MASSEY — Massey Aerodrome hosted an antique airplane fly-in on Saturday, June 21.
This continued a tradition of more than a half-century of the Potomac Antique Airplane Squadron, which had previously held the well-known Horn Point Antique Fly-In.
PAAS, which moved its event in 2016 from Horn Point in Cambridge to Massey, dissolved last year.
This was Massey Aerodrome’s first antique fly-in as prime sponsor.
Organizers deemed it a “great success” with 83 guest planes, welcoming weather and perhaps record attendance.
As the only Antique Airplane Association-judged event on the East Coast, it attracted an unusually wide variety of aircraft.
“Most importantly there was just a happy vibe. Call it ambience, mood or atmosphere, I can’t really explain it but it just felt like everyone was having a good time,” Massey Aerodrome volunteer Bill Dougherty told The Evening Enterprise in an email.
Arguably the most striking aircraft was a turboprop-powered Pilatus PC-12 chartered by nine employees of Skytech Inc. Aircraft Sales out of Westminster. At 10,450 pounds, the Pilatus PC-12 is believed to be the largest airplane ever to land on Massey’s grass runway.
Other notable aircraft included: Britten-Norman Islander; 1931 Waco QCF-2; Culver LFA Cadet; YAK-52TW; Beechcraft D-45/T-34 Mentor; Great Lakes 2T-1A-2; two Stearmans (not counting the two based at Massey); two Fairchild PT-26s; Mark Meredith’s de Havilland DHC-1 Super Chipmunk; Fairchild 24R-46; three Cessna 195s; and numerous superb Luscombes, Aeroncas, Pipers, Beech and other antique general aviation aircraft.
Organizers gave a shout-out to Jonathan Martin, airport manager of New Garden Flying Field in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania for a fly-past in his “new” 1960 Twin Beech 18. Martin did not land because he had an event going on at his airport, but he took the time to fly over and entertain the gathering with a low pass over the runway.
Other extras included 17 Porsche Club members who made Massey their destination for the day, and the Richardson Maritime Museum of Cambridge that brought an antique wood racing boat for display.
Organizers noted that there would be no fly-in events at the Massey Aerodrome without volunteers.
Marshallers guide and park the planes, while others park cars.
At the “free food” fly-ins, like the Chili Fest Fly-In in May and the Open Hangar Party and Fly-In in December, the need is just as great in the kitchen and at the buffet line as on the field.
A sweeping thank you was extended to the Civil Air Patrol, Caesar Rodney High School JROTC Drill Team, First State Military Academy and all the Massey volunteers.
