Fly-in/Events poll

musesierra

musesierra

Flight Levels
To help all those planning fly-ins for the new year here are some questions:
1) What type of events would you fly to:
a) tours
b) meals - breakfast or lunch
c) gatherings with nothing planned
d) major cities for shopping, golf, etc. with a planned dinner
e) workshops
f) airshows

2) How far would you fly for each?

3) Would you prefer a quarterly multi-day event mixed among others? (i.e. fly to say Nashville, TN with booked dinner at 'famous' place with other time for those to do what they wanted or say to Charleston, SC for shopping, golf, fishing, etc)

If there is some type of gathering you would like to see but not listed please list. I would like to see some gatherings posted a year in advance where hotels get booked early (i.e. New Mexico Balloon Festival, Jazz Fest in New Orleans, etc are some examples). I would also like to do some challenges between West & East (split at the rivers or somewhere) and North vs South. Some ideas are Disney challenges (make a multi day event with west flying to Disneyland and East to Disney World). Something where there is a place to meet on each coast.

Please respond so we can get a good discussion for the regional directors and all members who wish to plan events can get an idea. The more information we have the better.

Thanks everyone. Let's make this an active 2007! (even more than a great 2006)

Doug
N18859
 
Fly-in draw

Just speaking for me - maintenance workshops and any other pilot education (related to mice) would be a bigger draw and would get me to fly 3-4 hours if the wx's good. Same for Wings programs if held during the day (still not a confident night flyer).

Hamfests - the same.

Golf, Breakfast/lunch just to get together - an hour or two.

Shopping, disney - none.

Tours and Airshows would depend on how easy the access was from landing airport to event/ tour... but for a good one 2-3 hours.

Quarterly/multiday events with lots of maintenance workshop and pilot skills stuff (golf and nice dinners would be a plus) would also be very tempting. Reasonable accommodations and transportation while there would make a big difference.

Expecting the mouse back from extensive annual this week - ready to fly-in!

Best,

mike
 
Yeah, Tim. That was for the annual BAC Fest which is different than smaller events. I know everyone will want the annual fly-in for a longer time frame, nice place, and lots of events. I am more concerned about the regular smaller events for each region. What event will make a member who has a choice of working around the house or an event choose the event? What events will attract the significant others of members to join them? Wanted to do more than a poll but get actual feedback.
 
1) What type of events would you fly to:
a) tours
(Depends on the tour. But it will get more consideration than:
b) meals - breakfast or lunch
(If VERY near like 50 miles)
c) gatherings with nothing planned
(VERY near)
d) major cities for shopping, golf, etc. with a planned dinner
(Shopping, no, I hate to shop, golf, no, we don't golf, other attractions in the town, yes)
e) workshops
(well, OK, but if it's just changing a tire maybe not..Lets have a few tires so EVERYONE gets their hands dirty)
f) airshows
(sure (150 Miles or so.)

2) How far would you fly for each?
See above...

3) Would you prefer a quarterly multi-day event mixed among others?
Sure, that's what we bought our plane for was to travel.
(i.e. fly to say Nashville, TN with booked dinner at 'famous' place with other time for those to do what they wanted or say to Charleston, SC for shopping, golf, fishing, etc) There you go with that golf again....

If there is some type of gathering you would like to see but not listed please list. I would like to see some gatherings posted a year in advance where hotels get booked early (i.e. New Mexico Balloon Festival, Jazz Fest in New Orleans, etc are some examples). I would also like to do some challenges between West & East (split at the rivers or somewhere) and North vs South. Some ideas are Disney challenges (make a multi day event with west flying to Disneyland and East to Disney World).
Since our airplanes take a fair time to travel a long distance (we've done it) I suggest that we have an "East" major event and a "West" major event each year in addition to BACFest. Not all of us can take as much time off as we want.
Something where there is a place to meet on each coast.
[/b]
 
Fly-Ins

I think that the east-west distance between members will always play differently. The distances in our western regions and lower number of members make it difficult to plan an event where the travel times are low for more than a few of the closest participants. The recent Napa Fly-in had participants from as far away as 500nm and at least 5 participants were from over 300 nm. I would assume some of the same issues would affect the central regions as well.

It was clear to us that the combination of useful maintenance information and "destination" quality were both important. Perhaps the destination issue was more predominate in the Napa Fly-In.

We also found that there was a benefit to having a social sidebar for non-flying spouses. I can think of at least 3 or 4 non-flying participants to the Napa Fly-In who have or would get excited about future meetings because of the connections made at that fly-in. We should remember that the activities need to take this into account. My wife is included in that group.

