Airport Day Flies Into Palo Alto Saturday

Airplane aficionados will converge once again Saturday at the for Airport Day.

The event, organized by the Palo Alto Airport Association, will showcase a variety of unique static display airplanes, NASA’s unmanned aircraft aviation system, control tower tours, short airplane rides, formation flight spectacle and even an exhibit of birds of prey, among many other things. This weekend event is an open house that hopes to teach local residents about aviation and their local airport.

“The purpose of the event is to provide an opportunity for members of the community to visit the airport, to recognize that it belongs to the public,” said David Hopkins, the event organizer and member of the Palo Alto Airport Association.

The airport is owned by the and operated by the county. The organizers believe that it is an unknown asset to a lot of residents, making this an important event for informing locals.

“A lot of people don’t know about the Palo Alto Airport,” said Ralph Britton, president of the Palo Alto Airport Association. “Even people who live in Palo Alto have never seen it.”

Airport Day is not to be confused with an air show but will feature real flying alongside its many activities.

Among the few actual flying events are short airplane rides for children ages 8-17. The flights will be carried out by pilots from the regional chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The rides are part of the association's Young Eagles Program.

“Local pilots will give airplanes rides to young kids,’” said Wolfgang Polak, president of the local San Jose chapter of EAA. The planes rides will last about 20 minutes and will be done in small propeller aircraft that can hold up to four people, including the pilot. “The idea is to get kids interested in aviation.” 

Another flying event that is planned will be a formation flight carried out by local pilots. The formations will be carried by nine planes starting around noon and will finish with a “Missing Man Formation” in remembrance of 9/11.

“We do that to commemorate those who passed away on 9/11,” said Polak, who will lead the formation flight. Missing man formations are done usually in groups of four by military planes to honor fallen pilots. Three planes stay behind in an incomplete V-shaped formation with one plane in front flying solo. “We will do a double missing man with four and five planes, with one departing out of both groups.”

For more information about the activities, click here. If you wish to reserve a flight for your child ahead of time, sign up at eaa62.org.

For directions to the Palo Alto Airport, .

The event takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.