What a fantastic turnout at this year’s Fall Membership Picnic — it was wonderful to see so many of our members, families, and friends come together to celebrate our shared love of flying and the incredible community we’ve built. This year’s picnic was extra special as we introduced a brand-new tradition : the Spirit of Texins Award , honoring members who go above and beyond in service to the Texins Flying Club. We’re proud to recognize our inaugural recipients : Gary Cooper – for his tireless behind-the-scenes work, leadership in public benefit flying, and constant commitment to making the club better for everyone. Bill Moore – the heart of Texins, whose dedication keeps our fleet safe and our members supported every single day. Each honoree received the Texins Flying Club Challenge Coin , a symbol of the values that make this club so special: community, safety, service, and passion for aviation . A huge thank you to Gary and Bill for everything you do and to everyone who came out to make this year’s picnic one to remember. Check out some of the highlights below and help us congratulate our Spirit of Texins Award winners when you see them! Thanks also to Barb McLeod for cooking the food for us. The weather was threatening but, other than a brief, shower we were able to enjoy a great day at the airport.

Sunrise Departure On a sunny Saturday morning, the Texins Flying Club took off from McKinney (KTKI) to Thaden Field (KVBT) in Bentonville, Arkansas, for our Annual Flyout. Twenty-two members and eight planes were all set for a day of fun, flying and friendship.

So often in general aviation we hear stories about how sound aeronautical decision making (ADM) "could have" prevented this or that. I wonder how often we get to hear how good ADM actually did work to keep folks safe and break the accident chain. On a recent club activity, we had a great example of how this club promotes aviation safety and how being in the club makes flying more enjoyable.