PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. – The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has named Jamie Beckett of Winter Haven, Fla., the recipient of its 2012 “Let’s Go Flying Award,” for his efforts in promoting and defending general aviation. The award was presented during the AOPA Aviation Summit in Palm Springs, Calif., October 11, 2012.
The son of a U. S. Air Force pilot and a Pan Am captain, Beckett blazed a trail in aviation advocacy by founding and serving as chairman of the Polk Aviation Alliance. The alliance was created to bring together the management of Polk County’s municipally owned airports, as well as that of Sun ‘n Fun, Fantasy of Flight, the Seaplane Pilots Association, the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, Polk State College, and various government agencies.
The Let’s Go Flying Award honors the individual or organization that best demonstrates the passion and commitment needed to ensure the future of general aviation. Previous recipients include: 2011, Mireille Goyer, creator of the annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week initiative; 2010, U.S. Marine Capt. Gabriel Glinsky, a V-22 Osprey pilot who taught a civilian ground school during a nine-month combat tour in Afghanistan; and 2009, actor/pilot Harrison Ford.
