Aviations contributions to the communities and economy of California will be front and center at the state Capitol in Sacramento during the first annual California Aviation Awareness Day on April 24.
AOPA has joined the Association of California Airports and many other aviation organizations to support this event with John Pfeifer, AOPA Western/Pacific regional manager, serving on the events executive committee.
This is the first time such a broad spectrum of aviation organizations has come together to host an event to educate state legislators, legislative staff, and the general public about the importance of aviation to California, Pfeifer said.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the north steps of the Capitol building will be the site of interactive displays and presentations by businesses and other organizations that rely on aviation and local airports in California.
Those displays, organizers said, will demonstrate that aviation provides vital services to individuals, families, churches, hospitals, colleges, and large and small businesses. In todays global marketplace, a local airport is a valuable resource. In addition to general economic benefits for your community, airports provide convenient and efficient access to remote portions of our state, for health care, emergency medical transport, emergency response, and mail delivery.
Organizers created an information package that will be distributed to every member of the state Assembly and Senate. Invitations to California Aviation Awareness Day were being extended to Gov. Edmund G. Brown and state transportation officials.
Other participating organizations include the Alliance for Aviation Across America, California Airports Council, California Department of Transportation, California Pilots Association, National Business Aviation Association, Seaplane Pilots Association, American Association of Airport Executives Southwest Chapter, Sacramento City College Department of Aviation, McClellan Air Museum, Civil Air Patrol, Experimental Aircraft Association, Reach Air Medical, Napa Valley Balloons, Northern California Business Aviation Association, Paramount Citrus, Mead and Hunt, Parsons Brinkerhoff, and Tartaglia Engineering.