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First in flight, but not the last: Carolina General Aviation hosts potentially last event

Flying is something that has become commonplace among most people, but few have had the opportunity to experience general aviation. Instead of the long security lines and massive delays present in commercial aviation, general aviation offers a more streamlined process. 

In order to expose students and community members to general aviation, Carolina General Aviation is holding their third flying event this Sunday at Horace Williams Airport. Carolina General Aviation is a student organization at UNC that offers aviation education and encourages students to become involved in general aviation. The flying event will last most of the day, with the first flight taking off at 10:30 a.m. and the last flight taking off at 3:50 p.m.

The event is taking place near the potential closure date of Horace Williams Airport in May 2018. Horace Williams has faced repeated calls for closure because of both financial and community concerns. Most recently in November 2017 the board of trustees voted to close the airport and have planes removed by May 2018. 

President of Carolina General Aviation Sevryn Schaller said the main goal of the flying event is to get people involved with the club and general aviation. Attendees will be taken up in pairs and flown around the University, with the potential to manage controls once in the air. 

“I think the event will hopefully make them realize that it’s not just a waste of space – that it should be and could be an amazing part of the Carolina community and really just an overall asset,” Schaller said. 

Two planes will be used for the event this Sunday, ranging from a piper warrior to a piper archer. The planes are being brought in from Wings of Carolina Flying Club and Elon Aviation. 

The Wings of Carolina Flying Club was born at Horace Williams Airport, but moved to Sanford because the University wanted a reduction in day-to-day operations. President of the Wings of Carolina Flying Club William Sawyer said the move happened at the right time and allowed the club to build a sizable facility. Additionally, he pointed out that it is unlikely the club will move back to Horace Williams, but said he “supports members who support aviation.” 

Founder and Vice President of Carolina General Aviation Daniel Schwartz said several professors and legislatures from the University and the North Carolina General Assembly will possibly be in attendance at the event on Sunday. This is in part because several members from the club are going to be lobbying the North Carolina General Assembly for the state to take the airport from the University and convert it into a state airport and operate it as such. 

“If you make UNC do something they don’t want to do, they’ll do it complacently and that’s what has happened, and I’ve come to the conclusion that nobody anywhere, anyhow is going to make UNC want the airport,” Schwartz said. 

Schwartz also said the airport has opportunity because of a number of factors, including the existence of a student club, a University-owned airport, a pilot shortage and a potential for profit. 

“Even if this is one of the last things that happens over there, I’m going to be very happy that it involved students, so it started with students and it will end with students, if that’s what it comes to,” Schwartz said.

@MarkBurnett1234

university@dailytarheel.com

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