Fly-in this weekend: A high, old time to be enjoyed

By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – Aircrafts and food trucks are two things that don’t necessarily bring to mind an association to most folks’ minds, but the Tyler County Chamber of Commerce is bringing them together for a day of fun.

The inaugural “Fly-In and Food Truck Festival” is happening this Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tyler County Airport, and will provide an “unforgettable experience,” as the Chamber is billing it, for area residents as well as visitors.

The vision of the Chamber in launching the event was to not only allow for a family friendly event, but to showcase the county’s airport and give attention to improvements made to the facility, as well as future improvements, according to the Chamber’s president Cathy Bennett.

Recently, the terminal was remodeled, and future plans call for expanding the runway to 5,000 feet. Ultimately, Bennett said, the improvements in the future will bode well for potential economic development opportunities for Tyler County.

For those who might be wondering what a “fly-in” constitutes, fly-ins at an airport, which are also called aviation meets, are gatherings for pilots, passengers and the general public to, respectively, show off their aircrafts and enjoy a slice of aviation culture in a relaxed, recreational setting. 

Fly-ins also typically carry the air of a group of friends meeting to socialize, sometimes over a barbecue. This is where the food truck aspect comes into play.

Along with a showcasing of flying machines, eight different four-wheeled kitchens on wheels will be on hand to provide a sampling of a variety of cuisines to attendees, and according to the Chamber, some of the food trucks already signed up include everything from a mobile Asian grill to barbecue to a coffee and smoothie food truck.

One of the groups involved in the event is the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) Gulf Coast Wing, which is headquartered in Conroe.

According to Nancy Kwiecien with the CAF, the group will have its Navy JRB-6 1947 Beechcraft model D185 and a Navy SNJ-5 Advanced Trainer on display. The latter plane, which is of a 1943 vintage, was nicknamed “Pilot Maker,” as thousands of new pilots trained for war in this single-engine aircraft.

One of the sponsorship packages even includes a passenger flight aboard the Navy JRB. During World War II, that type of plane was used to train about 90% of the US Army Air Force bombardiers and navigators, and about 250 of them remain airworthy today, according to Kwiecien.

Kwiecien said that although spaces are limited, anyone interested can obtain a pre-sale ticket on one of the flights, starting at $150, from the CAF Gulf Coast Wing’s website at: https://gulfcoastwing.org.