Hundreds of planes to swoop in
Display of aircraft, seminar on learning to fly part of weekend’s aviation events
For a few moments, the sky belonged to Larry Haight. The Santa Fe aviation instructor navigated the Cessna 172 Skyhawk,
a four-passenger single-engine plane, to get a different perspective of the City Different. From above, the roads looked like brushstrokes and the clustered buildings like toys.
With his sightline stretching beyond the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and empty prairies, it seemed as if the world was at Haight’s fingertips.
This feeling, Haight said, is why he flies. And he’s not alone.
About 350 light aircraft will be in Santa Fe for the weekend to celebrate the joy of flying and the small aircraft community at the Santa Fe Regional Airport for the second 2018 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Fly-In. The event will have different activities Friday and Saturday for the public, including about 50 planes on display and a free introductory seminar on learning to fly.
A fly-in is an opportunity for pilots to convene, share their passions, and exchange tips and tricks, Haight said. For people in Santa Fe, it’s an opportunity to explore more of what their airport has to offer.
“Most people don’t understand what’s at
an airport,” he said, saying it’s much more than just a terminal and tarmac.
Different aviation vendors will be present, and people will get to see some of the behind-the-scenes airport activity.
Haight, 72, has lived in Santa Fe for the past 18 years and has been flying for about 50 years. He said that while piloting an airplane is an expensive hobby, it’s enabled him to see new places and meet new people. Fly-ins are an encouragement for pilots to reach a destination, Haight said.
“It gives them a good excuse to go somewhere new,” he said.
Joe Gamez is the general manager for Signature Flight Support, which provides fueling and other services for small aircraft and is sponsoring the fly-in. He said between 3,000 and 5,000 people are expected to be at the airport through the weekend for the event.
“It’s like a traveling carnival,” Gamez said.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association plays host to four national fly-ins each year to cover various corners of the country. This year, Santa Fe is hosting the Pacific Southwest region.
Arlyn Cook of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., flew in Tuesday ahead of the events to take advantage of his first visit to Santa Fe. He said he has been to about three other fly-ins and enjoys the classes that are offered, reuniting with old friends, and checking out the new airplane models and technology.
“People don’t realize how important [the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association] is in keeping general aviation alive,” Cook said. “It keeps the people together.”