Celebrate Alaska Aviation!

The first weekend in May every year, Alaskans gather to celebrate aviation and plan for the upcoming flying season by attending the largest free aviation event in the nation!

Welcome to the Great Alaska Aviation Gathering!

Each year, the Alaska Airmen’s Association hosts Alaska’s largest aviation event, bringing together aviation enthusiasts, industry leaders, and pilots from across the country. This premier gathering celebrates Alaska’s vital aviation presence and the unique role aviation plays in the state. Whether you're a seasoned aviator, an aspiring pilot, or simply captivated by flight, the event offers an exciting lineup of exhibits, aircraft displays, educational seminars, and networking opportunities.

Join us for a weekend of innovation, exploration, and inspiration as we showcase the best of aviation in Alaska and beyond!

Schedule of Events:

Saturday, May 3, 2025

9:00am: Fairgrounds and Airport Open to Public (Welcome!)
Show and Shine Aircraft Arrive (Plaza)

10:00am: Show and Shine Public Voting at 10:00-14:00 (Plaza)
Learn to Fly - What You Need to Know to Get Started

11:00am: The Alaskan Aviation Insurance Market

12:00pm: Top Advocacy Issues Facing Alaska

1:00pm: Aopa Pilot Town Hall Presentation

2:00pm: Alaska Airmen Association Scholarship-Award Presentations (Plaza)
NWS Alaska Aviation Weather Websites For Pilots and Non-Pilots (2:00 - 2:20)
Surviving The Unexpected - The Human Factors Of A Midair Collision (2:30 - 3:30)

3:00pm: Show and Shine Awards (Purple Lawn)

4:00 to 5:00pm: Water Bombing , STOL Demo, & Skydiving

Sunday, May 4, 2025

8:00 to 10:50am: Aopa Rusty Pilot Seminar (Hoskins Hall) *Registration Required - Fill Out Form Here*

10:00am: Fairgrounds And Airport Open To Public (Welcome!)

11:00am: Foreflight Workshop – Pro Tips For Flight Planning

12:00pm: Building Your Own Airplane - From Blueprint To Flight

1:00pm: Float-Plane Safety Panel

2:00pm: People And Passion - The Raf Way

3:00pm: The Round-The-World Flight To End Polio

4:00pm: Aircraft Raffle Prize Drawing! (Plaza)

Seminars Schedule:

ALL Seminars held in Hoskins Hall

Saturday, May 3, 2025

10:00 to 10:50am: Learn to Fly - What You Need to Know to Get Started
Wella Jay, Land and Sea Aviation / Aras Sirvelis, Alaska Airmen’s Association / Marcel Dionne, MD, FAA Alaska Regional Flight Surgeon

This panel of aviation experts will present federal regulatory and medical requirements for those interested in learning to fly, provide information on scholarship options to help students get started flying for fun or career, and offer advice based on their observations and personal experiences.

11:00 to 11:50am: The Alaskan Aviation Insurance Market
Jennifer Moninski, Alaska Program Manager, BWI Aviation Insurance

BWI is a local Alaska aviation insurance agency located at the Lake Hood Airport in Anchorage, and partners with the Alaska Airmen’s Association. Ms. Moninski’s presentation will focus on the Alaska aviation insurance market and the new coverage options available for pilots and CFIs. The presentation will also provide an opportunity for feedback from insured pilots and an opportunity for a Q&A.

12:00 to 12:50pm: Top Advocacy Issues Facing Alaska
Adam White, Government Affairs Advocate, Alaska Airmen’s Association / Jim McClay, Director, Airspace, Air Traffic, and Security, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Adam and Jim will brief on the Anchorage Terminal Area Airspace and Procedures Study and the major changes planned for the Anchorage Class C airspace, progress on the replacement of 100LL, and other hot topics that affect General Aviation in Alaska.

1:00 to 1:50pm: AOPA Pilot Town Hall
Darren Pleasance, President, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

AOPA will provide an update on current trends and issues facing general aviation in Alaska and across the country, including AOPA’s ongoing search for an unleaded fuel for all, affordable insurance, and support for aviation infrastructure in Alaska.

2:00 to 2:20pm: NWS Alaska Aviation Weather Websites for Pilots and Non-pilots
David Kochevar, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service Alaska Aviation Weather Unit and Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center / Prince Dalal, Meteorologist, National Weather Service Alaska Aviation Weather Unit and Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center           

Over the last few years, the National Weather Service has created a number of new or upgraded aviation weather websites which are approved for use in Alaska. This briefing will include a summary of these new tools you might not yet be aware of, and instruction on their use from Alaska Aviation Weather Unit Meteorologists.

