May 7 update on "Operating Avanti Airlift" tribute photo event...

[Gunslinger]

The latest on the upcoming photo shoot with a C-82 Packet aircraft in Hagerstown, MD is that we now have a restaurant locked in for dinner following the event. We will be hosted by Nick's Airport Inn at the Hagerstown Regional Airport. They come highly recommended by the gentleman I've been dealing with from the Hagerstown Aviation Museum. Nick's is holding a private room for us (no charge as well...big bonus!). Our reservations are for 4:30 on June 28 following the photo shoot.

For those interested in viewing the menu at Nick's, their website is http://www.nicksairportinn.com.

Some of the details with the Museum are still being worked out but they will be ready to make it happen. They've had to relocate to a different area of the airport, and the move was delayed by the long winter. At worst they can have someone meet us at the airport terminal and lead us to the C-82. They plan on having the C-82 positioned the day before.

While not definite, I'm looking for a 2:00 time to hold the event. I've notified Hemmings Classic Cars, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (headquartered a few miles from me) and several other aviation related media of the event and invited them to cover the event, though I've not heard back from any. I also will be inviting local media and the Hagerstown NBC affiliate to cover the event as well. While I can't make them show up I'm hopeful we can get some coverage. Any coverage is helpful to both the AOAI, the Avanti name and the Museum for hosting us.

Anyone planning on attending that hasn't already let me know, please do so and I can have an accurate count for the restaurant. For those heading on the Dover for the International Meet, Dover is about a three hour drive from Hagerstown.

If anyone has any other ideas for the event or media coverage, please don't hesitate to post it here or contact me directly.

[garyc]

Great effort Gunslinger. I'm on the west coast and can't make the trip but am looking forward to follow up on the event. Any exposure to Studebaker, the Avanti and the record braking introduction of the "Most Advanced Automobile" of the early '60's is worth knowing about. Watching TV car shows they often talk of Muscle Cars but they never talk of the first one in my opinion, the Avanti with 29 speed records in 1962 and many of those records held for years. Thanks for all you do for our car of choice.

[mfg]

I'd like to second what garyc said!