AOPA's Fun 2 Fly 2010 Sweepstakes

When people come up to inspect our sweepstakes airplanes at shows, the first question they usually ask is, “What do I have to do to win this airplane?”

As long as your AOPA membership is current as of Sept. 30, 2010, you are automatically entered in the Fun to Fly Sweepstakes. Want some additional entries? Here’s how:

• Enroll in automatic membership renewal with your credit card (five entries).
• If you are enrolled in automatic membership renewal two or more consecutive years as of Sept. 30, 2010, congratulations! You get another five entries. Wasn’t that easy?
• Enrollment in AOPA’s Legal Services Plan as of Sept. 30, 2010 (one entry).
• Enrollment in AOPA’s medical protection plan as of Sept. 30, 2010 (one entry).

See the complete sweepstakes rules for more information. And even though you now know all about how to win this airplane, don’t let that stop you from coming over to talk to us at shows. We love showing off the Fun to Fly Remos!

A good headset is a real plus in the cockpit. It protects your hearing and cuts down on the fatigue factor during any flight. On long trips, a comfortable, effective headset is a must. I muscled through my primary training with a cheap one that was probably just a little better than stuffing cotton in my ears. On my first trip to EAA AirVenture in the back of Editor in Chief Tom Haines’ Bonanza, I realized that the cheapo wasn’t going to do the job any longer. During my free time at Oshkosh, I went shopping and happily wore my new purchase back to Maryland. The cheapo was relegated to the closet; you never know when a passenger will need a headset, and it’s fine in a pinch. 

The winner of the 2010 Fun to Fly Sweepstakes Remos GX won’t have that problem. Sennheiser USA has contributed two HMEC 460 noise-cancelling headsets that will go to the winner of the airplane in November.

When the box arrived from Sennheiser last week, it felt like Christmas all over again (I had to open them up and check them for you folks, didn’t I?). Each headset is sleek and lightweight in design, weighing just 13.4 ounces. The 460 has NoiseGard active noise reduction technology powered by two double-A batteries. What, you didn’t bring batteries and yours just died? No problem. The Remos has a XLR-3 connector located along with the conventional headset mic/audio plug behind each seat, so you can plug and play. The 460 also has audio cables that allow you to plug in compatible cellular telephones and portable audio devices.

Read a lot more about the 460 here, and then imagine the pleasure of traveling in comfort with one of these. And just think, you won’t have to subject your passenger to the infamous El Cheapo headset!

If you’re flying an LSA, chances are pretty good it has a Rotax engine. And if you’re flying a Rotax engine, you’ll probably want to sign up for Rotax-Owner.com, a factory-authorized site. We found out about the site after we brought the Fun to Fly Remos to Frederick last November, and it has been a handy source of news (the extension of the 912ULS TBO from 1,500 to 2,000 hours, for example) and product reviews. Other services available are technical videos and articles and e-mail updates. Sign up for free to get e-mail updates and product reviews. Access to technical documents and videos is available through a yearly subscription; sign up before March 31 and the cost is $19.95.

Tanis Aircraft President Bob Krueger (left) inspects the installation of the new preheater with Senior Editor Dave Hirschman.

No sooner did we get our heater than we took the airplane to Florida for the U.S Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring. But that was a good thing, because Tanis Aircraft President Bob Krueger had come down from Minnesota for the show, and during one of his few breaks he walked over and inspected the installation. Talk about service!

Now the Fun to Fly Remos is back in its hangar; there’s fresh snow on the ground and more to come; but we’re ready for the cold.