Recalling general aviation's victories during 1994
After years of doom and gloom in general aviation, AOPA Expo '94 proved to a record-breaking crowd that GA is alive and hungry to grow. Held at the Wyndham Hotel and Convention Center in Palm Springs, California, in October, Expo '94 drew a record 8,358 visitors, more than 300 vendors of aviation products and services, and more than 1,300 aircraft to the Palm Springs Regional Airport and nearby reliever airports.
Sixty-one of those aircraft were taxied down the streets of Palm Springs — much to the enjoyment of onlookers — in the heat of the afternoon, to be a part of the open-air static display at the convention center.
The weather was typical of the California desert resort with warm temperatures, generally clear skies, and visibility measured in three digits.
Twenty-six other aviation organizations, including the Cessna Owners Organization and the Piper Owners Society, took the opportunity to hold meetings during Expo '94. The newly-formed Twin Commander Flight Group held its kickoff meeting at Expo and added 40 new members to its roster, bringing its total membership to more than 200. A total of 60 seminars and 45 product demonstrations were held. Seminars dealt with a wide variety of subjects such as: building your dream plane, desert survival, high-altitude flying and medical certification.
Expo '94's official kick-off, a general session led by AOPA President Phil Boyer, recalled GA's victories of 1994. With the help of the AOPA's 333,000 members and several key legislators, the passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act proved to be the biggest win for all involved in GA. Continued Direct User Access Terminal (DUAT) funding, GPS improvements, and the preservation of flight service stations in Alaska were also highlights worthy of praise in 1994.
Boyer stressed, however, that there is still plenty of work left for 1995. The fight against a corporatized air traffic control system, and limitations on overflying our national parks are issues currently being disputed on a national level.
Friday's luncheon with F. Lee Bailey began with the announcement of the Max Karant Journalism Award winners. The award of $1,000 recognizes those who produce fair and accurate reports of aviation-related topics in non-trade print, radio, and television media. This year's winners were Dave Davis and Mike Sangiacomo for their joint effort, titled "FAA Misled Public on Radar Safety," in _The Plain Dealer_ of Cleveland, Ohio. Kathleen Schalch of Wisconsin Public Radio was recognized for her report on product liability and its effects on general aviation. Finally, David J. Mustonen received the award in the television category for his report on the development of the Ford Tri-Motor.
Keynote speaker Bailey explained the implications of the Bob Hoover medical certificate scandal. "Age discrimination has slowly wormed itself into the case," Bailey said of Hoover's treatment by the FAA and NTSB. "He (Hoover) is a jewel in the crown of aviation...this case has rubbed luster from American aviation and it truly is a goddamned shame." Bailey's powerful words drew praise from Hoover himself, as well as the nearly 1,000 others present.
At the luncheon, Boyer stressed the importance of having GA- sensitive members on the National Transportation Safety Board, and in turn, announced AOPA's endorsement of former AOPA President John L. Baker for a seat on the Board. Baker's experience in aviation (as a fighter pilot in the Korean War, and later as a GA pilot), and in administrative law at the Department of Transportation, the Air Line Pilots Association, and the FAA, more than qualifies him for a position at the NTSB, said Boyer.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation held its annual silent auction of artwork, avionics, cruises, and aviation products to bring in $26,747 for safety studies and projects. A total of 250 people attended two ASF Pinch- Hitter courses. The course is also available on video cassette.
Meanwhile, outside the convention center, people checked out the static display of 61 aircraft ranging from the ultralight Quicksilver GT 500 to the Cessna CitationJet. Eagle Creek Aviation Services brought a Turbo Twin Commander to the static display and sold one of its Dash 10 engine upgrades before the show even opened. "We more than paid for our trip out here before the show had even started," said Eagle Creek's Matt Hagans.
AOPA's Better Than New 172 attracted a crowd at its display spot under the canopy of the convention center's entrance. The forest green, gold, and white Cessna, with its custom leather interior and panel loaded with goodies, even attracted members of Cessna's single-engine design team, who scoured the interior for ideas. The airplane also stirred up the hopes of many AOPA members who warned others to keep their hands off of their airplane. Next year's sweepstakes aircraft will be the "First New 172" which will be rolled out at AOPA Expo '96 in San Jose, California.
