Latest news with #FlightFest
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dayton Air Show pivots with inaugural Flight Fest: Gary Sinise band to perform
Jun. 17—For decades, the closest most Dayton Air Show visitors could get to performers was craning their necks up at aircraft dancing 1,500 feet above the Dayton International Airport tarmac. This year, the CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show is pivoting. In lieu of the Friday parade in Vandalia, the show is hosting Flight Fest, 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Vandalia Recreation Center. There, guests might actually bump into a favorite pilot. Scott Buchanan, chairman of the U.S. Air and Trade Show Board, which produces the show, said Flight Fest is free but tickets are required. Guests will have a chance to meet pilots and hear the Lt. Dan Band, featuring actor Gary Sinise, who has long supported U.S. service members. "That will be probably the biggest difference," from previous air shows, Buchanan show. "Giving the jet teams and the military more access to the public." The show has always had strong ties to the Air Force and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he said. "This is just a natural progression of that." One of the reasons the Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration squadron exists at all is to boost recruiting. "It allows them access to the public, and it allows the public access to them," Buchanan said. "It gives them a whole evening of 5,000 or 6,000 people they don't normally get." Parking for Flight Fest will at and around the Hareless Hare brewery at 738 W. National Road. Buchanan said there will be shuttles to the recreation center at 1111 Stonequarry Road. Go to for tickets and details. High-flying (and static) fun The show itself will be Saturday and Sunday on the east side of Dayton International Airport. The ever-popular Thunderbirds are set to headline both days. As always, performances and flights depend on weather, maintenance issues and conditions. The current National Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies with highs in the 90s both days. Wear sunscreen and hydrate, Buchanan advises. Expect perennial fan favorites such as a C-17 Globemaster flight, a nod to the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson, the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team, and more. The Red Bull Air Force, with its inverted helicopter flight, will be back. Kevin Coleman will return with his brand of aerobatic derring-do. What's new? A lot. The B-29 "Doc" restored Superfortress bomber- one of two still flying — will visit Dayton for the first time. And for the first time in a couple of decades, the world-famous Goodyear blimp will be present and flying. Or hovering. "They'll actually be flying in the show," Buchanan said. There's enough on the ground to keep the aviation-curious occupied for hours. An F-35 Lighting from Luke Air Force Base is expected, as well as F-16s from the Ohio and New Jersey Air National Guards. Buchanan hopes a C-5 Galaxy from Dover AFB will be on hand, too, but he cautioned those can be tricky to secure these days. Even the U.S. Navy is planning an appearance, with its Strike Group "multi-scenario, mixed-reality experience," designed to give users a glimpse of Navy STEM careers. Veterans will be honored by the Ford Oval of Honor Thursday evening at Wright Brothers Aero on show grounds, and those honorees will be invited to a show chalet Sunday. "We should have a lot going on," the chairman said. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 show and light rain dampened the event in 2021, although attendance that year was regarded as solid. Then attendance skyrocketed. The 2022 show hit a record, 83,000 attendees over two days, before the 2023 show bested that record with 85,000. The 2024 50th anniversary show drew 75,000. Parking and traffic are always a challenge. With a number of people roughly equivalent to six sold-out University of Dayton arenas being funneled into the airport area over two days, visitors are advised to arrive early and be patient. Attendance has been down slightly at other air shows this year, but Buchanan said he is not concerned. "We should do pretty well." John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows, said shows have seen some weather challenges so far in 2025, but the crowds still tend to be big. "It feels to me almost like a rediscovery of air shows, and that's good for the business," he said. Aerobatics pilot Rob Holland was preparing for a Virginia air show in April when his custom MX Aircraft MXS crashed while landing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Va. Beyond that, though, there have been no safety incidents, Cudahy said. For tickets and other information, visit ------ If you go What: 2025 CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show. When: Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. both days. Look for performances generally to start around 11 a.m., weather and conditions permitting. General admission parking: Take exit 64 on Northwoods Boulevard from Interstate 75. Follow signs to appropriate lots. Stay in the right lane. Be prepared to walk once you've parked. Tickets: Flight Fest When: 6-10 p.m. Friday. Where: Vandalia Recreation Center, 1111 Stonequarry Road. Tickets. Free at
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Unit development ordinance halted after ‘legal insufficiency' issue
Video: Prior coverage announcing the new home of 'Flight Fest.' DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — An ordinance that may have opened the door to unit developments in Vandalia has been halted. Following a special council meeting Monday, June 2, the city announced that a referendum petition made to place Ordinance 25-02 onto November's ballot was denied. The ordinance approved a planned unit development and preliminary development plan as well as a zoning map change for land on 7848 South Brown School Road. It was initially passed by the council on March 3, 2025. The Montgomery County Board of Elections and Vandalia city officials cited 'legal insufficiency,' as the factor behind the new decision. The city received the referendum on April 2. Eight days later, the county's Board of Elections office determined that the referendum met the signature threshold required, with 683 valid signatures declared. On May 2, the owner of the property on South Brown School Road submitted a protest that challenged the validity of the referendum petition. The protest was reviewed and it was subsequently determined that the referendum was formatted incorrectly. 'Specifically, the petition failed to include a mandatory Falsification Notice required by Ohio Revised Code 3501.38(J),' the city said in a press release. The absence of the notice according to the city is how the petition was deemed a 'legal defect.' The city says that this also means that the petition can't be corrected, which had been advised prior, leaving the referendum process concluded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Flight Fest connects Dayton Air Show pilots with fans this summer
VANDALIA, Ohio (WDTN) — The City of Vandalia and the Dayton Air Show are partnering together to bring air show performers right to the fans. Flight Fest is a brand new event that will take place June 20 from 6 to 10 p.m., featuring a walk through parade, kids activities, a U.S. Air Force meet-and-great, shopping and even a flyover. The event was created by Vandalia leaders and the Dayton Air Show to add a new element to the iconic summer staple. Organizers say Flight Fest will be more of a relaxed event compared to the thrilling action of the air show. 'The CenterPoint Energy Air Show and our Chamber of Commerce came to us, and we were excited to hear of this new idea they had of Flight Fest and so we partnered with them,' said Kurt Althouse, Vandalia city manager. 'We have a beautiful sports complex here at Stonequarry Road. And so after some discussion, we realized this would be a great venue to host.' The goal of the event is to bring families out and get kids interested in the aviation field.'Our main mission is to try to get kids interested in aviation,' said Kevin Franklin, Dayton Air Show executive director. 'Being able to meet the mechanics, the pilots. They're all going to be out here and intermingle with the crowd. And it should be a great opportunity where — people are usually on the other side of the fence — they'll be able to come right up to them and talk to them.' Organizers say Flight Fest won't break the bank for families, as its a completely free event. Althouse also says it's a good way for those who are looking into the military as a career. 'Most certainly they're going to be talking about the military opportunities,' said Althouse. 'So for those young people that may be looking at what their future holds, this is a great opportunity for them to come out and hear about what opportunities the military does provide.'The event will be capped off by a performance by the Lieutenant Dan Band, who run a non-profit to help veterans. The event will be held at the Vandalia Sports Complex on Stonequarry Road. You can get your tickets for the event here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
