2nd Annual Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering

The 2nd annual Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering (GMAG) is soon to happen, and what a Gathering we have in store! This Gathering is sponsored by us, members of the Minnesota Pilots Association (MN Pilots), and we are very proud of those businesses who have chosen to sponsor our event, those who have chosen to exhibit and those who will have their advertisements printed on our terrific program guide.

All active members in the MN Pilots will have free admission to this two day event, so please make plans to attend. For those of you who are driving in from a distance we have arranged reduced rates for rooms at three local hotels. Please make your arrangements very soon to take advantage of those rates.

An added bonus this year is the opportunity to sign up in advance for experiencing the FAA portable reduced oxygen training enclosure (PROTE). We are fortunate in having the FAA to have chosen the 2015 GMAG for the PROTE. Those pilots with valid medical certificates will be offered the opportunity to experience the equivalent of the altitude chamber, without the problems that can be associated with pressure changes. Active members of the MN Pilots can reserve a spot in the PROTE by signing up on our the MN Pilots website, www.mnpilots.org. There is a limit to the number of pilots who can be accommodated in the PROTE experience and we urge you to sign up soon, as it will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Non-members will also have the opportunity to experience the PROTE by signing up at the GMAG.

We have assembled an outstanding series of Hangar Flying speakers, with a wide range of topics. We will have the pleasure of having Mark Baker, President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) updating us on the most recent activities of this organization. Our Regional Flight Surgeon, David Schall MD, will be speaking at our event, hosting a regional meeting of aviation medical examiners and giving a very interesting presentation about a book his is writing about the Doolittle Raiders. These are only two of what we feel will be a series of terrific speakers.

Please mark your calendars for our event. Thank you for those of you who are active members, and for those of you who are not, please take a moment to visit our website and renew your membership.

Happy Flying!

Randy Corfman
President, Minnesota Pilots Association