Thomasville Fly-In event a hit with kids, aviation enthusiasts
Published 9:55 am Monday, October 14, 2024
FLYING INTO THOMASVILLE: Wes Smith, from Cochran, Georgia, stands in front of his airplane. (Clint Thompson)
CHECKING OUT THE COCKPIT: Memphis Ramsey and Ella Ramsey (both 5) see what it's like in the cockpit of an airplane. (Clint Thompson/Special to The Thomasville Times- Enterprise)
HERE FOR THE WEEKEND: Two of hundreds of airplanes at the Fly-In event. (Clint Thompson/Special to The Thomasville Times- Enterprise)
THOMASVILLE- Thomasville’s annual Fly-In at the Thomasville Regional Airport on Saturday had a family focus with its 57th annual event.
The event attracted about 150 airplanes and approximately 1,500 to 2,000 attendees. Many of those in attendance were children, eager to see the various aircrafts and also to take part in the annual candy drop that afternoon.
“It’s for the kids. The kids come out and see the airplanes. Kids from 5 to 60 love airplanes,” said Fortson Rumble, president of the Thomasville Aviation Club, which oversees the event. “People fly them for work. They fly them for recreation. It’s all about community. There’s no admission. It’s a great family day.
“(The event’s) totally club driven by donations, selling t-shirts and food. The City of Thomasville really supported us this year; the tourism department has gotten in there and helped us a lot. We’ve got major sponsors.”
Pilots flew in from across the Southeast, showcasing airplanes from previous generations.
Wes Smith, a pilot from Cochran, Georgia, returned to the event for the fourth year, but it was the first time he flew to the event. He’s been flying since 2019 and goes to different airplane events three or four times a year.
“I’m an aviation enthusiast and there’s lots of different airplanes here. Airplanes aren’t like cars. You have to go to a lot of different places to see a lot of different airplanes. If you have a big event like this, you can see dozens upon dozens of different airplanes all in one place,” Smith said.
Robert Johnson, a pilot from Tallahassee, Florida, returned for the third time, but it was the first time he flew his airplane.
“My grandfathers were both pilots. My grandmother was one of the first female pilots in Florida. To have that continue on from generation to generation and pass that on to my own kids has been a great experience,” Johnson said. “I think aviation really brings a tight-knit community together. It’s exciting for people to see aviation where it’s not just flying; there’s a lot of science, a lot of math, a lot of educational things that are involved.”
Smith added, “There’s something magical about taking off in an airplane for the first time or even for the 100th time. It doesn’t matter. Everyone here that owns a plane does it because they love it. They don’t do it to make money or for any other reason. They like aviation.”
