AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 4

PRESIDENT’SPOSITION

BY CRAIG FULLER
AOPA PRESIDENT

Pure adventure

hen the opportunity presented itself to head to the Bahamas on a Saturday in the middle of winter when Congress was out of town, it

I discovered firsthand that on these islands people are gracious, friendly, and very welcoming to the general aviation community. As it turns out, GA brings many of the visitors to these small, relaxed resorts, and the people we met were anxious to do everything possible to make us, and every other guest, feel welcome and comfortable. Being in the air provides a special perspective and reveals the unique beauty of the Bahamas, but life on the islands is pretty remarkable, too. You can walk was just plain impossible to say no. To make the most along miles and miles of empty, unspoiled beaches, of this trip, we would need to capture still photos as or race along the shoreline in a boat. We watched in In addition to being a multiwell as video—and that meant a team approach. awe as giant iguanas walked down the beach to our engine pilot, AOPA With people and equipment, AOPA’s Cessna Caravan boat. Even the local pigs swam out to greet us. And, President Craig was the right aircraft for the mission (see “Another when we left the boat, the underwater sights were Fuller is an avid Island, Another Day,” page 52). as spectacular as any I’ve ever seen. Evening meals sailor. With my colleagues and our gear, N394GA was were extraordinary, with fresh lobster, crab, snappacked to gross as we departed Fort Lauderdale per, and other ocean delicacies. Caught locally and Executive Airport. While we had an itinerary—after all, we were prepared perfectly, every meal was a special treat. visiting five islands in five days—we were really setting off on an The question I really kept asking myself was why had I not adventure. I had never flown in the Bahamas, and some in our done this sooner? group had never been there at all. There are many things we are able to do as pilots and there You can forget the whole notion of boldly going where no one are many opportunities we enjoy that are unique to flying. I truly has gone before! Speaking to members in Florida at events in cannot think of a five-day flying experience where the flying Sebring and Fort Myers in the days before heading to the islands, was as enjoyable or the people we met as gracious and fun as it seemed everyone had made the flight and couldn’t wait to tell our new friends in the Bahamas. Each of us on the trip found me about their favorite places to visit. It quickly became clear ourselves talking about ways to get back in the months ahead. that, while many of us might view flying to the Bahamas as a I, for one, am already dreaming of making a return visit in my slightly mysterious endeavor, such flights are both routine and Aviat Husky. What a flying adventure that will be! a source of tremendous enjoyment for those who live nearby. Our editors wasted no time producing the stories and phoLike many people who haven’t made the flight before, I had tographs in this month’s issue. Our hope is that you will start some misconceptions. The first myth busted was the notion that planning your visit now. You will find most of the information you spend a long time flying over open water. From the coast of you will need online (www.aopa.org/bahamas), and we’ll be Florida to Bimini Island was less than 30 minutes in the Caravan, using our firsthand experience with eAPIS and U.S. and Bahamaking the midway point 15 minutes from land. I have flown far mian customs to update our international travel information to longer over far less-inviting terrain. The water was calm beneath make your next trip as easy as possible. Returning to the peculiar us and the islands are populated with airstrips. We did see a good ways of Washington, D.C., makes me grateful to have learned deal of beautiful water, but most of it we saw while within sight what a magical place awaits pilots willing to make the flight. of—if not over—land. And, speaking of the realities of Washington, as Pilot was As we crossed into this magical environment of multicolored heading to the printer, we were still waiting to see what President water and islands, I could not help but remember the hurri- Barack Obama’s budget would reflect in the way of user fees. cane that ravaged the Bahamas last year (see “Rally GA: Flight for Every signal is that the administration wants to pursue a $100 fee Survival,” November 2011 AOPA Pilot). General aviation pilots per flight operation, and by the time you read this, the language rushed to help provide humanitarian relief in the aftermath of will be known. I suspect we will have another fight on our hands, the storm. Unfortunately, in some places help is still needed. So but I can tell you that we have many strong and important allies on the second day of our island flight, we made a quick return to on Capitol Hill who will do their level best to defeat aviation user Florida to load the Caravan with more than 1,000 pounds of sup- fees. We must and will mount a strong rebuttal to this proposal plies that were delivered to a children’s home in North Eleuthera. to both defeat it and do our best to see that it stays out of future The rest of our trip was spent enjoying the “out islands,” budgets. In this battle we will need your help, and we will reach located farther south than Nassau and the well-known Abacos. out should the proposal gain any momentum. We visited Long Island, Cat Island, Staniel Cay, and Crooked Island—beautiful places with great descriptive names. Email AOPA President Craig Fuller at craig@aopa.org. 4 • MARCH 2012

AOPA PILOT •

http://www.aopa.org/bahamas

AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012

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