Something for everyone

Locations for 2020 fly-ins announced

January 1, 2020 By Julie Summers Walker

It’s official—the locations have been selected for the 2020 AOPA Fly-Ins, three great two-day events and each will have a personality of its own.

From music to rodeo, car shows to airshows, and Wild West excursions to a metropolitan vibe, our three locations will have something for everyone. AOPA staff have worked for months identifying, selecting, and finalizing this year’s fly-ins.

Drum roll, please. On May 29 and 30, join AOPA in San Marcos, Texas (HYI), for a return event that looks nothing like it did the first time around, when we hosted our first regional fly-in there in 2014. The fly-in will be co-located with an exciting music festival/car show/airshow called Go Wheels Up, Texas! On June 19 and 20 come to Casper, Wyoming (CPR), a place to savor the rich Western heritage of these United States. We’ll be there during the College National Finals Rodeo so this event will be a total immersion in Western culture. September 11 and 12 we will host the fly-in in upstate New York in the energetic city of Rochester (ROC). This international airport will welcome us little guys with waived fees and open arms.

“This year’s AOPA Fly-Ins will take us into two new states in parts of the country we’ve not yet visited with exciting opportunities to explore their unique strengths,” said Chris Eads, AOPA senior director of Outreach and Events. “And, we will also revisit the roots of our regional fly-in program by returning to our very first location in 2014. We are looking forward to a fun year with lots of new flying adventures.”

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Three great weekends

Texas two-step

San Marcos, Texas May 29 and 30, 2020
San Marcos Regional Airport in Texas (HYI) is our first 2020 fly-in on May 29 and 30. To sweeten our second time around (2014), AOPA will be the featured guest at Go Wheels Up, Texas! Bands from all over Texas will help us celebrate a great reason to fly with two days of aviation excitement (aircraft displays and airshows), nightly music festivals (local to semi-famous musicians), and a car show (hot rods to classics). It’s a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, as San Marcos sits between the Live Music Capital of the World (Austin) and River City (San Antonio). Come discover why San Marcos is also called “San Marvelous.”

Cowboy up!

Casper, WyomingJune 19 and 20, 2020
Dust off your boots and hitch up your chaps. The historic city of Casper, Wyoming, will host an AOPA Fly-In on June 19 and 20. This is a Western town, with roots in the era when pioneers came west to search for gold and when the horse was essential transportation. It’s also the crossroads of the Oregon, California, Mormon, and Pony Express trails. We’ve saddled up with the city of Casper to hold our fly-in the same weekend as the College National Finals Rodeo. The fly-out opportunities are as wide as the state: Yellowstone, the Bighorn Mountains, Devils Tower, and the Grand Tetons are nearby.

Picture this

Rochester, New YorkSeptember 11 and 12, 2020
Famously known as the home of Eastman Kodak, maker of easy-to-use cameras for everyman and the first digital camera, Rochester is a picturesque town. We’ll end our fly-in season with a perfect time of year to visit on September 11 and 12. Leaf peeping, anyone? Located just minutes from the Finger Lakes, Rochester is the metropolitan hub of this photo-worthy area. The nine lakes—so named because their long shapes look like fingers—boast scenic drives, vineyards and wineries, seaplane excitement, and the home of aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss. Check off that bucket-list item—fly over Niagara Falls!

2020 Aopa Fly-In Schedule

May 29-30	San Marcos, Texas,	San Marcos Regional Airport (HYI)
June 19-20	Casper, Wyoming	Casper/Natrone County Airport (CPR)
September 11/12	Rochester, New York	Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC)