General Aviation News

Season finale in the high desert

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The 2018 airshow season allowed me to visit many parts of California, and for my season finale I chose the Apple Valley Airshow.

I was not familiar with this event until 2017, when I was invited by Mr. & Mrs. Tumbling Bear, Rob and Susan Harrison. I was unable to attend in 2017 but was determined to attend the 2018 show.

Located in the California high desert locale of Apple Valley, this was the 17th year this airshow was put on by the San Bernardino County Department of Airports for local airshow fans. Unfortunately the typical clear desert skies of the region chose not to participate on this particular day. Instead overcast skies and light rain delayed the start of the show for the thousands in attendance.

When conditions improved, umbrellas were put away, planes were wiped down, and pilots happily began preflighting their aircraft. First to take to the skies was the Tumbling Bear, Rob Harrison himself, to check conditions before starting his aerobatic routine. [Read more…]

Aviation’s star-studded night

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Every January the aviation industry gets the star treatment, with the Living Legends of Aviation Awards, a black tie gala held in Beverly Hills, in the same hotel ballroom where the Golden Globes are held.

During the annual awards ceremony — now in its 16th year — legends in the aviation field honor those selected to join their ranks.

The “Living Legends of Aviation” is a select group of people from around the world, currently numbering 111 men and women of extraordinary accomplishment and renown in the aviation arena. Among the defining criteria used in identifying “Living Legends” are entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, record breakers, astronauts, pilots who have become celebrities, and celebrities who have become pilots. [Read more…]

A new airshow takes off

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On the central coast of California, north of Santa Barbara, lies the city of Santa Maria. While residents are accustomed to the occasional rocket launches from neighboring Vandenberg Air Force Base, they were clearly pleased for the launch of a new local airshow.

The inaugural two-day Central Coast Airfest went off fairly smoothly at the Santa Maria Airport (KSMX), drawing thousands of airshow fans. [Read more…]

A philanthropic airshow

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There’s more to the California International Airshow (CIA) Salinas than meets the eye.

Sure there were dazzling flight displays and interesting aircraft on the flight line during the 2018 show at Salinas Municipal Airport (KSNS) in California.

But unknown to many is that the airshow has become one of the most successful airshows supporting charitable organizations in North America, raising more than $8 million for regional charities. [Read more…]

The return of Wings Over Wine Country

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The Wings Over Wine Country airshow has been a fairly regular staple in California’s Sonoma County for close to two decades. Declining attendance in recent years had organizers questioning continuing the event, which is a major fundraiser for the Pacific Coast Air Museum (PCAM).

Efforts related to moving the museum collection drove the decision to not have a 2017 show. Being my hometown, I welcomed the news of the airshow returning in 2018 to Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (KSTS). [Read more…]

World’s largest airplane comes to the West Coast

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The Antonov An-225, the world’s largest cargo aircraft, made a rare appearance on the West coast in September as it made a stopover in Oakland, California, to pick up disaster relief supplies for Hawaii and Guam.

The unique An-225 attracts a lot of public interest, and has a global following due to its size and uniqueness. In 2016, more than 50,000 spectators showed up at the Perth, Australia, airport to see one.

There were far less folks sharing space with me at a local park located under the final approach to Oakland International Airport. [Read more…]

Free Truckee Tahoe Air Show celebrates 30th anniversary

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Tahoe — the word instantly evokes winter skiing or summer boating for Californians, depending on the season.

Summer in Tahoe also means its time for the annual Truckee Tahoe Air Show & Family Festival, which marked its 30th anniversary in 2018.

This is one of those smaller scale airshows that has a great intimate, local vibe to it and I was looking forward to experiencing this show for the first time.

Admission and parking were free courtesy of the Truckee Tahoe Airport District, so things were off to a great start. It was only a short stroll from the car to the show, and no security checks at the gate either.

We passed quite a few vendor stalls on the way to see the ReMax hot air balloon, which was giving free rides. The airshow venue was quite picturesque, with wooded mountains surrounding the airport, providing a nice backdrop. [Read more…]

The Biggest Little Air Show at San Carlos

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Model airplane demonstration shows seem to be gaining in popularity.

The Hiller Aviation Museum knows all about that as it put on its annual Biggest Little Air Show at San Carlos Airport (KSQL) in California on June 2, 2018, in conjunction with the museum’s 20th anniversary.

The show followed a familiar full-scale airshow script, complete with the singing of the national anthem and the U.S. flag flown in via model helicopter. [Read more…]

LA County Airshow honors the Skunk Works

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The fifth annual Los Angeles County Airshow marked my season opener this year, taking place March 24-25 in the high desert locale of Lancaster, California, where I was joined by tens of thousands of airshow fans at General William J. Fox Airfield, commonly known as Fox Field.

This region is intimately linked to aviation history and aeronautical achievement, with Edwards AFB next door, the legendary Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale down the road, and Mojave Airport with Scaled Composites just up the highway.

The Skunk Works marked its 75th anniversary this year and the theme “First, Fastest, Farthest” was echoed throughout the airshow. [Read more…]

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