Family fun day at Sonoma Skypark
Airplanes, of both the vintage and paper varieties, will be in flight and on display at Sonoma Skypark Airport’s annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, May 13. The free open house also features vintage cars, a free BBQ and ice cream, a ham radio station, a display of radio-controlled airplanes, hay rides and more.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., classic biplanes from the 1920s and gleaming polished aluminum beauties from the 1930s mix with powerful warbirds from the 40s and 50s, said the event’s Darrel Jones, “all with a background of vintage era music to transport visitors back into the Golden Age of barnstormers and aerial circuses.”
Sonoma Skypark Airport is located at 21870 Eighth Street East here in Sonoma.
There will be airplanes flying in all directions and landing among the crowd, Jones says, “but once again, these airplanes will be of the paper airplane persuasion.” Builders and pilots will receive gift certificates for first, second and third places for longest flights, courtesy of Fine Line Arts and Framing.
Family Fun Day includes a complementary hamburger and hot dog barbecue that will serve food from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Kids of all ages can review the airplanes and automobiles on display with an old-fashioned hayride up and down the flight line. The local Aviation Explorer Post 1268 will be answering questions about their aviation youth program for girls and boys ages 14 through 20.
The local Ford Model A and hot rod car clubs will have dozens of beautifully restored cars and pickups lined up. Everything from old Fords and Chevys to the hottest race cars from Sonoma Raceway will be on display.
The Valley of the Moon Amateur Radio Club will have a ham radio station set up and operating, with members making contacts with other operators throughout the world, and a Morse code demo by Club President Frank Wiebusch.
Radio controlled airplanes will be displayed by the local RC aircraft club, with club members on hand to explain how to build and fly the airplanes. Many of the scale model airplanes on hand are as beautifully finished and detailed as the full-sized aircraft parked along the runway. Ben Presten will be doing radio control airplane flight demonstrations during the day.
The local Experimental Airplane Association Chapter 1268 will have an information table with members to answer questions about building your own airplane. The EAA also gives free airplane rides to young boys and girls ages 8 through 17. Nationally EAA members have donated their time and the use of their airplanes to fly over 2 million Young Eagles flights. Sonoma Skypark pilots have flown over two thousand Young Eagles in just over ten years of the program operation.
Information about obtaining a Young Eagles flight will be available at the EAA club table, with Young Eagles Liaison BK White on hand to answer questions.
