3/1/2006
Take a virtual Aero Safari at Aviation Festival, March 10-11
BOISE - An African Aero Safari will kick off the 14th Annual Idaho Aviation Festival, March 10-11. The festival will be at the Boise Centre on the Grove in downtown Boise and is presented by the Idaho Transportation Department's Division of Aeronautics.
John Kounis, who has spent more than 100 hours criss-crossing Africa in a Cessna 172RG and Cessna 185, will lead a virtual expedition at a March 10 luncheon.
The tour begins at the Pyramids in Egypt and continues up the Nile River and through the Sahara Desert. In Kenya and Tanzania, sights include Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti Plain, where herds of migrating wildebeest blanket the landscape. The journey ends in the Okavango River Delta in Botswana through lush estuaries in the largest inland river delta in the world. His speech will also cover procedures necessary to fly in these countries, tropical weather conditions and aircraft rental locations. The luncheon is 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tickets are $18.
On March 11, Kounis will make similar presentations about touring Europe (10-11 a.m.) and the American Northwest (3-4 p.m.). Attendees can see what it is like to fly over chateaus in France's Loire Valley, island-hop Greek and Italian locations in the Mediterranean Sea, or pass over awe-inspiring national parks closer to home. Both presentations are free and open to the public.
Kounis will share his experiences with aerial and ground photography. Editor of "Pilot Getaways" magazine and an avid pilot, Kounis has amassed more than 3,600 flight hours over the last 20 years, visiting more than 40 countries. In researching destinations for the magazine, he draws on his experience in mountain flying, international operations, over-water procedures and long-distance navigation. Prior to entering the publishing world, Kounis was employed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, most recently working as lead system engineer for a component of the Cassini Spacecraft Ground Data System. The spacecraft made a successful rendezvous with Saturn in July 2004.
Also featured throughout the two-day festival will be the AvSwap, an aviation parts and supplies swap meet. Items can be sold for a $1 fee plus a 10 percent commission of the selling price. Sellers can drop off items at the festival on March 9, noon - 5 p.m. and March 10, 8 a.m. - noon.
More than 800 aviation enthusiasts are expected to gather for the two-day festival, sponsored by R&M Steel Company and "Pilot Getaways" magazine.
Featured at a March 11 dinner, 6 - 9 p.m., will be Bill Lishman, best known for his work that inspired the feature film "Fly Away Home." Dinner tickets are $35.
The event will include a family and children's hands-on workshop in partnership with the Discovery Center of Idaho; a variety of aviation safety seminars; Inspector Authorization (IA) renewal classes for aviation mechanics; 135 pilot training; a trade show including aircraft displays; and an aviation career forum for high school students.
The public is invited to attend. Registration fees apply to some training and workshops, as well as meal functions. Many activities are free.
Exhibit and sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibit space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sponsorship opportunities include an option of tailoring a package to fit specific needs.
For more information, visit itd.idaho.gov/aero/aviationfestival/2006, or call Kim Cobb at (208) 288-0290 or (800) 345-8793.