Pelton: “A Tremendous Week” For EAA AirVenture

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“We had nearly perfect weather,” EAA Chairman Jack Pelton said in his closing news conference at AirVenture on Sunday, “and it really felt like we’re getting back to our culture — that’s what we’ve been striving for, these last three years.” On Tuesday, the show logged “the most aircraft arrivals ever,” with more than 3,000 landings, Pelton said, and as of Sunday morning the tower had logged 16,278 arrivals and departures. Pelton credited a quick response by the airport emergency crews for saving lives during the one accident this year, a Piper Malibu crash, which caused some injuries but no fatalities. Attendance is the highest it has been since 2005, with about 550,000 visitors as of Sunday morning. Camping was up about 4 percent, Pelton said, and Aviation Gateway Park, aimed at attracting young people to aviation careers, has proved to be a successful concept that will continue to grow. “How to top all that?” he asked. “Next year, we’re going to inundate you every day.”

Next year, Pelton said, he hopes that Burt Rutan will return, this time flying his new SkiGull amphibious airplane, and he’s also hoping the B-29 “Doc” now undergoing restoration will be ready to fly here for its first appearance. He’s working with the F-16 Fighting Falcons crew, and plans to bring them here along with some new simulators that visitors will be able to fly. It will be the 40th anniversary of the RV-6, the most successful homebuilt ever, and it will be the 100th anniversary of the Boeing Company. “We’ll start brainstorming tomorrow,” Pelton said, to lay the plans for next year’s show.

Pelton also reiterated his dismay at the last-minute effort by the Air Line Pilots Association to oppose the 3rd-class medical reform sought by general aviation advocacy groups. “We hope to get it done Monday to get the 60 senators we need, to get a vote on Tuesday,” for the legislation that would reform the 3rd-class medical, making it unnecessary for most GA pilots under most circumstances, he said. “ALPA has no facts or information to support their safety concerns. I hope this backfires for them,” he said. Pelton said he doesn’t believe that most ALPA members support the position taken by their leadership. “We plan to go after them, with extreme brutality, starting tomorrow,” he said.

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