Tuesday 14 May 2024

Meigs Field - a Former Gem of an Airport


Cloudy skies and strong winds from several directions were less than ideal weather for this Sunday morning flight in a small Piper.  But I wanted to land - maybe for the last time - on Meigs Field on a peninsula next to Chicago's downtown skyscrapers.  


This airfield had a special meaning for me: I had co-authored a flight manual for the most popular Microsoft private simulator game that used Meigs Field as the visual background.  I had booked a flight to Europe and wouldn’t return for the next months. So I was eager to fly to Meigs - maybe for the last time. 


During the preceding months, rumor was that Mayor Daley who was at a crossroads with the then-governor, planned to close the airport.  This way he would impede the governor from landing with his jet at Meigs, the closed airport to the Illinois governor's office. OK, rumors only …


Shortly after World War II the airport had been built on the Northerly Island peninsula.  Being close to downtown Chicago made it popular for business, medical flights, and commercial aviation.  It even had two instrument approaches. 





In Spring 2003, large X’s were carved into the runway, rendering it unusable and trapping a handful of aircraft based there. Approaching airplanes that had to divert, learned that not even the airport employees or controllers knew what was going on.  Heavy equipment operators - ordered by Mayor Daley - had come at night to the airport to dig massive ditches into the runway.  It was an illegal closure of an airport, as the city was not giving the required 30-day notice. 


Flying Magazine: Phil Boyer, AOPA’s president at the time, called out Daley for a
lack of honor: “The sneaky way he did this shows that he knows it was wrong.”


For several months, pilot organizations and aviation groups lobbied for the repair of the runway and the reopening of Meigs Field, but it was not to be.  In the Fall of 2003, the destruction of Meigs Field began and it is now a park with a small lake, a beach, a visitor center, and a planetarium. 


Read more:

https://www.flyingmag.com/the-cautionary-tale-of-the-destruction-of-meigs-field/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/day-shut-down-meigs-field-180952788/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2023/03/30/vintage-chicago-tribune-meigs-field-shut-20-years-ago-by-mayor-daley-and-northerly-islands-evolution/

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/3/31/23662485/miegs-field-airport-mayor-richard-daley-bulldozed-notherly-island-plane-march-2003

https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-history-of-merrill-c-meigs-field.html



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Thursday 2 May 2024

Aviation Newsletter May: Worldwide Pilot Positions

 




A320 First Officer - Eagle Jet Intern. - Europe

Requirements:

  • EASA Frozen ATPL
  • MCC Certificate (can be completed before starting the type rating course)
  • A-UPRT Certificate (can be completed before starting the type rating course)
  • European Union Passport
  • ICAO English Level 4 or Higher
  • No Minimum Flight Time Requirement
  • Training Fee

https://www.eaglejet.net/ContactUs.asp

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GIV Chief Pilot - NexGen Flight Solutions - Easton, MD 

Requirements:

  • Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate
  • Type ratings in GIV and BD-700 (preferred)
  • Substantial experience as a corporate/charter pilot
  • In-depth knowledge of Part 91 and Part 135 regulations and their application
  • Strong leadership and communication skills
  • Exceptional decision-making and problem-solving abilities
  • Ability to adapt and thrive in a dynamic and customer-centric environment
  • Minimum 3,000 hrs total time
  • Type ratings in GIV and BD-700 (preferred)
  • Bachelor's degree in Aviation or related field (preferred)
  • Resides or willing to relocate to within a 1-hour driving distance of Easton, MD


https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/chief-pilot/72893269/

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B737 First Officer - FLY4Airlines - Dublin, Ireland

Requirements:

  • B737 Type Rating
  • EASA ATPL or Frozen ATPL (CPL with ATPL subjects)
  • 500 hours of total flying experience on type
  • The unrestricted right to live and work in the EU
  • ICAO Level 4 proficiency in English language or higher
  • 500 hours of total flying experience on type

https://www.aviationjobs.me/jobs/b737-first-officers-fly4-airlines-uk/

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Direct Entry Captain - Republic Airways - Carmel, IN

Requirements:

  • Minimum requirements for an ATP or RATP certificate  ATP written is preferred
  • Must have 2,500 hrs total time 
  • 1,000 hrs total time in a Part 121 Operation
  • High School diploma or GED
  • Able to speak and be understood in English

https://careers.rjet.com/job/19175313/direct-entry-captain-carmel-in/

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LearJet 75 Captain - Southern Tire Aviation - Moselle, MS

Requirements:

  • Lear 45 Type Rating preferred
  • 3,000 hrs total fixed wing flight time is preferred
  • 2,000 hrs total PIC fixed wing flight time is preferred
  • 250 hrs Turbine time preferred
  • Valid passport
  • Legally authorized to work in the United States

https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/learjet-75-picsic/73440081/

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First Officer King Air - Flight Manag. Corp - Lansing, MI

Requirements:

  • Holds at least a CPL with an IFR and ME Rating
  • Minimum of 1,500 flight hrs
  • Possesses a bachelor’s degree.
  • Excellent communication and customer service skills 
  • Overnight travel required
  • FuturePIC and Jet upgrades exist

https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/king-air-second-in-command-pilot/73194648/

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A320 First Officers - Eurowings - Spain

Requirements:

  • A320 Type Rating
  • Languages: English
  • EASA ATPL or Frozen ATPL (CPL with ATPL subjects)
  • The unrestricted right to live and work in the EU
  • ICAO Level 4 proficiency in English language or higher
  • Current ME/IR Land
  • UPRT certificate in accordance with FCL.745.A
  • Multi-crew Cooperation Course (MCC)
  • A valid passport allowing unrestricted travel

https://www.career.aero/eurowings/en/job/show/id/3505

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Learjet 45 Captain - Chantilly Air - Manassas, VA

