Trade Show And Convention Runs October 4-6 In Hartford, CT

We're just barely five days past AirVenture 2007... and already, ANN is making plans to attend the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association's annual Expo in Hartford, CT. The show will run October 4-6 at the Connecticut Convention Center.

"We’re looking forward to our first visit to the New England region," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "We planned our visit to coincide with the peak foliage season for the region and pilots will enjoy the scenery as they fly in for Expo."

With an average attendance of 10,000, AOPA Expo is expected to bring in about $10 million to the Hartford community.

In the tradition of past events, each day of AOPA Expo will kick off with a general session at 9:00 am, featuring Boyer and top industry leaders. One morning session will discuss the growing trend of owner-flown turbines; the next will focus on general aviation airports across the country and the efforts of AOPA to promote and protect them; and the final general session will be a report on AOPA and AOPA Air Safety Foundation activities from senior management of the association.

The exhibit hall will open immediately following each general session. With more than 550 exhibits, the hall includes aircraft manufacturers, avionics, flight gear, navigation tools, flight training services, and much more. In addition, Expo Diamond Sponsor DTC DUAT will host an Internet Café that will be located inside the hall. Visitors are invited to stop by to check the weather before their flights.

Less than two miles from the convention center, more than 60 airplanes will be on display for pilots and aviation enthusiasts to see up close. A free shuttle service, sponsored by Cessna, will transport AOPA Expo attendees between the aircraft display and the convention center.

Headlining the display at Hartford-Brainard Airport will be the AOPA 2007 Catch-a-Cardinal Sweepstakes airplane, a 1977 Cessna 177 Cardinal. This will be the first public appearance for the Cardinal following its interior refurbishment. Other upgrades that have been performed on the aircraft throughout the year include a new paint job, new avionics, and a factory overhauled Lycoming O-360-A1FB engine.

Other aircraft on display will range from light sport aircraft (LSAs) to very light jets (VLJs). Attendees will see the variety of what general aviation has to offer, and can speak with experts about each aircraft.

A wide variety of seminars, forums and events are planned for the three-day expo. Interested attendees are invited to check things out for themselves at the AOPA Expo 2007 website, located at the FMI link below.

FMI:  www.aopa.org/expo/2007/