Modesto Residents Invited to ‘Discover Aviation’ at Airport Event

June 12, 2013

An upcoming, invitation-only event will enable residents around Modesto, CA to “discover aviation” and learn about the many benefits of owning, flying and utilizing a general aviation (GA) or business aircraft. The first-ever “Discover Aviation” night will be held tomorrow, June 13, at Sky Trek Aviation at Modesto City-County Airport/Harry Sham Field (MOD).

Airport Manager Jerome Thiele said invitations were sent to more than 4,500 households in Modesto and Stanislaus County identified as prime candidates for utilizing a GA airplane. Attendees will meet local pilots and business owners, airport business management and control tower personnel, among others.

“We wanted to expose these residents to the benefits of general aviation, business aviation and air charter services,” Thiele added.

Organizers reached out to local and national aviation organizations for resources to further assist and educate attendees. Copies of NBAA’s Business Aviation Fact Book, a white paper on “How to Use Your Airplane for Business” and the May/June edition of Business Aviation Insider magazine will be available for attendees to learn more about the industry.

Several aviation organizations and businesses – including flight school Modesto Aviation, the Modesto Airport Pilots Association and the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) – will exhibit at Discover Aviation. Attendees will also benefit from educational presentations about personal aircraft ownership, the financial benefits to owning a business aircraft and an overview of flight training and instruction.

A group of “airport ambassador” volunteers will be on hand to chaperone guests around the exhibit area and onto the airport ramp, where various aircraft will be on display.

“These volunteers come from many different backgrounds, including sport aviation, general aviation and business aviation,” Thiele noted. “They’ll be on hand to answer questions about specific aircraft, and discuss their personal aviation histories.”

Door prizes – including books about learning to fly, introductory flights and subscriptions to popular aviation magazines – will also be raffled off.

“Numerous volunteers and airport businesses and organizations came together in this grassroots effort to get folks interested in aviation,” Thiele said. “Even though we’re talking about one evening, we want to maintain their interest far beyond that.”