The annual Spanish Fork Airport open house event has become known as Utah’s Festival of Speed. The open house will take place on September 22 and 23, and will be a great event for aircraft enthusiasts to see the ramp and runway being used for demonstrations of speed and skill that you don’t usually get to see close up. It is an opportunity to witness fast cars and slow airplanes.
Two WWII airplanes, a B-17, affectionately called “Sentimental Journey” and a PB4Y Privateer will be coming to the Spanish Fork Airport for this year’s event. For those not familiar with the Consolidated Aircraft Company Privateer, it is the Navy version of the Army Air Corp B-24. Numerous other interesting airplanes will be on display, along with an amazing car show of historical and exotic vehicles.
On Friday the 22, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., there will be competitive street racing and you will be amazed at how fast cars can get around the track layout. Helicopter rides will be available from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. The powered parachute demonstration is scheduled to take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m, and from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., we can witness how slow an airplane can fly in the scheduled “Bush Plane Event.” There is no doubt that you will be “amazed” by the ability of the airplanes and the skill of the pilots.
Saturday, Day 2, gates open at 8 a.m. with airplane and car displays, helicopter rides, and tethered balloon rides. Car show awards will be presented at 10 a.m. An autocross race will be in progress from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m, and from 9:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., skydivers will drop into the event. The aerobatic airshow starts at 10:15 a.m. after the parachutists have landed, and will be a wonderful 2 ½ hour demonstration of three-dimensional pilot skill.
The day’s events will continue with the runway being used for car versus airplane races and then there will be a jet demonstration. The “Exotic Car Runway Attack” will consist of speed runs down the runway, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., all while flybys and bush plane landings will sprinkle the day’s events. The PB4Y Privateer Navy Patrol aircraft is scheduled to depart between 3:45 pm and 4:15 pm, and B-17 bomber rides will be conducted between 4 – 6 p.m. Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
The event is sure to be filled with things for everyone.
Tickets for this two-day event can be ordered at SFCityTix.com for $8.00 for each day for anyone over 10 years of age.
