Headed For Casa Grande Municipal

This year's Copperstate Regional EAA Fly-in will be held October 6 through 9, 2005, at a new site -- one with not only a prominent place in the history of the event, but one which also holds enormous promise for the future.

The Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ), ideally located midway between Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, and just a few miles west of Interstate 10, will sport many amenities not available at the event's previous location at Phoenix Regional Airport. Attendees of events held at PRA will be happy to know that much of the supporting infrastructure-hotels, rental car companies, restaurants -- will remain the same, although they'll be for more conveniently located to the Casa Grande Municipal location.

The city fathers of the City of Casa Grande are no strangers to the benefits that general aviation and the hosting of sport aviation events bring to their city and their airport. In addition to hosting Copperstate in past years, Casa Grande Municipal Airport. is also home to the annual Cactus Fly-In, sponsored by the Arizona Antique Aircraft Association every March.

While the city has already invested substantial sums in airport infrastructure to support such events, the future looks bright as they plan to do even more. By the time Copperstate 2006 rolls around, there will be at least 8 acres of additional paved ramp space to park the ever increasing numbers of fly-in airplanes, and long term plans of city officials include the development of the north side of the runway as a "special events area," which should prove to be an ideal venue for the Copperstate event.

For this year, Casa Grande Municipal will boast a paved and lighted runway, 5200 feet long and 100 feet wide, as well as a parallel paved taxiway. There is an ILS instrument approach serving the field, an AWOS-3 weather reporting station, and both 100LL and JET-A fuel will be available (with the 100LL as either full service or self serve, depending on pilot preference). The FAA will, of course, be staffing a temporary air traffic control tower to handle the high volume of traffic expected during the event.

Aviation enthusiasts from throughout the US and several foreign countries are expected at Copperstate, the largest Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in in the Southwest. Past events have attracted as many as 10,000 attendees, many of them arriving in one of over 750 visiting aircraft from as far away as Florida and Washington. As always, there will be 100+ aviation exhibitors, seminars, workshops, forums, Young Eagles flights, a Fly Market, and the opportunity to see beautifully restored classic and antique airplanes, as well as modern homebuilt aircraft representing every segment of aviation. Sport Pilot and ultralight aircraft will be represented as well, with their own runway and exhibit area; instructional flights will also be available. And, of course, there will be the traditional daily air show, Friday through Sunday, October 7, 8, and 9.

FMI: www.copperstate.org