This page is just for fun! We will post comments from our students (past & present) about their flying experiences and our aviation adventures.
The day I became a Cirrus CSIP
It was Dec 26, 2013, when I became a Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP). In preparation for my checkout program, I read the SR22 POH a number of times memorizing the importance performance information.
Surprisingly, my instructor/evaluator was the guy in the Cirrus videos by the name of Pete Carroll (yes, same name as the NFL coach). I related with Pete from his videos and agreed with all his instruction, particularly his approach to teaching the traffic pattern. His words in the video were indeed my words too for teaching the pattern.
So when Pete showed up at LA Regional I was very pleased to meet him. My training went well and the day of the check ride Pete surprised me. When he walked into my FBO I was visiting with a former student Sam Moore. After the intros, I was bragging on Sam about being a great student and Sam said he hoped to get a ride in a Cirrus someday. So here’s what Pete said, “OK Mickey, Sam will fly left seat as a student simulating his second Cirrus lesson, you will be his instructor in the right seat, and I’ll ride in the back.”
Mickey checking Sam,
while Pete in the rear seat is checking Mickey
I quickly changed my “training hat”, briefed an “off the cuff” pre-solo scenario, and off we went for a checkride. Sam did well and was a pleasure to instruct. Pete sat quietly in the rear seat for the entire flight, and as we taxied back following the flight, he stuck his iPad in my face with my completed grade folder displayed, and said, “Sign here, you’re a CSIP.”
Dr. Victor McCoy
Dr Victor McCoy is a Cirrus Training Instructor (CTI) with Aviation Specialists, Inc.. He instructs in ASI’s 2021 Cirrus Generation 6 SR20, N855CM.
Dr McCoy's first family trip headed north from La Regional and then west to Billings, Montana, to the northwest Rocky Mountains. From there he saw the roaring stream from Old Faithful geyser and toured throughout the nearly 3500 sq-mile wilderness of Yellowstone National Park region. On their return home the family took a flying detour to visit the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the massive President’s sculpture carved in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.
Victor McCoy with a student in the Cirrus SR22
Taking Delivery of our new SR20
Mickey and Christine flew to Knoxville, Tennessee for the “reveal” of their new baby, N855CM a 2021 Cirrus SR20. Traveling with Matt Quillen, Cirrus Sales Manager, and Jim Ratliff, Platinum CSIP, in a new Cirrus Turbo SR22, the crew had a marvelous trip. After some “wining and dining” the night prior to delivery, the aircraft acceptance the next day proceeded on schedule by a highly professional Cirrus sales team. A superb experience indeed, including the systems demo check flight.
Buying the new Cirrus came with 3 days of Cirrus Instructor training. So, I chose my good friend and old time A-10 pilot comrade Jim Ratliff to train Christine in our new bird. Jim is a highly regarded CSIP and was selected Cirrus CSIP of the Year for 2019. With Christine in the left seat, she and Jim did a brief local area check out flight, and then the three of us headed for LA Regional. I was very comfortable riding in the back seat with the two instructors in the front. Jim stayed over at our home for a taste of Cajun cuisine and even got introduced to “sucking the heads” of highly seasoned Louisiana boiled crawfish! Cheers to Jim.
John Champagne
"My GO TO” Student
At the age of 15, John Champagne showed up at my flight school with his mother Lisa and his six younger siblings for a flight lesson. For the next year+ John and his mother with siblings came to LA Regional Airport for flight lessons.
John was always exceptionally prepared and studied more than any other of my students ever – and he always knew the answer to all flight lesson questions. John thought everything in aviation was awesome. And he often let us all know it.
John soloed at sixteen and completed his PPL training right after his seventeenth birthday, becoming my youngest pilot ever. He learned to fly airplanes even before he learned to drive a car. Awesome.
John followed his flying dream to LA Tech Univ completing his aviation degree. While at Tech, John became a flight instructor and fell in love with instructing. No wonder he was selected to a “pilot slot” and reported to Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas.
