Smaller airports support GA?

FloridaPilot

FloridaPilot

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FloridaStudentPilot
Hello,

After going to quite a few smaller airports around the Florida area. I noticed none of these airports are marketing to promote General Aviation. I called my nearby airport (48X) and asked them if they have any events scheduled for next year to promote GA and the owner over the phone sounded like I just chopped my head off. It doesn't have to be the major event but just a few posters in the area about a pancake breakfast or a cookout or something to get together to talk about the future of Aviation or just flying in general, (I get my flying social fix here at POA).


Do you have events at your home airport and how do they promote Aviation?


Thank you!
 
Nah those nonpilot people are icky and gross. Plus you'd have to screen them all for terrorist affiliations before letting them eat an airport pancake.:rolleyes:
That was sarcasm, but not too far from reality. GA needs to die completely so it can be reborn fresh.
 
My former home had two Plane a Ride days every year, plus a young Eagle events whenever we had kids to fly.

My new home has a Fly-In every Labor Day, well known in the local area, waited for and attended well when weather cooperates. It's been the same weekend for many years.
 
Many airports put on a "Wings and Wheels" show. Pair up with local car clubs and enthusiasts. Also include motorcycles. The cars and bikes will attract people to the airport that will also check out the planes while they're there. While this is not specifically a "pro GA" event, it is a pro airport event and that's 70% of the battle these days.
 
Hollister, Watsonville, Salinas, Santa Maria, Camarillo and Cable all have air shows.
Santa Paula has an open hangar day the first Sunday of the month that is well attended.
Several other airports have similar events that are less well attended.
San Luis Obispo and Oceano have an Airport Day.
Los Alamitos has a wings, wheels and rotors event that attracts a lot of people.
Flabob has several popular events.
Lompoc has an annual Cub fly in that is very popular.
Marysville has a well-attended EAA event.
Agua Dulce has a once a month Barbeque.
There are many I am missing.
These are all within a couple hundred miles of my home base in Santa Maria, California.
 
Liability concerns and insurance company restrictions put a damper on things. The airport's insurance policy does not allow airport staff to organize aviation events. If the pilots club wants to organize something, we can support it. The pilots club is in its second dormancy period since I've been around here. It revived the last time because CAP and EAA members found that those two organizations were too restrictive at to what events their local member groups could organize.

There used to be an annual $10 plane ride charity fund raiser event but it became to difficult to get enough pilot/plane owner volunteers because of their liability concerns.
 
For the poster,48 x has sponsored two cook out fly ins,through Eaa chapter 180. Also SRQ is very active in furthering GA.
 
Graueradler said:
Liability concerns and insurance company restrictions put a damper on things. The airport's insurance policy does not allow airport staff to organize aviation events. If the pilots club wants to organize something, we can support it. The pilots club is in its second dormancy period since I've been around here. It revived the last time because CAP and EAA members found that those two organizations were too restrictive at to what events their local member groups could organize.

There used to be an annual $10 plane ride charity fund raiser event but it became to difficult to get enough pilot/plane owner volunteers because of their liability concerns.
Click to expand...

That's the ***** of organizing any event these days. If you get a big group of people together and anybody ever gets hurt in any way, it blows back on the event organizers. A big disincentive to organize anything.
 
"The Airport" supports general aviation just by being there and providing services. In my observation special events are organized usually by the local pilots association.
 
frfly172 said:
For the poster,48 x has sponsored two cook out fly ins,through Eaa chapter 180. Also SRQ is very active in furthering GA.
Click to expand...

When were they? And will they do it again in 2015? How would you know it's going on? I drive past the airport everyday..No signs...nothing!
 
Dav8or said:
That's the ***** of organizing any event these days. If you get a big group of people together and anybody ever gets hurt in any way, it blows back on the event organizers. A big disincentive to organize anything.
Click to expand...

Make them sign a waiver at the beginning of the event: "Not responsible if you do something stupid"?
 
Graueradler said:
Liability concerns and insurance company restrictions put a damper on things. The airport's insurance policy does not allow airport staff to organize aviation events. If the pilots club wants to organize something, we can support it. The pilots club is in its second dormancy period since I've been around here. It revived the last time because CAP and EAA members found that those two organizations were too restrictive at to what events their local member groups could organize.

There used to be an annual $10 plane ride charity fund raiser event but it became to difficult to get enough pilot/plane owner volunteers because of their liability concerns.
Click to expand...

This is where an active EAA chapter can do a lot of good. I've watched something interesting happen over at carslile (4m3). The EAA chapter my first instructor introduced me to moved (for various reasons) from a grass strip to carslile. I noticed the following:
- more people attend the breakfast
- more chapter participation
- I was worried about 4m3 - now they are selling gas and it looks like they are building another hangar.

EAA can help epwith the liability through their programs, especially the young eagles program.

It all stars with some green eggs and ham...
 
FloridaPilot said:
Make them sign a waiver at the beginning of the event: "Not responsible if you do something stupid"?
Click to expand...

Waivers have proven to often be worthless if there is enough money, or a death involved in the lawsuit. A good lawyer can shred a waiver in about five minutes.
 
