Big fun was had by all

This is the first time AOPA has partnered with Inspire Aviation to support the Props and Pistons Festival with a range of exhibitors, offering everything from aircraft parts and avionics to pilot gear; seminars by aviation experts on safety, aircraft financing, and flight training; and a special Pilot Town Hall featuring AOPA President Darren Pleasance.

In spite of sweltering temperatures, the event was soon teeming with people. Some brought their own chairs to stake out some real estate for the upcoming airshow as close as possible to the flight line. A lot of visitors were attracted to the Boeing C–17 Globemaster III that—as tall as a five-story building—was dwarfing everything around it. A long line was forming outside, snaking inside the considerable length of the fuselage for a chance to sit in the pilot’s seat. There was also a queue to get an inside look at the Lockheed C–130 Hercules parked right next to the C–17. Other aircraft on the static display were less hands-on, but nonetheless appealing for aviation enthusiasts. Warbirds included several Beechcraft T–34 Mentors; a beautifully restored Grumman TBM Avenger; Georgie’s Gal, a North American B–25 Mitchell; and a vintage immaculate 1946 Beechcraft D18S. More recent aircraft on display included models from Cirrus, CubCrafters, Van’s Aircraft, and AOPA’s own American Champion Citabria.

While the static display was undeniably a focal point, other areas of interest also drew visitors. At the Learning/Career Campus, several flight schools had set up, among them Kent State University’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering. Representatives said they were telling visitors about the Professional Pilot program, showing its aircraft, and talking about the competitions the school is involved in. At the U.S. Air Force Academy’s table 2nd Lt. Nasir Rashid spoke about the advantages of flight training in a military environment.

And as if there weren’t enough visually impressive distractions, a line of about 30 vintage cars slowly purred and rumbled on the show grounds to be positioned on a patch of grass in two orderly lines. Those were part of the festival’s Cruise-In event and included some spectacular specimens: several 1960 Chevrolet models including the Malibu, Bel Air, and Impala; a 1970 Pontiac LeMans and a GTO; a kitbuilt Fox-Body Ford Mustang; a 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am reminiscent of Knight Rider’s KITT (and it also talked!), and a Jeep in the livery of Jurassic Park with the ominous TREX8ME tag and a dinosaur spitting in the back.

Props and Pistons is very much a family event, attested by the huge number of children running around. When they were not in awe of all the flying machines, or playing with aircraft toys, they were in the Kids Zone, working out in one of the bouncy castles or getting refreshments at the strategically placed ice cream truck in front of it. More substantial food was provided by a long, colorful line of food trucks, offering Italian sausages, funnel cakes, fried veggies, and other airshow food.

Before the actual airshow took off, Pleasance took the stage for his Pilot Town Hall meeting. He greeted members; talked about his career; reported on the status of the AOPA Sweepstakes Aviat Husky; and spoke about the safety of general aviation and the value it brings to communities, the misuse of ADS-B, and how MOSAIC would make GA more accessible.

To watch the airshow close-up and personal, AOPA members were invited to take a seat at the VIP area, where they could enjoy light refreshments and shade. John Westerman had flown in from Lovettsville, Virginia. “I received an email about this and thought I’d give it a try,” he said. At 12 p.m. the airshow opened with a parachutist carrying the American flag while floating to the ground. Shortly after, several T–34s took off, their roaring engines drowning out every other noise on the field. The festival’s airshow is four hours long, interspersing aerobatic acts, formations, and flybys with interviews, anecdotal conversations, aircraft information—and this year featured an induction of cadets into the Air Force Academy, all conducted on a flatbed and hosted by announcer Terry Scott. Several performances then impressed spectators, be it because of the aerobatic skills, the beauty of the aircraft, or both. A Van’s RV–6 performed some aerobatic routines, as well as a Stearman; the vintage warbirds showed off their lines and flying capabilities, as did the D18S. Erik Edgren in his T-Clips, a 1939 modified Taylorcraft, performed his dead stick routine, starting at 5,000 feet and doing loops, Cuban eights, and point rolls while gliding to the runway for landing. It was so quiet one could hear the wind whistling past his wings during the routine. In between acts, the T–34s performed several formation flyovers. A lot of smoke was involved.

No fly-in is complete without a little souvenir to take home. In AOPA’s exhibitor tent, visitors could find 28 vendors, including Aircraft Spruce, Dynon, Method Seven, and Lycoming. Staff working in the AOPA village answered questions about membership, aircraft financing, and AOPA Pilot Protection Services. Flight Outfitters offered a wide range of AOPA-branded merchandise. In spite of the heat “it’s going really well, we’re above average,” said Aircraft Spruce’s Product Support Manager Nick Wood.

AOPA also offered 18 skills and safety and industry seminars, with topics ranging from flight training, aircraft ownership, and career advice to aircraft insurance, technique, aviation safety, and more, delivered by experts in the industry.

The second day was very much like the first, with one notable exception. Closing the airshow, the Goodyear blimp performed a flyby and some maneuvers, making this yet another highlight of the event and reminding attendees of the close ties Akron has to aviation through the Goodyear Rubber and Tire Co.

On both days combined, 179 aircraft flew in, and the camping site accommodated 28 campers. A preliminary count estimates 7,500 attendees, slightly up from last year.