Requirements:

  • Airline Transport Pilot certificate
  • Lear 45 Type Rating preferred
  • 3,000 hours total fixed wing flight time is preferred
  • 2,000 hours total PIC fixed wing flight time is preferred
  • 250 hours Turbine time preferred
  • Valid passport

https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/learjet-45-pilot-in-command/72979904/

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G650/G600 Captain - Polaris Aviation - New Windsor, NY

Requirements:

  • Minimum of 4,000 hrs total time
  • Aircraft type rating with a minimum of 200 hrs in type 
  • Must live or be willing to relocate to within a 2 hr drive of SWF (New Windsor, NY) or OPF (Miami-Opa Locka, FL)

https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/g650g600-pics/60075485/

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Falcon 900 LX Captain - Hendrick Motorsports - Concord, NC

Requirements:

  • Total time 3,000 hrs
  • PIC = 1,500 hrs
  • MEL = 1,500 hrs
  • MEL PIC = 500 hrs
  • Turbo Jet = 500 hrs
  • Instrument = 250 hrs
  • 5 years of aviation experience

https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/falcon-900lx-captain/73194020/

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ATR72 First Officer - Aegean Airlines - Greece

Requirements:

  • Valid EASA CPL(A) with ATPL(A) theory completed or EASA ATPL(A)
  • Valid multi-engine IR(A) rating (must remain valid until the end of the course)
  • At least 70 hours as pilot in command of airplanes
  • Certificate of completion of MCC Training
  • Certificate of completion of Advanced UPRT course 
  • Minimum ICAO English Language Proficiency: Level 4
  • Fluent in spoken and written Greek

https://www.aviationjobs.me/jobs/atr72-non-type-rated-first-officers-aegean-airlines-greece


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Airbus A340 First Officer - Legend Airlines - Romania


Requirements:

        EASA Airline Transport Pilot’s License

·         Minimum 1,000 hrs in total

·         Minimum 500 hrs on type (A340)

        Minimum ICAO level 4 English proficiency

https://www.latestpilotjobs.com/jobs/view/id/18560


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Pilot Instructors - CAE Business Aviation Training Centers - USA


Requirements:

.    Hold unrestrictive FAA ATP

.    Business Aviation Part 91/135 Experience

.    Must be authorized to live/work in the USA

https://www.cae.com/civil-aviation/aviation-jobs/find-a-job/pilot-instructors-cae-business-aviation-training-centers-us-25391


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First Officer A320-Family - EuroWings - Germany


Requirements:

  • EASA ATPL (A) oder CPL (A) mit ATPL Credit - ausgestellt in Deutschland
  • Multi Engine IR Rating
  • Advanced UPRT Training gem. EASA.FCL.745
  • Allgemeine Hochschulreife oder Fachhochschulreife
  • EU-Staatsbürgerschaft oder Aufenthalts- und Arbeitsgenehmigung
  • Uneingeschränkt gültiger Reisepass
  • English mind. ICAO-Language Proficiency Level 4

https://www.latestpilotjobs.com/jobs/view/id/17411


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First Officer - Air Baltic - Latvia

Requirements:

  • Valid EU FCL CPL or ATPL license (EASA form 141)
  • Valid EASA Medical Class 1
  • ICAO English 4 or higher
  • At least 1000 hours of CAT operations on aircraft with EFIS, FMA, and FMS systems, MTOW of the aircraft at least 5,7t

https://www.latestpilotjobs.com/jobs/view/id/18687

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CE-680 Captain - Blue Cross, Chattanooga, TN

Requirements:

  • ATP required, CE-680 type-rating preferred, not required
  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience required.
  • Equivalent experience is defined as 4 years of professional work experience in a corporate environment

  • 5 years - Relevant work experience required.
  • 3,000 hrs Total Time
  • 1,500 hrs PIC
  • 500 hrs Multi-engine turbine or equivalent experience
  • Experience using appropriate aviation equipment required

https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/aircraft-captain/72400819/

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First Officers - Air Japan - Tokyo, Japan

Requirements:

  • EASA, FAA, ICAO ATPL
  • Valid ICAO Jet Aircraft Type Rating with a Command Instrument Rating
  • Total time: Minimum of 3,000 hrs
  • Total Commercial Jet Time: Minimum of 500 hrs
  • Cross Country Time: 200+ hrs
  • Cross Country PIC/PUS Time: 100+ hrs
  • Instrument Flight Time: 75+ hrs

https://www.cae.com/civil-aviation/aviation-jobs/find-a-job/b787-nontype-rated-first-officer-26376

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LearJet 45 Captain - Chantilly Air - Manassas, VA

Requirements:

  • Airline Transport Pilot certificate
  • 250 hrs Turbine time preferred
  • 3,000 hrs total fixed wing flight time is preferred
  • 2,000 hrs total PIC fixed wing flight time is preferred
  • Lear 45 Type Rating preferred

https://jobs.nbaa.org/job/learjet-45-pilot-in-command/72979904/

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First Officer A330 - Air Belgium - Brussels, Belgium

Requirements:

  • Hold a valid EASA CPL/IR or ATPL
  • Have a valid type rating with valid IR rating
  • Acquired 1,500 hrs on aircraft with MTOW of more than 44 tons
  • ELP level 5 or better
  • Hold all certificates, including those that are health-related, 
    required to enter the territories served by Air Belgium

https://www.airbelgium.com/jobs/first-officer-a330/

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Meigs Field - a Former Gem of an Airport

Cloudy skies and strong winds from several directions were less than ideal weather for this Sunday morning flight in a small Piper.   But I ...