And opening the wide world of flight
How is it that winter seems to linger and summer - peak flying season here in the Mid-Atlantic region - goes by so quickly?
I hope this issue of AOPA Flight Training finds you making the most of summer - spending time relaxing and, of course, flying. Whether you are newly certificated or just getting started on your flying adventure, I hope you are getting out and enjoying the many recreational opportunities that flying opens up - from weekend getaways to day trips that wouldn't be practical by car.
In the summer, I especially like to get out of the city and travel to the shore. Getting to the Delaware beach area by air, and skipping all the traffic, is an added bonus. The cool air of the mountains is another great summertime escape.
Over the Independence Day holiday, I urged everyone to celebrate their freedom to fly by getting out and into the air, whether for a family vacation or a quick sightseeing expedition. I also urged certificated pilots to take a nonpilot for a ride to let them experience a new perspective on general aviation. There's no better way to make sure that GA remains relevant and vibrant than to get out in the sky and do it! Taking nonfliers along for the ride can introduce them to a new world, and might even be the key to bringing the next generation of pilots into the cockpit.
Even if you're a student you can introduce a nonpilot to flight - just invite them to ride along on your next lesson, with your flight instructor's permission, of course. Or plan a cross-country to a recreational destination, and ask your instructor and a friend or two to come along.
This summer I have been taking my own advice and trying to get nonpilots into the air while actively exercising my freedom to fly for both business and pleasure.
My summer kicked off with a trip to what is known locally as "America's Resort," The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. It's probably best known as the site of a secret bunker meant to protect Congress in the event of a nuclear attack. That bunker is now defunct and so, unfortunately, is the private airstrip where I used to land in my Cessna Cutlass. So on my most recent visit I flew my Bonanza into Lewisburg, West Virginia, just 20 minutes away from the resort.
This particular trip was to attend a meeting of association presidents hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As always, the free-flowing discussions yielded new insights and ideas over the course of the weekend event.
And although I have been a part of this group in the past, this was my first opportunity to represent AOPA, and I didn't want to let it go to waste! In fact, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring general aviation to a non-GA audience. So with the help of AOPA's capable staff, we placed a flight simulator display in a room across from the main meeting room and brought along an expert from our Pilot Information Center to answer questions and ensure people had a good "flight" experience.
We created quite a buzz, with many conference participants coming over for a test flight. The simulator served as a great way to open new dialogue, with many participants telling me about their longtime interest in learning to fly or asking about how GA makes me more effective and efficient in my role as an association president.
Again, this seemed like an opportunity not to be passed up. So Dave Hirschman, one of our publication's editors, made the short flight from Frederick to Lewisburg in the AOPA Let's Go Flying Sweepstakes Cirrus SR22.
We invited interested sim fliers to come to the airport for a flight in the real thing, and we invited AOPA members from the area to come to Lewisburg for a closer look at "their" potential airplane.
I expected a small group, but people started arriving 45 minutes before the event. And there were so many airplanes in the pattern that the local tower chief took a picture, saying there were "more aircraft than we've seen here at one time in quite a while."
The 70-plus participants enjoyed good food from the airport restaurant and a great discussion about general aviation today. I had a chance to talk about our campaign, General Aviation Serves America, and to answer a wide range of questions.
This event really set the tone for my summer and reminded me that there are thousands of people out there who would love to learn to fly, if only they are given the right opportunity to get started. Even for those who don't want to be pilots, a ride in a GA aircraft is something they'll never forget and that will forever change their perspective on who we are and what we do. I can't think of a more enjoyable way to generate goodwill - one passenger at a time!
I hope that as you continue your training or expanding your skills, you'll tell people about what you do, and invite those who express interest to give it a try as well. Just knowing a pilot and experiencing GA firsthand can open a whole new world for them, and help ensure the future for us all.
E-mail AOPA President Craig Fuller at [email protected].
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