The Central Coast AirFest, held each year at Santa Maria Airport (KSMX) in California, is the new home of the National Aviation Heritage Invitational (NAHI) vintage aircraft competition.
“NAHI will bring some of the finest restored vintage aircraft in the country to our ramp and provide our guests and sponsors a new and exciting element to our air show,” said Steve Hinton, president of the Planes of Fame Air Museum.
NAHI was founded in 1998 at the Reno Air Races by four aviation-oriented organizations — Rolls-Royce, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and the Reno Air Racing Association — to “honor our rich aviation heritage by encouraging the restoration and preservation of vintage aircraft to airworthy condition,” according to officials. “In addition, they utilize the aircraft, owners, pilots, and aviation legends to inspire students to pursue careers within the aviation and aerospace industries.”
“We accomplish these goals by hosting a friendly annual vintage aircraft competition, where each aircraft is judged against restoration standards in-line with those of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum,” explained Ken Perich, NAHI executive director. “We bring together rare vintage aircraft which have been meticulously restored to compete for the coveted Grand Champion Neil A. Armstrong Aviation Heritage Trophy. The Armstrong Trophy resides throughout the year in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.”
According to Taigh Ramey, NAHI chief judge, the competition is open to aircraft 45 years or older, which have been preserved or restored to airworthy condition.
There are five judging categories:
- Antique
- Classic
- Military
- Large
- Contemporary
In addition, there is the People’s Choice Award.
For the 2024 show, which is slated for Sept. 21-22, the Central Coast AirFest will have some former NAHI winners and participants on the ramp, along with representatives from NAHI to set the stage for the full vintage aircraft competitions beginning in the fall of 2025, officials said.
For more information: CentralCoastAirfest.com, PlanesOfFame.org, HeritageTrophy.com
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