Bel-Air Associates

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Liverpool, NY
Bel-Air Associates

Primary and advanced flight training in piston and turboprop single and multi-engine land aircraft. Professional pilot services. FAA Designated Pilot Examiner
(5)

05/30/2024

On May 22, 2024 I had the distinct pleasure of administering an airplane single engine add-on flight test to Warrant officer Kevin Batson. He holds an FAA commercial rotorcraft certificate and is stationed up in Watertown, New York at Fort Drum. Kevin is an Army Apache helicopter pilot, who has been at the tip of the spear for 18 years. We got this done just in time as he is leaving for Iraq for another 9 months. This is his fourth deployment to the desert and hopefully his last. I've said it before, people: This is what your freedom looks like. You're welcome, America.

04/28/2024

After six years as an army infantryman, Michael Iside is now out and is working his way through his ratings at ATP flight school in Trenton, NJ. He came to see me on April 26, 2024 for his commercial pilot certificate and flew an almost flawless check ride. Good luck sir as you pursue the next phase of your career. And thanks for placing yourself at the tip of the spear for all of us. This old Viet Vet was proud to work with you.

04/12/2024

Third grade teacher goes professional! Macy Theisen came to see me on April 9, 2024 on one of the few nice days here in Syracuse. She was very well prepared and sailed through the oral portion of the Commercial Pilot evaluation. Not only that, but she piloted an almost flawless flight and walked away with a shiny new Commercial Pilot Certificate. I was treated to a very smooth Lazy eight, one of the few that was flown properly. Congratz, Ma'am. I hope to see you in the front seat of an airliner sometime in the near future.

04/05/2024

We rounded out March, 2024 with one of the few decent flying days with a successful instrument rating flight test. Todd Bednarek, a C-17 Loadmaster from Jamesville nailed it! He's in the Air National Guard and drills out of Stewart. Thank you for your service, Brother.

03/15/2024

What's this? It's March 13, 2024 and another beautiful day in in Upstate NY????? Eric Swart and I took advantage of the nice conditions to finally nail down his Private Pilot flight test. And not a moment too soon. This IT professional from Fulton first contacted my in early December, 2023 to schedule an evaluation. Since then, he's endured NINE weather cancellations until finally getting a break. He did not disappoint and went home with a shiny new pilot certificate. Bravo, Sir.

03/14/2024

AHHH, a break in the crazy winter weather. March 12, 2024 and we were able to squeeze in Dionys Dume from Arlington, Ma. He's a professional pilot applicant from North Shore Community College, and after numerous delays stretching back to November, success finally smiled on him. Congrat to Boston's newest Private Pilot.

02/28/2024

February 27, 2024. It's 70 degrees in Syracuse with the wind howling out of the south. That's right, 70 degrees in February. Robert Thompson, ace line guy at Freeman Jet Center, took a day off from pumping gas to nail down all the requirements for his Private Pilot Certificate. ATIS Charlie at flight time was showing winds from 150 at 13, gusting to 20. Runway 28 is closed for taxiway and runway light Maintenance. Fortunately we have a runway 15 and it was definitely getting a lot of use. First takeoff is a "soft field, no obstacle" attempt. Wind now is 160 at 16, gusting to 26. NAILED IT! We stayed in the pattern for a soft field landing and the winds were the same. Gusting to 26. BOOM! NAILED IT! And so it went. 135 knot ground speed out to the practice area with that tailwind, 45 knots into the wind for slow flight and stalls. Finished all the requirements for the certificate and returned to the field. Last landing was a "normal" on runway 15 with the wind coming from 170 at 19 gusting to 25. Oh yeah! NAILED IT! Awesome job, Robbie! You and your CFI, MIke Zella get a heartfelt BRAVO ZULU from this old Navy man.

02/26/2024

Sunday, February 25, 2024. Just squeezing in as many checkrides as I can during this spate of unusually nice February weather. Kyle Brancaleone, another well trained applicant from Bridgewater State University in New Bedford, Ma, came out to see me to add instrument flight instructor to his CFI certificate. Just like Paul Giovanoni, from BSU who came last Monday, he nailed down all the maneuvers and headed home with a temporary airman certificate for CFII. Great job, Sir. Congratz to you and your school for sending such superb aviators.

02/23/2024

Another nice day in Syracuse! Paul Giovanoni came from New Bedford, Ma. to see me for his Instrument Flight Instructor certificate. Paul is a Bridgewater State University alum, still teaching at the school and heading for the transition program at my old Alma Mater, Cape Air. His knowledge and flying were superb, and I even got to shoot an approach to see how his CFII skillset would work. Congratz, Sir. Cape Air is going to get a fledgling Captain with solid skills. Mocha Hagotdi !

02/11/2024

February 11, 2024. A happy Alex Reynolds finishes up his Private Pilot Flight test. After numerous weather postponements and a discontinuance, this former web developer and current United Airlines Rampie finally nailed it. Congratulations, Sir.

