14th AOPA Fly-In and Open House Shrugs Off Storms, Hosts
Thousands
"The enthusiasm and the passion of general aviation pilots was
never more apparent that today," said AOPA President Phil Boyer.
"They just refused to let the weather stop them from coming to
Fly-In."
An estimated 4,500 people arrived by car throughout the day,
while nearly 120 aircraft flew in on Friday and Saturday.
Surprisingly, more than two thirds of the aircraft arrived on
Saturday in instrument conditions.
Once here, visitors crowded the big-top tent behind AOPA
headquarters, sampling the wares at more than 100 vendor exhibits,
and crammed 11 hours' worth of seminars. AOPA President Phil Boyer
talked to a packed session about many of the issues facing AOPA and
its members such as reducing the Baltimore-Washington Air Defense
Identification Zone, Sport Pilot and the prospect of a driver's
license medical, and AOPA's position on the FAA's flight service
station outsourcing study. He also showed members new, greatly
improved online instrument approach procedure charts that will be
available with the new charting cycle and revealed that a
completely revamped Flight Training Web site would be available
beginning next Friday.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation hosted two sessions each of its
popular "Single Pilot IFR" and "Maneuvering Flight" seminars. Other
seminars included a session on aviation legal matters hosted by
attorneys from Yodice and Associates, AOPA's counsel; how to save
your life in an aviation accident; sessions on purchasing and on
upgrading an aircraft; and, of course, Rod Machado's immensely
popular hangar flying session, "Laugh and Learn."
By late afternoon, the rain had let up enough that visitors were
able to get out and take up-close looks at more than two dozen
aircraft in the static display area. The aircraft ranged from the
two-seat Diamond Eclipse up to a Cessna CitationJet. The star of
the show, though, was the AOPA Win-A-Twin Sweepstakes grand prize,
a better-than-new 1965 Piper Twin Comanche. It sports a new custom
paint scheme and brand new panel. Now that Fly-In's over, it heads
off to have the interior redone. Anyone who joins or renews
membership in AOPA during 2004 is automatically entered in the
sweepstakes. Complete rules, eligibility requirements, and
alternate methods of entry are available online.
"The whole reason for holding our Fly-In and Open House is to
get to meet our members face-to-face and hear what's on their
minds," said Boyer. "In fact, I had the opportunity to present a
longtime member, Ike Kibbe, with his 50-year membership pin. He
joined in 1947. And the best part was, he was here with his
grandson, who's also a pilot and an AOPA member."
Now AOPA begins looking ahead to AOPA Expo 2004. Expo returns to
the West Coast this year, October 21-23 in Long Beach (CA).
Registration begins June 9.