![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/husky-giveaway2.jpg\")
\u201cWe always try to surprise the winners and give our sweepstakes airplanes away in person,\u201d said AOPA Senior Vice President of Media Kollin Stagnito. \u201cIn Ashley\u2019s 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\u2019t work. After that, we worked with Ashley\u2019s sister Ava to get the entire family to the show on Wednesday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After AOPA\u2019s Pilot Town Hall, AOPA Acting Co-President Katie Pribyl encouraged attendees to gather around the Husky and played a game of elimination to surprise the winner. After six questions, Almquist\u2019s hand was the only one raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While in a state of disbelief, Almquist was handed the keys to her new airplane by AOPA Board Chairman Luke Wippler. (See AOPA photo at top<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve always really wanted to try taildraggers,\u201d said Almquist. \u201cBack at UND they had the aerobatics program, and but by the time I kind of I realized it, I was already\u2026 working on my flight instructor [certificate] and so I never really had the time to get into it. So, I\u2019m really excited to try this out and fly it around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Almquist\u2019s father is a pilot at United Airlines, and her sister currently flies for a regional airline. Almquist hopes to one day join them both at United.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The winner of each AOPA sweepstakes airplane is picked by an independent sweepstakes administrator, Ventura Associates International. To learn more about this process, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n