Aircraft club flying in to local airport

Texarkana’s recently formed Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter #1582 will host its first fly-in at the Texarkana Regional Airport from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct.8

Throughout the day, both children and adults will get a chance to view some 50 to 60 privately owned propeller-driven general aviation aircraft, said Justin Lee, the chapter’s vice president.

Besides general aviation airplanes, the program will also feature a C-130 Hercules military cargo aircraft on static display for tours. There will also be a vintage single-engine World War II training aircraft, known as the T-6 Texan, on display.

The fly-in will also conduct a Young Eagles program whereby children ages 10 to 17 who are interested in aviation will get a chance to fly free of charge aboard participating pilots’ airplanes.

The event will also include a Federal Aviation Administration Safety Seminar for the participating pilots in the fly-in. The seminar will be from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Southern Arkansas University Technical Airframe and Power Plant School Hangar, located on the airport’s property.

Last month, the Texarkana Urban Transit District Board of Directors approve allowing the district’s passenger buses to perform shuttle bus service for the event’s participating pilots as well as for the public.

Founded in 1953, the EAA, presently head-

quartered in Oshkosh, Wis., started out, more or less, as a flying club. Its flight membership contains many pilots who built their own airplanes from scratch.

The association also has it’s own flight museum with a collection of more than 200 aircraft, both vintage and modern.

“You actually don’t even have to be a pilot to be a member of the EAA—just an aviation enthusiast,” Lee said.

For more information, call Lee at 903-277-0699.