The numbers are big. More than 4,000 airplanes. Close to 30,000 people. A dozen locations nationwide. And we’re just getting started.
I’m talking about the AOPA Fly-Ins we launched last year. With two fly-in seasons behind us, we continue to be amazed by the enthusiasm our members around the country are showing for these gatherings. At our last fly-in of 2015 in Tullahoma, Tennessee, I met an AOPA member who has been to every one of our events. Ed Loxterkamp has traveled coast to coast to take part in AOPA Fly-Ins, and in Tullahoma he shared his journey with his fellow members, displaying a giant map of his travels alongside his airplane.
Of course, not everyone can come to every fly-in, but we’ve been impressed by how many fly-in participants have told us they’d always wanted to come to an AOPA event—but never were able to make it until we brought a fly-in to them. And that’s exactly what we hoped would happen when we started our fly-ins in 2014.
Even so, we never dreamed we’d meet so many people so quickly. And we never thought people would be so happy to welcome us to their airports and communities.
We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of volunteers who have signed up to help with the sometimes dirty work of setting up and cleaning up—more than 300 hardy folks in some locations. And we’ve been surprised by how far people have been willing to travel to take part. At our last fly-in alone, people from at least 31 states and Canada preregistered to participate.
With so many members asking when we’ll be in their neighborhoods, and so many airports willing to host an AOPA Fly-In, we couldn’t wait to announce our locations for 2016. So here they are:
May 21, Michael J. Smith Field (MRH) in Beaufort, North Carolina
August 20, Bremerton National Airport (PWT) in Bremerton, Washington
September 17, W.K. Kellogg Airport (BTL) in Battle Creek, Michigan
October 1, Ernest A. Love Field (PRC) in Prescott, Arizona (see “2016 Fly-Ins Announced,” p. 55).
Some of you may be surprised that AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, is not on the list. As much as we love welcoming all of our members home, we wanted to reach out to other folks in the mid-Atlantic region, too. So for 2016, we’ll visit North Carolina’s beautiful coast and welcome members who might not be able to make it all the way to Maryland. But don’t worry, we know our members love the AOPA Homecoming events, and we’ll bring them back in the future. And members are always welcome to stop by to visit AOPA and the Frederick area.
It’s worth noting that all of our 2016 locations are new, and three are in states we haven’t visited before.In past years we’ve held events in California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
Now that we’ve got some experience hosting these events, we’ll be taking the best of our past AOPA Fly-Ins and introducing some new, fun experiences that get started Friday night before the fly-in. At each 2016 location, we’ll host a Friday night Barnstormers Party, where members can mingle over food and entertainment. In the past, these gatherings have included everything from barbecue to baked potatoes, and music to movies.
For those who want to make a weekend of it, all 2016 locations will offer free on-field camping. Come early and pitch a tent under (or next to) the wing to spend the weekend in the company of fellow outdoor enthusiasts.
Each fly-in will officially kick off Saturday morning with an old-fashioned pancake breakfast cooked by AOPA staff and local volunteers. It’s a great way to fuel up for a day full of airplanes, seminars, and exhibits. Every AOPA Fly-In will feature a variety of seminars from top experts on topics such as decision making, traveling with your airplane, and making the most of the latest software and apps. There will also be dozens of exhibits, ranging from the latest in airframes and avionics to software, simulators, and pilot gear.
For those who’ve been out of the air for a while, each AOPA Fly-In will offer a Rusty Pilots seminar that can earn you a sign-off for the ground portion of the flight review. And we’ll have a special You Can Fly area where you can learn about flying clubs, Reimagined Aircraft, AOPA’s high school education initiative, and more.
And of course, I will be at every AOPA Fly-In to host a Pilot Town Hall that will bring you up to date on all your association’s work.
It’s never too soon to start making plans to join us. You can find more details on AOPA.org (www.aopa.org/fly-ins). Preregistration will begin early in the new year, so don’t wait to sign up. I can’t wait to see you at one—or all—of our 2016 events!
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AOPA President Mark Baker led AOPA’s launch of the association’s regional fly-ins as a way to meet members where they fly.
