The March print issues of General Aviation News will focus on airshows and fly-ins, so we’re asking our readers about their favorites. Is there a show or fly-in you look forward to every year? What makes it special? Any tips for those who want to join in the fun about flying into the field or what to look forward to once at the fly-in? And don’t forget to send us your favorite fly-in photos! We’ll run some in print, as well as online. Send the photos and comments to [email protected] or reply below in the Comments.
I have to say Massey, Maryland (MD1) has to be my favorite fly-in held in the spring and fall…like a mini Oshkosh at times. Grass field. Friendly crowd and good food.
Thunder Over Michigan by The Yankee Air Museum. I got my first ride in a B17 there and fell in love with flying, got my private pilots shortly there after. They gets lots of warbirds there and you can get up close.
Another vote for the Antique Airplane Association’s spectacular fly in in Blakesburg, Iowa. The grounds are like a 1920’s airport, the people are fantastic, the antiques actively fly, and you can get close to really rare aicraft and talk to the owners. No organized airshow, fences, loud announcers, or planned aerobatics. Just freedom and good company!
We try to make it to Reklaw flyin in east texas every year. If you love flying and airplanes thjat’s the place to be ! Check out their website. One great time !
It’s Reno Baby
There is no better expression of what aviation is then the Reno Air Races. There is no way to put in words what the Reno Air Races really are. To try Reno is any air show with precision flight demonstration teams, world class aerobatic performances, and aviation booths for all sorts of aviation items. Then you have what no other aviation event has The Racing. Picture this, up to 8 high performance aircraft that are highly modified air racers flying wing tip to wing tip in tight formation around a oval course 100ft off the ground and the best part at 500 mile per hour. Yes 500 miles per hour, you have to see this to believe. This is just amazing, the thrill, the exhilaration, the sound it is what makes the Reno Air Races the best in the world. You can walk right up to the air racers in the pits and watch the racers prepare their aircraft and talk with the race pilots. No other air show has this.
Regards,
Jim
The Oldtimers Fly in at Hahnweide Germany. Where for 34 years (every second year) over 350 aircraft, many European that will never be seen in North America except on photos, have been converging on this Glider Airport.
Unfortunately it has also become the victim of its own success and have cancelled the 2015 show as you can see here: http://www.oldtimer-hahnweide.de/englische-version.html
Put it on your “Bucket List” bookmark the site and cross all your fingers, hoping that it comes back again in 2017 and when it does, you better be there.
I have been to a lot of events and this ranks in the top five.
EAA Airventure Oshkosh is my favorite and here’s why
http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1381694270
followed by Sun-n-fun, Triple tree and SERFI
ANY Airshow with FREE pancakes and where I don’t have to bring my (BYOJ/S) own jelly or syrup!
One of the most beautiful airshows I’ve ever seen was at Tuzla, in Romania. I flew in the last three years in this airshow and I can say that the number of visitors is increasing from an year to another.
For the last several years I have been to many Airshows . Best of them is AEROMANIA that takes place in Tuzla – Airport on Romanian beaches of Black Sea . Several years it was organized by the beach and that has been a fantastic show for the thousands of people on the beach . I like it a lot . Many international participants and a lot of people
The airshow I love the most is AEROMANIA, organized on TUZLA Airport, Romania !
Aeromania is an annual airshow running over one of the Romanian seaside areas and, starting with 2012, on Tuzla International Airport.
The event is offered to tourists spending their summer in the area, to those seeking for alternative entertainment and to aviation fans.
AEROMANIA is the most appreciated product in the series of aviation events organized by Regional Air Services Ltd.
The event popularity has grown so much in the past years, that it draws audience and participants minutes after scheduling.
On 19th of July, TUZLA International Airport hosted AEROMANIA – attended by:
13500 visitors – during entire day ( / 8500 at once)
23 aircraft in the airshow and 18 aircraft in static display
26 vintage cars (Retrocar)
65 official photographers
All local and national TVs and radio stations, newspapers, senior officials and celebrities
The great achievement of 2014 was predictable: TUZLA airport is very loved by people, especially by those who watched its evolution, know how everything started, was leaded and got to this point, and how much work was invested.
Succes is connected to daily activity facts:
Tuzla airport is one of the most important initiators of general aviation airshow organization in Romania, the one that brought here for the first time pilots from world aerobatics podium, and made them also fall in love with Romania
Tuzla airport traffic is 18.500 passengers / year – although is the only Romanian airport at the time still having a grass runaway – surpassing important Romanian airports like Tulcea and Baneasa and reaching almost same results as Baia Mare and Satu Mare airports
Civil helicopters traffic on Tuzla airport in the last 5 years is about 95% of entire Romanian civil helicopter traffic (including foreign helicopters landing here)
Tuzla airport is the only one in Romania never granted with European funds or state aids by Romanian authorities in charge.
Most attractions come with friendship. This is what enables us to bring on site people, exhibitions and things that money cannot buy. So, part of those things are not to be seen anywhere else !
So, WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU HERE, in ROMANIA, on 4th of JULY 2015 !!!
Olde Rhinebeck Aerodrome puts on a pretty darned good show. Regularly.
I love our Take to the Skies AirFest in Durant, Oklahoma. It’s a one day show with that small town/airport feel but great talent like the MiG-17, warbirds, Trojan Phlyers Demo Team, wing walkers and so many more…talent you don’t see at often at a smaller show. The thing that makes Durant so special though is the involvement of the Choctaw Nation. There are singers (the Lord’s Prayer in Choctaw!), honor guard, dancers, crafts, education and culture. The pilots love this aspect as well as the crowd.
