Following the success of the annual Terry Spurlock Halloween Fly-In event held this past October, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA), in collaboration with its Bahamas Flying Ambassadors, will continue its series of fly-ins with a 5-day fly-in excursion to Marsh Harbour, Abaco, December 8-12.
BMOTIA’s annual fly-ins were put on pause for the last two years due to Hurricane Dorian and the Covid-19 pandemic. The recently held Halloween Fly-in was named in honour of The Bahamas’ first Flying Ambassador, who died earlier this year.
Only days away, the much-anticipated December fly-in will host more than 50 private pilots and flight enthusiasts with the goal of demonstrating how easy it is to fly to The Bahamas and the process required to do so while simultaneously allowing participants to experience a quick immersion in Bahamian life and culture.
Guests will have an opportunity to attend meetings with Richard McSpadden, Executive Director of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute before and during the trip on the safety of flying to The Bahamas. The Association recently hosted a webinar with more than 593 attendees.
BMOTIA is also excited to join its partners, Flying Ambassadors Valerie Talbot and Eric Larson from Skyline Baron Pilot, as well as SUN ‘n FUN and Banyan for a taste of why It’s Better in The Bahamas.
During the 3-day Terry Spurlock Halloween Fly-In held October 28-30, Ahmad Williams, BTO District Manager for General Aviation and Verticals Department, BMOTIA, along with Brandon Gardner, Bahamas Flying Ambassador, led a group of 10 flying enthusiasts to Green Turtle Cay, Abaco where they were accommodated at Bluff House Hotel.
The fly-in experience provided participants with a unique island experience, showcasing that the island of Abaco is open for business.
Guests can expect similar experiences and more, with the latest instalment of the fly-in event this December.
“We are looking forward to continuing this unique experience for pilots and all those interested in flying to The Bahamas,” Williams said. “Our whole objective is to attract as many guests as we can to come to our 16 island destinations and show them step-by-step, how easy it is to fly to The Bahamas.”
The Bahamas is the leading destination for general aviation in the Caribbean and on the Eastern Seaboard, a designation it has held for years. No other destination even comes close to capturing the record that The Bahamas enjoys as the #1 destination for private pilot arrivals.
Over the past five years, private aviation delivered more than half a million passengers to Bahamian shores. In 2021 alone, there was an unprecedented spike in private aviation stopovers, more than double that of any recorded in a pre-pandemic year. To date, The Bahamas has already surpassed 2021 numbers with over 188,000 private pilot visitors. The Bahamas has 54 airports throughout the archipelago – 25 are private and 29 are government owned – 20 of which are official ports of entry, equipped with Bahamas Customs and Immigration officials to process private pilots’ entries and departures.
