commercial aviation,“ while others use their STOL planes as farmers, ranchers, wildlife conservation, and hunting / fishing. We also have pilots that fly for fun … and even a good handful of retired folks.” |
The best, like Frank Knapp at the Valdez competition, can land an aircraft in just more than 10 feet and take off in less than 15.
According to the National STOL website,“ in just five years,
|
National STOL has become the leading aviation competition series in the nation.”
“ The 2024 Series attracted more than 145 teams and almost 20,000 attendees in person, with more than 760,000 individuals tuning in online to the live broadcasts,” the website states.
For Cardenas, who spent his military career attached to the“ Black Knights,” a U. S. Navy strike fighter squadron, being a pilot has long been a dream. Having worked more recently in real estate development, finding 400 acres with an abandoned airstrip set his imagination aloft.
“ There are a lot of communities like this throughout the country but none with our amenities,” he says proudly of Patriot Airpark.“ We are building our park up for sports competitions, like the STOL competition, which bring in thousands of people. But we’ re also going to host fishing tournaments, soccer tournaments, and all kinds of outdoor activities that are the heart of adventure tourism.”
Cardenas also has plenty of business plans that include aircraft manufacturing, but right now, his
|
focus is on the upcoming STOL competition. He wants to make it fun not just for the pilots who fly in but for all of the vendors who support outdoor adventuring, whether they might sell coolers or vehicles or clothing or other accoutrements. And he wants families from the River Valley and eastern Oklahoma to come and enjoy music and food and an exciting Saturday air show.
“ It’ s going to be a big, beautiful event where kids can meet the pilots and learn about career opportunities besides just having fun,” he says.“ That’ s one of my favorite things— to see kids connect with professionals and open up their options for the future.”
Oh, and Cardenas has stuck to his dream, too. He is getting his pilot’ s license.
“ This area is definitely seeing a huge boom in aviation,” he says,“ and we’ re going to be right in the middle of it.”
Becca Martin-Brown is a freelance writer, retired from 35 years with the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email her at becca. writes. nwa @ gmail. com.
|