— by Cara Russell–
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There is a certain type of person who always seems to be looking down on the rest of us… literally. These people must have a good ‘Altitude’ and always do the ‘Wright’ thing.
This past weekend (August 5-7th), against the pale blue, an assortment of aircraft landed and set off from the Eastsound Airport. “Nearly 50 planes a day have been coming in,” said Fly-In Coordinator Dwight Guss, who has been in charge of the Fly-In for 18 years. Guss has seen many aircraft enthusiasts, from all over the nation and Canada, return every year.
“There are Fly-Ins all over the nation, but this is a desirable airport and one of the few where people can still camp out on the strip. And it has a beautiful view and is just a short walk to town.”
The event also draws the curious amateurs. Kids sit on their father’s shoulders, so they might peek into the window of every warbird, seaplane, and homemade flying creature, just to get a look at the pilot seat upholstery, or the complexity of each cockpit. And if you were anywhere near Eastsound Village this last weekend, you probably saw a few flying demonstrations, including the favorite Black Jack Squad.
Across the street at the Eastsound Station 21 Fire Hall, volunteers offered their famous pancake breakfast, a community favorite. The breakfast was offered both Saturday and Sunday, from 7-11am.
A short grassy walk up Mt. Baker Road from the airport, nestled between pear trees, the Orcas Road Classics car club held their 17th Annual Car Show. This event is a fundraiser for the community, and provides a scholarship to a graduating high school senior, and raises food and money donations for the Orcas Food Bank. NAPA Auto, Jordon Plumbing, Mike Powell Cruising Concepts (who donated the award placards), Orcas Auto Tech, and many volunteers donated their time and resources to the event. Car entrants also donated food for the Food Bank and/or $10 as their entrance fee.
Current President, Trey Vore, said that the turnout to the annual car show has grown smaller since the implementation of the ferry reservation system. “We used to have cars lining the streets, but this year all the cars are Orcas Island local.”
One newer addition to the event is the growing fleet of Smart Cars. Six of the eight Orcas Island Smart Cars were parked at the event, thanks to Mari Gardner’s efforts in contacting their owners.
The Annual Fly In is sponsored by the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Chapter 937. For more information you can visit the website. https://www.portoforcas.com/
Nice article. LP
Diminishing attendance hopefully has more to do with changing attitudes about the worship of gas combustion machines. I would attend a green machine show but no longer have an adoration for planet-destroying cars and airplanes.
Oh Sam! These planes are classics!!
Samuel, I appreciate your thoughts… But I will comment as a person living underneath the flight path of Eastsound Airports Southern approach, every time a plane comes into view, I’m captivated be the magic of these little things. As a child, I use to sell news papers for 10 cents at our local municipal airport, why and how didn’t matter, I was infatuated by the magic, and grace of these man-made structures that could be airborne!
Maybe it is my generation, but I’m in awe with something that defies so many fundamental laws,
And on my perspective, gets people there, faster and with efficiently, and with a much higher safety standard then that of the automobile.
Again,thanks