The Royal Air Force Red Arrows display team over Nantucket Memorial Airport, June 26th, 2008
Welcome to the Nantucket Flying Association. We've started off 2013 with a terrific program about aviation for both young people and adults.
Nantucket Needs a Vibrant Flying Club Now!
Nantucket Memorial Airport is, during the peak summer season, the second busiest airport in Massachusetts. That means we aren't far off the traffic numbers that Boston Logan achieves. So why then, when even the tiniest of US airports will likely have a flying club or school, do we have not a single airplane available for rental or training? It is a very sad situation quite frankly and something needs to be done about it.
Back in the early 2000's, the Nantucket Flying Association was formed by a group of concerned pilots who wanted to see the sort of aviation scene on Nantucket that exists in the wider world just about everywhere. We had barbecues, flew off to breakfast, worked the two wonderful air shows featuring the Blue Angels, and while those of us who owned airplanes were fine, the inactive pilots who live here, and prospective students still had no way to quench their thirst for flight. As time went on, things tapered off.
With some fresh blood and new ideas, a core group of us are hoping to get the ball rolling again. The timing is seemingly fortuitous given one or two recent developments. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, AOPA, represents over 400,000 pilots in the US and many more in Canada, the UK, and overseas. Think AARP for planes. They have just announced an initiative to help foster the development of a network of flying clubs across the USA. Currently, there are 650 and AOPA wants to see this rise to 1000. We can and will be one of those 1000.
Our board is looking at a variety of interesting possibilities and we attended the AOPA Summit in October, 2012 in Palm Springs. We would like to see an active aviation environment on this island that has only two ways on or off of it, and one of them is airplanes. What can you do? Please bookmark this site and "like" the Nantucket Flying Association Facebook page. Think of how this can work, tell people who have always wanted to fly, and if you're not on the email list, let us know you'd like to be added to it.
What we hope to develop is a group of people who learn about and enjoy aviation, and can use it to bring benefit to the wider community through some of the organizations that exist to help those around us. We are seeking to involve our young people and are currently establishing a relationship with the Nantucket Public School system with that in mind, and have some interesting public events planned for everyone to enjoy. We're pleased with our progress and hope to have more to tell in the near future. Thanks for your interest.
Back in the early 2000's, the Nantucket Flying Association was formed by a group of concerned pilots who wanted to see the sort of aviation scene on Nantucket that exists in the wider world just about everywhere. We had barbecues, flew off to breakfast, worked the two wonderful air shows featuring the Blue Angels, and while those of us who owned airplanes were fine, the inactive pilots who live here, and prospective students still had no way to quench their thirst for flight. As time went on, things tapered off.
With some fresh blood and new ideas, a core group of us are hoping to get the ball rolling again. The timing is seemingly fortuitous given one or two recent developments. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, AOPA, represents over 400,000 pilots in the US and many more in Canada, the UK, and overseas. Think AARP for planes. They have just announced an initiative to help foster the development of a network of flying clubs across the USA. Currently, there are 650 and AOPA wants to see this rise to 1000. We can and will be one of those 1000.
Our board is looking at a variety of interesting possibilities and we attended the AOPA Summit in October, 2012 in Palm Springs. We would like to see an active aviation environment on this island that has only two ways on or off of it, and one of them is airplanes. What can you do? Please bookmark this site and "like" the Nantucket Flying Association Facebook page. Think of how this can work, tell people who have always wanted to fly, and if you're not on the email list, let us know you'd like to be added to it.
What we hope to develop is a group of people who learn about and enjoy aviation, and can use it to bring benefit to the wider community through some of the organizations that exist to help those around us. We are seeking to involve our young people and are currently establishing a relationship with the Nantucket Public School system with that in mind, and have some interesting public events planned for everyone to enjoy. We're pleased with our progress and hope to have more to tell in the near future. Thanks for your interest.
And I'm afraid like all things worthwhile, it's going to take some kind people to help us get going. If you think you can manage to donate some money to really get NFA off the ground, we would be most grateful. Thank you in advance.
Click on the TV17 icon below to see NFA President Chris McLaughlin talking with Dan Drake about NFA on Geno TV.
Click below left and listen to the "Join the Club" radio show on Simpleflight.net with Al Waterloo, Marc Epner and guest, Adam Smith of AOPA. And clicking below right will let you hear and read about the AOPA Webinar, "Starting a Flying Club" on November 14th, 2012.
