Past Events
Events List Navigation
September, 2017 Meeting: “Risky Business: F-105s in Thailand”
Col Gordon L. Jenkins, USAF Ret.
“Risky Business: F-105s in Thailand”
Colonel Gordon L. Jenkins shares untold and scary tales of combat in the F-105s. A native of Baton Rouge and an LSU graduate, served as Cadet Wing Commander of the 2000 man Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. A distinguished graduate of AFROTC, he received his aeronautical rating in 1966. He completed advanced Tactical Fighter School, and was stationed in Thailand as an F-105D fighter pilot. He returned from Southeast Asia as one of the most decorated First Lieutenants in the Air Force, having been awarded two Silver Stars, three Distinguished Flying Crosses and 15 Air Medals. He assigned to Laughlin AFB where he logged over 1600 hours as a T-38 instructor pilot. He was named Pilot Instructor of the Year for the Air Training Command in 1969.
In 1973, during his second combat tour, he was stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base flying the F-105G Wild Weasel. He later served as Commander of the 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron flying the F-4G Wild Weasel. He was promoted to Colonel in 1984 and was a Distinguished Graduate of the Air War College Class of 1985. His final assignment was Vice Commander of the Air Force Electronic Warfare Center where he retired on June 1, 1986. He is a member of the Baton Rouge High School Hall of Fame, the Louisiana Veterans Hall of Honor, the LSU Veterans Hall of Honor and the Hall of Honor at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Find out more »August, 2017 Meeting: Aircraft Nose Art
Jerri Bergen
Owner, Victory Girl, the Foremost Source of Original Aviation Nose Art
“Aircraft Nose Art: From Sea Monsters to Sirens and Back Again”
Based at Cable Airport (KCCB), Ms. Bergen and her company Victory Girl have designed and painted hundreds of nose art pieces. Join us as she initiates us in the rich history of this unique art form, including its origins in WWI, the heyday of nose art in WWII, and the modern craftsmen who continue the tradition today.
Find out more »July, 2017 Meeting: “Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations”
Col Blake Lamar
Maintenance Group Commander, 163d Attack Wing, California Air National Guard
“Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations”
Born in Texas, raised in California and enlisted in the California Air National Guard in 1983, Col. Lamar graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in Psychology. He performed several tours of duty, flying combat and combat support missions, in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. In 2006, Lamar was selected as Initial Cadre for the 196th Squadron’s conversion to the MQ-1 Predator, helping pioneer the stand up of the Air National Guard’s first operational Remote Piloted Aircraft Squadron unit, which was recognized as “the most innovative Remote Piloted Aircraft Squadron in the Air Force” by senior Air Force leadership, including in 2013, the first RPA support mission for a California civil disaster by helping firefighters battle the Yosemite Rim Fire.
The 163d Attack Wing is comprised of more than 800 personnel and provides support to more than 200 additional members at geographically separated locations. The wing is the California Air National Guard’s exclusive MQ-9 Reaper operations unit providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, as well as tactical combat support, to commanders and war fighters around the world. Commander of the 163d Maintenance Group, Col. Lamar will discuss the ins and outs of keeping these birds flying including logistical challenges and human factors and share some insightful stories of the more exciting moments of his career.
Find out more »June, 2017 Meeting: “Lost Stories of Old Bold Pilots”
Gene Anderson
“Lost Stories of Old Bold Pilots”
A multi-engine instrument rated pilot and USAF veteran who made bombing charts during Vietnam, Gene currently teaches computer security, crypto, and operating system topics at UC San Diego and University of Maryland. Gene has been connected with Old Bold Pilots of Oceanside for many years. From first person interviews, he will be sharing some of their incredible stories.
Find out more »May, 2017 Meeting: “The Golden Age of Planetary Exploration”
Dr. John Casani
Over 50 years at the forefront of space exploration
“The Golden Age of Planetary Exploration”
We are honored and delighted to welcome Dr. John Casani as our guest speaker. Starting in 1956 as an electronics engineer on some of the nation’s earliest spacecraft, he rose through a series of technical and management positions to Chief Engineer of the Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with broad management oversight for the Laboratory’s technical activities.
