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I could write a novel about the sweepstakes project. And it would be set in Griffin, Georgia.

The long journey of refurbishing the 1977 Cessna Cardinal we selected more than a year ago for the 2007 sweepstakes has taken us along a twisted path, criss-crossing the country for upgrades and airshows. During the course of these travels and travails, the airplane has spent significant time at the Griffin-Spalding County Airport, nestled just on the edge of Griffin. So it’s only fitting that our last efforts also take place in this countrified town on the outskirts of Atlanta.

We have come here for the close of the 2007 sweepstakes project, for the Catch-A-Cardinal’s final fit and finish before we award the airplane to a lucky winner in early February 2008.

As I related in a previous update, the airport has great potential, with shops tucked into every corner. Some businesses, such as Don’s Dream Machines, our firewall forward specialists, have been at the airport for years; others, such as Advanced Aircraft Refinishers, our paint magicians, just opened in the past year.
Some shops are recent transplants from other airports, their owners making the move hoping this airport will foster their growth, like Precision Avionics Specialist. And some are operated by hardworking mechanics who seek out general aviation aircraft to repair because it’s their passion, such as Air Wrench.

There’s a flight school, Fly Boys Flight Center, run by Terry Anderson and nurturing future pilots, like his precocious daughter, who at age 11 already feels at home in the left seat of the Beechcraft Queen Air. And there is flight instruction, in a vintage Douglas DC-3 no less, given by Dan Gryder of the AvNet, our field project manager for the sweepstakes.

The wide range of businesses reveals the many people who call this airport home. I have threatened to write that novel, because there are so many stories here that make for a great read—entertaining shenanigans, heroes and villains, and conflict that begs for resolution (and popcorn to go with it as we watch it play out—it’s funny how we rarely recognize our place in the drama).

But for the most part, the folks who work day in and day out at Griffin just want to do that—work hard, and prosper quietly, without a lot of hassle or harassment. They want to find space to grow, and when the FAA assures them that growth is possible, they want the freedom to grow within the boundaries of regulations, law, and good manners. When opportunity knocks, they want to have the resources and support to take it.

Opportunities
At AOPA, we recognize that we bring opportunity with every sweepstakes project. A good shop gets exposure, and can grow business significantly; the manufacturer of specialty parts gains national spotlight, and a path to sustainable success. We saw potential in Griffin—a lot of talent, and a lot of untapped gold.

After more than a year of working with the shops in Griffin, I guarantee you that it’s there. And it’s pretty amazing to watch the effect of the project—it’s the best Christmas present I could get. It’s the best reward for all of these efforts. 

One particularly beautiful present was pushed into Dan’s hangar last week. You see, Dan’s hangar lies about 100 yards from Advanced Aircraft Refinishers, and Tony Dias, owner of AAR (in desperate need of additional hangar space) needed to hangar a customer aircraft for just a couple of days as it was in between stages in the paint application process.

This particular airplane was special—a Beechjet 400A. Already stripped and with foil protecting hardware and components from the paint application to come, the Beechjet was ready to go to the prime bay. And another Beechjet just like it would fly into the Griffin airport upon this one’s completion. These aircraft had come from south Georgia to be redone in Tony’s shop—with the range of a Beechjet, they could have traveled nearly anywhere for a good paint application.

Just a couple of days later, a Learjet 35 followed that Beechjet into Gryder’s hangar. It’s no small thing to shoehorn these serious business jets into Griffin’s 3,700-ft strip. But this business is coming to Griffin—to Precision Avionics, its shop full of panel upgrades to accomplish; to Air Wrench, for twin Cessna AD inspection and compliance; to Don’s Dream Machines, for Van’s RV assistance or upgrading a small-displacement Continental; and to the phones at Freeman’s Just Plane Hardware, for more little bags of hardware from the shelves in Tom’s warehouse.

This business will come to Griffin as long as Griffin wants the business, because there are so many kinds of talent here.

If we want to grow the general aviation industry, we need to find ways to make the pie bigger, rather than fighting over a relatively small pie. This same concept has been demonstrated in Griffin. Sometimes people get trapped into thinking that the pie is only so big—when they see one person succeeding, they instantly think it means less for them.

In reality, it means more. The pie can expand. But only if people spend their energy bringing their particular, unique—and likely complementary—talents into the spotlight. We saw this positive redirection of energy over and over from our team in Griffin in this year’s project.

Wrapping it up
I had one promise left to keep, as the December days grew colder (somewhat) and darkness came earlier. In the beginning, we threw a party to welcome the Griffin shops into the project. We had barbeque, and music, and families gathered round a blue-and-white Cardinal tucked into the corner of the AvNet hangar. I gave my word to Dan that we’d throw an even bigger party upon the successful completion of the project.

So we did.

On December 14, we gathered in Scotty Collins’ hangar (the scene of the Cardinal’s final panel installation) for a sit-down dinner featuring the finest local victuals (from Hangar 19, which should be the airport’s on-field restaurant), live music, awards, and just a few of Dan’s jokes. We even imported our friend Jeff Pritchard, a champion fiddle player, all the way from Wichita in his friend Nelson’s Cessna 210, just for the occasion.

My boss and great supporter of the project, Tom Haines, AOPA Pilot’s Editor in Chief, came into town especially for the banquet, to help us hand out awards to the roughly 60 people in attendance who had worked on or supported the project throughout the year. He shook everyone’s hand like he does this all the time—but really, it’s a unique opportunity to have gathered together so many people in one place who have made so much effort for AOPA’s membership. It was every bit as special for us as for anyone in the hangar that night.

Saying “Thank You,” Merry Christmas,” and “Happy New Year” was the least we could do as we penned the final words to this story. Fantastic job, Dan, and to the entire Griffin crew, and all donors that made this year’s sweepstakes possible.

Maybe I will write that novel instead of taking a long winter’s nap. I know now that it has a happy ending.