News & Events

/KBFS Crestview Flies Relief Missions for Hurricane Michael

Chris Polvi assists in handing out water

15-17 October, Panama City, FL: The KBFS Crestview Operation Airdrop team flew relief missions with our C208, delivering approximately 1500 lbs of supplies per trip in support of relief to the Panama City, FL area damaged by the hurricane.  Per S3 Site Manager, Marcel Benoit, “ There are a whole lot of people in dire straits down there so we are doing a really good thing helping out in this effort. This hits really close to home for us here in Crestview, literally and figuratively. Some of the folks that we work closely with and perform international training for are in danger of losing their homes due to severe damage. At the end of the day, it’s the very least we can do – i.e. help out in the community; doing so is in keeping with the corporate values and principles of S3.”

We send our thanks to the Crestview Team who supported these missions and ask that God be with those affected by this hurricane and support all those helping to ease their pain.

Chris Polvi, Jessica Mates, Tom Burman

S3 CEO, Jan Smith Receives Recognition from the Army National Museum

Bob Johnson, SVP for ; LTG (R) Roger Schultz, President Army Historical Foundation; Jan Smith, CEO & President of ; and GEN (R) Gordon Sullivan Chairman of the Board of Directors Army Historical Foundation

October 2018, Washington DC: Jan Smith, CEO for S3, was presented a recognition plaque for her generous contribution to the Army National Museum.  The plaque is made from stainless steel and granite stone used in the construction of the museum.  The background is a mini replica of the donor wall that will be prominently displayed in the museum when it is completed.  Shown in the photo is Bob Johnson, SVP for S3; LTG (R) Roger Schultz, President Army Historical Foundation; Jan Smith, CEO & President of S3; and GEN (R) Gordon Sullivan Chairman of the Board of Directors Army Historical Foundation.

Upon its completion, the National Museum of the United States Army will stand as the crowning achievement of a historical preservation effort. The National Museum of the United States Army will celebrate over 240 years of Army history and honor our Soldiers-past, present, and future.

S3 AWARDEE SELECTED FOR AAAA MATCHING SCHOLARSHIP

16 August 2018—Congratulations to Miss Courtney Bratt! She has been selected as this years’ recipient of s Corporate Matching AAAA Scholarship. This is a 1 year scholarship providing $2,000. Miss Bratt is the daughter of LTC Richard Bratt, Madison, AL (Brigham Young University).

The 2018 AAAA Scholarship Selection Committee along with volunteers from the AAAA National Executive Board, the AAAASFI Board of Governors and Chapter Officers performed an outstanding job of evaluating and nominating over 500 applicants in this 2018 competition. There were 310 awards made for a total of $503,500.00. is proud to support this program.
S3 is a long serving and active participant of the AAAA Scholarship Program. supports AAAA scholarship activities at the annual AAAA National gatherings and participating in the scholarship selection process. employees donate their personal time, and corporate donates resources to further AAAA scholarship awards.

The AAAA Scholarship Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation established to render financial assistance for the college-level education of members of the Army Aviation Association of America, Inc. (AAAA). The spouses, unmarried siblings, children and grandchildren of current and deceased AAAA members are also eligible. 100% of every dollar donated to the Scholarship Foundation goes to a scholarship or endowed principal based on the AAAA paying all overhead expenses for the Scholarship Foundation.

Visit http://www.quad-a.org for more details about the scholarship.

Once again, congratulations to Miss Bratt and good luck as she pursues her undergraduate degree.

S3 is Proud to be the Presenting Sponsor for the WWAST

SVP TSS Bob Johnson throws the first pitch to WWAST Saul Monroy

September 8, 2018, Madison, AL. The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST) schedule brought the team to Madison, AL for a three game series. As Presenting Sponsor for the event, S3 had the honor of throwing out the first pitch during the kick-off the game against Redstone Arsenal. S3’s Senior Vice President of Training and Systems Support (TSS), Bob Johnson threw the game ball across the plate to WWAST player Saul Monroy.  The series also paired WWAST against Madison City and Madison Academy (coaches and parents).

’s Jameson Salmon and Boston Claborn receive appreciation coins from AUSA’s Young Professionals Organization.

S3’s Jameson Salmon and Boston Claborn assisted the AUSA Young Professional Board with various coordination activities leading up to game day.  Both Jameson and Boston are credited with recruiting five sponsors, helping with lodging, providing social event planning, and assisting with the welcome reception for the WWAST team.

WWAST is a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to inspire and educate others, while enhancing the health and welfare of Wounded Warrior Amputees. The team is comprised of young, competitive, athletic veterans and active duty soldiers who have lost limbs.

