Korean War Veteran Takes First Flight Lesson at Sunrise Aviation in Ormond Beach, Florida

Sept. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- Ormond Beach, Florida.  Earlier today, Korean War Veteran, Gerry Nadeau, celebrated his 78th birthday by taking his first flight lesson at Ormond Beach Municipal Airport in Florida.  Mr. Nadeau’s flight instructor was Will Shaw and the flight was conducted by Sunrise Aviation in Ormond Beach.  The airplane used was a Cessna 172SP with the latest glass cockpit avionics.

Nadeau’s first comment upon getting in the airplane was about the advanced radios and equipment in the small 4-passenger single-engine airplane.  The flight consisted of a short safety briefing on the use of safety belts and the emergency procedures for the C172 and then a flight up and down the shoreline of the adjacent Atlantic Ocean.  The C172 took off from Ormond Beach Municipal Airport’s runway 8 and a 90 degree turn southbound gave the occupants a great view of Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Ponce Inlet and the intercoastal waterway.  The weather was perfect for the morning flight with mostly blue sky and light winds.

Nadeau’s adventure was sponsored by Mike Erthal, who belongs to a local veterans support group.  This group focuses on helping residents of the Emory L. Bennett Veterans Nursing Home in Daytona Beach.  Erthal was assisted by several members of the local American Legion Post 267 in Ormond Beach including Fred Whatton (Sergeant-at-Arms), Richard Baumann (Finance Officer), and Ralph Hunnefeld who helped Nadeau enter and exit the aircraft.  Though he arrived in a wheelchair, Nadeau was able to stand up and step into the airplane with a little help from his friends.

Nadeau suffered a stroke several years ago and has worked for months to be able to stand and get in the small plane.  Recently, he was given the go-ahead by his caregivers at the nursing home to take the flight.  Nadeau is also President of the Resident Council at the Emory L. Bennett Veterans Nursing Home.

Nadeau hopes his next adventure will include skiing once again in the mountains.

Will Shaw, one of Sunrise Aviation’s experienced instructors and Nadeau’s teacher for this flight, is also a former FAA Air Traffic Controller.  Shaw is an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University graduate with 3000 hours of flight experience.

The Emory L. Bennett Veterans Nursing Home opened in 1993 and is a 120-bed facility in Daytona Beach.  The Emory L. Bennett Veterans Nursing Home was the Florida Department of Veteran Affairs first skilled nursing facility and provides skilled nursing home care and the highest quality of life to its veteran residents.

Sunrise Aviation has more than 40 aircraft available for rental and flight training and their fleet includes both single-engine and multi-engine aircraft.  The amount of flight training conducted at Sunrise Aviation has expanded over the past few years and today includes many international students in addition to providing pilot training for Central Florida residents.  Sunrise Aviation was founded in 1983 and they are approved as a pilot school by the FAA and approved by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to accept foreign students for flight training.  Sunrise Aviation also provides maintenance, parts, flight training, fuel and additional services to local and transient pilots at Ormond Beach Municipal Airport.  They can be found on the internet at www.flysunrise.com. Email them at info@flysunriseaviation.com or call 1-386-677-5724.
http://www.flysunrise.com

# # #

Flight training for professional pilots. Private pilot, commercial pilot, instrument rating, multi-engine rating and flight instructor. Aircraft rental. Full-service FBO with fuel and maintenance available.