Astronaut visits Boundary County airport

Dr. Jay Apt, former astronaut and current professor and co-director of Carnegie-Mellon University’s Electricity Industry Center, visited Northern Air at the Boundary County Airport for flight training.

Apt is a pilot with more than 5,000 hours of flying time and well versed in aviation safety. He is a proponent of increased safety measures by having pilots develop their aeronautical skills and judgment by regularly taking recurrent aviation instruction.

During a vacation to the western United States, Apt visited Northern Air to receive the recurrent flight instruction; this included FAA flight review and instrument proficiency check.

According to Apt, pilots require completing a flight review every two years. Still, accident statistics show that pilots who take a flight review at least annually have a better safety record than those who meet the FAA minimum requirement.

Apt completed years of rigorous training for the four space shuttle missions, two spacewalks and time on the Russian Mir space station.

“I enjoyed the atmosphere at Northern Air and that the training was excellent. Apt said. “I want to keep my skills sharp and flying with a Northern Air flight instructor is a great way to do it,”

Northern Air offers primary, advanced and recurrent flight training on the Boundary County Airport and aircraft charter services and scenic flights.