The very first King Air Gathering (KAG) was held in April 2017 after a few King Air enthusiasts (King Air Expert Tom Clements included) discussed that it may be time to plan a “gathering” of King Air owners/pilots with the following goals guiding them: 1) get a group of like-minded owner-pilots together to share information and to see what the “other guy” is doing with his King Air. 2) Have an outstanding group of experts who can put on hard-hitting presentations.
After word started getting around, various King Air aftermarket vendors indicated a strong willingness to attend. They could exhibit their products and services to educate the attendees about the various possibilities there were to improve their aircraft. Just under 50 King Air owners/pilots attended the first gathering and each one held the following years gained more support from sponsors, vendors, speakers and attendees.
Making a Great Event Even Better
This year King Air Nation has made it a goal to “take an already great event to a new level” by hosting KAG at an upscale location, providing a broader variety of speakers, more specialized (by King Air model series) breakout sessions to provide specific information for your aircraft type and expanded social events including a dinner sponsored by Textron Aviation with a live auction, as well as adding activities for companions.
Besides being invited to the social activities of the KAG, there are a variety of other events planned specifically for your companion. On Thursday afternoon, a very special event being provided by Diamond sponsor Textron Aviation – a cooking demonstration and tasting experience by Food Network’s Chef Amanda Freitag (see more details at left). Friday, there will be a private tour of historical downtown St. Augustine with lunch and shopping afterward.
Special pricing on rooms is being offered for King Air Gathering attendees. To book your room online go to Marriott Renaissance Hotels website. If you’d rather make the reservations by telephone, call (904) 940-8000 and use code “KINGAIR” to receive the special rate.
There is an abundance of more detailed information about the gathering that can be found at: www.kingair
nation/gathering. You can also go to KingAirevents.com, where there are instructions on how to register. If you haven’t registered yet, NOW is the time before it’s sold out!
Don’t miss the opportunity to join with other King Air owners and pilots while educating yourself about all things King Air. Make plans now to attend King Air Gathering 2023, being held at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, Wednesday, April 12 through Friday, April 14.
Textron Aviation is excited to bring in Chef Amanda Freitag for a cooking demonstration and tasting experience for the King Air Gathering Companions! The two-hour session will finish with an interactive Q&A with Amanda herself.
Born and raised in New Jersey, chef, author, and television star Amanda Freitag has become a culinary maven. Following her graduation from the Culinary Institute of America, Amanda worked in a diverse mix of restaurants in New York City, including Jean-George Vongerichten’s Vong, Verbena, Il Buco, Cesca, and The Harrison, running the culinary gamut of Mediterranean, Italian, and Classic American. She sharpened her skills through world travel, including working under Chef Alain Passard in Paris, and continued expanding her culinary expertise into a variety of international cuisines.
Outside of the restaurant business, Amanda has become a household name for her work both on and off the television screen. She is well known for being a judge on Food Network’s “Chopped” and has appeared on “Iron Chef America”, “Next Iron Chef”, “Unique Eats”, “Beat Bobby Flay,” Guy Fieri’s “Tournament of Champions,” and many more.
Her mission to make cooking more approachable inspired the creation of her cookbook “The Chef Next Door,” her set of five unique spice blends, a collection of ready-to-pour bottled cocktails, and other ongoing culinary projects. Amanda has also earned notoriety on social media for her tutorial series “EasyAF,” where she shows audiences that delicious food can be fun and simple to make in the comfort of your own home.