AOPA announced Monday that University of North Dakota flight instructor Ashley Almquist won its Aviat Husky sweepstakes. Almquist received the aircraft July 22 following an AOPA town hall at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. She graduated from UND this year with degrees in commercial aviation and aviation safety.
AirVenture Surprise
AOPA arranged for Almquist and her family to attend the presentation without telling her she had won.
“We always try to surprise the winners and give our sweepstakes airplanes away in person,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Media Kollin Stagnito in the association’s announcement. “In Ashley’s case, we wanted to hand over the keys at EAA AirVenture on Wednesday, but our first two ruses to convince her to attend AirVenture that day unawares didn’t work. After that, we worked with Ashley’s sister Ava to get the entire family to the show on Wednesday.”
Acting AOPA Co-President Katie Pribyl asked members of the crowd a series of questions about their flying backgrounds, gradually narrowing the group until Almquist was the only participant whose hand remained raised.
“What? I thought it was an award for Ava. I was here for her,” Almquist said after AOPA Board of Trustees Chairman Luke Wippler handed her the keys.
Almquist’s parents and sister are also pilots. She currently works as a multiengine flight instructor at UND and hopes to eventually join her father and sister at United Airlines.
A-1C-200 Specifications
The two-seat, tailwheel airplane is powered by a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360-A1D6 engine. Aviat lists a gross weight of 2,250 pounds, a useful load of 930 pounds and a fuel capacity of 52 gallons. Manufacturer figures show a climb rate of 1,500 feet per minute and a range of 828 miles at 55% power.
The sweepstakes entry period ended June 15, and an independent administrator conducted the drawing June 30. AOPA said Almquist may be the youngest pilot to win one of its aircraft sweepstakes. Almquist plans to use the Husky to gain tailwheel experience.
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