FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GAINESVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT AND UNIVERSITY AIR CENTER CANCELING
GATOR FLY-IN AND ARMED SERVICES APPRECIATION DAY
Event to honor all branches of the military and Gator Aviators has been postponed to next year
GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 13, 2020 – Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) and University Air Center (UAC) are canceling their annual Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day which was scheduled for March 21, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University Air Center, 4701 NE 40th Terrace in Gainesville, Florida (general aviation entrance off Waldo Road.)
“Sadly, this morning we had to make the tough decision to cancel one of our favorite things, the annual Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day, due to the coronavirus developments our entire nation is experiencing,” Mr. Penksa said. “We will announce our plans as soon as possible for next year’s event. We look forward to holding next year’s event that is dedicated to helping our community to learn more about aviation and celebrating our military. One of the things we were most looking forward to was our Flown West celebration dedicated to giving thanks for the life of our dear friend, Marine Corporal Bob Gasche. We will be back soon with an announcement of our future plans.”
Some may have purchased aircraft rides in advance of the event on the EAA’s Ford TriMotor or the Commemorative Air Force’s T-34 Mentor. All pre-booked flight reservations are being fully refunded, by the ride providers.
Both organizations expressed their regret to Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day attendees. The EAA issued a news release yesterday regarding the cancellation of the Ford TriMotor tour through mid-April.
“As much as EAA thoroughly enjoys bringing the history of early aviation to communities through our Ford Tri-Motor’s national tours, the health and safety of our guests, crews, and volunteers is the top priority,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “Given the uncertainty of the situation throughout the country regarding the transmission of the coronavirus, we made the decision to pause the tour at this time and begin again next month.”
About Gainesville Regional Airport: Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) serves North Central Florida and the Heart of Florida through all facets of aviation: commercial airlines, general aviation, military operations, medical missions and air cargo. Located in Gainesville, Florida, just minutes away from the University of Florida, GNV provides a close, convenient and competitively priced “gateway” to the Heart of Florida. The airport operates 16 daily departures on American Airlines and Delta with nonstop service to the international hubs of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas Fort Worth and Miami, providing access to 343 destinations around the world in one stop. GNV is served by a full-service fixed base operator, University Air Center (UAC). With more than 350 part- and full-time employees and tenants at the airport, GNV has an annual economic impact on North Central Florida of more than $374 million. In 2019, 558,246 commercial passengers set an all-time record for passenger traffic from GNV. For more information, please visit flygainesville.com
About University Air Center: University Air Center (UAC) is the Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at Gainesville Regional Airport (KGNV). We are a full-service FBO and charter operator with Citation 500/550/560 series jets; Eclipse 500 series jets and a Cirrus SR-22. We maintain aircraft from multi-engine jets to single engine and Multi Engine piston aircraft. UAC operates an FAA approved, Part 141 flight school. We offer booking of rental cars, hotel rooms, catering and aircraft fueling services, with JetA and AvFuel 100LL. UAC is open 24 hours, a day, seven days a week, and we are proud of operating over 30 years with a perfect safety record. For more information, please visit http://uac.aero/
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