Good work on Addison – I did all of my transition training out of there and yes it is a busy airport but the controllers (with one exception that your will see is obvious) are very gracious and helpful. IFR or with flight following in rarely any issues at all. Watch very carefully busting Class B if you are going in VFR – very bad attitudes then !!! We will have a ball in the Dallas/Addison area. It is one of the best restaurant and club areas there is with great places on every corner and good ole Texas hospitality. I can’t wait to see cowboy boots and a 10 gallon hat on some of our infamous COPANs. We need to find the nearest club with a bucking bull pit [:D]
Tom all excellent points/Craig and I discussed what an asset it will be having you across the street from the airport.
When the wheels fell off of the Nashville location we asked to help secure a site. Myself and others looked at locations from DC to Dallas. We were asked to keep the cards close to our vest until a contract was signed. COPA did not want to initiate another false start.
We agree with that Octoberfest is awesome and would have been great for our people. The hotels laughed at us because as you know everyone comes in to Addison and the hotels are booked.
We had to secure almost 1000 room nights at the last minute. When our company books our annual convention with 400 plus people we book 3 years in advance.
Now that the cat is out of the bag we look forward to working with as many locals as possible.
Million air is pulling pout all of the stops to welcome us. They are providing a generous fuel discount, waiving fees, saving COPA thousands of dollars by providing ground transportation top and from the hotel. They are making up a special gift with their Logo and our M13 logo. I paid less than $5.00 Thursday with our discount.
The parameters that were given to us were to negotiate a great rate at the Hotel and add as much value as we can. We got a $70.00 discount and free breakfast.
We worked with the City to have the Mayor come out with a proclamation at our opening meeting. We asked for and received a generous cash incentive for booking in Addison from the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Intercontinental has 110,000 square feet of convention space and planty of rooms.
Millionaire is also providing chalks for 160 to 200 planes for free.
We also have reserved the historic Cavanaugh Museum for an event and they are giving us a Bell helicopter ride that we will use an incentive to get people to register early and we will draw a name and the lucky winner will get to tour Dallas in style in a Vintage Bell Helicopter.
I look forward to meeting with you soon in Dallas and discussing how we can work together to make this the lowest cost , highest value migration to date.
Bill great Idea I will see if we can rent one. I will need to see what insurance liability issues would arise. It would be fun to set it up during COPA Cabana.
I rode Bulls in my younger days. The mechanical ones can be a blast.
Ok, Tim, another fact about you I did not know. No wonder you did not mind the flight you had. I too did it in El Paso. I did it both American and Mexican style. Don’t think I would do it today. Something about young and well young.
Coming to Texas is going to be great. It is a big state with a lot to offer. I have not been to the new George W. Bush Library. Think that would be good to see. Lets make sure we send him an invite. Would love to hear his story of his solo flight.
I’ll say. When coming back to Santa Barbara from Naples Florida in last December I made 2 fuel stops - both in Texas! One was in Port Arthur (where the Tower controllers were asleep) and the other in El Paso.
We actually considered inviting him to be our speaker. He lives 3 miles away from Addison. I know him from his Governor days. He flies out of Millionaire . I got to sit on the plane he flies in, its awesome. The secret service guys are very nice.
Unfortunately, Uncle Julio’s is apparently under new management and changes have been made to the recipes. Only place I have happily paid $30+ for a fajita plate.
