Events: Fun, fellowship, and flying

The food, fun, flying, and fellowship were amped up for an estimated 500 young and “young at heart” aviators who attended the Young Aviators Fly-In at Triple Tree Aerodrome June 21 to 23 that was created by—and for—aviation’s youth movement.

The second annual fly-in was co-founded by Cayla McLeod, a self-described “taildragger girl” and private pilot from Georgia, and commercial pilot Ryan Hunt. The excitement shared by aviation-minded youth and their mentors during the inaugural event impressed Triple Tree patriarch Pat Hartness so much that he opened the Woodruff, South Carolina, airfield for them to return for what McLeod and Hunt predicted would become a “young person’s Oshkosh.”

An ambitious weekend of activities included aircraft camping, career presentations, bonfires, music, night RC flying demonstrations, food, a movie, a live band, Young Eagle flights, and two opportunities to melt marshmallows and chocolate for s’mores.

Deluxe restroom and shower facilities made camping a good choice for many pilots, and a gazebo at the approach end of Runway 3 was perfect for airplane watching and for judging landings.

AOPA provided two prize giveaway backpacks and sponsored a Saturday night dinner for about 150 overnighting attendees and volunteers. A live blues band provided entertainment and complimentary AOPA eightieth-anniversary stickers were so popular that we gave them all away.

The weekend event was designed to be a low-cost affair that would appeal to college-age pilots who are typically on a strict budget. Attendees were responsible for only one meal and the remainder of the tab was picked up by other aviation organizations and businesses including the EAA, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, Chick-fil-A, Textron Aviation, UPS, Waffle House, and others.

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