Jeffrey Skiles, the first officer of the US Airways Airbus A320 that successfully ditched into the Hudson River on January 15, saving 155 lives, is appearing at the Phillips 66 Aviation booth (No. 2613) to regale attendees with compelling stories about that memorable day and other interesting experiences during his 23-year career at US Airways.
It so happens that Skiles, 49, who has flown since the age of 15, once served as a lineman for a Phillips 66 FBO. Skiles has agreed with his A320 ditching colleague Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger to serve as co-chairman of the EAA’s Young Eagles program, which since 1992 has given eight to 17-year-olds a chance to go flying in a general aviation airplane free of charge. A strong supporter of the program in its own right, Phillips 66 provides a $1-per-gallon avgas rebate to all EAA Young Eagles volunteer pilots.
More than 4,000 pilots have used Phillips 66 avgas to introduce more than 350,000 kids to flying. As a result of the avgas rebate, Phillips 66 has helped the Young Eagles program achieve its original goal of one million flights.
During a special promotion that runs between August 1 and December 31, Phillips 66 is doubling the avgas rebate to $2.