Airport Access – Remove Even the Invisible Fence!
Airport Access – Remove Even the Invisible Fence!
As the summer flying season approaches and our thoughts turn to hanging around the airport I hope we all have some aviation friends – present and future – to hang out with.
My primary airport is ANE just north of the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. If I do say so myself, it’s one of the best General Aviaiton airports around. In fact, it was featured not too long ago in the magazine “Air & Space.” There is a lot going on at our airport we would really like to share. And this is just one of seven reliever airports in our metro area. All are open to the public and we welcome people to come out and visit. We just need to open the invisible fence.
I think one of the keys is to have events at the airport where everyone feels welcome.
While access is free – as well it should be – we need activities to promote so people have some direction when they come on their initial visit. At our airport this year we are having “Discover Aviation Days”. It’s the weekend of May 22nd. This is basically an Open House for those who have been curious about what goes on at the airport but have not known how to stop in and find out.
Events like this, or fly-ins and pancake breakfasts or whatever, are a Welcome Mat for those who would like to visit but don’t know how to go about it. After all, and airport can be open to anyone who wants to stop by, but the there is often a psychological “invisible fence”. What we want them to see is the Welcome Mat! Once we get the general public on to the airport they can get a basic orientation for future visits when perhaps not as much is happening.
So this summer let’s get the Welcome Mats out. Remember, just because there is not a fence with a locked gate doesn’t mean the public feels welcome. We need to make them feel welcome. Get something going. Have a party. Print some inexpensive brochures. Have an Open House. Cook some pancakes. Do something to make people feel welcome. We need all the airport friends we can get!
As the summer flying season approaches and our thoughts turn to hanging around the airport I hope we all have some aviation friends – present and future – to hang out with.
My primary airport is ANE just north of the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. If I do say so myself, it’s one of the best General Aviaiton airports around. In fact, it was featured not too long ago in the magazine “Air & Space.” There is a lot going on at our airport we would really like to share. And this is just one of seven reliever airports in our metro area. All are open to the public and we welcome people to come out and visit. We just need to open the invisible fence.
I think one of the keys is to have events at the airport where everyone feels welcome.
While access is free – as well it should be – we need activities to promote so people have some direction when they come on their initial visit. At our airport this year we are having “Discover Aviation Days”. It’s the weekend of May 22nd. This is basically an Open House for those who have been curious about what goes on at the airport but have not known how to stop in and find out.
Events like this, or fly-ins and pancake breakfasts or whatever, are a Welcome Mat for those who would like to visit but don’t know how to go about it. After all, and airport can be open to anyone who wants to stop by, but the there is often a psychological “invisible fence”. What we want them to see is the Welcome Mat! Once we get the general public on to the airport they can get a basic orientation for future visits when perhaps not as much is happening.
So this summer let’s get the Welcome Mats out. Remember, just because there is not a fence with a locked gate doesn’t mean the public feels welcome. We need to make them feel welcome. Get something going. Have a party. Print some inexpensive brochures. Have an Open House. Cook some pancakes. Do something to make people feel welcome. We need all the airport friends we can get!
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