AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2016 - 100

DETAILS

13,000

The number of visitors to
AOPA Fly-Ins in 2015.

News & Notes
MEMBERSHIP

ACCORDING TO AOPA Director

of Outreach
and Events Chris Eads, more than 4,000
attended the fly-in, making it the association's most popular by a wide margin. Eads
said the Washington Pilots Association
helped park 1,064 cars, and the young
people of the Civil Air Patrol volunteering
throughout the event "rocked the house."

AOPA Fly-In at Bremerton 'awesome'
Most popular event thus far
B Y D AV I D T U L I S
A RECORD NUMBER of aviation enthusiasts turned out for
AOPA's second fly-in of 2016,
filling Bremerton National
Airport's ramps, runways, and
parking lots with airplanes and
automobiles for two days of

director. "That back runway
probably hasn't seen aircraft for
50 years and it was packed with
parked airplanes." The airport's
second runway had long since
been converted into a drag strip
until it hosted overflow aircraft
arriving for the event.
Bob Lima of Eureka,
BY THE NUMBERS
4,000 	 Attendees
California, and his son
690 	
Aircraft
Ryan camped out next
806	
Lunches served
to their Piper Cherokee
43 	
Display aircraft
Six along with 162 other
62 	
Exhibitors
campers. They awoke to
727	
Breakfasts served
750	
Barnstormers Party
a breakfast of pancakes,
165	
Rusty Pilots
sausage, juice, and coffee
provided by volunteers
sun-filled seminars, exhibits, from the local Experimental
and special events. The airport, Aircraft Association chapter.
its staff, and volunteers showThe father and son piloted
cased the warm local hospitality their Cherokee to nearby Paine
and Pacific Northwest beauty of Field for an exclusive Boeing
Bremerton, Washington, across VIP tour Friday that included
stops at the Historic Flight
Puget Sound from Seattle.
"I thought it was awesome," Foundation and the Flying
said Fred Salisbury, the airport Heritage Collection in Everett.
100 | AOPA PILOT October 2016

"Oh, man, it's been awesome," echoed the younger
Lima, who recently earned his
instrument rating. "Just waking
up to airplane noise. It's the best
alarm there is."
The Historic Flight
Foundation's North American
B-25 Mitchell bomber nicknamed Grumpy turned heads
when its large radial engines
kicked to life. The aircraft
was on hand for scenic rides
that "could accommodate six,
with four up front and two in
the rear," said crew chief Bob
Otero.

The Rusty Pilots Seminar
buzzed with pilots learning
how they can get back into the
air. Across the ramp, experts
from AOPA's Pilot Information
Center fielded frequently asked
questions about the third class
medical reform that President
Obama signed into law July 15.
Student pilot Eduardo
Jimenez was giddy as he
climbed steps near the airport's
newly installed aviation-themed
playground to snap a few photos. "For our little town to have
something like this," he said, "it
just doesn't happen every day."

2016 AOPA Fly-Ins
May 21-Michael J. Smith Field (MRH),
Beaufort, North Carolina
August 20-Bremerton National Airport (PWT),
Bremerton, Washington
September 17-W.K. Kellogg Airport (BTL),
Battle Creek, Michigan
October 1-Ernest A. Love Field (PRC),
Prescott, Arizona
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2016
