: (no actual title)
Description: This presentation consisted of several Jeopardy-like quizzes on various AE-related subjects.  Among them were an aircraft identification quiz, a quiz about basic knowledge of the Solar System, and a quiz on space-related terminology.

Presentation: October 2012

This post is a placeholder, to be filled in later with information about any AE-related presentation that may have been made to the squadron in October of 2012.

Presentation: September 2012

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Subject: The Jetman - Yves Rossy
Description: Amazing video of man who flies with a jetpack on his back.  Must be seen to be believed.  (Video source: TED)

(Note: I am not 100% sure I gave this presentation in September.  I found an old transcript that I used for this presentation, and the text has a date on it reading 9-1-2012.  This would be logical if I gave the presentation around that date, and a date of 3-Sept or 10-Sept would be about right.)

Presentation: August 2012

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Subject: Operation Red Flag
Description: Operation Red Flag was a massive war simulation performed by the US and various foreign military entities.  This presentation consisted of a 40+ minute IMAX video followed by discussion.

Presentation: July 2012

This post is a placeholder, to be filled in later with information about any AE-related presentation that may have been made to the squadron in July of 2012.

Presentation: June 2012

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Subject: 1950s Endurance Flight of Cessna 172
Description: In the 1950s, a resort sponsored an endurance flight for a pair of aviators, who proceeded to fly for 64 days, 22 hours, and change!  This endurance flight included ground-to-air refueling, both of the plane and of the pilots.

Presentation: May 2012

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Subject: Research Aircraft
Description: This presentation discussed various aircraft that have been used for various forms of research.  Information about their research functions as well as an identification quiz were the core of the presentation.