Page 12 - Volume 13 Number 11

King Air Gathering IV From a First-timer’s Perspective
It was with great interest that I attended King Air Gathering IV, hosted by the King Air Academy in September at Fredericksburg, Texas. As an active, general aviation instructor and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, I usually get to be the trainer instead of the trainee, so this was going to be of particular pleasure for me. As we used to say in my military days, I looked forward to “being in receive mode.”
by Joe Casey
oak trees, an added bonus is the Gillespie County Airport (T82), home of the Hangar Hotel and Airport Diner, both of which are singularly outstanding venues. I frequent T82 as often as possible during cross-country training events because I love on-airport restaurants, and the Airport Diner is one of the best.
So, with an excellent venue, I hoped the King Air Gathering would provide other benefits. I do think being a part of the “safety culture” of your particular type of airplane is an important part of being a
Some attendees of the KAG stayed at the Hangar Hotel, which made it convenient
as the Conference Center was where the Gathering was held. The Airport Diner is also located on the grounds and comes highly recommended.
needs to be a passionate group of people that believe in the airplane type, who want to see that airplane flown in a safe, efficient manner by the aircraft’s pilots. Where does one find that core group with the King Air? I did not know and that is probably the biggest reason I wanted to attend the King Air Gathering ... I wanted to get “plugged in” to the community.
I’m one of the leaders in the Piper PA46 OPA (Owners and Pilots Association), so I know how important it can be. There are lots of OPAs in the U.S., and the PA46 has one of the most passionate and cohesive organizations called the Malibu M-Class Owners and Pilots Association (MMOPA). As an integral part of that crowd, I know the good work done by MMOPA concerning the three pillars upon which it stands: safety, advocacy and community. We have a fabulous convention each year, a great cadre of instructors,
a maintenance community that knows the nuances of the airplane, a vendor population that is passionate about supporting the owners, and many safety initiatives. Aside from
As a side note: Fredericksburg is
splendid. The Texas “Hill Country”
around Fredericksburg is one of my
favorite parts of the world. Besides
the rolling hills and stately live responsible pilot. Simply put, there
10 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2019