AOPA Expo 2001

Life after the party

AOPA members recently spent three days celebrating the freedom of flight and the association's ongoing efforts to restore general aviation. Instead of concluding that pilots shouldn't be allowed to have so much fun and freedom, AOPA threw a party and made plans for the future.

AOPA's three-day Expo in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which concluded on November 10, was a gathering of the faithful — and those faithful, under the leadership of AOPA President Phil Boyer, looked toward the future. After decades of telling one another about the importance of general aviation, GA's ranks began making plans to tell the rest of the country.

Expo-bound travelers proved that they weren't cowed by the events of September 11 by flocking to southern Florida in record numbers — 9,886 people attended the show, a record number for an East Coast Expo — and by spending cold, hard cash. "I didn't realize how much the last two months had affected me until I got here. Being here with all the other people who I know and see three or four times a year at the big aviation events tells me that everything is all right. Expo is really a return to normal for me," said Carolyn Flick of Trade-A-Plane.

The Parade of Planes

Expo swept into Fort Lauderdale on the coattails of Hurricane Michelle, opening with the first Parade of Planes on the East Coast in 20 years. At 10 a.m. on November 7, the first of 73 airplanes started to taxi from the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport to the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. Led by the AOPA Sweepstakes Bonanza, the long line of airplanes taxied down U.S. Route 1, turned right on 17th Street, and right again on Eisenhower Avenue before entering the static display area set up behind the convention center. Children and adults watched in wonder as new airplanes from Cessna, Luscombe, Micco, Pilatus, The New Piper, Raytheon, Socata, Stemme, Twin Commander, and Vulcanair (formerly Partenavia) taxied past, followed by the designs of Adam (the CarbonAero, a six-place, all-composite centerline thrust twin), Cirrus, Diamond, Eagle, Lancair, OMF, and Solaris. Adding contrast were a bright yellow Cubcrafters' Super Cub, a Maule rolling tall on amphibious floats, and a new biplane from the Waco Classic Aircraft Corporation.

Aircraft modifiers such as Texas Skyways, Peterson's Performance Plus, Tradewind Turbines, Rocket Engineering, SMA, Riley, LoPresti, and Enhanced Flight Group showed off their wares to the flag-waving crowd along the parade route.

After their ambassadorial work was finished for another year, the airplanes were taxied back to the airport on Saturday afternoon. It was a strange sight, indeed, as the last seven airplanes in the taxi line waited at a railroad crossing for a train to pass.

Meet the administrator

As she has every year since assuming the office of FAA administrator in 1997, Jane Garvey made plans to attend Expo in person. But because of an unforeseeable scheduling conflict, Garvey attended through the electronic magic of a satellite link.

As her image was projected on two huge screens on each side of the lectern, Garvey's message was broadcast to a standing-room-only crowd. "Never, never has there been a time when communication between AOPA and the FAA has been more important," said Garvey. The administrator added that the FAA knows that general aviation is not a security risk, but the public is concerned about airplanes being used as weapons. Until general aviation "can restore the public's (and government officials') confidence," the future will include more security.

Garvey was joined by former AOPA employee Steve Brown, who now serves as associate administrator of the FAA's Air Traffic Services division, as she explained that the FAA has been forced to use an "incremental approach" to restoring general aviation flight privileges. This approach has been used because "there's no playbook on how to restore an aviation system," Garvey said. "There are no guidelines on how to work with national security agencies," she said. Garvey also acknowledged, "We know people are being badly hurt financially." She reassured those gathered by saying, "We [the FAA] are working around the clock to restore the aviation system."

Garvey praised the work of AOPA, saying, "AOPA is running what must be one of the most useful and used Web sites." Garvey also thanked Boyer when she said that she would like to "gratefully acknowledge your outstanding commitment to general aviation and the 380,000 members of AOPA."

Garvey gave pointers on how (o help with the restoration of GA privileges. "Keep communicating" with AOPA or the FAA," she said, "keep the ideas coming," and "be responsible" by complying with the regulations, especially the notams citing airspace changes.

The exhibit floor

While AOPA team members were working to inform the membership in the general sessions, 550 exhibitors were pitching their goods and services on the exhibit hall floor. Products were bought, equipment was upgraded, and information was exchanged. Expo felt like a party, but within the party was the greatest three-day GA school ever assembled. Visitors could get a briefing on almost any subject. Have you heard that the Boeing Company has a plan for a new air traffic management system? You could have learned about it at Expo. Are you interested in getting real-time weather in your cockpit? This was one of the hottest subjects at Expo, with a number of companies featuring their advances. More than 90 seminars were presented on subjects ranging from flying to the Arctic Circle to aircraft taxes.

Where are you going to land tomorrow?

"We're losing airports at a rapid rate and we have to do something about it" was the message at the second general session on Friday morning. Boyer introduced Andrew Cebula, AOPA senior vice president of government and technical affairs, who, along with Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president of regional affairs, outlined how airports are being closed and what AOPA members must do to help keep them open.

"Noise is the number-one reason we've been losing airports since 1970," said Cebula. Citing statistics from an AOPA survey, he added, "Twenty-four percent of operations are noise restricted; 38 percent of the respondents believe noise restrictions are coming at their airport; fully 29 percent believe their airports are threatened by developers; 16 percent say that their home airport will close for operations within the next 10 years."

