AOPA DELIVERS 2019 SWEEPSTAKES SUPER CUB
South Carolina pilot gets surprise of his life
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) announced the winner of its Super Cub Sweepstakes airplane. Wade Shealy, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, received the surprise of a lifetime when AOPA President and CEO, Mark Baker, visited Shealy at his hometown flight school to share the news that he was the lucky winner of the refurbished airplane.
"Well, I think it's still a little bit unbelievable," Shealy confided. "It's a beautiful aircraft and I never dreamed that I'd win anything but a toy aircraft. I can't thank AOPA enough for having this program," Shealy continued.
"As AOPA president, presenting our sweepstakes airplane is one of my favorite tasks,” said Baker. "Surprising a lucky pilot with a completely refurbished airplane, equipped with everything a pilot could dream of is really a rewarding experience."
To assist in pulling off the surprise announcement, AOPA enlisted Shealy's flight instructor, Cecil Tune, a 79 year old, former Navy pilot and pastor, and Brett Zukowski, co-owner of USAeroFlight Flight School at South Carolina’s Greenville Downtown Airport. Baker hid just outside a hangar with the Super Cub, waiting to surprise Shealy with his new mode of transportation. Shealy was lured to the airport by AOPA Web Editor David Tulis who told the 81-year-old student pilot that he was writing a story about older student pilots and their flight instructors.
Shealy started flight training when he was younger, but as with many pilots, life got in the way. He started flight training again in his 70s and now has about 120 to 140 hours total time, and flies on and off with Tune.
One-of-a-kind Super Cub
Every AOPA sweepstakes airplane is one of a kind by the time it's finished, but it couldn't be truer of this Super Cub. The 1954 airplane had been wrecked and sat for nearly 20 years before AOPA and Baker Air Service started the restoration project in 2017.
What really pushed the Sweepstakes Super Cub airplane over the top was that for the first time in AOPA's history, the airplane came with three sets of landing gear. Wipaire's Wipline 2100 amphibious floats, AirGlide hydraulic skis, and Airframes Alaska's 26- inch Alaskan Bushwheel tundra tires. When the airplane is on skis or tundra tires, Burl's Aircraft Alpha-Omega Suspension System landing gear makes just about every landing a beauty. Whether the aircraft is on floats or landing gear, it performs great thanks to the 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320 B2B engine with Electroair's electronic ignition system.
2020 Sweepstake airplane revealed
After the winner of the Super Cub Sweepstakes airplane was revealed, the 2020 sweepstakes grand prize was immediately announced.
A diamond in the rough, a 2007 Van’s Aircraft RV-10 Experimental airplane will be up for grabs by one lucky pilot. The four-place traveler has been flown regularly and well maintained by its previous owner who learned to fly in it. The RV-10 is AOPA’s first Experimental sweepstakes project airplane in 27 years of giving away refurbished airplanes. It will be based out of Frederick, Maryland, and will undergo renovations throughout the next year, in time to surprise another lucky winner in early 2021.
Find out more about the surprise presentation of the Super Cub, and find out more about the next AOPA Sweepstakes airplane here.