Saturday's "After Product Liability" session gathered top executives from four aircraft manufacturers, and used-Cessna guru Howard Van Bortel, for a sort of state-of-the-GA-industry report. Chuck Suma, president and chief operating officer of Piper, stated that he expects the stockholder buyout of Piper to be confirmed by the end of the year.
With the passage of the product-liability bill, Suma claimed that Piper had eliminated 85 percent of its liability "tail" and plans to put that money toward research and development of new propulsion systems that will be able to run on unleaded fuels and withstand future emission regulations.
"We need new blood and new people first, to allow the industry to grow, then technology will follow," said Suma. Despite a downsizing of its plant, Piper plans to produce 500 airplanes a year.
Phil Michel, vice president of marketing at Cessna, reiterated Cessna's commitment to building 2,000 single-engine airplanes a year. Currently, Cessna is deciding on one of five Kansas cities for its plant site to build the 172, 182, 206, and Turbo 206. A site should be selected by the end of December. Negotiations with engine vendors are under way and Cessna is working to develop attractive financing and leasing programs.
Besides building airplanes, Cessna is stressing flight training to help revive GA. "We are fully committed to re-energizing GA through training. We need to bring in an entire new generation of pilots," said Michel.
Jacques Esculier, president and chief executive officer of Mooney, welcomed Cessna back into the piston market and exclaimed that another major player like Cessna will bring confidence into the marketplace. Esculier took the opportunity to point out how subcontracting stabilized Mooney's business and allowed it to continue production through the GA slump. After only four months in production, Mooney sold 39 of its popular Ovations, Esculier noted.
Van Bortel took the opportunity to explain what will happen to the used-Cessna market if the company goes back into production. "I believe it will stabilize and strengthen the market by expanding the customer base," said Van Bortel.
While industry leaders were talking about new airplanes and pilots in the grand ballroom, exhibitors on the convention hall floor were promoting goods and services to those who own and fly the current fleet of aircraft. GPS boxes and other avionics were displayed by leading manufacturers and even by the Avis car rental company. Paint and interior shops, plus a number of cleaning product manufacturers, demonstrated ways to help keep your aircraft looking new.
In case you liked the old, bound version of the NOS Terminal Procedures charts, Air Chart Systems will bind your charts for $1 each. The new bound charts are far superior to the previous bound version. They fold over on themselves and stay open almost as well as the ringed version. However, if you like the ringed charts, Air Chart sells plastic rings that won't interfere with your magnetic compass and are color-coded for easy separation.
Other attractions on the show floor included the ever-growing number of computer flight simulation programs. Micro Wings, Incorporated, displayed its Microsoft Flight Simulator 5.0-based cockpit complete with the Thunderseat, which allows the user to feel the vibrations that occur in the real aircraft. Not exactly full-motion simulation, but for flying in your office, these programs get pretty serious.
At the Learn-To-Fly general session, James Coyne, president of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and a former congressman, reported the findings of a Gallup poll conducted in July. According to the results, 75 million people — 30 percent of those polled — wanted to learn how to fly. "If we could capture just one percent of those 75 million people, we would more than double the pilot population," said Coyne. The goal of the Learn-To-Fly program is to bring student starts up to 150,000 per year in four years.
The closing banquet, led by Boyer, brought the good news of another record turnout for Expo '94. Senator Nancy L. Kassebaum (R-KS), Representative Dan Glickman (D-KS), Representative James M. Inhofe (R-OK), and Representative James V. Hansen (R-UT) were awarded the Joseph B. Hartranft Award for their public service to product liability reform.
The Laurence P. Sharples Award was presented to Tom Wardleigh, chairman of the Alaska Aviation Safety Foundation, for his lifetime of service to aviation safety and general aviation in Alaska. Wardleigh played a key role in preserving Alaska's local flight service stations.
Hal Shevers, owner of Sporty's Pilot Shop, was presented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award by the Boy Scouts of America for his work in the group's Aviation Exploring Program. In a short speech, Shevers stressed the importance of getting kids to the other side of the airport fence and into airplanes.
Next year, Expo '95 will be held from October 19 through October 21 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, marking Expo's first appearance in the Northeast since 1967. In conjunction with the FAA's Technical Center, programs on aviation technology will be highlighted. By then, we can expect to see some results of product liability reform, more GPS technology, and still more flight simulators. See you there.
Related Articles
