AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2011 - 4

PRESIDENT’SPOSITION

BY CRAIG FULLER
AOPA PRESIDENT

Connecting GA

y first two years as president of AOPA were filled with travel—there’s no substitute for the face-to-face meetings I have had with members.

nation, so it’s no surprise that the state takes aviation seriously. This event, sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation and co-sponsored by the Texas Airport Council and Texas Aviation Association, is a great opportunity to reach pilots, GA users, and state transportation officials in one place. • July 8-9—Wing Nuts Flying Circus and Fly-In, Tarkio, Missouri. Don’t let the name fool you, I’ve been to this event before and these are serious aviators who gather at the invitation of House of Representatives GA Caucus co-chairman, AOPA And, there is no better way to show elected officials member, and avid pilot Rep. Sam Graves. I look just how passionate we are about aviation than to Since taking office in January 2009, forward to being in the heart of America for this hold our GA Serves America gatherings. AOPA President This year, I hope to have the chance to see even day-and-a-half gathering. Craig Fuller has more of you, along with anyone else who has an • July 12—Wichita Aero Club, Wichita, Kansas. This logged 700 hours interest in aviation. It’s all part of the “Rally GA” inimay be one of the youngest Aero Clubs in America, traveling for GA. tiative we’re focusing on for 2011. We need to raise but they really turn out here in the heart of our the level of interest in and utilization of GA for more aviation manufacturing community. It is always a and more people. To do that, we need to connect. We need to pleasure to join these passionate aviators for one of their luninteract with each other, and we need to bring in people who cheons. This midyear event will be a good time to take stock demonstrate even the slightest curiosity about this freedom to of the first half of 2011 and discuss what the rest of the year fly that we all cherish. promises politically and economically. We at AOPA want to create opportunities for building con- • July 25-31—EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This can’tnections, so I am focusing on the events that are already on the miss event is one I look forward to from the moment we depart schedule for 2011. I share this information to encourage you to Oshkosh the year before. Tom Poberezny, Rod Hightower, and add these events to your calendar, too. Come see us, and bring I have opportunities to work together throughout the year, but a friend. Here’s what we have for now: our AOPA team shows up in force at AirVenture to celebrate the • February 24-26—International Women in Aviation Confer- best of GA and show our respect for all that our friends and colence, Reno, Nevada. It’s always a pleasure to join Women in leagues at EAA achieve at this gathering for our GA community. Aviation International President Peggy Chabrian to address the • September 22-24—AOPA Aviation Summit, Hartford, Conthousands who attend her group’s annual meeting. Two years necticut. I’ve been to Hartford already in preparation for our ago, it was at this meeting that I gave away an AOPA sweepstakes Summit, and I couldn’t be more excited about the enthusiasm airplane. I can’t promise another giveaway, but I do know it’s a we’ve experienced from our friends in Connecticut. This will great forum to focus on the year ahead. be a wonderful venue both at the convention hall and at the • February 26-27—Northwest Aviation Conference, Puyallup, Hartford-Brainard Airport. Please mark your calendars and join Washington. Always well attended, this annual gathering is all of us at AOPA for our annual event. where I want to elaborate on our “Rally GA” theme…and, there • October 10-12—NBAA, Las Vegas, Nevada. We plan to again is nowhere better as our members and fellow aviators in the join with NBAA to offer the Light Business Aircraft Conference Northwest are as enthusiastic as they come! first during our Summit and again at their annual gathering. • March 5-8—Heli-Expo, Orlando, Florida. Matt Zuccaro has This meeting offers aviators a chance to see the full range of been a great ally on general aviation issues. I am looking forward aircraft being used in business today. And, there are always to spending a couple days at his annual Helicopter International some exciting announcements made by the world’s finest GA gathering knowing that the exhibitors are showing off some of manufacturers. the finest rotor-related products in the world. Add to these visits a number of AOPA Town Hall meetings, • March 29-April 3—Sun ’n Fun, Lakeland, Florida. John Bur- where I have a chance to interact with our members, and a ton and his fine team came to visit us at AOPA before the end growing list of local aviation events that we’re hoping to attend, of 2010 and we are very excited about our participation in this and 2011 promises to be filled with great opportunities to get wonderful spring event! I could not be more excited about Bur- connected. I hope you’ll get your calendar out and block out ton’s efforts to bring all of GA together. This is the place to be to time to come and see the AOPA team as often as you can. Let’s “Rally GA” and our whole team will be there. get together, celebrate the freedom to fly, and Rally GA! • May 25-27—Texas Aviation Conference, Austin, Texas. When it comes to pilots, Texas has one of the largest populations in the E-mail AOPA President Craig Fuller at craig@aopa.org. 4 • FEBRUARY 2011

AOPA PILOT •

AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2011

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