8,500 flock to Paine Field for General Aviation Day

Published 3:22 pm Tuesday, June 1, 2010

EVERETT — A rare World War II B-25 bomber, escorted by two WW II P-51 fighters, made low formation passes over Paine Field’s runway May 15, thrilling thousands of aviation enthusiasts who attended the airport’s 15th annual General Aviation Day.

Performing along with those aircraft from John Session’s Historic Flight Foundation — which also celebrated the grand opening of its new facility on the west side of the airport that day — were aircraft from Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field, a P-47 Thunderbolt and a German Storch, a rare restoration of a Nazi short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft used during WW II.

Crowds also enjoyed the Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce’s Taste of Mukilteo, with food for sale by a variety of local restaurants, a Kiwanis barbecue, a kids’ activity tent and The Tempos, a swinging music group that attracted crowds with its Big Band-era tunes.

“We had our largest attendance ever,” said a pleased Les Smith, who heads the Paine Field chapter of the Washington Pilots Association, the host for the event along with Paine Field. “Two years ago, we counted 2,200 people for the event, in 2009 it was up to 4,500 and this year we tallied 8,500.”

A year ago, parking lots near the event were filled up to four or five blocks away. This year, people were parking up to 10 blocks away, across from the Washington Air National Guard headquarters near the entrance to the airfield.

Smith said Paine Field firefighters served more than 650 pancake breakfasts at the start of the day, a new record that raised more than $1,700 for the Northwest Burn Center. The Fly Day 5K run started with 200 runners at the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tours at the north end of the airfield and raised more than $1,700 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Dan Thorson won the men’s event with a time of 18:34 and Leondra Weiss won the women’s top slot at 21:56.

The Washington Pilots Association provided 22 EAA-member pilots and 19 aircraft for free 20-minute Young Eagles orientation flights for 222 youths ages 8 to 17. Nearly 200 people were lined up at the gate at 9 a.m., hoping for a chance to experience a flight, Smith said.

“When the gate opened it looked like the Oklahoma land rush as kids and parents ran to the registration tent,” he said.

After the air show by Historic Flight Foundation, Flying Heritage Collection and the Cascade Warbirds, shuttles carried visitors across the runway to tour the Historic Flight Foundation’s new facilities that opened earlier this year.

Later in the day, the foundation’s B-25 “Grumpy” took to the air once again, this time with Lance and Nancy Robertson at the controls. Upon landing, Smith said, a Paine Field fire truck sprayed an arch of water over the B-25 to honor the pair of experienced pilots for their recent certification in the twin-engine bomber.

The Tyee Triumph Club once again displayed their members’ polished, restored classic sports cars; vintage WW II warbirds lined the runway and attracted hundreds of photographers; Paine Field’s fire engines fascinated kids who wanted a close-up view of the giant vehicles; and the pilots of the Arlington Airport-based Blackjack Squadron provided an 11-plane formation flying exhibition in three passes over the airfield.

Local nonprofit organizations with displays at General Aviation Day included the Civil Air Patrol, Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, FAA Aviation and Space Education, the Ninety-Nines, Kiwanis, Museum of Flight, Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival, Museum of Flight Restoration Center, Boeing Bluebills, Christmas House, the Short Snorter Project, Medical Reserve Corps, U.S. Power Squadron, Everett Community College Aviation Maintenance School and the airport’s Northway Aviation and Regal Air flight schools.