To anybody and everybody who came to the Fly-in this year, it is clear that SJ2026 was a huge success.
Despite the intermittent showers and low clouds early in the week, the event was bigger and better than any of the Fly-ins in the post-COVID era. Some of our old-timers suggest it may have been the biggest event in decades. It clearly was fun, with dozens of activities, bounce houses, food trucks, and some amazing flying.
Which event was the best of them all?
• The “Duckie Dive” was won by our ice cream vendor, which was a great surprise for everybody.
• Sixty-three kids enjoyed free Young Eagle flights on Saturday.
• The powered paragliders from Jersey Shore (PA) decorated the skies with beautiful demo flights at sunrise and sunset every day.
• The STOL demonstration was an eye-popping example of the capabilities of G.A. airplanes.
• And for the littlest kids, we had bounce houses, face painting, motorcycles, radio-controlled model airplanes, and the opportunity to build (and launch!) model rockets.
It’s hard to decide which single event was the most exciting. The Saturday evening pig roast with all the trimmings was wonderful and well-attended. The spot-landing contest was lively and wonderful. The Friday night drone show had the entire city of Lock Haven gasping for air and every night the live music went until the wee hours.
Maybe we don’t need to pick “a best”? Maybe we just say it was a great week, and we can’t wait to get back next year!
See you in June 2027!