S3 Earns Accreditation to AS9100 Rev. D, ISO 9001:2015

S3 successfully passed its re-certification quality surveillance audits and moved from AS9100 Rev C to AS9100 Rev D with ISO 9001:2015.  This updated accreditation helps S3 to provide more value and understanding to support our customers while managing risks along with Quality Management System (QMS) requirements. NSF International now lists S3 under certified products and services. This certification accomplishment positions S3 among the best in the industry for fulfilling ISO/AS requirements.

AS9100 Aerospace Management Systems is a widely adopted and standardized Quality Management System for the aerospace industry. The Society of Automotive Engineers in the Americas and the European Association of Aerospace Industries in Europe introduced it in October 1999. The International Aerospace Quality Group developed the AS9100 document.  AS9100 encompasses ISO 9000, with additional requirements for quality and safety relevant to aerospace, and defines the QMS standard for the industry. All major aerospace Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers worldwide endorse or require certification to AS9100 as a condition of doing business with them.

/Kachemak Bay Flying Service (KBFS) Emphasizes Quality Aviation Maintenance

KBFS, wholly owned Subsidiary of S3, is increasingly focused on improving the quality of products and services it delivers at Draughon-Miller Airport in Temple, TX.  As part of its Part 145 Repair Station operations, KBFS offers insured and certificated products and services that separate the subsidiary from many of its less experienced competitors in the Central Texas area. During 2018, the twentieth year that the repair station purchased by KBFS in 2013 has operated at the Temple airport, S3 is making additional resources available to expand KBFS’ offerings and renew our focus on general aviation customer satisfaction. The article below highlights the importance KBFS assigns to safety, insured professional services, and its many customers.

KBFS employee Hector Rubio performs maintenance on C-172

Unless we are really fortunate and just have money to burn, most of us shop for the best value when we are looking for goods and services – for our home, our car, or even our airplane. Unfortunately, the least expensive option is not always the best value or even a safe deal.  As aircraft owners, we may be easily tempted by independent A&P Mechanics who will complete our annual inspections and unscheduled maintenance for what seems like a bargain.  The danger in this temptation is that even though the A&P might be a good mechanic, we need to know if he has the proper information, relevant training and experience, financial stability and frequently FAA audited oversight that provides regulated assurances and safety for the repair work.

Several items need to be considered when we are selecting someone or some facility to perform maintenance on our aircraft.

  1. First, we need to ask if the mechanic has access to the appropriate manufacturer maintenance manuals necessary to conduct the requested work. For our aircraft to be airworthy, the FAA requires that all maintenance inspections and repairs be accomplished in accordance with the aircraft manufacturers’ published maintenance procedures. And believe it or not, these procedures can change often in response to modernization and safety issues.  If the mechanic doesn’t have a subscription to the manuals and periodic updates for the aircraft, then how can we know for certain that the maintenance was completed properly and if the aircraft is safe?
  1. Second, we also might want to ask about our mechanic’s training and experience level as well as the service credentials of the business? What type of aircraft maintenance experience do they have?  Many aircraft mechanics entering today’s civil aviation work force are trained in the military, which in itself is a very good thing.  However, many of these mechanics have only worked military aircraft with turbine engines, and if they are prior Army, they will have worked predominantly rotary wing aircraft.  They will have very little if any experience maintaining light piston powered aircraft operated by most general aviation owners.  We should also look at the credentials of the maintenance facility that employs these aircraft mechanics. Does the shop have years of experience in repairing general aviation aircraft and is it an FAA certificated operation that is subject to frequent FAA inspections and written procedural requirements?
  1. Third, besides checking out the maintenance shop for experience and certifications, most of us want to take our aircraft to a substantial business that has low debt, is financially stable, and can guarantees its work – i.e., make things right if we are not satisfied with the quality of work. If we have a mechanic or startup maintenance operation doing our inspections and repairs, does the selected business have the financial stability and insurance to back their work if something goes wrong?  A reputable aircraft maintenance facility, especially one that is Part 145 certified by the FAA, will have many years of experience conducting maintenance under FAA oversight, which verifies both the company’s stability in the general aviation market and its success in delivering quality maintenance.  Certified maintenance facilities will also maintain the proper insurance coverage to protect its facility, business operations, and aircraft in its possession for inspections and repairs.  More importantly, the coverage also includes product liability insurance to protect the business’ customers in the rare instance that something goes wrong with the maintenance.

