Max’s Guide to AOPA Aviation Summit 2009

It’s just 5 days until the start of AOPA Aviation Summit, however IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO DECIDE TO GO! If you’re looking to get
fully plugged into what’s going on in the aviation industry, this will be the
place to be and here’s why. AirVenture in Oshkosh is the largest U.S. aviation
show. However, all of the industry leaders you’ll find there also attend AOPA Aviation Summit. Since the show is smaller, you have a better chance of meeting and talking
one-on-one with your favorite aviation regulator, association President or
aircraft manufacturer CEO. Plus you can enjoy some Tampa, Florida weather and
hospitality.

Savvy readers will note…

the name of the
event changed from AOPA Expo to AOPA Aviation Summit. My blogger friend Dan Pimentel
recently interviewed AOPA Vice President Tom Haines about the change. "The decision to reposition the already
successful AOPA Expo to AOPA Aviation
Summit was [AOPA President] Craig Fuller's. The change
represents his vision of how AOPA should play a key role in bringing together
all affected parties–federal agencies, manufacturers, regulators, and, of
course, pilots–to chart a successful course for general aviation. As the word
"summit" implies, AOPA Summit will be a place where decision makers
and influencers come together to discuss the future. Rather than position the
show as the last event of the year, we would like it to be seen as the first
event of the upcoming year–a place to look at the landscape ahead.”

AOPA Aviation Summit 2009 Activity Schedule–Max's Top Picks
I’ll be at AOPA Aviation Summit next week and put
together a calendar of items that interest me. I’ve
also listed my seminars and book signings—please come to one and say hello!
Note that sessions labeled “AOPA Live” will be also be broadcast over the
internet. I haven't seen the details yet on how to view these sessions over the internet. Check the www.AOPA.org web site later in the week for details.

Thursday, November 5, 2009 –
Opening Day.

9 AM Summit
Session: One Voice. Opening session. Hear directly from
the leaders of top aviation organizations representing pilots, aircraft owners,
women, manufacturers, businesses, FBOs, and others about what makes general
aviation a vital part of the nation's infrastructure. AOPA President Craig
Fuller hosts a discussion of the issues that affect the future of general
aviation with Ed Bolen, President of NBAA,
Pete Bunce, President of GAMA,
Peggy
Chabrian, President of WAI, Jim Coyne, President of NATA,
Paula Derks,
President of AEA
and Tom Poberezny, President of EAA.

9:50 AM
Summit Session: GA of the Future. AOPA Editor in Chief Tom Haines leads a
panel discussion that acknowledges the downtrend in GA and looks toward an
evolving future. Panel includes Cessna's Jack Pelton, Cirrus' Alan Klapmeier,
Remos' Corvin Huber, and Teledyne Continental's Rhett Ross.

11 AM Night Flying
Safety: What Your CFI Didn’t Tell You by Max Trescott, 2008 National CFI of the
Year [Hey, that’s me!]

12
Noon AOPA Live:
General Aviation Serves America (GASA) Rally. Jim
Coyne (President, NATA) leads the first General Aviation Serves America (GASA)
Rally at the center of the Exhibit Hall. As a former Congressman, Jim knows how
to hold a fun political-style rally with hand-clapping, foot-stomping, and stirring
speeches.

1:30 AOPA Live: Meet Tom Poberezny, President of EAA.

2:00 PM 121.5 Replacement Options: 406 ELTs, PLBs, and More. Your 121.5 ELT is virtually useless, so Doug Ritter will
clarify the often confusing options including 406-MHz ELT upgrades, 406 PLBs,
SPOT, and other alternative distress alerting devices.

2:30 PM AOPA Live: Flight Plan for the Future With the FAA Administrator Randy
Babbitt.

3 PM Book Signing by Max Trescott at PIlotMall.com booth on the exhibit floor.

4 PM AOPA Live: Meet well-known airshow performer and
aviation sweetheart Patty Wagstaff. Yes, she is a delight to talk to in person.

Friday,
November 6, 2009

9 AM 
Summit Session: Trends in Aviation: Defining NextGen. Find
out more about NextGen and how it will impact your flying. AOPA President Craig
Fuller will be joined by experts including RTCA's Margaret Jenny to talk about
what NextGen means to you.

9:50
AM Summit
Session: Flying the Future Now. AOPA Editor in Chief Tom Haines leads a
panel discussion on what's coming to GA cockpits today and in the future. With
Bill Stone of Garmin, Tim Taylor of FreeFlight Systems, and David Vos of
Rockwell Collins, Haines looks at synthetic vision and enhanced vision, ADS-B,
and advanced flight control systems.

11
AM Candidly, I’m conflicted about what to do at 11 AM. Good friend and my
nomination for Prince of General Aviation, Rod Machado is speaking. At the same
time TSA Assistant Administrators John Sammon and Brian Delauter are
also talking. You make the call.

11:30 AM AOPA Live: The Future of Powerplants: Peter Mauer, President of Diamond
Aircraft.

2 PM AOPA
Live: Strategies for Better Glass Cockpit Flying with Max Trescott.

3 PM Practical Tips for Flying GPS & WAAS based approaches by Max Trescott

4 PM
 AOPA Live: Flight Without Boundaries with Jessica Cox.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

9 AM Summit
Session: President's Town Hall. AOPA President Craig Fuller hosts a
wide-ranging town hall. He’ll be joined by one of GA’s biggest supporters,
Congressman Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), chairman of the House aviation
subcommittee. Jessica Cox, the first woman born without arms to earn a pilot
certificate will speak about her inspirational story.

10:30 Social Media Meetup
with the MyTransponder.com team about how "making aviation more social"
can help support aviation. Like the “AOPA Live” events, this meetup will be
streamed live over the internet.

2:00 PM GPS
From the Ground Up. Discusses GPS operations as a whole,
not just individual unit-specific functions. It's no longer about a GPS unit,
it's about an entire operation that includes the pilot, ATC, Flight Service,
etc. Presented by my friend and AOPA Air Safety Foundation presenter Andy
Miller.

3:00 PM Book Signing at Sunstate Aviation in Kissimmee. If
you can’t make it to AOPA Aviation Summit and are in the Orlando area, come join me at
Sunstate where I’ll be happy to sign one of my books for you.