In 1939, Franklin Roosevelt was the first sitting president to recognize GA, according to AOPA president Mark Baker. This year also marks the 85th anniversary of AOPA, an organization created to support GA.

The National Celebration of GA Flyover will be broadcast live on AOPA’s YouTube channel.

with commentary from longtime “AOPA Live This Week” host Tom Haines and journalist Miles O’Brien. The pair will be on a rooftop providing commentary as aircraft fly overhead.

Haines noted that he’s spent a good bit of time researching the participant airplanes and was impressed to learn of their rich history.

Logistics

Mike Ginter, AOPA vice president of airports and state advocacy, will serve as the air boss for the event. Ginter said that all the aircraft will be strategically launched from Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK) in Maryland—the home of AOPA—beginning at 11:30 a.m. EST on May 11.

The aircraft will be expected to fly at 90 knots at an altitude of 1,000 feet, ensuring they are visible from the ground and online.

“The goal is to get aviation outside of the airport fence lines,” Ginter said.

For those who won’t be in D.C., pilots are encouraged to organize watch parties at their airports.

Sixty aircraft, representing 20 different chapters of GA, are scheduled to participate. The aircraft and pilots, most of whom are the aircraft owners, were selected months ago.

Baker will be leading the parade, flying his Beechcraft Staggerwing 17, an aircraft synonymous with the golden age of aviation. The round-engine Staggerwing biplane was one of the first to feature an enclosed cockpit. In the 1930s, it was the choice for executive transport and air racers.

“It’s going to be a special time for AOPA and for general aviation,” Baker said. “What a sight it will be to see the history of general aviation flying over the National Mall, as GA has given this nation so much over the past many decades. AOPA is uniquely positioned to plan this complex event and execute it safely and professionally.”

Among the aircraft planned to appear are a WACO UPF-7, Douglas DC-3, a Grumman Albatross, one of the only two Beechcraft Starships still flying, a Robinson R44, and a Piper M700 Fury certified this year.

The flyover will also feature an appearance by the Titan Aerobatic Team.

Parade Route

Washington has some of the most restricted airspace in the country. More than 11 agencies, including the FAA, air traffic control, TSA, and U.S. Secret Service are coordinating for the event, which will include flight in Prohibited Area P-56. The restricted airspace was created after 9/11.

The route takes the aircraft past the Lincoln Memorial, down Independence Avenue, and past the Washington Monument.

GA, By the Numbers

Parade aircraft were selected to showcase technological advancements in aviation and demonstrate the ways GA has improved its safety records over the years.

According to AOPA, the GA industry enjoys the safest record ever due to better aircraft, navigation systems, flight training, and better, more engaging ways to stay proficient. General aviation aircraft fly more than 26 million flight hours each year, including about 30 million takeoffs and landings.

AOPA officials said they hope the event will help spread the word that general aviation often comes from small towns with small aircraft manufacturing facilities, such as Yakima, Washington; Vacaville, California; and Vero Beach, Florida.

More information on the event, route, and planned aircraft can be found on AOPA’s GA Flyover campaign website.

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on flyingmag.com.

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Attendees were able to take part in sessions covering topics as wide ranging as pilot medical concerns, national weather service forecasting support, emergency operations, and air traffic control (ATC) coordination to name a few sessions. Presenters from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Detroit’s approach control facility, National Weather Service, and industry writers and professionals brought expertise and experience to share.

Some of Michigan’s best flight instructors, promoters of safety, and mechanics also were recognized at the event. As part of the General Aviation Awards program (GAA), Michigan’s winners will be entered into consideration for regional and national recognition. The long-standing awards program is a cooperative effort between many different sponsors and organizations from the aviation industry and FAA.

For more than 50 years, the GAA program has recognized aviation professionals in flight instruction, aviation maintenance, avionics, and flight safety for their important contributions to the general aviation community.

Stephen Tupper was named the East Michigan FSDO CFI of the year’ Daniel Holtzclaw was recognized as the East Michigan FSDO and overall Michigan FAASTeam representative of the year; Marty King earned the Grand Rapids FSDO and overall Michigan aviation maintenance technician of the year; and James Whittles was honored as the Grand Rapids FSDO and overall Michigan CFI of the year.

​The GAA said these awards highlight these individuals’ important leadership roles in promoting aviation safety, education, and professionalism. 

If you missed this year’s Michigan Aviation Safety Forum, keep an eye out for 2025. The MASF is held each February in Ypsilanti and hosted at Eastern Michigan University.

More information on  the MASF event can be found here and here.

The post Michigan Aviation Safety Forum Gathers Mechanics, Pilots for Currency and Proficiency appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

The news came in on Tuesday during a meeting with the team at AOPA. According to an association spokesperson, there is no official announcement right now, and Baker’s retirement won’t take effect right away.

According to the confirmation from AOPA, it’s the start of a natural succession plan. At this point, Baker is committed to staying at his post and working with the AOPA board of directors to find the “best possible person to take over.”

Baker joined AOPA in 2013 as the fifth president and assumed the dual title of CEO. After earning his private pilot certificate in his 20s, he has owned and flown many aircraft and logged more than 10,000 hours of flight time. Prior to AOPA, he served as the CEO of Orchard Supply Hardware Corp., and as an executive at ScottsMiracle-Gro Co., Gander Mountain Co., and The Home Depot Inc.

READ MORE: AOPA Proposes Signs to Tell Pilots Where to Park and How Much

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