Clear and sunny weather after two years of hurricanes drew about 3,000 visitors to see what was new — and old — in aviation at the Virginia Regional EAA Fly-in earlier this month, at Dinwiddie County Airport in Petersburg, Va.
Nearly 500 aircraft flew in during the weekend from states up and down the Eastern seaboard. A 1929 Fleet was the oldest airplane to attend.
Eight Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) manufacturers displayed new planes, along with 12 other aircraft distributors and manufacturers. First-time exhibitors included Aircraft Spruce and Lowrance Avionics.
Nineteen forums drew a record 221 attendees. Many pilots gravitated to the “Wings Program Approved” forums which counted toward their participation in the new Virginia Aviation Ambassador program.
Randall Burdett, director of the Virginia Department of Aviation, presented the first five leather jackets for gold level achievement in the Ambassador program to Dale Dudley, Charlottesville, Va., Peter Eades, Charlottesville, Va., Jack Pettigrew, Richmond, Va., Roy Roper, Richmond, Va., and Ray Tyson, Ashland, Va. Receiving bronze level awards were Van Crosby, Richmond, Va., Ron Knur, Leesburg, Va., and Bruce Southall, Charlottesville, Va.
For more information, including a list of 2005 winners, go to VAEAA.org.