Winggate 2017 Taking Flight This Weekend at South Grand Lake Regional Airport
Jets will streak across the skies above South Grand Lake Regional Airport this Friday and Saturday as remote-control jet enthusiasts bring their aircrafts to Grand Lake to be a part of Winggate 2017.
Between 30 and 40 radio-controlled scale models of military jets and high-performance sport jets from Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas are expected at the radio-control jet rally. South Grand Lake Regional Airport Manager Brent Howard said the exact number of RC jets coming depends on the weather, but he pointed out that the forecast looks good.
In addition to being on display for spectators to see up close, the RC jets will also be flown during Winggate 2017. The individual flights will showcase the jets’ speed and maneuverability. Ranging in size from 3 feet up to 10 or 11 feet long, some RC jets will perform acrobatics while others will race across the sky, some reaching speeds of 200 mph.
The public is invited to come out and experience Winggate 2017. Gates open at 9 a.m. A pilots’ meeting will be held at 10 a.m. and aircraft will start flying at 11:30 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10 and 11. The rally ends at 4 p.m. each day.
Nearly 600 spectators attended last year’s family-friendly event. If the weather is nice as forecasted, Howard expects there could be close to 1,000 people attending Winggate 2017.
“Radio-controlled airplanes and jets have become quite a phenomenon, almost like Nascar racing,” Howard said. “A lot of people are interested in radio-controlled jets or have their own.”
Spectators can bring lawn chairs to sit in while watching the jets fly. Howard says some people even choose to watch from their vehicles.
Veterans will be honored during Winggate 2017 with a special program at the pavilion on Friday. Beginning at 10:15 a.m., the program will include a flag ceremony, the playing of the national anthem and the firing of several brass cannons.
Also on Friday, the RC jet rally will host school students from Afton, Cleora and Ketchum schools. At noon and at 1:30 p.m., the students will attend special presentations where they will be introduced to the world of radio-control aviation. The presentations are also open to the public.
The Girlfriends of the South Grand Lake Regional Airport, a volunteer support group that helps market the airport and produces events supporting the airport and the Grand Lake area community, has arranged for food trucks to be at Winggate 2017. The food trucks will offer a wide variety of foods, including snacks and concessions.
Winggate 2017 will be held at South Grand Lake Regional Airport, 448500 E. 330 Road, Ketchum. There will be ample parking available.
There is no entry fee, but voluntary donations of $5 or more per car will be accepted. These donations will help fund paving of the airport entry road.
For more information, call South Grand Lake Regional Airport at (918) 693-1855 or visit www.southgrandlakeairport.com or the Winggate 2017 event page on Facebook.
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