CEO Update: Get Ready for a FANTASTIC Gathering in Indian Wells!

by CJP Chief Executive Officer Trent J. Corcia

Here we are… Weeks away from our most exciting CJP Annual Convention! Based on the momentum we are seeing with the membership, partners and events, this will undoubtedly be another special year. In the scenic Palm Springs desert and Coachella Valley, we will be together to experience a relaxing getaway at the newly renovated Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa. If you haven’t already registered, do it now!

We have incredible speakers ready for you including Erik Eliel, Peter Basile, Charlie Precourt, Neil Singer, Colonel Kim Campbell, Dr. Quay Snyder and David Miller. Our keynote speaker, US Air Force Colonel Kim “KC” Campbell will share her stories of leadership throughout her career as well as adversity in bringing a crippled A-10 Warthog back to safety after being engaged in combat in Iraq.

Kim will share military combat stories and fighter pilot lessons learned that will provide the skills you need to prepare for difficulty and debrief for success… to take advantage of competitive strengths, turn failures into success and stay agile and relevant in an ever-competitive environment.

• To watch Col. Campbell’s 2003 interview after successfully recovering her battle-damaged A-10, Click HERE

On the afternoon of Wednesday, October 20th, we will offer golf at the onsite Indian Wells Golf Resort. We have four consecutive tee times starting at 1:00 pm. Be sure that you and your Companion sign up and invite a fellow CJP Member. If you are interested in playing golf with CJP friends, sign up HERE.

Also on Wednesday afternoon, you will want to attend the pilot proficiency course presented by Erik Eliel from Radar Training International. This is a four-hour, comprehensive course designed specifically for CJP members. Erik’s experience runs deeps, and he has presented to flight departments of Fortune 500 companies, aviation associations, a major airline and the military as well as dispatchers and meteorologists of aviation-related companies. There is an additional fee for this course; lunch will be provided.

On Wednesday evening, we will open the CJP Annual Convention at our Welcome Reception on the picturesque lawn at the Renaissance Esmeralda. Come see your friends and make new friends as we celebrate each other and finally reconnect!

On Thursday, we will hear updates from Textron Aviation, Collins, FlightSafety International, Garmin and Tamarack. The Safety Standdown will again be an integral part of the convention with an in-depth review of accidents/incidents and presentations to help enhance your safe operations. This will be led by Charlie Precourt, Neil Singer and David Miller. Once again, Peter Basille will dissect an aircraft accident; this accident review is a “cannot miss” event! Textron Aviation will host the Thursday evening Dinner/Party at the historic Palm Springs Air Museum which will take all of us back in history. Textron has an exciting evening planned at one of the top aviation museums in the world. This will be a fantastic evening!

On Friday morning, we will hear from Dr. Quay Synder who will speak about Medical Issues and Citation Pilots. This will be relevant for all of us to hear! Next, Presage Group will present the “Go Around Decision Making” Study. The CJP Safety & Education Foundation has been instrumental with this safety initiative to address runway excursions. Presage will present the findings of the study; we will introduce new SOPs. You will hear more about our new “Safe to Land” initiative! Friday afternoon will consist of our various breakout sessions. Friday evening will include dinner, live auction, and concert by Eli Young Band. Be sure to review the recent CJP eBlast detailing more about Eli Young Band or check out their website here. This will be an incredibly fun and memorable evening!

Saturday will consist of a panel discussion about FOQA (another safety initiative), the next collection of CJP “What Good Looks Like” Videos, the CJP Annual Meeting, and Neil Singer’s presentation on Winter Ground Operations and Runway Performance. The CJP Board Meeting is late Saturday afternoon where all members have an open invitation to attend.

Companions’ Activities at the Annual Convention

Companions have a fantastic line-up through the Convention! First of all, the Companions Lounge will be a great spot to socialize with other Companions, make day plans, enjoy a drink or relax with friends. The Companions Lounge is courtesy of Textron Aviation.

We will be offering the Companion Ground School which is designed to increase the Companion’s safety and knowledge of their aircraft. The 2-hour ground school is open to everyone at a cost of $150. All avionics are welcome, but the class is optimized for G1000, G3000, Pro Line 21 and Pro Line Fusion.

The Art of Coffee Workshop will be presented by Michael Breach, a world-renowned artist, who will demonstrate his skill of portraiture in this coffee workshop. Try your hand at making coffee art of your own. Michael has made appearances on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Food Network and “Good Morning America,” and has created over 10,000 art pieces at demonstrations across the globe.

Sip and See with Fashion Designer Adam Lippes, who began his fashion career at Ralph Lauren and became one of the youngest creative directors of a luxury fashion house. Grab a glass of rosé or champagne and see his pieces up-close during this dynamic conversation outlining how he built his fashion brand and the creative vision that propels it. Close out with an intimate Q&A before exploring CJP’s own private Adam Lippes pop-up boutique.

Yoga Class with April Jones on the Yoga Lawn at the Renaissance Esmeralda – Experience yoga with your friends and self-proclaimed “movement junkie!” April created the concept and brand of Yoga Centra in Southern California in 2011. Her unique style and brand of yoga is alignment-based yoga that incorporates creative and intelligent sequencing so students are encouraged to challenge themselves in a safe environment.

San Andreas Fault Jeep Tour by Desert Adventures – Extraordinary scenery abounds as your Big Red Jeep winds its way through the labyrinth of geological cuts and canyons of the San Andreas Fault Zone. Along your way, your naturalist guide will describe the plants, animals, geology, and seismology of the San Andreas Fault. Take a walk between the steep walls of canyons created by plate tectonics, water, wind and time, and enjoy spectacular views and unique geologic features as your guide describes the powerful geologic forces and local history that shaped the Coachella Valley. Proper footwear is required (closed-toe hiking or walking shoes with good traction); no sandals or open toe shoes allowed. Companions, please sign up for the tour HERE so that we may provide Textron Aviation with an accurate headcount.

And there will be much, much – SO MUCH more! I look forward to seeing all of you at Indian Wells, where we all will catch up with friends, learn more about safely operating Citations and, above all, CELEBRATE once again coming together as an association.

Member Benefits and Partners

There are numerous CJP member benefits that can be found at ABOUT CJP > MEMBER BENEFITS, or https://www.citationjetpilots.com/about/benefits.

Please visit our valued partners websites and learn more about their offerings. All of the CJP partners are listed here: https://www.citationjetpilots.com/partners.

Since the last “Flight Levels” newsletter, we have four new Patron Partners below.

• New CJP Patron Partner: Affordable Avionics DBA Araina Aviation at Home

• New CJP Patron Partner: Aviation Tax Consultants – Aircraft & Jet Accountants & Tax Advisors

• New CJP Patron Partner: Bell Textron

• New CJP Patron Partner: Victory Flight Training – High Performance Training for Pilots and Business Leaders

Please be sure to review all our new Patron Partners’ products and services – and thank them for being a CJP Partner!