STRONGER TOGETHER: GA RALLIES THE TROOPS IN SOUTH DAKOTA
SOUTH DAKOTA HAS 72 AIRPORTS in the entire
state, with only six providing commercial
passenger service. “Now that’s a state that
appreciates the value of GA,” said EAA
President/CEO Rod Hightower at the
GAMA South Dakota General Aviation Rally,
August 31, at the Pierre Regional Airport.
Hightower and other GA organization
leaders appeared at the event organized by
GAMA, not only to send a message to the
public that GA is crucial to the economy
by creating jobs and generating millions
of dollars of economic impact, but also for
health care, agriculture, politics, and law
enforcement. More than 100 people, many of
them EAA members, turned out at Mustang
Aviation, with special guests Gov. Dennis
Daugaard and U.S. Sen. John Thune.
EAA MOURNS PASSING OF CLIFF ROBERTSON
CLIFF ROBERTSON, THE ACADEMY AWARD-
winning actor whose aviation passion
helped lead the
development and
launch of EAA’s
Young Eagles
program, died on
September 10, 2011,
just one day after his
88th birthday.
Robertson (EAA
18529), who began
flying at age 14,
had been an EAA
member since 1964.
He helped launch
the EAA Young
During EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh 2002, Cliff Robertson
was given the ceremonial key
to the city of Oshkosh during
the annual Mayor’s Breakfast.
Eagles program when he became the
program’s first chairman in 1992. He and
then-EAA President Tom Poberezny flew
the first Young Eagles at EAA Oshkosh
that year.
“Cliff believed in the program and was
there at the beginning,” said Poberezny,
now EAA chairman emeritus. “He was a
man of great integrity who was an avid
aviator and supportive EAA member. ”
EAA President/CEO Rod Hightower
said, “Cliff was instrumental in making the
world aware of what would become the
most successful youth outreach program
in aviation history. He loved aviation and
enjoyed inspiring others to dream and to
achieve what they imagined to be possible.
The aviation community has lost a true
friend and a great aviator.”
Robertson began flying in southern
California, biking more than 10 miles to
a local airport for flying lessons. He often
recalled those experiences during his public
presentations. He funded the Cliff Robertson
Airport Work Experience Program annually
offering young people a summer internship
at the EAA Aviation Center.
Robertson’s acting career was highly
recognized; he was one of the few actors
to earn both an Oscar for his movie work
(best actor in Charly in 1968) and an Emmy
(in 1965 for his television appearance
in The Game on Bob Hope Presents the
Chrysler Theatre.).
EAA SEEKS NEW MEMBER SERVICES MANAGER
ARE YOU A PASSIONATE EAA MEMBER who
loves the challenge and reward of customer
service? EAA may have a job for you! EAA is
seeking a manager for our member services
department in Oshkosh.
The ideal candidate will have experience
in EAA activities such as chapters, Young
Eagles, homebuilding, or EAA volunteerism
and will have earned, or demonstrated
progress toward, a pilot certificate. The
candidate will have experience in managing
small-to-medium customer/member contact
teams and have technical skills including the
use of customer relationship management
software, multi-channel contact management
tools, as well as standard office productivity
tools. Finally, the candidate should be able
to demonstrate a thorough understanding
of metrics-driven management to improve
organizational results. See www.EAA.org/
careers for a complete job description.
BOARD OF DIRECTOR MINUTES
The complete minutes of the EAA Board of
Directors meeting held on Saturday, July 30,
during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2011 are
available online at www.SportAviation.org.
