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Valle Fly-In set for Aug. 22, moves to Flagstaff Airport

Increasing popularity forced the annual Valle Fly-In to move its location to the Flagtaff Airport Aug. 22. Loretta Yerian/WGCN

Increasing popularity forced the annual Valle Fly-In to move its location to the Flagtaff Airport Aug. 22. Loretta Yerian/WGCN

VALLE, Ariz. - Airplanes, helicopters, a pancake breakfast, food vendors, a beer garden, special guest speakers and a classic car show are an annual tradtion at the Valle Airport. However, because of increasing popularity, the "Thunder over Flagstaff" fly-in and car show has moved to the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport.

"We didn't have enough parking places and were having to turn airplanes away," said Carolyn Smith with Valle Airport.

"We just basically moved up there so we had room to expand."

"Thunder over Flagstaff" is sponsored by the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Chapter 856 out of Flagstaff and all proceeds go toward funding children, ages eight to 17, to attend EAA's Air Academy Camp.

The camp, is held at the site of the Oshkosh Fly-In, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which is considered one of aviation's largest events.

The camp's goal is to introduce young aviators to a variety of aviation topics.

According to the EAA website, youths from 14-18 can apply and there is no cost for successful applicants. More information on the camp can be found at www.eaa.org/airacademy.

In addition to the camp, EAA sponsors Young Eagle flights, which allows pilots to offer small airplane rides, for free, to children and young adults at the fly-in. Pre-registration forms and liability releases need to be filled out and faxed to Valle Airport and will need to be taken to the fly-in. Forms can be found at http://www.valleairport.com/Young_Eagle_Flights.html.

According to Smith, the flights are an attempt to tweek young people's interest in the aviation industry.

"The pilot takes them out and shows them around the aircraft and do some safety information and then they take them up and give them their first flight," Smith said. "The point in that is to try and get kids interested in the aviation industry."

In addition to the Young Eagle flights, Air West Helicopters will offer helicopter rides to the public, for an additional fee.

A car show, which has become a popular addition to the fly-in, will also be held at the airport.

"We are expecting a huge car show because we have had a huge amount of interest already in the car show part of it," Smith said. "Then we will have a lot of static displays of aircraft, different antique and types of older aircrafts and different vendors you will see there."

In addition to the car show and fly-in, Smith said the event will have guest speakers, which will include the Tuskegee Airmen.

"The Tuskegee Airmen will be back this year and they are going to speak at 11 o'clock," she said. "This is the third or fourth year they have come up, they are big supporters of this event because of the kids...the Tuskegee Institution is really into helping young people."

Additional entertainment will include a variety of food vendors, a beer garden and a pancake breakfast put on by Williams Boy Scout Troop No.138.

The pancake breakfast starts at 6:30 a.m. and lasts until 10 a.m. The fly-in begins at 8 a.m. and is expected to last until around 3 or 4 p.m.

The event takes place at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, 6200 South Pulliam Drive on Aug. 22, entrance fees are $5 for adults, children 16 and under are free and a max group/family fee is $20.

"They're doing a food drive with it, so if you bring a canned food they'll take a dollar off," Smith said. "We've had a bunch of people call about bringing planes in, so I know there is going to be a lot of visiting aircraft on display."

More information is available - as well as car show and vendor information - at http://www.valleairport.com/Fly-In.html.


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