Blue skies, ocean breezes, warm temperatures—that’s what Tampa, Florida, promises for the final 2017 AOPA Fly-In, October 27 and 28. Mark your calendar to attend this exciting event at one of AOPA members’ favorite spots, the Peter O. Knight Airport (TPF). From educational opportunities to the newest aircraft and avionics, this is a two-day event worth the flight or drive. And the warm Florida sun is free—just like the Saturday fly-in!
Event Schedule
Two days of activities for AOPA members, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts.
Friday, October 27
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.—Workshops (preregistration required; tuition fee)
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.—Exhibit Hall, aircraft display open
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.—Barnstormers Party presented by Jeppesen
Saturday, October 28
8 a.m. to 9 a.m.—Pancake breakfast
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.—Exhibit Hall open
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.—Aircraft display open
9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.—Seminars (free; see schedule and speakers)
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.—Lunch
2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.—Pilot Town Hall
2:45 p.m. to 3 p.m.—Ice cream social
3 p.m.—Fly-In concludes
The sun is calling
Florida’s sunny Gulf Coast wants you to visit
We here at AOPA can’t say we have a favorite airport, but if we did, we’d probably say that Peter O. Knight Airport (TPF) in Tampa, Florida, ranks right up there. Your association hosted two of its annual conventions there a decade ago, and now has selected this charming island airport as the site of its final AOPA Fly-In of 2017. And what a way to end a great year: Situated on beautiful Davis Islands in Hillsborough Bay, Peter O. Knight Airport is just minutes from vibrant downtown Tampa, with its nightlife, history, and culture. There’s sand and surf, boating and beaches, and cultural and family-friendly activities.
But first the airport. Peter O. Knight Airport opened in 1937 and was called the “Downtown Airport” in the 1930s and ’40s. The airport is named for a prominent Tampa attorney and businessman who promoted activity on Davis Islands. During World War II the airport served as an auxiliary fighter landing field. Once considered a candidate for the site of the city’s international airport, TPF lost out to Drew Field, which is now Tampa International Airport (TPA).
Peter O. Knight Airport is located on 110 acres at the southern tip of Davis Islands. From its two runways and taxiways are gorgeous views of the Tampa city skyline as well as of the Port of Tampa’s shipping channel, where massive cruise ships and tankers glide by. Local hangar tenants enjoy sitting in lawn chairs and watching the cruise ships. The yacht club is active, and the dog park is one of the most popular attractions—dogs can frolic at the beach.
“We are excited to host this great event and welcome AOPA to Peter O. Knight Airport and the City of Tampa,” said Brett Fay, senior manager of general aviation for the Tampa International Airport authority. “We have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with AOPA and look forward to continuing the tradition with our first regional fly-in. We are fortunate to have one of the most beautiful waterfront airports in the country, which provides an experience and atmosphere second to none.”
Tampa offers luxurious accommodations along its waterfront, great restaurants, museums, and a nationally recognized aquarium. The two-day AOPA Fly-In offers much to do, but Tampa will beckon with its vibrant downtown and Cuban influence in nearby Ybor City. You should plan to stay and enjoy this beautiful coastal city.
Welcome to TPF
You’re in good hands
Atlas Aviation offers full service with enthusiasm
When Deric Dymerski won the bid to operate the FBO at Peter O. Knight Airport on Davis Islands in Tampa, he brought knowledge from his education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, enthusiasm in his dynamic personality, and passion for flying. That was in 2002, before a hurricane devastated the area and made Dymerski question his decision to establish an FBO on an island. But not one to be deterred, Dymerski and his unflagging enthusiasm persevered, and today Atlas Aviation is one of the premier FBOs and flight training centers in the country.
“Our FBO staff looks forward to meeting you and serving you,” says Dymerski.
Atlas is a friendly, full-service FBO. It is a Cessna Pilot Center, and there are Skyhawks and Skylanes for rent and for instruction. Scenic flights over the islands are offered if you can’t fly in for the AOPA Fly-In. This is an area you won’t want to miss by air.
Atlas has a welcoming and generous staff, and its location on the tip of the island and near the popular dog park is a stop you shouldn’t miss. “October is a wonderful time in Florida,” says Dymerski. “Our grass campground is on the waterfront and it has a great view of Tampa’s downtown skyline. If I didn’t live five minutes from the airport, I’d camp out myself!”
Extra extra
AOPA fly-out opportunities are amazing
Yes, Tampa is beautiful and temperate and exciting, but you can add to your enjoyment of this AOPA Fly-In weekend by topping it off with a planned fly-out to the Bahamas. There will be two amazing fly-outs—a three-day flight to the Bahamas and a day flight to the Piper Aircraft factory in Vero Beach, Florida.
