The Golden West Regional Fly-in this weekend at the Yuba County Airport has changed from past years, moving to October from June, condensing into one day instead of three and not featuring aerial acrobatics.
“We shook it up and changed it up,” said Mary Hansen, airport manager.
The focus of the event, sponsored by the Golden West Aviation Association, is more on education, safety and training.
The fly-in is from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday at 1364 Sky Harbor Drive, Olivehurst. Admission is free, with a $5 parking fee.
“Most people, when they hear ‘air show,’ think of big aircraft and aerobatics,” Hansen said. “We’ve brought it down,” making it easier for pilots to fly into the airport.
Aircraft will be in the air during the day: airplanes arriving; flybys at the start and the end of the event; a crop duster demonstration; and competitions in flour bombing, spot landing and pylon racing.
Breakfast is served for a fee from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. and youths ages 8 to 17 years are invited to take part in free Young Eagles flights from 8 a.m.-11 a.m., sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association.
The day includes a safety seminar for pilots and one about drones and rules and regulations, aircraft static displays, exhibitors and remote control and drone demonstrations.
Participating pilots attend fly-ins for the fun and entertainment, Hansen said, but “they also like the education and camaraderie.”
The number of participating pilots is not known, Hansen said — there’s the date change, weather conditions and some pilots don’t decide to attend until the last minute.
“We’ve been doing an event since 1993,” Hansen said. Up to 600 aircraft took part over past three-day events.
Visit goldenwestflyin.org for more information.