Airport Fun Day Attracts Local Community to Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe, Kansas

By Carmelo Turdo

The local Olathe, Kansas community filled the apron at Johnson County Executive Airport for Airport Fun Day 2015 Saturday.  The event, sponsored and produced by Air Associates of Kansas and KC Copters, was a creative way to acquaint the local community with the aviation services they provide at the airport in a family-friendly atmosphere.  The weather was perfect, the food was tasty and there were plenty of fun activities available involving the aircraft and helicopters on display and flying throughout the day.   

Johnny Rowlands of KC Copters and Tom Cargin of

Air Associates sponsored and produced Airport Fun Day 

The action began on the Air Associates apron where visitors arrived at the main entrance.  Tickets were made available for lunch, raffle prizes and Discovery Flights in the Cessna 172 aircraft.  Nearby, a Beechcraft King Air and Cessna TTx were on display.  Kansas State University-Salina brought their Cessna 172 and hosted an activity station with a quad-copter, children's activities and giveaways.  Younger children had fun in the bounce house and were entertained by a clown making balloon characters and face painting.  Later, the apron would be a great location to see the aircraft as they flew over the nearby runway and parked for lunch. 

More fun aviation activities were found on the KC Copters side of the apron, where visitors took helicopter rides around the airport, checked out the KMBC News Channel 9 helicopter, and were treated to a helicopter flight demonstration by KC Copter owner and news chopper pilot, Johnny Rowlands.  Lunch was also served there, and exotic cars were on display.  

JetSwiss Aviation also provided a Pilatus PC-12 for display in the large hangar. 

 

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Heart of America Wing, located at nearby New Century Air Center, offered rides for purchase in their World War II-era Fairchild PT-19 and Stearman A75 trainers.  Several rides were given in the Stearman, and CAF members were available to explain the features of these famous warbirds. 

Aerial entertainment included formation flights by local pilots after lunch.  Two members of the KC Flight brought in their colorful RV-8 homebuilts, and the Beech Nuts flying group flew in a Baron and two Bonanzas.  The five aircraft joined in formation over the airport and flew several passes for the gathering crowd before departing the area. A special bonus pass by an American Champion Decathlon and a Pitts Special formation was added to the program.

 

The Aero Experience is proud to support Air Associates of Kansas and KC Copters in their efforts to maintain a positive image for aviation in the Kanas City/Olathe Kansas area.   Air Associates of Kansas is a full-service fixed-based operator and flight school dedicated to growing the Midwest Aviation community.  KC Copters provides helicopter flight training, aerial tours and award-winning news and weather reporting for KMBC News Channel 9.  Click on the above links to contact Air Associates and KC Copters for your aviation service needs.