klyde sessna wrote: ↑Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:08 pm
Sun N Fun 2021 is advertising no flights in or out unless your aircraft is ADS-B exempt. ADAPT waivers are encouraged.
With thousands of airports to choose from, maybe this Association needs to look elsewhere?
"All" that's needed is a
Volunteer host. Count on it taking a year (at the very least) of
full time WORK out of your life to measure up to what's expected by membership attending. Those "thousands of airports" sift down quickly to very few who will agree to the inconvenience and
liability concerns (...did I mention "liability" concerns?). From there, potentially count on many meetings and "negotiations" with local airport boards and/or private field owners...ATC coordination, depending on location...plus, you'll likely need to amass a group of local volunteers (EAA chapter?) to form a working(!) committee for the months leading up...
and, during. Choosing uniquely interesting fly-out destinations who can/will host the group (...did I mention "liability concerns"?) and arranging for parking, tours and meals for each while there, as well as other local entertainment(s) for those who may not engage in fly-outs must be considered and arranged. Too, negotiating comfortable hotel space, agreements for "holding rooms" as well as preferred pricing, plus back-up hotel space requires a lot of "correspondence". Depending on hotel/host airport proximity, transportation to/from may need to be planned. Early on it's imperative to reach agreement with the airport for us to do our "flying games" --- many may express...again, "liability concerns". "Maintenance forums" facilities @ airport plus on-field food for the week must be considered. For the months leading up you'll need to be in regular contact with local, national (world?) aviation-related businesses to donate products for "attendance prizes" -- also count on "making the rounds" at SNF and AirVenture commercial exhibitors to "beg", certainly ("prizes" must be received, inventoried, labeled, stored & displayed/awarded). All meals must be pre-arranged, especially @ hotels and the "first timers breakfast" event and the final night banquet (...guest speaker/s?) requires planning and and a LOT of leg work, too. There are many,
many other "details" that must be attended to, plus you can absolutely count on some of the best laid plans meeting "sudden" challenges -- you'll want to be available 24/7 to field and handle those in the months/weeks leading up and, certainly, during. The volunteer "management" of the Association is always available to help with thoughts, ideas and questions...but they have full time jobs and lives, too, so it's always the volunteer host who shoulders the lion's share of the tremendous responsibility for a "successful" convention. Of course, now, the current pandemic may add
just a bit of complexity?...just what the harried host needed
. Taking a read through Christian's and Heidi's already incredible, exciting "plans in place" for the Peachtree City event plus just talking to those who attended @ Falcon Field last time tends to make one consider "whatever it takes" to be there. And, while it would be interesting to know just how many of us have not opted for ADS-B out at this point, there are many who have...and, as mentioned above, there
may be options for non-ADS-B'ers to "get in"(?). In any "event", you can be sure that the Association officers are super receptive in considering a convention host & location for next year(?).
.
Mac
