A new radio network devoted to aviation debuted Feb. 1.
The Aviation Radio Network broadcasts via the Internet. The network’s founders also are “pursuing radio stations countrywide to carry our broadcast,” said Derrick Beeler, president.
The network’s first show is “This Week in Aviation,” a two-hour program consisting of news, current events, technical tips, a featured aircraft, phone calls and emails, and also general aviation talk, according to Beeler, who serves as host along with Robert Rhyne and Quentin Elkins.
Beeler started his radio career when he was just 16, as a DJ for a radio station in Clinton, Tenn. He has been involved in aviation since he was 18 and holds a private pilot ticket.
Rhyne, who built his first ultralight when he was 19, has logged 3,500 hours and has built seven sport aircraft. Elkins started flying at 14, flying Bonanzas with his father. He’s a certified aircraft mechanic, specializing in Bonanzas. He also is a corporate and charter pilot.
The three got together when Beeler met Rhyne about a year ago, while working at the Clinton radio station. Beeler has known Elkins his entire life. “He is the reason I got involved in aviation,” Beeler said.
With the new network, the three “hope to keep listeners informed about the latest in news concerning general aviation; keep listeners up-to-date on the latest technology in the ever-expanding field of general aviation; provide a means for listeners to engage themselves and participate in our weekly broadcasts; and entertain our listeners,” Beeler said.