By Danny Federico Riverbend News
Aviation enthusiasts, both young and old alike, get ready to enjoy high flying fun at the Wings Over Suwannee Fly-In festival on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Suwannee County Airport (24J).
Held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., kids, teens and adults will be able to enjoy airplane rides, helicopter rides, static aircraft displays, fire engines, car and motorcycle displays and a remote controlled aircraft display. Local food, drink and business vendors will also have booths set up for attendees to peruse.
In addition, youth between the ages of eight-years-old to 17-years-old will be able to sign up for Young Eagles, a program dedicated to giving kids their first free ride in an airplane.
"It's the only program of its kind, with the sole mission to introduce and inspire kids in the world of aviation," the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) states on its website. "Today, more than two million young people have enjoyed a free introductory flight through the Young Eagles program."
On Friday, Sept. 17, before the weekend fun begins, a special free Education Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Suwannee County Airport (24J). The event is open to all youth in middle school and high school grades. Students will be able to enjoy fun fast paced teaching stations, all of which pertain to aviation related topics, such as: rocketry, airport design, aviation careers, how an airplane flies and aircraft robotics. A free lunch will be provided. Please email the number of children attending, along with their ages, to FlyAllenRice@gmail.com.
Later, on Friday night, the community will also be able to enjoy a free camping experience, featuring a bonfire, corn roast and pickin' and grinnin'.
The Suwannee County Airport (24J) is located at 13302 80th Ter., in Live Oak. Those wishing to fly-in should tune to UNICOM frequency 122.800 and use right traffic Runway 25. Discounted LL100 fuel will be available.