Dowling Flight Team Wins SAFECON Competition

Dowling Flight Team to Compete in Nationals

November 15, 2002

The Dowling College Precision Flight Team placed first at the 2002 Region VII National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s (NIFA) SAFECON Competition, held recently at Dowling’s Brookhaven Center, adjacent to Brookhaven Airport in Shirley, NY.

Thirty-five aviation students representing four colleges -- Dowling College, Mercer County Community College, Rensselaer Polytechnic and Schenectady County Community College --competed in the event. “This competition provides a superb test of students’ skills in areas ranging from navigation and power-off landings to computer accuracy and simulations,” explained Martin Holley, Dean of the Dowling College School of Aviation.

The victorious Dowling squad was led by Jessica Richer of East Northport, who placed first in four events: Computer Accuracy, Ground Trainer, Navigation Flight and Power Off Landing. Jessica earned second place in Aircraft Preflight Inspection and Simulated Navigation, and third in the Short Field Landing event.

Charles Brabant of Bay Shore won the Aircraft Preflight Inspection event, was runner-up in the Ground Trainer event, took third in the Computer Accuracy, Message Drop and Power Off Landing events, notched a fourth place finish in the Navigation Flight event, and fifth place in the Simulated Navigation event.

Each team flew its own aircraft and all competitors utilized Dowling’s new FRASCA Flight Training Devices for the flight simulator events. The Dowling squad will head to the University of North Dakota to compete in the national SAFECON 2003 competition from May 14-21, 2003.

¾ December 11, 2002 ¾ John A. Lessard has joined the Developmental Disabilities Institute as associate executive director according to an announcement by Peter Pierri, executive director of the Smithtown, NY-based service agency.

Mr. Lessard will be responsible for overseeing most program operations at DDI. Prior to joining DDI, Mr. Lessard spent 25 years at St. Charles Hospital and Rehabilitation Center where he most recently served as vice president of operations.

“John brings extensive management expertise in offering services to people with a broad range of disabilities,” said Mr. Pierri. “His previous experience providing early intervention, preschool and related clinical services to children with disabilities, is going to be an immeasurable resource at DDI.”

Mr. Lessard started his career at St. Charles as a pharmacist and held several executive level positions there. A past president of the Port Jefferson Rotary Club, he is a New York State licensed pharmacist and has served on the board of directors of Catholic Health Services of Long Island Home Support Services, Island Nursing and Rehab Center and Three Village Meals on Wheels. Mr. Lessard received his B.S. in Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island and his Master of Business Administration at Dowling College in Oakdale, NY.

DDI, a multi-site facility with regional responsibilities, serves as both the Long Island designee of the New York Autism Network (NYAN) and the Long Island Crisis Response Team of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD). For more information, please visit us at: www.ddiinfo.org