New This Week

AVweb's search of aviation news around the world found a new aviation conference for the younger crowd, an executive director announced for LightHawk, a high-profile partner announced for the Purdue Research Park, and the latest recipients of the AOPA Foundation's GA grants. The first MODAERO Fly-In & Conference is specifically scheduled to coincide with collegiate Spring Break, and will be held at Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport (KCXO) March 16-19, 2016. MODAERO is the result of the realization that the next generation of aviators are not looking for their fathers' fly-in. Terri Watson has been named as executive director of LightHawk beginning Sept. 8, 2015. She has a long history with LightHawk beginning as a volunteer pilot in 1997, and later becoming a board member. She served a previous term as executive director from 2000-2003, flight services director from 1999-2000, and Northern Rockies program manager from 1998-1999. Most recently, she was executive director of the Pearl Harbor Institute of Pacific Historic Parks in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rolls-Royce is the first partneron the runway with Purdue Research Foundation in the recently established Purdue Research Park Aerospace District in West Lafayette, officials announced. Pending board approvals, Purdue Research Foundation, which owns and manages the Purdue Research Park network, will construct a 40,000-square-foot facility in the new aerospace district to house the R&D group for Rolls-Royce and for other companies interested in aerospace and aviation development. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Foundation announcedthatBuild A Plane, Hope Flight Foundation and Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth will each receive a $10,000 Giving Back grant. AOPA Foundationcontinues to act on its commitment to support the good work being done through general aviation by awarding grant funding to programs that plan to use general aviation to help critically ill children obtain medical services, prevent youth gang involvement and allow low-income students to attend a weeklong aviation and space camp.