IN THE NEWS

Over the years, I’ve heard many stories about middle-aged pilots (45-65 years) who gave up flying due to a sudden onset of anxiety. Apparently this wasn’t induced by any specific aviation trauma nor inspired by the relatively small and perfectly normal decline of reflexes and mental agility experienced by most middle aged pilots.

Pop psychologist Leo Buscaglia once said, “When you learn something new, you become something new.” This is a vivid description of the benefits of learning to fly.

Fredericksburg Standard - December 24, 2025 Above, Kara Prior, left, and her mother, Rhonda Nelson, both of Fredericksburg, helped Kepton, age 6, and Kelton, 3, have a visit with Santa Claus on Saturday for Crosswind Aviation’s annual Santa Fly-In at the Gillespie County Airport. — Standard-Radio Post/Ken Esten Cooke At left, the Maines family, who traveled from Austin to see Santa at the airport, are Jeremy, Poppy, age 4, Zoe, 6, and Katie, who wait their turn in line to see

Fredericksburg Standard - September 24, 2025 Rick Brodbeck (left), great-great-grandson of Jacob Brodbeck, stands in front of a 1931 Brunner Winkle Bird piloted by Hayden Newhouse (not pictured) after taking a flight on the very rare vintage aircraft at the Gillespie County Airport Saturday morning on Jacob Brodbeck Day. Brodbeck family members on site included, from left, Rick Brodbeck, Anna Lake (fourth generation), Blake Brodbeck (third generation), Todd Brodbeck (second

Fredericksburg Standard - December 24, 2024 Santa Fly-In December 2024 Santa Claus, aka “The Big Guy,” had a three-plane escort on Saturday at the Gillespie County Airport during Crosswind Aviation’s sixth Santa Fly-In.” Posing with Santa after the 1942 Waco biplane was parked are Santa’s pilot and TacAero flight crew who ushered him in in three other vintage planes. From left are Garrett Drake, Santa’s pilot Juliana Martinez, Josh McGillis, Santa, Oren May and Josh Williams.

Fredericksburg Standard - October 16, 2024 Gillespie County Airport was well-represented at Schreiner University Career Fair in Kerrville on Oct. 3, at the Cailloux Campus Activity Center. Gillespie County Airport was among 26 businesses and organizations invited to participate. Over 500 students attended, looking for career, internship and volunteer opportunities. Tony Lombardi, airport manager; Gwen Fullbrook, owner of Crosswind Aviation, and Kris Finkbeiner, chief pilot in

Fredericksburg Standard - September 25, 2024 Jacob Brodbeck may never get the recognition he deserves for his first flight 44 years before the Wright Brothers and their Kittyhawk plane made international news. But on Saturday, friends and descendants honored Brodbeck, an early German settler to Fredericksburg, for his first flight in a coil-powered “airship” at the Gillespie County Airport. Mayor Jeryl Hoover proclaimed Saturday Jacob Brodbeck Day. Brodbeck was born in German

Fredericksburg Standard - July 17, 2024 A new aviation program is about to take off at Fredericksburg High School this year and interest in the class is rising. “This year, we have 21 in the first class,” said teacher Eric Odom. “We’re starting out with ninth and 10th graders this year. The class will probably grow between nowand when school starts.” Odom, 54, is a former U.S. Marines helicopter pilot and mechanic who served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shie