BUCKEYE, Arizona — Cliff Gurske has flown a wide range of aircraft in his professional and personal flying career. He has a type rating in the Boeing 747 and 737, and is qualified to fly the DC-3.
Now, he will have to dust off his tailwheel skills to fly the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Sweepstakes Cessna 170 he won Feb. 17, 2024, at the AOPA Fly-in at the Buckeye Air Fair.
Understandably, Gurske was overcome with emotion and his first words standing next to his new airplane were: “I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say.”
Getting Gurske, a resident of nearby Goodyear, to the event posed a challenge, but not because of the mere 15 miles between his residence and Buckeye, but due to the logistics involved in adjusting the schedule of a Southwest Airlines check airman. Working with AOPA, his Southwest co-workers developed a ruse to ensure he was at the Buckeye Air Fair to accept his new airplane.
“They took me off a three-day trip and asked me to staff a booth for one day. Sign me up!” Gurske exclaimed.
Gurske, a 30-year member of AOPA, spent more than 33 years growing up in Alaska, where he learned to fly a variety of tailwheel airplanes, beginning with a Citabria.
When asked about returning to Alaska with the 170, he said “yes! This airplane is absolutely meant for Alaska. We’ll be going.”
The giveaway was the culmination of an 18-month process that transformed the 1953 Cessna 170B to a 195-horsepower, backcountry-equipped adventure machine.
“Cliff is a terrific person; a nicer guy couldn’t have won this airplane,” said Southwest Airlines colleague Mel Meadows, who masterminded the ruse needed to ensure Gurske would attend the surprise giveaway.
Gurske’s first call after winning was to his wife.
“Do you like small airplanes?” he asked her. “You will now.”
🤣🤣🤣
Congrats!!
Truth be known, it appears that most of these are immediately sold to avoid paying the taxes.
Great, at a time when small time pilots are being forced out of flying due to costs, someone that can afford to buy their own plane wins a free one. Great job AOPA. He should give it to a less fortunate pilot who is also a AOPA member.
Outstanding and congratulations to him. As for the above comments, jeeeez. Get up on the wrong side of the bed?
Sweepstakes are highly regulated. By law the drawing is random. Not surprisingly the average AOPA member is not among the “less fortunate.”
Sounds like a DEI contest is what you should enter.
Because he’s been successful in his career he shouldn’t be allowed to win a random contest?
One guess who you voted for.
Thinking similar…sorry!