Aug 2014 Blakesburg Fly-in 2014, August 27 – September 1
Come on ladies, mark your calendars for the next great fly-in and meet some lady taildragger pilots in the process!
There are tons of great fly-ins all over the U.S. coming up in the next few weeks. You’ve got your favorites, I’ve got mine, hopefully our paths will cross at one of them. The next “biggie” on my calendar is Blakesburg, Iowa, August 27 – September 1 and I’d love to see you there. Where ever you end up though, great flyins always come down to the adventure of flying there and spending time with some awesome people and airplanes. If you’re looking for a late August fly-out destination, think about visiting Antique Airfield, Blakesburg, Iowa.
LadiesLoveTaildraggers gals and all women pilots, plan on meeting in front of the Pilot’s Pub Saturday, August 30th @ 5:00 for Happy Hour.
This year’s theme is “Stars of the Sky and Screen” featuring Great Lakes and Interstate aircraft
Joe Shepard’s award winning Lockheed 12a on one of its visits to Antique Airfield. Joe’s Lockheed was one of the stars of the 2009 movie Amelia (Audie Hollon photo)
If you’re flying in, Blakesburg is about halfway between Ottumwa (KOTM) and Albia in southeastern Iowa. Antique Airfield is a private strip charted on the Chicago sectional as IA27.
Last year’s fly-in was my first so I’m still a newbie. I have to admit, I was a little squeamish about flying my homebuilt Rans there and wondered what kind of reception I’d get. This flyin has a history of incredible, pristine, antique and vintage aircraft attending and I’d heard rumors little squirt airplanes like mine could be an outcast. I may have worried but it turned out to be the complete opposite – everyone couldn’t have been nicer. They didn’t know me from Adam and acted like they were happy as heck I’d flown in – even in a Rans S7!
Of course, I had a fabulous time at Blakesburg! Gail Schipper, who just may be the unofficial queen of Blakesburg (she gives lots of rides in her baby blue Bücker Jungmann), gave me a great aerobatic ride as well.Â
View of the airfield don’t get much better than this!
I know there are lots of fantastic fly-ins coming up late summer and early fall. Do your best to get yourself to as many of them as possible. And please, make it to Blakesburg too!!
No Comments