AOPA Fly-Ins: Added excitement
2020 locations announced with enhanced events
AOPA has postponed its San Marcos and Casper fly-ins. Click here for more details.
This year, we’re joining up at two events and “growing up” at the third. In late May, AOPA will be the featured sponsor and co-locate our event with Go Wheels Up! Texas to present a combined airshow, car show, music festival, and the AOPA Fly-In at San Marcos Regional Airport (HYI). Have you heard of Cory Morrow? He’s a Texas country singer/songwriter who dreamed of combining his passion for cars, aviation, music, and Texas cuisine into “one giant hullaballoo.” This event debuted in 2019 to great acclaim and featured Morrow and “some of his closest friends” (read: great musicians). The May 29 and 30 AOPA Fly-In will be held in conjunction with the event; all AOPA activities such as seminars and workshops will also take place as scheduled.
In June, we’ll all fly to Casper, Wyoming, and get our “cowboy” on. Hitch up your chaps and get your boots on. AOPA will be joining the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper the weekend of June 19 and 20. More than 400 cowboys and cowgirls from more than 100 universities and colleges compete in the event in Casper each year. They are the best of the best in bull riding, barrel racing, bronco riding, and more, and we’ll be there to help cheer them on. AOPA activities will take place at Casper/Natrona County International Airport (CPR); rodeo events will be added for AOPA members interested in attending.
On September 11 and 12, we’ll join the big iron at Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC). This is the fifth busiest airport in New York state; it has three runways, and hosts more than 88,000 aircraft operations each year. But the two FBOs on the airport—USAirports and AvFlight—are GA friendly and looking forward to seeing us little guys there. Both have fuel and support GA operations. Fly-out opportunities such as Niagara Falls and the Finger Lakes region will make this weekend worth the trip.
“We’re going to be pursuing some unique opportunities to collaborate with other local events and activities to make our fly-ins not just about aviation, but also about the destination,” said Chris Eads, AOPA’s senior director of outreach and events.
“We’re excited to share these neat destinations and unique experiences with our members and attendees. I think it’s going to be a really fun year.”
Web: aopa.org/fly-ins
Email [email protected]
2020 Aviation Calendar of Events
February 22-23
NW Aviation Conference Puyallup, Washington
March 5-7
Women in Aviation Lake Buena Vista, Florida
March 24-27
AEA Nashville, Tennessee
March 31-April 5
Sun ’n Fun Lakeland, Florida
April 1-4
Aero Friedrichshafen Friedrichshafen, Germany
May 2-3
Great Alaska Gathering Anchorage, Alaska
May 29-30
AOPA Fly-In San Marcos, Texas
June 19-20
AOPA Fly-In Casper, Wyoming
July 20-26
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Wisconsin
September 11-12
AOPA Fly-In Rochester, New York
October 6-8
NBAA convention Orlando, Florida
Air and Space Museum honors African Americans
The Smithsonian Institution will honor “African American Pioneers in Aviation and Space” at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center February 8, 2020, in honor of Black History Month. Features include:
- Learn about the “Triple Nickles” smokejumpers while designing and building a parachute.
- View special collections from the National Air and Space Museum Archives related to African American figures.
- Take a special highlights tour of the museum focused on African American accomplishments in aviation and space.
- Enjoy Flights of Fancy story time readings of Nobody Owns the Sky: The Story of “Brave Bessie” Coleman and related hands-on activities.
- Listen to a panel discussion hosted by Legacy Flight Academy about the careers available in aviation and engineering.
- Watch the “Take a Giant Leap” puppet show, featuring stories of great air and space adventurers, including the Tuskegee Airmen.
- Hear from Tuskegee Airman Col. Charles McGee (see “AOPA Honors World War II Vet,” p. 12).
Web: airandspace.si.edu
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