The third annual Airport Day at Santa Ynez Valley Airport was another success according to event organizers. More than 900 people attended the event at the Santa Ynez Airport on Saturday, May 21. People of all ages had the opportunity to visit with the pilots and owners of more than 30 aircrafts, educating the community and local youngsters in aviation.
“The looks on the kids faces as they’re hoisted on Dad’s shoulders to see the gleam in the polished aluminum prop on Lloyd Sorenson’s Cessna 195, or grins on the faces as they exit the ramp after the Young Eagles experience. These are the moments that these visitors were promised and what they got,” said Robert Perry, pilot and event organizer.
The Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association saw the morning dawn clear with calm winds giving nearly 90 youngsters the opportunity to fly in a Young Eagles Event.
“My kid loves anything with an engine and we couldn’t pass up coming to Airport Day,” said Lindsay Carlson, a valley resident with her son Boomer, 3. Boomer looked especially delighted with the small pedal airplanes that were a hit with those that couldn’t take to the sky.
Led by Dave Romero and his airport crew and troops of Boy Scouts and local volunteers the airport was prepared to entertain our neighbors with hospitality and wonderment that can only be found at small country airports. A free hamburger and hotdog barbecue was served by local volunteers from the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club.
Two local students were awarded flight scholarships to be used this summer at Santa Ynez Valley Airport through a grant provided by the Santa Ynez Chumash Foundation. Those students, Robyn Ribet, 18 of Buellton and Liam Edwards, 17, of Santa Ynez will be consulting with two expert aviators; SB Sheriff Sergeant Gregg Weitzman, and SY Airport Authority board member Denny Bollay on options that their scholarship award will offer them and how to best achieve their aviation goals.