Kachemak Bay Flying Service (KBFS) is an FAA approved 14 CFR Part 145 Repair Station that exceeds all of these requirements.  We maintain a subscription for all maintenance manuals for aircraft we maintain and always conduct maintenance in accordance with manufacturer procedures and FAA rules.  When we add a new aircraft to our list of provided services, we send our maintenance staff to the manufacturer’s school and update our maintenance manual subscription to include the new model.  KBFS has been conducting maintenance activity in the same facility as Summit Aviation and KBFS for over 15 years.  We are not a startup organization.  We are the wholly owned subsidiary of System Studies and Simulation (S3), an aviation support company that has been around for more than 27 years and provides service solutions to government and commercial customers at more than 40 sites world-wide.  Our Director of Maintenance has over 40 years of experience in aircraft maintenance with over 20 years maintaining light piston powered airplanes and helicopters.  All of our mechanics and avionics personnel have service experience on rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft.  We maintain insurance with limits well in excess of the minimum required to protect Temple Airport facilities and include product liability insurance above broker recommended coverage.

KBFS owns its own aircraft and several S3 employees own general aviation airplanes. Because of our long history of flying and fixing aircraft, we take this business seriously and want the very best for our customers.  Our Part 145 maintenance at Temple Airport is not a hobby – we enjoy providing quality service to our neighbors.  If you are not using KBFS as your maintenance provider, we hope you will give us a try.  And if you already come to us for service, please tell how we can improve our services and provide you the best quality possible. Please contact us at 254-773-9902 or 254-771-0077 to schedule your maintenance needs.

S3 Pays Tribute to Flag Day and the Army’s Birthday

S3 paid tribute to Flag Day at their headquarters office 14 June. Flag Day is an important remembrance and celebration of “Old Glory” a critical symbol reflecting our Founding Fathers’ beliefs, values, and sovereignty of the new Nation.

TSS SVP Bob Johnson presenting slides about Flag Day and the Army’s Birthday

Flag Day is not an official federal holiday; however, it is at the president’s discretion to officially proclaim the observance.  Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.
The Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson officially established Flag Day on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson’s proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

On June 14, 1775, two years prior to the Flag Resolution, Congress adopted “the American continental army”. So the United States Army also celebrates their birthdays on this date.  Happy 243rd birthday to the Army!

 

S3 Donated to the AAAA Scholarship Foundation

L-R: BG Thomas J. Kontizer, Ret, President, AAAA Scholarship Foundation; Bob Johnson, SVP TSS; COL Michelle F. Yarborough, Ret, Committe Chair-AAAA Fund Rasing Committee

S3 donated $5,000 to the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) during the 2018 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit Scholarship luncheon.  The AAAA Scholarship Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation established to render financial assistance for the college-level education of members of AAAA. The spouses, unmarried siblings, children and grandchildren of current and deceased AAAA members are also eligible. 100% of every dollar donated to the Scholarship Foundation goes to a scholarship or endowed principal. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided over $7M to more than 4,000 qualified applicants. The national scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and personal achievement. S3 has been a longtime loyal supporter of the foundation.

S3 Continues Payments of Pledge Support for the National Museum of the US Army

S3 delivered the second $50,000 pledge payment this month to the Army Historical Foundation In Arlington, VA. This article presents the latest construction update from the National Museum of the U.S. Army. The Foundation is still on track to turn the museum over to the Army in April 2019. S3 is proud to be a major contributor to this national treasure.

NMUSA Construction Update 4_18EM

S3 Participates in AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exposition

S3 Booth at AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exposition

S3 proudly participated in the 2018 Association of the United States (AUSA) Global Force Symposium and Exposition at the Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama from 26-28 March 2018.  The three-day event featured presentations from Army leadership including keynote remarks from the Secretary of the Army, the Undersecretary of the Army, and the Vice Chief of Staff. Other senior Army leaders such as the commanders of Forces Command, Training and Doctrine Command and Army Materiel Command also participated.

S3 manned a booth in the exposition hall to promote our corporate business interests as they pertain to the US Army.  Special thanks to the folks who helped man the booth and respond to current and future customers and corporate teammates: Lisa Johnson, Will Stewart, Kevin Irvine, Dennis Vaughn, John Briggs, Mark Hannah, and Dan Coulter.   S3 also participated in the ‘Warriors To The Workforce’ presented in association with Still Serving Veterans on Tuesday, March 27.

This one-of-a-kind event was part of the American Freedom Foundation’s nationwide initiative to help Veterans find jobs. The event brought together major companies from throughout the country to profile their services and provide employment opportunities for our Veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses. Our booth was manned by Joanna Hillis and Bill Rogers.  Last but not least, S3 was a Silver Sponsor for the ‘Rocket City Bash’ where over 800 participants celebrated under the Saturn V at the US Space and Rocket Center’s Davidson Center on the evening of March 27th.

 

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Last Updated 08/23/2023