Road Trip: The beach is calling

White-sand beaches, crystal-clear ocean waves, and breezes off the Gulf of Mexico—that’s Gulf Shores, Alabama, host of the final 2018 AOPA Fly-In. We’ve saved the best for last. Join us October 26 and 27 in a beautiful beach town sure to delight your senses—and challenge you to expand your aviation horizons. An AOPA Fly-In is an exciting event with amazing aircraft, stimulating seminars, and interesting speakers—and with a setting like Gulf Shores, this fly-in is worth the trip.

There are miles of soft sand and clear waters along the Alabama coastline. Bordered on one side by Pensacola, Florida, famous for its renowned naval air station, the towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are popular summer vacation spots that continue to beckon beachgoers even in the fall. That’s because the average temperature is still around 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the water temperature is the same.

Jack Edwards National Airport (JKA) is located just two miles from the center of Gulf Shores. Originally a reliever field for Naval Air Station Pensacola, it was called Canal Field. The city bought it in 1977 and renamed it for Rep. Jack Edwards, who was instrumental in the city’s purchase. A new terminal was added in 1998 and the main runway, 9/27, was expanded to its current 6,962-foot length. Runway 17/35 is 3,596 feet long. Jack Edwards is the second busiest airport in Alabama, averaging approximately 228 operations each day.

Three full-service FBOs serve JKA: Gulf Air Center, Salt Air Aviation, and Platinum Air Center. All three FBOs will help with the AOPA Fly-In.