Valley Aero Club Holds Father's Day Fly-in Breakfast
Flying club members celebrate Bay County's 150th birthday with event
June 17, 2007
By: Stephen Kent
The Valley Aero Club did their part in the weekend long celebration of Bay County's 150th birthday by holding a Father's Day Fly-in and Breakfast. The annual event saw some 800 guests chow down for eggs and sausage and pancakes, said Pam Binder, event spokes person. Airport Manager Doug Dodge said that somewhere between 30 and 40 aviators from around the state flew in for the morning and for breakfast.
A big part of the day was the airplane rides. Five planes kept up a constant rotation as people lined of for the $20 rides. For the adventurous, there were even rides in WW-II War Birds. By the end of the day 125 rides were given with proceeds going to the Wings of Mercy program.
Members of Saginaw's Wild Wind Skydiving club made a couple of jumps during the morning. Troy Buzzard talked to MyBayCity.com as he packed his chute after his second jump. "We jump every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at Saginaw's Harry Brown Airport", said Buzzard, who's been skydiving for about five years. It was amazing to see 30 plus square yards of material get rolled up into a bundle the size of a five pound sack of sugar, then to be fastened with big rubber bands. "We're coming down at about 120 miles per hour. We throw out a little pilot chute and it pulls the main chute right out. You're doing about 25 MPH when you're under canopy."
The Father's Day Fly-in is just a warm up act for "Barnstorming by the Bay", the big Bay City Air Show that the Valley Aero Club puts on August 11 and 12. Thousands of folks show up for that event which features stunt pilots, wing walkers, and war birds. This year's show will feature the "Screamin' Rebels" flight demonstration team.
For more information visit the Air Show web site at
www.BayCityAirShow.com
Around 700 people came out for breakfast in the main hanger.
Troy Buzzard drops in for a soft landing.
Five planes kept up a constant rotation giving rides.
For the adventurous, try a war bird ride!
Best part of an air show... getting up close!
Ed Decker pilots his hot red Pitts bi-plane