2015 Central Ohio Aviation Holiday Dinner

Villa Milano Banquet & Conference Center - Tuesday, December 1st.

About the Holiday Dinner.

There's something about this time of year that draws people together to share in the festivities of the Holiday season. This event allows friends, spouses, friends and families to enjoy good food, a light non-technical aviation presentation and a night of fun and prizes. Regardless of where you're from or what your beliefs, we share the bonds of peace and joy the Holidays bring.

This will be the fifth year that we've held the event at Villa Milano and there's plenty of room for all who wish to attend at this venue. The decorations that greet you at the entrance of the restaurant are sure to get you in the spirit of this marvelous time of tinsel, trees, lights and music.

The full report on this year's Holiday Dinner will be updated soon. Please check back for the details!

We hope all who attended, enjoyed the 2015 Holiday Dinner!

Thank you for for your continued support of the Holiday Dinner, COPAMA and the Professional Pilots Association. Happy Holidays!!

The Holiday Dinner Sponsors.

These are the Sponsors for this year's Event! Please thank them for their support!

Gold Sponsors

Aircraft Logs, Constant Aviation, GoGo Business Aviation, Nationwide,

 Textron Aviation and West Star Aviation

Silver Sponsors

FlightSafety International, SatCom Direct and Standard Aero

 

Bronze Sponsors

Dallas Airmotive, Jet Aviation, Stevens Aviation,
Tritex Corporation, and Turbine Engine Specialists

 

This year's Presentation.

Guest Speakers - Mr. George O'Donnell, Mr. Thomas Kromer and Mr. Dick Barrett

Topic: "Original Columbus Airport Terminal and Hangar One Project."

Columbus Historical Society "Reaching for the Sky" at COSI Website

The exhibit "Reaching for the Sky: The History of Columbus Aviation" will be on display at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) thru April 2016. The above members of the Columbus Historical Society will be part of the presentation to help show the Terminal and Hangar One's part in our great Columbus aviation history.

COPAMA President Joe Lippert welcomes everyone and announces 2016 COPAMA Board and Officers. He later acknowledged and gave gifts of appreciation to our long time volunteers, Shirley and Ralph Graves. Joe passed on a check for $1000.00 to the gentlemen from CHS for the Terminal Fund and announced the proceeds from the evening's raffles would go to the Sam Dodge Memorial Fund, an endowment Scholarship at Columbus State Community College.

Joe introduces the night's first Columbus Historical Society presenter, Mr. George O'Donnel who spoke of Charles Lindbergh and his early visits to Columbus in search of landing sites for the first coast to coast airline, Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT). Founded in 1928 by Clement Melville Keys, Port Columbus was built next to the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks just south of 5th Avenue near Hamilton Road on the east side of Columbus. Mr. Thomas Kromer, along with Mr. O'Donnel spoke of the Columbus Airport Terminal Stabilization Fund, the past work and current condition of the Original Terminal and Hangar One and the efforts to find funding and occupants to restore both structures to their 1928 appearance.

Mr. Richard 'Dick' Barrett, author of the book "Aviation in Columbus" then spoke of the rich aviation history of Columbus starting as the world's first air-cargo destination flight in 1910, 13 years before the first Columbus airport, Norton Field was built. Two more airports, Columbus Airport, renamed Sullivant Avenue Airport in 1937, and Clickenger Airport which became South Columbus Airport near Lockbourne and Williams Road both preceded the construction of Port Columbus in 1928. His presentation went on to discuss historical facts and information about TAT and it's operations that later became Trans World Airways - TWA.

We wish to thank Mr. George O'Donnel, President Joe Lippert, Mr. Dick Barrett and Mr. Thomas Krommer for their contributions to the evenings events and entertainment. A big "Thank You" to the Staff at Villa Milano, our volunteers, Sponsors, Raffle Prize contributors which includes Center of Science and Industry (COSI) and everyone who attended the 2015 Holiday Dinner!

The Holiday Dinner featured good food, friends, family, raffle prizes and fun in a festive setting.

Thanks for attending the Holiday Dinner and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Joe Lippert - Holiday Dinner Chairperson
7735 Thorncroft Ct., Columbus, Ohio 43235
For Info call 614/397-1587

COPAMA and Professional Pilots Association are both 501(C)(3) Non-Profit Organizations