A2 Wednesday, January 15, 2020
HOOD RIVER NEWS | Hood River, Ore.
hoodrivernews.com
GREATER GORGE
Order of Canada honor goes to
Gorge tech pioneer Tad McGeer
Insitu founder
among 120
awardees
By ELAINE BAKKE
White Salmon Enterprise
A Nobel laureate, a former
prime minister, a Hollywood
director and a Gorge resident
and businessman are among
120 people honored in the
New Year’s appointments to
the Order of Canada by Rideau
Hall, the official residence in
Ottawa of the Governor Gener-
al of Canada. Governor Gener-
al Julie Payette announced the
names from across the country
to receive the Order of Canada
on Dec. 27.
The Order of Canada recog-
nizes Canadians for their ded-
ication to serving their com-
munities and country. It was
established in 1967. The Order
of Canada (French: Ordre du
Canada) is the second highest
honor for merit in the system
of orders, decorations, and
medals of Canada.
The highest of the Order’s
three levels is that of “com-
panion.” There can be no more
than 165 living companions at
any time. This year’s compan-
ion list includes James Camer-
on, the Oscar-winning director
of Titanic and Avatar, former
Conservative prime minister
Stephen Harper and physicist
Donna Strickland.
Individuals appointed as
officers of the Order of Cana-
da, the second highest honor,
are recognized for national
service or achievement. And,
those inducted as members are
recognized for “outstanding
contributions at the local or re-
gional level” in a specific field.
Bingen businessman and
Vancouver resident Brian The-
odore (Tad) McGeer is being
made a member of the order
for his contributions to aero-
nautical engineering and for
his innovative designs for un-
manned aerial systems.
“I was in fact asked about
a month ago whether I would
accept the honor, and I would
hardly be so rude as to say no,
but I did suggest that I wasn’t
quite up to the usual standards
as set by members whom I
know or know about — not
least my parents,” McGeer
said of the honor. “They (his
parents) are among the world’s
most-cited neuroscientists,
so pretty obvious choices, as
are other Canadian scientists
whose contributions are sub-
stantial. I on the other hand
have been enjoying myself
in my own little niche, but I
suppose that recognition has
value if the story raises interest
in engineering as a career. The
current Governor General, in-
cidentally, is an engineer and
astronaut.”
While recipients will receive
their honors in Ottawa, Cana-
da, sometime in 2020, McGeer
has yet to be notified of the
Gorge
Commission
meeting set back
to Jan. 21
White Salmon
meeting will
include UGB
discussion
Submitted photo
HOOD RIVER’S Tad McGeer will travel to Ottawa to accept his
honor.
exact date.
“I’m told that formal cere-
monies in Ottawa occur four
times per year, and I suppose
that I’ll be at one of those in
2020. I haven’t been to Ottawa
for more than 20 years! Must
take the opportunity to sell
some Flexrotors,” he said.
Although McGeer is “very
much Canadian,” he is more of
a frequent visitor to Vancouver,
Canada (where he was born),
than a resident. These days, the
Princeton and Stanford grad-
uate primarily lives in Hood
River and works at his com-
pany Aerovel’s headquarters
in Bingen. McGeer founded
Insitu in 1992. After selling it
to Boeing, he then founded
Aerovel, maker of the “flexro-
tor” in 2006.
“Flexrotor is now contend-
ing for U.S. Special Forc-
es’ Medium Endurance Un-
manned Aircraft System pro-
gram (which over the years
has mainly used Scaneagle
and Aerosonde),” he said of
his new unmanned aerial
system.
The Columbia River Gorge
Commission Meeting sched-
uled for Jan. 14, has been can-
celed.
The meeting has been re-
scheduled for Jan. 21, at White
Salmon Fire Hall, 220 NE
Church Ave, White Salmon.
First on the agenda will be
a welcome by Marla Keethler,
Mayor of White Salmon.
The commission will hold a
9:30 a.m. work session on Urban
Area Boundaries, in response
to the Commission from letters
to counties and 13 urban areas.
Based on the responses, the
Commission will discuss the
implications for Gorge 2020
Update or subsequent work,
staffing and budget.
At 10:30 a.m. staff will pres-
ent an updated roadmap for
completing the Gorge2020
Management Plan review and
revision process, also in work
session. The Commission will
discuss each focus topic and
identify issues that have been
adequately addressed, issues
that Commissioners believe have
not but should be addressed, and
issues which the Commission
has provided guidance to staff
but final resolution is pending.
This discussion is also the oppor-
tunity to decide which issues will
be deferred for action after and
outside of the Gorge2020 update.
The intent is that by the end of the
work session, the Commission
and staff will have agreed on all
remaining Gorge management
plan update tasks.
Following a lunch break, at 2
p.m. the Commission will con-
tinue a work session on the 2021-
2023 Biennial Budget. Executive
director Krystyna U. Wolnia-
kowski will discuss the current
2019-2021 budget, and the devel-
opment of the new budget for the
next biennium. The Commission
will provide guidance and feed-
back, and a draft budget request
will be prepared and presented
at the February Commission
meeting based on Commissioner
input. At 2:30 p.m. Wolniakowski
will give her report, including up-
dates on agency staffing, Klicki-
tat County, Zimmerly mine issue
and other matters.
At 2:45 p.m., U.S. Forest Ser-
vice Manager Lynn Burditt will
provide an update on Forest
Service activities in the National
Scenic Area.
