There’s a big wing-ding at the Lake Havasu City Municipal Airport Saturday.
“Wings, Wheels and Waves” showcases planes, boats, cars and ATVs, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; parking is $2.
While all manner of transportation vehicles will be exhibited, the open house event also could be named “Meet Your Airport Day.”
It’s an interesting introduction worth experiencing, considering the steady economic impact the airport has on Lake Havasu City.
For starters, it’s a gateway to Havasu. With more than 40,000 flights annually, that calculates to 109 take-offs and landings every day. Of those, most are private pilots doing the flying, but FedEx and UPS each have air freight flights that leave every morning and return in the afternoon.
Airport Supervisor Steve Johnston noted that the Havasu airport also sees a fair amount of military traffic. Most generally, pilots and crew are training when they make a pit stop in Havasu.
While pit stops are a rarity for the crew of a 737, C-130 or big Gulfstream, they are more than welcome to stop in and check out Havasu.
The airport’s 8,000-feet-long runway easily accommodates big birds. Since Hertz and Avis rent cars at the airport, these folks can park their planes and tool around Havasu at their leisure.
With one restaurant, two aviation mechanic operations and two fixed based operators, pilots easily find the services they need at the airport. Johnston estimated that 109 airplanes are tethered at the airport, though about half the air traffic coming in and out of the airport is transient.
And everyone needs fuel. The two fixed based operators sold 471,000 gallons of aviation fuel in 2014. At $5 a gallon, that’s more than $2.3 million that changed hands.
While Saturday’s activities may inspire a desire to get up in the air, passengers will have to wait until Sunday.
WWII-era training planes on display, a twin engine C-45 and a two-seater AT-6, will be available for flights. The visiting planes are exhibits from the Commemorative Air Force-Falcon Field in Mesa.
If the wind dies down on Saturday, there will also be tethered hot air balloon rides at the open house.
Wanna-be pilots can test their skills on a flight simulator. Food vendors and a beer garden round out the offerings.
The weather forecast for Saturday calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s. Sounds like a good day to hang out at the airport.