The blazing echo of helicopter and airplane propellers sounds over Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville. These usually silent runways come alive every year, weather-permitting, on the Saturday after Independence Day.
Comprised of aircrafts owned by non-profits, historical foundations, commercial businesses, flight schools and aviation enthusiasts, the Cracker Fly-In boasts about 150 aircrafts.
This year marks the 49th Cracker Fly-In, hosted by Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 611. The event originated in the '60s with the now-defunct Antique Aircraft Association in Atlanta.
In 1978, EAA 611 joined the AAA and in time took over the event, bringing it to Gainesville. Having only had to cancel a few years due to inclement weather, the Cracker Fly-In has become a big event in the southern aviation community, according to EAA 611 coordinator Shane Crider.
Crider says about 3500 people are expected to join the festivities on Saturday from near and far. In past years, people from Los Angeles and Miami, Florida have ventured to Gainesville for the event.
Coordinating 150 aircrafts, 3500 visitors and a steady flow of takeoffs and landings is no easy task, says Crider. He and his fellow organizers have been working diligently with the City of Gainesville, volunteers, vendors and aircraft owners since the beginning of the year.
With today being one of the few days Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport is open to the public, Crider is "excited just to show everyone what our passion for aviation really is."
For more information on the Cracker Fly-In and EAA Chapter 611, visit http://www.crackerflyin.com/.
