A Boeing 787 captain from Livermore, California, is the latest winner of the AOPA Sweepstakes aircraft. Aaron Benedetti was presented with the Vans RV-10 at Livermore Municipal Airport by AOPA President Mark Baker. “This can’t be possible. The RV–10 is a phenomenal aircraft,” Benedetti said. “I’m speechless.” In addition to flying international routes for a major airline, Benedetti is an avid GA pilot and often takes his paragliding gear with him on work trips to explore his exotic destinations. Benedetti was set up for the surprise presentation by his friend Darren Pleasance who lured him to the airport under false pretenses.
I initially had the same thought, a winner who could have bought the prize himself, but the fact of the matter is that most AOPA airplane winners have to sell their prize almost immediately in order to pay the taxes on their win. So in that light, in this case, maybe it’s a case of a winner who can afford to remain the winner.
AOPA really could be more transparent selecting a winner. They could make it a fun event and live stream it or make it part of an AOPA Live webcast.
I’m NOT casting any aspersions on AOPA. Trust me, I know first hand a lot of large promotion contests are rigged. I believe AOPA to be an honest institution in this regard, so why not make it transparent?