02/09/2024

February 8, 2024. We took advantage of an unseasonably nice week in the middle of a Syracuse winter to work with Richard Bruno. He's a Private Pilot applicant from the American Flyers' Morristown location and journeyed here from New Jersey to complete the flight test. After 6 weather postponements stretching back to last November, he finally found a good day and nailed all the requirements. The relief on his face is pretty evident as he gets ready to head home with a shiny new Private Pilot Certificate. Congratz, Sir. Fly safe.

02/04/2024

FINALLY. A decent day to fly. AVIER Flight school student pilot Basharlie Anderson visited me today from Beverly, Ma. The 2500 foot broken layer finally lifted in the early afternoon to 3500 scattered and we were able to get his private pilot flight test in after several weather postponements. Congratulations to you, Sir, and your flight instructor, Kevin Leslie.

01/23/2024

January 22, 2024, Marine Vet Kevin Leslie came over to visit me from Beverly, Ma. to add instrument flight instructor to his CFI certificate. This was one of the few nice days we've had so far in January, and Mr. Leslie did not disappoint. He teaches at Avier Flight School at the BVY airport and flew an almost perfect checkride. Congratulations. This old Squid was proud to work with you. "At Ease", son.

01/15/2024

Sometimes you just gotta keep at it. Seton Hall graduate Fabian Foster was ready for his private pilot flight test in Mid November, 2023. Weather postponements pushed back the date to December 9. We managed to squeeze in the oral before the weather again reared its ugly head and resulted in a discontinuance. More weather delays and postponements of scheduled testing dates finally put us to today, January 15, 2024. With clear skies, light winds and temps hovering around the teens, we finally got to go flying. The heater in ATP's next gen Piper Archer just couldn't keep up, so off we went into the wild (cold) blue yonder. 1.8 freezing hours later, Mr. Foster emerged as Syracuse's newest certificated Private Pilot. Congratulations, Sir. You and your accompanying flight instructor are now on your way back to Trenton. I hope you'll be able to thaw out your feet when you get home.

01/09/2024

In this world of poor weather cancellations, we finally got one done!!! Josh Miller and I got together on January 4, 2024 to finish what we started in November. Weather closed in so fast on us back then, that after one trip around the pattern, Mr. Miller used his PIC authority to request a discontinuance. The weather Gods on January 4th gave us a decent window up in Watertown to complete the mission and he left with his shiny new Private Pilot Certificate. Mr. Miller is an Air Force forward air controller stationed with the soldiers at Fort Drum and is looking forward to a professional flying career once he is discharged. A "chair force" dude working with the Grunts and flight tested by a Squid... what could possibly go wrong? Nothing! You're welcome, America.

12/25/2023

We managed to squeeze another one in before the weather turned crappy and the holiday rush hit. Chris Parisi, a nurse anesthetist at St. Joes and the VA here in Syracuse, successfully nailed down all the requirements for his instrument rating on December 22, 2023 in Syracuse Flying Club's Archer. He's been interested in flying since he was a flight nurse on an EMS crew in North Carolina in the early 90's. Excellent job, Sir. Have a great holiday.

12/23/2023

Perseverance and good Aeronautical Decision Making. On December 20, 2023 Marc Volpe set out from Buffalo to see me in Syracuse for his Instrument rating flight test. The forecast here was for at least 6 miles viz and ceilings around 3500 broken. As he approached Syracuse, the famous low overcast skies prevented him from getting any closer. He kept angling south hoping for a break, which never came. He was so close! Still in the clear, Skaneateles Airport appeared in front of him, so he landed to figure out his next move. He was just 19 miles from Syracuse. We spent most of the day calling each other every hour hoping for a break in the overcast that would match the forecast, but it never came. Finally, a friendly local flyer stopped and offered to help tie his airplane down for the night. He then took him to Auburn for a rental car and the hapless applicant got himself a room for the night. The Syracuse forecast for the following day show a promise of clear skies. He woke up on Dec. 21 to beautiful weather in Syracuse, but 1400 overcast in Skaneateles where his airplane was. We again called each other every hour, but when it looked like the overcast would linger, another plan was hatched. I then offered to drive to Skaneateles, follow him to Auburn so he could check out of his motel room and return his rental car, buy him lunch back in Skaneateles and wait with him until skies opened up enough for us to do the evaluation. We were finally successful, and he headed back to Buffalo at 5:00 pm with a shiny new instrument rating certificate in his pocket. Congrats, Sir. You also get an A for stellar Aeronautical Decision Making! Merry Christmas.

12/19/2023

I traveled to 7:47 Aviation in Cortland on December 16 to administer a Private Pilot flight test to another one of Jim Spaller's very well trained students. Zheyuan Zheng just finished up his Masters in Aerospace Engineering at Cornell and had no trouble nailing all the tasks on this evaluation. Congratulations to you, Sir as you head back the Illlinois for your PHd studies.

Address

4959 Dahlia Cir
Liverpool, NY
13088

Website

https://www.bel-airassociates.com/

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