Parade of Planes wings its way through Palm Springs in one week

Parade of Planes at AOPA Expo 2001.

In just one week, on October 23, residents and visitors in Palm Springs, California, will be treated to a parade unlike any other: the AOPA Expo 2002 Parade of Planes.

Led by the beautifully restored AOPA Centennial of Flight Sweepstakes Waco UPF-7 biplane, some 80 aircraft will taxi nose-to-tail from Palm Springs International Airport to the Palm Springs Convention Center, right through Palm Springs. The parade begins its taxi roll at 2 p.m. PDT.

AOPA Expo 2002 itself gets under way Thursday morning, October 24, with the first general session beginning at 9 a.m. After the general session, visitors can wander the static display area to get a close-up look at the aircraft from the Parade of Planes, or stroll the aisles of the convention center to see the wares of hundreds of exhibitors. There are more than 80 seminars scheduled, from a myriad of safety topics, including the popular Pinch Hitter® course, to aviation humor with Rod Machado to "What Else Can I Do to My Panel?"

There are nightly social events as well, culminating with the Grand Finale Banquet Saturday night, October 26, at which renowned Washington humorist Mark Russell will offer his usual barbed look at our political system.

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