AOPA Fly-ins: So much to see, so much to do

Missoula fly-in offers opportunities to learn, experience, and explore

June 1, 2018 By Julie Summers Walker

Pitch us your airport

Send your AOPA Fly-In location ideas

AOPA regional fly-ins have grown since 2014 into one of the association’s most successful efforts, drawing people together for events hosted at the airports where members like to fly. AOPA wants you to add your favorite airport to its list.

AOPA’s event planning team has issued a nationwide request for proposals to host a 2019 AOPA Regional Fly-In. It will be AOPA’s eightieth anniversary year, and the association is looking to find two very special airports—one in the east and one in the west—well suited for big crowds. The AOPA events team also is looking for candidate airports for up to four fly-ins in 2020 and beyond.

AOPA Senior Director of Outreach and Events Chris Eads said the selection process has been simplified. “To help airports make a proposal, we’ve created a two-stage response to the request for proposals. The first is to simply submit a one-page statement of interest that triggers a phone interview with me, followed later by the full-blown, multipage proposal response,” Eads said. “This will help us guide airports in the right direction and hopefully trim their workload.”

Airport managers and sponsors who believe their facility would be a good fit for an AOPA Fly-In are encouraged to start the process. The regional fly-ins have grown into major events that draw thousands of visitors and hundreds of aircraft, with a two-day schedule of activities for individuals and groups, seminars and clinics, great food, and a chance to spend quality time with fellow pilots and their families—the people who understand best what is loved about flying. The 2018 lineup includes four events, and those airports and their surrounding communities can also expect a tidy influx of business. One of AOPA’s goals is to craft fly-in activities and opportunities to encourage return visits long after the event is over.

Information on how to begin the process of being considered for a future AOPA Fly-In is online, and any pilot, fixed-base operator, or AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer is encouraged to offer suggestions and connect Eads and his team with airport operations staff and/or ownership.

Web: www.aopa.org/flyinRFP

Visitors to the first AOPA Fly-In of 2018 in Missoula, Montana, June 15 and 16 can expect an aviation trifecta in this mountain town: learning, experiences, and exploration.

Nestled in the northern Rockies, Missoula International Airport (MSO) is a treat for the eyes with mountains circling the airport, nearby rivers and streams, and two flying museums on site. Visitors can explore the mountain town, visit both the Museum of Mountain Flying and the Smokejumpers Museum, and stroll along the downtown riverside.

For two days, AOPA will offer extensive learning experiences—from four-hour intensive workshops (registration and fee required) exploring topics such as owner-performed maintenance, backcountry flying skills, and IFR and VFR flying—to free Saturday seminars on BasicMed, thunderstorm avoidance, and short takeoff and landing techniques. Experiences such as watching a STOL demonstration performed by the Texas STOL Roundup, visiting with AOPA President Mark Baker, and fly-outs to spectacular scenic backcountry airstrips are just a few of the opportunities planned.

Speakers include Mike Busch of Savvy Maintenance, Catherine Cavagnaro of Ace Aerobatic School, Adrian Eichhorn, Mike Vivion, Max Trescott, and many more. There will be seminars for Rusty Pilots, drone enthusiasts, and those curious about aviation photography.

The excitement begins on Friday with workshops, exhibits, and a Barnstormers party followed by a Saturday morning pancake breakfast, free seminars, and a Pilot Town Hall. Group fly-outs are planned into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, through Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, and to Sandpoint, Idaho. A special overnight fly-out to Seeley Lake (23S) will be hosted by the Recreational Aviation Foundation. A jam-packed weekend of aviation is promised for those who attend.

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