ANN Fails To Win OUR Sweepstakes Plane... Again!

Foiled again... The winner of Sporty’s 2007 Sweepstakes Aircraft is... NOT US. Instead, it's some pretender to the throne named Otto Sorg of Dexter, Michigan. Sorg is now the owner of a brand-new Cessna Skyhawk SP equipped with the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit. Sorg, a student pilot with a lifelong interest in aviation, was informed of his winning status by Sporty’s President Michael Wolf on September 12.

Sorg, 63, relates, “When Michael called me, I thought it was a scam. I kept waiting for him to ask me for my social security number or credit card number. The more we talked, though, the more I believed it was real.”

Sorg works as a software analyst, and when his coworkers in surrounding cubicles heard his end of the conversation full of “You’re kidding me!” and “Are you serious?”, a group gathered around him, curious about the news he was hearing. When he hung up with Michael Wolf, one of his coworkers asked what kind of airplane he’d won and Sorg could only reply, “I think it’s a Cessna.”

During the course of the conversation, Wolf had suggested Sorg call 800-SPORTYS so he could verify the telephone call was on the level. Sorg did that, and asked, “Did you have a drawing today for an airplane?” and was told yes. Next he asked, “Who is the winner?” He was told, “It’s a gentleman by the name of Otto Sorg,” and Sorg replied, “That’s me.” Accompanied by his wife Linda and his flight instructor, Theresa Whiting, Sorg took delivery of the airplane on Monday, September 24, 2007. Sorg’s interest in airplanes developed as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne in 1960.

Over the years, he sustained his interest by volunteering with the Civil Air Patrol. He began flight training in the 1980s, but had to stop due to career demands and a back problem. After changing jobs recently, his new office is located only two miles from Ann Arbor Airport and he found himself there during lunch hours watching the airplanes. He signed up with Solo Aviation and is currently a student pilot. Sorg’s winning customer order number was selected randomly by Cessna Senior Vice president of Sales and Marketing, Roger Whyte and Garmin Vice President of Marketing Gary Kelley.

Plans for the 2008 Sporty’s Sweepstakes are underway. A Garmin G1000-equipped Skyhawk SP will be awarded on September 10, 2008, to a lucky Sporty’s customer. This brand-new Skyhawk will mark the 26th aircraft of Sporty’s annual Sweepstakes. 

FMI: www.sportys.com