I bought a kneeboard from Sporty’s Pilot Shop. I’ve been using my flight instructor’s kneeboard, but when I went flying with someone else last week, I had nothing. It was really annoying to have my pen first drop off of my lap and onto the ground after buckling in, only having to apologize to the instructor there for the day, then unbuckle, then climb out, then get the pen, then get back in, only to…drop my notebook.

I need a kneeboard, I grumped inwardly.

So, I bought the cheapest one they had, for about $10. I informed my regular flight instructor of my purchase when we went flying on Saturday.

“Did you get it from Sporty’s?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“You may not be aware of this, but if you should win the airplane that Sporty’s is giving away, the policy is that I, as your instructor, will get half,” he joked.

I hadn’t been aware of the contest at Sporty’s until now.

It would be very unfair if a person such as myself, who has only purchased a glorified highchair and now a cheap aluminum kneeboard, were to win. All I could offer such a plane would be years of crushing blows to the landing gear.

“Which half do you want?” I asked my instructor, “The wings or the tail?”

However, for those of you who really want to have a free airplane and it doesn’t look like you’ll be the lucky recipient of the Sporty’s sweepstakes, I want to help you.

So here it is. Free airplanes (more than one!) from Lone Prairie. And you didn’t even have to buy a thing. All you have to do to “win” is to position your mouse and click. Here. (PDF)