Carson City Airport events to highlight aviation, honor veterans

The Carson City Airport is hosting two big events Saturday - an open house will fill the day and a luau/dance honoring veterans will be offered in the evening.

The airport's annual Wings Over Carson open house will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission and parking at 2500 E. College Parkway. The schedule of events includes:

• Ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. for all the new construction at the airport. Mayor Bob Crowell and Supervisor Shelly Aldean will officiate.

• Skydiving demonstrations, fly-bys, model aircraft demonstrations, static displays, hot air balloon rides, food and snack vendors.

• The Carson City Fire Department, Sheriff's Department and K-9 unit, and Civil Air Patrol Savoy Six military vehicles will have displays and demonstrations.

• Paper Airplane Toss Raffle to win prizes, including a chance to win T-6 Texan and other aircraft rides.

• Activities for kids including face painting and balloon animals.

• The local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association will sign up youngsters ages 8-17 for "Young Eagle" airplane rides to take place at a later date. The rides provide an opportunity to experience flight, and learn about aviation from an EAA pilot.

• Pancake breakfast from 7-11 a.m. free to pilots who fly in.

In addition to the activities, static displays will include: WWII B-25 Bomber, OV-10 Bronco, Stearman Aircraft, Republic RC-3 Seabee, P-51 Mustang, L-39 Albatros, North American T-6 Texan, various warbirds, corporate jets and general aviation aircraft.

The luau and hangar dance will take place at the airport's El Aero Hangar, hosted by the Nevada Museum of Military History.

"This will be a tribute to veterans," coordinator and retired military test pilot Mike Reynolds said. "Fourth graders will be performing a song they composed. It is a truly moving song guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes, honoring veterans from all wars from the Civil War to Iraq."

A Hawaiian-style luau dinner starts at 6 p.m. and entertainment and live music runs 7-11 p.m.

Entertainment includes an Andrews Sisters singing contest for anyone who likes to sing, and a swing dance with The High Sierra Swing Dance Club of Carson City.

There also will be a swing dance contest with a brief lesson provided. First place prize is $100 and second place prize is $50, and the top two winners will receive a plane ride for two over Lake Tahoe provided by Reynolds.

The dinner dance is a fundraiser for Rite of Passage Q-House High School. Students from the culinary arts program will be preparing and serving a four-course luau including a Hawaiian pork dish, Reynolds said.

"They are preparing to feed 300 people," he said.

Four WWII planes - a

B-25, P-51, T-34 and PT-13 - will be on display for airplane buffs.

Tickets are $35 for adults, $20 for veterans, $10 for the dance only and $10 for children 12 and younger. Adult and veteran tickets include one free raffle ticket.

Raffle tickets will be sold for $5 for chance at three round-trip Southwest Airlines tickets anywhere they fly; one full year AAA membership, WWII P-51 painting donated and painted by a local artist, and five airplane rides for two over Lake Tahoe.

Tickets may be purchased at the door, online at www.wingsovercarson.com, by e-mail to at wingsovercarson.com/pwoods@rop.com, or by phone at 267-9411 ext. 130.

More information can be viewed at: www.carsoncity-airport.com/events.shtml.