In celebration of its eightieth anniversary, AOPA will host three grand, two-day fly-ins for the 2019 season. Returning to two previous favorite fly-in locations and one brand-new destination, these aviation festivities will run all day Friday and Saturday, and will feature expanded exhibit hours, seminars, workshops, aircraft displays, and special aerial demonstrations.
The season kicks off May 10 and 11 at AOPA’s headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, at Frederick Municipal Airport. The second fly-in will take place June 21 and 22 in Livermore, California, at Livermore Municipal Airport. And the third and final fly-in of the season will be on Sept. 13 and 14 in Tullahoma, Tennessee, at Tullahoma Regional Airport.
“In honor of AOPA’s eightieth anniversary, the 2019 fly-ins are sure to be an unforgettable experience for all aviators, family, and friends,” said Chris Eads, AOPA senior director of outreach and events. “We hope pilots and nonpilots from all over the United States join us as we celebrate 80 years of protecting the freedom to fly. There will definitely be something for everyone to enjoy.”
Since it launched its regional fly-ins in 2014, AOPA has seen an estimated 92,540 attendees throughout a total of 24 events in 20 different states across the country. Each event can be remembered for its camaraderie, parties, flight demonstrations, educational seminars, workshops, and exhibits—and 2019 will be no different.
After adopting the two-day format in 2017, and continuing into 2018, AOPA is excited to build out each day’s events with even more seminars and workshops. And with a 76-percent growth in attendance between 2016 and 2017 using the new, expanded format, each event also has a considerable economic impact at each location.
“We really enjoy each event we’ve hosted for the past five years and look forward to creating new experiences to commemorate such a monumental milestone,” said Eads. “And we look forward to all our members, along with the next generation of pilots, joining us during this exciting time. This will be another fly-in season to remember.”