Large Group Photo

Make sure you have the 16-55 with you on the lift. I would take at least 50-100 shots, not 20. You should get up on the lift at least 20 min before the group comes out to check out exposure and framing before the shoot begins. Have walkie talkies between you and your on-ground assistant so you don't have to yell.

Good Luck.

I'd create photos that I could use in Photomerge in PS then I'd have a nice Pano of the group! Maybe take the key execs. and have them on both sides of the Pano!
This would be fun!

50mm with a D200? You will have to be back a considerable distance to get everyone in. You would be better off getting closer and using a wider lens.

Because of the focusing uncertainties involved with the D200, I'd shoot with a small aperture: f/8, f/11, etc...assuming the lens in use will give acceptable performance at that aperture. If it's to be done in one frame, you'll probably find even the 50mm a bit 'too long'--you'll have to be way back to get 100 people in the frame. It's doable, though. I think I'd try about 24mm to 35mm as a convenient focal length. With a f.l. of 24mm and a aperture of f/11, you could set the lens to infinity focus and it'd all be in. The suggestion of doing it as a later-to-be-stitched panorama is viable also. It might help to mark the ground where you want all the people to stand.

Thanks for all the information, I plan on a Saturday pre-practice to see how to set a lot of the items. I'll try the 16-55 Tokina instead of the 50 mm. Any suggestions on the settings for the D-200? My eyes are not that good so it will have to be auto focus. Thanks again.

Good advice so far.
Presume you arrange people in 6 rows (front to back) which is about 16 people across your field of view. Supposing the center to center distance between people is ~ 3 feet, then that's about 50 ft across.
If you use a 50mm lens on the D200 you would have to be about 100 feet back to get it all in (26 degree fov) or if you use the 24mm then you would have to be back 48 ft (52 degree fov). Have helpers ready and wranglers to get people into lines. Hope you have the sun location accounted to give great light without squinting or facial shadows.
Pee before you go up in the air, as silly as that sounds ... nerves do gt jangled :-) .
Jim

I will have to shoot with what light I get at 8-9 in the morning. The building sits at the bottom of Pikes Peak and that will have to be in the back ground also. The sun will be at my back and off to one side. I have a SB-600 flash would it help with some fill flash?

If the sun hits the ground where they are standing, you won't need fill flash if Pikes Peak is in the backround from Colo Springs at 8-9am.

Hopefully they aren't standing in shade, since an SB-600 just ain't gonna cover that many people at f/8-11.

in addition to shots with the 16-50 capturing the entire group in one shot, i would also take slightly overlapping pano shots which can be combined later. this will allow you to get a bit closer and hopefully capture more expressions.