Twin Commander University
Convenes In April 2011
From Oklahoma City to Oshkosh, from Aspen to Scottsdale, the Twin Commander University has visited a diverse variety of venues over its 21-year history, and the upcoming 2011 conference will add to that rich history. The Tenth Twin Commander University will take place April 28-30 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs on Southwest Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast.
Bonita Springs is situated midway between Marco Island and Naples to the south, and Sanibel-Captiva islands and the Ft. Myers-area to the north. The 26-acre Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort lies at the foot of the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, a tranquil, environmentally protected mangrove-fringed estuary that functions as an incubator for fish and shellfish that populate the Gulf of Mexico. The resort’s private, barrier-island Gulf beach is a short and enjoyable boat ride across the estuary.
The theme of the upcoming University is “Above All,” a reference both to the pre-eminent status of Twin Commanders compared to other aircraft in its class, and also to the importance attached to the University by all who have attended in its 21-year history.
The 2011 University “will follow the tradition that was established at the outset—to enhance the ownership experience by bringing owners and operators together with representatives from authorized service centers, Twin Commander Aircraft, and FlightSafety International and our other partner product and service providers,” said Twin Commander Aircraft President Matt Isley. “We’ll be talking about best practices in terms of flying Commanders, maintaining them, and upgrading them.”
The University weekend formally begins Thursday, April 28 with two events. Erik Eliel of Radar Training International will present his highly regarded airborne weather radar seminar. This will be the third University appearance for Eliel, whose comprehensive program covers the tactics, techniques, and limitations of using airborne weather radar. Eliel has expanded the program to cover such critical topics as human factors and properly integrating Nexrad weather technology into your overall weather avoidance strategy.
(See sidebar for details on seminar topics for Friday and Saturday sessions.)
The traditional University golf outing also takes place on Thursday, at the Raptor Bay Golf Club adjacent to the Hyatt resort. The Raymond Floyd-designed 18-hole course was the first in the world to receive Audubon International’s Gold Signature Sanctuary Certification.
Each hole was carefully crafted to blend with the environment, leaving a beautiful course with natural surroundings and an abundance of wildlife including the American Bald Eagle, Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets and even the shy Whooping Crane. The tournament-quality course features wide fairways with one height of cut throughout and five sets of tees to give players of every skill level a memorable outing.
The University Welcome Reception will be held Thursday evening on the deck flanking the resort’s 2,700-square-foot waterfall pool under soft, late-spring skies.
A special evening is planned for Friday—a visit to the Ngala Private Reserve in Naples. Ngala, Swahili for “Place of the Lion,” promises a memorable dinner experience under grand safari tents filled with authentic African safari artifacts, and strolling among tropical gardens populated by magnificent, rare, and exotic creatures including giraffe, camel, zebra, leopard, chimpanzee, alligators, and a rare Florida Panther.
“The University has been to lots of interesting places over the years,” commented Isley, “but the combination of the Southwest Florida location, the Hyatt Regency venue, and the exotic Ngala dinner experience promises to make the upcoming tenth University the best yet.”
IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY INFORMATION
UNIVERSITY SEMINARS
The University seminar sessions begin with Thursday’s airborne weather radar class (see main story), and continue into Friday and most of Saturday, April 29-30. Friday will begin with a presentation on the latest engineering initiatives underway at Twin Commander Aircraft. A number of projects are in development that will enhance Twin Commander’s competitive standing with regards to performance, reliability, and technology.Here’s a sampling of other seminar topics planned for the University:
- FlightSafety International instructors will discuss techniques for flying WAAS GPS approaches.
- FSI also will repeat the successful right-seater safety course it debuted at the 2009 University for Commander spouses and partners who sit up front with their pilots and want to know more about the basics of flying the aircraft and talking to air traffic control.
- Dr. David Strahle will present his insightful program on flying with Nexrad data-link weather in the cockpit.
- Lou Meiners returns to the University to review the latest twists and turns in tax rules and interpretations affecting aircraft owners and operators.
- Helmuth Eggeling will delve into the intricacies of the TPE331 engine from the pilot’s perspective. Eggeling said he will focus on two little-understood engine operational issues—use of Beta verses prop governor modes, and propeller shaft decoupling. He also plans to have an extensive Q&A session with Commander operators in attendance.
- A panel of representatives from authorized Twin Commander service centers will discuss the state of the aviation market.
- For the adventure traveler, Thierry Pouille of Air Journey will talk about flying to exotic destinations in a Twin Commander.
The University will be upon us before you know it, so now’s the time to register, both for the University and for your accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa.To register for the University, go to www.twincommander.com and click on the University Registration link. You’ll also find a link to the Hyatt Regency, where you can book your accommodations. The resort reservations site should give you the discounted Twin Commander University rate.
You also can call Hyatt reservations at 888-421-1442, or the resort directly at 239-444-1234, or go to https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_gi_new&groupID=2660049 for online booking. Be sure to mention that you will be attending the Twin Commander University to get the special University rate.
Flying your Twin Commander to the 2011 University? Flight plan KAPF, Naples Municipal Airport, for the destination, and plan on parking at Naples Jet Center, an authorized Twin Commander service center and the host service center for the University.You’ll be warmly greeted, and transportation will be provided to the University hotel, the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa. Or, if you prefer, rental cars will be available. Also, Naples Jet Center has arranged for Commander owners attending the University to receive a discount on fuel from the airport.
For more information contact Naples Jet Center at 239-649-7900 or visit their website at www.naplesjetcenter.com.
TWIN COMMANDER UNIVERSITY HISTORY
a story titled “TCAC University’s Successful First Year” that reported on the first official Twin Commander University, held earlier that spring. Actually, it was the seventh time that Twin Commander owners and operators had gathered for a symposium, but the first one to be called the University.
“Our purpose was to give owners good, solid information about the aircraft—flying it as well as maintaining it,” Matheson explained.
“We later coined the term ‘Twin Commander University’ to better reflect the educational nature of the event,” Matheson added. “We wanted to make sure people understood that it is an informationoriented event rather than an opportunity to hard-sell owners.”
The continuing education approach of the University began to gain widespread acceptance when FlightSafety International began conducting seminar sessions on pilot operational issues, and Honeywell’s Helmuth Eggeling launched his comprehensive TPE331 Pilot Tips program. The seminars expanded in number and scope, and the biennial University “became a great success,” said Matheson, who retired in 2009.
The 2009 University, which was held in Scottsdale, was the first for Matt Isley, who had been named President of Twin Commander Aircraft LLC earlier that year. “I was impressed both with the commitment the company had made from the beginning to organize and host the University,” he noted, “and also with the commitment of Commander owners and operators to learn more about their aircraft. In the two decades since the first University was held in Oklahoma City, that commitment has not wavered.”
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