While an east - west contest (like Disney) is interesting, I'm not sure that the member density makes that very fair, and I don't really think that a group trip to Disneyland is going to act as a fly-in draw. I do think that Disneyland (California) would be a good option for a fly-in as long as it is in conjunction with other opportunities.

For example, a fly-in with some social content between the members, perhaps a dinner, lunch and some hours set aside to share experience and stories. Side trips for shopping or sight-seeing for flying or non-flying partners. Disneyland, Universal Studios, Venice Beach, a side trip to Catalina for the day, etc. In my opinion the destination has to carry enough to make it worthwhile.

I think the maintenance clinic idea is great. We, in the west, might have to cultivate the expertise necessary to pull that off, and I do see some possibilities there. We have at least two members in the bay area who are A and P's. Mike Relihan was a great help to us during the Napa Fly-In by doing a Q and A for the group over a speaker phone. It would be even better to fly him out for a day to meet the west coast people and we have talked about that. Probably not the way he would prefer to spend a weekend, but let's face it, that would be a draw.

We just had 6 members make the trip to Palm Springs for the AOPA convention. While all flying members came for the convention primarily and enjoyed the comradarie of meeting other members as well, at least two non-flying spouses made the trip too. I suspect that the Convention held less interest than the social aspects for them.

Maybe I can summarize. I don't think this is about contests. The President's Trophy is enough. We need to encourage our members to identify the opportunities in the various regions for a fly-in. This should also include the best time of year for visiting (weather and events).

The elements should be a simple short meeting for a one day event that might include maintenance and a meal. Doing a piggy-back on a Wings Program might get a few together. Don't expect a lot of non-flying participants.

If a two or more day event is planned, it needs to focus on the potential for other activities unique to the area and include much for the non-flying participants.

As stated in other posts, we are trying to spend more energy in the Southwestern Region towards getting our members together. The Napa and AOPA fly-ins were a good start. Plans are in the works for a Southern California Fly-in in the spring. I would like to see something in Arizona or New Mexico next year also.

I'm interested in having our Southwest banner do a little traveling too. If we have any two members willing to hold both sides and take a picture, I'm willing to ship it to them. It would be fun to have a picture album of all Southwest members with the banner, even two at a time.

Dan Jonas
Napa Valley
 
The CHARLOTTE HAMFEST is in MARCH (usually 2nd weekend) of each year. HOW many would fly to Charlotte (8A6) to attend HAMFEST if I arrange transportation ??? The Hamfest is about 8mi from the airport.

Know of any other HAMFESTS close to airports ?

Dr Bill
N9230S 76 Sundowner
 
Anyone Interested????

The Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cookoff (as featured on the Food Channel) takes place the 3rd weekend of May each year in Magnolia. Arkansas.

Anyone interested in having me put together a flyin for this event should e-mail me no later than 12/31/06. There are alot of local events that accompany this weekend such as the following:

Friday evening: Antique Car Show
Motorcycle Show

Saturday: The Magnolia Blossom 5K run.
The Fishing tournament on Lake Columbia.
Craft and Food booths on the city square.
at 10am begins the parade of cookers. This is a parade where the entrants in the steak cookoff parade their bar-be-que cooking rigs down the main street of town to the city square where they setup. The cookers are judged according to Showmanship, design and construction of the cooking rig, and finally taste and quality of their steaks.
At 12pm the cookers are fired up and the folks milling around the square (usually 10,000 - 15,000) are given samples of their cooking (i.e. sausage, chicken and other goodies) until the judges are given the final product around 4:30pm. At 5pm those lucky enough to have purchased one of the 2200 - 2500 available steak tickets are served a delicious, ribeye expertly prepared by one of the 20 -25 contestant teams.
The evening concludes with performances by a popular band brought in for the event (Country music) and street dance.
Anyone interested in further information, click on the following link http://www.blossomfestival.org/.

If you are interested in this flyin, I have to make arrangements early as the motels book early and the steak tickets sellout FAST.
If interested, e-mail me at [email protected]. Depending on the response, I will start plans for this flyin the first of January.

Gene McPherson
Magnolia, AR
 
Hamfests

You know, bacon, hocks, jowl..

seriously though - HAMFESTs are gathering of Amateur radio (Ham radio) and electronics enthusiasts. A surprising number of pilots are hams and vice versa. At hamfests, there are many dealers of electronic parts, radios, and hobby-specific items, plus the opportunity to be tested for higher license classes (like ratings). Additionally, most hamfests have many tailgate / boneyard vendors that bring their junk boxes full of pieces parts for sale. some great electronic antiquing can be found at hamfests. There are also usually a great deal of computer parts too.