After completing this year- long grueling training, John was selected to become a Primary Flight Instructor in the USAF Beechcraft T6B Texan II. Awesome.
John on the Air Force T6B Texan II simulator
On our first trip in our new Cirrus, Christine and Mickey visited John at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio where Mickey had also joined the USAF and served as a flight instructor some 50 years ago.
Christine and Mickey really got a thrill of flying along the US-Mexican border in the simulator winding our way along the Rio Grande well below legal flight altitudes. Really Awesome.
P.S. John’s favorite work is AWESOME!
Cirrus "CAP" system deploys - Pilot walks away from crash!
On Friday, Nov 11, 2022, at approximately 1041 local, N217SY, a 2017 Cirrus SR22T (turbo) developed an engine problem of zero oil pressure and parachuted into a pond about 2nm north of the LA Regional airport.
The Cirrus "CAP" feature is a whole-plane emergency ballistic parachute recovery system. The Cirrus "CAP" system was the first of its kind to become certified with the FAA. When the chute is activated, the aircraft will safely descend to the ground.
Click here to read the full story of this incident.
Ross Berthelot
Ross Berthelot recently got his PPL in a Piper aircraft and immediately began the Cirrus Embark Transition Training with Mickey. Following the completion of his VFR Transition Training Ross is continuing his flight training for his IFR certification.
As a testimonial to his ASI training, Ross wrote: “Mickey has been great to work with in my transition from Piper to Cirrus, as well as in my IFR training. His extensive experience as both a military pilot and a CSIP make him immensely qualified to teach anyone anything they want to learn about flying the Cirrus. His attention to detail when flying and teaching has definitely made me a better pilot. I would highly recommend MIckey to anyone wanting to fly a Cirrus.”
Bart Waguespack
Bart Waguespack is a co-owner with Ross of their “sporty looking” bright red, grey, and black 2014 Gen 5 Cirrus SR22, N722FB. A few years ago, Bart learned to “fly with ASI,” and he too continues to train with Mickey in working toward his IFR instrument rating.
Both Bart and Ross have a continuing need to safely navigate the high density traffic and the very frequent IFR weather along the Gulf Coast enroute to and from their “get away” homes along the white sandy beaches of the Florida Panhandle area.
For Mickey, it has been a lot of fun training them both!
N122JK with its new owner!
Flying N122JK was and still is a thrill for Mickey!
She was Mickey’s introduction to Cirrus aircraft ownership; a really fun aircraft to fly cross-country with FIKI icing protection, fast with the two turbos; neat with the creature comfort of plush interior with XM weather and stereo radio, as well as the most beautiful Cirrus color scheme of royal blue and white that he had ever seen.
Mickey sold her to Andrew Keller in order to purchase a brand new 2021 Cirrus SR20 for his dream of having a Cirrus Training Center.
Comment from Andrew: "Mickey taught me on the transition into the Technically Advanced Airplane Cirrus SR-22T. He is now training me on my journey to achieve an Instrument Rating. He brings a wealth of knowledge through a lifetime of flying and is recognized as a Cirrus Certified Instructor Pilot. He has also been very accommodating to my ever-changing schedule. Highly recommended."
Andrew Keller
Go TURBO!
N520CT was the first new G5 SR22T (turbo) that Mickey flew and managed. Along with the owners, Frank and Cathy Tomeny, Mickey traveled commercially to Duluth, MN, to pick up their new baby.
Just so happens that the tail # N520CT, represents Frank and Cathy's anniversary date and her initials (thanks to Christine who suggested the memorable tail #).
Wow, was it cold in Duluth - a cool minus 20 deg F, with 10 inches of snow on the ground at takeoff time. It was so cold the engine did not develop oil pressure on startup at daybreak.
Frank loved the turbo plane, cause it could go really FAST and high, and boy did he go!
Brooks Solo and then...
Brooks Hearn soloed in a Piper aircraft and then came to Mickey for some serious Cirrus instruction. He liked the SR20 so much that within a few months of lessons, Brooks ordered his very own!
