The ERAU Tour Was an Outstanding Success!!

By: Lt Col A. Peter Feltz
Director of Aerospace Education, Arizona Wing

A few of the staff arrived on Tuesday to ice down water, some other drinks and snacks. We had a nice dinner at the Gurley Grill in downtown Prescott and went to a motel or home to rest up.

Wednesday the staff arrived about 0930 to set everything up for the registration. We had a total of 112 members show up which included about 20 senior members and 92 cadets. They came from 19 units throughout the state. About 65 set up camp across the road from the registration area and the rest prepared to stay in the Eagle Gym close by.

The cadets were broken up into "A" and "B" groups. Half were taken to the Prescott airfield to enjoy operating simulators and examine the aircraft and other functions. The other group stay at the campus and were escorted to many of the facilities such as the crash site wind tunnel and many others. After the tours were over we were treated to an excellent dinner in the dinning hall. All you can eat and drink. The cadet really took good advantage. Oh to be young again.

After dinner we went to the soccer field and set up for the glider competition. The participation was a little disappointing and very few units participated. It was a little windy and tough to fly the light gliders. The winning glider was well designed and constructed and flew nearly 100 feet in two different tries. See attached photos of the winner. To bad the glider wasn't in the photo. The other photo is the beginning assembly.

On Thursday we had an excellent breakfast in the dinning hall and the two groups swapped tour areas and returned at the assembly hall for a pizza lunch and presentations from an Army recruiter and an Air Force recruiter. After quite a few questions the assemble was dismissed and preparations made to depart.

All the comments we received were of a positive nature and many thought it would be a good idea to do it again next year. Look for other photos and articles by SSgt Phillip Kittelson on Facebook and Wingtips.

I wish to thank all the staff and members who took care of the cadets and transported them to the function. I particularly wish to thank my deputy, Maj. Phill Hubacek who spent many hours putting the program together.