AOPA Aviation Special Events

AOPA Foundation Charity Golf Tournament
8 a.m.
Classic Club, Palm Desert

As an AOPA member or exhibitor, this is your opportunity to help Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert’s efforts to help children reach their potential. Register today to participate as a player or host for the first annual AOPA Foundation Charity Golf Tournament on October 10, 2012, at the world-renowned Classic Club in Palm Desert, California. This is one day before the AOPA Aviation Summit in Palm Springs from October 11-13.

All proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert. The tournament includes a continental breakfast, 8 a.m. shotgun start, scramble format, lunch awards ceremony, great prizes, mulligans, additional competitions, and host opportunities.

Enjoy the beautiful Troon-managed Classic Club, which was host to the 2006, 2007, and 2008 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Parade of Planes
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
From Palm Springs International Airport to the Palm Springs Convention Center

Pilots and their families are never more energized and excited than by a Parade of Planes that can only happen at the AOPA Summit and in Palm Springs. Watch the airplanes taxi on city streets and be a part of the excitement that kicks off three days of fun.

After-Hours Networking (no pre-registration required)
8 p.m.-Close
Spa Resort & Casino

AOPA is offering you the opportunity to mingle with other pilots after hours at the Spa Resort & Casino. Join us at the AOPA Lounge, LIFT, starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Cost: Cash bar

Companion Lunch (for non-pilots)
12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
Renaissance Hotel (attached to the Convention Center)

Meet other non-pilots over great food and inspiring entertainment. Walk away with new friends and a wealth of interesting stories.

Cost: $40 per person

Lunch on the East Lawn (no pre-registration required)
11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Convention Center

AOPA will offer lunch on the East Lawn of the Convention Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, in place of a formal luncheon. There will be special speakers each day. First come, first served.

Cost: Complimentary admission with badge; lunch is available for purchase on-site

CHOOSE YOUR ACTIVITY FOR THURSDAY EVENING:

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (no pre-registration required)
4 p.m.-8 p.m.
Valley Station, downtown Palm Springs

The World’s Largest Rotating Tramcar! You will experience a breathtaking journey up the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon. Begin the 10-minute ride at the Valley Station (elevation 2,643 feet) and end at the Mountain Station (elevation 8,516 feet). You will enjoy spectacular views or hiking in a pristine wilderness, a one-of-a-kind experience can be had by all. Fine dining (reservations recommended; last seating at 7:30 p.m.), cafeteria-style dining, and cocktail lounge dining are available for an additional cost.

Cars depart at least every half hour and can carry up to 80 passengers. The last tram up is at 8 p.m. and last tram down is at 9:45 p.m.

Don’t miss your opportunity to experience Palm Springs from a higher altitude.

Cost: $20.95 per person after 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.pstramway.com or at the Valley Station ticket booth.

Palm Springs Air Museum (no pre-registration required)
5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. (special hours for AOPA guests)
Palm Springs International Airport

Browse the collection of World War II aircraft. Shuttle transportation provided from the convention center.

Cost: Adult $12 (special AOPA rate), additional discounts for seniors, retired military, and children)

VillageFest (no pre-registration required)
6 p.m.-10 p.m.
Downtown Palm Springs

VillageFest features local artists, food, and live music.

Cost: No admission fee

‘A Night for Flight’ Benefit and Auction
6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Riviera Palm Springs Resort

The AOPA Foundation cordially invites you to an elegant evening of food, fun, and amazing entertainment. The gala will be set at the vintage Riviera Palm Springs Resort, which will transport you back to a time when Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack ruled the entertainment scene, and Hollywood was in its golden age. Join us as the evening begins with a courtyard reception full of surprises and then moves to a three-course dinner. Stay after dinner for a dazzling entertainment event—you won’t want to miss it!

Your participation is vital, and when you take part in A Night for Flight, you are creating a legacy with a gift that helps fund the critical, tax-exempt work of the AOPA Foundation to preserve our freedom to fly. This is about the real future of general aviation. It’s about safety for all pilots and their passengers; it’s about growing the pilot population and improving flight training. Without pilots, the airports and aircraft would disappear; it’s about educating communities and the media on the value of GA. The United States is the last country to have any significant GA flight operations, and we need to preserve its future. Ensure future generations are able to experience the practicality and fulfillment of GA flight. If you do just one thing to keep GA strong, take part in this exclusive A Night for Flight gala. Cocktail attire suggested.

