Headed For Casa Grande Municipal
This year's Copperstate Regional EAA
Fly-in will be held October 6 through 9, 2005, at a new site -- one
with not only a prominent place in the history of the event, but
one which also holds enormous promise for the future.
The Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ), ideally located midway
between Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, and just a few miles west of
Interstate 10, will sport many amenities not available at the
event's previous location at Phoenix Regional Airport. Attendees of
events held at PRA will be happy to know that much of the
supporting infrastructure-hotels, rental car companies, restaurants
-- will remain the same, although they'll be for more conveniently
located to the Casa Grande Municipal location.
The city fathers of the City of Casa Grande are no strangers to
the benefits that general aviation and the hosting of sport
aviation events bring to their city and their airport. In addition
to hosting Copperstate in past years, Casa Grande Municipal
Airport. is also home to the annual Cactus Fly-In, sponsored by the
Arizona Antique Aircraft Association every March.
While the city has already invested substantial sums in airport
infrastructure to support such events, the future looks bright as
they plan to do even more. By the time Copperstate 2006 rolls
around, there will be at least 8 acres of additional paved ramp
space to park the ever increasing numbers of fly-in airplanes, and
long term plans of city officials include the development of the
north side of the runway as a "special events area," which should
prove to be an ideal venue for the Copperstate event.
For this year, Casa Grande Municipal will boast a paved and
lighted runway, 5200 feet long and 100 feet wide, as well as a
parallel paved taxiway. There is an ILS instrument approach serving
the field, an AWOS-3 weather reporting station, and both 100LL and
JET-A fuel will be available (with the 100LL as either full service
or self serve, depending on pilot preference). The FAA will, of
course, be staffing a temporary air traffic control tower to handle
the high volume of traffic expected during the event.
Aviation enthusiasts from throughout the US and several foreign
countries are expected at Copperstate, the largest Experimental
Aircraft Association fly-in in the Southwest. Past events have
attracted as many as 10,000 attendees, many of them arriving in one
of over 750 visiting aircraft from as far away as Florida and
Washington. As always, there will be 100+ aviation exhibitors,
seminars, workshops, forums, Young Eagles flights, a Fly Market,
and the opportunity to see beautifully restored classic and antique
airplanes, as well as modern homebuilt aircraft representing every
segment of aviation. Sport Pilot and ultralight aircraft will be
represented as well, with their own runway and exhibit area;
instructional flights will also be available. And, of course, there
will be the traditional daily air show, Friday through Sunday,
October 7, 8, and 9.
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