Airpark a fun visit as part of Avocado Festival day - Free parking, complimentary shuttle to other venues during festival

Fallbrook Community Airpark will hold its annual Open House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, in tandem with the Avocado Festival. Because the airpark is a free parking site offering a complimentary shuttle service to the downtown area during the festival, it affords a great opportunity for individuals and groups to enjoy a variety of aviation-related exhibits.

Some of the attractions include stationary aircraft on display (including some vintage), radio-controlled demo flights, two water drops by firefighting Copter 12, the arrival of Mercy Air medical helicopter, aviator Tom Aberle’s Reno Racer, and a T-34 fly-by. There will also be a local flight instructor available for those who have questions about learning to fly.

Representatives from the Young Eagles program will be on hand taking signups from children 7 to 17 years of age, for a chance to be chosen for a free plane ride, happening this October.

The Friends of the Fallbrook Community Air Park (FFCAP) will have a food booth available as well. Tom Wilson, of FFCAP said, “Our goal is for everyone in Fallbrook - pilots and non-pilots alike - to enjoy the airpark, especially the viewing common that overlooks the runway and offers the best regional views in North County. It’s a great place to picnic and watch the airplanes landing and taking off, along with the sunset.”

George Watson, operations coordinator for the airpark, has worked for the County of San Diego Airport-operated facility for about eight years. Watson said that between 500-900 take-offs and landings occur every month in Fallbrook, and there are approximately 130 aircraft on site, either inside the hangars or parked in designated spaces.

The airpark is located at 2155 South Mission Road (south of the downtown area and north of Fallbrook High School). Call (760) 723-8395 for more information.

Fallbrook Community Airpark

Schedule for April 21, 2013

10 a.m. – Runway closed down for event until 3 p.m.

10 a.m. – Mercy Air arrives

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – RC Flyers demo flights

11:30 a.m. to noon – Copter 12 water drop

Noon to 1 p.m. – RC Flyers demo flights

1 to 1:30 p.m. – Copter 12 water drop

1:30 to 2 p.m. – T34 fly-by

2 to 2:30 p.m. – RC Flyers demo flights

2:30 to 3 p.m. – Aircraft static display shutdown

3 p.m. – Runway re-opened, clean up