ANN Fails To Win OUR Sweepstakes Plane... Again!
Foiled again... The
winner of Sporty’s 2007 Sweepstakes Aircraft is... NOT US.
Instead, it's some pretender to the throne named Otto Sorg of
Dexter, Michigan. Sorg is now the owner of a brand-new Cessna
Skyhawk SP equipped with the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit. Sorg, a
student pilot with a lifelong interest in aviation, was informed of
his winning status by Sporty’s President Michael Wolf on
September 12.
Sorg, 63, relates, “When Michael called me, I thought it
was a scam. I kept waiting for him to ask me for my social security
number or credit card number. The more we talked, though, the more
I believed it was real.”
Sorg works as a software analyst, and when his coworkers in
surrounding cubicles heard his end of the conversation full of
“You’re kidding me!” and “Are you
serious?”, a group gathered around him, curious about the
news he was hearing. When he hung up with Michael Wolf, one of his
coworkers asked what kind of airplane he’d won and Sorg could
only reply, “I think it’s a Cessna.”
During the course of the conversation, Wolf had suggested Sorg
call 800-SPORTYS so he could verify the telephone call was on the
level. Sorg did that, and asked, “Did you have a drawing
today for an airplane?” and was told yes. Next he asked,
“Who is the winner?” He was told, “It’s a
gentleman by the name of Otto Sorg,” and Sorg replied,
“That’s me.” Accompanied by his wife Linda and
his flight instructor, Theresa Whiting, Sorg took delivery of the
airplane on Monday, September 24, 2007. Sorg’s interest in
airplanes developed as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne in
1960.
Over the years, he sustained his interest by volunteering with
the Civil Air Patrol. He began flight training in the 1980s, but
had to stop due to career demands and a back problem. After
changing jobs recently, his new office is located only two miles
from Ann Arbor Airport and he found himself there during lunch
hours watching the airplanes. He signed up with Solo Aviation and
is currently a student pilot. Sorg’s winning customer order
number was selected randomly by Cessna Senior Vice president of
Sales and Marketing, Roger Whyte and Garmin Vice President of
Marketing Gary Kelley.
Plans for the 2008 Sporty’s Sweepstakes are underway. A
Garmin G1000-equipped Skyhawk SP will be awarded on September 10,
2008, to a lucky Sporty’s customer. This brand-new Skyhawk
will mark the 26th aircraft of Sporty’s annual
Sweepstakes.