The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia (AOPA) will expand its presence at air shows in the future.
Already this year, AOPA has provided members areas and marquees at both the Australian International Airshow at Avalon in March and Wings over Illawarra (WOI) at Albion Park, and had a substantial presence at the Wedderburn Airfield fly-in last month.
"Expect to see more of this," AOPA CEO Ben Morgan told Australian Flying at WOI.
The AOPA members area provided chairs and tables for members and the general public, as well as flight simulators to encourage non-pilots and children in particular to try their hand at flying. More than 30 AOPA members volunteered for duty at the marquee, which was based at the Aviatex exhibition
AOPA has also sponsored the Freedom to Fly aerobatic team, run by team manager and display pilot Paul Goard.
“The display team will be a powerful addition to our association," Morgan says, "and will enhance our ability to communicate to both current and future generations of aircraft owners and pilots alike.”
AOPA's Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Saturday 27 May at Bankstown, where it is expected that some new board members will be revealed.