By Pablo Garcia

For the 9th year the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation has hosted the annual Familiarization Trip (FAM trip) to the Islands of the Bahamas. The goal of this trip is to educate individuals on how easy it is for private pilots to fly their aircraft to and around the islands. The 2011 FAM trip included flights to Nassau, North Eleuthera and Bimini.

We started on Thursday August 18th with a briefing at Banyan’s Sabal Palm Conference room.  Greg Rolle introduced all of the participants to the ambassadors and support staff from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. We also discussed the requirements, itinerary and all other information pertinent to the trip.

Upon reaching Nassau International Airport, some of us had to hold in the air due to bad weather conditions at the destination, but after a brief moment we were able to land safely at the Capitol’s Airport.

We enjoyed lunch with the local authorities of the Civil Aviation Department and the Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism.  They gave presentations about the many activities and improvements the local government has accomplished to make private flying to and from the Bahamas as smooth as possible.

Since weather conditions deteriorated, arrangements were made for us to stay in Nassau that night instead of trying to get to Treasure Cay where the airport was closed due to bad weather and low visibility.  We got to enjoy Nassau night life at the Wyndham Resort and enjoyed a night tour in the downtown area.

The teammates at Banyan Air Service, based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport have recently committed their support to 4KIDS of South Florida. Banyan helps this organization through volunteer opportunities, monetary donations, and new and gently used items.

“We considered several nonprofit organizations but felt that the mission of 4KIDS of South Florida was the right match for Banyan. We spent several weeks getting to know the organization and felt that the Banyan team would be very supportive of the mission of 4KIDS of South Florida,” said Brandy Voss, Banyan’s Spirit Committee Director.

Last month, Banyan volunteers worked every Saturday to renovate a donated house by repairing drywall, fixing sprinklers, painting rooms, and working on landscaping. In addition, Banyan teammates support the nonprofit with donations through payroll deductions.

4KIDS of South Florida is a nonprofit organization committed to meeting the needs of thousands of children in foster care. From the moment a child is removed from their family because of abuse, abandonment, or neglect, this organization provides for them physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. 4KIDS has over 100 licensed foster homes and foster families, twelve family-style homes, and cares for over 1000 children each year. For more information about 4KIDS of South Florida, or to register for the BiG Cardio Event, visit
www.4KIDSofSFL.org.

Visit 4KIDS of South Florida to learn what you can do to help

To see the latest Banyan projects or view pictures from the Boca House Project, become a Banyan fan on Facebook.

On February 20^th Banyan transformed one of its hangars into the look and feel of the Bahamas for the first Annual Bahamas Day. Bahamas Day is an event to educate people on flying to the Bahamas in their own planes or to gather information about charter flights.

Over 30 exhibitors participated and were on-sight to provide attendees with an array of information and activities about resorts, hotels and activities. Everything from the hand-rolling of cigars to samples of Bahamian rum cake was available. Even a Bahamian policeman was at the event to answer questions and partake in photos.

The day started with a breathtaking opening ceremony of both the United States National Anthem and the Bahamian National Anthem being played. The aroma of traditional Bahamian fried fish, chicken, and conch fritters filled the air. The day never slowed down and in the afternoon The Bahamas Junkanoo Shakers danced and played in a colorful, rhythmic display.

Banyan turned over the use of one of their conference rooms so that seminars on eAPIS, Flying to the Bahamas, and Preparing your Aircraft for Over Water Flight could be presented throughout the day to interested parties. A live demonstration on how to inflate a survival raft when in the water provided an interactive exhibit.

Throughout the day door prizes that had been donated by the exhibitors were given out. The door prizes ranged from goodie bags to resort get-a-ways.

There was something for everyone, and Banyan was pleased to be the first FBO to host the Annual Bahamas Day.

To see pictures of the event or a video of the Junkanoo band, visit www.banyanair.com/bahamasday.

1. The great fleet of general aviation aircraft is the mainspring of a $20 billion a year industry which generates more than $102 billion in economic activity. (AOPA)
2. Thousands of communities benefit as their airports create a positive ripple effect in the local economy. Manufacturers in the know set up shop within 10 miles of public-use airports, which allow them to send time-critical parts and material to customers. Businesses reap competitive advantages through access to nearby airports, while residents gain jobs. (www.gaservasmerica.com)
3. General aviation offers the most efficient and cost-effective way to conduct wildlife surveys, map wetland losses and soil erosion, follow bird migrations, patrol parklands and detect pipeline spills. (AOPA)
4. GA supports almost 1.3 million high-skill, high-wage jobs in professional services and in manufacturing.

The perfect way to spend a chilly afternoon in Florida is with the 2010 1^st Annual Maintenance Team Chili-Soup Cook-off competition that was coordinated by Dave Valenta and his team of committee members. Dave and his dedicated team spent a lot of time developing a very organized and regulated competition. They provided each of the 22 contestants with a list of official rules to be followed and information on how their chili was going to be judged. The competitors had to purchase all their ingredients from a store (i.e. No Roadkill), prepare enough to be judged (min of 2 quarts), bring the chili pre-cooked, and provide their own serving utensils. The judging started promptly at 11 am and it took the 5 judges (Mike O’Keeffe, Jim Barcel, Priscilla Strickland, Kathy Knowles and Lynn Juengel) over an hour to pick a winner. The chili was provided to the judges anonymously, and identified only by a number. Not only did the competitors have to follow rules and regulations, Dave and his team even developed official guidelines for the judges, such as, once the judges had finished tasting a chili they were not allowed to re-taste it. Judges were required to use new spoons on each chili and were forbidden to talk to each other until the judging was complete. Each judge was provided a rating form on which they rated all 22 chili’s on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best) in 4 main categories; color, consistency, aroma, and spice and flavor.

After the judging was completed (but, wisely before the winner was announced), the rest of the team members were invited in for a chili lunch on a chilly day. The team went all out and a number of people volunteered to bring in chips, pasta, cornbread, hot dogs and a variety of desserts, making it more like a full-blown buffet. Everyone was given a half hour to eat and try all the different chili’s before the winner was announced, and each contestant was quick to point out their chili, and to recommend theirs.

Although the competition was close, three contestants rose above the rest. 3^rd place went to Dan Day, 2^nd place went to Russell Otowchits, and the 1^st place winner was Paul Baran. Each winner received a framed chili-winner award and a chili-winner ribbon. First place winner Paul got the inspiration for creating his winning chili from his son, who cooks his chili by adding things bit by bit and letting each item cook for a while instead of throwing everything into the pot at once and walking away. Paul used his son’s method and took away the blue. Dave and his team put a great deal of time into providing a wonderful cook-off experience, and hope to continue this competition and turn it into a tradition.