Sean D. Tucker.
I attend 15 to 20 shows a year on while demoing new WACO YMF’s and the New Great Lakes by WACO. Without a doubt, the best event is the Triple Tree Fly-in at Woodruff Sc. Check it out at: http://www.tripletreeaerodrome.com/triple-tree-fly-in.php
7,000 x 400 ft. manicured bentgrass runway
Restored WWII control tower
440 acre site
Unlimited exceptional camping sites
Unrivaled, CLEAN bath facilities with private showers and granite countertops
Over six miles of hiking trails
Fishing yes, you can eat them while on-site
Friendliest staff
Great food
Great educational seminars
Fun social events
World’s most beautiful aviation facility
FUN, Fellowship and Hospitality – Guaranteed!!!
Triple Tree is very high on my “drop in” list. From the photos & videos I’ve seen it might even displace Blakesburg (Please don’t tell Bob Taylor I said that.) as my #1. But first I have to get there. And I don’t know how soon, if ever, that will happen.
One of the most exciting, thrilling and divers air shows that I have taken part of is Aeromania, a show that happens every summer at Tuzla Airport (LRTZ) in Romania. A demonstration of skills, talent and amazing airplanes tricks performed by a variety of experienced pilots is definitely what you will get. If you have time and you love aviation you should visit Tuzla Airport (every summer) alongside your family, friends, dogs etc. Get the chance to watch an amazing air show and try some Romanian dishes, everything while listening to good music and in a great atmosphere.
I love Sun-n-Fun and Oshkosh equally.. However, Sun-n-fun seems to get me a little more stoked mainly because of the time of the year it occurs… The smell of avgas, fresh cut grass, and the food court. The sounds of radials by day and Whippoorwills by night. The sight of brightly colored flying machines who seem to share personality traits with their owners. All the enthusiasm created by seeing the latest and greatest aircraft, gadgets, show specials, and world class performers. Being re-united with old friends while sharing food and drink.. And yes, getting some of that good old Florida “hot sun” on my bright white legs and face.. But mostly it just signifies the end of cold weather, snow and ice and the beginning of the fly-in season.. I’m usually pretty “bummed out” on the final day, but knowing whats coming down the pike, Oshkosh, Triple Tree, Thomasville, SERFI, and others make it manageable !
Always enjoyed military airshows, Davis Monthan, Marana, Moffett Field, Cleveland, Fort Ord, etc.
I have not yet been able to attend, but Oshkosh, Sun ‘n’ Fun and a Red Tail Squadron event or visiting exhibit are on my ideal to-do list. Agree with Michael Dean on no-huge-non-aviation crowds for some events, but we GA-lovers must do our proselytizing for the long-term good of GA, so large, public events, with good educational and outreach segments, definitely have their value.
The Cessna 150-152 Fly-In in Clinton, Iowa. You don’t just fly in and park the airplane, you spend three days actually flying your airplane. Dawn patrol, flying contests, scavenger hunt, poker run, fly-outs, then after dinner, hey, let’s go flying! Oh yeah, there’s also the seminars, the food, and the friends. It’s three days of good food, good friends, good flying, great fun. All in the heartland of America.
“At least some people still know how to have fun with their airplanes” according to a Bonanza pilot in 2007. Yes they do Mr Bonanza pilot.
Sounds like my kind of weekend, Mark. Near as I can tell, there’s only one negative. It’s only 3 days long, huh?
(PS: Lot of my friends think I’m nuts, but I always have loved the 150/152. Kinda the MG Midget compared to the Chevy C10 feeling of the C172. If you know what I mean. Aw crud. I feel more flames a-comin’.)
Was wondering when someone would identify “Clinton 150 / 152 Fly-in”
Hope all is well!
I’m not really into air “shows”, per say. To me, once you’ve seen one airplane tumble through the sky, you’ve seen ’em all tumble through the sky. And while I can certainly appreciate the skill and dedication need to do it, and do it well, I don’t find it particularly entertaining.
Now, having said that (and still ducking the flames), I do enjoy a good fly-in. And my favorite, by far, has to be the Antique Airplane Association’s annual fly-in – held Labor Day weekend – in Blakesburg Iowa. It’s quiet, friendly, and relaxing members-only affair. There’s plenty of flying going on. With visiting and story swapping (meaning, lies) with other airplane nuts. And your not fighting huge crowds (of non-aviation “spectators”). And, best of all, NO JETS!!!
But that’s just me.
I’m with you. I love fly-ins but detest air shows.
I flew jets (F-4’s) in the navy. I can do formation and acro, I am not impressed with most of what I see. I don’t care how many snap rolls you can do in succession.
I don’t like having the field closed, if I need to leave, I want to leave. I do not like the race to leave after the field opens. I don’t think many of us like having the field closed.
I have an RV, there are plenty of RV fly-ins where you can come and go at your leisure. I had an L-19 and would go to the antique aircraft fly-ins. They have the same routine.
I don’t go to Oshkosh or Sun N Fun because of the crowds, lines, closed field times.
I think we are in the minority but that is how I feel.
Thank you for your comments
I still go to Osh, every year. Heck, I’m only 2 hours (by car) south. But I don’t go for the show any more. Now it’s about the friends, from around the world, that I have made over the last 20+ years, and only get to see that once a year. Plus, there ain’t nothing like camping (tent, no motor home for this old man) under the trees, late on a warm summer evening, with good friends, a moderate fire, and a Kessler’s & Mountain Dew. (Hey, don’t knock ’til you’ve tried it.)