Roy LoPresti

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LoPresti First Saturday
February 2009
See Schedule of future First Saturdays

History of the AirCam and Lockwood Aviation

Lockwood was started by ultralight pioneer Phil Lockwood after National Geographic asked him to design a camera plane to film in the Ndoki Rain forest in northern Congo. Lockwood wanted a plane that would allow an engine failure in the jungle so he leaned towards a twin engine. The twin engine design required a huge vertical stabilizer which required a big-torsion resistant fuselage tail.

 The concept of the Aircam, air camera, was born.

Come to LoPresti First Saturday in Vero Beach to learn about this great adventure in aviation and photography.

What is LoPresti First Saturday?

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LoPresti First Saturday is about connecting aviation to modern America. 

The founder of the company, Roy LoPresti, had a life long love of aviation.  As a boy of 5 he announced to his parents, he was going to "design airplanes".  A bold statement from the son of poor first generation immigrants. But sure enough, he entered NYU at 16 and graduated at 19 with a degree in aviation engineering.

As a boy, Roy hung around airports and airplanes every chance he got. However, what was possible and even common 60 years ago, is neither today. Roy bemoaned the loss of innocence and the lack of places for kids and pilots to meet.   So we opened "LeRoy's Cafe" as a place for pilots and the community to "Hang Out". Later we added First Saturday to formally bring the two together once a month with a full breakfast, an interesting topic and a guest speaker. Any proceeds we generate goes to a charity or a worthy cause. In this way we get to give back to the community and provide a place for pilots to gather. Best of all we get to do what Roy wanted most...to share the dream of flight.

9 am	Breakfast was served
10 am	David LoPresti Opened the event
10:10	George Webber offered thanks to all from the charity of the month
10:20	David LoPresti And Barry Pruitt of Evektor spoke on the advantages to modifying the Evektor for higher efficency by LoPresti.  Also discussed was the advantages of the LSA type aircraft for many pilots.
10: 30	Phil Lockwood recounted his adventure flying the AirCam in the Congo for National Geographic
11:20	Door prizes were awarded.
11:30	everyone went home.

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