AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011 - 46

Lessons learned and how to plan for your own fly-in
• Start early, the sooner the better. An
early start allows you to find sponsors.
The costs of a fly-in can be significant,
depending on what you want to offer.
Sponsors can be given advertising
space in any program or displays. An
early start means you can schedule
more aircraft for everything from flypasts
to displays. If you wait, they will
have committed to be elsewhere.
• Determine what the legalities and
insurance demands will be.
• If your venue is large and many
events and displays are to be offered,
you will need some kind of program or
guide for the general public.
• Determine if there are any conflicts
with other events.
• Know your weather patterns so you
can select the best dates.
• Get good estimates of probable
attendance figures, so you will have
a grasp of how many chairs, tables,
vendors, and so forth will be required.
• Set a “drop-dead” or cutoff date
for vendors and displays. Leave a few
extra spaces for the unexpected who
deign to attend at the last minute.
• It is essential that all of the people
involved in the event attend the meetings
to ensure all understand times,
places, and duties.
• If your event is to be fairly large,
have supervisors for each major duty.
One “Air Boss” cannot oversee everything.
On the actual day of the fly-in,
the supervisors are the ones to be
contacted about problems in their duty
areas.
• For sunny climates, you will need
covered rest areas and ample water.
• Be sure to have some medical personnel
available.
• Have more volunteers than you
think you will need. Half of ours failed
AOPA PILOT • 46 • JUNE 2011
to show up! And among those who
did, many departed the area because
of various excuses (heat, sun, tired,
et cetera) and did not inform anyone.
If you have adequate volunteers, you
can specify relief times for those on
the ramps.
• We had expected several displays
to be present but the persons
involved either failed to show or failed
to respond. So plan accordingly and
have backups.
• Have trained people to direct aircraft
into parking and display areas. It
is essential to keep spectators away
from whirling propellers and moving
airplanes!
• Having an announcer proved to be
an excellent choice. Make sure your
sound system will cover the entire
area.
• Ensure that pilots who are donating
flights are ready and available when
the names are drawn.
• Consider food vouchers for display
pilots or dignitaries. A simple hamburger
or hot dog can go a long way in
establishing good relations.
• If you want to judge aircraft and
have awards, be sure you have at least
half a dozen qualified people on hand
with clear instructions on their duties.
Establish categories that are inclusive
of all types and models. And make
sure your judges are selected from
those who have actually worked on
aircraft, rebuilt them, restored them,
or assisted in the work. Awards can be
nicely printed certificates or whatever
your budget allows.
• At the end of the day, have a party
for all the volunteers and people
involved. Praise them profusely. They
will need it. Hopefully, all will be suntanned
and happy.
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011

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