The “parade of airplanes” flyover event, which is sponsored by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), will begin at 11.30 a.m. EST from Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK). The Washington portion of the flyover is expected to start around noon.

“The flyover will consist of 15 different ‘chapters’ telling the story of GA in America, starting in the golden age and continuing to the present day,” AOPA said in a statement. “Two dozen groups of aircraft will fly the 88-mile round trip from FDK down the Potomac River. The formation will be led by AOPA president Mark Baker in his historic Beechcraft Staggerwing.”

• READ MORE: ‘Parade of Airplanes’ Over Washington to Celebrate 85 years of GA

Parade Route

Washington has some of the most restricted airspace in the country and includes Prohibited Area P-56, which was created after 9/11. The event required coordination of more than 11 agencies, including the FAA, air traffic control, TSA, and U.S. Secret Service, according to AOPA.

According to AOPA, the flyover route will go past the Lincoln Memorial, down Independence Avenue, and over the Washington Monument.

The aircraft will be expected to fly at 90 knots at an altitude of 1,000 feet, ensuring they are visible from the ground. The flyover will also be broadcast online. 

The post How to Watch ‘Parade of Airplanes’ Over Washington appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) said it is organizing a flyover of the National Mall designed to showcase more than 20 “chapters” of the GA story in the U.S. AOPA President Mark Baker’s Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing will lead the event, representing aviation’s Golden Age. Other chapters will cover general aviation during and after World War II, trainers, vertical flight, seaplanes, experimental homebuilt aircraft, backcountry flying, business aviation, and more. 

• READ MORE: Army Skydiving Team Airplane Triggers Capitol Security Scare and Evacuation

“It’s going to be a special time for AOPA in May of 2024,” Baker said during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. “What a sight it will be to see the history of general aviation flying over the National Mall as GA has given this nation so much over the past many decades. AOPA is uniquely positioned to be able to plan this complex event and execute it safely and professionally.”

The event is part of a celebration of GA’s contributions to society and AOPA’s 85th anniversary. The flyover will be broadcast live on YouTube with commentary from guests including Tom Haines, longtime AOPA editor-in-chief and host of  “AOPA Live This Week.”

• READ MORE: Hyde Field Closes, Bringing ‘The DC3’ Down to Just Two

Participating aircraft will fly in the Flight Restricted Zone, or FRZ, above the Lincoln Memorial, down Independence Avenue, and past the Washington Monument, AOPA said. Planning for the flyover includes close coordination with 15 interagency partners, including the FAA, the TSA, Secret Service, and Capitol Police. AOPA said the event also has the support of Congress.

The post AOPA Plans Washington D.C. Flyover to Celebrate General Aviation appeared first on FLYING Magazine.