Slip-slidin’ away. Airplanes don’t have to be tucked away for the winter just because there’s some snow on the ground. Attach skis to a sturdy taildragger like the one in this photo, and suddenly a whole new vista of frozen lakes and snow-covered fields awaits (see "Chill Out," p. 28). For states like Minnesota, which can experience more than 70 inches of snow per year along the Lake Superior "snow belt," skiplanes can mean thedifference beween hibernating all winter and getting out to enjoy all that nature has to offer.
WHAT: Stinson 108
WHERE: Minneapolis, Minnesota
PHOTOGRAPHER: Mike Fizer
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Pilgrim Aviation ‘flies’ Cessna 150 to mall for the holidays
An out-of-the-box idea to promote GA
Joe Ricci, co-owner of Massachusetts-based Pilgrim Aviation, was looking for an outside-the-box way to publicize his flight school and scenic flights. So he took a fully operational Cessna 150 and placed it inside Hanover Mall to educate the public about general aviation—and even tempt some to take flying lessons.
The idea came about after Ricci and his partner discussed how to teach the public about GA. “We both have successful businesses outside of aviation and started at Plymouth because we both have a love for GA,” he said. “General aviation has this sleepy mentality, no one markets it, and we turned that around with this promotion.”
When the co-owners approached mall management about bringing in the Cessna 150, they thought they were crazy. “Once we explained what we wanted to do and showed how we could make it work, they were open to the idea,” Ricci said. “They said they’d build a stage to put the aircraft on.”
Patrons want to know how the aircraft got into the mall, said Ricci. “We bought the 150 in Peoria, Illinois, and had a custom trailer built to bring it to Plymouth,” he said. “We brought it back to our maintenance facility at Yankee Aviation, drained the fuel, and disassembled the plane. We reassembled it in the mall.” He declined to say how much it cost for the promotion, saying it was “substantial.”
The way to measure the program’s success is in getting more people interested in GA, said Ricci. “We’re not looking at it for sales, but as a way to get the Pilgrim brand out to the general public,” he said. “We also want to show them the safety of GA aircraft, and get them to do a demo flight or free sessions on our Redbird LD simulator.
“We’ve had a lot of great reactions to the plane from the mall, customers, and the media,” said Ricci. “We now have other malls who want to bring it to their malls.”
AOPA announces dates, details of new grassroots events
Can't-miss, one-day fly-ins planned across the country
For many pilots, there’s no better way to spend a Saturday than enjoying all things general aviation. That’s the experience AOPA is bringing to members and aviation enthusiasts nationwide with a series of six regional AOPA Fly-Ins and a special AOPA Homecoming in Frederick, Maryland.
The AOPA Fly-Ins are built around the association’s members, but everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Each gathering will begin with a traditional pancake breakfast and town hall discussion with AOPA President Mark Baker. Baker will talk about the big issues affecting general aviation, discuss key AOPA initiatives, and answer questions from the audience.
Following breakfast, there will be opportunities for AOPA members to meet and mingle with one another and AOPA staff, take part in educational and safety seminars, and explore aircraft displays and aviation exhibits. Various flying activities and clinics will be offered, and for those who aren’t yet pilots, each event will include a learn-to-fly area.
There is no charge for admission, and as a special thank-you, AOPA members will receive a complimentary lunch.
“Each fly-in is going to be a full day of fun,” said Baker. “I love to spend time at the airport with my fellow pilots, and I’m excited that we can bring this GA experience to so many different parts of the country. We want to get more involved with our members at the grassroots level, and I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend time together than surrounded by airplanes!”
The regional events were inspired by AOPA members who asked how they could get more involved with their association and meet other members who live and fly nearby.
“Forging a strong community is good for pilots and good for general aviation, so when members came to us looking for ways to help support airports and build their own community ties, we knew we needed to get involved,” Baker said.
The debut year of AOPA Fly-Ins will be highlighted with a special AOPA Homecoming event to mark the return of the annual Frederick fly-in and to celebrate the association’s seventy-fifth anniversary. On October 4, AOPA will open the doors of its Frederick headquarters to welcome home members from across the country and around the world.
Six AOPA Fly-Ins are scheduled.
San Marcos Municipal Airport (HYI), San Marcos, Texas—April 26
Indianapolis Regional Airport (MQJ), Indianapolis, Indiana—May 31
Plymouth Airport (PYM), Plymouth, Massachusetts—July 12
Felts Field (SFF), Spokane, Washington—August 16
Chino Airport (CNO), Chino, California— September 20
Malcolm McKinnon Airport (SSI), Brunswick, Georgia—November 8
“These are some of the friendliest airports in the country, and they’ve promised a warm welcome for AOPA members, whether you fly in or drive,” said Baker.
AOPA will also be represented at Sun 'n Fun April 1 through 6; EAA AirVenture July 28 through August 3; and its own fly-in October 4 in Frederick, Maryland.
More details about the events as well as information to help you plan your visit are available online.
Women of Aviation Worldwide Week set for March 3-9
Introducing girls and women to general aviation
During the week of March 3 through 9, airports and pilots on five continents will introduce girls and women to aviation through free flights, aviation activities, and more.
This year’s event celebrates “pushing the limits,” according to U.S. Team Leader Victoria Neuville Zajko, and honors 100 years of female aerobatic pilots and 50 years of women who flew solo around the world.
An opening ceremony will be held March 3 at 10:30 a.m. at College Park Aviation Museum in College Park, Maryland. Guest speakers include wing walker Jana McWhorter; aerobatics and Reno race pilot Jacquie Warda; and world aerobatics champion Aude Lemordant. That event will be recorded for online viewing later in the day via the website.
A First-to-Solo challenge sponsored by Sennheiser will award $1,500 for flight training to the first girl or woman who takes a flight during the WOAW event and then documents a solo flight. King Schools Inc. will award a Get It All online private pilot course to the first U.S. girl or woman to solo.
Last year’s event introduced more than 5,000 girls and women to aviation, Zajko said. Pilots are encouraged to organize events at their airports. For more information, see the website.
You may be a ski fanatic, but have you ever tried it in an airplane? Join the Flight Training editors for a chat about skiplane flying on Tuesday, March 4, at 3 p.m. Eastern. One chatter will receive a $50 Aircraft Spruce gift card. Sign up for an email reminder (www.aopa.org/facebook/flighttraining/livechat.html). Flight Training Facebook chats are sponsored by Aircraft Spruce.