AOPA has developed videos, books, and guidelines for educating the media, local government, and the public about the value of general aviation and airports, but AOPA employees can't do it all. The Airport Support Network (ASN), started by AOPA in 1997, has more than 1,075 volunteers who work to keep their local airports open. But more than 900 airports on the initial target list are not represented by an ASN volunteer.

"We can save airports one at a time — one volunteer on one airport," Cebula said of the program. Dunn added that nothing is more frustrating than receiving a Friday afternoon telephone call from a member saying, "Tomorrow they're going to vote to close my airport; what's AOPA going to do about it?" By then it's too late.

The General Aviation Restoration Fund

Boyer announced that AOPA's next priority is to "combat the total lack of understanding within our country about the vital contribution of general aviation to the U.S. air transportation system." To educate the country about the industry, Boyer called for the formation of a General Aviation Restoration Fund and asked AOPA members to donate $1 million by January 1, 2002. This money will fund a public education program designed to calm America's fears about general aviation by reaching out to the American public through television, radio, and newspapers. "We have to get the word out that 65 percent of general aviation flights are for business or public use, and that this is a $65 billion-a-year business," he said.

During the annual opening luncheon, Boyer dined with more than 1,000 of his friends, then took the stage to recognize individuals who had helped GA in the past year. The winners of the 2001 AOPA Max Karant Aviation Journalism awards were Andi Esposito of The Worcester Telegram & Gazette in the print category for "The Other Airport;" James C. Rea in the radio category for The Flying Circus which aired on Washington, D.C.'s National Public Radio affiliate WAMU; and video producer Frank Benesh for his television series Aviation Journal.

Rea, upon receiving his award, said, "My true love of aviation comes from growing up with a father who loved aviation." Sam Rea, a charter member of AOPA, was in the audience as his son concluded by saying, "Dad, thanks and I love you."

Benesh had some suggestions for other aviators who want to bring general aviation to the public. "If you have a GA story, I suggest you contact your local cable TV company — if they have a public access channel they will probably be interested and will probably also give you information and help with how to produce the story," he said. A special Max Karant lifetime achievement award was given to Dave Sclair, owner and editor of General Aviation News. The audience laughed when Sclair read an editorial he had written soon after Boyer had taken the helm at AOPA a decade ago. Thankfully, Sclair's remarks were not prophetic when he wrote that "Boyer will be a fine interim president until AOPA can fill the position permanently."

The 2001 Laurence P. Sharples Award was presented to AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer Robert G. Walton for his selfless efforts to prevent the closure of historic Plum Island Airport in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

More member help

During the Saturday morning general session, Boyer announced that membership in the association had reached 379,514, giving AOPA a "tremendous voice in GA affairs."

Attendees were introduced to Team AOPA, the division heads who work directly for Boyer, and were briefed on new ways AOPA is helping its members. Senior Vice President of Publications and AOPA Pilot Editor in Chief Thomas Haines said that AOPA ePilot, launched two years ago, has more than 200,000 readers and that this e-mail newsletter expedited the delivery of important notams to members during the period of rapid change after the September attacks.

Karen Gebhart, senior vice president of products and services, was on hand to announce that the AOPA Insurance Agency is now accessible online. This service permits members to request quotes and receive service at any time of the day or night. TurboMedical®, another new online program, helps members see how their answers to medical questions could raise unnecessary alarms and delay an otherwise simple medical certification. Completed forms are confidential and can be saved and used as references for future applications. Gebhart also announced that AOPA Products and Services now offers Flight Explorer for members. Flight Explorer Personal Edition is a computer-accessible link that allows members to track airplanes using IFR or flight following services (1200 transponder codes are not tracked) in the U.S. airspace system.

AOPA Air Safety Foundation Executive Director Bruce Landsberg introduced ASF's newest online education program, SkySpotter. The program is designed to improve the quality and quantity of weather information by teaching pilots how to formulate and deliver high-quality pireps.

Seminar tracks

Pilots could select from a range of seminars broken down into six tracks — general interest, proficient pilot, all-pilot, medical issues, safety, and aircraft owner. Among the seminars premiering at Expo was the AOPA Air Safety Foundation session on spatial disorientation. The program gives pilots practical strategies and tactics for coping with this dangerous situation.

With more than 90 seminars offered over three days, the question was — where to start? One of the drawbacks of having so much information gathered in one place is that no one can attend every seminar. How do you choose between attending a hint-filled, single-pilot-IFR seminar or one of humorist Rod Machado's seminars such as "Pilots, Poets, and Psychologists"? Most seminars are taped and copies are available for $5 (Call Convention Seminar Cassettes, 800/526-4010).

AOPA Expo 2001 is over, but those who attended won't soon forget the air of confidence, respect, and resolve exhibited by everyone present. The events of September 11 showed general aviation how vulnerable it is. If GA pilots answer the call and everyone starts spreading the word, works to protect an airport, or organizes an airport appreciation day, then the U.S. can enjoy the benefits of a healthy GA system. If we don't take responsibility for keeping GA thriving, the chances are good that our flight privileges will be curtailed in the future.

AOPA Expo will be traveling back to Palm Springs, California, in 2002. Block out October 24 through 26 for Expo 2002, and be there to get the latest GA health report firsthand.

E-mail the author at [email protected].