Surprise sprung at Buckeye Air Fair

Gurske, a check airman for Southwest Airlines, was on hand, and not by chance, when AOPA President Mark Baker held a Pilot Town Hall February 17 at the Buckeye Air Fair in Buckeye, Arizona, where Gurske had been dispatched with a cadre of Southwest Airlines employees to staff the airline’s pilot recruitment booth.

Gurske has flown a wide range of aircraft in his professional and personal flying career. He has a type rating in the Boeing 747 and 737, and is qualified to fly the Douglas DC–3. Now, Gurske will put his tailwheel skills to work flying the AOPA Sweepstakes Cessna 170B.

Like many sweepstakes winners over the years, the news left Gurske temporarily flummoxed: “I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say.”

Still in the dark, Gurske had leapt at the chance for a duty assignment change even before he got the really good news. His colleagues had not let on what they knew, and he was all too happy for the switch. "They took me off a three-day trip and asked me to staff a booth for one day. Sign me up!”

A 30-year AOPA member, Gurske grew up in Alaska, where he lived for 33 years and learned to fly a variety of tailwheel airplanes, starting with an American Champion Citabria. He vowed to bring the souped-up Cessna back to Alaska. "This airplane is absolutely meant for Alaska. We'll be going," he confirmed.

“Cliff is a terrific person; a nicer guy couldn’t have won this airplane,” said Southwest Airlines colleague Mel Meadows, who masterminded the ruse needed to ensure Gurske would attend the AOPA Fly-In at the Buckeye Air Fair for the surprise giveaway. Gurske is an airline transport pilot with multiple type ratings and holds commercial pilot privileges for single-engine airplanes and helicopters.

Click images to expand and view captions.