Hurricane Irma could disrupt life on the Gulf Coast whether it hits the region directly or not. Already, the storm led school officials in Manatee and Sarasota counties to cancel school on Friday, and emergency officials in both counties will discuss how many shelters will need to be opened in the region based on the most up-to-date forecast.

Scott Montgomery, Sarasota County emergency management section chief, says if storm paths indicate a likelihood of the storm hitting the county directly, then convenient shelters will be opened for those who cannot stay in their homes. But even if the hurricane hits Florida’s east coast, there will likely be many residents from that area who get displaced to the west coast. “We would prepare our shelters to receive evacuees,” Montgomery says. He notes the state last year ordered Manatee, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties to assist with housing those forced away from their homes by Hurricane Matthew, a hurricane which ended up following a track similar to what many meteorological models predicted for Irma as of late Wednesday.

At Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, those fleeing the weather likely already have been impacting flights. “Flights have been full,” says Rick Piccolo, SRQ airport CEO. Certainly, much of that can be attributed to the high number of passengers who travel to and from the Gulf Coast during this time of year, but airlines have reported an uptick in traffic on top of that. But some flights will cease this weekend. American Airlines announced on Wednesday that it would cancel all operations at airports in Sarasota, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and West Palm Beach through the weekend starting Friday. Piccolo has been working with officials for all airlines with operations at SRQ, and says the airport will be properly prepared fro a direct hit. And if the storm hits elsewhere, the airport will be able to take in other flights that may get redirected because of weather, should the need arise.

An advisory released by the National Hurricane Center at 8pm still included most of Florida in the cone of uncertainty, including the entire Gulf Coast. Storm path models as of late Wednesday predicted the storm would most likely head up Florida’s east coast, but Irma had yet to make any significant northward turn. The National Hurricane Center warning cone shows the storm eye north of Cuba at 2pm Saturday and over Miami at 2pm Sunday. 

Image courtesy National Hurricane Center

Editor’s Note: This is part 36 of an ongoing series documenting the flights of active-duty US Navy Pilot Ryan Rankin on his journey to fly 52 planes in 52 weeks through the year 2017.

Celebrating a reunion of sorts, Rankin takes to the skies in a Super Decathlon—the first plane he flew while working towards his tailwheel endorsement. An evolution of sorts from the Aeronca Champ and Citabria that he flew earlier this year, the Super Decathlon maintains a special place on Rankin’s personal list of favorite aircraft, not only due to nostalgia, but the aircraft’s amazing versatility—and at an affordable price. “Some airplanes are good at doing one or two things,” he says. “[The Super Decathlon] is just good all-around.”

Entering production in 1970, but still being produced today, the Super Decathlon presents a satisfying blend of the old and the new. With a vintage feel in the fabric-covered wings and tailwheel configuration, the cockpit still comes equipped with all the gizmos, doodads and readouts that modern pilots want at their fingertips. At this point, the craft feels much like a Citabria, says Rankin, “but when you start flying, you recognize it’s a very different airplane.”

A multi-faceted machine, the Super Decathlon would be as at home landing in a grassy strip for a weekend camping as it would runway-hopping from coast to coast or spinning and wheeling through the sky. Equipped with inverted fuel and oil tanks, the Super Decathlon also boasts inverted flying capability. Because most aircraft engines are gravity-fed, with fuel in the wings and the engine a bit lower, flying upside down chokes off fuel and oil and becomes impossible. As additional tanks attached lower than the engine, inverted tanks allow for inverted flight, though usually for a rather limited time.

Though aerobatics were out of the question this time (no parachutes), Rankin has had the chance to test out the Super Decathlon’s wild side before, executing loops, spins, barrel rolls, aileron rolls and even half Cuban eights with ease. Built to with stand both positive and negative Gs, the Super Decathlon is also capable of something called an outside aerobatic maneuver, where the pilot loops the plane not by pulling back on the stick, ascending and inverting, but by pushing the stick, diving and inverting underneath the previous position. A bit trickier and stressful, the blood rushes to the pilot’s head instead of their feet. Rankin calls this “uncomfortable.”

And to make the flight even more of a nostalgia trip, Rankin flew up with none other than Jimbo Wilson, the man who first taught Rankin to fly a tailwheel. A former Marine who’s flown everything from Mustangs to Harriers (and ejected twice), “he’s got more stories than you have days in your life.” Great at a barbecue, but merciless in the cockpit, Wilson doesn’t shy away from letting his pilots know when they’re messing up, but that’s what Rankin appreciates. “I think I did OK,” he says with a bit of a laugh. “At least, he didn’t yell at me.”

For more about the flight in Rankin's own words and a video of the flight, follow the link below. 

Pictured: Ryan Rankin and Jimbo Wilson fly the Super Decathlon. Photo courtesy of Ryan Rankin.

Ryan Flies

As Sarasota survives the final hot, humid summer months, nothing is as refreshing as an ice-cold beverage to quench your thirst. Thankfully, we have Bijou Café on our side to concoct some incredibly satisfying cocktails to get us through. Specifically, their Tito Slings the Blues. First, hand-muddled fresh blueberries and lemon are mashed into a glass perfecting equal parts sweet and citrusy. Tito’s vodka is then poured over the fruit and ice, topping the drink off with Goslings ginger beer and a lemon twist. Each flavor different and bold, yet compliments one another for a perfect flavorful sip each time. Take a seat at Bijou and watch summer pass with a Tito Slings the Blues in hand and a friend by your side.

Photo Credit: Wyatt Kostygan

Bijou Cafe is a member of Nosh, the SRQ magazine content marketing program for local restaurants. 

Bijou Cafe, 1287 1st St., Sarasota, 941-366-8111.

Bijou Cafe

Take Stock in Children of Manatee County, a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring and postsecondary scholarships to students grades 6-12 from low-income families, has hired Jamie Serino as its executive director. Serino comes to the organization with over 20 years of executive leadership experience in the nonprofit, government and corporate sectors. Most recently, Serino was president for The Alliance, a consulting firm providing organizational design and management, environmental and sustainability planning, policy, fundraising, marketing and communications leadership to local, state and national organizations.  He holds a MSM/MBA from National Louis University in Chicago, IL and a BS in Marine Biology from Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL. 

Take Stock in Children of Manatee County

Williams Parker has announced Jamie E. Koepsel has joined the firm, where he will focus on corporate and tax law. Koepsel earned an LL.M in taxation and his J.D. from the University of Florida and graduated with a B.B.A in accountancy and a second major in English from the University of Notre Dame. Williams Parker’s corporate clients include both established, substantial enterprises, as well as smaller but fast-growing firms. The firm represents a broad range of clients through the full corporate lifecycle, including acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, liquidations, financings and formations. The Tax practice serves clients in corporate matters, real estate investment, executive compensation and estate planning and administration contexts. 

Williams Parker