Any pilot knows the answer: It's a bonding ritual in the great tradition of Ernest Gann's "band of brothers" (now including sisters). It's the fellowship, the hangar flying wisdom (often exaggerated, but almost always with a nugget of truth), and the admiration of fine flying machines.
Most small fly-ins are sponsored by local pilot groups and often feature breakfast. Believe me, there's nothing better than landing on a runway on a beautiful summer morning and catching a whiff of hot, golden pancakes and savory sausage links sizzling in the open air by the hangar. That's exactly what happened when I was in Oregon a few years back, and members of the Oregon Pilots Association were shocked as I walked into a hangar, attracted by the scent of breakfast. Other fly-in events are larger and more formal with displays and perhaps educational seminars.
But no matter the size of a fly-in, the basic elements are the same: fun, fellowship, and a chance to breathe deeply of general aviation in a friendly, supportive environment. If you actually fly to one of these events, a demonstration of your superior landing technique is obligatory. And of course, the pilots who arrived before you will be happy to critique your performance, all in good fun.
Some fly-in events specialize in a particular airplane type. Among them are events for Cessna 120 and 140 airplanes (two-place, tailwheel trainer aircraft popular in the 1940s and 1950s and predecessors of today's Cessna 152) and short-wing Piper aircraft, including such venerable favorites as the Piper Tri-Pacer or Colt.
In Galesburg, Illinois, beginning on Labor Day every year, there's a fly-in for the remaining examples of snorting, deep-throated Stearman biplanes with the big radial engines that trained so many pilots during World War II. At least one fly-in caters to pilots of the venerable Bell 47 helicopters, the type most familiar as medical evacuation helicopters on the TV show M*A*S*H. There are fly-in events for aircraft types as diverse as Beechcraft Bonanzas, Mooneys, Stinsons, and Luscombes, among others. There's at least one fly-in event for those who fly the various models of Ercoupe. That legendary design is said to be unstallable and unspinnable; some even say it's almost as easy to fly as a car is to drive. Originally, the Ercoupe was built with rudders automatically linked to the yoke and thus had no rudder pedals.
Personally, I like to go to fly-ins for the airplanes. But my wife, Lois, much prefers fly-in events that specialize in food. Fortunately, there's no shortage of those. This year, for example, there was a "Fly-In Shrimp Boil" in Port Aransas, Texas, in April; a "Pig Roast" fly-in in Lake Village, Indiana, in May; and there will be a "Beach Barbeque" fly-in on Abaco Island in the Bahamas later this month. No doubt there are many others scattered throughout the country each year.
Fly-in events are an important part of general aviation's social fabric. AOPA keeps members up to date on those events through the calendar listings on AOPA Online (www.aopa.org/ pilot/calendar/calendar.cfm ). In addition, AOPA members who get the weekly free AOPA ePilot electronic newsletter receive listings for fly-in events in their region. In the near future, AOPA ePilot will also offer event listings tailored to a specific subscriber's interests.
AOPA's own fly-in, held every June at our home field at Frederick, Maryland, has grown beyond all expectations. It's always held on a Saturday, and it gives AOPA members an opportunity to visit their association (not normally open on weekends) and talk with staff members about specific aviation issues or concerns. There are more than 100 exhibits, safety and educational seminars, and an entire flight line full of gleaming new and historic aircraft. Did I mention the food?
Every year, some 7,000 visitors and 700 aircraft flock to the AOPA Fly-In. Our 2002 AOPA Fly-In will be held Saturday, June 1, in case you want to start planning now for a great day of GA fun, fellowship, and learning.
Related Articles
