CJP HEADQUARTERS, ENTERPRISE, FL (August 31, 2015) – The four enthusiastic recipients of the 2015 Bob Hoover Presidential Scholarships, presented in partnership between the Bob Hoover Legacy Foundation and the Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association, recently spent an exciting and activity-filled week immersed in the wonders of general aviation (GA) at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture 2015, held July 20-28 in Oshkosh, WI.
Scholarship recipient Robert Morgan termed his experience at AirVenture, "a nonstop adventure of back-to-back once in a lifetime opportunities. I had no idea what all to expect during this trip, but the entire [visit] was beyond anything I could have expected."
From July 20-23, Morgan – along with his fellow Scholars Dakota Foster, Achyut Nair, and Anna Robinson – enjoyed a wide array of activities and opportunities arranged with the help of CJP volunteers. After a barbecue dinner hosted by Textron Aviation for CJP Members and their guests on Opening Day, the group got started bright and early the next morning with a “splash in” to the EAA Seaplane Base in a Cessna C208 Grand Caravan turboprop mounted on amphibious floats.
From there, the students enjoyed aerial tours of the AirVenture grounds from the vantage point of a Bell 47 helicopter, followed by flights with the world famous AeroShell Aerobatic Team onboard their WWII-vintage North American T-6 Texans.
"I experienced my first seaplane ride, my first helicopter ride, and my first ride in an aerobatic airplane,” exclaimed Achyut Nair. “It was a great experience to view and learn about all the aircraft that were there at Oshkosh, [where] I had a view of aviation past, aviation present, and aviation future."
Also throughout their stay at Wittman Field, the group met with aviation design pioneer Burt Rutan, toured the "World's Busiest Control Tower" at Wittman Field and enjoyed a nighttime air show, and visited the EAA Museum. CJP Director Tracy Forrest provided accommodations for the group in CJP’s Hospitality trailers at Camp Scholler, the EAA’s large on-site RV campground at Wittman Field for AirVenture attendees.
"AirVenture 2015 was one breathtaking adventure after another," added Anna Robinson. "Thanks to CJP giving me the opportunity to check so many 'firsts' off my list and meet truly phenomenal people. It was beyond description and I am beyond grateful."
Building on its first Bob Hoover Presidential Scholarship awarded in 2013, CJP expanded its partnership with the Bob Hoover Legacy Foundation last year to award the four, $25,000 scholarships to students attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) on campuses in Prescott, AZ and Daytona Beach, FL.
Of special significance for the group, the Scholars also attended the Bob Hoover Dinner during AirVenture, where they had the opportunity to catch up with the famed aviator since their first meeting last October during the scholarship awards presentation in Daytona Beach.
"My first AirVenture experience was surely unforgettable, and one that I can't wait to tell my kids about one day and hopefully make their trip as memorable," concluded Dakota Foster. "I am eternally grateful for the opportunities that the members and staff of CJP continuously provide for us."
About CJP:
The Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association is the only member organization dedicated to the ownership and operation of the Cessna Citation family of jets. Open to anyone who owns, flies or supports a Citation, the organization offers a wide range of educational, networking, and social benefits all with the common goal of helping each member get the most out of their Cessna Citation. An annual convention features top-tier educators and experts, world-renowned aviation luminaries, as well as opportunities for networking with Citation owners from around the world. Regional events, a robust Web site with resources and discussion boards, and significant discounts with major aviation companies are among the other benefits members receive. In addition, CJP is developing the Russ Meyer Citation Library, which will be the Citation community’s most extensive depository of Citation knowledge, technical data and
expertise. Finally, the CJP Hall of Honor, presented at the Annual Convention recognizes the contributions of Cessna Citation heroes and legends. Past recipients are Cessna Chairman Emeritus Russ Meyer, Jr., retired Citation design master and company leader Bruce Peterman, and golfing legend and renowned Citation pilot Arnold Palmer. For more information, visit www.citationjetpilots.com.
