MILLBURY – Interest in aviation will take flight Saturday and Sunday at the Plane Fun Fly-In 2011, to be
held at the Toledo Executive Airport.
The annual event raises funds for the non-profit Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 582.
"The event is put on because the mission of Chapter 582, and all other chapters of the EAA for that
matter, is to promote sport aviation," explained Bill David, chairman of this year’s event. An
airline pilot, David has been involved with the national EAA for more than 30 years, and with Chapter
582 for about a decade.
"So we do this annual fly-in as a fundraiser and how we do it is by educating the public."
While the event features a number of food vendors, he said, "we also invite airplanes, what’s called
transient airplanes" flown by individuals for a pilots’ breakfast. "This is a fairly
good-sized fly-in, it’s fairly well-recognized, so we get a pretty good clientele, as it were," of
airplanes coming within a radius of 150 to 200 miles.
"Then we have activities for children," including "You Control" airplanes on strings,
which run on gas motors, and rubber band airplanes, among other offerings.
"One of the biggest features of it is what they call the Young Eagle Program," David said. The
free program, initiated by the EAA national organization, allows children, ages 8 to 17, to ride in an
airplane free of charge. The flights are largely provided by the EAA membership. Children participating
get to fly in an airplane, are told how it works, and can even handle the controls. They receive a
certificate afterwards recognizing their flight.
"So they get a free ride in an airplane and that’s quite a neat thing," David said, noting that
the EAA has logged over two million Young Eagle flights since the program began.
"It’s been a very successful program" which introduces young people to flying in a positive
way.
Adults will also have opportunities, for a donation, to take to the air – among the airplanes they can
ride in at the fly-in will be a N3N bi-plane.
"That’s an incredible, incredible value and opportunity."
Additionally, vehicles, including vintage World War II machinery, will be present at the event, provided
by the Ohio Motor Pool group, including a functioning Sherman tank.
"And we expect to be able to shoot it off, to fire the cannon, a blank."
"So there’s a number of military hardware from World War II that is going to be on display,"
David added, saying that there is the possibility that a 50-calibre machine gun loaded with blanks may
also be fired.
Among other machinery expected to make an appearance at the event is a C-27J Transport, which David said
is one of the newest transportation aircraft used by the National Guard. A Desert Storm-era A-10 Tank
Buster Airforce airplane is also expected to be at the fly-in, and there is also the possibility of a
Chinook or Blackhawk helicopter. A historical engine museum will also be featured.
"Airplanes are very important to your life, even though you don’t know that," David said,
noting the importance of civilian airplanes to the medical field in terms of organ donations.
"General aviation is directly responsible for saving people’s lives on a daily basis."
Despite bad press aviation has received in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, he said
that America remains the only country in the world where someone can simply go out and exercise their
privilege to fly an airplane. It is important organizations like the EAA promote aviation in the
community.
"So we just want to open the door to the people."
Gates will open at 9 a.m. each day, with breakfast and lunch served all day. Admission is $5 for adults,
and children under 7 will be admitted free. Parking is free.
The Toledo Executive Airport, formerly called Metcalf Field, is located at 28331 Lemoyne Road. A map is
available online at www.eaa582.org.
For more information, contact Dave Horvath at (419) 466-7908.