Page 7 - Aerotech News and Review, January 7, 2022

New beginnings, space launches and anniversaries

celebrated at Mojave Air and Space Port in 2021

by Cathy Hansen Meghan Salzman, Build-A-Plane student gave a presentation in
special to Aerotech News November about how being a part of this unique program changed
her life and direction! She found it to be a character building ex-
perience and is now pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at
New Members Join MASP Board of Directors Bakersfield College and is no longer that shy person she once was.
Voters elected three new directors to fill positions on the Board She now accepts leadership roles and learned the value of applying
of Directors at Mojave Air and Space Port during the General Elec- herself in all aspects of life, including her school work. Our best
tion held on Nov. 3, 2020. All three are aerospace engineers, are Plane Crazy presentation of the year!
licensed pilots and aircraft owners and live in Mojave. On Dec. 18, PCS celebrated the 35th anniversary of the epic
Robert ‘Bob’ Morgan is an engineer and manager with 30 years flight of Voyager around the world, non-stop and unrefueled in
of experience in the aerospace industry. the MASP Event Center. Command pilot, Dick Rutan, recounted
Charles ‘Chuck’ Coleman is an engineer, airshow pilot, test pilot, the dangers encountered by himself and pilot Jeana Yeager to a
flight instructor with over 10,000 hours total time of flying, with captivated audience.
more than 4,100 hours in the Extra 300 series aircraft alone. He
has performed in hundreds of airshows and given 3,000-plus rides Virgin Orbit photograph New Mojave Air and Space Port CEO/General Manager
in aerobatic aircraft. At 10:38 a.m., PST, Jan. 17, “Cosmic Girl” gracefully lifted from In April 2021, Mojave Air and Space Port welcomed Todd Lind-
Diane J. Barney Jr., is a local private pilot and engineer currently runway 30 at Mojave Air and Space Port and flew into clear blue ner, the new Chief Executive Officer/General Manger. He is the
working on NASA Armstrong’s X-57, in order to pay for flying a skies on a mission to launch a commercial payload for NASA. former director of the Jacksonville, Fla., Aviation Authority’s Cecil
Grumman Tiger, J-3 Piper Cub, and Boeing Stearman. Space Port, and was selected by members of the Mojave Air and
At 11:50 a.m., PST, Virgin Orbit announced in a tweet –“Laun- Space Port board of directors from more than 100 applications,
Cosmic Girl launches satellite cherOne has reached orbit!” to replace Karina Drees who had been appointed president of the
At 10:38 a.m., PST, Jan. 17, Virgin Orbit’s “Cosmic Girl” 747 Onboard Cosmic Girl were Kelly Latimer and Todd Ericson, Commercial Spaceflight Federation in Washington, D.C.
gracefully lifted from runway 30 at Mojave Air and Space Port both distinguished U.S. Air Force veterans who graduated from
and flew into clear blue skies on a mission to launch a commercial the U.S. Air Force Academy. New Airport Operations Manager
payload for NASA. The payload consisted of 10 small satellites As a retired major airline pilot, Matthew Nelson was selected as
called “CubeSats” designed and built by researchers at NASA’s January/February Plane Crazy canceled due to COVID Mojave and Space Port Operations Manager. He brings with him
Ames Research Center in Moffett, Calif., and an assortment of restrictions a wealth of experience of what is needed in airport operations.
universities around the United States. While Plane Crazy Saturday was cancelled in January and Feb- He is a former Assistant Chief Pilot, check airman, and training
LauncherOne is a liquid fueled rocket and was released from ruary because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the monthly gatherings captain for a regional airline, with experience as a liaison between
under the left wing of the modified 747 over the Pacific Ocean, off returned in March.
the coast of California at 30,000 feet. Some highlights included: See MOJAVE, Page 8

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