"Building on our proud AYA heritage..."
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Excellent turnout at the Anniversary Fly-in
Our new website is LIVE!!! Go to GrummanPilots.Org
GOPA is delighted to announce the launch of our new website at GrummanPilots.org!!!
All of the same information that was at AYA.org is on the new site plus MUCH MUCH More! If you were not able to be on today’s Annual Members’ Meeting, we invite you to come tour the new site.
AYA vs GrummanPilots.org Most of the content from AYA, including all of your member records, has already been transferred to the new site. That job will be completed by early Fall. Within a short period of time, typing in AYA.org will also take you to the new site. From today forward, all materials will direct people to GrummanPilots.org as the official website for The Grumman Owners & Pilots Association (Formerly known as The American Yankee Association, AYA)
Logging in for the first time: When you log on for the first time, you will need to re-establish your password, so “Log-In” with your regular AYA credentials then click on "Forgot Password." The system will send you an email to re-set your password. You can RESET either with the old password or a new one. Click on “Remember me” and you will be set to log in automatically from then on.
Problems with Log-on? Contact our trusty webmaster, Don Metz (web@grummanpilots.org).
A quick tour You will find many of the old stand-bys in their normal places…Events, Members Directory, Scholarship, etc.… but there also many exciting new things:
1. On the HOME page:
2. In AIRCRAFT
3. In SUPPORT/PFP
4. In JOIN US
5. In ABOUT US
6. In the MEMBERS Area
It has been my privilege, as your Strategic Advisor, to contribute to the strategy, navigation and content of the new site. Our thanks to our web development wizard, Alan Marsden, for its design and creativity, and to our webmaster, Don, for its functionality, for moving TONS of content from the old site to the new and for always finding the right picture to show how special our Type Club is.
So, ENJOY! And share! Our website is our most important tool for showing people how wonderful and valuable GOPA is and why they should JOIN TODAY!
Contact me if you have new ideas! Barbara Foster GOPA Strategic Advisor
Contact:Sharon Spence, President Grumman Owners & Pilots Association +1(306) 441-9525 Pres@grummanpilots.org
American Yankee Association (AYA) evolves intoThe Grumman Owners & Pilots Association (GOPA)
Keywords: AYA, American Yankee Association, Grumman light aircraft, Grumman owners, Grumman pilots, GOPA
(Aug 1, 2020). The American Yankee Association (AYA), the Registered International Type Club for Grumman general aviation owners and pilots, is proud to announce its transition into the new Grumman Owners & Pilots Association (GOPA), “Building on our proud AYA heritage.” The new identity more accurately reflects the evolving composition of the Association, which has expanded from the original 2 seater American Yankees (AA1) which gave birth to the Association in 1976 to today’s Grumman family of 9 different models.
The Grumman Owners & Pilots Association is dramatically expanding support for Grumman owners and pilots to include
Becoming a member of GOPA also opens opportunities for fellowship and knowledge through an active local, national and international events program, a content-rich website and growing video library, and a bi-monthly news magazine, The International Grumman Star.
For further information, visit GOPA at GrummanPilots.org or call President, Sharon Spence (details above).
COVID-19 Virus and Fredericksburg, Texas
Due to the ever changing concerns and restrictions on our world regarding the Covid-19 Virus the AYA Board of Directors have moved the 2020 Fredericksburg Convention to May 10-13, 2021.
NO AYA CONVENTION IN 2020.
Many, many thanks to Scott Sanders, Susan Dollar, Cindy and Bill Daley for agreeing to host the 2021 Convention in Fredericksburg, Texas. There are still many hours that are needed to cancel and re-book the venues, etc and that TAKES A LOT TIME AND COMMITMENT!! Thanks again to you all.
The 2021 Pacific Region convention will now be held in 2022 (no date set yet). I also want to thank Kim Muinch for his understanding and willingness to move the Pacific Region Convention to 2022. Kim has been putting in a lot of time researching sites and hotels for 2021 and now must reschedule as well.
Full refunds have already been issued to all who had registered and paid their registration fees for the 2020 Convention.
Don’t forget to cancel any reservations you may have made ie: car/hotel/airlines. Hopefully they are all of the understanding of the situation and full refunds will be forth coming. We just cancelled our hotel room at the Hangar Hotel and received a full refund.
Scott Sanders has been in contact with the Hangar Hotel and they have agreed to book the AYA in for 2021 at the same quoted price of this year (this includes room rates and conference center). WOW!!! Is that customer service or WHAT!!!
ALSO: The Convention Scholarship Auction is the main source of fundraising for the AYA Scholarship Program and as the convention is being cancelled for this year - Please “consider making a donation to the Scholarship Fund”. Any and all donations are appreciated – Helping to keep our young people flying.
Our Scholarship applicants must apply by February 1st, 2021 to be eligible for a Scholarship. Our 2021 Convention will not be held until May 2021 – therefore, there will be few funds available for the applicants and/or we may have to cancel the program for next year without your support.
Stay healthy and fly safe – Hope to see you all in Fredericksburg in 2021. Any questions/concerns please contact myself at pres@grummanpilots.org or phone: 1-306-441-9525.
Sharon Spence, President AYA
Pilots, Aviation Enthusiasts and Friends of VETS, Inc: Don’t miss your chance to win this 1972 Grumman AA1A. Odds of winning- 1: 4,000. Best of All, every dollar raised helps support the incredible work of VETS, Inc USA a nonprofit committed to helping at-risk veterans who suffer from mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness. For more information and specs, visit: https://rafflecreator.com/pages/31172/no-vet-left-behind--annual-raffle
After a one year hiatus, Dave Ohser and Jack Maher are happy to announce that we have secured a one hour block for the AYA Forum at SnF. The AYA Forum at SnF will be 4 April 2020, at 1000 until 1100. Check the SnF program for the exact location. Our theme will be membership and it’s benefits.
Dave- dohser@yahoo.com
Jack- n3876h@gmail.com
There we were, five Grummans in a loose formation heading for an airport, cleared for the right break for landing but there was a wall of water falling from the sky just to the right of the runway. Our inexperienced formation had to make a quick change to right echelon in order to break left away from the heavy rain...
It all started with a post on a social media site. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association members in Miami, Florida, had a load of relief supplies for the controllers in the Bahamas and were looking for pilots to deliver the supplies. AYA member Ross Brilakis saw the posting and contacted AYA Convention Co-Chair Matt Drahzal to see if the AYA could help during the convention. Matt sent an e-mail to the attendees asking for volunteers and five pilots answered the call. Former AYA safety director Ron Levy volunteered to be mission planner.
As it turned out, there was not enough time to do all the paperwork required to do the flight during the convention, so a decision was made to go on the day after the convention ended. Ron contacted the NATCA Chair - man for Disaster Response, Tom Flanary, to get the details. He then prepared a PowerPoint briefing for those of us who signed up.
Who knew a 45 minute flight to the Bahamas would require over four hours of paperwork preparation and submittal? First, there was the request to enter the Freeport Temporary Flight Restricted area. The request, the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority Temporary Flight Authorization Application Hurricane Dorian Relief form required six attachments; 1) Aircraft Certificate of Registration; 2) Certificate of Airworthiness; 3) Aircraft Insurance; 4) Pilot License; 5) Pilot Medical; 6) Pilot Passport. Fortunately, they accepted photographs of the documents, but it took quite a while.
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