Dav8or said:
Waivers have proven to often be worthless is there is enough money, or a death involved in the lawsuit. A good lawyer can shred a waiver in about five minutes.
Click to expand...
Plus if you are getting town fair numbers waivering everybody would be a huge undertaking. One of the local airports has an open house day and the EAA was bitching because local restaurants open food stands and cut into the chapter's burger and soda sales. *sigh*
 
One of our local airports organized an event to promote ... well ... I guess ... money transfer (from consumers to companies).
They had two P-51s, a small aerobatic plane, a Cirrus and a B-24. They also brought in a C-47 and a Huey to give rides and allowed a lot of food vendors (hence the money transfer comment). And they supplemented the lack of airplanes with a lot of different cars from rat rods to contemporary vehicles.
That did not exactly attract pilots but instead large crowds of parents with kids. And a few of them found their way into community hangars where the brats would be handing from props, cloth wings, even pitot tubes. When we reminded them not to touch any airplanes, the kids did not care and the parents gave us the typical "I-will-kill-you-if-you-tell-me-how-to-raise-my-kids" look.

All-in-all, this event generated only 3 things:
- profit
- trash
- frustration for pilots who actually thought they could fly in or out that day (from the control tower, I saw terrestrial traffic backed up for miles)

I have suggested many times to put a diner on the airport property but the city does not see sufficient profit from that. Thought it sure would promote GA in the area. Just look at any airport with a diner, how much busier it is when the diner is open. :)
 
FloridaPilot said:
When were they? And will they do it again in 2015? How would you know it's going on? I drive past the airport everyday..No signs...nothing!
Click to expand...

To get info on the cook out ,you can get info from Eaa chapter 180 website. Also cirrus aviation at SRQ have a website and mailing list for current activities. Also can check the social flight website.
 
ClimbnSink said:
Nah those nonpilot people are icky and gross. Plus you'd have to screen them all for terrorist affiliations before letting them eat an airport pancake.:rolleyes:
That was sarcasm, but not too far from reality. GA needs to die completely so it can be reborn fresh.
Click to expand...

GA has many problems, but I suspect if it were reborn today it would be worse.
 
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peerlesscowboy said:
"The Airport" supports general aviation just by being there and providing services. In my observation special events are organized usually by the local pilots association.
Click to expand...

But how would a person develop any interest in flying if they don't realize it exists?
 
BigBadLou said:
One of our local airports organized an event to promote ... well ... I guess ... money transfer (from consumers to companies).
They had two P-51s, a small aerobatic plane, a Cirrus and a B-24. They also brought in a C-47 and a Huey to give rides and allowed a lot of food vendors (hence the money transfer comment). And they supplemented the lack of airplanes with a lot of different cars from rat rods to contemporary vehicles.
That did not exactly attract pilots but instead large crowds of parents with kids. And a few of them found their way into community hangars where the brats would be handing from props, cloth wings, even pitot tubes. When we reminded them not to touch any airplanes, the kids did not care and the parents gave us the typical "I-will-kill-you-if-you-tell-me-how-to-raise-my-kids" look.

All-in-all, this event generated only 3 things:
- profit
- trash
- frustration for pilots who actually thought they could fly in or out that day (from the control tower, I saw terrestrial traffic backed up for miles)

I have suggested many times to put a diner on the airport property but the city does not see sufficient profit from that. Thought it sure would promote GA in the area. Just look at any airport with a diner, how much busier it is when the diner is open. :)
Click to expand...

That is a good point,

Here at St Petersburg FL there is a restaurant called the Hangar. IMO the food is not very good but pilots still go there to eat.
 
BigBadLou said:
One of our local airports organized an event to promote ... well ... I guess ... money transfer (from consumers to companies).
They had two P-51s, a small aerobatic plane, a Cirrus and a B-24. They also brought in a C-47 and a Huey to give rides and allowed a lot of food vendors (hence the money transfer comment). And they supplemented the lack of airplanes with a lot of different cars from rat rods to contemporary vehicles.
That did not exactly attract pilots but instead large crowds of parents with kids. And a few of them found their way into community hangars where the brats would be handing from props, cloth wings, even pitot tubes. When we reminded them not to touch any airplanes, the kids did not care and the parents gave us the typical "I-will-kill-you-if-you-tell-me-how-to-raise-my-kids" look.

All-in-all, this event generated only 3 things:
- profit
- trash
- frustration for pilots who actually thought they could fly in or out that day (from the control tower, I saw terrestrial traffic backed up for miles)

I have suggested many times to put a diner on the airport property but the city does not see sufficient profit from that. Thought it sure would promote GA in the area. Just look at any airport with a diner, how much busier it is when the diner is open. :)
Click to expand...

Been there... Done that.... Got the Tee shirt....:rolleyes2:
 
SO what would be the solution to generate interest in GA?

IMO know that it exists. The airport around here, (48X) you couldn't tell it was an airport because it's off the highway so all you see are trees. There are a few signs that say airport but that is about it. Have an event, Put up some posters saying pilot cookout, free beer and all the knowledge about airplanes you want to know. The planes can be grounded and the engine exposed. I would love to learn about engines, annuals, flying stories...etc. It would be fun!

Someone is always trying to sue someone for good reasons and/or bad but we shouldn't let that stop us from promoting the things we love.
 
Graueradler said:
Liability concerns and insurance company restrictions put a damper on things. The airport's insurance policy does not allow airport staff to organize aviation events. If the pilots club wants to organize something, we can support it. The pilots club is in its second dormancy period since I've been around here. It revived the last time because CAP and EAA members found that those two organizations were too restrictive at to what events their local member groups could organize.

There used to be an annual $10 plane ride charity fund raiser event but it became to difficult to get enough pilot/plane owner volunteers because of their liability concerns.
Click to expand...

Having the airport management employees organize an aviation event is one thing I always wondered if they had the power to do so.

I know that airports are required to have insurance, but I did not know that the policy states that they are not allowed to organize an event themselves.

Is this policy that prohibits airport management from organizing an event a blanket policy or are there other airport insurance providers out there that does not have this policy? Just wondering.
 
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