EVERETT — Despite low clouds and chilly temperatures, thousands of people gathered at Paine Field on May 21 to celebrate the airport’s 16th Annual General Aviation Day. Flybys of vintage aircraft, tours of the field’s aviation tourism attractions and viewing parked rows of civilian and militar
y planes kept visitors on the move all day.
An attendance of 8,400 neared last year’s record of 8,500 visitors in sunny weather, proving the popularity of the air field’s annual event, which successfully showed off a variety of aircraft, celebrated the importance of aviation in the Pacific Northwest and offered activities for families, children and aviation enthusiasts.
More evidence of the growing attraction of the event was found in the Washington Pilots Association’s new record of providing free 20-minute Young Eagles orientation flights for 288 youths, ages 8 to 17, a significant increase over 2010’s total flights. Pilots donate their time, aircraft and the cost of fuel to introduce kids to flying.
This year’s General Aviation Day event, co-sponsored by the Paine Field chapter of the Washington Pilots Association and the Snohomish County Airport, filled a large area near Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection, which drew a steady crowd of visitors throughout the day. Famous World War II aircraft from the major nations involved in the global conflict were on display or flying.
New to this year’s displays was Allen’s latest acquisition, a Russian MiG-29 jet fighter recently purchased from John Sessions’ Historic Flight Foundation after a painstaking restoration at Arlington Airport before it was flown to Paine Field.
In the afternoon, the event’s air show coincided with the Flying Heritage Collection’s first “fly day” of 2011, the start of summer flights to exercise FHC’s rare aviation specimens that have all been restored to flying condition.
After several flybys of FHC’s British Spitfire and P-40 came low-level flights by the Historic Flight Foundation’s World War II Navy Tigercat and Bearcat in formation, followed by a half-dozen historic planes flown by members of the Cascade Warbirds squadron.
Following the air show, shuttle buses carried people across the airfield to the Historic Flight Foundation Restoration Center for a tour of Sessions’ civilian and military planes, along with displays of equipment and uniforms by the Puget Sound Military Vehicle Collectors Club.
One of the most popular attractions was the rare B-25 Mitchell bomber, one of only a few in the world in flying condition, plus P-51 Mustangs and an equally rare 1929 Travel Air with three seats for passengers behind the pilot and co-pilot. Owned by Pole Pass Airways on Orcas Island, it’s hangared at the foundation’s Paine Field facility.
The day began with the annual Fly Day 5K Race, attracting a record 300 registered runners and raising more than $2,800 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, up more than $1,100 from last year’s event. Afterward, the Paine Field Fire Department’s annual pancake breakfast served 596 people and raised $3,000 for the Northwest Burn Foundation.
Crowds also enjoyed the Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce’s Taste of Mukilteo, with food for sale by a variety of local restaurants, the Kiwanis barbecue, kids’ activity tent and The Tempos, a swinging music group that attracted crowds with its Big Band-era music. Tyee Triumph Club members also displayed their classic British sports cars.
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