Mission Statement
To promote and protect the interests of Gnoss Field users, tenants and community and to promote education and interest in general aviation, aviation safety and aviation services to the larger Marin community.
Programs
Community
GFCA was formed to create a community at the airport where none had existed. All too often occupants of neighboring hangars didn’t know each other, pilots didn’t know people at the airport businesses, and the airport had the general feel of a ghost town. Aviation safety meetings/discussions on a Saturday morning (with breakfast) drew about 20 people to the airport’s pilots’ lounge in those early days, and gradually the membership grew, programs were added (see below), and today GFCA has over 150 members. Those meetings now attract up to 60 attendees with a hearty airport breakfast and a featured guest speaker each month, and they continue to be the central gathering point of our thriving airport community.
Education
GFCA has awarded over $10,000 in scholarships to local students to further their aviation education, and has sponsored summer interns who were employed in aviation businesses while receiving flight instruction toward a private pilot certificate.
GFCA also worked closely with San Marin high school’s senior engineering students to build an RV-12 kitplane as an enhancement of their STEM program. We are actively looking for other ways to involve students in aviation activities, both for career development and general and technical knowledge.
Outreach
GFCA is committed to bringing Marin citizens out to their airport and making them part of our community (hence this organization is the Gnoss Field Community Association, not the Gnoss Field Pilots’ Association). To do this we’ll come talk to your civic, church or neighborhood group, meet you at our local events (hint: we LOVE parades and car shows), and we’ll invite you out to the airport for special event like airport open houses, Young Eagles’ events, Scouting Aviation Badge events, fly-ins, educational events, and of course you’re always welcome at our breakfast meetings the second Saturday of each month (breakfast is optional-come and enjoy the free aviation-focused presentation). Watch our Facebook page at Facebook.com/GnossFieldCommunityAssociation for details.
Advocacy
The Marin County Board of Supervisors has jurisdiction over Gnoss Field, and the Airport Manager makes recommendations to the Board. We believe it is very important for the Board, the Airport Commission and the Airport Manager to have the benefit of input from the airport users when decisions are being made affecting the airport, and we further believe that by combining our voices we can be heard in ways not possible as individuals acting separately.
Also, California’s Department of Aviation and the Federal FAA and NTSB set the regulations and operational use for the airport. Issues such as IFR procedures, patterns, runway markings, and now TSA security are matters where constructive or critical input will contribute to the best use of the Gnoss airport. Our direct perspective is the input which only local communities can provide.