Arizona Pilots Association
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General Aviation in Arizona

Advocating the common interests of Arizona's general aviation community at the local and state level.

Arizona Pilots Association
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The Voice of General Aviation in Arizona!

Scholarships

Scholarships are given each year to help fill the financial need of students pursuing aviation related educational opportunities at accredited colleges.

Backcountry

Safety briefing pamphlets, map, and videos for the backcountry airstrips in Arizona that the APA and volunteers have worked to reopen and currently maintain.

Airparks

Information regarding properties and contacts in a listing of the airparks located in Arizona, with special articles detailing the ins-and-outs of many of them.

Passport App

Win awards and stay proficient by visiting Arizona’s public-use airstrips and airports, as well as many airport restaurants and aviation themed museums in our #FLYAZ Passport App.

Safety

The APA provides safety seminars around the state, as well as articles on various safety topics each month. We also have available for download GAJSC safety presentations.

Calendar

The APA maintains a comprehensive calendar of many aviation events around Arizona, as well as our monthly Grapevine BBQ and special getaways. Find out what's happening.

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Latest News Articles

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The 35th  Annual Christmas Airlift is now being planned for Saturday, November 9th.  We will be flying into the Navajo Indian Nation at Gallup, New Mexico (KGUP), approximately 196 nm from DVT on a 055 degree true course.  We will synchronize for an arrival with another core group departing Sierra Vista Libby Field (KFHU) that morning, although we are blessed to have pilots participating from across the State.

Each plane might typically have a pilot and one passenger, with all remaining space filled with clothing, toys, or non-perishable food.  The Airlift has always been a fun and rewarding occasion, one our returning participating pilots look forward to each year.  And this is a community service effort, with the flight and donations being tax deductible (I distribute the forms upon completion of the Airlift).  Anyone who has collected a plane load of material is welcome to join us.

35th annual navajo christmas airlift 2019 loading

It is hard to understand how poor most of reservation is only a few hours from us.  Many of the Navajo live in virtual third world conditions in homes without even running water or electricity.  As some recommendations, the donations might be;

  • ·gently used clothing for children, youth, or adults, coats / jackets of all sizes, stockings, shoes in very good condition
  • ·blankets, linens, pillows, towels
  • ·good condition toys in working order
  • ·toiletries such as soap, shampoo, Kleenex, tooth paste / brushes, lotions
  • ·non-perishable foods such as canned goods, cereals, paper goods (towels, plates, cups), trash bags large / small

Our key objective is to assure we can best fill each plane for the trip.  Clothing and soft pack are ideal, as may be packed in garbage bags, which then works very well for comfortably packing and filling the planes.  We try to use 12-18 gallon bags and limit the weight to no more than 20 pounds per bag – larger weights complicate the coordination on the reservation.  The food stuffs, cans, and toiletries may be put in smaller cardboard boxes as the weight tends to accumulate and are easier to pack.  As another option some donors create small care packages for kids.  As an example, in earlier special efforts had created care baskets for young girls at a school, with Shampoo, Soap, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Lotion, some special candy, etc., understanding these simple articles can mean so very much for  children who have so little. 

All participating pilots are responsible for collecting clothing, toys, and food donations to fill their planes for the trip.  The donations collected usually come from family and friends, schools, churches, business associates, or other groups or individuals who would like to contribute  -  the donations are tax deductible as is the flight.  This does require each pilot to plan proactively and collect a load of donations.  We strive to ensure that all planes are filled to capacity.  If you have something you would like to contribute, but will not be able to join in the flight, you may contact myself or any participating flight member to help make arrangements.

35th annual navajo christmas airlift 2019 packing

We are fortunate this annual Airlift has touched the hearts of so many pilots from across the state.  The past several years we have flown into Gallup, which provides greater opportunity for more pilots to participate.  We strive to coordinate the departures to synchronize arrivals for the Navajo community service teams, Thoreau Navajo Outreach and Southwest Indian Foundation.  We also frequently manage any final packing and balancing of extra materials in the days prior or early that Saturday morning and provide any needed final briefing for the flight and meeting at Gallup.

We will provide more details on the plans as we close in on the November date.  We know that many want to The projected scheduling:

  DATE: Saturday, November 9, 2019  
TIME: ~7:30 AM Final Loading for participating Aircraft
  ~8:15 AM Approximate Coordinated Departure from Valley
  ~10:00 AM Arrive at Gallup and Unload the Planes
  10:30 AM Greet the Navajo Team
  ~11:00 AM Brunch in Gallup at El Charrito ?
    Shopping at Trading Post ?
    Return at your leisure . . . . .  
 

If you plan to join in the Airlift or simply need more information, please do feel free to contact Greg McColley at 602-978-1663, or E-Mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Thank You for any assistance or consideration in supporting this tremendous 35th Annual event.

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“The backcountry success of reopening airstrips in Arizona which the APA has accomplished through volunteer efforts is unsurpassed.”

Brian Schober, APA President
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We would like to thank our partners!

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Bill Robinson
Arizona Light Sport Airplane Repair
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Karyn King
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(206) 795-2796

2023 pilot clinic

The Pilot Clinic
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Steven Huff
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Arizona Skies Aviation
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