If you don't yet have your private pilot certificate, you may think that these gatherings of airplanes and the people who love them are off-limits to you. But that's not the case. Ask your flight instructor to come along, or ask a pilot friend for an extra seat. (Of course, you can always drive -- and many people do.)
The aviation events calendar on AOPA Online is a great way to find a fly-in near you. Search for events by month, airport identifier, airport name, city, state, or geographic region. An abbreviated regional calendar appears in your AOPA ePilot e-mail newsletter each Friday.
If you happen to live on the East Coast, or will be in the area, AOPA's fifteenth annual Fly-In and Open House will be held Saturday, June 4, in Frederick, Maryland (see "AOPA Action," p. 12). The Fly-In is a full day of free activities for pilots. Tour AOPA, attend a safety seminar, hear a presentation from AAOPA Flight Training columnist Rod Machado, or visit the static display. Our convenient location on Frederick Municipal Airport means you really can fly in. If the weather is VFR, expect a lot of traffic (that's why a temporary control tower operates for that day). Be sure to view the fly-in procedures posted on AOPA Online.
Traveling by airplane to any fly-in means you'll be entering a high-traffic situation that calls for extra vigilance. Fly-In Safety, available at the AOPA Online Safety Center, offers you helpful resources such as the Fly-In Safety Checkup. This checklist goes over contingencies and solutions for those situations not found in your usual trip around the traffic pattern or $100 hamburger flight. And don't forget, the aviation technical specialists at AOPA's Pilot Information Center are available to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. Call them weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern, or send an e-mail.
Download the Fly-In Safety Checkup from the AOPA Online Safety Center.
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