Here he is following a solo flight in his new plane.
Not long afterwards Brooks completed his checkride in N851SF, his brand spanking new 2022 model Cirrus SR20!
Brooks is Mickey’s first student pilot to earn his PPL in a Cirrus aircraft. Congrats Brooks!
Cirrus Introductory Flight
Dr Will Graugnard, his wife Angela, and son Will Jr. visited Aviation Specialists Cirrus Training Center for an Intro Flight in the Cirrus SR20. Following the aircraft inspection and flight briefing, Will was ready to go (all IMSAFE).
From engine start Will had control of the aircraft for taxi and takeoff from La Regional. Will maneuvered N855CM in the south training area with ease as he smoothly "checked her out" with climbs, dives, and turns. It was a beautiful blue-sky day.
Mickey's first trip to Knoxville for a reveal!
Mickey was invited to join the local SR Sales Manager, Matt Quillen, on a trip to the new Cirrus Delivery Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, for a "reveal" of a new aircraft to its new owners. A "Wine and Dine" evening dinner was followed by an early morning visit to the center. Driven in a brand spanking new black Audi, the crew sat in the dark hangar awaiting the spotlights to turn on highlighting the new showcased Cirrus SR20. After lots of “Aw”, “Wow”, “Beautiful” a welcoming followed with a tour of the facilities and acceptance flight for the owners. While away Mickey even snuck in a visit with the guru of Cirrus training videos, Anthony Bottini, the tall guy in the amazing Cirrus videos. At the end of the day Mickey's good A-10 flying buddy Jim Ratliff, a Platinum level CSIP, flew the owners back to Houston, TX. Mickey got to fly left seat in a new SR22T with Matt (after he checked the oil as noted in the PIC) back to Louisiana.
Amelia Island COPA Migration 2022
Over 140 Cirrus aircraft loaded with 400 enthusiastic Cirrus partners arrived at Fernandina Beach Airport (KFHB), just north of Jacksonville FL, to attend the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) Migration,6-9 Oct.
Located right on the Atlantic beach, the Omni Amelia Island Resort was a spectacular location and great facility. The weekend was filled with “meets and greets,” lots of great food and drinks, fantastic COPA presentations, special subject seminars, and a Cirrus related trade show. My best takeaway from a safety presentation was that the accident rate for Cirrus aircraft continually year-to-year tracks about 50% of that of general aviation.
Party time with COPA members!
Christine and I made a stop in Destin to have an outdoor lunch on the beautiful white sands of Santa Rosa Beach on our way to the Migration. Upon our arrival to Fernandina Beach aircraft were landing less than one minute apart. Special event air traffic controllers and ground traffic marshallers very orderly filled two closed runways with Cirrus arrivals with no delay!
THE BEACH at Destin
Guest speaker for the Saturday night banquet was former astronaut Garrett Reisman. Garett flew 3 space shuttle missions, spending 107 days in space, with 3 EVAs outside the shuttle. He really wowed us with his informative and very humorous stories from his astronautical space ventures. Interesting note, Garrett now works directly for Elon Musk(of Twitter and SpaceX fame) having been his Senior Advisor for SpaceX operations.
Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean
Bottom line: COPA Migration 2022 was great weekend for folks wanting to learn more about being a Cirrus owner and a Cirrus pilot.
Another "Bucket List" Experience
Mickey recently got to fulfill another one of his "Bucket List" items by
flying the Cirrus Vision SF50, the Cirrus Vision Jet.
Thanks to Carroll LeBeouf, the Cirrus Jet Sales Manager, Mickey was offered
a left seat flight in the jet for a trip to Ocala, FL.
Cruising at FL310, 300+ knots, the 460nm trip took less than 2 hours.
The weather was interesting with rain throughout middle
Florida, but the trip continued smooth and uneventful. The visit was for
a grand opening of a new Cirrus Training Center in Ocala. Mickey made some
new friends and "had a blast" to be back into a jet!
