Fly-in comes to Niles airport

Published 3:05 pm Thursday, June 21, 2012

The local Experimental Aircraft Association will hold its 26th annual fly-in or drive-in breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon Sunday at the Niles airport. Submitted photo

If you’ve ever wanted to see a Corvette engine powering an experimental aircraft or a home-built ornithopter nearing completion, Sunday’s fly-in at Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport has you covered.

The local Experimental Aircraft Association will hold its 26th annual fly-in or drive-in breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon. The airport is located at 2018 Lake Street in Niles.

The menu features all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy, orange juice, coffee and milk. There will be door prizes, and parking is free. Suggested donation is $6 for adults, $4 for students and $3 for children.

More than 100 aircraft of several varieties are expected, including a four-seat experimental aircraft powered by a late-model Corvette engine.

“It has about 350 horsepower,” said Bob Baird, EAA member. “It is a very high performance airplane and has a tremendous amount of engineering.”

Baird said the event attracts around 500 people. After breakfast, visitors have the opportunity to view the aircraft and meet the pilots.

“I always like seeing the airplanes, and I usually try to give some airplane rides while I am there,” Baird said.

Scouts with Aviation Explorer Post 865 will demonstrate how to construct an airplane.

Fellow EAA member Don Ritchie has been working on an ornithopter, or aircraft that flies by flapping its wings, for the past 24 years.

Baird said the ornithopter, although not finished, would be on display at the fly-in.

“It really is something to see,” Baird said.

An antique car show will also take place during the fly-in.