After weeks of planning and preparations, it boiled down to just a few things...

All but Powered Parachutes were able to fly, and we got all the people we could handle.

Officially our annual Air Fair is a two day event, but for the organizers and volunteers it all starts weeks earlier. 

Friday was our final day for preparing and setting-up at the field, then on Saturday and Sunday it was SHOW TIME!

Despite our over-zealous program, a heck of a lot was accomplished.  By the end of the week-end we had succeeded in safely entertaining close to 1,000 guests (some of which have since become new LAFA members).

During the Air Fair, LAFA had a minimum of two planes (and often as many as five or six) in the air at any given time.  Between the bean bag drop, torpedo run, orientation rides, multiple candy drops and invitee events like the Metro Dade chopper flight demonstrations and Miami Skydive arrivals, our guests always had something to look (up) at or look forward to.  Added to that were the ground displays by AMPS (model RC aircraft), Miami Glider's "Yellow Bird" and an assortment of other attractions.

At ground level, hotdogs, sodas and popsicles were being dispensed at a rate that would make a fast food restaurant envious.

Raffle tickets were being sold throughout the day, but before each of the three daily raffles the rate of ticket sales reached frenzy levels thanks to great prizes like a brand new bike donated by Big Wheel Cycles, a flying jacket donated by David Musgrove, discounted Miami Glider tickets, several orientation flights, LAFA Caps and T-Shirts, tools and toys as well as stuffed animals and EAA goodies courtesy of John Hovan from our sister club: EAA Chapter 71.

Other events on the ground included the paper airplane "LAFA Lander" game for the kids with Yo-Yo ball prizes for the winners. 

LAFA T-shirts and the new LAFA caps were also available for sale to guests who wanted to spruce-up their wardrobes with stylish yellow togs. 

The highlights for kids on both days were the multiple candy drops and the tug-a-plane competitions.  On Saturday the high winds made setting up the tug-a-plane a greater challenge than usual (the two MX's wanted to fly away all by themselves), so on Sunday a resourceful LAFA organizer suggested using powered parachutes (minus the chutes) instead.  This added a whole new flavor and look to the previous LAFA fixed-wing tug tradition.  Times are sure a-changin'!

...Does the future include a fixed wing team versus PPC?  Why stop there?  How about a multiple team simultaneous pull:  Sport Pilot Team vs PPC Team vs Fixed wing UL Team vs Gyro Team? (can I put money on the lighter-than-air team?). Hey - this could become an Olympic sport!! Guinness Book of World Records... are you monitoring this?

The Sunday Miami Herald included half a page article on our previous day's event which added to the Sunday crowd.  Other members of the media also stopped by to take notes and photos. Click here to see the Herald Article.

When LAFA originally learned that DCAD wouldn't be able to co-sponsor our event as they have in the past, we came very close to canceling it completely, but ultimately decided to give our best effort to doing it "on our own". 

Small? - yup.  Light?  I suppose, but... where are the wings?

I don't think this one will fly!

Thanks to the volunteers who gave their time and lent their tables, chairs, supplies and equipment, the end result was a great Air Fair. There is no doubt about it... LAFA has "The Right Stuff".

   THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

...in no particular order...

Thank you John for driving all over Florida buying Watermelons and Corn, then arriving with not one but TWO truckloads of equipment and supplies for the Air Fair.

Thank you Claire for sitting in the sun for two entire days working the orientation ride desk.

Thank you Ron for spending the entire three days at the field setting up, taking down, being a diplomat, and for flying, and flying, and flying...

Thank you Jeff for manning the T-Shirt and raffle ticket sales on both days.

Thank you Mark for mowing a runway out of the overgrown field.

Thank you Richard for making sure the trash cans didn't overflow.

Thank you Cap'n Bob for marking the field, coordinating all the flying events, and keeping your cool with that attractive reporter.

Thank you Miami Sky Dive for "dropping in" on both days (and please don't forget to send me the video).

Thank you Neil Watson for your invaluable support and guidance.

Thank you Miami Herald for the good press.

Thank you Adolfo for the Chili and for handing our programs.

Thank you Florida Fun Flyers (EAA UL Chapter 71) for your participation and assistance.

Thank you Doris and Ida for working the LAFA kitchen during two very full and hectic days.

Thank you Donny, Graham and Mike H. for working Donny's grill in the hot sun.

Thank you Jose for working the gate and handing our programs.

Thank you Andy for your excellent work as MC on the PA system on both days ("Speak up Andy! Did you say you want lozenges?" ).

Thank you Adler for handling the photo printing.

Thank you AMPS for setting-up a display.

Thank you Miami Gliders for bringing Yellow Bird and for donating two 50% glider discount coupons for our raffle.

Thank you Alex for your generator, TV & VCR & for your help at the tables.

Thank you Donald for keeping tabs on the $$$'s, for handing our programs, and for letting us use you as a candy drop target.

Thank you Mike Chin and Big Wheel Cycles for donating a brand new cruising bike for the raffle.

Thank you John Hovan for arriving with two armfuls of raffle prizes.

Thank you Rick Stratton for the excellent photos.

Thank you Roy Cornelio for your generous "freezer fund" contribution.

Thank you Ron Russell for helping to set-up on Friday.

Thank you Mike Harwood for supervising the orientation rides and helping out on the grill.

Thank you Barry for providing the Ice and overseeing the flight line safety.

Thank you Ricardo for providing posters, banners and signs, and for taking photos.

Thank you Jim Scroggins for taking photos.

Thanks to everybody who brought awnings, tables, chairs & coolers.

Thanks to everybody who helped with the set-up, take-down & clean-up.

Thank you PetSmart for donating two cases of Frisbees that were used as tug-a-plane prizes.

Thank you ARCOR for the multiple cases of candy donated for the Candy Drops.

Finally... thanks to everybody who came.  We hope you had fun and look forward to seeing you at our next event.  Better still... join LAFA now and come and fly with us next week-end.

If I missed anybody please let me know!  A lot of work was taking place amid the action, and a lot of credit is due.  If your name should be above and isn't, please accept my apologies and let me rectify it by telling me so I can add it.

I'm still looking for more photos - particularly Air-to-Ground photos.  If you have any, please email them to me.  In the turmoil of events, I never took my camera up with me the times I flew during the event.

Peter Volum pilot@lafa.com