A good reason to go flying
You can tell what time of year it is by the listings in AOPA Pilot's calendar of events. When the weather turns warm, fly-ins from Maine to Minnesota triple the column length of the magazine's calendar listings. Pancake breakfast fly-ins, chili cook-off fly-ins, pig roast fly-ins, and fish-fry fly-ins. Good flying weather, good food, and good company all signal the start of summer — and the fly-in season.
In the 1920s, "country clubs" hosted air events for those wealthy enough to own America's newest toy, the airplane. But such was the fascination with flight that by the 1930s general aviation captured the imagination of everyone, and fly-ins, open to anyone who could fly in, drive in, or walk in to an airfield, began springing up all over the country. These events offer pilots and nonpilots the opportunity to exchange information, swap stories, and share the joy of flying.
If you're a low-time pilot and your only experience with fly-ins thus far has been as a tagalong passenger or a walk-in, you are in for a new experience as the pilot in command. While most small airports have no special procedures for fly-ins, larger regional events such as AOPA's annual Fly-In and Open House this month and EAA's AirVenture at Oshkosh have published arrival procedures. Notams (notices to airmen) are posted on AOPA's Web site (www.aopa.org) for large-scale fly-ins. The FAA also posts notams ( www.faa.gov). For information on AOPA's fly-in on June 3, see the Web site ( www.aopa.org/special/fly-in/).
More than likely, however, your first fly-in experience will be at a nontowered airport where just 15 to 25 aircraft are expected for the event. The aviation technical specialists at AOPA are all veteran pilots who can assist you with information prior to a fly-in event (they can even offer a listing of events in your area — that information is also available on the Web site, at www.aopa.org/pilot/calendar/). Information on flying to both nontowered and towered airports is available online ( www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa08.pdf and www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa07.pdf).
According to AOPA aviation technical specialist Craig Brown, the main thing to remember when flying to a fly-in event is that the rules still apply. "Nothing is automatically waived just because there is a special event," said Brown. He offers these suggestions for fly-ins at nontowered fields: be diligent; make radio calls; monitor radio frequencies; make your initial call no less than 10 miles out; have a heightened sense of your surroundings — especially other aircraft; and know the local arrival information, such as noise abatement rules (this information is extensively covered in AOPA's Airport Directory and available on the Web site ( www.aopa.org/members/airports/).
Brown also cautions that this is not the time to ignore preflight procedures. FAR 91.103 specifically states, "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight." Complete information concerning all of FAR Part 91 is available on the Web ( www.aopa.org/members/files/fars/far-91.html).
Other considerations for your first fly-in include remembering that you are not at your home airport or, even if this is an airport that you have flown into previously, it will be different on fly-in day. "Ground congestion and taxiing procedures will be different, and while you'll be greeted by fellow aviators, they may not be able to park you in the most optimum conditions," said Brown. "Often, you're on your own, and you may end up parking on the grass somewhere off the runway."
You must also remember your passengers at a fly-in, especially if they are not pilots themselves. "There are a lot of star-struck people at fly-ins, wandering around and enjoying the aircraft," added Brown. "Don't assume that your passengers know the danger of a spinning propeller. Airplanes are a lot of fun but can be dangerous. Fly-ins attract a lot of nonaviation people, and you need to remember them."
AOPA's annual Fly-In and Open House attracted more than 7,000 people and 720 aircraft last year. "It's a good way to see what your association does, and see a great collection of aircraft," said Brown.
As an AOPA member, you have access to the best resource anywhere for answers for pilots. The AOPA Online Web site (www.aopa.org) provides members with access to a wealth of information and resources. The toll-free AOPA Pilot Information Center gives you direct access to specialists in every area of aviation. The center, 800/USA-AOPA (800/872-2672), is available to members from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
