Aero-TV Takes In the 2008 AOPA Fly-In

Frederick Maryland Hosts a HOT Fly-In! Each year, as a "thank you" to its 415,000 members, AOPA hosts an Annual Fly-In and Open House. As in past years, some 100 aviation exhibitors were available for viewing, as well as over 40 display aircraft. Seminars on aviation safety were offered, including presentations by Ron Machado and AOPA President Phil Boyer. Tours of the AOPA headquarters and non-stop opportunities to meet staff members were also offered throughout the day. This year's event was hampered by two major obstacles... though neither of them kept thousands of people from flooding into AOPA HQ. The biggest roadblock was the imposition of a very poorly timed TFR in sympathy with the President's visit to Camp David... just a hop, skip and Touch and Go away. The temporary flight restriction over the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md. (Prohibited Area P-40), was expanded to its larger dimensions (in use when the President is in residence) starting June 6th and went right through the Fly-In. AOPA conducted an aggressive notification campaign to make sure that pilots were aware of this TFR... which like most of them, was offered with little warning and a scarcity of supporting info. The other issue was one of heat... LOTS of it. The AOPA Fly-In has, in the past, had to deal with lots of rain... but the wet stuff was nowhere to be seen this year as the temps hit the 100 mark and baked all who attended -- but once again, that didn't seem to stop many from making it to the Fly-In. Once on site, there was plenty to see. Dozens of exhibit aircraft flew in... including the recently introduced Cirrus SR22 with the Garmin Perspective system, the new Eclipse 400 S/E Jet and the Eclipse 500, the Diamond DA40, Cessna's C-400 (Aka Columbia), Piper's Matrix, The Liberty XL-2, a Gobosh LSA, the LoPresti Fury and much more. Over 100 exhibitors offered everything from hearing protection for airborne canines to aircraft financing. Inside AOPA HQ, tours were offered all day long... allowing visitors ...