Up, up and away with Aerovel and its Flexrotor
After more than a decade of buzz surrounding the business of “drone” aircraft, no corporate buyout in the sector has yet overshadowed the sale
of Insitu to Boeing in 2008.
That deal, for about $400 million, was made less than three years after Insitu accepted its first corporate venture capital. It returned their invest-
ment many times over, according to Insitu Founder Tad McGeer.
“Insitu’s business today continues to be based on Scaneagle, which essentially created and still dominates the military ‘Group 2’ class of small
long-endurance drones. But its market, worth about $1 billion per year worldwide, is beginning to move toward a new entrant offering a quantum
jump in capability: Aerovel and its extraordinary Flexrotor,” he said.
In fact, both Insitu and Aerovel were founded by McGeer, a dominant figure in “Group 2” as designer of Scaneagle, of Aerosonde, its predecessor
and perennial runner-up in the market, and now of Flexrotor.
McGeer said Flexrotor offers a compelling set of improvements, most remarkably by being, in military parlance, exceptionally expeditionary. “It
is small like its predecessors, but it dispenses with their not-so-small “footprint,’ including literally tons of launch, retrieval, and ground-control
impedimenta.”
Its light footprint derives from vertical takeoff and landing like a helicopter, but in cruise it has the wing-borne efficiency of a sailplane. The power
of this combination was demonstrated in 2017 when Flexrotor smashed the endurance record for VTOL aircraft, flying more than 32 hours nonstop,
and at a speed fast enough to cross an ocean.
Yet it has also demonstrated, as long ago as 2013, fully autonomous launch, retrieval, and turnaround from an unmanned rowboat. In early mil-
itary and civil service, ashore and at sea, its ease-of-use and imaging capability have been well beyond anything previously available, according
to McGeer.
— White Salmon Enterprise
Skyline Mammography Spa Jan. 29
Having a mammogram is a
great idea. Turning it into a spa
day makes it even better, state
Skyline Hospital providers in a
press release.
Breast cancer is the most
commonly diagnosed cancer
among women. In an effort to
provide a relaxed atmosphere
for its patients, Skyline Hos-
pital is hosting its quarterly
Mammography Spa Day on
Jan. 29 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Participants can take advan-
tage of complimentary spa ser-
vices and refreshements before
or after their mammography
appointment.
“This is a positive way for
patients to come in and be as
comfortable and calm as possi-
ble when having this life saving
test,” said Michele Sturdavant,
Skyline Hospital’s diagnostic
imaging manager. “We strive
to provide a pleasurable expe-
rience allowing patients to be
Hermiston man
dies in crash
On Jan. 10, at approximate-
ly 6:24 P.M. Oregon State Po-
lice Troopers and emergency
personnel responded to a sin-
gle vehicle crash on Highway
207 near mile post 19B.
Preliminary investigation
revealed that a Freightliner
truck pulling a loaded trailer,
operated by Phillip Shar-
key, 56, of Hermiston, was
northbound when it struck
the guardrail, traveled off the
road, and down an embank-
ment. Sharkey sustained fatal
injuries and was pronounced
deceased.
pampered, while also address-
ing their breast health care. We
also hope this enjoyable day
can help alleviate the anxiety
some associate with this rec-
ommended annual screening.”
For more information or to
make an appointment call 509-
637-2957.
OSP was assisted by Board-
man Fire, Echo Fire, Umatilla
County Fire District No. 1,
Morrow County Sheriff’s De-
partment and ODOT.
Don’t miss
our
Happy
Hour!
5:00 p.m.
to
6:00 p.m.
Stonehedge
Gardens
Gardens
3405 WINE
COUNTRY AVENUE
HOOD
RIVER
HOOD RIVER
541-386-3940
CGCC offers ‘Dog
handling’ class
Do you own a dog that has
the potential to be a show
dog? Take that beautiful pup
to the next level by taking
a dog handling class at Co-
lumbia Gorge Community
Education.
Your four legged friend
will learn about AKC confor-
mation with an emphasis on
proper gaiting and ring pre-
sentation.
Columbia Gorge Commu-
nity College is now offering
the non-credit class “Dog
Handling.” The class meets
every Wednesday from Jan.
22 to Feb. 26 at The Dalles
Readiness Center Drill class-
room from 7-8 p.m. Cost is
just $69.
To register, visit cgcc.edu/
community-ed or call 541-
506-6011.
Got News?
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events) and Gatherings (recur-
ring ones) may be submitted to
twalker@hoodrivernews.com.
Items may be edited for
brevity.
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SUDOKU
This week’s Sudoku is presented by:
BRIEN D . GIBSON
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
1
2
3
6
7
4 5
1
7
3
8
1
6 4
8
6
3
2
4 5
9
3
7
1
5
8
9
6 4
5
2
7
© 200 Hometown Content
Fill in all 81 squares on the puzzle with numbers 1 to 9. You can
use each number 1-9 only once in each nine square section, in each
horizontal line of nine squares, and in each vertical column of nine
squares. The puzzle is completed when you correctly fi ll every square.
BRIEN D . GIBSON
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
T: (541) 226-3503
F: (503) 331-3904
E: briencpa@gorge.net
L: 1814 BELMONT AVE.
HOOD RIVER, OR 97031
1/14/20 9:33 AM