During his long and illustrious career, Dr. Casani has served in many capacities on a wide variety of space exploration projects, manned and unmanned. Up until his retirement five years ago, he was routinely awarded the most prestigious honors in his field, including the Air and Space Museum Trophy for Lifetime Achievement in 2009. You won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to hear from the man who has spent his life taking us to the stars!
Find out more »April, 2017 Meeting: “Flying in Alaska, most unlike any other flying in the world”
Dan Gilbertson
Forty years of private pilotage. Soloed in Palm Springs at 16. Owns and operates business specializing in bush planes. Passionate volunteer at Palm Springs Air Museum.
“Flying in Alaska, most unlike any other flying in the world”
Please join us as Old Bold Pilot Dan Gilbertson regales us with tales of Alaska flying adventures — and misadventures. Of particular interest will be the unusual challenges presented by flying without facilities as well as a lack of infrastructure, sprinkled with interesting Alaska aviation history and personal experiences.
Find out more »March, 2017 Meeting: “The ‘Hun’: North American F-100 Super Sabre”
Al Dempsey & Col. Bob Lilac, USAF (Ret.)
Former F-100 drivers (along with many other aircraft), current volunteers at the Palm Springs Air Museum
“The ‘Hun’: North American F-100 Super Sabre”
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971. The first of the Century Series of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of supersonic speed in level flight. This fascinating program will cover the Hun’s early development and its many varied missions from the Cold War, the Thunderbirds, and Vietnam. All told by the pilots that actually flew these missions.
Find out more »February, 2017 Meeting: “Dozing for Dollars or How I Flew to Tokyo and Learned to Love the Bunk”
Gregg Hurt
“ Dozing for Dollars or How I Flew to Tokyo and Learned to Love the Bunk”
Former airline captain Gregg Hurt details his journey from the Cessna 172 to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
La Quinta resident, Gregg Hurt, flew for 42 years as first an Air Force Pilot and subsequently for Continental Airlines. His distinguished background includes flying numerous high ranking military and civilian passengers as part of the Presidential Airlift Wing and becoming one of the longest serving Check Airmen at CAL. As the Senior Check Airman in the Initial Cadre of Boeing 787 Instructors, he had the privilege of introducing the Dreamliner to America’s skies.
Gregg is an active golfer and saltwater fly fisherman and has been a resident here in the a Coachella Valley for a year and a half.
Find out more »January, 2017 Meeting: “A British Teenager’s WWII Experience”
Mick Dawson
“A British Teenager’s WWII Experience”
A Senior Professional and Technical Officer (Electrical and Mechanical) with the British Government for over 40 years, Mick was born and raised in Norfolk, England. In 1943 at age 14, he commenced work as an apprentice Electrician at RAF Wendling for the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force 392d Bombardment Group’s B-24 Liberators for the duration of the War in Europe.
Find out more »December, 2016 Meeting: “Cold War Missile Countermeasures”
Lt. Cmdr. Pat Groves, Ph.D., USNR (Ret.)
Professional Pilot and CFII, former Electronic Systems Developer, and University Professor
“Cold War Missile Countermeasures”
Countermeasures for the SA-2 Missile were developed in the late 1960s. Drawing from personal experiences, Dr. Groves will discuss some of the interesting challenges of protecting aircraft from the Russian SA-2.
Find out more »November, 2016 Meeting: “Flight Range Extension, A Novel Approach”
William R. Page, M.D.
“Flight Range Extension, A Novel Approach”
Dr. Page attended medical school at the University of Miami on a US Navy Scholarship and then completed his internship and residency at the Naval Regional Medical Center in San Diego, California. Dr. Page served 29 years in the United States Navy. He started his private practice in Coachella Valley in 1983.
An avid pilot (ATP-multi engine license), Dr. Page has logged over 4,000 hours. He is also a flight instructor for single and multi-engine airplanes and helicopters. He holds CFII (ASMEL/HELO).
Find out more »