Hello Everyone;
I don't have everybody's email assembled yet, so this will miss numerous
people that should receive it. If you know of anyone in EAA, CAP, Girl
Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girls With Wings, 99's, WASPs, FAAST, MHA,
Barnstormers, and an endless list, would you please take a moment and
forward this to them.
Dennis Bowdoin, our airport manager at 65G/E66, suggested that it
wouldn't hurt to start early this year, and try to spread the word,
generate some interest, that our Dawn Patrol is happening again this
year, so that's what I'm starting on this evening.
Recent years have witnessed a steady decline in participation, largely
due to the present economy and the ever rising costs of simply flying to
get a hamburger. Residents of the local area always participate, but
getting people from more distant locations is becoming more and more
difficult. Since about 2008, vintage aircraft, homebuilt aircraft, and
EAA participation has nearly evaporated. In 2011, biplane and homebuilt
aircraft participation was nearly zero. In 2011, airplane rides for the
kids were also nearly zero.
We would like to reverse this trend by getting the word out early, and
asking everyone to please share your knowledge of our event with friends
and family.
Dennis is interested in increased taildragger and vintage aircraft and
automobile participation this year. Again, if you know of someone with
an "old" car or airplane, please extend to them our invitation to
participate. From my perspective, I would love to have pilots of ANY
type of aircraft visit, tell some lies, maybe give a young person a new
experience!
For all of us that actively participate in EAA Young Eagle events,
flying the young people, this is a perfect opportunity to participate
and provide a free airplane ride to the kids. They love it, and the
kids make it go!!! We would love to see them standing in line again, as
they had to do just a few short years ago.
I will be coordinating with the University of Michigan (Survival Flight)
as well as the Michigan National Guard, and we anticipate that both
organizations will again fly helicopters to the event. They have been
wonderful to work with, and the general public loves to interact with them.
For 2012, we would very much like to get as many open cockpit airplanes,
biplanes, vintage airplanes, etc. as possible to participate. There is
a fascination about the old airplanes that always draws a crowd.
There will be opportunities to meet with recruiters from various
educational and military organizations and opportunities to tour an
actual helicopter flight school and maintenance facility! For the young
ones, there are various activities including airplane rides, meeting
real pilots and flight instructors, a chance to help with actually
running the airport, and numerous other engaging things to do.
We would also like to have the radio control crowd join us. RC flying
time can be coordinated through myself or Dennis, and there is a
separate RC runway available.
Overnight camping is available and encouraged. Many people bring their
tents or campers on Thursday or Friday and stay until Sunday evening or
Monday. There is no charge for camping. Food is available via the
coordinated evening and morning meal, as well as "on demand" from food
wagons. There is an airport office with desk space, lavatories,
television and Internet.
Thank you, and please share this with anyone that might have an interest.
Please feel free to contact either Dennis ("denn...@cac.net") or myself
for further information.
Sincerely,
Dave.
http://airplanemanager.com/Airports/65G
http://thegirlswithwingsblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/barnstorming-review.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka4SnWje9s4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76aH_04T7cc
