Josh (L) easing into John’s (R) Diamond DA20 Airplane after Saturday’s Board Meeting at Deming Airport

                                     Josh (L) making adjustments to his safety harness under John’s (R) guidance

         Josh and John give traditional thumbs up signal that they’re ready to close canopy and start the engine.

              And “Off they go into the wild blue yonder . . . ” Josh and John head home after day’s Board Meeting

Flying out with the old – – – and in with the new.   Attorney John Orton, both Trustee and 1st Vice President of the FASF, shows Josh Plasencio, our newest Trustee, how he prefers to commute to Board Meetings. This was a sad day for the rest of the FASF, because John had decided to retire from his position on the FASF Board at the end of the year. But, before his departure, John gave the Board some excellent counsel on how to protect itself from any appearances of conflicts-of-interest in the future and of the necessity to have more young people such as Josh, as Trustees, pointing out that the originating and subsequent Boards have been almost exclusively composed of older retired citizens.

Over the past year our previous Board meeting custom of paying for meeting space has given way to our modern era and the more economic practice (free!) of holding meetings at Airport Conference Room facilities, such as today’s meeting, which was held at the Deming, New Mexico airport. The FASF is grateful to the City of Deming for having afforded us this efficient Internet capable and comfortable meeting space. Other meetings this year were set up by president Ric Lambart at other New Mexico Airports, such as the Doña Ana Jetport and the Las Cruces Airport. It has been observed by Ric, that the FASF is all about our American heritage in the history of Aviation . . . and its fascinating history right here in New Mexico . . . so why not continue to hold our meetings at free Airport facilities, whenever possible?

Josh, who is the President of the First Savings Bank of Deming, lives in distant El Paso, Texas. Not far from his home, is Santa Teresa, NM, where John lives. John sits on the Doña Ana County International Jetport’s Advisory Board and flies his plane from that field. Whenever possible, John has chosen to fly to our meetings, particularly when a good distance from his home. This has been Josh’s first commute by private aircraft from his home to Deming and he reports that it’s definitely a preferred way to travel. Far faster and more exciting than the usual commute from El Paso to Deming and work via the I-10 Freeway. The FASF is losing a great Board asset in John, but he has agreed to continue to help in the future by joining our Board of Advisors.