Cost: $250 per person (half of the ticket price is a tax-deductible contribution to the AOPA Foundation to help safeguard the future of general aviation)

Questions about the dinner? Please contact Julia Jones at 301-695-2268.

Summit registration is not required to attend A Night for Flight.

Auction bidding will open at 9 a.m. EDT on August 27 and end at 11:59 p.m. EDT on October 11.

Donate an auction item:
1. Visit www.biddingforgood.com/aopafoundation. New contributors will need to register before entering an item.
2. Click on “Donate Items.”
3. Complete the details about your item and add multimedia content.

Questions about the auction? Please contact Linda Poole at lindapoole@aopa.org.

After-Hours Networking (no pre-registration required)
8 p.m.-Close
Spa Resort & Casino

AOPA is offering you the opportunity to mingle with other pilots after hours at the Spa Resort & Casino. Join us at the AOPA Lounge, LIFT, starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Cost: Cash bar

Lunch on the East Lawn (no pre-registration required)
11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Convention Center

AOPA will offer lunch on the East Lawn of the Convention Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, in place of a formal luncheon. There will be special speakers each day. First come, first served.

Cost: Complimentary admission with badge; lunch is available for purchase on-site

California Dreamin’ Resort Party
5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Renaissance Pool (attached to convention center)

Come experience Palm Springs as the resort destination it truly is. Shake off the dust from your resort attire and be prepared to have an evening full of relaxation and fun. Kick back, unwind, and mingle with friends while enjoying poolside and mountain views, unique entertainment, music, and delicious cuisine. Rich in history and blessed with gorgeous weather, Palm Springs is a preferred destination of travelers from all over the world, and you have the chance to experience it all. Nestled at the base of the Mount San Jacinto Mountains, Palm Springs is known for its crystal blue skies, year-round sunshine, stunning landscape, palm tree-lined streets, and starry nights. With an experience like this, you may never want to leave. Resort attire suggested.

Cost: $85 per person

After-Hours Networking (no pre-registration required)
8 p.m.-Close
Spa Resort & Casino

AOPA is offering you the opportunity to mingle with other pilots after hours at the Spa Resort & Casino. Join us at the AOPA Lounge, LIFT, starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Cost: Cash bar

Aviator’s Breakfast
8:30 a.m.-10 a.m.
Convention Center

Have breakfast with aviators you’ve always wanted to meet. Attendees can choose to have breakfast with Women in Aviation, Adventure Fliers, Military Fliers, Safety Experts, the AOPA Pilot Editors, Film and TV Pilots, and health experts (Live Well, Fly Well). Includes breakfast.

Cost: $50 per person

Lunch on the East Lawn (no pre-registration required)
11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Convention Center

AOPA will offer lunch on the East Lawn of the Convention Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, in place of a formal luncheon. There will be special speakers each day. First come, first served.

Cost: Complimentary admission with badge; lunch is available for purchase on-site

Return of the Parade of Planes
3 p.m.-5 p.m.
From the Palm Springs Convention Center to Palm Springs International Airport

Watch the airplanes taxi on city streets to return to the airport.

Wild West Desert Adventure
5 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Metate Canyon

Looking for adventure? Then you have come to the right place. At the Metate Canyon, you will embark on an unforgettable excursion to the surrealistic landscape of the San Andreas Fault! Leaving the convention world behind, guests will take a 45-minute drive by the lush desert communities as you make your way to a hidden desert paradise. In the beautiful Metate Canyon, you will be greeted by exquisite views, aromas of dinner cooking on the BBQ, and the sound of live music, as you step back in time at the Old Mining Camp. An evening complete with Jeep tours of the fault line, music, dancing, lighted dart boards and horseshoes, campfires, an old-time shooting gallery, gold panning, replica mine, plus a corral where you can try your hand at straw-cow roping, there is something for everyone. Enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner and an open bar as you take in the sights and sounds of the desert after dark. Trust us, this is worth the trip.

Complimentary round-trip shuttle transportation will be provided from the convention center and back to designated hotels.

Cost: $110 per person; $40 child rate 14 and under (no pre-registration available for child rate)