HomebuiltAircraft.com

By John Wolcott, Editor, Snohomish County Business Journal

Organizers of Arlington Airport’s 39th annual aviation event, the Northwest EAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Conference, expect more than 50,000 visitors and hundreds of aircraft during its five-day run, from July 11 to 15.

The Red Eagles aerobatic team will perform its magic at this year’s Northwest EAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Conference being held July 11 through 15 at the Arlington Airport.

Known as the third-largest general aviation event in the nation, after Oshkosh, Wis.’s AirVenture and Florida’s Sun ‘n’ Fun, this year’s show will have the largest gathering of warbirds and antique military vehicles in the Pacific Northwest, said Director Barbara Tolbert.

“There also will be a major Harley-Davidson display for the first time, a Friday night balloon show, night fireworks, vendor tents and a variety of food,” she said. “The Runway Theater will feature outdoor movies, and there will be an array of activities to entertain the crowds.”

The swirling, twisting, precision maneuvers of the Red Eagles’ aerobatic flying team will be a major new crowd pleaser. “Magic in the Air,” the team’s spectacular bi-plane show, blends low-level solos, flat spins, torque rolls and formation flying in their Talon Eagles, known for their maneuverability and unusual double swept-wings.

Returning after a two-year absence, the Cascade Warbirds will open the 3-to-5 p.m. air shows July 13 through 15 with a group takeoff of T-28 Trojans, SNJ-5 trainers, a Yak 11 fighter and others. Many of the group’s 130 vintage military planes will be on static display at the show, part of the Cascade Warbirds’ honoring of veterans who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

The daily admission fee for those driving to the event is $12 per person for EAA members and family (spouse and children 17 and younger), $15 per person for nonmembers; the weekly admission fee is $30 per person for EAA members and family, $40 per person for nonmembers. All children 15 and younger are admitted for free but must be accompanied by an adult.

The fly-in will hold its Kids Day on July 11, with a special appearance by “The Reptile Guy” and hands-on exhibits and activities for children to experience, including Young Eagles airplane rides, “Science on the Go” from Pacific Science Center, kite building, bouncy houses and slides, face painting and coloring contests, balloon art and other fun. There also will be a special air show at 1 p.m.

For more information on the fly-in, go online to www.nweaa.org.

Again this year, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection of rare historical fighter planes, based at Arlington Airport, will provide ground displays as well as a fly-by of a 1918 Curtiss JN-4D Jenny and a Republic P-47D Thunderbolt during the weekend air show on June 14 and 15.

The son of famed air show stunt pilot Sean D. Tucker, Eric Tucker, will be presenting the Columbia Aviation Safety Tour on July 14 and 15, flying a Columbia 400SL to demonstrate techniques for recovering from unusual flight situations. The program also will promote Tucker’s specialized E-PATS (Executive Pilot Awareness Training School) flight safety courses.

Aerial duels between Russian Yak fighter aircraft flown by the Pacific Northwest’s father-and-son aerobatic team of Bud and Ross Granley provide another popular segment of the flying show, and the Arlington-based pilots of the Black Jack Squadron will demonstrate their noted flying formations involving up to a dozen planes.

After the air show, the Cascade Warbirds and other flight participants will close the event by parading past the crowd lining the airport’s taxiway. They’ll be accompanied by a long line of vintage military vehicles that are part of this year’s expanded presence of military vehicles and weapons presented by the Puget Sound Military Vehicle Collectors Club.

On Sunday, July 15, all active-duty military and retired veterans will have free access to the Arlington Fly-In. Veterans will be invited to ride on military vehicles during the post-air show parade.

The air show’s outdoor Runway Theater will be showing three evening films during the event, including “Stealth,” “Flyboys” and “Astronaut Farmer.”

Silver State Helicopters, a flight academy based at the Arlington airfield, will be on hand for the third year to provide helicopter flights for scenic views of the Cascades and the valleys and rivers of Snohomish County all five days.

The five-day general aviation event also will offer an opportunity to buy a name-engraved tile to raise funds for Arlington’s new Education and Exhibit Center, part of the airport’s planned $2 million, 2,500-square-foot Sport Aviation Park exhibition hall.

“The new facility also will allow us to promote new aviation activities at the airport,” Tolbert said, “such as more year-around programming of shows and events, focusing more on sport pilot activities, hosting an air explorers’ group and increasing our Young Eagles program participation.”

The Washington Sea Plane Pilots are planning their second annual Splash-In at nearby Lake Goodwin Resort July 12 through 15. A landing channel has been set aside; dock-space will be provided for loading and unloading; and anchored buoys will be provided for tie-downs.

This year will include the first Arlington Seaplane Base Brat Burn on Friday evening, July 13, on the lakeshore.

For more information, visit online at www.nweaa.org, www.flyingheritage.com and www.cascadewarbirds.org.