Submitted by Trisha Costello
The first agenda item on the printout asked the question: Shall the Fly In continue? Ten members of the public showed up for last Thursday’s first organizational meeting for this year’s event, most willing to assist with the planing process. This gave the veteran organizers the relief they’ve been looking for and assured that the 2019 Talkeetna Fly-In will indeed happen as scheduled, the third weekend of May.
The Talkeetna Fly-In got its start in 2010 as the Cliff Hudson Memorial Fly-In, honoring the name and memory of the Hudson aviation family of Talkeetna. With the name change to the Talkeetna Fly-in the event celebrates not only the community’s overall rich aviation history, but its future as well. For the kids involved in the Talkeetna Build-a-Plane project, its a time to open their workspace to tours and raise program funds through a silent auction table and the Sunday Hotcake Feed.
In the eight years that the event has taken place hundreds of general aviation pilots and enthusiasts have gathered at the Talkeetna state airport, many camping near their planes and others making their way to local lodging. Events such as an aerial scavenger hunt, poker run, take off and landing demonstrations, gross weight contest, balsa plane flying contest and flights for kids through the Young Eagles program fill two days of aviation focused activity. There are informational tables, a featured speaker and, on the final day, a Missing Man Formation is flown overhead.
The committee will continue to meet weekly, 7:30pm at varying locations. Anyone can become involved at any time. You can check the group’s Facebook page, contact 733-4808 or just come to a future planning meeting.
