GA Operators Invited to Honor Front-Line Heroes

Aircraft operators are invited to participate in “America’s Operation Thank You: Relay in the Sky,” a tribute to healthcare professionals and first responders.

Designed as a way for the general aviation community to honor those who have been putting their lives on the line during the COVID-19 pandemic, Operation Thank You will consist of 98 flight legs, with three volunteer aircraft targeted for each leg.

Organizer Spirit of Liberty Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, has created a composite 3-foot-tall lighted torch that will be transported on each leg. At each stop, state and local officials, along with honorees, will greet the flights with a short ceremony at one of the participating FBOs.

Flags and banners will be left behind at each stop to permanently commemorate Operation Thank You. Each pilot who flies will receive a personalized certificate of participation honoring their individual contribution to the project.

“Participating in ‘Operation Thank You: Relay in the Sky’ will be a lasting story to tell,” said Spirit of Liberty Foundation Chairman Richard Rovsek. “This project is more than just a ‘thank you’ and an honor. It will demonstrate the power of general aviation and lift the spirits of healthcare workers and first responders across the country.”

The first relay flight will launch from San Diego, CA, on Sept. 23, with the final leg scheduled to land in Washington, DC, on Oct. 30.  Stops in Virginia include Virginia Beach and Richmond.

Visit the article, including the map of stops around the country, on NBAA's website.