By ANN Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell

• To read PART ONE, click here...

When last we left AOPA Boss Phil Boyer, his staff, and ANN's Jim Campbell, they were just settling in at Manteo, NC, after doing the IFR chicken-dance with ATC, and trying to make up some time in order to arrive, on-sked, for the dedication of the AOPA sponsored Pilot Facility that is to be built in the shadow of the Wright Memorial and adjacent to the 3000 foot strip that GA pilots use to pay homage to the legacy of this dynamic duo, year after year.

Thanks to the elimination of a pretty big dogleg and a direct clearance to Manteo from about mid-trip, Boyer and the gang made it with minutes to spare (and despite Campbell's well-known ability to get people lost, if only by association)…

One thing I noted from the beginning, is that traveling with Boyer is a pretty disciplined undertaking. Even before I arrived for the trip, AOPA's Keith Mordoff had e-mailed me a detailed and complete itinerary for the day and it was swiftly obvious that these folks were used to sticking to such plans. 

As we arrived for the ceremony in the shadow of the Wright Memorial, Boyer noted the crowd of some 100 people. He seemed pleased and a mite surprised that the event was to be so well-attended (such dedications, no matter how well planned and intended, are not usually a big "draw"). He also seemed please to observe note the heavy participation of the National Park Service and the chance to spend some time with the local NPS Superintendent, Lawrence Belli. Boyer reminded me that his work with the NPS was too often caught in an opposition mode, especially in regards to the NPS's propensity for trying to control airspace, in seeming violation of Federal guidelines, over National Parks. Rather than relishing the chance to take a "dig" at the NPS over its problems, Phil told me he would emphasize the positive aspects of the day's events with hopes that such positive relationships would carry over into other projects in the future. It would have been easy, even deserved, for him to take a shot at NPS… but he didn't… because that's good politics… and the cat-fights of yesterday often balloon into really nasty wars later on (and let's face it, bureaucrats often have long memories). You don't get to be the President of such a large organization without having an ego… but if he's been bruised by NPS's past attacks on GA, he didn't give in to the temptation to fire back. He obviously liked working WITH them and certainly set up a more positive situation for the future… if NPS takes the hint and deals with us all likewise. That's "leadership."

Belli could not have been more pleasant during the event. Better yet; a number of NPS personnel were openly supportive of the day's mission… even to the point of wearing AOPA pins. With a little luck that kind of attitude might find its way to Washington…

I was intrigued with AOPA's decision to build a permanent pilot facility adjacent to the dramatic Wright Memorial. While a number of organizations are into hyping various projects, AOPA's participation, thus far, is the only project that will have a lasting effect on the site and on the pilots who visit it. Yes, the concept of flying a replica of the Wright Flyer (as supported by other entities) is intensely cool… but it is also a great opportunity to watch someone bust his butt, as there is little question that the original flyer was a bitch to fly and I'm not sure the right decisions are being made about the flying of the replica. Add that to the very competitive atmosphere that has brewed up among those looking to capitalize on the upcoming 100th Anniversary of manned flight, and I see some troubling possibilities for some bad, possibly disastrous, PR for aviation. The AOPA effort, on the other hand, is conservative, useful and forward-thinking. Good for them.

The dedication ceremony was fairly short as these things go… under an hour… but the event was also a chance to network a bit, speak with some players in the upcoming First Flight celebrations and lay some groundwork for future participation in the major events to come… especially the 100th Anniversary of Manned Flight in 2003. I have great hopes that all will go well and see the upcoming anniversary as a great way to show the public the immense progress aviation has made and the benefits it offers to us all… if the whole thing doesn't turn out to be a circus… we shall see.

While we had gotten back on the time track with our arrival, we had some delays at the end of the ceremony… where we were supposed to leave for a short guided tour with the National Park Service's Darrell Collins. When an AOPA staffer asked another about the slight hold-up, he was told that Phil "was talking to a member…" which was AOPA-speak for "hold your horses." I've noted time and time again, that Phil not only tries to be very easy to talk to but seems to go out of the way to spend time with members on the road… especially to get their input and perceptions of the industry and AOPA's role in their lives. As busy as the guy is, I've rarely seen him miss a chance to chat up a member… and while that's good politics and PR, it also seems to keep him directed in terms of where to take AOPA. He and the staff obviously study member input aggressively, and more than most association, it seems that such input truly directs their aims.

Shortly thereafter, we found ourselves with a personal tour of the actual site of man's first flight. Barely spanning the width of a typical Boeing wing, the first flight was an amazing event… and the drama was well related by a Park rep who has steeped himself in the lore of the Wrights and the era in which they accomplished the "impossible." Our guide was a person who has come to be strongly identified with the Wright Memorial. The National Park Service's Darrell Collins (seen right) truly personifies the spirit of the Wrights… his lectures at the site of the first flight are impassioned, entertaining, chock full of fascinating minutia, and eloquently stated. Even the start of the rain did not persuade anyone to leave the scene as long as Darrel was speaking… and should you ever get a chance to visit this place, be sure to find this man and listen to him tell an amazing tale. He's a riveting speaker.

During a delightful lunch that was only slightly muted by the drizzle puddling up outside, Phil and AOPA Senior Staffers Keith Mordoff and Warren Morningstar gave me a briefing on a new and aggressively proactive program that is about to be launched in earnest. AOPA has put considerable effort into an extensive web site that will do little to educate the world of aviation…. But could do wonders to educate those to whom aviation is a mystery. The new site, at www.gaservingamerica.org, will be the focus of an extensive (and admittedly expensive) media campaign designed to drive normal every-day Americans to it to see what we're REALLY all about. Rather than wait for the next maniacal bit of bureaucratic mayhem to strike another blow at aviation and aviators, AOPA is planning to nip such things in the bud as much as they can and head this nonsense off before it does any more real damage. The site is expertly designed to explain the rudiments of GA to the public and the value that it offers to them and their lives. It breaks down stereotypes and misinformation, offers straight facts, and promotes the value, utility and rewards of GA.

Over the next few weeks, a number of widely read publications will feature carefully targeted ads by AOPA that specifically point out the invaluable nature of GA and then directs readers to the "GA Serving America" site. It's a first step, but a good one, to changing our role as a perennial victim of public misperception and getting on to a positive and forward looking strategy that will allow GA to once again grow and prosper.

Next: Phil, Jim Campbell and the AOPA gang head home… with a chance to spend some quality time with the very capable Senior Staff that keeps AOPA on the fast track, and get some info about next month's exciting 2002 AOPA Expo.

To be continued…

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.gaservingamerica.org, www.fly2mqi.com, www.talbgov.org/airport/airport.html, www.nps.gov/wrbr, www.firstflightcentennial.org