It's (another) great hobby for the technically inclined. Unfortunately with the popularity and easy availability of the internet (don't get me wrong, I love the internet) fewer and fewer youngsters are becoming involved in Ham radio. Good hamfests are becoming fewer and farther between... which makes airplane travel to/from quite attractive.

Best regards,

Mike Hagans
N98339 '68 Musketeer Super III (MA-297)
N4JRD (Ham since 1980 - just a newbie...)
based at 5C1 - Boerne, Texas
 
Some HAMFESTS have good food too but not many :(

Last year there was a Hamfest at ELKIN NC (North of Charlotte), at an airport. I missed it and will look to see if it's coming again this year.
If so, I'll post it here.

WA2EDN
First HAM Licensed in 1966
Pilot license in 1970.

Dr Bill
 
Seriously, why would HAM radio operators get together? I thought the whole goal was to see how far away you could find another person to talk to..? :lol:
 
A weekend in Rapid City and a fly-by Mt Rushmore . . . $650.00

4 Days at BACFest talking Mice . . . $1025.00

Touching down at Gastons, being slow enough not to fly off the bump and spending a day or two talking with friends . . . PRICELESS!!

Make a resolution this year to Host, Help With, or Attend a fly in.
 
OK.. so far Hamfest, food, and multi-day events are leading. Do all of you agree with this? We need your feedback. Fly-in events don't have to be big things but they do require work and planning. I am glad to see some interest in planning some more multi-day events. What else would you like to see? What type of workshops for single day events? What type of tours, airshows, etc? Food on or off the airport? Cookouts or restaurants?

What ya'll think of a weekend fly-in at someplace like Cedar Key, FL during the winter (Jan or Feb)? Think we can get some "snow birds" down to FL for this?

Let us hear your voice on these events. Don't be shy!

Doug
 
Cedar Key sounds interesting. Food, either on or off the airport sounds good. I don't have much interest in hamfests or golf. Overnight event where folks can get together and have a few libations (without worrying about 8 hours to throttle) and dinner sounds good.
 
Jazz fest in Noo Oohnleans..sounds good to me :D

musesierra said:
To help all those planning fly-ins for the new year here are some questions:
1) What type of events would you fly to:
a) tours
b) meals - breakfast or lunch
c) gatherings with nothing planned
d) major cities for shopping, golf, etc. with a planned dinner
e) workshops
f) airshows

2) How far would you fly for each?

3) Would you prefer a quarterly multi-day event mixed among others? (i.e. fly to say Nashville, TN with booked dinner at 'famous' place with other time for those to do what they wanted or say to Charleston, SC for shopping, golf, fishing, etc)

If there is some type of gathering you would like to see but not listed please list. I would like to see some gatherings posted a year in advance where hotels get booked early (i.e. New Mexico Balloon Festival, Jazz Fest in New Orleans, etc are some examples). I would also like to do some challenges between West & East (split at the rivers or somewhere) and North vs South. Some ideas are Disney challenges (make a multi day event with west flying to Disneyland and East to Disney World). Something where there is a place to meet on each coast.

Please respond so we can get a good discussion for the regional directors and all members who wish to plan events can get an idea. The more information we have the better.

Thanks everyone. Let's make this an active 2007! (even more than a great 2006)

Doug
N18859
Click to expand...
 
Cloyd:

I agree with you on the overnight with evening social activites. I also would like maintenance seminars/workshops, places to go where non-flying spouses have something more to do; maybe a pinch hitter day, shopping, tours (Petit Jean was great), and finally any excuse to fly. I think the Florida Keys and/or Bahamas would be fantastic.

Mike Earrey
 
I think that the Lycoming engine plant in Williamsburg PA would be a good location if they would give us a tour. It is also a nice area to visit
 
Mike,

I am trying to get a Bahamas trip up for next year. Looking at going with http://www.airjourney.com/ for the first trip. If we (BAC) go on a trip we can put our logo on their web site for "free advertising". Let me know if you are more than 60% interested and I will mark you down. I would also like to plan a Cedar Key weekend and Florida Keys extended weekends next year.

Let me know,
Doug
N18859

mearrey said:
Cloyd:

I agree with you on the overnight with evening social activites. I also would like maintenance seminars/workshops, places to go where non-flying spouses have something more to do; maybe a pinch hitter day, shopping, tours (Petit Jean was great), and finally any excuse to fly. I think the Florida Keys and/or Bahamas would be fantastic.

Mike Earrey
Click to expand...
 
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