AOPA Airport Support Network volunteers and AOPA members will soon have a new tool to help protect and preserve America’s community airports.
AOPA President Mark Baker and AOPA Senior Director of Government Affairs Dawn Veatch on April 6 gave Sun 'n Fun attendees a sneak peek at America’s Community Airport: Going Higher, a video that seeks to highlight the importance of public airports and “show communities that don’t fly how to respect the communities that do,” Veatch said.
The video showcases some of the many activities that benefit the entire community near an airport, not just the airport itself: law enforcement, fire suppression, tourism, medical transport, and more.
“We do a lot in the community,” said Veatch. “We need to get the message out to protect our community airports.”
The final version of the video will be provided directly to Airport Support Network volunteers and also will be available on AOPA Online, Veatch said. The video “contains great information to share at a town hall when people aren’t supporting the [airport].”
Several individuals featured in the video were on hand at the presentation, and Baker and Veatch thanked them for participating and getting the message out to the public. They included George Chase with Friends of Arcadia Airport Inc.; Ed Comisky, owner/chief instructor of Flight Training Professionals; Gene Conrad III, director of Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport; Shawn Knickerbocker; Richard Owen, owner of Seminole Lake Gliderport; Shelly Peacock; Steve Purello, chief executive officer of Angel Flight Southeast; Donovan Richards, student and Lakeland Aero Club member; Scott Sampsel, deputy sheriff of Orange County; Obie S. Young, president of the National Aviation Safety Foundation; and Michael Zidziunas, director of the Lakeland Aero Club.
