Seven-year-old Grayson Rodgers from Glen Carbon was in the pilot’s seat over the weekend.
“This is very cool, but it would probably take me like 21 years to learn to fly it,” Rodgers said. “I love airplanes, especially the fast planes like those flown by the Blue Angels.”
Rodgers was seated in the cockpit of a small passenger airplane, courtesy of the plane’s owner and was among the hundreds of visitors to the St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto on Saturday for the 29th annual Wings & Wheels Fly-In, a celebration of aviation and automotive history, customization, and enjoyment for all ages.
Another Fly-In visitor, Tony Radcliff from Bunker Hill, admired the engine on a World War II-era, bright silver training aircraft.
“This is an opposing piston engine, and I’ve got an old motorcycle that has that boxer style engine,” said Radcliff, who added that he loves vintage aircraft because “the lines, the design of the aircraft, and even the old cars, it’s just so much more romantic. You don’t have that these days.”
Steve Gavaza from Shipman, a U.S. Marine Corps Air Wing veteran, liked the vintage Stearman biplane at the Fly-In because “the beauty of the wooden propeller catches your eye.” Gavaza added that the roar of aircraft, “especially the sound of jets because they scream very loud,” is another factor that keeps him interested in aviation.
Alton resident Steve Noud, a private pilot, enjoyed examining some of the more unusual aircraft at the Fly-In, but he added that unusual or not, they are all fun to fly.
“It’s a big adrenaline rush the very first time,” Noud said. “Then after you’re in the air and you’re flying, you have that sensation that you’re in control of the aircraft, and it’s just a thrill.”
The adjacent Speed Demons Car Show at the Wings & Wheels Fly-In featured custom autos from all eras plus music, food trucks, and children’s activities.
Jim Giese from Pontoon Beach brought his 1958 Porsche Speedster to the show.
“I restored it myself in a single-car garage after it was sitting for 34 years. It wasn’t easy, but it was a labor of love,” Giese said. “It just puts a smile on your face to drive it. You can’t wait when you get out of it to get back in it.”
Wayne Maple from Fosterburg has antique autos of his own, and although he didn’t bring any of them to Saturday’s event, that didn’t stop him from appreciating the vintage cars brought by others, including a 1956 Chevrolet.
“I grew up during the era when these things were only a few years old,” Maple said. “I still enjoy seeing them, especially something this nice.”
Maple said there’s nothing like driving a classic 1950s-era car.
“It’s a joy, nothing like today’s cars,” Maple said. “You feel the rumble in your seat and the torque in the engine. It’s just the joy of having something that old that drives like a new car.”