Flying Season Filling Fast

Much of the U.S. is locked into a winter-weather regime this month, but spring is coming soon, and the aviation calendar is filling up. AOPA has announced their second year of regional fly-ins, starting with Salinas, California, on May 16. Each of the free events features a social gathering on Friday night followed by a full day of seminars and exhibits on Saturday. This year's schedule will also include Frederick, Maryland, on June 6; Anoka County-Blaine Airport, Minneapolis, on Aug. 22; Colorado Springs on Sept. 26, and Tullahoma, Tennessee, on Oct. 10. For Sun 'n Fun, coming up April 21 to 26, organizers promise a new fly-in camping area for youth, and a new and improved warbird ramp. Also, the Breitling Jet Team will launch its first U.S. tour at the show, flying a team of seven L-39 Albatros jets.

Fantasy of Flight, in Polk City, Florida, has reopened on a scaled-down basis, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday to Sunday, until April 26. "We want to allow the aircraft-loving public the opportunity to reconnect while we continue tocreate and design the next iteration (Act III) of the Fantasy of Flight attraction," said Kermit Weeks, the owner of the site."There will be as many planes as we can comfortably put on display." The site will also be open June 19 to Aug. 2 and from Nov. 20 to April 10, 2016.

Flying also has announced they will host their Expo in Palm Springs again this year, Oct. 15 to 17. The event will feature a parade of planes, seminars and exhibits. EAA says aircraft designer Burt Rutan will return to AirVenture this summer after several years' absence, to celebrate his iconic VariEze design, which first flew 40 years ago. In honor of the anniversary, EAA is inviting all owners of Rutan-designed aircraft to come to Oshkosh and join in the festivities. AirVenture runs July 20 to 26 at Wittman Regional Airport, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.