Eagle Mountain Air show takes flight Saturday

Hot-air balloon launches and various airplane maneuvers will be featured during Saturday’s second Eagle Mountain Air Show at the Porterville Airport.

Gates will open at 6 a.m. Five or 10 hot-air balloons will take off around 6:30 a.m., air show committee member John Longley said.

“We’re really looking forward to that,” Longley said. “That’s really popular in the community.”

The Recorder will have a paper-airplane contest at 10 a.m. to support the Newspapers in Education Program.

The air show itself, which consists of four acts, will start around noon, Longley said.

A team of four L-29 jets will perform maneuvers for about 20 minutes.

John Culver will take to the sky in his North American T-6, a World War II trainer airplane.

Frank Donally will demonstrate a dead-stick landing — an act in which the pilot cuts off the airplane’s power in mid-air and lands it — in his clipped-wing tailer craft.

Former aerobatics world champion Doug Jardine, in the final act, will cruise in the sky in his Sukhoy H-26.

There will also be rides for children and many vendors. The airport restaurant will be open as well, Longley said.

“We would expect a good time to be had by all,” he said.

All of the proceeds will go toward paying for the show. It costs between $40,000 to $50,000 to put on a show of Saturday’s caliber, Longley said.

“With good participation,” he said, “hopefully we’ll be able to keep this going.”

The Moonlight Fly-In was a 50-year tradition in Porterville that ended in 1997, air show committee officials have said. The Tule River Economic Development Corporation and others joined forces last year to provide the financial support necessary to bring the air show back to life.

This year the Tule River Tribal Council and Eagle Mountain casino each donated $7,500 toward the cause.

Other fundraisers included a USO-themed dinner-dance event in April hosted by the Porterville Municipal Airport and Tule Aero Industries. The night featured music by the Fabulous Stuido Band.

A pre-show dinner will take place Friday to welcome the flyers and honor special guest and Hall of Fame aerobatic Wayne Handley. The dinner will take place at the Tule River Aero Industries facility. Tickets are available at the door and cost $25 each, $40 for couples. No-host cocktails begin at 6 p.m.. Dinner starts at 7 p.m.

Entertainment will be provided. For more information, call 289-0887.

-- Contact The Recorder newsroom at 784-5000, Ext. 1040.