Bahamas calling
Nearly every day, the weather is as clear as the water. Cumulus clouds dot the sky at around 2,500 feet in the morning, rising to 7,500 feet in the afternoon. These are the perfect conditions for flying! Join the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for an exceptional flying experience to the Bahamas. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has arranged a three-day fun-in-the-sun flying adventure. After leaving Tampa, you depart from Fort Pierce, Florida, as a group and fly direct to Grand Bahama Island, where you will be staying two nights at the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort. If you have not had enough sun after the first few days an add-on trip will be planned to Cat Island. Transportation and meals will be arranged as well as a special VIP meet-and-greet. Assistance with customs and paperwork will be provided if needed. Check the website for complete details; reservations are a must.
Piper factory tour
See more than 80 years of aviation excellence in person. Join Piper Aircraft Co. in Vero Beach, Florida, for a guided tour of Piper’s manufacturing facility. The Vero Beach factory is Piper’s only manufacturing location and the original home of the Piper Cherokee. Experience how William T. Piper’s dream became a reality and how his vision lives on today. Piper builds nine different models of aircraft including its venerable trainers and market-leading M-class turboprops. Come experience how Piper products are transformed from a roll of sheet metal into a luxurious, well-appointed aircraft. Lunch will be hosted by Piper at 12:30 p.m. following the first tour (10 a.m.) and prior to the second tour (1:30 p.m.). Check the website for more details; reservations are required.
TOUR MACDILL AFB
Join AOPA for a day-long tour of nearby MacDill Air Force Base on Friday, October 27, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. MacDill is home to the 6th Air Mobility Wing, and its 310th Airlift Squadron, flying the C–37, and the 91st Air Refueling Squadron; also flying the KC–135, augmented by the Air Force Reserve Command’s 927th Air Refueling Wing and 63rd Air Refueling Squadron flying the same KC–135s. MacDill AFB is also home to the headquarters for two of the U.S. military’s joint warfighting combatant commands: Headquarters, United States Central Command (CENTCOM), and Headquarters, United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The primary mission at MacDill AFB is combat communications, where personnel are responsible for deploying, operating, and maintaining strategic emergency communications anywhere in the world in both peacetime and combat environments. This opportunity is limited; please see the website for details and to sign up.
New to the AOPA Fly-In programming is an exciting Friday schedule that gives pilots a chance to attend one of four seven-hour workshops. These seminars (at a cost of $105 for members, $155 for nonmembers, and $75 for spouses, with online preregistration required) offer what AOPA Director of Outreach and Events Chris Eads describes as “an intensive, deep dive” into hands-on, experiential learning on selected vital topics.
Pilots interested in attending the Friday sessions can arrive Thursday afternoon and camp out. Then head for the pavilion that hosts the workshop of your choice, including Skills and Safety, You Can Fly, Aviation Experience, or Maintenance and Ownership. Lunch is included in the workshop's cost.
Preregister online.
Flying in the Extremes: Water survival tips and techniques
What you’ll learn:
An intensive all-day workshop on understanding how to survive a water ditching.
- Learn how to successfully execute an underwater egress.
- Learn skills that could save your life in the event of a water ditching.
- Explore techniques for sea and land survival.
- Learn preflight preparedness, what equipment to have on board, and how to prepare for an overwater emergency.
Presenters include the staff from Survival Systems USA and AOPA Editor at Large Tom Horne.
IFR refresher course: Returning to instrument proficiency
What you’ll learn:
Designed for instrument-rated pilots who have not flown IFR for a long time.
- Get a ground school refresher and preparation for your next instrument proficiency check.
- Reorient to the rules and regulations, refresh on IFR procedures.
- Build a practice IFR flight to include flight planning, weather decision making, approach briefing, missed approach planning, and more.
- Explore aircraft loss of control in IMC and other IFR accidents and apply lessons learned.
Presented by experts from Rainier Flight Center, with thousands of hours of IFR instruction experience; includes video reenactments from the AOPA Air Safety Institute.
Pilot plus one: Combining learning, inspiration, and adventure
What you’ll learn:
Fun and learning for both pilot and companion.
- Discover how to use the aircraft to build great experiences with fun destinations, photography, and getting the most out of where and how you fly.
- Address the fear of flying that both pilot and passengers may feel.
- Teach nonpilots how to participate and help their pilot companion.
- Learn about safety and emergency preparedness to make the companion confident and secure.
Presenters include Pilot Getaways magazine’s George Kounis, companion flying experts Jolie Lucas and Janet Maxwell, world-rounding pilot Robert DeLaurentis, and award-winning photographer Jim Koepnick.
Owner-guided maintenance: Managing your aircraft maintenance
What you’ll learn:
Discover how you can be the manager of how your airplane is maintained.
- Learn about the preventive maintenance items you can perform as an owner.
- Learn how to manage and guide the annual inspection process.
- Work on aircraft during hands-on engine and airframe labs.
- Learn about engine health and what your engine is telling you.
Presenters include mechanics and maintenance experts Adrian Eichhorn, Mike Busch, and Paul New.
Related Articles
