VATSIM Pawel "Pawko" Grzadkowski Charity Event | EPWA | 31 MAY 09 | 16-22Z

[FalconJockey]

 

 

Pawel "Pawko" Grzadkowski was one of us - a virtual aviation enthusiast. His VATSIM world was much wider than ours though. He was seriously affected by the Cystic Fibrosis disease. He constantly had to carry around his heavy medical equipment. His voice was different, he had problems with simple breathing. Just imagine being 20 and not being able to live like other boys at this age. He had discovered VATSIM just a year before he died. It gave him a chance to be passionate and to meet new friends he could share this passion with. He became a very respected virtual controller and managed to achieve it despite being chained down to his live saving equipment. Few of us knew about his problems. Few of us suspected that we and VATSIM acted as a window looking out into the real world. Nobody could imagine how important that window was for Pawko until his sister notified us, after his funeral, that Pawko wanted to be buried wearing a PL-VATSIM T-shirt. Is it unbelievable? Yes, and it's another face of VATSIM. He died at the age of 21, so he knew very well what he wanted.

 

Every year PL-VACC Controllers make a tribute to Pawko by organising a fly-in. It's called PapaGolf Fly-in and it always takes place in May - the month when Pawko was cleared for his final departure.

 

This year we are inviting you to join us in on May 31st between 1600 and 2200UTC. PG is always a charity event. What else could we do now for Pawko than trying to help other people who suffer from the same illness that defeated him? Each operation in Warsaw FIR is quoted with points. Once the PG Fly-in is over, a group of voluntary donors will pay specific amount of donation per each point that all participating pilots have built up. Those donations will be made to foundations who help people with CF. So, the total donation depends on your activity. We had collected over 2 500 USD last year, so help us beat this record! You are welcome to visit traditional destinations in Poland - Warsaw, Krakow,Gdansk and Poznan with classic approach services. You might also want to consider checking your abilities and try something exceptional - procedural control in Szczecin, Wroclaw, Lodz or Rzeszow where tower provides procedural approach services, i.e. without radar control. Operations at procedurally controlled airports are highly quoted. You are also welcome to join the donors circle voluntarily. You just declare donation per point (it may be even a single cent) and you are expected to pay the final amount to one of the foundations after the event.

 

Details are available on http://www.pl-vacc.org/pg2009/index_en.php

31st of May is a day of memories for those who knew him but it's also a day of good fun! It's actually both: having fun and providing support to people who suffer like he did. We knew him as a bright and warm guy and for sure he would have loved PapaGolf Fly-ins and the way we keep his memory alive.

 

Folks - book your time!