St. Louis Regional Airport Holds 26th Annual Fly-In and Young Eagles Rally

By Carmelo Turdo

St. Louis Regional Airport held their 26th Annual Fall Fly-In and Young Eagles Rally September 24-25. The fly-in has been a staple event for the local aviation community for two and a half decades, attracting aircraft based at the area's airports and the general public for an enjoyable time of flying, food and fellowship. (The car show portion of the event is not covered here). A wide variety of aircraft were represented this year, including appearances by the Missouri CAF Wing TBM Avenger, B-25J Mitchell Show Me and Aeronca L-3E Lil' Show Me along with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation Gateway Chapter UH-1F Huey. Hundreds of youth were flown on Sunday by pilots from local EAA chapters. 

Saturday Fly-In

The Aero Experience coverage begins with our arrival on Saturday with our flight from Creve Coeur Airport to St. Louis Regional Airport courtesy of Gateway Flight Training CFII Tony Jestis in their Beechcraft Debonair. Here we feature some views of the arrival and return flight later in the day.  

The first thing people see as they fly in or drive to the airport is a McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II jet on display. The jet, serial number 63-7491, was made in St. Louis and first flew in 1964 before delivery to the U.S. Air Force. It served in Vietnam, trained pilots in air combat tactics and flew interceptor missions with the Air National Guard in Hawaii. The airframe was used as a trainer for ground crews until it was retired and eventually made available for display at the airport. It has been repainted twice, the last time in the summer of 2019, by Joe Steimann and a crew of volunteers. Here we show the aircraft as it appeared on Saturday morning, and we also include the airport's control tower and the memorial flagpole with the original Civic Memorial Airport dedication plaque.

The welcome tent was staffed by the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps from the Battleship Missouri Division of the Navy League of the United States - St. Louis Council, and the EAA members assisted with aircraft parking, exhibit placement and Young Eagle Flights on Sunday. Several exhibitors, including Gateway Flight Training, Southwestern Illionois College and Ideal Aviation parked their aircraft and set up display tents on the edge of the apron. 

The Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation was also represented with a fully restored F-4 Phantom fighter jet cockpit along with pedal planes and foam gliders for the younger aviators. The Foundation's mission is to inspire youth interest in aviation, and they serve the St. Louis area from their facility at Creve Coeur Airport. Hundreds of young visitors had their photos taken while in the cockpit of a former active fighter aircraft, and we hope that the experience will encourage them to visit the Foundation and pursue a vocation in the aviation field. 

A popular attraction at this and many other Midwest Aviation events is the Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Here we show the arrival of the Wing's Aeronca L-3E Lil' Show Me, TBM Avenger and B-25J Mitchell, Show Me. The Avenger and B-25 flew riders around the St. Louis area, and then departed for their home base at St. Charles County Smartt Field later in the afternoon.

A prominent static aircraft display was provided by the U.S. Army, who brought Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters from Fort Campbell, KY. The crews of these combat-proven helicopters are currently employed in training for future conflicts, from special operations to conventional warfare. The aircraft departed on Sunday morning.  

Oher service helicopters were on display for short periods in the morning between service calls, representing Cape Copters, Air Methods, Air Evac LifeTeam and Metro Air Support. These organizations provide valuable services from training to air ambulance to law enforcement. 

Also on Saturday, the Gateway Chapter of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation provided ride opportunities in their UH-1F Huey Vietnam War-era helicopter. They flew 67 passengers in seven flights around the St. Louis area. Here we feature the boarding, takeoff and return of one of the flights. The Foundation is also located at Creve Coeur Airport.

A large number of aircraft fly-ins arrived throughout Saturday morning and early afternoon, representing individual owners, flying clubs, flight schools and the above-mentioned organizations, all joining together to promote the love of aviation. It was a great opportunity for anyone interested in aviation to learn more about the variety of aircraft on display and the services provided by area flight schools and education institutions. Here is a sample of the fly-in aircraft.

Sunday Young Eagles Rally

On Sunday, EAA Chapter 864 hosted a Young Eagles rally at St. Louis Regional Airport in the same area where Saturday's Fly-In was held. The line remained steady all day, and several hundred youth ages 8 to 17 received a local flight in a general aviation aircraft. The Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation returned with the F-4 Phantom cockpit, and many of the Young Eagles and their family members visited the exhibit between flights. Here we have a sample of the Young Eagle flights along with a visit from our friend, Fly Allyssa!

The Aero Experience thanks St. Louis Regional Airport, EAA Chapter 864 and everyone who contributed to making this year's Fly-In a great success! We look forward to returning this time next year.