As my readers will know, development of the Prescott Municipal Airport has been one of the priorities during my term as mayor of Prescott.
The Prescott Airport serves the entire Yavapai County region and offers everything from commercial airline service twice daily to Los Angeles and twice weekly to Denver, to flight schools for training future professional pilots, to a base for USDA Forest Service air attack flight operations such as the Goodwin Fire and many others.
Our long-term goal is to enhance the passenger terminal at the airport, and to lengthen and strengthen the runway to accommodate regional commercial aircraft and USFS slurry bombers in support of the Fire Center already at the airport. Part of this effort is to engage the public, our citizens in the airport, so they can see firsthand what a gem we have right here in Prescott.
That’s why I am very pleased to announce the First Annual Wings Out West Air show 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Embry-Riddle flightline at the airport.
Readers may recall the success of the AOPA Fly-In last October. We had more than 6,000 visitors for the air show, static aircraft displays and vendor/informational booths. We wanted to build on that success this year, so I approached Dr. Frank Ayers, chancellor of Embry-Riddle, to ask if ERAU would consider opening up the annual alumni air show event, Wings Out West, to the public. Dr. Ayers and his team were enthusiastic about the idea, so we got to work on Wings Out West.
Here are some details:
When: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7
Where: Prescott Municipal Airport, at the Embry-Riddle flight line. The public can access the event by turning north on MacCurdy Drive, and then following Clubhouse Road. Admission and parking is free.
What: There will be static displays of civilian and military aircraft, plus a “fly-in” for area pilots who want to come and join in the event. There will be an air show featuring renowned pilots Scot Chapman, Bill Stein, Skip Steward and Cindy Irish.
There will also be food trucks, plus technology demonstrations and displays by partnering aeronautical and avionics companies.
Plus, Embry-Riddle will have displays from their fixed wing and rotary flight schools as well.
Dr. Ayers and his team, including Jerry Kidrick, have been phenomenal partners, literally opening up their event to benefit the general public.
“Embry-Riddle is very proud to welcome the community as we begin the 40th anniversary of the founding of our Prescott Campus,” said Chancellor Ayers. “We are excited to have Embry-Riddle airshow pilot Matt Chapman performing, along with Bill Stein, Skip Stewart and other dynamic performers before our friends and neighbors in Prescott.”
Dr. Ayers and I agree that we would like to grow this event every year, including organizations like AOPA again, inviting pilots from all around the southwest to fly in. We can make Wings Out West a signature air show, putting Prescott on the map in the aviation world.
For more information about Wings Out West, go to prcairport.com or on Facebook at ERAUPrescott.
We hope you can join us for this exciting event! QCBN
By Harry Oberg
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