2:30 to 3:30pm: Surviving the Unexpected - The Human Factors of a Midair Collision
Amy L. Hoover, PhD, CFII, AGI, Professor, Central Washington University             

Amy Hoover shares her personal story of surviving a mid-air collision over a remote mountainous area. She discusses how attitude, training, and practice helped her make critical decisions, manage risk, land successfully, and facilitate her own rescue. Hoover relates the events to her own research and experience as well as practices taken from civilian and military training programs. She shares strategies to help pilots and other survivors navigate the aftermath of traumatic events, including personal practices related to physical and mental well-being, self-care, and more.

Sunday, May 4, 2025

8:00 to 11:00am: AOPA Rusty Pilots Seminar
Yasmina Platt, AOPA Rusty Pilot Program

Note: This special three-hour seminar requires advance registration. To register click here

If you're like more than 500,000 other pilots (that's right, half a million), you've taken a little break from flying. Maybe more than a little. Perhaps life threw you a curve. Maybe the pitter-patter of little feet, a growing business, or a medical setback had something to do with it. Whatever the case, things are different now. You're back in the game and would like to start flying again. You've come to the right place. The AOPA Rusty Pilots program has helped over 13,000 inactive pilots return to flying. If 13,000+ other people with similar stories can do this, you can too! Yes, it will take some time, work, and money but if you take one step at a time, you too can return to flying. You may have forgotten that pilot certificates never expire. Once a pilot, always a pilot. You never have to take another test or worry about another checkride. All you need is a Flight Review (formerly known as a Biennial Flight Review). That's it. A little brush-up with your local CFI, enough flights to demonstrate competence again (minimum one hour), and – presto! – you're back in the air. Seriously, that's all it takes.

11:00 to 11:50am: ForeFlight Workshop – Pro Tips for Flight Planning
Captain Brian Schiff, The Proficient Pilot

Learn to master ForeFlight in this interactive workshop on the utilization of ForeFlight, the aviation industry's most renowned and widely used electronic flight bag (EFB) and flight planning application, presented by Brian Schiff. It will offer comprehensive hands-on training using ForeFlight for flight planning, weather, and in-flight navigation. The pace will ensure that you thoroughly understand ForeFlight's functionality without feeling overwhelmed. Pose questions and contribute your own tips and tricks. The workshop will enrich your understanding of ForeFlight and how to make it work best for you.

12:00 to 12:50pm: Building Your Own Airplane - From Blueprint to Flight
Bernie Willis, John Davis, and Rick Henry, Experimental Aircraft Association

If you have considered building an airplane, this session is a must! These engaging aircraft builders will share the pros and cons of building an aircraft, basic regulations

covering experimental and homebuilt aircraft, safety considerations, and how to get started. Whether you're an enthusiast or a professional, thinking about building, or already on the journey, join the conversation to explore the art and science behind building an airplane.

1:00 to 1:50pm: Float-Plane Safety Panel
National Transportation Safety Board, Millicent Hill / Steve McCaughey - Seaplane Pilots Association / David Swartz, PhD, Retired Federal Aviation Administration / Steven Wiliams, Acme Cub Training and Maintenance

Join us for a panel presentation about seaplane safety with a discussion of recent accident and inspection findings, trends and concerns with aging aircraft and components, and suggested best practices for maintaining floats.

2:00 to 2:50pm: People and Passion - The RAF Way
Kari DeFreest, Recreational Aviation Foundation

Familiar with the trademark orange shirts of The RAF but wonder what all the excitement is about? Looking for opportunities to give back in aviation? Either way, this presentation is for you! Join Kari to learn about the people and passions driving the RAF into 2025 and beyond.

3:00 to 3:50pm: The Round-the-World Flight to End Polio
John Ockenfels and Peter Teahen, Rotary Club

Two pilots, both Rotary Club members, took three months to circumnavigate the globe in a Cessna 210 airplane. They raised over one million dollars to help eradicate polio, and participated in another 24 fundraisers during their trip. Hear them tell their stories about planning, flying, and surviving this amazing adventure.

Date: May 3-4, 2025

Time:

Saturday, 9 AM until 5 PM
Sunday, 10 AM until 5 PM

Locations:

Alaska State Fairgrounds - 2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer, AK 99645
Palmer Municipal Airport - 901 S Airport Rd, Palmer, AK 99645

Admission is Free

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