AOPA at AirVenture

There is nothing like the week at AirVenture. It means I get to see lifelong friends and thousands of our members, but I also have the opportunity to meet many new people from all over this great world of aviation. It also never fails that I get to see exciting new aircraft and gear. Even for someone who has been flying as much as I have, I always see something new at AirVenture, and that’s one of the big reasons why I love going back every year.

There’s nothing like putting the airplane down on the yellow dot—or when they tell you it’s now the purple dot. Taxiing and seeing the folks lining the runway and waving means I have come home.

I am always amazed, as we take our place among the thousands of airplanes for the week at Wittman Regional Airport, to see the incredible range of aircraft that represent all corners of this passion we share. Walking up and down the rows is like a living history, a museum that represents the past 100 years of flight—from the pioneers of the early 1900s to the newest experimental or turbine aircraft. It shows that we have come a long way and that we have many more miles to fly. The evolution of aviation is on full display, and I encourage everyone at AirVenture to take the time to soak up all that amazing history.

The show marks another chapter in a great aviation event year for us so far in 2023. We had a wonderful time with the AOPA team at our fly-in at the Buckeye Air Fair and, of course, Sun ’n Fun in Florida. But while there are hundreds of aviation events across the country, there is only one AirVenture. As EAA founder and general aviation pioneer Paul Poberezny once said so powerfully, “It’s the airplanes that get us together, but it’s the people that bring us back.”

And that’s why I go back. And will keep going back.

For fellow veterans of the Oshkosh scene, and for aviators experiencing their first AirVenture, I invite you to visit the AOPA tent for everything you need to enhance your aviation life and member experience. We’ll offer lots of engaging content and events, valuable information, and discussions with AOPA and industry experts, as well as meet-and-greets with noted
aviation personalities.

As you’ve come to expect, our AOPA program pavilion will be buzzing once the week kicks off Monday morning. We’ll be hosting lots of informative sessions from AOPA and our partners, covering a wide range of topics from safety to procedures, product intros and updates, inspiring stories, and so much more.

AOPA will have staff on hand to provide you with everything you need to protect and expand your aviation and membership experiences. I invite you to talk with our experts in advocacy to learn about the ways we are protecting your freedom to fly on Capitol Hill and in regions across the country—everything from keeping your airport open and ensuring a smart transition to unleaded fuel to aircraft certification, safeguarding your place to park on the ramp, and FBO transparency.

If you have any questions regarding your medical certification or have a thorny legal issue, our teams will stand ready to provide you the resources to stay safe and current in the skies. And, of course, we’ll hold our annual Pilot Town Hall on Thursday morning, where I invite you to hear from AOPA leaders on our major priorities and the many ways AOPA protects your freedom to fly.

Whether you’re new to aviation and looking for the best way to get that pilot’s certificate, or a rusty pilot who is looking to get back into the skies after some time off, we’ll have the people and information to fuel your aviation passion.

And speaking of passion, wait till you get a look at what we have done to our (and maybe your) sweepstakes Cessna 170. She is a real beauty, and just waiting to take a lucky winner into the exciting backcountry.

I fly away from AirVenture every year with renewed energy for this uniquely American freedom to fly we all share. And, as usual, I expect my souvenir bag to be full; I always have to tweak that weight and balance for departure.

I wish you all blue skies in your journeys to AirVenture. See you there!

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