Frederick Muni Airport Appreciation Day To Coincide, ANN Will
Be There
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association (AOPA) will open up its doors on Saturday, June 4,
2005, to host its 15th Annual Fly-In & Open House at AOPA
headquarters on the Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md.
June 4 also marks Frederick's Airport Appreciation Day. It's a
chance for members of the community and surrounding areas to learn
more about this vital community asset. The public and aviation
enthusiasts are encouraged to attend both free events.
"Fly-In is our chance to meet face-to-face with the members we
serve throughout the year," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "It's
also an opportunity for us to welcome our community neighbors so
they can see all that AOPA and general aviation have to offer."
Thousands of people are expected at what has become the nation's
largest one-day fly-in event. In good weather, the Fly-In &
Open House transforms Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), already
Maryland's second-busiest airport, into one of the busiest in the
nation. Historically, as many as 900 aircraft attend Fly-In, more
than quadrupling the number of operations at the airport on an
average day. The FAA operates a temporary control tower at FDK to
handle all the extra traffic.
New to this year's Fly-In & Open House, AOPA will host
special activities for anyone interested in learning to fly.
Informational sessions run throughout the day and include Q&A
with a flight instructor inside the cockpit of a trainer plane.
Nonpilots can enter to win one of 10 free introductory first
flights, among other prizes.
Every pilot who brings a prospective student will receive a free
AOPA mini MagLite and is eligible to win one of two new headsets
from either Lightspeed or Pilot USA. "Every pilot knows someone who
wants to learn how to fly, and AOPA's Fly-In & Open House is
the perfect way to introduce him or her to the exciting world of
general aviation," said Boyer. "There is strength in numbers. The
more people that become aware of the benefits of general aviation,
the better it is for all of us."
Frederick Airport Appreciation Day gives the public an
opportunity to stop by and meet the airport employees, talk to
pilots and flight instructors, and check out the rental aircraft at
the flight school. Nonpilots are especially encouraged to discover
all the benefits of the local airport.
Eighteen Hours Of Seminars
Seminars for pilots will be conducted all day long, hosted by
aviation industry experts. In addition to the popular instructional
and informative seminars of past years, the following three are new
for 2005.
Rod Machado, flight instructor and aviation humorist, returns to
Fly-In with a new topic: "Yoke and Pedal, Techniques for Safe
Flying." Should you "pitch" or "power" to control airspeed? Should
you always land on the numbers? Be ready to laugh and learn as
Machado answers these and other flying technique questions.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation will present "The Last Five
Miles," a new seminar about successfully completing those last
miles of a safe and enjoyable flight. Topics include: three good
reasons to descend early...and one time when it would be a big
mistake; when a straight-in approach can be both safe and legal;
and how to safely handle traffic pattern conflicts.
At 12:30 p.m., Boyer will host an informal hangar session where
he'll provide a brief overview of the status of general aviation
and answer questions. This is an outstanding opportunity to listen
to the head of the world's largest aviation association speak about
issues affecting flying in the Mid-Atlantic region.
And Much More
Among the hundreds of aircraft on display will be AOPA's 2005
Sweepstakes Commander 112A. Newly painted and refurbished, the
aircraft will belong to one lucky AOPA member at the end of the
year. There will be a variety of other GA aircraft on display as
well, including models from Cessna, Cirrus, Raytheon, Grumman, and
Diamond.
More than 100 exhibitors, including Garmin, Sporty's, Lycoming,
Hartzell, PS Engineering, and Scheme Designers, will showcase their
latest products and services for pilots. Whether you are looking
for new avionics, charts, gadgets, or answers to your aviation
questions, you will find an exhibitor to assist you.
Hours, Directions, And Aircraft Arrival Procedures
The 15th Annual AOPA Fly-In & Open House starts at 8:30 a.m.
and runs until 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. A wide
selection of beverages, light snacks, and meals will be available
throughout the day from vendors.
The Frederick Municipal Airport is located off of Exit 56 (East
Patrick Street) from Interstate 70. Traveling from Washington,
D.C., take Interstate 270 North to I-70 East, then Exit 56. From
Baltimore, Md., take I-70 West to Exit 56. From Loudoun County,
Va., take Route 15 from Leesburg (joins Route 340 from Charles
Town, W.Va.). Take Route 340 to I-70 just outside of Frederick. At
the I-70/I-270 split stay left to continue on I-70 and take Exit
56. From Harrisburg/Gettysburg, Pa., take Route 15 South to I-70
East and take Exit 56. From Johnstown, Pa., and points west, take
I-70 East to Exit 56.