Otto Sorg of Dexter, Michigan, is the winner of Sporty’s 2007 Sweepstakes Aircraft, a Cessna Skyhawk SP equipped with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit.
Sorg, a software analyst, took delivery of his airplane in late September, accompanied by his wife, Linda, and his flight instructor, Theresa Whiting.
Sorg’s interest in airplanes developed as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne in 1960. Over the years, he sustained that interest by becoming a Civil Air Patrol volunteer. He began flight training in the 1980s, but had to stop due to career demands and a back problem.
After changing jobs recently, his office is located only two miles from Ann Arbor Airport. He started going there during lunch hours to watch the airplanes, then signed up with Solo Aviation and currently is a student pilot there.
Sorg’s winning order number was selected randomly by Cessna Senior Vice president of Sales and Marketing Roger Whyte and Garmin Vice President of Marketing Gary Kelley.
Next year’s sweepstakes plane will be awarded Sept. 10, 2008. It will be the 26th aircraft Sporty’s has given away in its sweepstakes.