Unique Experiences

Item Description

VIP seating at the AOPA Foundation's A Night for Flight gala tickets for two with special guests John Ponts and Luke Hickerson!

The winner will receive 2 tickets for the AOPA Foundation’s A Night for Flight Gala event on the evening of Thursday, October 11, 2012 at the beautiful Riviera Palm Springs Resort. Enjoy an evening of celebrating our freedom to fly with VIP seating at a table with John Ponts and Luke Hickerson. Hear first-hand accounts of the Alaska wilderness and the unique flying experiences faced by pilots up north.

Read John's bio below.

John Ponts
John grew up in Northern California on a sheep farm. Never much into video games or watching TV, he started skateboarding to pass the time. By his twenties he had turned professional and began touring and collecting stamps on his passport. While living in San Diego he decided to pursue a pilot's license in the hopes of spotting more empty swimming pools to skate in from the air. He quickly caught the flying bug and refocused his efforts toward a career in aviation.

Just a few short years later he arrived in Unalakleet, Alaska with nothing warmer than a hoody sweatshirt and a pair of blue jeans. Through the kindness of the Twetos and locals willing to loan him winter attire, he survived his first winter and went on to become one of Era Alaska's most talented pilots.

Read Luke's bio below.

Luke Hickerson
Born in January of 1982, in Nome, Alaska, Luke has spent most his life in rural Alaska. Raised in Unalakleet for his entire childhood, he grew up hunting caribou, salmon fishing, and snow machining. Growing up in a small village in western Alaska shaped his entire life as well as ignited his love for flying. Luke was a frequent traveler during his school years. On school trips for wrestling and basketball tournaments he would fly across the Norton Sound with Jim Tweto. He attended flight school in Las Vegas, Nevada and Burbank, California. In March of 2003, Jim Tweto offered him the opportunity of a lifetime, a flying job right back at home in Unalakleet. He jumped at the chance of a "bush" flying job. Over the past eight years with Era, Luke has managed to accumulate over 8000 hours of flying across the Alaskan "bush", and has flown most of the aircraft in the Era fleet. Luke is also a check airman pilot for Era Alaska.

Luke now resides in Wasilla, Alaska with his wife of seven years and their first child, ten month old Ethan. He enjoys riding snow machines, hunting, fishing, and many other great Alaskan outdoor activities. Luke lives right down the street from another well-known Alaskan, but he cannot see Russia from his house.

Item Special Note

The bidding on this item will close on Tuesday, October 9th at 9:00 am EDT. The gala will be held on Thursday, October 11th from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

If the winner of this auction item has previously purchased tickets for the A Night for Flight gala the original tickets will be refunded.