AOPA FLY-INS
Let’s light up the night
Drone show extravaganzas highlight 2019 fly-ins
Drones flying in formation at night lit with LEDs and dancing to music—that’s the spectacular show planned for AOPA’s 2019 fly-ins. And the Frederick, Maryland, fly-in hosts a very special show: the Eightieth Anniversary Star Dance beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, May 10. The sky will light up with more than 80 drones from the Great Lakes Drone Co. of Michigan. The lights can be seen for more than 5 miles as the drone formation performs at 200 feet agl.
This choreographed program is being custom-made for AOPA’s anniversary. Great Lakes Drone Co. has been presenting drone light shows since 2016 and performed at EAA AirVenture in 2018. The performance will be the closing act for the Friday night flightline cookout, following other aerial demonstrations including a flyover by the D-Day Squadron and a STOL Invitational short takeoff and landing demonstration.
The drone light show will also be featured at the two remaining AOPA Fly-Ins in Livermore, California, June 21, and in Tullahoma, Tennessee, September 13.
“Drones are ever-evolving and really becoming a valuable piece of our aviation ecosystem, with technology to help advance several industries,” said Kat Swain, AOPA senior director of UAS programs. “It’s an exciting time to partner with Great Lakes Drone Co. and have them bring the latest in drone entertainment and light shows to our events.”
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AOPA FLY-outs
Welcome surprise
California wine town is site of June fly-in
Shadowed by its bigger sisters—Napa and Sonoma—the wine region of Livermore, California, is a welcome surprise. This lush valley and home to 55 wineries is host to the second AOPA Fly-In of 2019 on June 21 and 22. Ironically, Livermore is the oldest wine region in California. It is home to the first California chardonnay; Wente Vineyards produced the first locally grown chardonnay in 1912 and California’s first varietal wine, sauvignon blanc, in 1935. It is the oldest continuously operating family owned winery in the United States. Tours of this venerable winery as well as others throughout the region will be just a small sample of the things to do in this area of the country.
Livermore, located on the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay Area, is home to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, site of the second laboratory for the study of nuclear energy. The city claims a world record: a four-watt light bulb has burned continuously since 1901, and it is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records . There's a charming downtown, tree-lined roads over valleys surrounded by vineyards, Tuscan-style homes, great wineries, restaurants, and breweries, and Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) is very GA friendly.
Livermore is about an hour outside San Francisco. Come for the two-day fly-in and stay to see the Golden Gate Bridge and tour Alcatraz.
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RSVP and let us know you're coming
Check in online and discover all the events, seminars, workshops, fly-outs, parties, and activities planned for the Livermore AOPA Fly-In June 21 and 22.
www.aopa.org/fly-ins/lvk
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