Dear AAA Member,

The 2012 AAA/APM National Fly-in is just around the corner (Aug 29th - Sep 3rd) and it is time to get Antique Airfield ready for another great year. We hope the heat and drought we’ve experienced in June/July is about to trend towards cooler weather leading up to the fly-in.

The latest Antique Airfield Runway containing the fly-in information package was mailed early in June and pre-registrations are running 1/3 ahead of last year’s near record rate. As was announced in the 'Runway this years fly-in we will be celebrating "Cow Pastures to Commercial Airways" and featuring the aircraft of the American Barnstormers Tour (ABT).

To get ready we are planning a series of work weekends to prepare Antique Airfield for the onslaught and this letter is a request for your assistance. We have the usual projects to do to get Antique Airfield ready, some improvement projects and some work in relation to the new APM Restoration Center to accomplish. Those include cleaning up the construction site and preparing the structure for use at the fly-in. Currently a renovation/remodeling of the Hy-Vee Mess Hall is in the planning stage and this will be a major project to finish before the fly-in as well.

So if you can, please plan on coming to Antique Airfield and bring a friend along as it is always good to have some "new blood" to share the fun as well as the work with.

The dates for the work weekends will be August 4th & 5th, August 11th & 12th, August 18th & 19th and August 25th & 26th. The work weekend on August 25th & 26th will be the annual mowing party so plan on bringing your tractors, riders, mowers, weed eaters and other implements of destruction to help have Antique Airfield looking it's best for the Fly-in.

Also for those coming this weekend (August 5th), on Sunday afternoon we plan to head south to Applegate Airport in Queen City, MO for APM Director Harve & Carolyn Applegate’s annual Watermelon Fly-in.

To help plan the food and refreshments please RSVP at (641) 938-2773 or AntiqueAirfield@sirisonline.com on which weekends you can come and help.

As usual we will hit it hard during the day but after supper we will spend some time flying and also playing with models, kites etc. (bring em' if you have em').

Looking forward to seeing all of you. Pass the word and bring a friend too!!

Brent Taylor
Fly-in Chairman