By CAROL LEE ANDERSON
Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI) in Gilford, N.H., will host its third annual Wings, Water and Wheels Open House on Saturday, June 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, which will be held rain or shine, is open to the public and admission is free.
Airport manager Diane Terrill is hoping that this event will top last year’s open house, which attracted an estimated 3,000 people to the airport. Her goal is to allow the public to experience the general aviation airport up close and learn about its benefits to the community through educational and fun-oriented exhibits.
Numerous static displays will grace the airport environment, including aircraft from Skybright Aviation and Emerson Aviation, the two FBOs located on the field.
Members from the NH Pilots Association and various pilots from throughout the state will also have their airplanes on display. Aviation-related exhibits will include booths featuring the Civil Air Patrol, the Sea Plane Pilots Association, and the NH Aviation Museum.
For those interested in what the area has to offer beyond aviation, there will be something for everyone, including Made in NH products, food and drink vendors, as well as displays and boats from the NH Boat Museum and Marine Patrol. Local car and motorcycle dealers and four-wheel enthusiasts will have their latest and most popular models displayed, along with numerous antique vehicles.
The Wright Museum from Wolfboro, N.H., will showcase numerous World War II vehicles from its extensive collection, and the opportunity to experience a ride on a Segway will be offered by Gilford’s Gunstock Mountain Resort. Live demonstrations will include the award-winning Gilford Police Department K-9 unit and those presenting their radio-controlled hexacopters.
Returning to the event will be one of the most popular attractions from last year: Helicopter rides in a Robinson R-44 offered by C-R Helicopters of Nashua, N.H.
Interactive aviation activities for kids of all ages will be offered by WinnAero and the Winnipesaukee Radio Controllers’ whose large selection of radio-controlled aircraft will enable visitors to try their hand at a virtual flight of a radio-controlled airplane.
For more information: LaconiaAirport.com.