2017 East Coast Fly-In

[Steve Sliwa]

We are pleased to announce that the 2017 East coast fly-in will be managed by Mike and Suzanne Schumann (new Phoenix owners). The event will be held in Naples, Florida Thursday March 30th through Sunday April 2nd.  The timing was decided upon to coincide with both the Sun-N-Fun national fly-in and baseball spring training. The weather should be great, and Naples is a world-class destination. We’ll be arranging lots of non-flying things to do and we’re confident that we’ll again get a great banquet speaker. Stay tuned for details, but plan on coming for a great time.

For non-USA TMGA’ers, there are major international airports within 100 miles of Naples so, think about making this fly-in as part of a great USA vacation.

We’re only five months away from this fly-in, so get on the list by accessing the EVENTS tab on the website, then go to the 2017 East Coast sub-tab.

[Steve Sliwa]

We are collecting up details for this fly-in in this forum thread.  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or inputs, please add an entry so we can work together to make this an awesome fly-in.

Here are some pictures that might reflect a visit to Naples FL this spring (click to enlarge):

Airport pictures:

 

Military Memorabilia Museum at the Airport:

Baseball (it's near the end of Spring Pre-Season):

Various Scenes around the area:

  

 

EAA's Sun 'n Fun follows the event in Lakeland FL:

 

[Richard Pearl]

March 30th is fast approaching and if you’re thinking of coming to the Naples fly-In, it’s time to get serious.

Event organizer Mike Schumann (Phoenix owner) has set up a great program, with fly-outs to interesting places in Florida…and a potential post-event trip to the Bahamas. Mike recently did just such a trip and after you know the ropes, it’s not that difficult – as long as you plan your logistics, i.e. FAA regulations, ahead. If you’re thinking of taking this “hop”, contact Mike directly at mike@traditions.com .

The Fly-In will be at Naples Airport (KAPF). This is a Class D airport so you need to check your procedures.

We’ll be getting detailed information out to the Group later this month re where to meet, etc. Right now we need you to sign up on the TMGA website Events spreadsheet so be have a fix on the number of attendees.

We’re in Naples during High Season - and nowhere is inexpensive - but we have made arrangements with the Bayfront Inn for discounted rooms. As usual at our fly-ins, the TMGA cannot take the financial exposure of guaranteeing a certain number of “blocked” rooms, so we have what’s known in the trade as “Courtesy” rooms, i.e. they are held for us – at this time until March 1st, but if the hotel needs to sell them to guaranteed customers, they will. Once you book the room, of course, it’s yours. The Bayfront’s main number is 1.239.649.5800 – and say you’re with the Touring Motor Glider Association.

The hotel’s rates are below:

Other hotel options include the Naples Bay Resort and the Hyatt, and the Lemon Tree Inn (no known pilot discount but the least expensive of the noted properties).

Points on each of the above hotels:

• Bayfront Inn (walking distance to downtown; on the water; prices above);
• Lemon Tree Inn (old Florida Motel; walking distance to downtown; modest price point); the Naples Bay Resort (walking distance to downtown; very nice; condos also available);
•  Hyatt House (walking distance to downtown- brand new/on the water directly under the KAPF approach for pilots who love the thrill of jets flying 150' over their heads while they are relaxing in the hot tub). Ask for the pilot discount.
•  Naples Bay Resort. Ask for the pilot discount.

Other options include doing a standard search on sites such as Kayak.

So if you are thinking of attending, please jump over to Events > East Fly-in Sign-Up and let us know, even if it's a solid maybe.

 

[Richard Pearl]

Folks

Most all the “T’s” are crossed and “I’s” dotted for the 2017 East Coast Fly-In. Attached is the three day schedule that host Mike Schumann has developed, and it looks like a lot of fun whether you’re flying in or, like me coming from the West coast, arriving sans a TMG.

And its not too late for anyone to still sign up, but you have to let me know ASAP if your plans now include your attending.

Mike has a few more things to work out with the Airport on Monday where we will be holding our meeting(s) - and I’ll get another email out after that. You will see from the schedule that there’s three great fly-outs, all of which can also be accomplished by vehicle. This is what happened at the last Cottonwood, AZ. fly-in, and it worked just fine. It looks like there will be a few extra seats available in several TMG’s.

Fly-in attendees should check in with the Airport FBO on the ramp - the Naples Airport Authority, for parking instructions.

Importantly for anyone flying in on Friday - please email me asap your expected arrival time so we can coordinate the Friday fly-out and lunch reservation. For anyone arriving on Thursday, let me know so we can make the appropriate dinner reservations at Tacos & Tequila

See you in Naples!

Here is the agenda:  TMGA East Coast 2017 Agenda.pdf

Touring Motor Glider Association
East Coast Fly-In Agenda
Naples, FL
Thurs, 3/30/17 – Sun 4/2/17

Thurs. 3/30                6:30 PM Dinner – Tacos & Tequila, 4834 Davis Blvd., Naples

Friday 3/31                9:30 AM – Pilot Lounge, Naples Airport

Fly out to Everglades City (X01) - Rental Bikes at Airport

                                    Lunch – City Seafood, 702 Begonia St., Everglades City (1¼ hr. drive)

                                    Smallwood’s Store (VERY unique)

                                    Airboat Rides - optional   
                                    6 PM - Naples Bay Boat Trip (limited to 8 people) - 1150 Sandpiper St., Naples

                                    8 PM - Dinner – Dock Restaurant, Naples City Dock

Sat 4/1                       9:30 AM – Pilot Lounge, Naples Airport

                                    Fly out to Immokalee (IMM) - Crew Car Available (drivable from Naples)

                                    Lunch – Lozano’s Mexican Restaurant, 405 New Market Rd E, Immokalee

                                    Immokalee Farmer’s Market, 114 New Market Rd W

                                    Corkscrew Swamp Bird Sanctuary, 375 Sanctuary Rd W, Naples – (Half way between Naples and Immokalee)

                                    7 PM Dinner – Bistro 821, 821 5^th Ave. S., Naples

Sun 4/2                      9:30 AM – Pilot Lounge, Naples Airport

                                    10:30 AM – Fly out to LaBelle (X14) – drivable; 30 mi. north of Naples
                                                - Soaring with the LaBelle glider group

 

[tedhauri]

I've just returned from Naples, FL where I attended the east coast gathering of the Touring Motor Glider Association (motorgliders.org). Though lightly attended (8 pilots) we enjoyed several informative hangar flying sessions, day trips to Everglades City (shrimp, stone crabs) and Immokalee (fajitas) and a boat tour of Naples Harbor on Mike Schumann's boat. I enjoyed a flight in Mike's Phoenix and a flight in Ted Hauser's Ximango. Others flew as well in Rand Vollmer's Sinus. At dinner one evening we were joined by a British couple who were vacationing in Pompano Beach (without their Grob 109). Mike and Chrissy gave us an entertaining description of flying VFR in Europe.

Two more gatherings are planned for the summer, one in Ann Arbor MI (June 22-25) and one in Camarillo, CA (August 24-27). If you fly a motor glider, these meetings are a great way to meet and interact with other pilots. If you are thinking about buying or building a motor glider, this is the best venue to evaluate different aircraft by talking to owners and catching a flight in various aircraft.

The TMGA has over 1100 members world wide. It's a 501(c)3 corporation, so your voluntary donation gets you a membership and (for US pilots) a tax deduction. To join, go to the website (motorgliders.org), sign up and send a check.

Ted Hauri (Sinus 467)