A Journal, with Pictures

We gath­ered for cock­tails and social­ized after a full day at the air­port. Den­nis Haber had a sun burn from work­ing the arrival line the day before. The gala din­ner was served per­fect­ly by the Cheyenne Moun­tain Resort and I must admit our din­ners were good which is a mir­a­cle based on past expe­ri­ence with ban­quets for close to 350 peo­ple. Last year and this years COPA gala clear­ly are the excep­tion. After din­ner Andy opened the pro­gram and intro­duced a instru­men­tal trio and five fac­ul­ty, stu­dents and alum­ni from the Col­orado Springs Con­ser­va­to­ry. They enter­tained us with extra­or­di­nary tal­ent and a show with a fly­ing theme. We then heard from the wife, pilot and ATC con­troller who were involved in the incred­i­ble inca­pac­i­tat­ed pilot event that had occurred just a few months ear­li­er. COPA award­ed hero awards to those involved. We then vis­it­ed the COPA Hangar for a night cap, which was jump­ing, and then hit the sack to be ready for a full day Saturday.